ATEEZ’s powerful anthem "BAD" has secured the coveted number one position on Soompi’s K-Pop Music Chart for the second week running, solidifying its status as a chart-topping hit. This impressive feat highlights the group’s consistent appeal and the enduring impact of their latest musical offering. Congratulations to ATEEZ on this remarkable achievement.
The chart for September 2026, Week 3, also witnessed a significant debut from Jeon So-yeon, the charismatic leader of (G)I-DLE. Her highly anticipated solo track, "I’m gonna TOESA," the title song from her debut solo album "What A Wonderful Life," has entered the rankings at an impressive number two. This marks So-yeon’s first foray into the top 10 as a solo artist, a testament to her versatility and the broad reach of her artistry beyond her group activities. The song itself delves into a philosophy of present-moment happiness, a message that resonates even amidst the importance of securing a stable future.
Holding its ground at the number three spot is RESCENE’s "Pretty Girl," a track that continues to charm listeners and maintain its strong presence on the chart. The song’s enduring popularity underscores the group’s growing influence in the K-pop landscape.
A notable surge this week comes from Girls’ Generation’s new sub-unit, HRS, composed of Hyoyeon, Yuri, and Sooyoung. Their track "Skibidi" has climbed an astounding 23 positions, landing at number nine. This significant jump signals a strong reception for the sub-unit’s debut and showcases the enduring power of Girls’ Generation members in their individual and collaborative projects. "Skibidi" is being recognized for its dynamic composition, masterfully blending house music elements with a transition into hip hop, offering a unique sonic experience.
Chart Performance Highlights and New Entrants
The Soompi Music Chart, a comprehensive indicator of K-pop’s global and domestic popularity, reflects a dynamic music scene. This week’s chart data reveals a mix of established hits and promising new entries, painting a vibrant picture of the current K-pop landscape.
The top of the chart remains dominated by ATEEZ, whose track "BAD" continues to resonate strongly with audiences worldwide. The song’s success is likely attributed to its signature ATEEZ sound – a powerful blend of intense energy, intricate choreography, and a compelling visual concept that has garnered them a dedicated global fanbase.
Jeon So-yeon’s solo debut, "I’m gonna TOESA," at number two, signifies a major milestone for the artist. Her ability to craft meaningful lyrics and deliver them with her characteristic flair has clearly struck a chord. The album "What A Wonderful Life" itself is a significant release, marking her first full-length solo endeavor. The philosophical underpinnings of the title track suggest a deeper artistic statement, moving beyond typical pop fare. The positive reception indicates a strong demand for So-yeon’s individual musical identity, separate from (G)I-DLE’s distinct group concept.
RESCENE’s "Pretty Girl" at number three demonstrates the group’s steady ascent. As a relatively newer group, maintaining such a high chart position for an extended period is a significant achievement, suggesting a strong foundational appeal and effective promotion strategies.
The dramatic climb of HRS’s "Skibidi" to number nine is a noteworthy development. This sub-unit’s formation itself generated considerable buzz, leveraging the established popularity of its members. The song’s genre-bending nature, moving from house to hip hop, likely appeals to a broad spectrum of music lovers. This success also highlights the continued relevance and appeal of veteran K-pop groups and their ability to innovate through sub-units.
Beyond the top 10, several other songs and artists are making significant moves. Doh Kyung Soo’s "Guitarist" debuts at number 11, marking a strong entry for the EXO member’s solo work. Lim Young Woong, a powerhouse in the trot and ballad genres, enters at number 12 with "ToTo," showcasing his consistent ability to top charts across different musical styles.
I.O.I’s "Suddenly" sees a slight dip to number 13, while BIG Naughty’s "Nostalgia" makes a positive move, climbing three spots to number 14. Hearts2Hearts’ "Lemon Tang" falls seven spots to number 15, and Taeyeon’s "BANSANKA" is at number 16, showing the typical ebb and flow of popular tracks. MONSTA X’s "MAGIC" remains at number 17.
&TEAM, a multinational boy group, debuts at number 18 with "Mark on Me," indicating growing international interest in the group. ENHYPEN’s "Bloody Paradise" drops seven spots to number 19, and BLACKPINK member Jisoo’s "CLICK" climbs four spots to number 20, demonstrating continued strong individual performance from members of major groups.
Emerging Trends and Notable Jumps
The lower half of the top 50 also reveals interesting trends and significant upward mobility. EVAN enters the chart at number 21 with "Death of Me," signaling a new artist to watch.
A remarkable jump of 28 positions sees IU’s "Unknown Planet" soar to number 22. This indicates a resurgence in popularity for the song or a strong reaction to recent promotions or appearances by the beloved soloist. IU’s consistent ability to chart high, even with older releases or new tracks, solidifies her status as a national treasure in Korean music.
Choi Yu Ree’s "When I stop thinking" is at number 23, followed by BOL4’s "Please Summer!" at number 24. Jennie’s "FALLEN ANGEL" experiences a significant drop to number 25, suggesting its peak chart performance may have passed.
VERIVERY makes a new entry at number 26 with "Don’t Panic!," while Yena’s "Catch Catch" is at number 27. Minho, another member of a prominent K-pop group, debuts at number 28 with "Make it hot," highlighting the success of solo ventures within established groups. hrtz.wav featuring Sungchan enters at number 29 with "ALIVE," and ALL(H)OURS debuts at number 30 with "DANG DANG."
Red Velvet’s "Surfin’ Boy" experiences a substantial drop to number 31, and Hwasa’s "Good Goodbye" is at number 32. LE SSERAFIM, a group known for their dynamic performances, debuts at number 33 with "Made My Night," a promising start for the track. TUNEXX’s "BLUE MODE" falls to number 34.
IVE’s "BANG BANG" shows resilience, climbing four spots to number 35, while NMIXX’s "Heavy Serenade" is at number 36. fromis_9’s "Vitamin ME" is at number 37. MEOMURU’s "The Adult I Dreamed Of" moves up four spots to number 38, and HANRORO’s "Landing in Love" is at number 39. AKMU’s "Joy, Sorrow, A Beautiful Heart" sees a slight decline to number 40.
WOODZ’s "Drowning" is at number 41, followed by ASC2NT’s "If I Die Tomorrow" which has dropped significantly to number 42. Cho Min Gyu enters the chart at number 43 with "Next to You." BLACKPINK’s "JUMP" climbs five spots to number 44, indicating continued strong performance from the globally renowned group. IN A MINUTE debuts at number 45 with "Midnight."
A significant drop of 30 positions sees NCT 127’s "Blingy" fall to number 46, and 82MAJOR’s "Like Fire" experiences a similar decline to number 47. Davichi’s "TIME CAPSULE" is at number 48. TNX’s "Die Another Day" drops 14 spots to number 49. The chart concludes with a new entry at number 50: AshaTree and Lee Yeeun’s "Come to me(2026)."
Understanding the Soompi Music Chart Methodology
The Soompi Music Chart is meticulously constructed to provide a comprehensive overview of K-pop’s popularity, reflecting both domestic trends in South Korea and its global reach. This unique methodology ensures a balanced perspective, integrating various data sources to create a holistic ranking.
The chart’s composition is as follows:
- Circle Singles + Albums (30%): This forms the largest component, reflecting the significant influence of South Korea’s primary music charting authority. Circle Chart (formerly Gaon Chart) data provides a robust measure of physical album sales and digital single performance within the domestic market.
- Hanteo Singles + Albums (20%): Hanteo Chart is another crucial South Korean music tracker, primarily focusing on physical album sales. Its inclusion at 20% further emphasizes the importance of physical album consumption in the K-pop industry.
- Apple Music Korea (15%): This component captures the digital streaming and download trends on a major global platform specifically within the Korean market. It offers insight into how K-pop is consumed digitally by a significant segment of the Korean audience.
- Soompi Airplay (15%): This metric directly reflects the engagement and interest generated on Soompi itself, a leading international platform for K-pop and K-drama news and community. It highlights trending artists and songs within the Soompi user base, often indicating global buzz and fan activity.
- YouTube K-Pop Songs + Music Videos (20%): YouTube is a critical engine for K-pop’s global dissemination. This 20% weighting accounts for viewership of official music videos and audio tracks, providing a direct measure of global song popularity and visual content consumption.
This multi-faceted approach allows the Soompi Music Chart to go beyond simple sales figures, incorporating streaming data, fan engagement, and global viewership to present a more accurate and nuanced picture of K-pop’s impact. The inclusion of both domestic and international data sources is key to understanding the genre’s expansive reach and influence. The chart’s consistency in methodology allows for meaningful comparisons week-over-week and year-over-year, providing valuable data for artists, labels, and fans alike.
The data collected is synthesized through a proprietary algorithm that weighs each source according to its established importance in reflecting current music trends and artist popularity. This ensures that the final ranking is a balanced representation of diverse market forces and consumer behaviors. The chart’s commitment to transparency in its methodology builds trust and credibility among its readership, establishing it as a reliable source for K-pop music insights.
