Initially earning recognition as former B1A4 Baro's sister who almost debuted in Oh My Girl, Cha Yoonji, also known as I, debuted in 2017 as WM Entertainment's first soloist.
But whatever happened to her?
I (Cha Yoonji) in 2012 to 2017: Baro's Sister, WM Trainee, Debut as Soloist, 'Idol Rebooting Project: The Unit'
Cha Yoonji, hereinafter Cha SuA, started her journey in the K-pop scene in 2008, when her older brother Baro, a former B1A4 member, told her that he would be signing with WM Entertainment.
At the time, she decided to follow her brother and when she auditioned, and she got in after dancing and singing on the spot. However, as she was still in 6th grade, Yoonji finished middle school first before becoming a trainee.
She was first introduced as a WM trainee in early 2012 and became known among B1A4 fans as Baro's sister. Yoonju also caught the attention of K-pop fans due to her stunning beauty.
In 2013, it was hinted that she would debut in WM's new girl group, Oh My Girl. Yoonji even appeared with other current members like Arin and Yubin in 2014 as a cameo for B1A4's concert, but in 2015, she failed to debut with the girl group for unspecified reason.
WM clarified that she would join another debut project, but it was also canceled. Due to desperate fans wanting for her to debut already, there is even a rumor that she will join "Mnet's "Produce 48," but she didn't.
In 2017 then, the wait was over as Cha Yoonji finally debuted as the first soloist in WM Entertainment, proving her all-rounder skills. Under her stage name I, she released her debut album, "I Dream," and the title track, "I Wish" feat. JK Tiger.
Her debut is a huge success, charting at No. 57 on MelOn and No. 3 on Mnet. People were surprised as she was a rookie from a small/mid-sized company but she ranked high on the music charts.
While her fans think that WM would grab this opportunity to push her harder, it would be her last release as well.
After having no news about her for months, it was reported that she would join the Idol Rebooting Project, "The Unit," but it was announced that she withdrew due to health reasons.
Where Is Cha Yoonji Now? Idol Debuts as Actress, YouTuber, Changes Name to SuA
In 2018, she debuted as a theater actress and appeared in the play Yeodo" from January to February.
She also celebrated her first debut anniversary and announced her fandom name as Kkumi, but she didn't have any significant idol activities since then until she terminated her contract with the agency in October.
After that, she opened her personal YouTube where she often posts travel vlogs.
It seems like she eventually left the music scene after deleting her Instagram in 2022, but after a few months, she created a new account under her new name Cha SuA, but it was set to private.
READ MORE: Did You Know? THESE Famous K-pop Stars Have Siblings Who Are Former Idols!
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Written by Eunice Dawson.
