GWSN
| Company type | Girl group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2018 |
| Headquarters | Seoul , South Korea |
Area served | South Korea, Japan |
| Products | K-pop music, albums, singles |
| Parent | Kiwi Pop (later The Wave Music) |
GWSN (), also referred to as Girls in the Park, was a South Korean girl group established in 2018 under Kiwi Pop, which has since been rebranded as The Wave Music. The septet—comprising Miya, Seokyoung, Seoryoung, Anne, Minju, Soso, and Lena—made their debut on September 5, 2018, with the lead single "Puzzle Moon" from their extended play The Park in the Night Part One.
Name
The name GWSN is derived from Gongwon Sonyeo, where "gongwon" translates to park, symbolizing a communal space for enjoyment, healing, and dreaming. The acronym GWSN in English represents 'Ground' along with the compass points 'West,' 'South,' and 'North,' illustrating the group's intention to connect with audiences from all directions. Furthermore, the syllable 'gong' means zero in Korean while 'won' signifies one in English, symbolizing the unity of all seven members.
On June 14, 2018, Kiwi Pop—a branch of Kiwi Media Group—unveiled a teaser image for their inaugural girl group, GWSN, announcing their official introduction date as June 18, 2018. The members were revealed sequentially through videos and photos: Minju, Lena, Anne, Soso, Seoryoung, Miya, followed by Seokyoung, who previously participated in Mnet's Produce 101 and ranked 30th.
To generate interest before their debut, GWSN engaged in busking performances throughout South Korea, appeared at various middle and high schools, streamed live sessions on Facebook, and posted dance cover videos on YouTube.
On July 8, Mnet publicized a reality television program titled Got Ya! GWSN, featuring the group members.
GWSN officially debuted on September 5, 2018, with their EP The Park in the Night Part One, led by the single "Puzzle Moon." Their debut showcase took place at Yes24 Live Hall in Seoul, followed by their first televised music show performance on M Countdown on September 6.
On March 13, 2019, the group released their second EP The Park in the Night Part Two, with "Pinky Star (Run)" as the lead track.
Their first full-length album, The Park in the Night Part Three, was launched on July 23 featuring the title song "Red-Sun (021)." This album’s production was supported by fans through Makestar crowdfunding efforts that raised US$27,491.03.
On October 2 of the same year, GWSN served as opening act for Jessica Jung’s fan meeting event in Japan called XOXO Jessica Jung Fan Meeting.
2020–2023: The Keys, The Other Side of the Moon and disbandment
On January 17, 2020, member Soso began a hiatus due to an ankle ligament rupture; the group continued activities as six members. On April 3, 2020, GWSN was transferred to MILES—a sub-label under Kiwi Media Group. They returned with their third EP The Keys and its title track "Bazooka!" on April 28 without Soso.
Originally set for May 20, 2021, the release of their fourth EP The Other Side of the Moon along with its lead single "Like It Hot" was postponed until May 26. During this period, management shifted to The Wave Music (formerly known as Kiwi Media Group).
In 2022, Anne made her acting debut portraying Kim Yoon-ji in The Killer: A Girl Who Deserves to Die.
On January 22, 2023, it was revealed that all seven members’ exclusive contracts with The Wave Music had been terminated as of January 12 by ruling of the Seoul Central District Court. Later on June 28, Miya confirmed in an NHK interview that GWSN officially disbanded following their legal victory earlier that year.
Members
- Miya ()
- Seokyoung ()
- Seoryoung ()
- Anne ()
- Minju ()
- Soso ()
- Lena ()
Extended plays
| Title | Album information | Highest chart rankings | Sales figures |
|---|---|---|---|
| KOR | |||
| The Park in the Night Part One |
|
12 |
|
| The Park in the Night Part Two |
|
11 |
|
| The Park in the Night Part Three |
|
13 |
|
| The Keys |
|
6 |
|
| The Other Side of the Moon |
|
18 |
|
Singles
| Title | Year released | Highest chart position | Associated album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KOR DL | ||||
| "Puzzle Moon" (퍼즐문) | 2018 | — | The Park in the Night Part One | |
| "Pinky Star (Run)" | 2019 | — | The Park in the Night Part Two | |
| "Red-Sun (021)" | — | The Park in the Night Part Three | ||
| "Bazooka!" | 2020 | — | The Keys | |
| "Like It Hot" | 2021 | 113 | The Other Side of the Moon | |
| "—" indicates tracks that did not chart or were not released in that region. | ||||
Soundtrack appearances
| Song title | Year released | Performing member(s) | Album name |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Oh Lady Go Lady" | 2018 | Entire group | Clean with Passion for Now OST Part 2 |
| "Be Your Star" | 2019 | Seoryoung, Lena (GWSN) | Touch Your Heart OST Part 4 |
| "I'm in Love" | Entire group | Mother of Mine OST Part 4 |
Music videos
| Year | Title | Director(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | "Puzzle Moon" (퍼즐문) | Jiyong Kim (FantazyLab) |
|
| "Color Me" (물들여줘) (feat. Son Dong-woon) | |||
| 2019 | "We Need a Change" (feat. Jack Walton) | ||
| "Pinky Star (Run)" | Jiyong Kim (FantazyLab) |
||
| "Growing" (for Groo) | |||
| "Pinky Star (Run) (choreography ver.)" | |||
| "Red-Sun (021)" | Korlio (August Frogs Visual) |
||
| "Red-Sun (021) (performance ver.)" | |||
| "Total Eclipse (Black Out)" | |||
| 2020 | "Bazooka!" | Hong Won-Ki | |
| "Bazooka! (performance ver.)" | Hong Won-Ki | ||
| "Bazooka! (stay safe with GWSN ver.)" | |||
| "Like It Hot" | TBA |
Television shows
| Year | Title | Network |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 'Got Ya! GWSN' | 'Mnet' |
Awards and nominations
| Award event | Year | Category | Nominee(s)/Work(s) | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genie Music Awards | 2019 | New Artist Award | GWSN | Template:Nom |
| The Female New Artist | Template:Nom | |||
| Genie Music Popularity Award | Template:Nom | |||
| Global Popularity Award | Template:Nom | |||
| Korea Culture Entertainment Awards | K-Pop Singer Award | Template:Won | ||
| Mnet Asian Music Awards | 2018 | Best New Female Artist | Template:Nom | |
| Artist of the Year | Template:Nom | |||
| Seoul Success Awards | New Artist Award | Template:Won | ||
| Soribada Best K-Music Awards | 2020 | Rising Star Award | Template:Won |