Some collabs click instantly. On the October 17 episode of MBC’s Music Core, SHINee’s Onew and Block B’s Zico took home their first music show win for their single “Tic Tac Toe.”
Here’s the result, the competition and every performance from the night. For more K-pop news, see our K-pop and Korean entertainment updates.
Onew and Zico Win : Overview
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Show | MBC’s Music Core |
| Episode date | October 17, 2026 |
| Winner | Onew and Zico, “Tic Tac Toe” |
| Winning score | 7,054 points |
| Milestone | First music show trophy for the song |
| Other nominees | i-dle’s Soyeon, “I’m gonna TOESA”; IU, “Unknown Planet” |
The Three-Way Race
The first-place candidates were:
- Soyeon of i-dle, “I’m gonna TOESA”
- IU, “Unknown Planet”
- Onew and Zico, “Tic Tac Toe”
Onew and Zico won with a total of 7,054 points. Soompi doesn’t list the other nominees’ scores, so I won’t guess them. Two members from different generations of K-pop teaming up and beating two major solo names makes this a notable win. You can read more about the program on Wikipedia.
The Full Performance Lineup
According to Soompi, these artists performed on the October 17 show:
| Artist | Song |
|---|---|
| NCT WISH | “I SPY” |
| MEOVV | “GO HARD” |
| Hearts2Hearts | “ICONIC HEART” (Korean version) |
| BOYNEXTDOOR | “Count To Love” (Korean version) and “ANIMAL” |
| ALLDAY PROJECT | “CRASH” |
| ZEROBASEONE’s Sung Han Bin | “UNDEAD” |
| Xdinary Heroes | “Obsessed with Youth” |
| KickFlip | “Puzzle Piece” |
| INFINITE’s Nam Woo Hyun | “DEVIL” |
| CRAVITY | “LOUDER” |
| FLARE U | “Bloom” |
| DAILY:DIRECTION | “WHICH WAY” |
| Kim Jae Hwan | “Call It Love” |
| AB6IX’s Park Woo Jin | “STAMINA” |
| SEVENUS’s Heejae | “Turbulence” |
| KO1KEYZ | “KO1KEYZ” (Korean version) |
| FISTBUMP | “LIKE A MOVIE” |
Highlights Worth Noting
Groups and soloists mixed together. Veteran names like INFINITE’s Nam Woo Hyun and Kim Jae Hwan shared the stage with newer acts like Hearts2Hearts, KickFlip and KO1KEYZ.
BOYNEXTDOOR performed two songs. They sang a Korean version of “Count To Love” and “ANIMAL,” giving fans a double dose.
Korean versions of songs. Hearts2Hearts and KO1KEYZ both performed Korean versions, so fans who follow their international releases got a fresh take.
Solo members stepped up. ZEROBASEONE’s Sung Han Bin, AB6IX’s Park Woo Jin and SEVENUS’s Heejae all took the stage on their own.
Why This Win Matters?
- A first for the song: it’s their first music show trophy for this collaboration.
- Cross-generation appeal: Onew’s SHINee fans and Zico’s Block B fans can both claim the win.
- A strong field: beating IU and Soyeon is no small feat.
Conclusion
This is the kind of win that K-pop fans love, a long-running pair of artists getting a trophy for a fun collab. Music show wins also tend to boost a song’s momentum, so Tic Tac Toe may keep climbing. Watch the performance clip, then check out the rest of the lineup. There’s something for most tastes.
FAQs
Q1. Who won Music Core on October 17, 2026?
Onew and Zico won with “Tic Tac Toe,” earning 7,054 points.
Q2. Who were the other nominees?
i-dle’s Soyeon (“I’m gonna TOESA”) and IU (“Unknown Planet”) were the other candidates.
