Yubin debuts as soloist after 11 years

A teaser image for Yubin's first solo album “City Woman” / Courtesy of JYP Entertainment

By Kwak Yeon-soo

Yubin, a former member of the now disbanded girl group Wonder Girls, has sought a makeover as a solo artist with her 80's retro city pop debut album “City Woman.”

Her album comes a year after the Wonder Girls' split up, following a decade-long career that helped them break through the boundaries of K-pop and be the first K-pop act to enter the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. The group had remarkable success in the late 2000's with hit songs including “Tell Me” and “Nobody.”

Known as one of the most iconic girl groups in K-pop history, its breakup in 2017 came as a surprise to many. “I don't regret the decision to disband the Wonder Girls. My entire 20s were devoted to the group. All members agreed that it was time to move on and go our own way,” Yubin told The Korea Times, Monday.

While Sunmi and Ha:tfelt (Yeeun) moved to other entertainment agencies in pursuit of solo careers, Yubin renewed her contract with JYP Entertainment. When asked about her thoughts on her former bandmates' success as solo artists, Yubin said “I'm so proud of them. Thanks to them, people have high expectations for my solo album.”

Meanwhile, Sunye has become a mother of two and Sohee has been pursuing acting.

Since Yubin joined the Wonder Girls in 2008 to replace HyunA, who left the group due to apparent health issues, she has showcased her charismatic side as a rapper. Her appearance in “Unpretty Rapstar,” known as the female counterpart of the rap competition show “Show Me the Money,” drew much attention and raised expectations of her debuting as a rapper.

But Yubin chose a path as a vocalist, instead. “Many might have expected that my solo album would be about rapping, but I thought my vocals would match the city pop genre,” she said. “I've received a lot of vocal training for this album”

Its lead off single “Lady” is a blend of punk, disco, and soft rock that was popular in the '70s and '80s. The lyrics portray admiration for independent urban women. “City pop genre may sound unfamiliar to conventional K-pop fans, but it has a trendy vibe that includes soul, punk, pop and jazz elements,” said Yubin.

On the sideline, Yubin has been embroiled in a copyright dispute over her song “City Love,” a B-side track to “Lady.”

Before the album was officially released, record industry officials claimed some rhythmic lines of the song were similar to “Plastic Love” by Japanese singer Takeuchi Mariya.

Her agency JYP Entertainment initially announced they would suspend the release of the disputed song, but then decided to cancel its release altogether.

“Regarding the copyright controversy over City Love, we've decided to remove the track from the album,” her agency JYP Entertainment cited on JYP Fan's, a website for fans of its artists.