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최예나

Solo artist · YH Entertainment · since 2022

YENA

최예나

The former IZ*ONE member has a style of her own that fans call "Yena core". "Catch Catch", released in March 2026, stayed near the top of Korean charts for about six months.

5years on 17 January 2027 · in 83 days

Their story

After IZ*ONE

Choi Ye-na finished fourth on Produce 48 and spent two and a half years in IZ*ONE. Nine months after the group ended, she released her first EP, Smiley, with BIBI on the title track. The same day she named her fans Jigumi, after the Korean word for "now".

Smiley to Smartphone

"Smiley" won M Countdown in February 2022 and set the tone: upbeat and a little silly. Smartphone kept that quirky mood that summer. In 2023 she added two single albums, among them Hate XX, where her close friend Yuqi of (G)I-DLE joined her on "Hate Rodrigo".

Yena core

Fans have a name for the look and sound she has built: "Yena core". "Nemonemo" shows how it works. Zico helped write a song about love as a square with sharp corners, and she called it a nod to the dance pop of T-ara and Orange Caramel. Next to her music she has kept a steady TV career, from Girls' High School Mystery Class to hosting work. On Blooming Wings in 2025 she co-wrote the title track and closed the EP with "364", a song for Jigumi.

Where she is now

Love Catcher came out in March 2026, and its title track "Catch Catch" stayed near the top of Korean charts for months while its dance challenge spread on Douyin. She renewed her contract this year, about ten years after joining as a trainee, and toured Asia before two encore nights in Seoul in August. In October she followed with "Bogi Deumun Yeoja" (보기 드문 여자), a remake of a Block B song with NOWIMYOUNG.

Timeline

  1. Solo debut with the EP Smiley; her fan club name, Jigumi, is announced the same day.

  2. Single album Nemonemo, with lyrics co-written by Zico.

  3. Fifth EP, Love Catcher, led by "Catch Catch".

  4. Digital single "Bogi Deumun Yeoja", a remake of a 2014 Block B song.

  5. 26 October 2026

Start with these 5 songs

  1. SmileyThe debut single with BIBI and her first music show winner.2022
  2. SmartphoneA quirky follow-up and her first solo comeback.2022
  3. Hate RodrigoA duet with her friend Yuqi of (G)I-DLE.2023
  4. NemonemoLove as a square with sharp corners, in a nod to 2010s K-pop dance songs.2024
  5. Catch CatchThe title track of Love Catcher; its dance challenge took off on Douyin.2026

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In the Fan Chart

The Fan Chart on The Crowd adds up every fan's top 10. Here is where YENA stands.

    Add YENA to your setlist

    For Jigumi

    YENA

    최예나
    Name
    Choi Ye-na
    Born
    29 September 1999

    Former IZ*ONE member known for playful, colourful pop and a busy career as a variety show host.

    Also a member of IZ*ONE

    Quick answers

    When did YENA debut as a soloist?

    On 17 January 2022, with the EP Smiley and its title track featuring BIBI. She had debuted with IZ*ONE in October 2018.

    What is YENA's real name?

    Choi Ye-na (최예나). She was born on 29 September 1999 in Seoul.

    What is YENA's fandom called?

    Jigumi. The name comes from jigeum, Korean for "now": she and her fans hope to stay together as they are now.

    Which YENA song should I know first?

    "Smiley" (2022), her debut, which won M Countdown less than a month after release. For her recent sound, try "Catch Catch" (2026).

    What is YENA's latest release?

    The digital single "Bogi Deumun Yeoja" (보기 드문 여자) featuring NOWIMYOUNG, out on 2 October 2026, a remake of a Block B song. It followed her fifth EP, Love Catcher, in March and an Asia tour.

    Know your YENA?Six K-pop questions a day in the Daily, and a collectible card for every finished set.

    Play the Daily

    Last checked 26 October 2026. Sources include Soompi, The Korea Times, Sports Khan, Ilgan Sports and Tenasia. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.