Released Nov. 7, YEONJUN’s debut solo album NO LABELS: PART 01 is one of the most compelling K-pop releases of 2025.

When his first mixtape GGUM dropped in fall 2024, it initially felt like a slightly puzzling choice. Its electronic-tinged hip-hop sound — filled with mechanical textures, indistinct vocals, and a repetitive hook — seemed to lean more toward concept than toward showcasing YEONJUN’s strengths: vocal ability, dynamic tonal shifts, and live power that had long been overshadowed by his reputation as a dancer. Yet as reactions remained divided, the view began to shift as I watched YEONJUN continue stepping onto stages alone — including year-end award music shows — driven purely by love for performance. I began to understand why he had chosen the song and, eventually, to cheer fo

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