CHUNG HA

South Korean singer/songwriter Chung Ha debuted as a member of K-pop girl group I.O.I. before branching out with a successful solo career that included chart peaks such as 2018′s Offset EP, the single “Gotta Go,” her 2021 debut long-player QUERENCIA, and 2022 follow-up Bare & Rare.
Born Kim Chan-mi in Seoul, she spent part of her dance-loving childhood in Dallas, Texas, where she was known as Annie Kim. After moving back to South Korea, she began training in the K-pop system, competing on reality survival shows before being recruited in YMC Entertainment’s 11-member girl group I.O.I. They made their debut in 2016 with the Top Five EP Chrysalis, which included the international Top Ten hit single “Whatta Man.” After they hit a career chart peak with the release of their sophomore EP, Miss Me?, the group went on hiatus in early 2017. Chung Ha continued as a solo artist, issuing her debut single, “Week,” and her first solo EP, Hands on Me, which blended dance pop, ballads, and throwback K-pop. The next year, she released Offset, which hit number three in Korea and placed her on the U.S. charts for the first with a number 13 showing on the Billboard World Albums list. Injecting hip-hop and electronic flair to sleek dance-pop, Offset was soon followed by Blooming Blue, her third EP. Taking a brief break from her solo endeavors, Chung Ha teamed with Seulgi (Red Velvet), Soyeon ((G)I-dle), and SinB (GFriend) to form the supergroup Station Young, which recorded the track “Wow Thing” for SM Entertainment’s compilation SM Station X O. Back on the solo front, she closed 2018 with additional singles “Whatcha Doin” with Super Junior’s Yesung and “Gotta Go,” her highest-charting song to date.
In 2019, Chung Ha released the summery Flourishing EP, a Top Ten release in both Korea and the U.S. The set was her highest-selling to date and included the hit “Snapping.” That autumn, Chung Ha reunited with a re-formed I.O.I., which returned to the scene as a nine-piece. 2021 saw the release of her first full-length effort, QUERENCIA. Built around four central themes (noble, savage, unknown, and pleasures), the 21-track LP featured guest spots from DJ and record producer R3hab, Puerto Rican rapper Guaynaa, and South Korean singer and songwriter Colde. Bare & Rare, Pt. 1 appeared the following year and featured the hit single “Sparkling.” ~ Neil Z. Yeung