Celebrity Travel: Go away with Wonho

After Wonho completed his 18-month mandatory military duty in South Korea this past September, the pop star had intended on taking some time off before making his “comeback” – K-pop parlance for releasing new music. But when the opportunity came up to be a part of the iHeart Jingle Ball lineup – which includes a Dec. 9 concert at the Allstate Arena outside of Chicago – he got to work, quickly.

“I wanted a bit of time to prepare and show a new side of myself for my fandom, WENEE,” Wonho said in an interview from Seoul. “But my desire to see my fans as soon as possible was stronger, so I prepared diligently. I had the chance to meet fans directly through my fan party in Seoul, and I’m really looking forward to the upcoming U.S. promotions as well.” Besides his Jingle Ball sets, Wonho will be hosting fan meetups in select U.S. cities, including New York, Los Angeles and Chicago (https://www.instagram.com/p/DBgXZ6TTeVn/).

Q: Can you tell me a bit about your new all-English song that you will be releasing soon?

A: My [Nov. 22] digital single “What Would You Do” is a pop R&B ballad that's perfect for relaxed listening. It has a catchy melody that stays with you for a long time after listening, so I think you'll want to listen to it over and over again. I hope you all enjoy a warm winter with my song this season!

Q: How have your travels impacted you as an artist?

A: Traveling is important and it gives me a lot of inspiration. Each trip is different in its own way. Traveling itself gives you a change of pace and I think experiencing new things and being inspired through that is really important. I want to experience and see everything I can, so I try to do the most I can when traveling.

Q: Do you work on songs when you're on a plane, train or in the car?

A: Of course! I use the bits of time in between traveling from place to place to work on my music. I especially like to write lyrics when I’m on-the-go.

Q: Have you had the opportunity to visit the U.S. with your parents yet?

A: I still have that desire, because I think sharing the things I’ve seen and letting them experience new things will make me even happier. I really want to eat delicious food and talk about [our travels] together, so I hope we can [do that] one day.

Q: What is on your travel bucket list?

A: I actually think the greatest place to relax is my house because there’s no place like home. However, I’m still making an effort to travel farther to get inspired and feel new things. If I have the chance, I’d like to travel to a place I've never experienced before. I'd love to visit Canada.

Q: How do you stay fit and healthy when you’re on the road?

A: I try to keep working out consistently and pay attention to my diet even when traveling. When I’m on the plane or in the car, I make sure to stay hydrated. I hope readers will also try to drink more water than caffeine.

Q: Speaking of planes, what do you do to keep yourself busy when you fly?

A: I like to read books and watch content that I haven't had the chance to watch yet. I like to download Netflix shows and watch them when I’m traveling.

Q: If you could only pick one place to eat, would you prefer a food truck or fine dining?

A: I’d choose a food truck. It’s easier to eat and it’s fun because there’s more choices. I think it would be fun to visit food trucks while traveling in Hawaii and try a variety of local foods.

Q: The holiday season is upon us. Do you have any special trips planned?

A: I believe that you don’t have to do anything particularly special on the holidays, so I’ll just be having fun with the people around me. But there are certain places that come to mind [for] December. Spending a day in snowy Sapporo in winter or seeing the sparkling illuminations in Tokyo could make for a memorable day.

Q: Do you speak any foreign languages?

A: I’m studying English consistently and learning Japanese, too! I want to directly express my thoughts to my fans in each place I go to, even if it’s just a short word or phrase. So I look it up in advance or ask the staff that I’m with, too, [for help].

Q: When you go away, what are some of your must-have items?

A: I always remember to take medicine for emergencies and my AirPods! I also like to take a carabiner for safety because you never know what kind of situation might come up. Most importantly, I have to take my pillow with me, too!

Q: What is your best and/or worst vacation memory?

A: Traveling always includes good memories and bad memories, but I think as time passes, it all becomes the same. If I just remember to enjoy the moment, I think every moment can be remembered as a happy memory.

Q: What do you have in store for 2025?

A: Honestly, I can’t say that it's really a secret because a lot of WENEE know that I’m working on my album now! I know they’re really looking forward to it, so I’ll be working hard and I hope you’ll stay tuned for it in the future. I’ll work hard so that I can show you all new and diverse sides of me in [the new year]!

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(Jae-Ha Kim is a New York Times bestselling author and journalist. You can reach her at www.jaehakim.com, follow her on Instagram and X @goawaywithjae, or read more from her on Substack (jaehakim.substack.com).)