By Senthujan Sivarasa
Chung Ha is back in action! Chung Ha is the definition of longevity. Starting as a member of I.O.I, after the disbandment of the group, she continued as a soloist. With her debut, she has created hits after hits, from Snapping to Play, her discography explores a variety of genres. She's also known for her amazing dancing. Her first viral moment was during the survival show Produce 101 when she performed a dance cover of Yonce by Beyonce.
After her last release Sparkling (2022), Chung Ha parted ways with her then management, signing a new contract with Jay Park’s label More Vision. The single album marks a re-debut of Chung Ha, introducing a new era of music, which she perfectly teases through the release of the two songs.
Image Credit: Promotional Image for Eenie Meenie by Chung Ha
I’m Ready:
The first song, I'm Ready, is the perfect song to celebrate this new era of Chung Ha. The use of EDM further creates a dramatic entry for the comeback. The song begins with her singing the chorus. Lyrically, the song explores the theme of starting a new chapter and not letting the past define her.
“I'm ready to get this, ready to get this, Ready to get this stage”. This line is repeated throughout the song, further establishing that she's ready to start the new journey.
Image Credit: Screenshot from I’m Ready Music Video
Fans have been eagerly excited for this new era of Chung Ha and she seems to assure fans that she’s ready to deliver! The momentum continues to build up from the first verse to the pre-chorus where she sings “Anyone test me, whenever chase me, I have nothing to fear, Got this perfected”, stating her fearlessness and wanting to prove others wrong.
Image Credit: Screenshot from the I’m Ready Music Video
The chorus leads to an EDM-Infused beat drop. Within the short music video released alongside the song, the choreography for the chorus further provides a dramatic impact on the viewer. She can be seen stuttering, with dancers behind her, depicting her as a strong leader. Aside from the dancing, the use of bold dark colours - in her clothing and set designs - further demonstrates the strong powerful imagery that she describes within the lyrics.
Parts of the choreography showcases a genre of dance that her fans adore, something she’s implemented within her previous work, such as Stay Tonight and Dream of You. Whilst it is nice to see how she has improved as a dancer, this also opens doors for her to try other types of dances.
Image Credit: Screenshot from the I’m Ready Music Video
A key lyric to point out is “As dark as the times have been, Let’s divine our light” could reflect the difficulties that she faced during her change in management. Due to Chung Ha leaving her previous company, she failed to gain legal rights to several of her social media accounts, previous body of works and even her fan name. Thus, when she started teasing her comeback, she released new pictures onto her socials. This further emphasises how Chung Ha is starting from scratch.
Image Credit: Screenshot from the I’m Ready Music Video
Overall, the song sends a strong message that Chung Ha is ready for this new chapter in her career. She’s ready to hit the stage and claim what’s hers. The music video further emphasises on the strong, fierce image that is illustrated within the lyrics, using dark bold colours and clothing. The last imagery is of a glass shattering over Chung Ha's face. This entails a powerful statement that she’s ready to smash the glass box around her to achieve what she wants.
Eenie Meenie:
The second song and title track Eenie Meenie, which features Hongjoong from Ateez, is opposite of the previous song. A playful track with guitar influences, the song reminds me of her earlier work Play. Whilst I’m Ready is more dramatic and holds a bold statement, Eenie Meenie explores a playful side of Chung ha. This is a great way to showcase different sides of her. The lyrics of the song explore Chung Ha's confidence in understanding what she wants and demonstrates her self-awareness.
Image Credit: Eenie Meenie Teaser via Chung Ha Instagram
She starts the song with the lyrics “I got tips for you ‘, Not sure what to choose?, You can pick anything, Follow your heart and make your move”. Whilst this positively encourages the listener to follow their interests, this could reflect on her own decision making. A prime example is her decision to leave her old management, allowing her to be her true musician self. This is further explored when she states, “Movin' forward with no regrets, yeah 'Cause I'm feeling at my best, I ain't takin' no less, Than every kinda flavor of a new sensation, I'm takin' dives”. This shines how confident she is within herself and her determination to take risks and choose herself.
The pre-chorus provides an angelic aura, complimented by her melodic harmonies. During this, she describes her excitement towards her new era of music, as well as eagerly seeking to lose herself in new chapters. “Oh, I wanna lose my mind, To the rhythm of a new vibration”. The music transcends into a guitar-infused chorus. She cleverly uses the phrase “Eenie Meenie Minie Moe” to depict the overall message of her song; choosing herself and being strong-minded with the choices that she’s made.
Image credit: Screenshot from Eenie Meenie music video
HongJoong takes over the song. When the feature was announced, I had mixed feelings, thinking it might be a typical feature in a pop song that doesn’t add anything more to the song and acts as a filler. Chung Ha asked him to feature on the song after being a fan of Ateez for many years. Witnessing their energetic performance, she knew he would fit the theme of the song - and she was right! He adds some spice to the song in a crazy form.
Image credit: Picture from Ateez Instagram
Introducing his verse, Hongjoong starts with his signature laugh which I am sure many Ateez fans are aware of (hahaha!). I liked how his flow changes during his verse. Within the first few lines, it seems like he's rapping slowly. Yet, cleverly, he slowly catches up to the beat, creating an interesting flow. Lyrically, Hongjoong continues the theme of taking risks but further reminds the viewers that he and Chung Ha are ready for anything that comes in their way.
Image Credit: Screenshot from the Eenie Meenie Music Video
“Despite how we may look, when the moment comes, we take action with our mic, Just go for it, Regrets, no thanks, I am who I am”. I like these lyrics as they highlight their passion for their art and knowing that despite how people may perceive them, they know their talents and their capabilities.
Image credit: Screenshot from the Eenie Meenie Music video
The song ends with an upbeat dance break, where you can hear Chung Ha’s playful voice solidifying her confidence in knowing what she wants and being able to choose for herself; sending a message that she can stand on her own two feet and fend for herself.
“Better know what you like, I'll make it easy, Like eenie meenie minie moe (Eenie meenie, minie, moe), Watch me pick 'em out like, like eenie meenie” she sings as she continues to dance, ending the video giving a fierce look to the camera.
I love the cool, laid-back vibe of the music video. The baggy clothes, the accessories, the tinted colours used throughout the film which provides a vintage feel to the song. I also like the contradicting themes of the music video, further showcasing the different sides of Chung Ha. The music video is a complete opposite to the I’m Ready video.
Final Thoughts:
Chung Ha has continued to showcase that she isn't going anywhere. Despite a few knock backs, she's back and ready.
I admire that both singles showcase a different side to Chung Ha. I'm Ready highlights her dancing abilities, with the choreography taking center stage. The powerful moves, backed with dancers surrounding her, could allude to the imagery of her having an army behind her, or fans, supporting her along her journey.
Image credit: Screenshot from the Eenie Meenie Music video
The title track Eenie Meenie allows the listeners to view a playful but confident side of Chung Ha. She is embracing the creative independency and taking control of her career. One could argue that Eenie Meenie may have been too much of a safe option for a comeback single, given that the song elements a lot of her previous work. However, the message of the song, as well as I'm Ready, ties perfectly with the direction Chung Ha is heading towards within this new era.
I look forward to her experimenting with new sounds as she continues her journey. I am excited to see what else she has instore for the future.
Ranking:
I'm Ready 4/5
Eenie Meenie 3.5/5
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