Former GFriend main vocalist Yuju has finally made her much-anticipated solo debut on January 18, 2022, with her EP ‘[REC.]’.This marks her first solo release under Konnect Entertainment.
Yuju is also the first of the six former members of the girl group to re-debut as a singer, with Sowon (moving forward with her birth name Kim So Jeong) and Yerin debuting as actresses under IOK Company and Sublime Artist Agency respectively, and Eunha, SinB, and Umji to re-debut this February 2022 as girl group VIVIZ.
Her EP ‘[REC.]’, includes 5 tracks which also see Yuju’s participation in the writing and composition of her music. The EP’s single, ‘Play’, as described by Soompi is a “medium-tempo pop song expressing the differences in emotions in a relationship when one sees it as a game while the other is sincere”. The song also included elements of the Gayageum (Korean traditional zither) and other Western instrumentals.
Days prior to the EP’s drop, Yuju shared a special live version of her mini-album as a gift to fans. The music video for ‘Play’ first sees Yuju amidst a red background wearing white, then later on shifts to her wearing a black lace ensemble and then to a hanbok-inspired look in her choreography.
Fans of Yuju and of GFriend trended “#YUJU_SOLO_DEBUT” on social media platforms in support of the artist’s debut. Other former members like Sowon, SinB, and Umji also expressed their love and support for Yuju through their posts and messages.
yuju's whole album be like pic.twitter.com/WUjTsUBB67
— 📚 (@ksjlveade) January 18, 2022
Yuju, you're SO CRAZY for this!
REC OUT NOW#YUJU_SOLO_DEBUT#유주_놀이_6시_솔로데뷔@konnect_YUJU pic.twitter.com/3nyadafLxr
— May. (@mademyday603B) January 18, 2022
Choi Yuna didn't come to play, she came to SLAY!
REC OUT NOW#YUJU_SOLO_DEBUT#유주_놀이_6시_솔로데뷔@konnect_YUJU pic.twitter.com/1NXNjzGcCY
— May. (@mademyday603B) January 18, 2022
2020: "rather than aiming for perfect music, i want to aim for honest music"
2021: "i want to approach the public in a new way with an honest image & diverse music"
2022: "i made a promise to approach with honest music. so i put a lot of effort in this album"#YUJU_SOLO_DEBUT pic.twitter.com/m5HdVgAWfm
— ً (@yujugcfs) January 18, 2022
[INFO] 220118 – SinB (bscenez) story post
🐱My love, our puppy
You worked so hard preparing the album🥺
Congratulations my unnie
@.yuuzth ♥️Stream: https://t.co/up566mznFP@VIVIZ_official @konnect_YUJU
REC OUT NOW#YUJU_SOLO_DEBUT#유주_놀이_6시_솔로데뷔 pic.twitter.com/PqAkVDHeCx— GFSquad (@GFS_backup) January 18, 2022
yuju thanked everyone involved in making the album, fans and the members 🥺❤️
REC OUT NOW#YUJU_SOLO_DEBUT#유주_놀이_6시_솔로데뷔@konnect_YUJU pic.twitter.com/8uI7UUckOI
— ً (@yujugcfs) January 18, 2022
this yuju's pose in Play mv was inspired by gfriend pic.twitter.com/tf5c2AK6ob
— narl (@narlstuturu) January 18, 2022
PLAY’S CHOREO IS SO GOOD I CAN’T WAIT TO SEE THE WHOLE CHOREO 😭❤️@konnect_YUJU pic.twitter.com/EGdh8XzHeM
— rv (@UMJIPROD) January 18, 2022
the fucking bridge in play!!! Ms. Yuju did NOT come to play!
— ʚïɞ jojo ❦ (@paradisebrulee) January 18, 2022
[PIC] 220118 – Umji (ummmmm_j.i) story post
🐹For the promotions😌
Enjoy the cool songs to your heart's content
I hope it can be a happy Play for unnie💝
You worked so so hard preparing for this album♡
I like Yuju's undertone,,@VIVIZ_official @konnect_YUJU pic.twitter.com/1Q9O38Yxgh— GFSquad (@GFS_backup) January 18, 2022
play is such a masterpiece. yuju's emotions are very well depicted in the mv and HER VOICE IS SO SOULFUL AND BEAUTIFUL AS EVER !! this is a new genre for her but she def pulled it off 😩 WHAT A QUEEN. also,, the lyrics 👀
— yana (@ye__nnie) January 18, 2022
lol she knew about the white noise@konnect_YUJU #YUJU #유주 #놀이 #PLAY pic.twitter.com/5fvqGSHa3K
— 뷰뷰 (@Ste_gOsH930) January 18, 2022
she owns this concept.
PLAY MV TEASER 2#YUJUSoloDebut_D1 @konnect_YUJU pic.twitter.com/FWbPL8dMjs
— May. (@mademyday603B) January 16, 2022
"i think GFriend Yuju and solo singer Yuju are both me. I don't make distinctions between the two." – Yuju
🤗❤ @konnect_YUJU #유주 #YUJU #놀이 #PLAY #REC pic.twitter.com/ALjqSuo1SX
— 뷰뷰 (@Ste_gOsH930) January 18, 2022
you can’t tell me the the lyrics
“i gave it my best with all my heart” isn’t about gfriend— maru (@appleofmirrors) January 18, 2022
Congratulations on your solo debut, Yuju! Stream ‘Play’ here.
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