Nam You Joung, a former member of Brave Girls, stood alone on the Waterbomb stage for the first time since leaving the group. As she returned to a large stage as a singer after a long absence, there was warm welcome, but opinions were mixed over filling her first solo activity with remake songs.
Nam You Joung performed at Waterbomb Sokcho 2026 held in Sokcho, Gangwon Province, on the 22nd. This performance also held special meaning for Nam You Joung. After leaving Brave Girls and balancing acting with her career, it was her first Waterbomb stage since announcing a new start as a solo singer 10 years after her debut.
Nam You Joung frankly admitted to feeling pressure even before the performance. She said on a recent YouTube content that while she was considering how to promote her solo album, she received an offer to appear at Waterbomb and decided to show her songs through this stage instead of music shows. In particular, she said, "Many people wondered, 'What song is she going to do?'" and, since she had no experience releasing a solo song while active with the group, she conveyed mixed feelings about standing alone on stage after a long time, saying, "On one hand it's burdensome and on the other it's enjoyable."
In fact, the card Nam You Joung played was not "Rollin'" but her first solo remake project. Following her recently released "I Really Like You" and "Prince of the Sea," she newly interpreted Uhm Jung-hwa's signature song "Invitation," and for the "Invitation" stage she raised the atmosphere by performing alongside BTOB's Lee Min-hyuk (HUTA), who participated in the featuring.
However, reactions were somewhat mixed after the stage videos were released online. In particular, some expressed regret that the first solo project in 10 years since her debut consisted of remakes rather than new songs. Some internet users reacted, "Now that she's gone solo, I was curious about Nam You Joung's own songs," "With only remakes, I still don't know what kind of music she wants to do," and "It seems the color from her Brave Girls days suited her better."
There were also reactions revisiting her course since leaving the team. Since Nam You Joung had pursued acting after leaving Brave Girls, opinions appeared such as, "I thought she left the group to focus on acting," and "If she's going to be active as a singer again, I'm curious why she left the group." On the other hand, many felt there was no need to judge her new start too harshly. Support followed with comments such as, "There is no reason the first solo project must be self-composed or a new song," "Reinterpreting familiar songs in one's own way is also one direction," "It was nice to see her enjoying the stage after a long time," and "You can't expect everything at once, so I want to watch her future music."
Ultimately, the debate seems focused less on Nam You Joung's return to singing itself and more on how much of her own color as a solo singer she showed. While a remake project has the advantage of reinterpreting classic songs in one's own way, it may also have the limitation of making it difficult for a singer stepping out alone for the first time after leaving a team to show an independent musical identity.
Nam You Joung joined Brave Girls in 2016 and was greatly loved when "Rollin'" surged again in popularity in 2021. She continued activities with the group as Brave Girls before leaving the team in 2024, and has expanded her activities into acting and other fields. After standing on stage again through her first Waterbomb, interest continues over what music and colors she will show as "solo Nam You Joung" following the remake project.<
[photo] "SNS, YouTube"
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