SHINee’s ONEW is in the middle of one of his busiest solo seasons. His new single album Delusion (Korean title 착각) arrives on October 20, 2026 at 6 p.m. KST with an unusual triple title-track structure, and the second title, “Tic Tac Toe” featuring ZICO, was released early on October 7.
At the same time his live-focused concert series, 2026 ONEW CONCERT [ONEW THE LIVE : Q], has moved from Tokyo to Taipei and now heads home for a three-night finale in Seoul from October 30 to November 1. Here’s everything confirmed so far.
'Tic Tac Toe' feat. ZICO: a game of 'some'
“Tic Tac Toe” was released on October 7 at 6 p.m. KST, after a visualizer went up on ONEW’s official YouTube channel at midnight. The concept film shows ONEW and ZICO making the song together, styled with a vintage camcorder look.
Sports Kyunghyang describes the track as R&B hip-hop with a bouncy 808 groove and trap textures. Lyrically it uses a game as a metaphor for the push and pull of the “some” stage — the Korean term for the flirtatious period before a relationship becomes official. Both artists co-wrote and co-composed it, and ZICO’s sharp rap trades lines with ONEW’s smooth vocals in a back-and-forth flow.
Delusion: three title tracks, one single album
Delusion is ONEW’s first release since his fifth mini album TOUGH LOVE in March, about seven months earlier. The first title track, “Mind Games,” was made with singer Yuju; “Tic Tac Toe” is the second; the third will be revealed with the full single album on October 20.
Splitting a single album into three title songs with different collaborators lets ONEW show three sides of his voice — a strategy that suits a vocalist whose solo work has moved between ballads, R&B and band-driven pop.
ONEW THE LIVE : Q in Taipei — fan reaction
ONEW brought ONEW THE LIVE : Q to the Taipei International Convention Center on October 3. As the name suggests, the series is built around live singing, with a full band and dancers. According to Korean outlet Supple, he opened with a rock arrangement of “TOUGH LOVE” and performed songs including “Flex on me,” “Lily,” “Walk With You,” “Spring Rain” and “DICE,” plus a four-song medley of “Focus,” “Caffeine,” “Lie” and “O (Circle).”
The moment fans talked about most came when ONEW walked into the audience seats to get closer, thanking fans and looking at them one by one — the crowd answered with loud cheers. He closed the night by previewing the “Tic Tac Toe” point-dance challenge, four days before the song’s release.
Taiwan has become a regular stop for him: in September he made his first appearance at Taipei Dome, performing a special set after a Fubon Guardians baseball game as part of the club’s annual “Fubon Guardians High School” theme event.
Seoul finale dates
After Tokyo (September 22–23) and Taipei, the series finishes at Olympic Hall, Olympic Park, Seoul, from October 30 to November 1 — just ten days after Delusion is released, so expect the new title tracks to join the setlist.
| Date (2026) | Event | Place |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 6 | Special set, Fubon Guardians event | Taipei Dome, Taiwan |
| Sep 22–23 | ONEW THE LIVE : Q | Tokyo, Japan |
| Oct 3 | ONEW THE LIVE : Q | Taipei International Convention Center |
| Oct 7, 6 PM KST | 'Tic Tac Toe' (feat. ZICO) released | Online |
| Oct 20, 6 PM KST | Single album 'Delusion' released | Online |
| Oct 30–Nov 1 | ONEW THE LIVE : Q — finale | Olympic Hall, Seoul |
ONEW's solo journey so far
ONEW made his solo debut in December 2018 with the mini album VOICE, a ballad-focused record that showcased the warm tone he is known for in SHINee. Since returning from military service he has steadily widened his range, moving into brighter pop and R&B and building a reputation as a concert vocalist through the ONEW THE LIVE series, whose earlier edition supported his 2025 album PERCENT (%).
Delusion continues that direction. Bringing in ZICO, one of K-pop’s most recognisable producer-rappers, and Yuju for separate title tracks gives the single album a collaborative feel without diluting ONEW’s own voice. For fans, it also means three different music videos or performance concepts to look forward to across the release week and the Seoul shows.
What to watch next
The third title track and full tracklist arrive on October 20. For Shawol (SHINee’s fandom) planning to attend the Seoul shows, check the official ticketing notice for seating and ID rules, and follow ONEW’s YouTube channel, where the “Tic Tac Toe” visualizer and challenge clips were first posted.
FAQ
When is ONEW's single album Delusion released?
Delusion (착각) is released on October 20, 2026 at 6 p.m. KST on all major music platforms.
Who is featured on 'Tic Tac Toe'?
ZICO features on the track and co-wrote and co-composed it with ONEW. It was released early on October 7, 2026.
How many title tracks does Delusion have?
Three. 'Mind Games' (with Yuju) and 'Tic Tac Toe' (feat. ZICO) are the first two; the third is revealed on release day.
When and where are ONEW's Seoul concerts?
ONEW THE LIVE : Q ends at Olympic Hall, Olympic Park, Seoul, from October 30 to November 1, 2026.
Sources
- Sports Kyunghyang — Onew X Zico team up (Oct 7, 2026)
- Supple — ONEW previews new-song challenge at Taipei concert
- Sports Kyunghyang — ONEW to make his Taipei Dome debut (Jul 30, 2026)
- JawaPos — ONEW THE LIVE : Q schedule (Jul 2026)
Featured image: Photo: Nemo bis / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 — file page. Body photos as credited; infographics are original works by allkcultures.com.
