By Dong Sun-hwa
Jang Ye-eun never had much of a chance to show off her sunnier side when she was part of the K-pop girl group CLC. Since most of CLC’s songs were strong and powerful, she had to act that way instead of being her authentic self.
That period in her life, however, has ended and Jang has embarked on her solo journey, through which she can showcase who she truly is. The 24-year-old has just rolled out her debut solo EP The Beginning.
“I did not have many opportunities to reveal my bright side in the past, but now I do,” the blond-haired Jang says during a recent interview in a studio in Mapo district, in the South Korean capital, Seoul. “With my solo release, I want to highlight my liveliness and bubbly side, showing diverse aspects of myself. I think I am both calm and cheerful.”
Jang debuted as a CLC member with their EP First Love in 2015. Her solo debut comes after she terminated her contract with CLC’s management company, Cube Entertainment, in 2022.
“I am both thrilled and pressured to make my solo debut,” Jang says. “I sometimes feel a sense of emptiness because I have to perform alone on stage without my bandmates. But I am not very lonely, as I still keep in touch with them. They always support and encourage me.“And a good thing about being a soloist is that I just have to handle myself. In the past, I had to keep in step with others when singing and dancing, but now, I only have to focus on my work. I can also finish my work earlier.”
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The Beginning is a two-track EP consisting of the lead single “Cherry Coke” and “Strange Way to Love”. According to Jang, the EP’s defining colour is red.
“Red is powerful and energetic, but it is bright and bouncy too,” she explains. “It can be interpreted differently depending on people’s perspectives. Just like red, I think I can also be viewed in different lights in my new EP. Red also matches well with the concept of the single ‘Cherry Coke’.”
Characterised by Jang’s ear-catching rap and bass sounds, “Cherry Coke” is an addictive hip-hop number likening her to a soft drink that offers various flavours.
“When I first heard this song last summer, I immediately wanted to include it in my mini-album,” Jang says. “Maybe it was destined to be mine. I loved its hip-hop sounds.”
“Strange Way to Love” is a song for her fans, Jang says. She took part in writing the lyrics.
“It was not a very daunting mission for me since I just had to talk about what I have undergone.”
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The well-rounded Jang hopes she can further enhance her creative skills. “In the future, I want to compose songs for my followers,” she says.
For The Beginning, Jang worked with high-profile music producer Ryan Jhun, who was behind the success of numerous K-pop hits such as, IVE’s “After Like” (2022) and NCT 127’s “Kick It” (2020). Both Jang and Jhun are represented by Superbell Company, an entertainment company that was established in 2022.“Since it was my first time working with Jhun, I did not know much about him,” Jang says. “So I was anxious at first. But he turned out to be a witty person and he helped me a lot with recording. He told me to sing and express my emotions in the way I want. Thanks to him, I could work in a pleasant environment.”
The year 2023 marks the eighth year since Jang’s debut with CLC.
“In hindsight, I learned and experienced a lot of different things and met so many good friends over the past eight years,” she reflects. “The year 2020 was particularly meaningful, because CLC put out one of its biggest hits, ‘Helicopter’. All members poured a lot of energy into making this [song], but we could not stage live performances in front of our fans due to the Covid-19 pandemic.”Her toughest time came recently, as she has been trying to start a new chapter in her career after leaving Cube.
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“I spent much time contemplating my career and future,” she says after a moment of thinking. “I needed some time to adapt to a new environment, but I felt hasty at the same time.
“However, I soon realised that worrying does not empty tomorrow of its troubles. So I began seeking advice from different people and eventually figured out what I should do and which path I should take.”
Jang is more than excited to see how her life will unfold in the next eight years.
“I am itching to know how things will pan out in the days ahead,” she says. “I am most curious to know how much I will grow.”
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