Chungha Reveals Plans To Make A Hollywood Acting Debut In The U.S.

On March 10, it was announced that Chungha had been signed to ICM Partners, one of the top 3 talent agencies in the U.S. But she won’t just be focusing on music—she’ll be making a foray into Hollywood too.

When Chungha joined ICM Partners, the company’s vice-president Jon Pleeter gave a statement praising Chungha’s wide range of skills. He said that Chungha’s musical talent in combination with her near-impeccable English gives her the potential to be a pop singer or a Hollywood star in the U.S.

Chungha’s English communication skills come from her childhood. Chungha was born in Seoul, then moved to Dallas, Texas for 8 years. Going by an English name, Annie Kim, Chungha became fluent in English during her years in the U.S.

So I was listening to Gotta Go and I got so happy because I know if Chungha ever has a world tour she’ll come to Dallas 🥺🥰 pic.twitter.com/JBlGlKA7NB

— brianna⁷ (@HOBIG0D) July 19, 2019

More to the point, Jon Pleeter’s statement about acting wasn’t just an off-hand comment. In an interview on March 13, Lee Jooseob (CEO of Chungha’s agency, MNH Entertainment), revealed that they do have plans to debut Chungha as an actress in the U.S.

I hope to show more various sides of me while working with ICM.

— Chungha

Lee Jooseob began by stating just why Chungha is set to be so successful overseas. While many female soloists have crossed the bridge to the U.S., the MNH CEO says few have the amazing dance and vocal skills that Chungha does.

I think she definitely has a competitive edge.

— Lee Jooseob, MNH Entertainment CEO

He also pointed out her third strong edge: her familiarity with the country. Not only is Chungha fluent in English, she has a deep understanding of U.S. culture and the differences between Americans and Koreans. This will make it much easier for Chungha to make a good impression on an American audience.

Since her debut, she has always wanted to promote in the U.S.

— Lee Jooseob, MNH Entertainment CEO

On top of that, Chungha has had an interest in acting for a long time. In one interview, she revealed she’d like to sing an OST for a historical drama. When asked whether she’d like to star in one too, Chungha said acting is an area she wants to try. She also clarified that she wants to approach it gradually, starting with very small roles.

I think it is right to take the time to capture the feelings on set because this is an area where there is not much to learn like dancing or singing.

— Chungha

Most of Chungha’s television appearances have been on reality shows, but she did make small cameos on tvN’s Entourage, Netflix’s YG Future Strategy Office, and YouTube’s Top Management.

So naturally, given Chungha’s interest in acting and huge potential for success in the U.S., ICM Partners and MNH Entertainment are working together on plans for the soloist’s U.S. acting debut.

While focusing on her singing career, ICM and we both agreed to work on creating opportunities for her acting as well.

— Lee Jooseob, MNH Entertainment CEO

Fans often worry when their idols make a big leap into acting in South Korea, but Byulharangs have nothing to be nervous about. Moving into acting isn’t expected to affect Chungha’s singing career, as everything will happen gradually.

She won’t rush anything. She will make gradual steps toward expanding her career, just like she did in Korea.

— Lee Jooseob, MNH Entertainment CEO

And, of course, she still plans to grow her singing career in the U.S. market too.

‘Breaking into the US market’ still sounds like a huge title for me, but I’m excited for what’s to come in the future. As much as it’s a hard-won opportunity, I will work hard for it.

— Chungha