Cha Eun-woo stays active during military service with new solo release ‘ELSE’
Cha Eun-woo continues an active presence during his military service with new music releases. Courtesy of Fantagio
Actor-singer Cha Eun-woo is maintaining a strong presence even during his mandatory military service, preparing to release his second solo mini album “ELSE” later this month and unveiling multiple music videos.
Cha enlisted at the Army Training Center in July and, after completing basic training, has been serving in the military band. His expected discharge date is Jan. 27, 2027. Before enlisting, he told fans, “My album, film and drama projects will all be released. Please don’t forget me.”
As promised, Cha is gearing up to release new music with “ELSE.” On Thursday, he also posted a teaser image announcing the upcoming music video for “Sweet Papaya,” one of the album’s tracks. According to the schedule, the video teaser will drop on Nov. 26, followed by the full music video on Nov. 28.
Cha prepared two music videos in total: the title track “Saturday Preacher,” which will be released the same day as the album, and “Sweet Papaya,” which offers a completely contrasting mood. The preproduced content is expected to keep global fans engaged even during his service.
In the newly released image, Cha stands at the center of a stage surrounded by instruments, exuding a funky, tropical vibe. The combination of his charismatic presence, bright colors and the phrase “Stay Tuned!” is heightening anticipation.
“Sweet Papaya,” partly revealed through an earlier highlight medley, showcases Cha’s smooth, chill vocals layered over an upbeat, party-like sound. The full music video is expected to highlight his expanding musical range.
His second mini album, “ELSE,” will be released at 1 p.m. on Nov. 21. Despite serving in the military, he continues to demonstrate his presence as a solo artist, raising expectations for the artistic spectrum he will show through the new album.
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.