In Chung Ha’s first series of international interviews in years, the South Korean-born, American-raised starlet unnecessarily apologizes for her English while simultaneously landing upon the sophisticatedly intriguing word of “stabilized” as the best way to describe herself at the moment—a word most native speakers would unlikely conjure or be able to describe themselves so honestly.
The 28-year-old quickly credits the stability to her new management company, MORE VISION, which she signed after her April 2023 exit from MNH Entertainment, the label that she debuted into the K-pop scene eight years ago, making a name for herself and the agency.
“The history, career and music I’ve released were very amazing,” she says over a casual Zoom video call from MORE VISION’s Seoul office. “But I’m just getting ready to go on my next chapter and I’m very excited right now so I think that’s why I chose that word.”
New starts are exciting but tricky in the rapid-moving K-pop scene, where trends and top acts change monthly. Despite no new music released since the fall of 2022, Chung Ha says her return at the start of 2024 was partly due to her disconnecting entirely from her job.
“No one can really work 24-7,” she recalls of the break. “When I had the time to be independent, I was just wondering, ‘What if I got a different job? What if I explore new things? Be more adventurous?’ I was interested in psychology and, like, rebuilding my English vocabulary [Laughs] because it was really occasional for me to speak in English—like two to three times a year, and this interview is one of them. So, I wanted to rebuild my English and maybe learn more languages like Spanish. Growing up in Texas, I had many Mexican friends and was the only one who couldn’t understand Spanish so I always was curious.”
Known during her childhood years in Dallas as Annie, where friends playfully teased, “Ugh, Annie can’t speak Spanish,” the now-adult Chung Ha took a deep dive into reconnecting to parts from her past. She studied various cultures, languages, and Korean history (which she wouldn’t have received in her American education) and traveled internationally (visiting her family that still lives in Texas and traveling across Europe with her mother, aunt and cousin) before returning to Korea. After landing back in the country, she felt the itch to come back on stage.
Without a K-pop label, Chung Ha wanted to find a “company who really, really wants me and who really reaches me out the most.” That became MORE VISION and its CEO Jay Park, the Korean-American rapper who has also navigated through different companies and management teams while balancing a career based in Korea with increased opportunities abroad.
“[Jay Park and I] kept in touch, but it was just very casual talk like, ‘How are you?’ and ‘I know you’re looking for a new label, just seeing if you have any questions,’” Chung Ha explains. “He’s my senior and was way ahead of me in the music industry, so he was a good advisor.”
MORE VISION only launched in 2022 after Park stepped down as CEO of his two hip-hop and R&B–focused Korean labels AOMG and H1GHR Music. With a seemingly more mainstream and global vision, Park’s more easy-listening singles like “Ganadara” with IU, “Candy” featuring Zion.T, and his new house-tinged single “Why” seem suited to wider audiences, making an internationally appealing pop star like Chung Ha an an effortless fit.
“Jay, [former MORE VISION artist] Jessi unni and I, we all speak English and we experienced different cultures as a child living in the States and now we’re working in Korea and all around the world,” Chung Ha says of her new work environment. “Of course, I’ve collaborated with Christopher and Rich Brian; I think they came about because I spoke English. Personally, that really strengthened me and made me more fearless in trying out new genres of music. When I was in America, I had so many friends from different countries, so it was really natural for me to try their food and clothes. We even have ‘social studies’ in school where we all share our country’s traditions, so I think my interest in different cultures and music really aligns with each other: my background of being in Texas and around with my friends gave me this fearless part.”
As much as her upbringing endowed her with the confidence to explore new paths in her career, Chung Ha also credits the people around her for igniting the exciting era. She cites the members of her previous temporary group, I.O.I, as creative confidants. “We’re supportive of one another,bur” she says. “I’m very thankful for my girls, and whenever I meet them, I ask them about my music.” Specifically for this moment, Hongjoong of ATEEZ felt like the perfect person artistically—and symbolically—to team up with for her charging comeback single “Eenie Meenie.”
“He is the captain after all,” Chung Ha says with a smile of the boy-band rapper who prefers to be called “captain” instead of the traditional title of “leader” of his K-pop group. “My team was joking about how I’m navigating through waters and, you know, he’s the captain. So, we’re a perfect match.
“We weren’t personally friends before, but I had seen him on music shows, and I’ve always admired ATEEZ performances—their mind-blowing, jaw-dropping energy; they’re the whole package. They’re so fearless; whenever you look at their lyrics, they’re never afraid of challenges, so I needed that captain with me on this track. Hongjoong’s very unique. He elevated the whole song to another level, more than I ever expected—a shout out to big thanks to Hongjoong and KQ [Entertainment].”
Allowing Chung Ha to officially reintroduce herself with a more confident sound paired with a wide array of both artistic and fun fashion, “Eenie Meenie” was officially released on March 11 alongside personal anthem “I’m Ready” a house-inspired cut that she knows will remind listeners of fan-favorite tracks like the vogue tribute “Stay Tonight” and her R3HAB collab “Dream of You” where she says “the lyrics show my current state of mind and explain the whole song.”
Chung Ha anticipates the two new songs as the first part of a larger album project, among other career steps she hasn’t tackled during her initial years on the scene.
“It’s my first step; I hope this goes well, so I’m very excited and nervous,” she says with a slightly skittish giggle. “We’re hoping it’s going to be a part of a bigger album. With MORE VISION, I’m prioritizing things that I haven’t done before. Sometimes, I might go back to the familiar—like ‘I’m Ready’—but most of the time, I think I’ll choose a track that’s really new. It’s more about challenging myself now, trying to explore new things and being more adventurous.
“We’re prioritizing trying to constantly release new music and new concepts, trying to open up that big chapter of me right now. Keeping that in mind, Jay always told me, ‘You should do some concerts with MORE VISION; I want you to do that. You have so many songs ready to go, so we want that tour to happen for you.’ We’re keeping that in mind. I can’t tell you when, but it’s definitely going to be on the horizon.”
While her current team asks not to bring up her previous label or plans before her move to MORE VISION, Chung Ha herself is the first to offer gratitude to those who helped shape her story and keeps the full picture in mind when thinking about the “stabilized” place she is today.
“I don’t really have any decisions that I regret,” she adds. “I feel like me, my fans, of course my previous company, and everyone who has been so supportive share a great history. We live and we learn and, of course, even though I had some difficulties, no matter what, as a person, we learn as we navigate through it, so I’m very thankful for everything.”
Instead, Chung Ha says the time away from music and the business reminded her exactly why she wanted to return.
“It’s kind of chaotic when you’re young and in this industry; everything just flies very fast,” she reflects, adding she has a newfound approach to balancing her work-life too. “We can’t work 24-7, no one really can, or you reach the point where you burn out. But at the end of the day, I hope people can remember what they really love to do.”
In fact, while marking up so much credit to her new management, CEO, collaborators, and loved ones, Chung Ha eventually does give herself some credit too in the navigation of her decision-making.
“Whenever it comes to a very crucial decision that I need to make, I just try to keep myself calm and see where my mind goes,” she explains. “I try to feel my heartbeat and where it leads. I don’t really have a routine, but I think when you stay calm and see where your heart beats, that’s the way.”