SHINee's Onew Drops ZICO Collab: 'Tic Tac Toe' Ahead of 'Chakgak' Release

SHINee member Onew is teaming up with rapper ZICO for a new collaboration track. The song, "Tic Tac Toe," arrives on major music platforms on Wednesday at 6 p.m. KST as the second title track from Onew's upcoming single album, "Chakgak."

"Tic Tac Toe" is an R&B hip-hop track that compares the subtle feelings between a man and a woman to a game. The song lays out two different points of view on the same relationship, built over an 808 bassline and trap-leaning production.

Onew's vocals and ZICO's rap trade off throughout the song, each taking turns to answer the other. Both artists wrote the lyrics and shaped the melody themselves, giving the track a personal edge.

Ahead of the release, a visualizer for "Tic Tac Toe" went up on Onew's official YouTube channel at midnight KST on Wednesday. Shot in a camcorder-style look, the clip shows Onew and ZICO working together in the studio and trading ideas as they build the song.

The single marks Onew's first release in roughly seven months, following his fifth mini album "TOUGH LOVE" in March. "Chakgak" is being rolled out as a three-title-track project. Onew first unveiled "Mind Games," a collaboration with singer YUJU, before moving on to "Tic Tac Toe" with ZICO.

The full single album "Chakgak" drops on the 20th at 6 p.m. KST on major music platforms. "Tic Tac Toe" arrives first on Wednesday at 6 p.m. KST.