Jaeha drops self-written trot-rock single '바보야', eyes longevity in crowded scene

Rock meets trot on a breakup anthem

Jaeha released 바보야 on September 15. Self-written, self-composed, built on a rock foundation with what she calls a slight "pung" (뽕) trot feel layered over it.

The title translates roughly to "You Fool." It's directed inward—a man stuck on a lover who walked out, saying those words to himself for failing to hold on. Jaeha laid out the reasoning plainly: "Because there aren't many proper event songs, I decided to try writing an event song once, and that's how 바보야 came about."

Showing a side fans haven't seen

This is a deliberate step away from her established emotional style. "I took out the emotional Jaeha a bit and released a rhythmic song to show that there is also an exciting Jaeha inside me," she said. She added that singers must become versatile across many areas as time goes on.

Promotion mode is in full swing. "I took an audition and the album came out not long ago, so these days I'm focusing on album promotion," she said.

The interview touched on her mother, trot singer Im Juri (임주리). When Jaeha first debuted in trot, she leaned heavily on her mother's advice. Now, less so. "I have my own path, so I seem to be researching on my own."

The long game

Asked what kind of singer she wants to be remembered as, Jaeha set a blunt, long-horizon target: "My goal is to become a singer who is not buried and not forgotten even after 20-30 years or 60 years pass." A pointed acknowledgment that the current scene is crowded with talented artists.

The full interview, titled [스타 인터뷰] 재하의 스타 인터뷰 대공개, went up on the YouTube channel THE 트롯 보라고 on the 27th.