Yena first debuted in the huge project group IZ*ONE (whose other members included IVE’s Wonyoung and Yujin, Le Sserafim’s Sakura and Chaewon, and current soloists Jo Yuri, Lee Chaeyeon, and Kwon Eunbi) in 2018 at age 19. After their disbandment, she became a soloist herself in early 2022.

Here are my credentials: I first became aware of Yena through her collaboration Hate Rodrigo with Yuqi of (G)I-DLE, since I’m a huge Neverland. I’ve heard most of IZ*ONE’s hits, but I doubt I could be considered a fan. So I’m interested in learning more.

EP #1: Smiley

Smiley was Yena’s debut, and no matter how adorable you think it’s going to be, you’re wrong. I mean, there’s really nothing more delightful than a superhero appearing with a microphone in a cloud of sparkles on a mission to make people smile. The MV is cartoony and bright in such a quintessentially k-pop way. As for the song itself, it’s exactly as effervescent as you’d expect it to be, being solidly bubblegum, and by the time it got to the final chorus, I was bopping my head along. I will say, I was very surprised when I saw that BIBI was featured on this song with how dark hers usually are, but casting her as the villain was a great decision, and her verse flowed in pretty smoothly. Overall, a very strong debut!

From the EP, Smiley, I enjoyed Yena’s great vocals in the ballad Before Anyone Else, the harsher rock influences in Luck 2 U, and the backing choir in the ethereal Pretty Boys.

EP #2: Smartphone

Smiley is a difficult song to follow up, but Smartphone gives it its best shot. Sticking in the same ultra-peppy, colorful cartoony aesthetic, it adds edge with guitar riffs and a strong underlying beat. The bridge’s pullback to spotlight Yena’s vocals was great too, and didn’t feel out of place, especially since she doesn’t take it too seriously. I’m not the biggest fan of the obligatory rapping in the second verse, but besides that, I thought this was a pretty good song. I also appreciate the ongoing superhero storyline she’s got going on here.

From the EP, Smartphone, I enjoyed the drum & bass heavy With Or Without You, and the chiptune influences of Lemon-Aid, but my hidden gem was U, which has this great brassy hook and really leans into a kind of Broadway drama.

Single #1: Love War

Love War has to be one of the biggest 180s I’ve seen in a concept. Gone are the bright colors, the smiles, and the sense of whimsy, and in their place is a monochrome silhouette and a moody, ruminative vibe. It’s like Yena went from 17 to 27 in a few months. Or possibly just went through a breakup and needed to vent. It’s not that I have an issue with the song or concept change in principle, but going from what’s a pretty memorable and joyful sound to something fairly boiler-plate is honestly a bit disappointing. I will say, I often have an issue with rap verses in mainly sung-through songs, but I thought that BE’O’s section flowed in pretty well, while still keeping the track interesting.

I didn’t have a hidden gem from the single.

Single #2: Hate XX

Yena found herself in a bit of controversy last summer when the song Hate Rodrigo came out, and it’s easy to see why. Besides just its title, the music video references a lot of her work and seems tailor-made to raise eyebrows. The lyrics themselves clarify that the song is about feeling jealous over someone else’s success and aren’t actually hate towards Olivia, but I’ll admit it’s not the best look. Thankfully, the song itself is a return to the Y2K pop rock that defined Smiley and Smartphone, and though it’s not quite as strong as they were, it’s a lot of fun. I could definitely see it being a blast in a concert. I also liked Yuqi’s feature, and their voices work together better than I expected.

From the single, Hate XX, I enjoyed the old-timey sung intro of Bad Hobby, though most of the song was too sing-talk heavy for me.

EP #3: Good Morning

Good Morning straddles a line between Love War and Smiley, having a darker aesthetic and more serious lyrics like the former but a solidly poppy sound and an encouraging message like the latter. The chanty, call-and-response pre-chorus especially is infectious. Though the track takes a little while to get going, once it hits its stride, it doesn’t slow down, working in elements of J-pop and J-rock that are a great fit for Yena’s voice. The progression from the final chorus into the outro is so satisfying too, and you’d be hard pressed to not sing along.

From the EP, Good Morning, my hidden gem was the moody, sharp Good Girls In The Dark, which feels like a new and improved version of Love War.

Single #3: DNA

DNA is a Japanese single, but I decided to include it here since Yena doesn’t have many songs. It goes for a more solidly J-rocky sound than she’s done before, but it’s a pretty natural progression of the rock influences that were a part of Hate Rodrigo and Smartphone. DNA doesn’t quite go far enough for me in terms of its payoff, but it’s still pretty great, and would feel right at home as an anime soundtrack. I really hope she continues doing this genre for a Korean release. Also, I had no idea until watching this MV, but Yena can actually play guitar, which is very cool.

Verdict: TL;DR

I’m glad I did this. Like I said, I didn’t know much about Yena before this deep dive. While I was typing this up, I had a good time watching her dancing, watching her interact with the IZ*ONE members, and watching her share a meal with her brother while they bickered and shared stories. I also watched some showcases of hers, and she looks so genuinely happy while performing that it made me happy too.

My top 5 songs were Smiley, DNA, Smartphone, Luck 2 U, and Good Girls In The Dark, with U as an honorable mention. Yena gets a 8.25 out of 10 from me. I really enjoyed the majority of Yena’s work, especially her singles. It’s clear that there’s so much love and joy that goes into it, and that connected with me. It’s tough to stand out in an industry like kpop, and so I hope that she focuses more on building a clear, reliable sound for herself that doesn’t wind up getting lost in the shuffle.

Next time, we’re doing an older group that’s finally making a comeback. Tschüss!