The Unconventional Release of CLC’s Third EP REFRESH

On February 29, 2016, CLC released REFRESH, their first EP as a seven-member group. Elkie and Eunbin joined Seungyeon, Seunghee, Sorn, Yujin, and Yeeun less than a year into CLC’s career. This five-track EP continued CLC’s initial cute concept and was unique at the time for including a Produce 101 contestant as the show was airing. 

Only five days before the EP dropped, Cube Entertainment  unveiled REFRESH with a silhouette of seven members. The official reveal of Elkie and Eubin came a day later, coming as yet another surprise. Elkie was a former child actress under Hong Kong’s Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB), and Eunbin was still participating on the first season of Produce 101.  

Background to REFRESH

According to a translation by Soompi, Cube Entertainment  intended Eunbin to join CLC in 2015. She and the other CLC members prepared for an album that got delayed and was not released. Due to this delay in music releases, Eunbin reverted back to her trainee status. Mnet and Cube Entertainment  agreed that Eubin would postpone promotional activities with CLC until her time on Produce 101 ended.  

On REFRESH’s release date, only a short version of the title track’s music video was released. The two-minute version of “High Heels” showcased solo shots of only six members. Five days before Eunbin’s elimination from Produce 101, the full version of the “High Heels” music video released on March 30, 2016. Eunbin ranked 35th on the show’s 10th episode.

“High Heels” 

“High Heels” is a cute song with a pastel-colored aesthetic. It follows a similar formula to “Pepe” and “Like.” Nevertheless, it’s CLC’s first release as seven and its connection to Produce 101, while much more common nowadays to add a member following a survival show appearance, was the first of its kind.  

The team behind “High Heels” provides some context for girl groups at the time. “High Heels” was composed by Lee Hyun Sueng (이현승), and written by Noh Joohwan (노주환) and Iggy (이기). Noh and Iggy both mentored under Lee, initially meeting him as a lecturer at a music academy they attended. Noh and Iggy went on to cultivate notoriety contributing to other girl groups, such as Iggy’s earlier involvement with Orange Caramel and Hello Venus, and Noh and Iggy’s later association with GFRIEND.