Key takeaways
- Yeonjun’s “Ice Cream” has emerged as one of the summer’s most commanding releases, with the Music Core victory representing the track’s second major music show accolade in as many weeks.
- Yeonjun’s accompanying mini album, NO LABELS: PART 02, has rewritten the record books for Korean solo singers this year.
- The July 18 Music Core broadcast featured a lineup that reflected the diversity of K-pop’s current landscape.
- The “Ice Cream” music video has become a viral phenomenon, surpassing 20 million YouTube views in less than one week after its release.
TXT’s Yeonjun claimed the No. 1 trophy on Show! Music Core on July 18, 2026, earning 7,125 points for his solo single “Ice Cream”—marking his first win on the music show and his second overall music show victory following his Music Bank triumph. The performance episode featured appearances from SUPER JUNIOR-83z and GIRLSET, cementing the week as a major moment across K-pop’s broadcast landscape.
Yeonjun’s Dominant Chart Performance Captures Music Core Crown
Yeonjun’s “Ice Cream” has emerged as one of the summer’s most commanding releases, with the Music Core victory representing the track’s second major music show accolade in as many weeks. The soloist’s 7,125-point haul on July 18 surpassed competing artists and solidified the single’s position as a chart juggernaut across domestic and international platforms. This dual music show success underscores the commercial momentum behind his solo venture.
Released on July 10, 2026, “Ice Cream” topped the Bugs daily chart for six consecutive days and secured a top 10 placement on the weekly chart within just three days of tracking. The song’s iTunes dominance extended across 10 countries and regions, including the UAE, Vietnam, and the Philippines, demonstrating that Yeonjun’s appeal transcends the Korean market. The track rose to the top of Bugs’ real-time chart within hours of its 2:00 p.m. KST release, signaling immediate listener adoption and sustained engagement.
Album Sales Shatter Records for Solo Artists in 2026
Yeonjun’s accompanying mini album, NO LABELS: PART 02, has rewritten the record books for Korean solo singers this year. The project sold 738,072 copies in its first week—the largest first-week sales figure for any solo artist in 2026—and moved 661,924 copies on its first day alone, setting a new career high and the highest first-day sales for any K-pop soloist in the year to date. These figures position Yeonjun among the industry’s most commercially successful solo acts, surpassing previous benchmarks established by other prominent soloists.
The album’s success reflects the strength of Yeonjun’s fanbase and the broader appeal of his solo work beyond his TXT membership. Industry observers point to the combination of chart-topping streaming performance and physical sales dominance as a rare alignment that signals sustained listener interest across multiple engagement channels. The NO LABELS: PART 02 rollout has become a case study in solo artist commercial strategy for 2026.
Music Core Episode Showcases Diverse Roster of Rising Acts
The July 18 Music Core broadcast featured a lineup that reflected the diversity of K-pop’s current landscape. GIRLSET, formerly known as VCHA and now operating as a JYP Entertainment and Republic Records collaboration, performed their new single “CHAT,” released on July 17 at 1:00 p.m. The performance marked the group’s entry into the domestic market with the fresh release, demonstrating the show’s role in amplifying new music across multiple label partnerships and market strategies.
SUPER JUNIOR-83z also took the stage, representing a significant moment for the Super Junior sub-unit featuring members Leeteuk and Heechul. The unit officially debuted in July 2026 and is launching an Asian fan-concert tour titled “1983” beginning July 25 in Seoul, making their Music Core appearance a key promotional moment for the initiative. The presence of these acts alongside Yeonjun underscored the episode’s importance as a showcase for both established franchises and emerging projects.
Yeonjun’s Visual Content Dominates Global Engagement Metrics
The “Ice Cream” music video has become a viral phenomenon, surpassing 20 million YouTube views in less than one week after its release. The video reached 10 million views in just three days by July 13 and climbed to 20 million by July 17, demonstrating the exponential growth trajectory typical of major K-pop releases. This velocity places the video among the fastest-climbing releases of the summer season across YouTube’s global platform.
The visual content’s performance directly correlates with the single’s streaming and sales success, creating a multimedia momentum that extends Yeonjun’s reach beyond music chart territories into broader entertainment discourse. The combination of chart dominance, album sales records, and video viewership establishes “Ice Cream” as a defining release for the soloist and a benchmark for solo artist performance in mid-2026.
Yeonjun’s Solo Trajectory Marks a Turning Point for TXT Members
Yeonjun’s solo success arrives as TXT continues to establish itself as one of K-pop’s most versatile groups, with members pursuing parallel solo projects alongside group activities. The scale of his album sales and music show victories suggests that the group’s fanbase translates effectively into solo project support, a dynamic that benefits both the artist’s individual career and the group’s overall brand ecosystem. This parallel development strategy has become increasingly common among major K-pop labels seeking to maximize artist visibility and revenue streams.
The “Ice Cream” campaign demonstrates that TXT members possess the star power to anchor major solo releases without diminishing group momentum. Yeonjun’s Music Core win and album sales records establish him as a formidable solo competitor in 2026, opening potential pathways for future solo ventures by other group members and reinforcing TXT’s position within the upper tier of K-pop’s commercial hierarchy.
Key Dates and Momentum Points on the Horizon
The week of July 25, 2026, marks the launch of SUPER JUNIOR-83z’s “1983” Asian fan-concert tour in Seoul, a major milestone for the sub-unit’s promotional calendar. Yeonjun’s continued chart presence and potential for additional music show victories will remain a focal point as “Ice Cream” sustains its streaming and sales momentum. Industry observers will monitor whether the single maintains its chart-topping trajectory or faces competition from upcoming releases scheduled for late July and August.
Yeonjun’s Music Core victory solidifies “Ice Cream” as one of summer 2026’s defining releases and establishes the soloist as a major force in the K-pop solo market. The combination of chart dominance, record-breaking album sales, and viral visual content positions him for sustained commercial success through the remainder of the year, with potential implications for future solo projects and the broader trajectory of TXT’s group and individual brand strategies.
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