Choi Yena is breaking new ground, teaming up with world-famous virtual artist Hatsune Miku for her latest single, “STAR! (feat. Hatsune Miku).” The genre-bending track debuted on global streaming platforms as soon as the clock struck on Wednesday.
An energetic electronic dance anthem, “STAR!” highlights Yena’s signature bright, playful style while dialing up the power with driving synths and a catchy piano hook. The chorus, led by the declaration “My style is star,” serves as a confident mission statement from the 25-year-old singer, spotlighting the quirky, charismatic identity that has made her a standout among newer-generation pop artists.
The collaboration is a first for the K-pop industry — Yena is the first Korean artist to feature Miku on an official track, a milestone that underscores her influence as one of K-pop’s most buzzed-about Gen Z trendsetters.
The song’s music video leans into that sentiment, delivering a creative, tech-infused spectacle where physical reality and animation blend fluidly. Miku appears alongside Yena in a brightly stylized digital world, creating a striking cross-cultural fusion that nods to both the maximalist polish of K-pop and the futuristic pop DNA of J-pop’s virtual music scene. Early reactions from fans online suggest the partnership is resonating, especially among listeners who grew up with Vocaloid culture and genre-blurring pop stars.
Choi Yena has built her career on bold pivots and aesthetic reinvention, cultivating her own niche musical identity — affectionately dubbed Yena Core by fans — that centers on vibrant visuals, speaker-shaking hooks, and a fearless embrace of internet-era pop trends. With “STAR!,” she pushes that universe even further, pairing her voice with one of digital pop’s biggest cult icons.
Yena is riding high after a show-stealing set at MBC’s Virtual Live Festival earlier this fall, where she performed with imaginative virtual production elements. As she shifts focus between Korea, Japan, and now global outreach, fans can expect to see even more of her as she continues her upward trajectory across borders — both real and virtual.
