Singer Chuu has returned with strong confidence, releasing her first full-length studio album.
On the morning of the 7th, Chuu held a roundtable interview at a café in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam, Seoul, to commemorate the release of her first full album, “XO, My Cyberlove.” She shared her thoughts on the comeback, saying, “Since this is my first full-length album, I feel nervous, but at the same time excited because I’ve been waiting for this moment. These days, you don’t see many full albums being released. I always thought that someday, when I could fully showcase my diverse voice and genres in one complete album and confidently present my color all at once, I would release one. I believe now is the time when I’ve prepared most thoroughly for a full album. I’m excited because I think this album will show a more grown version of myself.”
As Chuu noted, releasing a full-length album has become rare in the K-pop market. Although artists devote tremendous effort to preparing more than ten tracks, listeners often focus only on the title song due to rapidly changing trends. As a result, full albums have declined, with mini albums and digital singles becoming the norm.
So what gave Chuu the confidence to release a full album at this point? She explained, “It’s not that I felt my skills were perfectly complete, but I’ve consistently taken lessons while actively promoting. Through that process, I realized that the direction I can excel in and want to show has become much clearer. I don’t see my abilities or the stories I want to tell ending here. Starting with this full album, I want to unfold my clearer narratives, so I felt this was the right time—as a starting point.”
“XO, My Cyberlove” is a new release that delicately captures changes in relationships in an era where reality and the virtual world overlap. It presents a modern love story, interpreting forms of love connected through digital signals with Chuu’s distinctive vocals and emotional sensitivity.
The title track of the same name is a dreamy song with a strong 1980s-inspired texture, metaphorically portraying emotional waves that arise between humans and AI through relationships formed in virtual chat windows.
“Cyber love” was a cultural phenomenon that gained popularity in the 1990s. Born in 1999, Chuu did not fully experience that era firsthand. Nevertheless, she explained her reason for choosing the theme: “When exchanging emotions such as love or friendship, there are many methods—physical touch, conversation, eye contact, hugs. But in today’s digitally advanced world, people express their emotions through emojis, images, and videos. I wanted to make this now-natural era the background of the album.”
When asked whether she felt any pressure or difficulty while preparing a full-length album, Chuu responded, “Recently, people around me told me that I tend to undervalue myself. I used to be very confident in my voice, but I started worrying, ‘Am I lowering my self-esteem?’ and ‘Can I truly reach people’s hearts?’ To overcome these concerns, I made sure not to neglect acting activities, continuous lessons, and training. Rather than focusing on just one song, I wanted to immerse myself emotionally into each track’s different story and ensure those stories connect.”
Chuu’s first full-length album, “XO, My Cyberlove,” will be released on all major online music platforms on the 7th at 6 p.m. (KST).
Written by Lee Seung Hun
Translated by Lee So Yun
