The group izna (Izna) sent New Year greetings as they celebrate their second Lunar New Year since debut.
izna (Mai, Bang Ji-min, Coco, Yoo Sa-rang, Choi Jeong-eun, Jeong Se-bi) was born from the choices of viewers in 217 countries and regions worldwide through Mnet's I-LAND 2, and since their debut album 'N/a' they have tried different concepts with each release, including 'SIGN', 'BEEP', and their recently released mini album 2 'Not Just Pretty', demonstrating limitless transformations and a wide musical spectrum.
In particular, last year they carried out active promotions described as 'three comebacks in one year', cementing izna's presence and achieving remarkable growth. Before their first year since debut had even passed, they surpassed 100 million cumulative streams on the world's largest music streaming platform Spotify, and in October last year they achieved their first music show first-place win on terrestrial television (Korea Broadcasting System (KBS) MUSIC BANK), proving a dazzling growth trajectory.
With such dazzling activities expanding their global influence, izna met with OSEN to mark the 2026 Lunar New Year. The izna members looked back on 2025 and discussed their hopes for 2026, from their expectations about celebrating their second Lunar New Year with fans since debut to their future activities.
Q. The 2026 Lunar New Year has arrived. Please give us your New Year greetings
Mai: Happy New Year. In 2025 there were many things I did for the first time with Naya, and thanks to that we were able to grow a lot. I hope we can do even more things with Naya in 2026.
Bang Ji-min: Happy New Year. 2025 was a precious year in which we could introduce izna to many people. In 2026, izna will work hard to create more Naya. Please look forward to it.
Jeong Se-bi: In 2025 there were many things that izna and Naya achieved together. Our goal for 2026 is to grow more and accomplish more, so please look forward to it and continue to love us.
Choi Jeong-eun: Happy New Year. This is the second New Year I spend with Naya, and I hope this year is a more comfortable and happy one.
Coco: I spent a lot of time with Naya in 2025, but I want to be with them even more in 2026. In 2026 we'll show a more grown izna than in 2025.
Yoo Sa-rang: Happy New Year. I hope 2026 is filled with health and happiness, and I want to make more memories with izna in 2026.
Q. This is your second Lunar New Year since debut. Compared with last year, has your mindset changed?
Bang Ji-min: Thankfully, last year we received some good awards. We did many comebacks and showed ourselves a lot. So I feel more responsibility toward myself and the team. This year I want to carry that responsibility and show even better sides of ourselves.
Yoo Sa-rang: I turned 20 this year. It was amazing and fun to spend January 1 with Naya. This year I want to have a more mature mindset, and to do that I want to read many books and cultivate a healthy mindset.
Q. How do you plan to spend the Lunar holiday?
Mai: This is my second time spending a proper Lunar New Year since coming to Korea. Last year I spent the holiday busy with schedules, but this year I think I can have a more relaxed time. I want to spend relaxed, healing moments with my family and the members.
Coco: I want to make tteokguk with the members. On January 1, Jeong Se-bi's mother made tteokguk and I ate it with Mai unnie, and that memory was so nice that I want to make and eat it with all the members during this Lunar holiday.
Q. If you have any memories about Lunar New Year, please tell us.
Bang Ji-min: My parents' home is in Busan, so at Lunar New Year I would go to my family home and gather with my parents and family, talk a lot, and I remember making food together at dawn.
Jeong Se-bi: I really like hanbok. It's pretty. So every Lunar New Year I remember wearing hanbok and playing traditional games like yut with my family.
Choi Jeong-eun: After debut, when you're promoting you can't often eat home-cooked meals. So I remember going to my grandmother's house at Lunar New Year and eating my grandmother's food.
Yoo Sa-rang: When I was young my family would all gather, perform sebae and receive sebaetdon. Recently there have been times when I couldn't see all my family, so I recorded a video of my sebae and sent it, and I received sebaetdon by bank transfer. That stands out in my memory.
Q. This holiday is long. If the members spend the holiday together, what would you like to do?
Choi Jeong-eun: This year I want to take a vacation with the members. There's no specific plan, but even if it's not far away I want to go out to eat or play.
Coco: I want to travel to Jeju Island with the members. Going to Jeju is my wish, so I keep telling the members about it.
Yoo Sa-rang: Including the weekend the holiday is five days, so I want to travel with the members for two days and travel with my family for three days. I would prefer the destination to be an island.
Bang Ji-min: I want to make something. There are many workshops where you can experience making things, so when we have time I'd like to go with the members and make something meaningful. We've played together before, but we've never been to places that weren't for filming or stages, so I think it would be great to spend time just among ourselves.
Mai: If I were to travel with the members, I'd like to go to Busan. We've filmed content in Busan, but because we were split into teams to film, we never really enjoyed it all together. So I'd like the six of us to go to Busan together, and if we go somewhere else I like the sea so I'd like to go to Gangneung. I heard Gangneung's gilgamja is famous these days? So I'd like us all to try it. And if time allows, I'd like to visit the house in Japan together.
OSEN=reporter Jang Wooyoung