BABYMONSTER "Sugar Honey Ice Tea" Hits 100 Million Views in 17 Days — and the CHOOM World Tour Has Officially Begun
π· BABYMONSTER · fan photo via X · 2026
Okay so BABYMONSTER just had a week. Like, an actual week. In the span of 48 hours, they hit 100 million YouTube views on "Sugar Honey Ice Tea" and kicked off their second world tour in Seoul. That's not a coincidence — that's a group that has completely figured out how to build momentum.
Let's break down exactly what happened and why it matters for one of the fastest-rising groups in K-pop right now.
Sugar Honey Ice Tea: 100 Million Views in 17 Days
On June 25, 2026 at approximately 1:42 PM KST, the music video for "SUGAR HONEY ICE TEA" officially crossed 100 million views on YouTube. The total time to hit the milestone: approximately 17 days and 15 hours from the June 8 release date.
This makes "SUGAR HONEY ICE TEA" BABYMONSTER's 12th official music video to reach 100 million views — following "BATTER UP," "Stuck In The Middle," "SHEESH," "FOREVER," "DRIP," "CLIK CLAK," "HOT SAUCE," "WE GO UP," "Really Like You," "PSYCHO," and "CHOOM." When you list them out like that it starts to sink in just how consistent this group has been since their 2023 debut.
According to YG Entertainment, the MV debuted at #1 on YouTube's worldwide trending chart, topped the global daily music videos chart upon release, and hit No. 1 in Japan, Australia, Thailand, and Hong Kong within 24 hours. It crossed 20 million views in just over 26 hours. The 100 million milestone also arrived one day before the CHOOM world tour kicked off — almost like it was planned that way. (It probably was.)
Worth noting: member Rami did not participate in the "SUGAR HONEY ICE TEA" recording or promotion due to an ongoing health-related hiatus. That context matters when you look at the 6-member formation in the MV and wonder where she is. MONSTERZ have been supportive and patient, and Rami's recovery is still ongoing as of the tour launch.
The CHOOM World Tour: 18 Cities, 29 Performances
On June 26, BABYMONSTER opened their second world tour — "2026-27 BABYMONSTER WORLD TOUR [CHOOM]" — with the first of three consecutive nights at Jamsil Indoor Stadium in Seoul (June 26-28). The name CHOOM (μΆ€, meaning "dance" in Korean) comes from their third EP of the same name, which has topped iTunes Top Albums Chart in 19 regions since its release last month.
The full tour covers 18 cities and 29 performances, with dates confirmed across Japan, Asia, North America, Europe, and South America. This is significantly larger than their first world tour and marks BABYMONSTER's first time performing in South America as a headliner — a signal of just how far their global reach has expanded in under three years since debut.
π· BABYMONSTER CHOOM World Tour kick-off, Seoul · fan photo via X · 2026
Why BABYMONSTER's Growth Trajectory Is Unusual
Here's the stat that puts everything in context: BABYMONSTER has over 12.4 million YouTube subscribers, achieved in the shortest period for a K-pop girl group in history. Their cumulative channel view count is above 9 billion plays. They debuted in November 2023. That's less than three years to reach numbers that took BLACKPINK years to build.
The key difference between BABYMONSTER's growth and most 4th gen girl groups: they hit hard commercially from day one without the benefit of a slow build or a gradual fanbase development. "BATTER UP," their debut single, didn't have a long pre-debut hype campaign like most YG groups do. They just appeared, the song was excellent, and people showed up immediately.
"SUGAR HONEY ICE TEA" is also a notable creative pivot — lighter, more playful, summery, distinctly different from their heavier earlier title tracks. The fact that it performed as well as the harder tracks suggests BABYMONSTER has more stylistic range than their debut era suggested.
π°π· The Korean Side — Domestic Reaction
In Korea, the 100 million milestone was covered across major entertainment news outlets. TheQoo threads were largely celebratory, with some commentary noting the achievement feels especially significant given that only 6 of the 7 members participated in the single. Fans pointed out that the group hit the milestone while carrying one fewer member — and still broke their own speed records.
The Seoul concert opener generated significant buzz as well. Multiple fan accounts described the production as their most elaborate show to date, with the CHOOM EP's dance-focused concept lending itself to a setlist that was essentially a masterclass in choreography. Korean fans who attended described the Jamsil venue as almost full capacity for all three nights — notable for a group that's only been active for under 3 years.
π The Global Side — International MONSTERZ Response
International fans tracked the 100M countdown in real time, with dedicated streaming parties organized across fan communities to push the MV over the line. Reddit's r/kpop had a live thread running for the milestone moment.
The world tour announcement generated particular excitement from North and South American fans, for whom BABYMONSTER's first tour had very limited dates. The expanded Latin American presence in the CHOOM tour is being celebrated as a long-overdue recognition of the fanbase that has been streaming their music aggressively since debut.
π The Gap — Different Things Matter to Korean vs. Global Fans
Korean fans are tracking chart performance on Melon and Gaon — metrics that matter for domestic credibility and music show wins. "SUGAR HONEY ICE TEA" has done reasonably well domestically but isn't dominating Korean charts the way some competitors are.
Global fans are tracking YouTube metrics, Spotify streams, and tour ticket sales — and on all those fronts, BABYMONSTER is performing at an elite level. The disconnect is real: BABYMONSTER is arguably a bigger international act than a domestic one, which is unusual and interesting for a YG group that traditionally relied heavily on Korean chart performance as a foundation.
FAQ
Why didn't Rami participate in Sugar Honey Ice Tea?
Rami has been on a health-related hiatus since earlier this year. YG Entertainment announced she could not participate in the single's recording and production. There's no confirmed timeline for her return, but MONSTERZ have been supportive of her recovery.
How big is the CHOOM world tour?
18 cities, 29 performances across Japan, Asia (multiple stops), North America, Europe, and South America — making it BABYMONSTER's largest tour to date and their first time headlining South American dates.
Is Sugar Honey Ice Tea the best-performing BABYMONSTER MV?
In terms of speed to 100 million views, it's among their fastest — 17 days and 15 hours. Their earlier MVs have since accumulated more total views through long-term streaming, but the opening velocity was exceptional.
Milestone: SUGAR HONEY ICE TEA — 100M YouTube views (June 25, 2026 | 17 days, 15 hours)
Total 100M MVs: 12 official music videos
World tour: CHOOM | 18 cities | 29 performances
Tour kick-off: June 26–28, Jamsil Indoor Stadium, Seoul
Note: Rami did not participate in SUGAR HONEY ICE TEA due to health hiatus
Label: YG Entertainment
π¬ Jamie's Take
I've been watching BABYMONSTER since their pre-debut and the trajectory is genuinely staggering. Three years, 12 music videos at 100 million views, a world tour that now includes South America, and they did most of it with health challenges affecting the lineup. "SUGAR HONEY ICE TEA" hitting 100M while Rami is on hiatus is kind of bittersweet — you see the potential of what the full seven-member group can do, and you want Rami back for it.
But the momentum right now is undeniable. The CHOOM tour kick-off in Seoul is exactly the kind of moment that separates groups that had a great single from groups that are building something lasting. BABYMONSTER looks like the latter.
Comments
Post a Comment