[Exclusive]'Wanna One High School' PD: "Lee Gwan-rin, the member fans missed the most... Thanks to Haseong-woon, the group's leader" [★Research Lab] [Interview ②]

*This content was translated by AI.

[Editor’s Note] [★Research Lab] StarNews meets with people who drive the entertainment industry, uncovering their unique know-how and success strategies. We introduce the practical experience and philosophy of those who quietly pave the way behind the glamorous stars.

-Continuing from Interview ①.

The production team cited the special synergy that the Wanna One members displayed when together as the program's greatest charm.

PD Park said, "The sight of them when they are active individually is truly different from when the members gather together. Just sitting and talking or joking around without doing anything, you could feel their charm. The energy that arises when they are together is Wanna One's greatest strength," he emphasized.

PD Lee also said, "When the members gather in one place, their high school and early 20s selves come out as if time has stopped. The chemistry was so good that the production team kept laughing while watching the monitor. Hwang Min-hyun looks perfect, but when he plays games, he shows his human side. Ong Seong-woo has a thousand faces. Park Ji-hun was just as he was in the past. He is calm when alone, but it was really fun when he was with the older members. We were grateful to see the members catch on to the setup inside the set and enjoy it," he shared.

The behind-the-scenes story of the reunion between members Lee Gwan-rin and Haseong-woon, which had sparked much discussion, was also revealed. Since Lee Gwan-rin retired after Wanna One's activities ended and rarely appeared on broadcasts, fans' attention focused on whether he would join once the reunion was confirmed.

PD Lee Yeon-gyu stated, "I thought Lee Gwan-rin was one of the members that fans who loved Wanna One missed the most. Although each member is active individually as an actor, singer, etc., I knew they missed him because they couldn't see Gwan-rin. Both the members and we wanted him to join. The reason we went all the way to China was not just for the program's appearance, but because we wanted to meet him in person, persuade him, and have a conversation," he explained.

He continued, "Haseong-woon played a central role among the members. You can think of him as Wanna One's leader. As the second-oldest brother, he embraced the younger members while also leading the older ones. Since he stays in close contact with all the members, he was a great help in the process of persuading Lee Gwan-rin," he shared.

Lee Gwan-rin also agonized over whether to appear but ultimately could not join. PD Lee explained, "I understand that he considered the Wanna One days as a very important page in his life, so he must have had deep reservations. But it seems it wasn't easy."

Additionally, the production team expected that the meeting between the two would generate significant buzz. This was because they judged it to be a moment that fans had waited for for a long time. In particular, there was a moment during filming when the production team was moved to tears.

PD Lee said, "After parting with Lee Gwan-rin, Haseong-woon cried a lot while moving at the airport. We also felt a strange emotion, as if we were leaving Gwan-rin behind again. It was a particularly special moment because we all remember that brilliant time together," he shared.

The production team cited the fandom 'Wannable' as Wanna One's greatest strength. PD Lee said, "Even when the members are talking about personal matters, their expressions change when Wannable comes up. It feels nostalgic. One of the members said, 'If Wannable gathers, Wanna One gathers,' which seems to fit perfectly. It seems that because the existence of Wannable is there, the name Wanna One can continue," he said.

He revealed, "I understand that Haseong-woon and Hwang Min-hyun contributed a lot to this reunion. They have such strong bonds and get along so well with the members. It seems that the topic of reunion came up every time the members met, and I think the push this time was largely due to the efforts of these two."

Meanwhile, 'Wanna One High School: Back to Base' concluded on the 2nd. A special video is scheduled to be released on the 16th. PD Lee said, "This episode was made for Wannable," and urged expectations.

-Continuing in Interview ③.

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*This content was translated by AI.