In an interview with Arena, Chungha talks about reflecting on who she really is and discovering different sides of herself.
Arena: You seem to be always busy. You seem to be a person who lives every minute of her life. Why do you work so hard like this?
Chungha: I don’t really think I’m working so hard. I think it’s much more important to enjoy living [than pushing myself too hard]. There’s so much pressure with that idea. I try not to put too much pressure on myself so I don’t lose the fun in living.
Arena: Since your 2017 solo debut, you release albums within 2 months at the shortest and 6 at the longest. You have mini albums and singles as well. If we take into account your album preparations, you’ve been working nonstop for 3 years.
Chungha: The album preparation process involves recording, producing, and releasing the album itself. However, I’ve never been tired of doing album-related work. To be honest, in some points, there were songs I didn’t want to sing. But the fans enjoy these songs. When I think of that, I just think of [singing those songs] as fun times. If we look at my previous promotion, I had lots of schedules. I don’t have good stamina so I did get tired at times, but I really got tired of working on and for my albums.
Arena: Many people often go through burnouts. The fact that you could power through all your schedules means you have special powers, right?
Chungha: It’s all because of my team. I have with me my company family and my dancers. My mother and friends who always support me give me strength, too. More than anything, I have my Byulharangs and the general public who listen to my songs to thank. Without all these people, my songs become meaningless.
Arena: What does it feel like to promote as a soloist? The KPop scene is dominated by groups, so [being solo] might get lonely.
Chungha: There are pros and cons in everything. I do feel lonely and alone sometimes. In those times, my team and dancers fill the empty space, so the loneliness doesn’t feel too much. Any artist feels the fear and pressure of failure. It’s important to have a method to relieve oneself of the heavy pressure, but it varies from artist to artist. I still feel less pressure and fear than those who are worried about me. I just try to enjoy every time. Even if I fail, I learn something from that experience,; the people I meet and those around me fill in the areas of the preparation process where I lack. Therefore, I don’t think [the things I do are a] failure.
Arena: How do you lift your mood?
Chungha: I just accept loneliness, but I don’t think about it too much. I’ve met great friends and we share our difficulties with each other. I’m the type of person who relieves stress by having conversations with others.
Arena: We heard you’re releasing singles one after the other. When you start a new project, what do you think about first?
Chungha: Fun. I think the most about how I can make things fun.
Arena: Your choreographies are unique every time. What does “performance” mean to you?
Chungha: There are people who take the lead with choreographing each time: Rian unnie, Jiwon unnie, and Heejeong unnie. Also, it’s because of Teacher Ran and the dancers that I am able to create “Stay Tonight.” I guess it’s because of the fun people I work with that I don’t think of “performance” as something heavy and grand. I just think of it as sharing laughter with people around me. It’s so thrilling to perform with these people and convey emotions through performances to the public.
Arena: This photoshoot’s concept is “sparkling.” We want to show Chungha shining. It’s not just because of the style but also because of your music. Stage production and visual are important. We think that “Stay Tonight” is the peak of “sparkle.”
Chungha: Stay Tonight” is different from the sparkle that I usually show. It’s because the music video production team focused on different things than what I had in mind.
I wanted to emphasize voguing in the choregraphy. I’ve always wanted to do voguing since a long time ago. I also wanted more people to know more about the dancers who were with me in “Stay Tonight.” The dance is something I haven’t tried in my title songs, so I was worried that the [performance] might look awkward because it’s a new genre. Conclusively, it was so much fun and I think the fans really enjoyed it as well, so I’m happy.
Arena: You’re already releasing another single. What do you want your fans to feel from the new single? What meaning do you want to convey through the new single?
Chungha: If “Gotta Go,” “Snapping,” and “Stay Tonight” had a dark and cold mood, then this new song definitely has a summer feeling. If my previous summer songs were cool and refreshing, this one will be more cheerful and hot. I hope everyone would listen to this song and have a great and exciting summer.
Arena: Do you also think about this: “What if all I have is only up to this point?”
Chungha: I think it’s lucky to be able to exhaust oneself of everything they can do or capable of. Though I do sometimes feel pressured about that, I don’t think I’m the only one who feels that way. I don’t want to take it too seriously. Instead, I want to find a new side of my through my work.
Arena: You’ve been on the rise since your debut. When you were a trainee or even before, when you only dreamed of becoming an artist, what was your goal? And do you think you’re close to that goal now?
Chungha: Thank you for your kind words, but I can’t agree with that. I just think I am really lucky. I think that it’s because of my Byulharangs and the general listeners that I am able to promote [as an artist]. My goal is to be here for the long run. It’s too early to say that I’ve reached my goal since I’ve only been here for a short while. When the opportunity comes, I want to open a concert in a small venue, and then expand the scale [of the venue] little by little. My dream is to communicate with lots of people and perform for a long time.
Arena: It’s been five years since your debut. How has Chungha changed in those 5 years?
Chungha: I think I changed in a lot of ways. I’ve met a lot of people in those 4 to 5 years. I’ve also learned a lot. I think the way I see the world has changed because of those experiences. It’s probably like, the world has become wider?
Arena: Was there a time that you felt like you’ve grown or developed?
Chungha: In the past, I thought I needed someone to tell me “it’s okay” just to really think that things are okay. Now, I know how to tell myself “It’s okay.” Whenever that happens, I feel like I’ve grown up a little.
Arena: You’re 25. What things are you curious of now?
Chungha: I’m curious about a lot of things. I’ve lived only wanting to be an artist, but now I have more things I want to do and learn than when I was younger. If I have more time, I would like to try learning the things I want to do and see a new aspect of myself.
Arena: Do you worry about the direction you’re in?
Chungha: I think a lot about were I should be going. But I know we can’t go to a certain direction just because we decided we want to. For now, I’m just trying to focus on what I want to do and what I shouldn’t lose. My goal has always been the same as when I debuted. I don’t want to lose what I have and I want to tirelessly become a better person.
Arena: We anticipate your upcoming single and all your other works after that. Is there anything bothering you these days?
Chungha: I often think a lot about “the place for me,” “the moment when I felt like myself the most,” “what am I supposed to be?” I especially think about these things when I discover something about myself that is different or that I haven’t thought of before. So I want to deal with things like “what I really am” or “what things am I most comfortable with.” The title of my full album may have something to do with this idea.
Arena: What is something you need the most right now?
Chungha: To be satisfied that what I currently have is enough.
This interview is included in Arena Magazine’s July 2020 issue.
Source of original interview and photoshoot images: Arena Homme+ Magazine.
Translation by @gimmesseom
Translation may contain inaccuracies.
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