YENA’s “Catch Catch” is a Love Letter to Second-Generation K-Pop
Photo: YENA Official X
When YENA settles on a concept for her music, she expresses it perfectly. Released on March 11, LOVE CATCHER uses a second-generation K-Pop sound and a host of collaborations to depict the motions of romance. The EP's title track, “Catch Catch,” references the colorful period between the early 2000s and early 2010s. If you have been craving some second-generation nostalgia, this is the comeback for you.
TRACKLIST:
“Catch Catch”
“Spring Fever (Feat. DIN DIN, Jung Hyungdon)”
“Sticker (Feat. MRCH)”
“April’s Cat”
“Question Marks (Feat. Paul Kim)
“Catch Catch”
“Catch Catch” comes with a second-generation K-Pop flair with lots of whimsy cues. This sounds like a song T-ARA would release, and that should be a compliment as YENA succeeds at capturing the essence of that era. The electro-pop instrumental, the onomatopoeia hook, and the flirtatious attitude pay homage to the likes of “Bo Peep Bo Peep” and KARA’s “Mr.” Though YENA’s past few releases leaned towards a J-Pop-inspired aesthetic, “Catch Catch” lands firmly within K-Pop territory.
The music video for “Catch Catch” is a personal contender for the year’s best music video. The video brings its own personality with an eccentric and fantastical storyline. YENA stars as a wanted fugitive, but not a typical one. YENA manages to get herself out of some sticky situations with strange powers of her own. Her abilities may come from the idea of a gumiho, a shape-shifting creature that Korean folklore often depicts as a fox. A gumiho usually takes on the image of “a beautiful woman in order to seduce men,” which may connect with the theme of “Catch Catch” (successfully making someone fall in love) and the LOVE CATCHER EP as a whole.
Catch up with Collaborations
Collaborations are staples of YENA’s discography. Her last EP, Blooming Wings, saw YENA collaborate with Brown Eyed Girls’s MIRYO, and now LOVE CATCHER features three collaborations. “Spring Fever (Feat. DIN DIN, Jung Hyungdon)” brings the same energy as “Catch Catch,” but with sections by rapper DIN DIN and comedian Jung Hyungdon. Both entertainers add to the lighthearted nature of the song by cheering YENA on in love. Though K-Pop fans likely recognize Jung Hyungdon as a former host of Weekly Idol and Idol Room, he releases music from time to time.
Every release needs an emotionally-charged ballad, and what better person to pair YENA up with than MRCH? The indie singer, known for their rock-based ballads, and YENA stick together for “Sticker (Feat. MRCH).” “April’s Cat,” another ballad follows, using a more traditional route with a soft piano instrumental and classical backing. The duet “Question Marks (Feat. Paul Kim)” closes the EP with some nice harmonization. Paul Kim and YENA’s voices blend well on top of its jazzy instrumental. At least one, if not more, of these songs will catch listeners’ attention.
Edited by Clark Royandoyan