Photo courtesy of BigHit Music.
Yeonjun, of Gen Z icons TOMORROW X TOGETHER, has released his first solo mixtape, GGUM. As expected, the video is packed with Yeonjun’s signature trendy flair, highlighting his attitude and playful personality. He’s someone who has a distinctive edge, while the word ‘star’ is easily thrown around, it perfectly fits Yeonjun. The song itself radiates that star quality, fueled by his confidence in his skills as both a singer and dancer.
From its theme and lyrics to the intricate flow and details of the performance, GGUM is a mixtape infused with Yeonjun’s personal touch and style. The whispered lines of “Watch It” set the stage instantly grabbing your attention. The beat kicks down the door and let’s you know he has arrived. His bold, direct lyrics plays on the sticky nature of chewing gum, reflecting his confidence and ambition by weaving the metaphors with his lyrics, “To this scene I stick,” “Blow and spit out a banger,” and the glaringly obvious and true, “This song’s now stuck in your head.”
GGUM is a hip-hop track that meets an electro vibe, where the blend of the modulated vocals adds something different, making it an instant hit. The striking piano riffs creates a sound that is hard to ignore and instead will have listeners hitting repeat.
It’s the kind of song that is sure to go hard live and will have fans rushing to recreate the dance routine at K-pop club nights that are popular around the world.
Speaking of club nights, not only will the fans be showing off their best moves on the dancefloor but also on social media. As with every comeback, collaborations with other idols follow, and this one looks set to be the hardest dance to master. Having been involved in the development of the choreography from the start, Yeonjun has perfected its unique gum-chewing-like gestures and intricate transitions.
The accompanying music video radiates an effortlessly cool and carefree vibe, cleverly likening Yeonjun’s growing confidence to expanding bubble gum. His charismatic presence transforms from chaos into a playful playground as he freely roams around a radio station and even crashes into a booth during a live broadcast. The video’s bright and strong visuals are notable for a variety of reasons, including a cheeky bubble-gum wrapper that wishes the viewer to “Have a f**king nice day.”
But it’s the multiple group dance sequences seen between gum sticking to a shoe and the floor that are the standouts. It’s clear that someone like Yeonjun was born to dance, he’s incredibly talented and knows how to dominate the screen.
Always effortlessly owning the stage, and with his own style and the accompanying dance challenge, he will be encouraging others to push their limits. As one of the most popular performers in today’s K-pop scene, he keeps a laid-back demeanour while pulling off complex moves, as seen on social media sneak peeks with fellow TXT member Kai. Whilst both do a great job, Yeonjun is like a gymnast dropping into the splits. It’s safe to say many idols will be running from him in Music Bank corridors during upcoming promotions!
Yeonjun’s mixtape marks his first solo project since debuting with TOMORROW X TOGETHER back in March 2019. Brimming with one-of-a-kind flair, GGUM will not only showcase Yeonjun’s continuous growth and expanding musical range, but also his personal identity as a solo artist. It’s a track that will without a doubt go down incredibly well with MOAS, who have always loved the one-of-a-kind edge Yeonjun has always shown.
The song is out now and available on all music platforms.