Beyond Idol Groups: Four Solo Voices on Melon’s Weekly Chart
Melon weekly chart: October 12–18, 2026 · Checked October 23. A completed week, separate from this article’s publication date.
For a way into Korean solo artists, try WOODZ for rock, TAEYEON for a Korean-language J-pop remake, HWASA for a breakup ballad, or IU for an R&B/Soul friendship song. All four appear in Melon’s October 12–18 weekly chart. Their names, song histories and recording choices give you more to work with than a position alone.
This is a route beyond following a whole idol group: one voice, one song, one reason to press play. Some of these singers also work in groups. Here we are choosing their solo recordings.
Choose the kind of song before choosing the rank
| If you are curious about… | Recording to find | Weekly position | Original release |
|---|---|---|---|
| A solo voice in a rock song | WOODZ — “Drowning” | 11 | April 26, 2023 |
| A Japanese song reinterpreted in Korean | TAEYEON — “만찬가” / “Bansanka” | 9 | June 29, 2026 (this version) |
| A solo breakup ballad | HWASA — “Good Goodbye” | 16 | October 15, 2025 |
| A song addressed to a close friend | IU — “Dear my crazy soulmate” | 27 | September 10, 2026 |
Positions: Melon’s weekly all-genre chart, October 12–18. Dates and genre labels: the official song pages linked below. These four selections span the chart and offer different starting points for a short playlist.
WOODZ: start with “Drowning” if you want rock
Melon classifies “Drowning,” from OO-LI, as rock/metal and dates the recording to 2023. WOODZ is the credited singer and lyricist, with composition also credited to him alongside other writers. The artist name refers to a solo performer here, not the name of the backing band.
For a first listen, use the original album recording linked on the song page. Then compare it with the official 2026 Incheon tour live clip collected below. It contains four songs, and the artist’s own chapter list places “Drowning” at 05:54. A live arrangement is a worthwhile second view, but it is not the same audio file as the 2023 charted release.
You do not need to know why the song stayed in circulation to enjoy it. This chart snapshot establishes its place that week; it does not, on its own, establish the reason for that position.
TAEYEON: “Bansanka” is a Korean remake
The title appears as 만찬가 in Melon and as 晩餐歌 / BANSANKA in the official video. These labels lead to the same TAEYEON recording in J-POP REMAKE Vol.1, not three separate songs.
The official release notes on Genie identify the original as tuki.’s 2023 Japanese song and explain that this project presents it in Korean. The credits name tuki. for the composition and Lee Seu-ran (이스란) for the Korean lyrics. That makes a useful comparison: you can follow a melody across languages without confusing a remake with a new original by the later singer.
Choose the TAEYEON vocal version, rather than the track marked Inst., if you want to hear her. “Inst.” means instrumental. The full MV linked below is distributed by 1theK and names her recording in its title.
HWASA: choose the vocal “Good Goodbye”
Melon lists HWASA’s “Good Goodbye” as a ballad released in October 2025. Its lyrics describe letting someone go while finding a way to stand by oneself. That gives you a different emotional starting point from a dance-group introduction.
Keep an eye on the version label. The single’s official track list also includes Good Goodbye (With Duomo). Start with the main HWASA vocal recording and its official MV when your goal is to get to know her singing. The alternate title is a reason to check the exact recording, rather than assuming every search result is identical.
IU: “soulmate” does not have to mean a romantic partner
“Dear my crazy soulmate” appears on the September 2026 single 이 별로부터. Melon identifies it as R&B/Soul and credits IU as lyricist. The official MV description dedicates it to Yoo In-na.
That dedication gives an overseas listener a helpful way to approach the title: think about a friendship that makes room for each person’s odd habits, rather than automatically reading “soulmate” as a love-interest label.
Build a short queue that matches your mood
- Want a rock route? Begin with the “Drowning” album version, then the 2026 official live chapter.
- Interested in Korean and Japanese music together? Begin with TAEYEON’s Korean “Bansanka,” then search for tuki.’s original using the Japanese title.
- Want the lyric’s point of view first? Put “Good Goodbye” beside “Dear my crazy soulmate”: a farewell and a friendship offer different ways into a solo singer’s writing.
A genre tag is a useful signpost, not a promise that two songs will sound alike. TAEYEON and HWASA both appear under ballad here, but the remake history and the solo single’s track choices still give you different questions to explore.
Why these dates matter
The chart period is October 12–18; the original recordings range from 2023 to 2026. A weekly chart appearance does not make an older song a new release. The photographs are dated 2026 appearances, and their capture dates are separate again.
For the platform’s chart categories, see Melon TOP100 versus HOT100. For the broader earlier song selection, our October 3 Melon guide remains a dated snapshot.
Kpop From Seoul prepared this guide with AI assistance, checking Melon’s weekly chart and recording credits, label-supplied release notes on Genie, and official artist/distributor uploads on October 23, 2026. Corrections.
Watch after reading
These official uploads follow the article and photographs. The WOODZ selection is a 2026 live performance; the others are the named official MVs. No autoplay.
WOODZ — the 2026 tour live clip
“Drowning” starts at 05:54 according to the official channel’s chapter list; this player begins at the start of the four-song clip.
WOODZ 'Bloodline', 'Drowning', 'CINEMA', 'Human Extinction' Live Clip · WOODZ. Watch on YouTube.
TAEYEON — “만찬가 / BANSANKA”
The Korean remake, on the authorized distributor 1theK’s channel.
[MV] 태연 (TAEYEON)_ 만찬가 (晩餐歌 / BANSANKA) : J-POP REMAKE Vol.1 · 1theK (원더케이). Watch on YouTube.
HWASA — “Good Goodbye”
The official main vocal-version MV, rather than a fan reupload.
화사 (HWASA) - 'Good Goodbye' MV · HWASA. Watch on YouTube.
IU — “Dear my crazy soulmate”
The official MV from IU’s own channel, with the dedication in its description.
IU 'Dear my crazy soulmate' MV · 이지금 [IU Official]. Watch on YouTube.
Use the direct official links if an embedded player is unavailable in your region.
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