"Controversial" White K-Pop Idol Returns To Music With Sexy New Track

Over the years, seeing non-Koreans debut in the K-Pop industry has become increasingly common. Usually, these artists are from other Asian countries, like BLACKPINK’s Lisa, who hails from Thailand, or SEVENTEEN‘s Jun and THE8, from China.

230526-SEVENTEEN-Twitter-Update-Jun-The8-documents-1 — SEVENTEEN’s The* (left) and Jun (right) | *@pledis_17/Twitter*

These days, groups like BLACKSWAN have helped expand what is thought of as “K-Pop,” but in 2019, the debut of a white Russian soloist sparked a massive discussion on her participation in the industry.

That year, HiCC Media shared that a new solo artist would debut under their label. Lana (born Yudina Svetlana Dmitrievna) trained for two years under a different company before debuting with the digital single “Take The Wheel.”

At the time, her debut was debated by international K-Pop fans, with some feeling that someone who did not “identify” as Asian and was “white” did not have a place. Others felt that K-Pop should be open to anyone, especially considering she followed the traditional K-Pop debut preparations.

Lana faced more criticism after she joined Produce Camp as a trainee, centered around her seemingly trying to move her career to China. She participated in another survival show, and released a Chinese single in the same year.

She made two more music releases in 2021 and 2022, before appearing as a contestant on Eden, Descendants of Instinct, a dating show said to be a sexier version of Single’s Inferno. Following the show, she revealed seemingly she was in a relationship with one of the other contestants, though they are believed to have broken-up.

Lana signed with Wild Entertainment Group in early 2023, an agency home to other idols like CLC‘s Sorn and Seungyeon. She did not release any new music, however, until very recently, dropping the English digital single “Circus” on July 11.

It is not clear if Lana will promote this single like a K-Pop release, but many fans were excited to see the star’s return, commenting on her improvements.