ITZY′s Yuna discovers her passionate side preparing for solo debut

▲ ITZY's Yuna answers a question from a reporter during a press conference at a Seoul hotel on March 23, 2026, to mark her solo debut album, "Ice Cream." (Yonhap)
▲ ITZY's Yuna poses during a press conference at a Seoul hotel on March 23, 2026, to mark her solo debut album, "Ice Cream." (Yonhap)

ITZY member-solo debut

ITZY's Yuna discovers her passionate side preparing for solo debut

By Shim Sun-ah

SEOUL, March 23 (Yonhap) -- Yuna, a member of K-pop girl group ITZY, said Monday she wanted to fill her individual album with her "bright and natural" energy, as she launched her first-ever solo project after seven years in the K-pop spotlight.

Yuna, the youngest of the five-member girl group, was set to release her first EP, "Ice Cream," at 6 p.m., becoming the second ITZY member to go solo following Yeji.

"I felt both pressure and desire to debut as a solo artist after seven years in my career," the 22-year-old singer told reporters at a Seoul hotel hours before the release. "Since Yeji did a great job with her solo debut, I gained good influence from her and wanted to work hard on this project."

The artist said preparing the record helped her grow creatively. "During the process, I realized how hard it was to fill an entire song with just my voice in a dynamic way," she said. "Trying to make it more colorful and expressive turned into an opportunity for me to grow."

Yuna admitted that deciding to go solo initially came with fear and uncertainty. "When it was confirmed I'd be the second member to go solo, I was scared," she said. "But through the preparation, I discovered new sides of myself, which gave me courage."

Asked what those sides were, she described herself as "more passionate and nearly perfectionist" than she had expected.

"In group activities, our decisions are made collectively, and I usually followed others," she said. "While working on this album, I found myself being much more passionate and assertive with my ideas, which even surprised me."

Fronting the four-track EP is the title track, "Ice Cream," an upbeat bubblegum pop song that encourages listeners to seize fleeting, sweet moments before they melt away.

The record also includes "B-Boy," which captures a free-spirited mood; "Blue Maze," a soft, dreamy track about the depth of love; and "Hyper Dream," a dramatic number layered with vibrant sounds that invites listeners into a fantasy world.

Reflecting on her career, Yuna admitted there were moments when her perfectionism made her overlook precious times. "Around the third year after the debut, there were many treasured memories with the members during album preparations," she said. "But I think I couldn't fully enjoy those moments because I was chasing perfection. If I could go back, I'd just enjoy it more with everyone."

Yuna compared her new release to "sugar-sweet ice cream," saying, "I hope it's an album that makes people smile when they think of it." Calling it "a good album for spring," she invited listeners to make it their pick for their daily commute and added, "I hope people will see me as a capable artist in my own right."

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