Cha Eun-woo has a number of solo songs under his belt, many of which are included on the Original Soundtracks of Kdramas he starred in.  A couple of my favorites include his songs from Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung and My ID is Gangnam Beauty.   After watching these dramas, I wondered what other songs I could find by this ASTRO Kpop star.  This led me to songs he recorded for other Kdramas, webtoons and even a movie – nine in total.  Then, in February 2024, he released his first mini solo album, Entity, with six additional songs.  After listening to them all (many times!) here is my cut at all solo songs by Cha Eun-woo ranked – including those from Entity!

15) Memories (2023) – Entity

The first song in this ranking, Memories, is from Cha Eun-woo’s mini-album Entity.  Memories is only available on the CD.  Of all the songs on Entity, and all of Cha Eun-woo’s solo songs to date, this is my least favorite.  When I listen to the song, I feel like I am at a stage production on a Disney Cruise ship.  Not to ding Disney Cruise ship stage productions – they are actually pretty good.  It’s just that Memories is such a bland song compared to all his others.

Like all the songs on Entity, Cha Eun-woo and Enzo are credited with the lyrics.  They are joined by Ju Chan Yang.  The music is by Ju Chan Yang, Secret Weapon, Dr. Ahn & Enzo.  DiHanKpoperz on YouTube provides this rendition of Memories from Cha Eun-woo’s Just One 10 Minute fan tour in Malaysia.

14) First Love (2022) – Drive to the Starry Road

Included on ASTRO’s album, Drive to the Starry Road, First Love is a solo offering by Cha Eun-woo.  Song writing credits include Cha Eun Woo (차은우), Enzo (KOR), MOONi (KOR), Ryan S. Jhun, Josh McClelland, Josh Gray & James Birt.   A version of First Love is located on ASTRO’s YouTube channel.  While the song is catchy with a nice beat, it doesn’t show off much of Cha Eun-woo’s nice range.

13) Together (2018) – Top Management

Together, written for the series Top Management, is one of Cha Eun-woo’s first solo songs.  He also contributed to the lyrics with song writer’s U-turn and Jung Won-cha (lyrics).  This YouTube video from Episode 247 of Yu’s Sketchbook (KOCOWA TV) gives the interesting story of how Cha Eun-woo Prepared the Theme Song for his Character in Top Management.  The song starts with a lovely piano opening before diving into the fun lyrics:  “I can sing well.  I’m pretty good at cooking also.  I’m also good at studying, but most people only care about looks.  Why did my mom give birth to me like this?”  A version of Cha Eun-woo’s Together with English lyrics is located on YouTube by Setsu29.   Cha Eun-woo seems like he’s having fun singing this song and it gives him a little more to do with his voice.

12) Focus on Me (2022) – The Villainess Is a Marionette

Perfect to listen to on a snowy day (and with a steaming mug of hot chocolate), the song, Focus on Me from The Villainess Is a Marionette starts softly before allowing Cha Eun-woo a chance to open up his voice in the chorus.  Written by Coffee Boy, Focus on Me with English Lyrics can be found by fantagio on YouTube.  Or – it’s fun to watch him sing it live at 220903 Focus on Me JTOM in Seoul by My Galaxy 0330.

11) Jealousy (2023) – A Good Day to Be a Dog

Cha Eun-woo lends his singing voice to the recent webtoon turned Kdrama, A Good Day to Be a Dog with a re-do of the song Jealousy.  Written by Lee Soon Ja, Choi Yeon Ji and Kim Ji Hwan, this YouTube version by Boomgyu includes English Lyrics for Cha Eun-woo’s Jealousy.  The song has a mellow beat and showcases Cha Eun-woo’s smooth voice.

10) Fu*king Great Time (2024) – Entity

Fu*king Great Time is next song on this list from Entity.  It features lyrics by Cha Eun-woo and Enzo and music by Enzo, H25, Isao, Violet Nerd and Chipinside.  I wasn’t too sure about this song until I saw videos of Cha Eun-woo performing it during his Just One 10 Minute fan tour.  It comes alive with the choreography – showcasing Cha Eun-woo’s idol roots.  The video of Fu*king Great Time posted on YouTube by bysun is a great example.  After listening to the song, once or twice (or forty+ times) the catchy chorus really sticks with you.

9) 나와 단둘이 or U&I (2024) – Entity

Smooth jazz is the sound I didn’t know I needed from Cha Eun-woo.  He brings it on in spades with 나와 단둘이or U&I.  Enzo, H25, Secret Weapon & Dr. Ahn contributed to the music, with Cha Eun-woo and Enzo again credited with the lyrics.  Like any good smooth jazz song, U&I features tinkling piano notes accompanied by trap set drum beats and brushed cymbals.  The chorus alone makes you want to get up and sway.  Cha Eun-woo’s voice beautifully tumbles through the vocals as he sings of “sharing dizzying stories throughout the night”.   A performance of U&I was captured by xiaokhat on YouTube at Cha Eun-woo’s Manilla Fan Meet.

8) Love so Fine (2021) – True Beauty

Written by Llwyd and Kim Tae Young, Love so Fine comes from the drama True Beauty.  A nice version by DOM on YouTube provides the English lyrics to Love so Fine.   It’s easy to find yourself humming the catchy chorus.  Cha Eun-woo’s voice expertly jumps up into his high range and his English pronunciation is excellent in this song.

7) Please Remember (2019) – Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung

The song Please Remember, written by Hana, comes from my favorite Cha Eun-woo drama, Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung.   The lovely melody reflects his character, Prince Dowan, in the drama so well.  This YouTube video by DOM of Please Remember showcases many of the best scenes from the drama.

6) You’re the Best (2024) – Entity

With the light strumming of a guitar and a lilting melody, You’re the Best from Entity, has a nostalgic feel – like an afternoon breeze, or a quiet time sorting through old Polaroids.  The adorable You’re the Best music video features a beloved member of Cha Eun-woo’s family – his mom’s dog Dongdong-i.  No doubt the song was written specifically about his furry little sister.  The song inspires dog lovers everywhere to go hug their own fur babies after hearing it.  Composers include Enzo, H25, Isao and Jang Hyeok Su.

5) Love Sailing (2022) – Decibel

Some of the most compelling scenes from the movie Decibel involve Cha Eun-woo’s tragic character.  Love Sailing, written by Cho Hwun Hee and with lyrics by Memory B and Nayah, is Cha Eun-woo’s song from the movie soundtrack.  The song can be looked at either from his character’s viewpoint or that of his brother played by Lee Jung-suk.  Either way, this smooth song is beautiful and haunting at the same time.   Atyxteu on YouTube provides a nice version of Love Sailing with English Lyrics.

4) Rainbow Falling (2018) – My ID is Gangnam Beauty

Rainbow Falling from My ID is Gangnam Beauty starring Cha Eun-woo is one of his best solo songs.  The yearning of his voice in the chorus is breathtaking.   This YouTube video by Warner Music Korea has both scenes from the drama and clips of Cha Eun-woo singing Rainbow Falling.   His range is on full display with the final chorus being the best.  It’s also hard to beat this live performance for ASTRO fans, posted by Astro Legendas, of Rainbow Falling featuring Cha Eun-woo playing the piano.

3) Where Am I (2024) – Entity

Where to start with Where Am I?  This is a song Cha Eun-woo struggled to sing during his first Just One 10 Minute Fan meet in Seoul and has since given up trying to sing it live.  The emotions are simply too fresh.  Where Am I is for Moon Bin, his good friend and fellow Astro member who died at the young age of 25.  Utilizing stripped down instrumentals, the song highlights Cha Eun-woo’s voice as he gently pours out his heart.  Echoes abound, both in the lyrics – Where am I?  Where am I? –  and the musical beats amplifying the sensation of sinking into water.  The care taken with this song – one deeply personal to Cha Eun-woo – makes it one of his best solo songs to date.  Lyrics are fittingly co-written by Cha Eun-woo and Enzo while the composers include Enzo, Secret Weapon and Dr. Ahn.

The Where Am I music video starts with Cha Eun-woo standing in the middle of an intersection street looking lost – the sound of dripping water apparent.  Later, he sits dejectedly on a couch as water begins to fill the room until he is completely submerged.  His book of notes floats alone in the water – the same book shown in the Stay music video implying a relationship between the two songs.  By the end of the song, he is back in the intersection, dripping wet.  Voice breaking on the last notes, he looks directly at the camera with dead eyes, the weariness of his emotional struggle apparent.

2) Don’t Cry, My Love (2021) – Under the Oak Tree

Don’t Cry, My Love is a song written by Hyun Soo-kim, Ji Hye-kim, Jin Ah-kim and Won Jin-seo for the Manta Comics webtoon, Under the Oak Tree.  Based on a novel by Kim Suji (Kim Soo-ji), Under the Oak Tree tells the story of young girl, Maximillian who last saw her husband, Riftan, three years earlier on their wedding night.  When he does return, she believes he wants a divorce but instead he takes her with him.   What follows is their magical love story.  The webtoon version as adapted by namu and illustrated by P includes 18 chapters and counting.   I found it helpful to learn a little context about the webtoon when I first listened to Don’t Cry, My Love, so I read a few of the free episodes of Under the Oak Tree, but it’s not required.  The song is wholly enjoyable all by itself.

I highly recommend watching the Don’t’ Cry, My Love – Cha Eunwoo (Lyric Video), Under The Oak Tree OS Pt. 1 version posted on Youtube by flowersofmay OAK.  It contains everything you could want in the audio, amazing animation of the webtoon, and lyrics in English.  Like any translation of Korean to English, the English does not exactly match the Korean lyrics, but the intent is faithful.  Cha Eun-woo’s voice provides a magnetic serenade from the viewpoint of main character Riftan.

1) Stay (2024) – Entity

The song Stay is the featured track on Entity and for good reason.  Of all the songs on Cha Eun-woo’s first mini-album, Stay best showcases his voice and features a beat with staying power.  Just listen to it once and see how hard it is to get the catchy melody out of your brain.  Not that you would want to!  Though the song is titled Stay, I find myself wanting to travel as I listen to it.  I picture riding a train through mountains or skimming along the water in a speedboat.

Stay starts with a beautiful guitar entry and quickly picks up with a lilting drum beat that propels it forward.  The mood of the instrumentals is matched by Cha Eun-woo’s voice, hitting its stride in the chorus.  Cha Eun-wo once again co-wrote the lyrics to this song with Enzo (KOR), who is also credited as a composer with H25, Isao (KOR), Violet Nerd & Chipinside.  Having some idea of Cha Eun-woo’s mindset while writing the songs for Entity (based on his interviews about the album) the lyrics of Stay, like Where Am I are especially poignant.  They hit home to anyone who has experienced the loss of loved one:

The sun came up again

Void and empty

Yeah, I’m still there

Hiding the sighs and regrets

Behind the smiles

And being pathetic

Chorus

When you miss someone once in a while

Just think of me

I’ll live by you somehow

I want you to stay here, yeah-eh

If I had one complaint about Stay, it is that the song, especially the chorus is too short.  And is it too much to ask for one more verse?  The Stay music video, which was filmed in the US, is a little longer than the song itself.  It takes advantage of the rewind sound in the song by cleverly “rewinding” the video in that section and includes a break before the final chorus – that nicely builds anticipation for the finale.

Bonus Song – Bonfire

Ok – this is not a solo song by Cha Eun-woo but I really like it.  Legend goes that he reached out to Bonfire singer, Peder Elias through Twitter to ask him to about singing a duet.   Thankfully, Peder agreed!  Bonfire is a beautiful song written by Ronny Janssen, Kristoffer Haugan, Magnus Bertelsen, Peder Elias Kjorholt, Polin.  The [Cover] ‘Bonfire’ l Peder Elias X CHA EUN-WOO – YouTube duet is located on YouTube at CHAEUNWOO.    Super bonus:  Cha Eun-woo is singing in English!

That’s it for solo songs by Cha Eun-woo ranked – for now!