Where is Choi Yena Now? Idol's Status After Hiatus Due to Recovery & Cancelled 'HATE XX' Promotions
After a series of obstacles during her "HATE XX" promotions, fans are curious of Choi Yena's status and how she's doing nowadays.
Read here to see what the idol's up to currently!
Choi Yena: Personal Background & History With IZ*ONE
Choi Yena, or simply known as Yena, was born on September 29, 1999, in Gil-dong, Seoul, South Korea. The idol is also revealed to have an older brother named Sungmin.
At a young age, Yena was diagnosed with lymphoma, and her parents had to sell gimbap to pay for her treatment costs. Yena's older brother Sungmin was also a member of now-disbanded boy group SPEED. At first, Yena's parents were reluctant to have her debut as an idol.
However, Yena eventually became a trainee at Polaris Entertainment. Afterwards, she also trained under Yuehua Entertainment for two years. This was followed by her inclusion as one of the contestants for Mnet's survival program "Produce 48" on May 11, 2018.
Representing Yuehua Entertainment, Yena quickly became a fan favorite in the show due to her funny and cheerful aura, as well as her captivating performances. Eventually, she finished in fourth place and secured a spot on the final lineup for project girl group IZ*ONE.
IZ*ONE debuted on October 29, 2018, with first mini album "COLOR*IZ" and title track "La Vie en Rose." The group gradually became a strong household name in Korea and were loved for their best-selling releases.
They are also known for dropping hits such as "Violeta," "Fiesta," "Secret Story of the Swan," and finally, their last title track "Panorama." On April 29, 2021, IZ*ONE concluded their group activities after their climactic two-day concert "ONE, THE STORY" on March 13 and 14, 2021.
'Smiley' Heroine Arrives: Solo Debut, 'Hate Rodrigo' Copyright Issues, Hiatus, More
After her adventures with IZ*ONE, Yena decided to make her own solo career happen. The idol even announced Jigumi as the name for her fans.
On January 17, 2022, Yena released her debut mini album "SMiLEY" and the title track of the same name which features soloist BIBI. This was then followed by her iconic songs such as "Smartphone," "Love War," and "Hate Rodrigo (feat. (G)I-DLE Yuqi)."
Jigumis were supportive of Yena in her career not just because the idol had opened up herself to more solo opportunities, but also for her development in terms of artistry. However, during "HATE XX" promotions, complications arose for the idol.
On June 29, the official MV for "Hate Rodrigo" was removed from YouTube, reportedly at the request of singer Olivia Rodrigo's management.
These claims were later denied by Yuehua Entertainment on June 29. The agency stated how the music video takedown was due to concerns regarding trademark infringement, copyright issues, and portrait rights violation.
On June 30, Yuehua officially announced Yena's poor health condition and the cancellation of her "Music Core" appearance.
This was followed by the agency's apology on August 6, when they expressed regret for not informing everyone the early cancellation of Yena's "HATE XX" promotions.
"We would like to apologize and bow our heads for not informing fans immediately about (concluding) Choi Yena's promotions on 'HATE XX,' which was released on June 27."
Where is Yena Now? Here's What We Know So Far
When Yena went under a hiatus, her last post was on June 23, leading fans to worry about her condition. Good news came in when on August 9, Yena informed everyone that she will release a Japanese version of her debut track "SMILEY (feat. Chanmina)."
On August 7, the music video was finally released. Watch here:
Eventually, on August 12, Yena finally gave another life update on her Instagram, and fans were relieved to see her doing well.
On August 19, Yena uploaded another update, which showed her wearing futuristic specs and a chic outfit. The idol was also part of the artist lineup in the 2023 CassCool Festival, where she performed her best hits on live stage.
This was followed by another selfie post from the "Smartphone" singer on August 20.
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