aespa's Ningning continues to demonstrate her strong influence in the Chinese music market as her solo track “Ketchup and Lemonade” debuted at No. 1 on the QQ Music K-pop Chart, marking one of the most notable solo performances by a K-pop idol in late 2025. QQ Music, the largest music platform in China with hundreds of millions of active users, reaffirmed Ningning’s dominance through both its weekly and real-time chart updates.
It is important to note that “Ketchup and Lemonade” is not Ningning’s official solo debut, but rather a concert solo stage song from her group’s tour. Despite not being promoted as an official solo release, the track gained remarkable traction and went on to dominate major streaming platforms. This achievement highlights Ningning’s rising individual popularity and indicates strong public anticipation for her potential official solo debut in the future.
• Debuts at No. 1 on QQ Music K-pop Weekly Chart
On the chart update dated November 20, 2025, “Ketchup and Lemonade” officially entered the ranking at No. 1. Ningning became the only artist that week to debut directly at the top position, surpassing numerous other K-pop releases.
This milestone further solidifies Ningning as the aespa member with the strongest digital presence in China, while also continuing her streak of standout performances across her solo activities this year.
In addition to the weekly chart, “Ketchup and Lemonade” also led several major categories on the QQ Music Real-Time Charts, including:
#1 New Songs
#1 Tencent (TME) Korean Chart
#1 Listening, reaching a peak of over 70,000 real-time listeners
#2 Music Index
#3 Peak Trend
#3 Top Commented
Among all tracks from the 'SYNK: aeXIS LINE' album, Ningning ranked the highest on QQ Music across likes, comments, and real-time listener statistics.
Ningning also achieved an impressive milestone in South Korea. “Ketchup and Lemonade” garnered 9,443 likes within the first hour on MelOn, earning the title:
— Most-Liked Female Solo Song in the First Hour on MelOn in 2025.
This accomplishment is especially notable given MelOn’s competitive environment and the rarity of non-debut SM Entertainment releases dominating its early metrics.
Internationally, “Ketchup and Lemonade” performed strongly on iTunes, recording:
#43 Worldwide iTunes Song Chart
→ the second-highest global ranking among all SYNK : aeXIS LINE solo tracks.
#154 European iTunes Song Chart
→ the only solo song from the album to enter the European chart.
The track also entered the Top Songs Chart in 17 countries, including Thailand, Uzbekistan, the Philippines, Poland, Vietnam, Finland, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Bulgaria, Malaysia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Ecuador, France, Portugal, and Colombia.
With its No. 1 debut on QQ Music, a record-setting first hour on MelOn, and consistent performance across 17 countries on iTunes, Ningning once again proves her strong appeal and growing global influence—even without an official solo debut. These achievements further elevate expectations surrounding Ningning’s future solo endeavors.
source: QQ Music, iTunes, Melon, Bugs, NINGNING Charts & smtowncharts on X.
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