The K-pop industry is in dire need of some eccentricity. Sure, there’s a subdued quirkiness to many of its recent visuals, but this approach has become so cut-and-paste and rubber stamped by corporations that it feels more mainstream than it seeks to be. There is no act reliably delivering the colorful madness of previous groups like Orange Caramel and Crayon Pop.
In this world, soloist Yena has stepped up to the plate. She’s no stranger to brash idiosyncrasy. Just listen to her 2024 single NEMONEMO. New track Catch Catch (캐치 캐치) picks up that song’s baton in a way that nods back to K-pop’s past. Its throbbing electro beat has touchstones all over the industry, from Brown Eyed Girls’ Abracadabra to PSY’s Gentleman. Its immediately recognizable point move is so second-gen coded it hurts. Yena performs the entire thing in a chirpy style, her voice stretched and clipped into a character all its own.
I’m not sure Catch Catch is a pastiche that comfortably sits among its many inspirations, but it is so damn refreshing to hear in 2026. It’s refreshing to hear something this fun, upbeat, silly and sung. It’s nice to hear a song that feels so specific to K-pop with a series of hooks that immediately lodge themselves in your brain. Of course, I’d rather hear something legitimately new and forward-looking than a strong reinterpretation of past glories, but given the sorry state of the industry’s output this year, I’ll gladly take a nostalgia play right now.
| Hooks | 9 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 8.75 |
Grade: B+
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
MAKE KPOP FUN AGAIN AND SHE DID!
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I enjoy this song too, and it’s so great to see an 8.75 for a title track this year!
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This song is an absolute banger – so so good. And my god, the mv is so funny too!! The extras are hilarious 😂😂
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KPOP IS BACK!!
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THIS IS SUCH AN EARWORM OMG. the production is insane yena never misses IM TELLING YUOU
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In a world full of Gracie Abraham’s, whiplash rip offs and pots and pans percussion, yena is like the light in the darkness that shines a pathway through it❤️🙏
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PREACH 🙏
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Omg thank you baddie! ❤️❤️🙂↕️🤭
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Thoroughly enjoyed this! Might be her second best song after Smiley. Hopefully the music quality only goes up from here on out.
Same rating as Nick for now, might go up to a 9, but we’ll see
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I like it! It reminds me of the songs with heavily processed and stylized vocals that was popular in kpop for a minute in second gen! It’s fun. Definitely gives some T-ara and Co-ed school vibes 😭
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And the “rated 8.5 and under” curse is broken!!!
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I was hearing T-ara as well. In a good way. Lovey Dovey with a space age sheen overlayed.
Yena is one of the few soloists active today who can pull off a full song like this all by herself.
Which is to say it’s a yes from me. Or rather YASSSSSSS.
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i like this. very fun and energetic track for my playlisyt
8.75/10 (8, 9, 9, 9) for me as well
(btw have you checked out v01ds new song yet? they’re a 5 member indie rock band that debuted today. the title track is tug of war, though I have a feeling you might enjoy rockrovk more)
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Yeah I might circle back to some of today’s smaller releases later in the week and v01d are on my list to at least sample. I just didn’t have time to write about six releases this morning (sweating face emoji)
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Love it. Rating same. Spring Fever and April’s Cat on the EP are pretty good too!
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I really love “Spring Fever.” It’s that chiptune jpop vibe I love
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YYAYAYYYYYYAYAYAYYYYYY!!!!!!
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This might be the best production I might have ever heard this year in K-Pop. The energy actually feels so stable and grounded in this song. I love YENAAAAAAAA
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LITERALLY SOTY OMGGG
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if i’m not mistaken, this is the first k-pop song of the year that is above an 8.5. i’m glad this streak has finally been broken, but it’s still sad
anyways this song is rlly good 🙂
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I double checked, and yes, this is the first k-pop song this year (not counting buried treasures) to be rated above an 8.5, and I’m so happy for this.
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i forgot to include my own rating, but it’s VERY good (especially compared to other recent releases…)
some parts of it feel a tad bit too “cutesy” or “aegyo” (if that’s how you use that term) but the production…LOVE ITTTT
i give it a 9/10 (8,10,9,9)
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I clicked play expecting it to find it corny like some of her previous releases, which I didn’t love. I normally don’t feel like commenting if it’s not one of my favorite groups but holy cow this is a BANGER.
The production value is insane on this song and we really needed someone to bring that dance-pop/EDM feel back without tapping into UK Garage or house-infused music so kuddos to Yena for that.
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One of the things I appreciate about Yena is that there’s been a very clear and consistent artistic vision in her work since her solo debut (the exception being “Love War”, which I love).
I don’t think this is my favorite Yena song but it is serviceable and another in a long line of solid singles.
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Upon further listens this shares a lot with My Copycat
The album isn’t as good as her last imo but still going on my mp3 player
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dunno if i’d replay this that much but it’s SO REFRESHING to hear this sound in 2026. this is what made kpop so different. the glitzy techno dance sound, the quirky absurdness, the special effect production on the vocals. back then everyone cried that kpop was super cringe bc this was the signature sound of kpop… and we SO need it back!
all i know is i need a yena x chocome collab…
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Reminds me of Girls2’s catchy and silly “Let me Dance” in the best ways. Phone dial sounds, a corny-in-a-good-way chorus of “Da”, and a generous helping of “Uh-Uh”s and “uu-uu’s” added in the verses. Yena is a great soloist.
Rating 8,9,9,9 = 8.75
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I have been playing this song nonstop at unsafe volumes ever since the teasers came out. This is the unabashed and unapologetic cutesy, upbeat, unrelenting FUN that I want from my k-pop! And yet, it’s not flimsy. The song has multiple hooks and enough variety to keep my interest on top of a super solid beat. Thank goodness for Yena!
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guys i physically can’t stop myself my replaying this help
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song aside the styling is INCREDIBLE oh my god
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Damn, I really, really didn’t want to like this almost irritating earworm, but now it is stuck and I find myself enjoying it more and more. As previous written above, Yena is really consistent and it is so enjoyable to see someone trying to work with a cutesy concept in 2026 while still expanding on it.
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this is insanely catchy, at first I was like meh okay and now I cannot stop replaying this and it’s stuck in my head 24/7 helppppp
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such a bangerr
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