Interview: ITZY’s YUNA on her Solo Debut ‘Ice Cream’ and Stepping Out on Her Own

After years on stage with ITZY, Yuna is stepping into a moment that is entirely hers. The group recently launched its “Tunnel Vision” world tour with three nights in Seoul, while older releases are finding new life online. “That’s a No No,” a track originally released in 2020, has resurged across charts and social platforms after six years, driven by a viral dance trend embraced by artists across the industry. The song has since reentered major Korean charts and reached new peaks. With that momentum building, Yuna now makes her solo debut with Ice Cream, a four-track EP that marks her next step as an artist and makes her the second member of ITZY to step out with a solo project, following Yeji.

Released on March 23, Ice Cream introduces a brighter, more personal side of Yuna, built around clean pop sounds and performance-driven energy. The title track, which opens with the line “It’s so pretty, it’s so dreamy,” sets the tone with a playful but confident mood. The response to the release was immediate. Within its first day, the music video reached number one on YouTube in multiple countries, while the release debuted strongly on music charts and drew global attention. 

The music video for “Ice Cream” follows that same direction, focusing more on atmosphere than a clear storyline. It moves through a series of bold, stylized sets that shift between bright and slightly surreal, with Yuna at the centre of each scene. Visual effects like melting, freezing, and layered transitions reflect the song’s concept, while scenes repeat and shift to give a sense of time moving forward. This ties back to the idea of enjoying the present moment. The result feels light and visually engaging, while keeping the focus on her as she takes on this next step on her own.

Photo Credit: JYP Entertainment 

Now seven years into her career, Yuna is no longer just ITZY’s youngest member. Known as part of a group often recognized for its commanding stage presence, she has also begun expanding into acting, recently making her debut in Undercover Miss Hong, with a role in Favorite Employee set to follow. With Ice Cream, she continues to shape her own artistic identity while building on the foundation that brought her here. 

A few weeks before the release of Ice Cream, I spoke with Yuna via Zoom on behalf of BroadwayWorld. From Korea, I had the chance to speak with her about the process behind her solo project, as well as the pressure, excitement, and growth that came with it. 

With four tracks, Ice Cream brings together a range of sounds that reflect different sides of Yuna’s artistry, from bright, performance-driven pop to softer, more controlled vocal moments. At the centre of the project is the title track, “Ice Cream,” a bubblegum pop dance song driven by upbeat rhythms and layered synths. The song carries a sense of movement that reflects its message about staying present, and for Yuna, that connection was immediate.

“I was very nervous, and my heart was beating really fast when I first heard the song because I immediately felt like it was mine,” she shares. “I also kept thinking about how I would share it with our fans and how much they would like it.” 

Photo Credit: JYP Entertainment

That sense of urgency is tied closely to the EP’s overall theme. Built around the idea of enjoying the present moment, Ice Cream reflects a more personal shift in how Yuna approaches both her work and herself. “There was a time when I was very busy and had a lot of schedules, and I was not really taking care of myself,” she says. “To get through that period, I took some time for myself and focused on the present moment, which helped me recover. I feel like that experience connects closely to the message of Ice Cream and enjoying the present.” 

Taking on that message also meant adjusting to a new kind of responsibility. Without the shared structure of a group comeback, preparing for her solo debut required a different level of focus. “It felt very different,” she explains. “When we prepare for a group comeback, there are five of us sharing the process, but this time it was just me. It felt like I had to do five times the work, and I also felt five times the pressure and responsibility.” At the same time, she credits the people around her as a key part of the experience. “I’m very grateful to all the staff, composers, choreographers, and everyone who was involved, because I’m really satisfied with how everything turned out.”

Support from her members, especially Yeji, also played an important role throughout the process. “When I first received the demo for ‘Ice Cream,’ Yeji was the first member I listened to it with,” Yuna recalls. “During the recording process, she asked a lot of thoughtful questions and gave helpful feedback, so she was a really great support for me. She also came to the trailer shoot for the music video, which meant a lot.” That encouragement extended across the group. “Not just Yeji, but all the ITZY members supported me throughout this process,” she adds. “They shared ideas and gave feedback, even on things like choreography, so I felt very encouraged while preparing for my solo debut.” 

Photo Credit: JYP Entertainment

While “Ice Cream” carries a bright, polished sound, Yuna’s focus for this era goes beyond the music itself. As a performer known for her stage presence, she approached the project with a clear intention. “The main goal of this solo album is to deliver positive energy to people who watch my performances,” she says. “For this era, I focused on showing strong facial expressions and sharing bright, genuine smiles on stage.” 

Across the EP, each track explores a different sound and mood. “B-Boy” leans into a hip-hop and breakbeat style, with a more stripped-back structure that puts the focus on rhythm and movement. For Yuna, recording it meant stepping into a different mindset. “It has a strong street and hip-hop mood, so I tried to bring out a more free and relaxed side of myself while recording,” she says. “I even imagined myself as a B-girl so I could express the lyrics more naturally.” 

That contrast continues with “Blue Maze,” which takes a softer approach, blending R&B and pop elements into a more subtle atmospheric sound. “As soon as I heard ‘Blue Maze,’ it became my favourite B-side on the album,” she shares. “I really wanted to express the dreamy, almost illusion-like mood of the song, so I prepared a lot for the recording. It feels especially meaningful to me, and I imagined that I was in a dream while recording it.” 

On the other end, “Hyper Dream” leans into a disco-inspired energy, driven by strong bass lines that give the track a more expansive feel. “It has a strong disco sound, and the retro mood is the most impactful part of the song,” she says. “When I listen to it, I imagine vivid colours and bold sets. It actually reminds me of a drama I worked on recently, which also had a similar retro feeling.” 

Photo Credit: JYP Entertainment

Taken together, the four tracks form a compact but varied project, one that also pushed Yuna to better understand her own voice. “I don’t think I discovered something completely new about my voice, but I learned what it feels like to carry a full song on my own,” she explains. “There were some challenges since it was just me singing throughout, so I spent a lot of time making sure it didn’t feel empty to the listener.” 

That process led her to think more carefully about how her voice is perceived and how she wants to shape it moving forward. “I think my voice has a very clear and distinct colour. Some people might find it nice, while others might feel it is a bit strong, so I tried to find a good balance. I see my voice as unique, with both strengths and limits, and I wanted to explore that through this album in a way that feels comfortable to listen to. My goal was to keep everything positive and share that feeling with the audience.” 

When asked which track best represents her at this moment, her answer comes quickly. “Definitely ‘Ice Cream,’ because the melody, lyrics, and message all feel like 100% me,” she says. “I think it represents who I am right now the best.” 

Photo Credit: JYP Entertainment 

That sense of clarity reflects how far she has come since her debut. Looking back, her message to her younger self is simple. “I would say, ‘You’re doing great.’”

As Ice Cream reaches listeners around the world, she hopes that growth comes through clearly. “I hope people can see how I’ve grown from the youngest member of ITZY into an artist with my own unique musical colour,” she says. “I also hope it’s an album that stays with listeners for a long time, and that it brings more love and interest to both me and ITZY.” With this release, Yuna is taking that next step on her own, while still carrying everything that brought her here.

ITZY’s upcoming 3rd World Tour Tunnel Vision Concert Tour Dates are as followed: 

April 17 – Melbourne, Australia at John Cain Arena

April 19 – Sydney, Australia at TikTok Entertainment Centre

April 22 – Auckland, New Zealand at Spark Arena

May 9–10 – Tokyo, Japan at Keio Arena Tokyo

June 20 – Hong Kong at AsiaWorld-Arena

June 27 – Kaohsiung, Taiwan at Kaohsiung Arena

July 4 – Bangkok, Thailand at Impact Arena

July 11 – Manila, Philippines at SM Mall of Asia Arena

Watch the music video for ITZY YUNA’s solo debut song “Ice Cream” below: 

ITZY’s YUNA made her solo debut with the EP Ice Cream on March 23, 2026. The album, featuring the title track of the same name, is now available on all streaming platforms.

This interview was conducted with the assistance of a Korean-English translator

Top Photo Credit: JYP Entertainment