It’s the morning after the release date for Chung Ha’s comeback album “Eenie Meenie” was announced, and the Korean singer is reflecting on the immediate reaction to the news.
“My fans were just so eager. They were waiting for my comeback since forever,” says Chung Ha, who was hosting her daily radio show when the announcement went live. “They were very excited; they’re like, ‘yes — finally.’”
Her fans also got an early look at what to expect from the singer under her new label, More Vision. In the video teaser for her new track “I’m Ready,” Chung Ha’s face is obscured by a lacy mask, which she slowly peels off. “It kind of gives you an image of a snake shedding its skin,” she says. “Like I’m reborn.”
The singer is Zooming in from More Vision headquarters in South Korea. The label, founded by singer Jay Park, signed Chung Ha to the company last fall and has supported her continued evolution as a solo artist.
“After I came to More Vision I had to restart everything,” adds Chung Ha, who launched her career as a member of girl group I.O.I. in 2016. Most recently operating as an independent artist, her linkup with More Vision has been accompanied by a refresh of her personal brand, centered around her core fan base.
“I’m now on a new chapter of my career — new label, new accounts and new logos. And so I thought, hey, why don’t we just give my fans a new name,” she says, noting the difficulty that non-Korean fans often had when pronouncing her former fan name, “Byulharang.” “We tried to choose a name that everyone could actually easily pronounce, which became HAART. And I really love the meaning of it,” she adds. “It’s a two word combination between ‘Chung Ha’ and ‘start.’”
“Eenie Meenie,” released on Monday, marks the official debut of Chung Ha’s next chapter with two new tracks: the titular “Eenie Meenie” and “I’m Ready.” “Both [songs] represent my current state of mind at this point,” Chung Ha says. “I hope these two tracks just empower [listeners] to embrace whatever their desires are.”
The hip-hop-inspired “Eenie Meenie” features a rap contribution by Hongjoong of Ateez. “We share a mutual acquaintance, and so I reached out for him personally — and then of course More Vision reached out to KQ, his label,” she says. “When I got the track, with his feature added into it, it elevated the whole song itself and it became more fearless.”
Chung Ha, who’s expressed interest in exploring an R&B sound, notes that her fans are eager to see another collaboration — between her and Jay Park, who’s now also her labelmate. “Nothing’s really on the timeline — nothing specific yet — but I’m pretty sure if I do have a chance, I would love to collaborate with him,” she says.
The singer credits Park’s persistence in convincing her to join the More Vision family last fall. “Jay was constantly texting me to see where my mindset was,” Chung Ha says. “And he always said that if you do join More Vision, I want you to try out concerts, tours — I still feel like you haven’t done so many things, and I want that to happen with More Vision,” she continues, noting that the label’s open style of communication has allowed her to feel more stable as an artist.
“They love asking questions,” she adds. “In the Korean trainee system and as a beginner before, most of the time they had answers for me. But this time I guess More Vision wants answers from me.”
Looking ahead, Chung Ha plans to continue hosting her daily radio show while creating and releasing new music. She knows that her fans are already eagerly awaiting her next full album.
“I can’t say it’s going to be this year — but it’s definitely gonna be on the horizon,” she says.
