Crystal Yi (born 1993), known by herstage nameChai or her Korean nameLee Soo-jung (이수정), is a Korean-American singer-songwriter. She is best known for winningSBS'sK-pop Star 5.
In 2015–2016, Yi participated in thefifth season of the audition talent showK-pop Star. She finished in first place with a perfect score of 300 points and selectedAntenna as her agency.[1][2]
After winning the competition, she returned to Chicago to finish her senior year as an art major at theUniversity of Illinois at Chicago.[3] During this time, in February 2017, she self-released the single "Color You", featuring the Chicago-based duo Iris Temple.[4][5] In April 2017, she released a music video for "Thirst Trap", a single she had originally released in 2015 prior to joiningK-pop Star.[6][7]
In September 2017, she took part inAntenna's label concert seriesWith Antenna, which toured South Korea and the US.[8] Later that year, she featured on the winter duet single "When You Fall" withSam Kim.[9] She released anOST for the dramaAngel's Last Mission: Love in May 2019.[10]
Yi made her official Korean debut with the single albumGive and Take in June 2019.[11] The album consisted of three songs: "Alright", which she co-produced with Sam Ock; the title track "Give and Take", featuringpH-1; and "Color You", featuringSam Kim, a remake of her 2017 single.[12] Her second single album,Gimme That, featured two songs produced byColde and was released in February 2020.[13]
Yi parted ways with Antenna in May 2021, after four years with the company.[14][15] She signed to World Star Entertainment in July 2021.[16] Yi mentioned in herYoutube channel that she eventually left World Star Entertainment to take a step back from being a full time musician.[17]
