Since their debut in 2020, Weeekly has been captivating audiences day by day with their youthful energy and fresh charisma. Now, the six-member group composed of members Lee Soojin, Monday, Park Soeun, Lee Jaehee, Jihan, and Zoa, are back with their newest digital single “Stranger,” which was released on January 25 in both English and Korean. “Stranger,” an emotional pop ballad, conveys Weeekly’s journey as a group pursuing their dreams and aims to thank their fans, called Daileees, for their unwavering support and love.
The accompanying music video is beautifully animated and doused in a palette of blue and purple hues. Viewers watch as the main protagonist of the animation evolves from darkness – gaining enough confidence to use their voice and eventually transforming into a bright star who is finally able to perform in front of their supporters.
Kpopconcerts.com had the opportunity to chat with Weeekly about “Stranger,” their creative growth as a group, and what fans can look forward to from them in the new year.
This interview has been edited for clarity.
KPC: In your own words, what would you say “Stranger” is about?
Soojin: I think “Stranger” has both warm and cold sides to it. The mood of the melody is cool but the story of the lyrics is very warm. It states that our fans, Daileees, and Weeekly are each other’s light.
KPC: So when preparing for this single, what would you say were the most memorable and challenging moments?
Monday: The most challenging part was expressing our emotions through the song since English is not our first language.
Jaehee: I liked preparing the English version of “Stranger” because this is the first time we’re releasing an English version of one of our tracks. So it was very meaningful to us because we were able to prepare something not only for the Korean fans but also for the international Daileees who could access something in their language.
KPC: What are you hoping fans will take away from listening to the song?
Soeun: The melody of the song itself seems sad, but if you read the lyrics, they are actually very hopeful. The song is about our growth up to this point, and we wish for people who are listening to the song to feel a sense of hope.
Jihan: We hope that people will take a close listen to the color of our individual voices as well as our vocal skills. We have prepared a variety of content to allow fans to listen to and interact with “Stranger,” so we hope that they will look forward to that.
KPC: What was your favorite part about filming the music video?
Zoa: The “Stranger” music video is the first music video of ours that we don’t appear in. It is an animated music video, so when we first saw the finished product, we were all able to become immersed in the video. We feel that this music video can provide a sense of comfort, not only for ourselves but for people who are going through a hard time or are feeling lonely. We hope that many people will watch the video, not just Weeekly fans.
KPC: What is the most fulfilling part of working together as a team?
Monday: I don’t think I’ll form friendships closer than the ones within our group. Our team has very good chemistry, and we’ve never had any conflicts, even since our trainee days. The bond we share is incredibly strong, as we spend almost twenty hours a day together—eating, sleeping, and working as a team. I feel really grateful for the strong relationships I have with the people I work with.
KPC: We love hearing that you all have such a close bond. You recently had the Weeekly University fanmeeting, and you actually sang “Stranger” as a surprise encore for your fans. Can we expect any more international performances or a tour soon?
Zoa: Actually, we’re in the process of preparing for our first U.S. tour this year! The dates haven’t been confirmed yet, but it should be sometime this year. We are looking forward to meeting the fans overseas.
KPC: We’re so excited to hear that and you can be sure to see KPC there whenever you come to America! Do you have any other big goals that you want to accomplish this year?
Jaehee: Aside from our U.S. tour, we don’t have our whole year planned out just yet. We would definitely like to hold different types of concerts and fan events, as well as perform in a variety of different countries.
KPC: This next question is one submitted by fans. Would any of the members want to write or produce any songs or drop any solo songs one day?
Soeun: We are all interested in composing songs, writing lyrics, and producing solo albums. We would love to pursue these opportunities in the future, but for now, we are putting all of our focus on our U.S. tour and other activities that we already have planned for the year.
KPC: Going back to “Stranger,” if you could have the song be part of any film or series that you like, what OST do you think “Stranger” would be on?
Monday: There is a Korean drama that I’ve been into lately called Death’s Game. It’s about a person who keeps being reborn as a different person. The character also deals with love. I feel like the drama is a good fit with the storyline of “Stranger.”
KPC: We have another question submitted by fans: When you go on your tour, what food are you most excited to try at the stops you go to?
Soeun: I want to try In-N-Out Burger since it will be my first time visiting the U.S.! It’s very famous here in Korea.
Jihan: I would also like to try frozen yogurt!
KPC: Frozen yogurt is really good! You should go to Pinkberry. It’s one of the most famous frozen yogurt places in America.
Jihan: Thank you for the recommendation!
KPC: Of course! One last question for our readers: What is one message you want to share with Daileees about this release and your future activities?
Soojin: We prepared very hard for both versions of “Stranger” and we’re also preparing very hard for the U.S. tour, so please look forward to it! The performance will be something that the fans will not regret coming out to see. Thank you!
All: Thank you!
Thanks so much to Weeekly and their team for the interview! Be sure to check out Weeekly’s new single, “Stranger,” and keep your eyes open for exciting announcements from the group throughout this year!
