YUNA, a member of the 5-piece K-pop group ITZY, made her solo debut with the mini album ‘Ice Cream’ on March 23, 2026. Within its first week, the music video surpassed 12 million views, a milestone that arrived just as the group went viral with their 6-year-old sleeper hit, “THAT’S A NO NO,” showing the enduring power of their fandom, MIDZY.
‘Ice Cream’ follows the success of the group’s 11th mini album, ‘TUNNEL VISION,’ which is their second consecutive release to reach No. 4 on the Billboard World Albums chart after ‘Girls Will Be Girls.’ As the group’s youngest member, YUNA is the second to go solo, following leader YEJI’s debut with ‘AIR’ in March 2025.
YUNA’s Musical Identity From Beloved Maknae to Soloist
Launching a solo album has long been a goal for YUNA. Seven years into her career, she is moving beyond her role as ITZY’s maknae—a title she is loved for because of her bright charm and natural grace—using her mind-blowing talent, visuals and stage presence to show a distinct identity. ‘Ice Cream’ allows the 22-year-old to grow her own musical style and explore a side of herself that fans haven’t seen before.
The mini album features four genre-blending tracks, including the title song “Ice Cream” and B-sides “B-Boy,” “Blue Maze,” and “Hyper Dream.” Throughout the project, YUNA leans into her high, bubbly vocal tone, a sound that perfectly complements her lovely, energetic personality in the group. During the recording process, she challenged herself to experiment with different vocal textures to express various emotions, proving her versatility as a solo performer.
The tracks themselves are a direct reflection of YUNA’s natural musical taste. She chose a sparkling, dreamy pop sound because she loves music that makes her want to dance down the street. There is an organic variety of pop styles, including bubblegum, hip-hop, breakbeat, dance, R&B, synth pop, soft funk, and disco, that are built on a structure focused on performance. Since the name of the EP is “Ice Cream,” YUNA embraced every “pretty thing” for the concept, filling the visuals with refreshing vibes and colors that are similar to those when you think of ice cream.
“Ice Cream”
“Like ice cream melting sweetly
Don’t miss this moment
Enjoy it to the fullest”
The lyrics that YUNA sings during her title track, “Ice Cream,” carry an uplifting message. While the song delivers an addictive candy-coated pop sound, the meaning behind the bright music is more heartfelt than some might expect. YUNA describes “Time is like ice cream” as enjoying the present moment rather than worrying about the past or the future. Just like a scoop of vanilla on a warm day, happy moments are sweet but temporary. If you don’t stop to taste them, they melt away.
“C’mon before it’s too late
This moment’s passing by
Blink of an eye”
This sentiment also mirrors YUNA’s personal outlook on life. By concentrating on her current self and taking things step-by-step, she finds she feels less stressed, even while juggling the busy schedule of a solo debut. This “here and now” mindset is the foundation of the album, and she wants to share that positive energy with her fans, returning the same strength they have given her over the years.
Other than that, the music video was directed by Rima Yoon of Rigend Film, who has also worked with acclaimed artists like THE BOYZ (“ROAR”) and ITZY (“TUNNEL VISION”), along with several projects for SEVENTEEN, aespa, XG, ALLDAY PROJECT, and TREASURE. As well as her recent collaboration on BLACKPINK’s “GO.”
Rima Yoon is known for creating bold, eye-catching scenes and impeccably balanced shots that make typical music videos look like an A-list film production. Likewise, in this music video, she uses unexpected imagery. YUNA’s expressive acting and effortlessly fluid movements make the immersion of the video even more engaging, pulling viewers into her story. Famous dance crews ROOT and LACHICA worked together with YUNA to create a routine that uses easy-to-follow hand gestures as key point moves, making it easier for fans to dance along.
“B-Boy”
Following the title track, “B-Boy” brings out a free-spirited mood. Light, buoyant rhythms make it feel as if you’re floating through the sky. Additionally, the song is all about feeling alive in the very moment, which ties back to the meaning of “Ice Cream.” It encourages you to move naturally and surrender your body to the beat over a mix of hip-hop and breakbeats.
“Blue Maze”
Though YUNA loves all four songs on the album, “Blue Maze” is her personal favorite. She has always wanted to cover a dreamy sound in her solo music to set it apart from ITZY’s usual releases.
“Blue Maze” is an elegant, smooth track that blends soft funk with an R&B lounge groove. With a sense of emotional depth and interesting layers of sound, it captures the quiet, dreamy moments of love. Through its steady rhythm, the song uses the idea of a blue maze to describe the dizzying excitement of getting lost in a new romance. It vividly portrays the thrill of wandering through a dazzling, colorful world with someone you love.
“Hyper Dream”
Ending YUNA’s solo debut on a happy note, “Hyper Dream” changes the vibe to disco synth-pop with a slight retro nostalgic tune, delivering a strong message of freedom and liberation. The song unfolds with a dramatic and glamorous sound, inviting everyone to join her in a world of dreams together. Within this musical space, the boundaries of dreams and reality start to blur. As if you’re traveling through a beautiful, twisted version of time and space, it creates a sense of infinite soaring.
Besides debuting solo, YUNA is doing a lot of firsts at the start of this year. She made her acting debut in the tvN series Undercover Miss Hong as Park Shin-hye‘s younger sister, which you can now stream on Netflix. Her next K-drama project has also been confirmed, as she’s set to play a top actress in the upcoming tvN drama My Favorite Employee, which will premiere in the second half of 2026. During an interview with Forbes, YUNA shared that if she could pick any dream role, she would love to star in a nostalgic series like Reply 1988.
Right now, she’s busy with her solo album and music show promotions. Once she wraps them up, she will rejoin the rest of the group for the Oceania and Asia legs of ITZY’s 3RD WORLD TOUR <TUNNEL VISION>.
Since YUNA’s all about enjoying the now, which track on the album is making your current moment feel the sweetest? Let us know on Instagram and Twitter/X!
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Featured Image Credit: JYP Entertainment Official Website
