South Korean rapper Lee Young Ji is gearing up for her biggest year yet.

On February 28, she released her new single "ROBOT" – and the timing is no accident. Her latest drop arrives as the first co-production under a newly announced partnership between her management agency, MAINSTREAM, and Warner Music Group, signalling a deliberate push for global reach.

The deal, confirmed on March 3, sees WMG team with MAINSTREAM on talent development, production, and promotion, with Warner Music Korea playing a key role. Oscar Scivier, Head of A&R for Warner Music APAC, said he believed in her ability to become a global superstar from the first time he heard her music – and that conviction only grew through working with her in the studio.

"ROBOT" is a lively garage-pop track and uses the concept of a glitching, malfunctioning machine to capture the overwhelm of being consumed by someone – a loss of control the narrator can't fight or hide. The music video leans into an ensemble cast: actor Moon Sang-min takes the male lead, with IVE's An Yujin and two-time Olympic silver medalist Kwak Yoon-gy appearing in cameos.

"ROBOT" is Lee Young Ji's first solo release since her debut EP 16 Fantasy in June 2024, whose lead single "Small Girl" – featuring EXO's D.O. – topped South Korea's Circle charts and hit No. 38 on the Billboard Global 200. That's roughly 18 months between solo projects, which makes this a meaningful return.

Elsewhere, Young Ji is also launching a world tour. LEE YOUNGJI 2.0 opened March 7–8 at Olympic Hall in Seoul, with dates reported to follow in Osaka, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Taipei, Berlin, London, Paris, and more. Billed as an ‘all or nothing’ outing where Young Ji is ‘always the Main Character,” it’s her first return to Europe since headlining across the continent in early 2025.

Lee Young Ji has built a distinct personality-driven brand well outside the traditional idol system – and 2026 looks set to be the year that goes global.