WOW of A.C.E. Almost Quit Music. His Fans Encouraged Him To Persevere.

A year after A.C.E went on hiatus to pursue solo activities, the group’s main rapper and dancer releases “LOW”, his first solo track. Now, for the first time, he details why the single – and this new chapter – may have never happened.

Recently, WOW, a rapper from A.C.E, considered giving up on music entirely.

A year ago, A.C.E ended their contract with Beat Interactive, the company that formed them. The members, who had spent more than seven years together, went their separate ways and began exploring different projects. But while many of his teammates spun out new releases, WOW chose to slow down and process the past near-decade of his life.

He began by asking himself questions he’d never had time to explore: “What do I need to do to be truly happy from now on?” “What is it that I genuinely love?”, and, most introspectively, “Where does the strength that keeps me grounded come from?”

“I realized that I love singing and listening to music so much that I just can’t live without it,” he told me in a new interview. “So I decided to start over from scratch and try doing things on my own.”

Ironically, WOW says, what he learned is “that I don’t know myself that well.” He began writing music and thinking about who he could be in this new era of his life. The result of that soul-searching is “LOW”, his first single as a soloist. The dark R&B track feels like a natural extension of some of A.C.E.’s edgier music, like “SAVAGE” or “UNDER COVER”. But it showcases that WOW is a talented singer in his own right, and he has an ear for a hit.

The inspiration for “LOW” came from Afrobeats, a genre that WOW always wanted to try making. “Then one day, a good melody suddenly came to me, and I started sketching it out right there. The song came together so naturally, almost effortlessly, and that’s how ‘LOW’ was born,” he said.

The most challenging, and fulfilling, part of releasing “LOW” was that WOW had complete control in the process. “From working on the song to figuring out everything needed to release it, I had to learn and find my way through every step on my own,”  he said. “That’s why this song means so much to me and holds a special place in my heart more than any other song.”

WOW, born KIM SEHYOON, grew up in Gwangju, a large city in southern Korea. He said his best memories were attending study academies, known as hagwons, and practicing each day after school with his friends. “I remember practicing hard with friends who shared the same dream, cheering each other on, and always pushing ourselves to take on new challenges,” he said. “That passion back then is still one of my most precious and vivid childhood memories.”

WOW credits his hagwon director for pushing him to take dance lessons, which led him to consider becoming an idol. When an opportunity to audition for YG Entertainment came up, he jumped at the chance. “I was so nervous at the time that my mind went completely blank, and I could barely even remember what I did on stage,” he said. “But I do remember trying my best to look like a professional in front of the judges and not let my nerves show. Though I’m guessing they could probably tell how nervous I was just by looking into my eyes.”

WOW spent the next year training at YG before transferring to CJ E&M, where he met JUNHEE and JIHAM, who he’d later debut with in A.C.E.

WOW quickly learned that JUNHEE and JIHAM were two of the company’s best trainees. “I’d heard so much about how talented all the members were, so I had high expectations. When we actually started practicing together,” he said, “I saw that they each had their own distinct style and solid fundamentals, which made me feel really reassured, as though the Avengers had come together.”

He was right: A.C.E stands as one of the third generation’s most talented boy groups. Their vocalists are stacked (even rappers like WOW have insane pipes), but A.C.E's real strength is their versatility. They can do just about any genre from hip-hop (“SAVAGE”) to vocal-heavy pop (“Take Me Home”). Changer: Dear Eris stands as one of the best records from the ‘20s, largely because of the boys’ performance. You’ll have a difficult time finding a group who can convey the encouraging mood of “Changer” or the vocal runs the members pull off.

Looking back, WOW said, his time with A.C.E. changed his life. “All the promotions we did and the time we spent together as members of A.C.E. are the most valuable memories in my life.” He thought about it more as he tried to explain their bond. “We’ve been through so many ups and downs together, from the days when we were preparing to debut until now,” he continued. “After everything we’ve been through, the members have become as precious to me as family, and we’ve built a strong bond where we genuinely support each other and cheer each other on as we each follow our own paths.”

When I asked why he thinks their friendship has remained so strong, WOW pointed to their bond. “There’s really no grand explanation,” he explained. “Simply, we’re already family. Even if we’re each walking different paths in our own places, I don’t think the bond we share as family will ever change.”

Nearly a decade later, WOW is embarking on a new journey, this time on his own. He’s continued working with the members, most recently appearing on JUNHEE’s second album, Love Method. But WOW doesn’t think he could have made it this far without the support he’s received from both the members and his fans. Thinking back to the period when he considered giving up, WOW said candidly, “The biggest thing that gave me the strength to get back on my feet and take on this challenge again was my fans, who continued to wait for me and support me all this time.”

Recently, WOW participated in TikTok’s “Music on Stage”, a global event where he represented Korea. He said the experience was “precious.” “It gave me so much energy as an artist, because once again I could experience vividly how many fans there are out there who love my music and support me,” he said. “It was truly an honor, and I was so grateful to have the opportunity to represent Korea and share my music on stage.”

Perhaps WOW has learned best this year how to see an idea through to completion, and how to believe in himself. “Now that I have more control over my career, whenever I find something I need to do or genuinely want to try, I want to take it on without fear, whatever it may be,” he said. “The first result of that mindset was this first solo single.”

As he prepared to release “LOW”, WOW called in everything he’s learned to feel confident about what would come next. “I like to give myself positive affirmations and say encouraging things to myself. What I most wanted to prove to myself with this comeback was that I can achieve anything I set my mind to and plan for, no matter what difficulties come my way,” he said. “And by taking on every step of producing this solo release entirely on my own, I gained the motivation and confidence to believe that I can take on the new plans and future goals ahead of me, too.”