Chungha sweeps K-pop charts with 'Gotta Go'
Chungha performs at "KSTAR 2018 Korea Music Festival" at Gocheok Sky Dome in Guro-gu, Seoul, in August 2018. Korea Times file
By Ko Dong-hwan
Promotional jacket for "Gotta Go."
K-pop artist Chungha swept Korean TV music charts this week, topping the charts on three networks in the second week of January with her latest number “
.”
The solo artist topped “Show Champion” on MBC Music on Jan. 9, “M Countdown” on Mnet the following day and “Show Music Core” on MBC on Saturday.
Real name Kim Chan-mi, the star from now-defunct 11-member girl band I.O.I released the single early this month. MNH Entertainment, the star's agency, launched her latest song following her success in 2017-18 with tunes such as “Hands on Me,” “Rollercoaster” and “Love U.”
The fluent English speaker, who studied in Texas for years, first made her name on the K-pop audition show “Produce 101” on Mnet in 2016. There, she was selected one of the 11 winners who afterwards debuted as project band I.O.I that lasted a year.
Alongside Sunmi and Hyolin, Chungha, 22, is considered one of the few female solo K-pop artists whose credits are built on solid singing and dancing skills.
Girl band Black Pink's Jennie recently made her solo debut and three other members are expected to do the same this year.