I’ve been wondering how people outside the fandom see Yeonjun’s solo career now that No Labels Pt. 2 is out.
As a MOA, I’m obviously biased, but I honestly think his progression over the past two years has been really interesting.
When TXT debuted, he became known as the group’s ace, Big Hit’s “legendary trainee”, and was constantly being marketed by Big Hit as the “4th gen it boy.” Whether you agreed with that title or not, there were huge expectations on him before he had even released a single solo song.
When GGUM came out… the reaction was rough. Some people loved how strange and unapologetically experimental it was, but a lot of people didn’t. I remember seeing people say it wasn’t the right direction for him or that it was trying too hard. Now though, I honestly feel like GGUM has aged really well. I see way more people talking about it positively than I did when it first came out.
Then No Labels Pt. 1 came out, and I think that’s when his artistic identity really started to click. It felt like a complete project rather than just a collection of songs. The visual album with the multiple songs on the MV, the styling, the performances, everything felt connected. Even though it sold well, I remember seeing people say it felt like an album made because he wanted to create something interesting rather than just chase the biggest hit possible.
Now we have No Labels Pt. 2, and honestly, I think it’s his strongest release yet.
It’s still very “Yeonjun,” but it also feels easier to get into than Part 1. There are a lot of different genres on the EP, including R&B, which fans have wanted him to explore for years. You have a bit of rap, a bit of rock, then you have Ice Cream, which is a much lighter and more summery title track.
The sales have also been really impressive. Around 660k copies on the first day, and it’s already passed 700k, which is huge for a solo release.
What I like most, though, is that every project has its own identity, but they still feel connected. To me, it feels like he’s been more interested in building a body of work that reflects his own style than trying to make the biggest possible hit every comeback.
That’s why I’m curious what people outside the fandom think.
- Has your opinion of Yeonjun changed since GGUM?
- Do you think he’s found a clear artistic identity as a soloist?
- If you’re not a MOA, what’s your overall impression of his solo career so far?
I’m especially interested in hearing from casual listeners or people who don’t really follow TXT, because I genuinely wonder whether fans and non-fans see his solo journey differently.
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