~ KIM CHUNGHA ~ 

Who is Kim Chungha? 

Kim Chungha, of her stage name Chungha, is a female soloist under MNH entertainment. Previously a member of the girl group I.O.I (formed after the 1st season of the Produce 101 series), she started her solo career on June 7, 2017 with the song "Why don't you know" from her first mini album "Hands on me". 

Chungha was born on the 9th of February, 1996 in South Korea, but lived in Dallas, Texas for 8 years. She studied at Sejong University and can speak Korean and English. 

She initially auditioned for YG entertainment before joining JYP as a trainee. She then left JYP and joined her current agency, MNH. She was a trainee for 3 years and 3 months and her specialties are Choreographs and Dancing. She confessed on the competition "Hit the stage" that her dance training period was close to 7 years and she was known on Produce 101 for her freestyle skills. 

Her role model is Lee Hyori, one of her favorite songs is "No tears left to cry" by Ariana Grande, and she would like to collaborate with Paul Kim and Camila Cabello. She is close to Stray Kid's Bangchan (they trained together when she was at JYPE) and her closest celebrity friends are the I.O.I members. 

Some fun facts about her: She has a dog named Bambi, she loves eating but isn't good at cooking, her favorite TV show is Animal Farm, she's not good at sports and is afraid of ball games, to relieve stress she eats something sweet and she likes lavender scent. 

Here are her official social media accounts:

• Instagram: @chungha_official
• Twitter: @CHUNGHA_MNHent
• Twitter (Japan): @chungha_japan
• Facebook: 청하 (CHUNG HA)
• Fan Cafe: MNH-Chungha
• Vlive: CHUNG HA
• YouTube: Chung Ha_Official
• TikTok: @official_chungha

 

Chungha's discography

From my perspective, Chungha has hands down one of the best female solo discography. 

I am not familiar with her debut album, but she definitely made herself noticed with her second mini album "Offset" with the title track "Roller Coaster" out on January 17, 2018. I personally didn't like Roller Coaster at all, but I definitely can see why it generally wasn't the case. The song is deeply anchored in the pop genre and the chorus is really catchy. The dance is also fun to do, and the MV is full of flashy/neon colours.

On January 2, 2019 she released her 2nd single XII (Gotta Go). This is the song that made me fall personally in love with her. First, her presence on screen got so much better. Second, her vocals are shining so beautifully in this song. Third, the budget for the MV was more consequent than in the "Roller Coaster" MV which made the song even better. And last, what makes this song so good for me is its choreography. This is one of her best choreographies and she executes it so well!

On June 24 of the same year, she released her 4th mini album "Flourishing" with the title track "Snapping". There's something there was in Gotta Go that was also in this song, but here the song's more dynamic and the dance more sassy in a sense and I absolutely loved the performances of this song. The MV is absolutely GORGEOUS, especially when she's in that black outfit with her blonde hair and only lights pointing at her. I was less conquered by the song but it's still a beautiful one. 

Towards the end of 2020, Chungha had planned to release her 1st studio album entitled "Querencia". However, as you all know, the pandemic happened and flipped everything upside-down. On April 27, Chungha released her 1st pre-release "Stay Tonight". It is an EDM track that makes you want to dance, and I really appreciate how the "fake drop" happens in the bridge of the song. Then, on July 6, she released her 2nd pre-release, "Play" featuring Changmo. This has to be my favorite of hers until now, because it's such a mood-maker song that makes you want to dance and just be happy. The MV is full of colours and screams summer, and the dance is really cool (especially the salsa part with her partner).

On November 18, Chungha announced that she will be also releasing two other pre-releases of her upcoming studio album: "Dream of you" scheduled for November 27, and "X" scheduled for December 10, the album being planned for January 4, 2021. And so, Dream of You was released on November 27 as planned. This song is an EDM track in collaboration with DJ R3HAB. There wasn't an official MV but a performance video showcasing Chungha's amazing dancing skills. She nailed both masculine and feminine dancing styles as well as clothes. 

Now this is where things got complicated. On December 9 it was announced that Chungha tested positive for Covid-19 and was therefore put under quarantine. It was later announced that the pre-release "X" was postponed for January 19, 2021 and the album for February 15, 2021. "X" is something I haven't seen from Chungha before. It has a very nostalgic melody and the MV is quite intriguing. Nostalgic songs always have a special place in my heart because I'm a very emotional person. 

On February 15, 2021, Chungha's first full-album "Querencia" was finally released with its title track "Bicycle". The album is quite long, it has 4 sides (side A, B, C and D), and a total of 21 tracks (some of them are transition tracks tho). This album is the best one she has released so far. Although I didn't like the title track as much as I thought I would (I explain why more in details in the article I dedicated to the whole release, click here to access it), some b-sides are amazing. I would cite "Chill", "Comes N Goes" and "Flying on faith" as my favourite b-sides.

 

 

 

What do I think of Chungha

The first impression I got from her wasn't really good. I saw some videos from produce 101 and was highly influenced by MNET's evil editing (please don't fall in the trap they show only what they want to show). I felt like she was overconfident and didn't care about her bandmates. I know, I was really wrong and I'm really ashamed of it now. 

Today I perceived Chungha as one of the most talented female soloist in the industry. She really has the whole package: Dancing, Singing, Stage presence, Artistry. Everything. Plus, she's an adorable human being. She makes me laugh so much, there's this video on Dinggo music where she dances on snapping and the rhythm keeps changing, she and her dancers are so lost but they're so funny. You can watch the video here.

Last but not least, Chungha is really a hard worker and a fighter. I know she suffered a lot because of her weight for a while. At some point in her career she was underweight and wasn't in her best health condition, and that's mainly the reason why people, including me, got worried when they heard she tested positive for the Coronavirus. People like her give me the strength to fight and not give up. 

And that's a wrap! I hope this article helped you in getting familiar with Chungha and her work ahead of her comeback. You can comment down below if you're a fan, what's your favorite song of hers and what are you expecting from her next upcoming comeback.

Take care and I'll see you all soon!

Love, Swan

 

Sources: Allkpop, Kprofiles, Youtube, Koreaboo

No copyright infringement intended.

~ JANUARY 2021 ~

DISCLAIMER: All the pictures included in this article are screenshots taken by me from official music videos. If there is copyright infringement, I apologize in advance and will remove any problematic picture upon the owner's request. 

Hello everyone and welcome to the first top Kmusic of 2021! First of all, I hope you're all safe and in good health, and that you spent great holidays despite the difficult times. 2021, at least musically speaking, started on the right foot to say the least! (G)-IDLE, Oneus, Victon, MCND and many more came back while others debuted. As usual you'll find the link to the YouTube playlist at the end of the article, so if you're too lazy to read what I have to say, you can scroll all the way down (but I'll be forever disappointed in you T-T).

So, without any further due, let's see who captured my heart this month ;) 

#16 AleXa - Never let you go (single) - January 14

I wanted something new from AleXa and I got it, and I'm really happy to hear her beautiful vocals without too much autotune. Watch the official MV for "Never let you go" here.

#15 Lex - Sip (comeback) - January 11

If you're craving a chill song, this one's for you. I personally wouldn't listen to it under all circumstances, but it's really a great one if you're feeling relaxed or if you're driving in your car. Watch the official MV for "Sip" here.

#14 Hoppipolla - Your Ocean (comeback) - January 20

A couple of months ago I stumbled upon a video on YouTube from the competition "Superband", it was a cover of Radiohead's Creep. And then, a couple of days ago, I heard this song and got chills (especially the instrumental part). Instruments are one of the best ways to convey emotions besides lyrics. So I searched them on the internet and found out that they were the winners of Superband. Turns out it was them who sang the cover. They're definitely on my radar now. Watch the official MV for "Your Ocean" here.

#13 Baekhyun - Get you alone (comeback) - January 3 [JAPANESE]

I think that this R&B/Jazzy sound suits Baekhyun really well. When he's wearing glasses with his messy blonde hair in the MV he reminded me of Ji Chang Wook for some reason… And I think we all agree that he's one of the best vocalists out there. I just think the song could've used a little twist. Watch the official MV for "Get you alone" here.

#12 MCND - Crush (comeback) - January 7

They didn't win my rookie of the year award for nothing. This group is surreal, they showed chemistry, talent and originality since day 1 and they have been constantly evolving! Now, this song is a bit too much for me in the sense that there's too much rap/shouting and not enough vocals for my liking, but they still nailed everything in this. Their album is dope tho, you should check out their b-sides, they're amazing. Watch the official MV for "Crush" here.

#11 Golden Child - Burn It (comeback) - January 25

The MV shows us a zombie apocalypse with the members fighting against them. Whoever gets bitten is infected, and the members are protecting their loved ones during the battle. The MV doesn't have English subtitles so I read the lyrics and that's when it all made sense. From my perspective, this song is referring to the actual pandemic (I could be wrong tho). However, the music and the vibe doesn't match the story at all. The music is kind of upbeat and the vocals are pretty high and powerful. So the only reason this song doesn't rank higher is because of the inconsistencies with the MV. Watch the official MV for "Burn It" here.

#10 Dreamcatcher - Odd Eye (comeback) - January 26

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With Handong finally back, the queens have returned! Now, this song wasn't able to dethrone Déjà Vu, but it's still a strong one. The chorus's melody is really catchy, and the vocals in this group never disappoints. I was kind of disappointed visually-wise because their MVs are usually much more astonishing than what they have in this MV. But this song is still a killer one. Watch the official MV for "Odd Eye" here.

#9 IU - Celebrity (comeback) - January 27

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love how IU always does things in her own way. She has her own unique and distinguishable style, her trademark. I love the message in this song being how she perceives the celebrity title. The aesthetics of the MV are making the song even better. Watch the official MV for "Celebrity" here.

#8 Boyhood - Luxury Big House (comeback) - January 8

Atypical sound, atypical style, atypical guy and I LOVE IT! This song has been on repeat since I discovered it, and I'm still not getting tired of it. The instrumental is just so calming, to the point that I downloaded both the original version and the instrumental one. Watch the official MV for "Luxury Big House" here.

#7 (G)I-dle - Hwaa (comeback) - January 11

This song is really addictive, especially the chorus. Also, their vocals improved a lot overall, and I don't think I need to comment on Soyeon's rap. Yuqi's there to serve me as always. The only thing wrong with this song is the way it ends. The ending is unforgivable. Watch the official MV for "Hwaa" here.

#6 Bobby - Devil (b-side) - January 25

I'm going to be honest, the title track wasn't my style. Although the song's message was really strong and the rap amazing, the song isn't just my vibe. However, I listened to the whole album and god, Devil is so title-track material. The balance between vocals, rap and instruments is much better in this song than in "U mad". And I'm so glad he came back honestly. You can hear the audio of "Devil" here.

#5 Chungha - X (pre-release) - January 19

The melody sounds so familiar so please, if you have any idea of which song I'm thinking of leave a comment down below! Anyways, she did again. This is her FOURTH pre-release for god's sake, and Chungha still managed to show us another masterpiece. I can't wait for the whole album to come out. Watch the official MV for "X" here. 

#4 Youha - Abittipsy (comeback) - January 13

If I were to redo my top releases of October, I would probably place her song "Island" much higher. But now that I'm familiar with her and her style, I totally got addicted. This song follows the retro trend that picked up towards the second half of 2020 and that seems to be continuing,  and what I find adorable is the little hiccup at the end of the MV. I'm mad at YG for making her train for 10 years and not debuting her, but it seems that she's got past this and is moving forward. Please support her, she totally deserves it! Watch the official MV for "Abittipsy" here.

Now, before we enter the top 3, here are some honorable mentions:

• Treasure - My Treasure (comeback) - January 11. Watch the official MV for "My Treasure" here.
• Jang Han Byul - Used to this - January 14. Watch the official MV for "Used to this" here.
• T1419 - Asurabalbalta (debut) - January 11. Watch the official MV for "Asurabalbalta" here.
• Ab6ix - Stay Young (album repackage) - January 18. Watch the official MV for "Stay Young" here.
  
  

#3 Oneus - No diggity (comeback) - January 19

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm going to 'steal' someone else's words (coco, a.k.a GZBkarma, please forgive me): "They woke up and chose violence"! This song and this whole album, this is it guys, this is what I knew they were capable of and they finally did it. I knew since Road To Kingdom that they had amazing facial expressions and it totally got translated into that song, but they outdid themselves in terms of performance and vocals. I think that on Road To Kingdom they were unconsciously setting limits when, in fact, there were no limits. And now it's like the barrier's gone and that they finally let their crazy ideas become reality and I'm here for it. What impressed me the most is Hwanwoong's energy, Seoho's and Leedo's vocals, and Xion's mullet. Watch the official MV for "No Diggity" here.

#2 Victon - What I said (comeback) - January 11

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm mad because yes, I slept on them for a while. But I promise I'll be sleeping on my bed from now on. Seriously, the instrumental in that song is FIRE. My favorite part is 100% the pre-chorus because members sing/almost rap at a relatively fast pace while still being able to showcase their vocals if that makes sense. And oh my god Hansae... do I even need to explain that this guy is a genius who raps like no one else does? Watch the official MV for "What I Said" here.

#1 Victon - Flip A Coin (release) - January 17

I liked this song more than the title track of the album, but don't think what I felt can be expressed in words. It was like cupid aimed his arrow at the very center of my heart. I noticed them with "Mayday", I fell in love with them with "What I said", and I sold my soul to them when I heard  "Flip a coin". As soon as Seungwoo sang/almost shouted the first two lines in the first verse in his high-pitched voice, I went kaput. My heart is still hesitating between Sejun and Subin, but knowing that I usually fall for maknaes (Taemin in SHINee, Dino in Seventeen, Hueningkai in TXT, Niki in Enhypen) I think Subin's coming for me. Watch the official MV for "Flip A Coin" here.

That's it for today! You can click here to access the YouTube playlist with all the songs included (the songs are in reverse order meaning the song in the last place is up first). And you? What were your favorite Kmusic releases of the month? Let me know by leaving a comment down below!

Love, Swan

 

Hello everyone, and welcome to the summary of all the groups & solo artists that you can find on the blog! Here are all the groups and solo artists I presented, organised by alphabetical order. If you didn't find the group/artist you were searching for, I hope you'll discover new ones, and you can always leave a suggestion in the comments or on my social media accounts via DM (view menu on the left side of the page).

A

A.C.E

Astro

C

Chungha (former I.O.I member)

CIX

D

Dreamcatcher

E

Everglow

J

Jonghyun (of SHINee) 

N

N.Flying 

P

Pentagon

S

Seventeen

SHINee

Stray Kids

T

TXT