Choi Ye-na drops official duck characters, wins TMA Artist of the Year, and announces Oct. 2 single
Choi Ye-na unveiled characters '예춘팔' and '지구철' on Sept. 23, took Artist of the Year at TMA, and has a new digital single arriving Oct. 2.
Duck motif, award win, and a comeback all in one week
Choi Ye-na is closing out September on a full schedule. On September 23, she dropped official character images — Ye-chunpal (예춘팔) and Jigucheol (지구철) — via her official SNS. Four days earlier, she walked away from the 2026 The Fact Music Awards with Artist of the Year.
Ye-chunpal is built around the duck motif that fans have long attached to her as a nickname. It's rendered as a round duck figure meant to reflect her bright and cheerful image. Jigucheol takes its name directly from her official fandom name and represents the fandom itself.
The TMA win came on September 19 at Busan Asiad Main Stadium. She performed Catch Catch (캐치 캐치) on the same stage after accepting the award — the single she released in March that drew attention both domestically and internationally. She's also been in front of viewers as MC on the SBS entertainment show Nae Nameun Yeonae (내 남은 연애).
October 2 single: a 2014 Block B track, reinterpreted
Choi Ye-na drops the digital single Bogi Deumeun Yeoja (보기 드문 여자, feat. NOWIMYOUNG / 나우아임영) on October 2. The track is a reinterpretation of Block B's hit song from 2014, reworked to center the playful push-and-pull dynamic between a man and woman through Choi Ye-na and NOWIMYOUNG's vocal tones.
(A Block B deep cut getting the Ye-na treatment in 2026 is not a combination anyone had on their bingo card, but here we are.)
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