SHINee's ONEW Wins Music Core With ZICO Duet Without Performing Once

SHINee's ONEW took the #1 trophy on MBC's Show! Music Core on the 17th with "Tic Tac Toe," his duet with ZICO, and he didn't have to step on stage to do it. The win arrives three days before his single album Illusion (착각) is released, and "Tic Tac Toe" is its second title track.

The song is an R&B hip-hop track that turns the push and pull between two people into a game. ONEW's smooth vocal sits against ZICO's trend-conscious rapping, and the contrast gives the track its shape. A bouncing 808 rhythm anchors it, with crisp, light trap textures layered on top.

Charts before the trophy

The win follows a strong run on the charts. On release day, "Tic Tac Toe" reached #1 on Bugs' real-time chart and entered the upper ranks of the Melon HOT100. It then topped both the Circle Chart digital chart and the download chart for week 41 of 2026 (October 4 to 10), a double crown.

A challenge that keeps growing

The song's reach is also visible online through its dance challenge. ZICO joined in, as did SHINee's Minho and Key, EXO's Kai, Choi Ye-na, TXT's Huening Kai, IVE's Leeseo, BOYNEXTDOOR's Sungho and Woonhak, ZEROBASEONE's Seok Matthew, TWS's Dohoon, NCT WISH's Sion and ALPHA DRIVE ONE's Sanghyun. Comedian Kwak Bum and actress Park So-dam took part as well, which widened the audience beyond the idol circle.

What comes next

Illusion arrives on the 20th at 6 PM KST. The single album is built around the idea that the same situation can feel different to different people, and it explores the emotions and relationships that grow out of those differing readings. It will carry three title tracks, so ONEW is clearly planning to show more than one side of himself.

He previously showed his songwriting and producing skills on his fifth mini album, TOUGH LOVE. How he extends that work here is the open question heading into the 20th.