Chaeyoung made her full-length solo debut with
LIL FANTASY, Vol. 1, following a decade-long run of hits with her K-pop girl group
TWICE. It also follows (by just a few months) an appearance on the soundtrack to the international film smash
KPop Demon Hunters. In contrast to the typical bright, energizing output of her group, she opts for a warm, shimmery smooth R&B here with washes of bedroom pop bliss. The album features a trio of guests in Korean psych-pop band
Gliiico ("AVOCADO" and "DOWNPPUR"), pop singer/songwriter
Sumin, and
Y2K92's
Jibin, the latter of whom adds a nervy electronic hip-hop element to "RIBBONS." Arriving midway through the track list, that song stands out like a sculptural relief on a record that is otherwise submerged in calm, warm affection, even on the dancier "SHOOT (Firecracker)" and the trippy
Gliiico features. Depending on the release format (there's a CD-only bonus instrumental),
LIL FANTASY, Vol. 1 closes with the quasi-acoustic "¿ ¿¿" ("My Guitar"), which keeps the dream state going with an arrangement dominated by airy vocals, guitar strums, and vibraphone. Fans worldwide embraced the album's stylistic direction; it charted in the Top Three in South Korea and made the Billboard 200 Top 40. ~ Marcy Donelson
