If you’re a fan of Chungha, chances are you know that her latest comeback “Stay Tonight” is going to be released tonight. Throughout the course of her solo career, we’ve seen a lot of her songs like “Rollercoaster,” “Snapping” and “Gotta Go” become hits. Aside from her amazing vocals, these songs have also been popular for their choreography. It’s probably the reason why I still dream of becoming a dancer despite having two left feet.
Prior to her solo idol career, Chungha entered the reality survival show “PRODUCE 101” where she, along with other aspiring idols, competed to have a chance to debut in a girl group (similar to how TWICE was formed in “Sixteen”). She ranked fourth overall and eventually earned the positions of main dancer, lead vocalist and rapper position in the girl group I.O.I. (which debuted on Jan. 2017). She was also part of the I.O.I sub-unit that was formed in August of that same year.
It seems that Chungha has come a long way since then, but the 24-year-old has already been showing us what she’s capable of achieving ever since she set foot on the “PRODUCE 101” stage. Here are some of her best performances prior to her solo debut:
“Partition” by Beyoncé
For her audition piece on “PRODUCE 101,” Chungha showed off her incredible dance skills by preparing choreography for the iconic Yoncé song. Despite being a popular choice among most idols to show off their dancing (like BLACKPINK’s version), Chungha’s version managed to catch the judges attention. I also love how it’s almost as good as a seasoned idol’s performance, despite her still being a trainee when the show was aired.
“Push Push” by Sistar
As a survival reality show, “PRODUCE 101” tests the different aspects of a trainee’s performances—from facial expressions and diction to vocal power and dancing. In their second challenge (performing mostly 1st gen K-pop songs), Chungha’s group performed “Push Push.” Throughout the performance, Chungha delivers, maintaining a smize that engages the audience. (Tyra Banks would be proud.)
“Bang Bang” by Jessie J, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj
This “PRODUCE 101” production sees Chungha smack in the middle of the formation, opening the performance with powerful, snappy dance moves and stunning vocals. The entire group has put their A-game on as even their fellow candidates have joined in cheering them on. This performance also gained the attention of Jessie J, who promoted the performance on her Facebook page.
“Pick Me” by I.O.I.
It gives me great nostalgia to see the I.O.I. girls perform this song. Originally, “Pick Me” was part of the original soundtrack of “PRODUCE 101” and was sung by all the trainees who joined the show. A few months after their debut, I.O.I. performed this song on music shows, showing just how much they grew from being trainees. It was also great seeing Chungha in the frontlines in this performance rather than being overpowered by her many co-trainees in the original one.
“Whatta Man” by I.O.I (Sub-unit)
Truth be told, this is my favorite I.O.I. song (this probably won’t sit right with some people since they’re not even complete here). It’s the most memorable performance from their singles because it gave off the same energy as the “Bang Bang” performance, with every member giving off so much charisma. And despite many people noting how Somi was the standout member of the group, I felt like Chungha owned the stage in this production. With her flawless dance moves, superior vocals and strong facial expressions, it was definitely hard to miss her.
Photo grabbed from “Whatta Man”-I.O.I. official music video
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