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| Nayeon of K-pop girl group TWICE / Courtesy of JYP Entertainment |
By Dong Sun-hwa
Nayeon of K-pop girl group TWICE is hitting the ground running as a soloist.
Her first solo EP, "Im Nayeon," which came out June 24, secured the No. 7 spot on Billboard's main albums chart ― the highest ranking for any K-pop soloist ― according to Billboard, July 6 (local time.) The mini-album reportedly sold 57,000 copies in a week.
With the EP and its lead single "Pop!" Nayeon made it onto 17 other Billboard charts including the Top Current Album Sales, World Album, World Digital Song Sales and Billboard Global 200.
"Pop!" is also enjoying popularity on major streaming platforms in Korea, retaining the No. 4 and the No. 5 spots on Melon and Bugs, respectively, as of Friday afternoon. Its music video has reached the milestone of 62 million, too.
"Nayeon grabbed the top positions on different Billboard charts as soon as she made her solo debut," JYP said in a statement. "This is a testament to her global popularity."
The 26-year-old, who just wrapped her all promotional activities for her new EP, said through JYP on Friday that she was happy to receive so much love.
"I am sincerely grateful to those who gave me so much love," she said. "I will come back with music and performances that are more entertaining to listen and watch."
Produced by acclaimed songwriting duo LDN Noise, "Pop!" is an addictive tune with a refreshing vibe. In the song, Nayeon sings that she will burst her man's heart, which has swelled up like a bubble after he falls in love with her. "Im Nayeon" also carries six other tracks, such as "No Problem," "Love Countdown" and "All or Nothing."
"Through my new mini-album, I hope people can see how a TWICE member can pull off such a different concept," Nayeon said during a press conference at the Fairmont Ambassador Seoul hotel, June 24. "All tracks on 'Im Nayeon' have summer vibes and they sound quite sweet."
Nayeon is the first TWICE member to go solo. TWICE, which debuted in 2015, has rolled out a string of hits including "Cheer Up" (2016) and "The Feels" (2021). Known for its bubbly and mood-lifting songs, TWICE recently became the first K-pop girl group to play a concert in a U.S. stadium.
"TWICE first entered Billboard's main albums chart in 2020 with its ninth mini-album, 'More & More,' and has continued to establish its presence on this chart," JYP explained. "It has been growing steadily in terms of chart performance."
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