From Queens to rookies! In this episode of BAZAAR Spotlight, we are looking at a rising star who is already garnering a massive fanbase even before his solo debut. Unless you are a major K-music fanatic, you probably won’t have this unassuming boy wonder in your radar. Introducing Jung Jaewon, or better known by his stage name ONE. This 23-year-old rapper is gaining popularity with an Instagram following of 239, 000 and it’s growing by the second. Not bad for someone who hasn’t even debuted yet, until his recent solo debut with his singles ‘Getting By‘ and ‘Heyaye‘ this month. Mark our words, with his irresistible boyish charms, talent and pretty features, he is going to be around for a while.
Here are 5 things you need to know about the ONE and only, Jaewon:
1. He initially debuted as the leader of hip hop duo, 1PUNCH.
Even though Jaewon is technically a rookie, he isn’t brand new to the K-hip hop scene. He was actually one half of hip hop duo, 1PUNCH, together with 15-year-old Samuel Kim making them one of the youngest rap duo to debut. Ironically, their music was heavily influenced by old school hip hop legends such as Notorious B.I.G and 90s K-hip hop group, Deux. However, the duo disbanded just 8 months after their big “debut”. Management issues with Brave Entertainment were quoted but there were rumours that Jaewon received a better offer.
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2. Jaewon garnered mainstream attention when he was a contestant in ‘Show Me The Money 5’.
‘Show Me The Money’ is a Korean rap battle cum reality programme where rookies go under the mentorship of hip hop veterans. They create tracks and also show their rap finesse in spontaneous rap diss battles. The show had a huge surge in popularity from season 3 onwards when heavy hitters like Tablo and Jay Park joined as judges. Jaewon made it till the top 16 before he was eliminated but his charm and rapping skills did not go unnoticed.
3. Jaewon is now part of the YG family.
Better offer indeed! Even though he wasn’t the overall winner of ‘Show Me The Money 5’, he was offered a contract with one of the holy trinity entertainment companies in South Korea, YG Entertainment. Needless to say, Jaewon said yes to the offer and they groomed him for his first solo debut under YG. His first single was a reflection of his laid-back style and featured some incredible images of him. Just click above to watch.
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4. Jaewon writes his own lyrics, rhymes and beats.
One might dismiss Jaewon as just a pretty face amongst a sea of Korean artistes. But part of the reason why YG signed him is due to his passion for music and creative talents. YG is famous for taking in trainees who are creative and tend to have their own signature style. Just like other YG predecessors such as G-Dragon and Tablo, Jaewon is in the heart of the music making process by writing his own rhymes and beats.
5. Jaewon’s style is all about quirky, yet laid-back hip hop influences.
Naturally, Jaewon’s style reflects the current hot trends in hip hop fashion today. Oversized bombers, caps and hoodies galore! His go-to off-duty style seems to be a hoodie, cap, jeans and sneakers. Honestly, it doesn’t take much to make that face look good. Though his look is laid back, he wears them in a manner that stops the outfit from looking sloppy. We suggest going for a more neutral colour palette and then making sure that the rest of your appearance is clean-cut. When in doubt, wear black!
Of course, Jaewon is still young and is exploring his own signature style. Recently, he has been more adventurous in terms of his fashion decisions and have been adorning more floral tops paired with a simple pair of light blue jeans. He seems to be into printed button-down shirts at the moment and he certainly pulls it off. We’re sure he will continue to explore his own personal style and become more daring fashion-wise as he continues to blossom. Because, let’s be honest, he could make a trash bag look good.
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