Right Now, YEONJUN Needs No References: Inside the TOMORROW X TOGETHER Star’s Debut Solo Album

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 for that choice. During the group’s subsequent tour, TOMORROW X TOGETHER members appeared in various ways during YEONJUN’s “GGUM” stage, making it clear that they were proud of the performance as well. And when YEONJUN chose the reggae rock genre track “Ghost Girl” for TXT’s fourth studio album The Name Chapter: TOGETHER released in July this year, the question naturally arose: Where would he go next? The answer arrived in the form of NO LABELS: PART 01.

The album cover — an instantly viral image capturing YEONJUN dancing shirtless in his most unfiltered form — was shot by photographer Hye.W.Kang (@hyeawonkang). Although she had previously worked with him for magazine covers and TXT group shoots, this was the first time they spent three full days together on a project. To her, YEONJUN was unmistakably an artist with strong self-assurance.

“YEONJUN knows exactly what he wants to express; he moves with a clear artistic direction in both performance and music,” Kang told Billboard Korea. “The album title NO LABELS had already been finalized, and because I naturally gravitate toward work that focuses on the person rather than any devices or concepts, I was grateful to be offered this project.” Understanding the music was also essential. “From the morning of the first day, I kept listening to his tracks so I could fully absorb the mood he wanted to convey. I listened to them over and over — quite a lot.” In both the early-released images and the album cover, YEONJUN exists not as a static figure but as a presence defined through movement. The slight distortions, shadows, and irregular poses are not “safe A-cuts,” but closer to the aesthetic of a deliberately chosen B-cut — images that capture an artist’s energy most vividly. “The shirtless shoot took place on the second day. YEONJUN felt a bit unfamiliar at first, but quickly found his rhythm. We did very minimal retouching. We all agreed that rather than crafting a smooth, refined image, we wanted to preserve his natural expressions and movements.” While design considerations likely influenced the final cover choice, YEONJUN’s own presence — and the strength of his decisions — undoubtedly played the biggest role.

The first day’s shots, using props like a bed and chairs, were featured prominently in the album’s ‘SET-UP B’ version. Kang felt that if the focus remained solely on movement, YEONJUN’s iconic face and energy might not fully come through. The result: images that balanced his power as a performer with his presence as an individual.

The third day of shooting took place alongside the music video schedule in Thailand. “The movement-based scenes and video shots wrapped surprisingly quickly,” Hyewon Kang recalls. “YEONJUN was already fully prepared for his performance. He wasn’t someone who ‘showed’ something in front of the camera — he was an artist who stepped in with conviction and completion already within him.”

“NO LABELS, JUST ME” — a phrase anyone could throw around rhetorically — is something YEONJUN proves thoroughly through both the music and visuals of his first solo album. Aside from the final track “Coma,” all six songs were produced entirely by producer-songwriter MISHA (@thatboymishaa), giving the album remarkable cohesion. MISHA, who previously worked with TXT’s “Upside Down Kiss,” shared via social media, “This project is a lot of firsts for me and means the world. Thank you for believing in these songs and allowing me to be completely myself as a writer and producer throughout this project.”

The opening track “Talk to You” begins with crisp drum beats and YEONJUN’s confident attitude, pairing his rap with rhythmically controlled vocals that cut through the intense electric guitar in the chorus. Its rock energy flows naturally into the relaxed electronic sound, synth textures, and minimal rhythm of “Forever.” The third track, “Let Me Tell You (feat. Daniela of KATSEYE),” featuring KATSEYE’s Daniela, continues the synth-driven warmth and sensual tone, deepening the album’s cohesive mood. “Do It,” an old-school hip-hop number built on drums, bass, and a standout keyboard in the latter half, lets YEONJUN’s laid-back voice take the lead — before shifting into the hard-hitting hip-hop sound of the fifth track, “Nothin’ Bout Me.” With lines like ‘Define me if you can,’ ‘Say what you want, no cares,’ and the explosive ‘All that talkin’ Shut up,’ punctuated by scratching and shouting, the track delivers the album’s message most directly. The heightened energy flows seamlessly into “Coma,” whose tape-stop effects allow the intensity to slowly ease as the album nears its end — leaving behind the line, “You’re in my zone, come and follow.”

Given its cohesive sound and concept, the music video for this project was created as a six-minute omnibus combining three tracks — “Coma,” “Let Me Tell You (feat. Daniela of KATSEYE),” and “Talk to You” — under the banner of NO LABELS: PART 01. Director Song Taejong(@songtaejong) recalls, “The idea of making a 6-minute omnibus video came from the label(BigHit Music). Honestly, I was worried at first. Since videos are getting shorter these days, we added fun moments and unexpected elements throughout the 6-minute video to keep viewers attention. I always try to capture the full charm of my subjects, but during the wire scenes, I looked at the monitor and thought, ‘This might be the coolest shot I’ve ever filmed,’” he said with a laugh.

Conversations around K-pop are endless. Whether it’s “music to watch or music to listen to,” what elements it borrows from past legacies, or whether its intricate vocabulary and overbuilt imagery allow the core — the music — to truly shine. Amid constant doubt, criticism, pressure, and anxiety — YEONJUN has openly shared that he cried from fear and burden before his “GGUM” promotions, and his behind-the-scenes videos show the emotional strain of songwriting, choreography, performance, and tight deadlines — he still brought forward something entirely his own. And for that reason, YEONJUN’s latest album carries no labels and no references. Perhaps it’s because he doesn’t need them. He already knows — with his whole body, through every lesson learned — exactly how he is meant to move.