“I’m a Growing Character”: Jung Eun-ji Returns as a Solo Artist After 4 Years—Producing Every Track, Fulfilling a Singer-Songwriter Dream

Jung Eun-ji Returns With ‘Summer, I’ After 4 Years… A Twist in Producing Every Track

Apink’s Main Vocal, Marking 15 Years Since Debut, Proves Musical Prowess With a New Release Featuring 7 Tracks

“This is the moment I finally realized the dream of becoming a singer-songwriter.”

Jung Eun-ji, the main vocalist of K-pop girl group Apink and an actress who has built a solid track record, returned in style as a solo artist after releasing her fifth mini album ‘Summer, I’ (Summer, I) on the 11th. This new release is a full album in about four years, featuring her involvement not only in producing all tracks but also personally leading the writing and composition of the title song ‘Waves’, proving an even deeper ‘musical capability’.

A Track Record of Subtle Growth… Seven Narratives Crafted With 100% Producing

Before the release of the new album, Jung Eun-ji told the story of her intense inner drive as an artist at a music listening event held in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, on the 6th, saying, “I define myself as a character that keeps growing. I’m struggling to evolve, even if only slightly, every moment.”

This new work is the result of breaking a long silence since her mini-album ‘Simple’ released in July 2020 and her remake album ‘log’ released in November 2022. The key theme running through the album is ‘love’.

Starting with the title track ‘Waves’, the seven tracks are intertwined in a connected way: ‘No Fight’, which urges listeners to stay faithful to love as it is now; ‘Linguine’, inspired by a go-to date menu; ‘Wind Walks Along’, in the line with her first solo hit ‘Skyward Darling’; and ‘The Place Where Love Passed’, which delicately captures the sense of loss after a breakup.

He recalled, “I don’t take it for granted that I was born with excellent songwriting ability, but thanks to the warm response from the public, I was able to complete a full album. It’s a meaningful project that captures the process in which my own question marks turn into exclamation marks.”

Summer, Love, and ‘Waves’… The Unwavering Philosophy of 15 Years Since Debut

Born in August, Jung Eun-ji made ‘Summer’, the season of her birth, the identity of the album. “Summer and love are strangely alike,” he said, with that insight producing a title that is both direct and metaphorical.

In particular, the title track ‘Waves’ delivers overwhelming refreshing energy by blending a powerful band sound with Jung Eun-ji’s signature explosive high notes. As the subtitle ‘I Love Love’ (i love LOVE) suggests, it captures a cool, polished love story that praises the feeling of love itself.

At the live stage that day, he showed off his unwavering vocal prowess, saying, “I wanted to challenge myself with the ultimate high notes that blow away summer’s sweltering heat.” He added, “I hope listeners can enjoy a cool sense of release through this song.”

Since debuting in 2011, Jung Eun-ji has left major hits in the music and broadcasting industries over the past 15 years, including ‘Reply 1997’, ‘The Girl Who Drinks City’, and ‘A Woman Whose Days and Nights Are Different’. When asked about the essence of love for a person who has played many forms of love, he offered a weighty answer.

“The core of love is ‘a determined heart that does it anyway’. Isn’t it true love to be willing to accept the effort for someone else?”