'Human vitamin'—a label that had overshadowed her abilities as a 'vocalist'—was proven true two years ago. Now Chuu (CHUU) has become an 'artist' who brings her own stories to the world, beyond being a singer who performs someone else's songs.
On Jan. 7, Chuu released her first full-length album since her solo debut. This album is expected to be an important turning point signaling that Chuu has moved one step closer to the path of an 'all-rounder musician' walked by her role model IU (IU).
Chuu's solo trajectory did not follow the typical success formula for solo singers from idol groups. She briefly set aside the 'cuteness' the public expected and first showed the courage to confront her inner 'lack' and 'emotions.'
Her first mini album, Howl, was the beginning. Chuu drew inspiration from 'howling,' the sound wolves make to communicate, bringing her wounded self out into the world and making listeners each other's 'little heroes.' In the later release 'Only Cry in the Rain,' she sang about handling sorrow with a more mature attitude through dreamy synth-pop sounds, saying, "It's okay to be honest with your feelings on rainy days."
Through past albums, Chuu has steadily built her capability not merely as a vocalist who hits high notes but as a 'messenger' who delivers the message embedded in a song with sincerity. This oddly mirrors IU's growth process, who rose from the melancholy of 'Missing Child' to offer comfort to the public with songs such as 'Nae Yetnal Iyagi' (My Old Story) and 'Knee.'
Especially, the keyword for both IU and Chuu is 'resilience.' Just as IU overcame childhood poverty and obscurity to grow into the nation's younger sister and a top artist, Chuu also confronted fierce waves of agency disputes and psychological unease head-on, turning them into 'positive energy.'
The expansion of their activities also shows a surprising parallel. Both built recognition based on overwhelming likability on variety shows and later broadened their spectrum by taking on serious acting. Just as IU deepened her artistic depth after her acting in the tvN 'My Mister' was recognized, Chuu successfully portrayed the lead role Kang Min-ju in last year's KBS2 'My Girlfriend is the Man,' proving her potential as an 'acting idol.' The brightness of variety shows and the gravity of acting are ultimately bridged by a solid primary craft.
And on Jan. 7, 2026, Chuu finally released her first full-length album to the world. This album holds a meaning for Chuu similar to IU's fourth studio album Palette. Just as IU used that album to define herself—saying "I think people will now know me"—and came into bloom as a producer, Chuu, with this album, fully demonstrated not only the vocal ability to carry a full-length album beyond the short story of mini albums but also her capabilities as an artist.
Under the excellent planning of ATRP CEO Kim Jin-mi, Chuu achieved growth as an artist through synergy. Having found herself through the wolf's cry in Howl and soothed emotions through cuckoo clocks and rain in Only Cry, Chuu released her first full-length album filled with her own stories, bringing her one step closer to her role model IU.
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