Melon TOP100 vs HOT100: Why the Rankings Differ

Melon TOP100 includes older songs; HOT100 focuses on recent releases and uses a different time window. Before comparing two rankings, check the chart name, selected tab and timestamp.

Our October 3, 2026 Melon snapshot recorded SOYEON’s “퇴사할게여 (Narr. 기안84)” at TOP100 No. 1 at 23:00 KST. That is a historical position, not a claim about today’s leader. The snapshot is a listening starting point; this guide explains how to read the chart behind it.

For four song choices from another recorded TOP100 hour, open our October 22, 2026 Melon listening selection. Its date is preserved separately from this explanation of the rules.

The difference in one table

Melon TOP100 and HOT100: release eligibility and ranking windows

Chart	Eligible releases	Ranking window
TOP100	New and older songs	50% last 24 hours + 50% last hour; overnight: 24 hours only
HOT100	First release within 30 or 100 days	Last hour’s usage

Both weight usage 40% streaming and 60% downloads. See Melon’s chart FAQ, updated January 26, 2026, for the methodology.

Why a HOT100 hour may be missing

HOT100 has an overnight publication break. Melon’s FAQ describes a 01:00–07:00 KST break and separately says that the 07:00 chart does not show rank movement. Keep that distinction when reading the morning screen: a missing overnight update and a song falling out of the chart are different situations.

For TOP100, the same official methodology says early-morning rankings use 24-hour usage only. Check the chart name and its displayed hour before comparing an overnight capture with an evening one. These are publication and calculation rules, not an explanation for a particular song’s performance. Methodology rechecked October 16, 2026.

SOYEON of i-dle at an airport departure, 30 July 2026. A current artist portrait, separate from the Melon chart views in this explainer. Press-video frame: K-POPIT 케이팝잇, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0. Proportional display only; no additional crop or content edits.

Why “LOVE ATTACK” is a useful example

Melon’s official song page for RESCENE’s “LOVE ATTACK” lists its release date as August 27, 2024, on SCENEDROME. By the October 3, 2026 snapshot, that date was more than two years earlier—well outside either HOT100 release window.

Its absence from HOT100 would therefore say nothing, by itself, about weak listening that day. Nor would a high TOP100 position make the track a new release. Eligibility explains which list can include this recording; it does not establish its current rank or explain why people returned to it. A revival story needs separate evidence about the events that brought listeners back. To hear the recording discussed here, open RESCENE’s official “LOVE ATTACK” video.

Minami of RESCENE at Incheon Airport, 12 August 2026. An artist portrait for this chart explainer, separate from a Melon chart capture. Press-video frame: K-POPIT 케이팝잇, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0. Proportional display only; no additional crop or content edits.

Check these details before sharing a ranking

1. Read the chart heading. In 멜론차트 (Melon Chart), choose TOP100 or HOT100 deliberately. 일간, 주간 and 월간 mean daily, weekly and monthly: a screenshot of one is not the same reference as an hourly capture.
2. Keep the HOT100 tab visible. 발매100일 and 발매30일 identify the 100-day and 30-day views. Cropping away that label removes information another reader needs to reproduce your comparison.
3. Record the displayed date and hour. Use 시간선택 (time selection) when checking a particular capture. Write “October 3, 2026, 23:00 KST,” not simply “October 3.” KST is UTC+9; readers overseas may be on a different calendar date.
4. Match the recording. Open 곡정보 (song information) and check the artist, title and 발매일 (release date). Similar titles, remixes and alternate versions deserve a closer look before you compare screenshots.

A useful caption names the song, chart, tab when applicable, rank and KST timestamp. Save the source link alongside the image. If a screenshot omits them, ask for the uncropped version before repeating the claim. A live chart URL can show a later result when someone opens it, so retain the dated capture for the claim you are making.

For the songs themselves, return to our dated Melon listening snapshot. For physical album figures, read Circle Album vs Retail Album Chart: What Counts? That guide concerns album shipment and retail sales measures, a different question from a song’s Melon position.

Methodology and linked Melon pages checked October 15, 2026. Historical rankings retain their original October 3 timestamp.

SOYEON at a Jacob & Co. photocall, February 24, 2025. Archival artist portrait for the dated listening example in this guide; it does not represent a current chart position. Actual press-video frame: TV10 (source channel now K-POPIT 케이팝잇), via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0. Reduced for display; original watermark retained.