Singer Choi Yena (YENA) won the Best Musician award at AAA 2025 and showcased her presence with a heart-fluttering collaborative performance with actor Choo Young-woo.

On December 6, at the Asia Artist Awards (AAA) held at Kaohsiung National Stadium, Choi Yena delivered both an award-winning moment and a spectacular stage. She was honored with the AAA Best Musician award.

“I worked nonstop throughout 2025,” she began, adding, “I’m so grateful to be able to run forward doing something I love so much.”

She continued, “I learned a lot in 2025. I realized that while I was busy looking only ahead, I was missing so many things around me. I want to use this moment to thank all the staff I love so much. And thank you to Jigumi (her fandom) for allowing me to wrap up 2025 with an award.”

Choi Yena then performed her fourth mini-album Blooming Wings title track, ‘I Hate Being Called Nice’, appearing in a dazzling all-white styling. Her off-shoulder white dress created an innocent yet enchanting vibe, and the umbrella choreography added a visually rich highlight. Yena showcased her signature charming facial expressions and delivered a performance reminiscent of a fantasy film, proving her solid stage skills. Mid-performance, she also sang in Chinese, displaying her strength as a global artist.

Then, a masked man appeared before Yena — the surprise guest was actor Choo Young-woo, whose unexpected entrance further ignited the excitement. Their chemistry drew admiration from the crowd.

In the performance’s dramatic finale, Choo Young-woo opened an umbrella wide and shared it with Yena. She pulled him closer, creating a moment that looked as if they were about to kiss under the umbrella, ending the stage on a strikingly romantic note. Her unique charm and polished skills captivated the audience.

Choi Yena’s fourth mini-album Blooming Wings title track, ‘I Hate Being Called Nice’, features grand strings and dynamic instrumentation that explode like midsummer fireworks, with Yena participating in the songwriting to enhance the track’s quality.

Meanwhile, Choi Yena recently released her new Japanese digital single ‘STAR!’ (feat. Hatsune Miku), a collaboration with global virtual singer Hatsune Miku.


Written by Kim No Eul
Translated by Lee So Yun