How YENA Turned Amazing Saturday Into Her Own Concert

There is a particular kind of chaos that unfolds when Choi Yena walks onto a variety show set with a new song to promote and no intention of following the rules. On March 21, the singer and former IZ*ONE member appeared on tvN's Amazing Saturday alongside fellow guests Lee Chaeyeon and ITZY's Chaeryeong, and proceeded to turn every moment — from food introductions to game rounds — into an impromptu showcase for her fifth mini album LOVE CATCHER and its title track “Catch Catch.” When host Boom tried to enforce a performance paywall, she simply switched tactics, delivering a live vocal rendition that reminded everyone why she has become one of K-pop's most entertaining solo acts.

The Barefoot Hustle

The episode began with Yena arriving as part of a guest trio billed as a dance crew. Dressed in a trendy denim outfit that matched her bubbly on-screen energy, she immediately set the tone by announcing that she had deliberately blurred certain pronunciations while recording songs so that her lyrics might appear as dictation questions on Amazing Saturday — the show's signature format, where guests win food by correctly transcribing song lyrics. The cast erupted in laughter at the confession, with some questioning whether she was serious. She nodded emphatically.

When new album celebrations led to an opportunity for a performance, Boom stepped in with a firm declaration of promotional paywall — essentially blocking her from doing a full dance showcase. Undeterred, Yena pivoted to a live vocal performance of “Catch Catch,” turning the restriction into a different kind of promotional moment. She then took off her high heels entirely, competing in games barefoot for the rest of the episode. The barefoot hustle paid off: she won snacks, captured opportunistic camera shots with Catch Catch poses, and kept the energy relentlessly high throughout the broadcast.

After filming, Yena reflected with characteristic directness, saying she had played games, eaten delicious food, and promoted well all at once, asking fans to please listen to Catch Catch.

The IZ*ONE Reunion Moment

The episode's most emotionally charged moment came not from comedy but from nostalgia. Yena and fellow guest Lee Chaeyeon — both former members of the project group IZ*ONE, which disbanded in April 2021 — spontaneously performed the group's 2020 hit “Panorama” together. For fans of the group, the sight of two former members dancing side by side on national television was a powerful reminder of bonds that persist long after official disbandment.

Lee Chaeyeon appeared on the show alongside her younger sister Chaeryeong of ITZY, marking the first time the siblings had guested on Amazing Saturday together. Their playful rivalry — with Chaeyeon claiming superior dancing ability and Chaeryeong countering that pure skill is not enough without star power — added another entertaining layer to an already packed episode. The sisters also danced together to IVE's recent hit “BANG BANG.”

Why Catch Catch Is Connecting

LOVE CATCHER, Yena's fifth mini album, was released on March 11 and features five tracks including the electro-pop title track “Catch Catch,” the collaboration “Spring Fever” featuring DinDin and Jung Hyung-don, rock-tinged “Sticker” featuring MRCH, indie ballad “April's Cat” by songwriter Hanroro, and “Question Marks” featuring Paul Kim.

The title track draws heavily from second-generation K-pop aesthetics, channeling the playful energy of groups like T-ara and Orange Caramel. Yena revealed during a radio appearance on SBS Power FM's Wendy's Young Street that she watched T-ara stage videos over 100 times while researching the concept, and that her personal playlist is filled with second-generation idol songs. The approach has resonated with both nostalgic older fans and younger listeners discovering these sounds for the first time.

Yena described the album's evolution from her previous work, noting that while earlier releases captured the innocence of first love and the awkwardness of standing between love and heartbreak, LOVE CATCHER shows a more mature side — a version that better understands what love feels like and wants to approach it in her own way.

Chart Numbers and Global Buzz

“Catch Catch” debuted at number 151 on Korea's Melon Daily Chart and number 87 on Bugs, while reaching number 1 on China's QQ Music Surge Chart. On Spotify, the track achieved 194,692 streams on its first day — Yena's highest solo debut on the platform. By day three, the album had accumulated over 1.4 million total Spotify streams across all five tracks. Physical sales reached 30,240 units in its first week on the Circle Chart.

The song's impact has been particularly strong in China, where the music video surpassed 1.5 million views on Bilibili within four days, outpacing her previous release “Nemonemo.” A Douyin dance challenge using the “Catch Catch” choreography has amassed over 23 million views. International fans have praised the track's retro sensibility, with comments calling it refreshing, insanely catchy, and a welcome throwback to what made K-pop special.

LE SSERAFIM's Kim Chaewon further amplified the buzz by sharing a video of herself reacting to “Catch Catch” alongside Yena, a nod to the close friendship the two have maintained since their time as fellow idols.

What Comes Next

Yena is in the middle of an intensive promotional cycle that has already included performances on Show Champion, M Countdown, Music Bank, Music Core, and Inkigayo. Her music show stages have featured the playful “black cat” concept from the music video, complete with a tail accessory and red fishnet stockings — an aesthetic she has described as a lovely villain.

Looking beyond promotions, Yena has announced her second solo concert tour, titled “2026 YENA LIVE TOUR: Almost Within Reach, the 2nd World.” The tour kicks off with two shows at Seoul's Blue Square on April 4–5 before traveling to Macau, Taipei, Hong Kong, and concluding in Tokyo on June 13–14. She teased the concert as an invitation into a new dimension, promising a side of herself that fans have never seen before.

From deliberately engineering her lyrics to appear on a variety show quiz to kicking off her heels mid-broadcast to promote a song, Yena's approach to her career has always been defined by a willingness to do whatever it takes — and to make it look fun while doing it. With LOVE CATCHER proving that her creative instincts are sharper than ever, the second world she is building may turn out to be her biggest yet.