i-dle’s YUQI has turned 27 and written an album about it. Her second solo mini album, 27, was released on October 8, 2026 with the title track ‘Stay’. Every one of its six songs is self-composed and self-written, and the EP comes just three days before she opens her 2026 YUQI Fan-Con ’27’ in Guangzhou – a show whose 10,000 seats sold out soon after tickets opened.
It is her first solo return in about a year and a month, and her first EP since Yuq1 in 2024. Here’s what’s on the record, where the fan-con goes next and the chart history behind it.
Photo: K-POPIT 케이팝잇 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
27 at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | Oct 8, 2026 (1 p.m. KST) |
| Format | 2nd mini album, 6 tracks |
| Title track | ‘Stay’ (Chinese & English lyrics) |
| Pre-release | ‘I Like You’ music video |
| Credits | All tracks self-composed and self-written |
| Label | Cube Entertainment |
‘Stay’ and the message of 27
Speaking to Korea JoongAng Daily, YUQI said she wanted the EP to carry a message about ‘loving myself no matter what.’ She picked ‘Stay’ as the lead because it tells the raw story of her 27-year-old self, and said the song’s core idea is that ‘there is always a better tomorrow.’ ‘Stay’ is written in Chinese and English, which she described as a chance to tell her own story at 27 in Chinese lyrics.
She also said she experimented with genres she previously would not have tried, adding: ‘It’s not perfect, but I tried my best to tell my story at age 27.’
Photo: K-POPIT 케이팝잇 TV10 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
‘I Like You’ pre-release tops QQ Music
Before the EP arrived, YUQI dropped a music video for ‘I Like You’ on YouTube. Cube Entertainment said the clip went to No. 1 on China’s QQ Music music video chart after release – an early sign of how strongly her Chinese fan base is backing the project.
Infographic · allkcultures.com
2026 YUQI Fan-Con ’27’: dates and cities
The fan-con is framed by Cube as a thank-you to fans as YUQI turns 27. According to Star News, all 10,000 seats for the opening show sold out quickly after tickets went on sale on September 30.
| Order | City | Venue / status |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Guangzhou | Oct 11, 2026 – Baoneng Guangzhou International Sports Arena (10,000 seats, sold out) |
| 2 | Chengdu | Date to be announced |
| 3 | Beijing | Date to be announced |
| 4 | Shanghai | Date to be announced |
Infographic · allkcultures.com
Chart records that set up this comeback
- Named Tencent Music Chart 2026 ‘Woman of the Year’.
- Solo tracks ‘Radio (Dum-Dum)’ and ‘FREAK’ earned Tencent Music Gold certification.
- ‘FREAK’ stayed on the Tencent Music Korea chart for 100 consecutive weeks – the longest run of any track there.
- Sang ‘Magic Together’, the theme song for Shanghai Disneyland’s 10th anniversary.
Fan reaction
Fans have responded most to how personal the record is. A fully self-written EP, a lead single in her own language and a fan-con named after the album all point to YUQI shaping her solo identity on her own terms. The quick Guangzhou sell-out and the QQ Music No. 1 suggest the reaction is translating into real demand, and fans are now watching for the Chengdu, Beijing and Shanghai dates.
Infographic · allkcultures.com
What’s next
YUQI and the October solo wave
October 2026 is one of the busiest months of the year for K-pop. The Korea Times counted a dense slate of releases: KickFlip’s KICK OFF THE WALL Pt. 1 on Oct 6; NCT WISH, PLAVE, Xdinary Heroes, MEOVV and Sung Han-bin all on Oct 12; NMIXX and IVE’s pre-release on Oct 19; BLACKPINK’s Lisa and BABYMONSTER on Oct 23; IVE, ILLIT and RIIZE together on Oct 26; then AND2BLE on Oct 27 and XLOV on Oct 28. In a month this crowded, first-week sales, music-show wins and concert ticketing become the clearest scorecards for every act.
YUQI’s release on Oct 8 puts her slightly ahead of the busiest weekends, giving 27 a few days of clear air on the charts before the Oct 12 rush. Her strategy also differs from the group acts around her: instead of a long Korean promotion cycle, she moves straight into a fan-con tour in China, where her solo catalog has its strongest chart history.
Key takeaways
- 27 is YUQI’s second mini album and her first solo return in about 13 months.
- All six songs are self-composed and self-written.
- Title track ‘Stay’ features Chinese and English lyrics.
- Fan-Con ’27’ opens Oct 11 in Guangzhou (10,000 seats sold out), then Chengdu, Beijing and Shanghai.
- Her song ‘FREAK’ holds a 100-week run on the Tencent Music Korea chart.
How to listen
27 is available on Melon, Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music and Chinese platforms such as QQ Music. The ‘Stay’ and ‘I Like You’ music videos are on i-dle’s official YouTube channel.
After the fan-con run, attention will turn back to i-dle – Miyeon, Minnie, Soyeon, YUQI and Shuhua – the group behind ‘Tomboy’, ‘Nxde’ and ‘Queencard’, which rebranded from (G)I-DLE in May 2025.
FAQ
When did YUQI release 27?
YUQI’s second mini album 27 was released on October 8, 2026.
What is the title track of 27?
‘Stay’, a song with Chinese and English lyrics about loving yourself and believing in a better tomorrow.
Did YUQI write the songs on 27?
Yes. All six tracks are self-composed and self-written, according to Korea JoongAng Daily.
Where does the YUQI Fan-Con ’27’ take place?
It opens Oct 11, 2026 in Guangzhou, then continues in Chengdu, Beijing and Shanghai.
Sources
- Korea JoongAng Daily – Yuqi releases self-written second EP ’27’
- Star News – YUQI Fan-Con ’27’ and chart records
- allkpop – YUQI ‘Stay’ MV teaser
- KPOP OFFICIAL – YUQI 27
Featured image: i-dle YUQI at the airport in March 2025. Photo: TV10 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0. Infographics: original, allkcultures.com.
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