“Retiring…” — Popular Idol’s Plans For Part-Time Work Abroad Gain Attention
In 2016, the survival show Produce 101 first aired and introduced the world to I.O.I, the final group composed of the show’s top contestants.
Following I.O.I’s disbandment, the group went in various directions, including solo debuts by some members, such as Chungha. Chungha debuted in June 2017 and had a string of successful releases, including “Gotta Go” and “Rollercoaster.”
View this post on Instagram
However, the idol faced issues with her previous agency, leading to a hiatus and her departure.
Fans Outraged Over Chungha’s Former Label Refusing To Give Her Ownership Of Her Social Media Handles
In 2023, the idol was revealed to have joined Jay Park’s MORE VISION, and returned to activities, most recently releasing “Save Me.”
While her hiatus has ended, the idols recent talk of activities outside of entertainment has gained attention.
In a vlog shared on her YouTube channel, Chungha showed her activities while in Spain, including talking about her longtime desire to study abroad. She mentioned wanting to study abroad in Spain, learning Spanish and resting, adding that she would maybe want a part-time job.
She added that she would want to do this for around 6 months, surprising the person filming.
Chungha adds that people have thought she was retiring or thinking of retirement, and she corrects that, saying that she would want to do so to improve herself and she won’t be forced into retirement.
Fans of the idol discussed the clip and were glad that she set the record straight and shared her aspirations.
chungha wants to try living as a student abroad for six months studying, working part-time, and resting each day. she made it clear she’s not retiring just learning spanish to connect with fans 🥺 pic.twitter.com/YD5zdsiqik
— jooy (@jooyoz) March 17, 2026
mad respect to her i'll be honest because not many idols would take the risk at working in a restaurant or enroll as a student for fear of losing their momentum of fame.. and yk who i'm talking about specifically.. but also do notice that chungha is not a kpop idol but a soloist. https://t.co/kgLtbXf7c4
— rocher ⁷🪭 (@sailorofsilence) March 17, 2026
i love her and the ioi girlies bc they’re all so hardworking and they’re always thinking abt the fans 💕 https://t.co/1hTrxNklUy
— ًL (@blancenbleu) March 17, 2026
It’s great to hear Chungha will continue to entertain and hopefully get to mark some items off her bucket list as well!
You can watch the full video below.
