Let it be known that Woozi of SEVENTEEN always keeps his promises. With the release of “What Kind of Future,” he kept a promise he made to the late idol Moonbin. When the ASTRO member passed away on April 19, 2023, fans and fellow artists, including Woozi, were devastated.

Needing a place to express their grief, netizens flocked to the last post on Moonbin’s Instagram and left many heartfelt comments under it. On April 25, six days after Moonbin’s passing, Woozi wrote a comment of his own in which he opened up about how much Moonbin meant to him.

“My Binnie, ha. I miss you so much. It wasn’t even more than a week ago that we said we should find the time to dance together, and you said that I was definitely your No. 1. I can still see the giant smile you had on your face as you told me that. But this world sucks, doesn’t it? Ha… I don’t even know why a cool kid like you wanted to be close to someone like me. I’m sorry I was such a shy hyung who couldn’t express things quite well. You were really such a cool dongsaeng. How nice would it have been if I had told you the same good things you told me? I’m so ashamed of myself for not having been able to express myself to you all that well. Dear Bin, you gave me so much strength. You’ve always been so supportive of my music and my dance. You always had great anticipation for my works and loved them, too. And though I always played it cool because I felt shy, you have no idea how happy you made me feel. Haha. I’m finally telling you how I actually felt, you punk.”

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Woozi was true to his word

He also wrote about “What Kind of Future” and how much Moonbin loved it. His words reflected affection and gratitude for Moonbin, who had always supported his musical endeavors.

“I don’t think I’ve ever had a dongsaeng who liked me as much as you did, and I doubt I’ll ever meet another like you in the future. That’s why you’re even more precious to me, and my love for you keeps growing. But now, I’m at a loss. You know the song that you kept asking about and begged me to release so you could listen to it whenever? I’ll bring it to you on your birthday. I’ll fight the company if I have to, but I promise, no matter what, I’ll put it out for you. You know, I finished all the bibimmyeon you gave me for my birthday. Haha. You should’ve given me a chance to give you a birthday gift too, you little rascal! I’m sorry there isn’t much else I could do for you as your hyung. I love you. I cherish you, and I’m grateful for you. In my heart, you’ll always and forever be the coolest dongsaeng I’ve been grateful to have. Let’s be happy now, Bin. I love you.”

True to his word, Woozi released “What Kind of Future” on Moonbin’s birthday. The song made an impressive debut at No. 14 on the Worldwide iTunes Song Chart three hours after its release. On January 31, it debuted at No. 195 on the MelOn Weekly Chart with three days of tracking. By February 3, it soared all the way to No. 1 on the same chart.

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A touching tribute

“What Kind of Future” is one of Woozi‘s most personal compositions. It’s about a painful period in his life. Its meaning is open to interpretation—some see it as Woozi talking to a former lover, while others view it as him conversing with his younger self. Initially, Woozi vowed to perform it only once and never to release it. However, he ended up performing it three times—twice during SEVENTEEN’s IDEAL CUT tour in 2018, and once during BUMZU’s STUDIO concert in 2020. Woozi’s decision to drop the song on Moonbin’s birthday, January 26, was inspired by how much the latter loved it and pushed for its official release.

Woozi’s fulfillment of his promise to Moonbin is a touching tribute to their friendship. It honors the special bond they shared and keeps Moonbin’s memory alive through music. – K-Pop News Writer

Featured Image: The fact that Woozi released a song he swore he never would says a lot about how much he cared about Moonbin. Sources: X/@dailymoon_bin, YouTube/@vobo_woozi.