Entertainment
Yeonjun Celebrates His Solo Debut With Some New Photos — EXCLUSIVE
The TXT singer’s first mixtape is as sticky and sweet as its namesake.
After selling out dual nights at Madison Square Garden and becoming the first K-pop boy band to headline Lollapalooza, TOMORROW X TOGETHER member Yeonjun is stepping out on his own. With “GGUM” — the eponymous song on his first solo mixtape, out now — the Gen-Z It guy embarks on a simple mission: deliver a bop we can’t get out of our heads.
The hip-hop-heavy track is a worthwhile answer to the massive hype surrounding Yeonjun’s debut as the eldest member of one of K-pop’s most captivating global outfits and the first to go solo. From its opening syncopated beats, “GGUM” revs up and never stops, blending electro sounds and modulated vocals into a tune that skillfully evokes its addictive and chewy namesake. Even the song’s earworm of a chorus — “GGUM / Chomp chomp” — is delivered with a wink, like he already knows it’s stuck in your brain.
While gnawing on bubble gum can feel tedious, the intricate production sounds effortless, thanks to Yeonjun’s cool and carefree performance. (“Even if my jaw locks, I’ll keep it pop and blow,” he assures us.) The track’s biggest swings — a suspenseful piano riff in the refrain and confident lines sung in Korean like “Blow and spit out a banger” — feel smooth, sleek, and ahead of the curve in his capable hands. Clearly, Yeonjun has been preparing for this moment; the lyrics document a journey that began by dreaming in his “little room” and culminates in him refreshing “your stale vibe with my taste.”
From start to finish, the song and its strong, digital-camera-styled visual are bold. With striking red hair, Yeonjun crashes a radio station, struts down the street, and naturally tries to unstick his shoe from gum on the floor. And while performing the video’s impeccably sharp and audacious choreography (which the 25-year-old recently challenged fans to attempt on TikTok), he dances as if his only goal is to keep one-upping himself.
“GGUM” is our first proper taste of Yeonjun’s artistic identity as a solo act outside of TXT. Still, he’s already laid the groundwork for forthcoming tunes showcasing his capabilities as a cutting-edge, genre-spanning, and daring act — with plenty for us to chew on.
Below, Yeonjun shares more never-before-seen pics to celebrate his debut solo mixtape.
