Wanna One, "I.P.U."
Korean boy band Wanna One has a promise to make in their latest music video, released Monday.
A special pre-album song from the band dedicated to their fans, “I.P.U” -- an acronym for “I Promise You” -- is an exhilarating electro-pop track. Released 333 days after the 11-member K-pop group's first public appearance, the single is filled with promise to their fans to never forget them for their support. Each of the men was handpicked through a Korean television show last year by South Korean viewers to be featured in the group.
Beginning as an ambient EDM track propelled by a steady melody and the sweet vocals of the band member's, the intensity of "I.P.U" picks up in the buildup to the propulsive chorus, with the inclusion of dramatic beats spurring it on towards a dynamic dance break. The song is perhaps Wanna One’s most vocally impressive one yet, with each of the men’s distinctive tones standing out for a portion of the track, always a difficulty for K-pop groups with double-digits.
The music video for "I.P.U" featured the members of Wanna One participating in individual activities reflecting their diverse romantic expressions and confessions, before bringing the group together through explosive partying moments and a sleep scene that had them all piling atop of one another. A relatively sweet and vibrantly-hued music video, "I.P.U" features several choreography-heavy scenes that bring the 11 men together, and alternate between in sleek suits and preppy pastel outfits.
“I.P.U” was released Monday and comes over a week before the release of the band’s 0+1=1 (I Promise You) EP, which is set to drop March 19. The new album has reportedly achieved over 700,000 pre-orders, setting it up to be a huge hit from the boy band. August’s 1X1=1 (To Be One) sold more than 740,000 copies and its reissued edition, November’s 1-1=0 (Nothing Without You), sold over 600,000, resulting in that album being one of the best-selling K-pop debut albums of all time due to the combined sales.
Formed through the 2017 season of the South Korean television Produce 101, Wanna One is expected to release several more songs this year before their planned disbandment at the end of the year.
Watch the music video for “I.P.U” here: