Although I’ve been quiet recently, a Stray Kids comeback deserves a Kpop Weekly comeback, too. After reviewing over 500 new releases for my podcasts and newsletter, I took a break to pursue a master's degree in speech-language pathology. That doesn’t mean I haven’t been listening to new releases, attending concerts, and enjoying Kpop; I’ve just kept my opinions to myself recently. Until now.

Stray Kids Deliver The Best K-pop Music Video of 2026

The title track from Stray Kids comeback album This & That is everything I would use to describe Stray Kids as a group. The song is unique, cool, creative, unexpected, and addictive. While signature switch-ups and contagious energy are still present, there’s a grounded feeling to “This & That”, signaling a more refined Stray Kids era has arrived. The chorus is an earworm that will stay in your head long after pressing stop. (I’ll never order an americano the same way again!)

It’s hard to pick a highlight because I found myself perking up multiple times throughout the three-minute track. Seungmin in the bridge was beautiful, Hyunjin’s verse brought a scaled-back sexiness any villain would be proud to copy, and the unexpected ending brought a huge smile to my face. This song is a hit.

With the exception of the excellent “Studio54” video from T.O.P, I haven’t felt this excited and energized by a music video all year. It’s the best all eight members have ever looked, and the visual effects are stunning. The headless dancers, cuts, freezes, and choreography felt so innovative.

I especially loved the nod to Gods Menu with Changbin in the kitchen. I appreciate that all the members had special moments and no one was relegated to the background. My interpretation may be off, but the entire music video felt like a series of dreams the members were stuck in. The most creative group in K-pop did it again.

Emo, EDM, and Experimental Excellence

The other seven songs on This & That showcase just how effortlessly Stray Kids move between genres. The album opener feels most similar to Stray Kids’ recent releases, full of bravado, chanting, and building intensity. That intense build-up pays off with Changbin’s powerful rap to end the song.

“After You”, co-written by 3RACHA, feels like the perfect EDM summer single with an upbeat dance chorus and verses that draw the listener in. “I Do” brings back the pop-punk sound Stray Kids has played with on songs like “Mixtape: Timeout” and “Can’t Stop.” The lyrics feel like a reminder that Stray Kids experience the same pain as the people listening to them.

Meanwhile “Way Out” feels like a classic boy band song. As a boy band connoisseur, I mean that as a compliment. A more laid-back tempo makes way for Stray Kids to showcase their vocals, delivering the most chill song on the album.

Stray Kids ace, Han, delivers again with my favorite B-side of the project, “Back Then.” Upon first listen, “Back Then” stood out to me for the vulnerability in both the music and vocal performances. Felix’s deep tone is gorgeous on this track. I knew what the song was about before looking up the lyrics. Han’s ability to convey emotion through his songwriting is simply on a different level than most idols.

The pressure was on for Stray Kids with this comeback. They’re at the top of their game, and haters are waiting for them to fail. They’re going to have to keep waiting because This & That is another hit album from K-pop’s most innovative group.

Song Rankings

My favorite songs from This & That, upon first listen, ranked from favorite to least favorite:

1. This & That

2. Back Then

3. After You

4. RUN IT

5. Way Out

6. I Do

7. FARMING

8. This & That (Festival Version)

Member Standout: Bang Chan. From the opening shots of the "This & That" music video to standout vocal moments throughout the album, Stray Kids' leader is one of K-pop's best all-around performers. His work as a producer and songwriter also shapes the innovative sound that continues to set Stray Kids apart.

5 Songs I’m Obsessed With This Week

This & That - Stray Kids

Studio54 - T.O.P.

Run - Taeyong

So Good - Kihyun

Blue Moon - The Rose

A Personal Update

It feels good to be back! Welcome to new subscribers, and a huge shoutout to my loyal listeners and followers who have been with me for the past six years. Whether NYC Kpop Queens, K-pop Weekly Podcast, or the newsletter, I appreciate all of your support.

Many of you were familiar with my dog, Freddy. He appeared on a few podcasts, and I’m sure I talked about him almost every episode because, quite frankly, he was my world. Lately, I've found myself thinking about the opening lyrics of The Rose's "Blue Moon." They remind me of Freddy perfectly. Because of him, I know love, loss, and great things.

After a long battle with health issues, including diabetes, kidney disease, and heart disease, Freddy passed away on July 24, 2026.

One of my most cherished possessions is an illustration a listener created of Freddy and sent to me years ago, so it felt right to let you all know what happened. If you loved Freddy, got a kick out of my stories, or have lost a pet yourself, please say a prayer for my little guy and send some love my way as I navigate a new future without my best friend.

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My first exposure to ATEEZ was their performance of “Wonderland” at the 2019 MAMA Awards. I was blown away by the song, the energy, and most of all the performance. It was immediately apparent they had the “it factor” so many manufactured groups lack.

Being a K-pop group on a small label has become increasingly difficult as HYBE, YG, JYP, and SM dominate the global market. Despite that, ATEEZ have continued to rise and, more importantly, remain relevant.

On their new release, Golden Hour: Part 4, the eight-member group delivers five tracks aimed squarely at ATINY while continuing to expand their audience.

The title track “Adrenaline” lives up to its name with a thumping beat built to hype listeners. Wooyoung and Hongjoong open with a palpable urgency. Things continue to build in the prechorus, but the chorus feels like a drop in energy that, while fun, slows the momentum. The verses are clearly the highlight of Adrenaline.

The other four songs fare better.

“Ghost” feels like classic ATEEZ, playing to their strengths while introducing a chorus melody that genuinely caught my attention. “NASA” offers more vocal range but stays in a similar production pocket. “On The Road” stands out most, showing vulnerability with a pop-rock chorus that suits them surprisingly well.

“Choose,” the album closer, feels intentionally different, and for good reason. It was originally released in November as a gift for ATINY on ATINY Day. While ATEEZ are known for loud, explosive tracks, I’d personally love more songs like “Choose.” That’s not surprising considering my favorite songs from them, “Inception,” “Fever,” “One Day At A Time,” and “Turbulence,” lean on the more subtle side.

Golden Hour: Part 4 may not have hit me like last year’s brilliant Ashes to Light, but it’s a solid release from a group that refuses to plateau.

Song Rankings

My favorite songs from Golden Hour: Part 4, upon first listen, ranked from favorite to least favorite:

1. Choose

2. Ghost

3. On The Road

4. Adrenaline

5. NASA

Monsta X Talks Growing Pains

Monbebe have had an emotional few weeks with the military enlistment of Monsta X’s youngest member and the release of the bittersweet “Growing Pains.”

Monsta X still has the strongest English-language catalog in K-pop. No one matches their articulation or cadence. Since All About Luv, they’ve consistently chosen polished, emotionally resonant pop songs.

On “Growing Pains,” the six members lean fully into their vocals on a retrospective track about growing up. It’s reflective without being dramatic, nostalgic without being cheesy. The kind of song that quietly pulls you back to specific moments in your own life.

I.M. opens the song singing:

“I was just a kid when the lights found me
Chasing bigger dreams than my eyes could see
I’ve been learning to swim while I’m lost at sea.”

His performance is so vulnerable that I had to double-check it was him. It’s a side of his voice we rarely hear with an open vocal quality.

The verses trace their journey from ambitious trainees to industry veterans. While the chorus of “Growing Pains” reflects on a ten-year career full of highs and lows, it ultimately conveys resilience. There’s a sincerity in the vocal performances that feels earned. The subtle One Direction-esque production works surprisingly well here.

The final acapella harmony strips everything back. It’s a haunting moment that feels almost too personal. With their youngest now in the military, it represents a quiet goodbye to youth.

Monsta X are currently on a world tour, yet they flew home between tight dates to surprise Changkyun as he enlisted. Watching Shownu, rarely emotional in public, tear up while hugging him, said everything.

They’ve been through more than most groups and somehow came out stronger. Criminally underrated. Historically consistent. And still one of the most grounded acts in K-pop.

Stray Kids Continue To Make History

Stray Kids’ stadium tour dominATE broke records in 2025, and now the concert film is doing the same, becoming the first Korean film to debut globally at #1 at the box office.

The two-and-a-half-hour concert film pulled in over $19 million during its opening weekend, surprising Hollywood insiders. You know who isn’t surprised? Me and every other Stay.

Fans who attended the tour were eager to relive it, while those who couldn’t go finally got to experience it in theaters alongside fellow fans.

This achievement feels especially meaningful because there’s so much debate about chart manipulation and inflated streaming numbers in today’s music industry. Box office revenue is different. Those numbers represent real people buying tickets and sitting in seats, not bots or playlist placement.

More than anything, this highlights Stray Kids’ market power. I’ve seen several K-pop concert films this year (Monsta X, BTS), and none matched the audience energy or turnout that dominATE brought out. Not to mention sold-out theaters.

The demand for Stray Kids is higher than it’s ever been, and right now, they feel untouchable.

Court Rules Against HYBE in Favor of Min Hee Jin

HYBE may have won the battle against NewJeans, but the woman behind the group, Min Hee Jin, may just win the war.

This week, a Seoul court ruled that HYBE must pay her approximately 25.5 billion KRW (about $18 million USD) tied to her exercised put option, rejecting HYBE’s argument that their shareholder agreement had been terminated. The company was also ordered to cover all legal fees. The judge said ending the agreement would have required a serious breach of trust, and HYBE couldn’t prove one.

This whole saga goes back to April 2024, when HYBE accused Min of trying to take control of ADOR and NewJeans. But from an outsider’s perspective, it looked less like a takeover attempt and more like HYBE trying to remove the one person they couldn’t fully control. Min wasn’t just another executive; she was the creative force behind the group’s success, and the tension seemed obvious: she built HYBE’s biggest girl group while Bang PD didn’t. The power struggle felt inevitable. In July, HYBE terminated her shareholder agreement; in September, it removed her as CEO; and by November, she had exercised her put option and filed suit.

Separately, Min’s legal team has alleged that TAG PR, a firm once owned by HYBE America, was involved in coordinated online attacks targeting her. Those claims are currently being litigated in U.S. federal court, and a recent Hollywood Reporter investigation detailed broader allegations surrounding the firm’s PR tactics.

While multiple lawsuits between the parties remain ongoing, Min was previously cleared of criminal breach of trust charges in 2025. At this point, she keeps winning where it actually counts, in court, even as online discourse continues to paint her as the villain.

The timing couldn’t be worse for HYBE. The company’s latest earnings report showed record annual revenue in 2025 ($1.84 billion USD), but operating profit fell 73% year over year. Q4 profit dropped 93%, landing at just $3.2 million.

BTS’s upcoming comeback and tour will almost certainly steady the ship, but outside of that, HYBE’s aggressive expansion strategy is starting to look more expensive than effective.

SM Moves To Seize CBX’s Assets

SM Entertainment seems determined to compete with HYBE for the title of K-pop’s most ruthless label.

This week, the company moved to provisionally seize approximately $1.8 million in assets from Baekhyun, Chen, and Xiumin (CBX), including apartments owned by the members.

The move stems from an ongoing legal dispute after CBX left SM Entertainment but agreed to give the company a percentage of their solo earnings to remain part of EXO, a group in which Baekhyun and Chen are the lead vocalists.

According to reports, the members eventually agreed to give SM 10% of their earnings, believing it would secure their participation in EXO’s upcoming comeback. They later learned the album had been recorded without them while they waited by the phone to be called in.

At this point, it’s hard to argue that this is about money. It’s about control.

Just as HYBE’s handling of NewJeans raised questions about power dynamics, SM appears willing to do the same, even if it risks permanently ruining one of K-pop’s most respected groups. The message feels clear: leaving the company doesn’t mean leaving its reach.

Idols rarely control their own careers. When contracts expire, labels still hold most of the leverage. And if artists want both independence and group participation, they often end up paying for it, literally, through revenue-sharing deals that follow them long after they’ve moved on.

With NewJeans and EXO, both HYBE and SM are making the same point: no group is bigger than the label. And if maintaining control means destroying the very artists who built their success, that seems to be a price the industry is willing to pay.

5 Songs I’m Obsessed With This Week

Choose - Ateez

Say Yes - The Rose feat. James Reid

Blueprint - Stray Kids

Hotel California - Joji

Bloodline - Woodz

Happy Valentine’s Day weekend. Sending you lots of love!

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As annoyed as I may get with the music industry, I can’t seem to avoid watching the Grammys. I’ve spoken at length before about how the awards work and why winning shouldn’t matter to fans. So I don’t really care who takes home trophies. I watch for the performances.

This year, BLACKPINK’s Rosé opened the show with Bruno Mars singing their hit “APT.” She sounded great and looked like a confident, seasoned performer. My first thought was that she represented K-pop well, and I felt proud watching her.

Things were off to a good start. Unfortunately, they didn’t end that way. By the end of the night, K-pop’s name had been dragged through the mud—thanks to a performance by a group that isn’t even K-pop.

A Global Group From a K-pop Company

I haven’t written about KATSEYE much because, in my view, they aren’t a K-pop group. They’re a “global” girl group created by a K-pop company using the K-pop training and debut model.

That proximity matters. It gave them early attention through label stans and existing fandom infrastructure before they even debuted.

Still, I don’t consider them K-pop. Their music is in English. Only one member is Korean. Three members were born in the U.S., one in Singapore, one in Switzerland, and one in the Philippines.

Coming from HYBE, a company deeply connected to the American industry, KATSEYE entered the Western market with advantages most K-pop groups could only dream of.

They’ve starred in major commercials. They’ve landed high-profile brand deals. They’ve received consistent influencer and media coverage.

People know who they are. Many just hadn’t heard their music until the Grammys.

A Rough Performance Leads to K-pop Criticism

One of the perks of writing independently is the honesty it allows me to have. So here it is: KATSEYE’s Grammy performance wasn’t good. That doesn’t mean they’re untalented. It means they performed a weak song with rough vocals in a setting where that simply doesn’t fly.

For two minutes, they only “sang” for about one. The rest was a dance break. The song itself is essentially a spoken chant, neither real singing nor rapping. It’s talking on beat.

“Gnarly” has always felt like an SNL parody to me. Lyrics like “fried chicken (gnarly)” and “boba tea (gnarly)” sound like something written by an ambitious ten-year-old. Some fans argue it’s satire. If that’s true, it should’ve been a comedy sketch, not a serious release.

My theory? HYBE understands that in the American market, hype often matters more than substance. “Gnarly” is memorable, even if it’s for the wrong reasons. But award-show performances still need to be good.

The real-time response was brutal. Social media used that performance to discredit K-pop as a whole. Insiders know KATSEYE isn’t K-pop, but it doesn’t matter. The damage was done.

As someone who constantly defends the genre to skeptics, I found it frustrating to watch. It also exposed the anti-Asian sentiment that often sits just below the surface of K-pop criticism. Meanwhile, some KATSEYE fans responded to the criticism by dragging Korean idols and shows, claiming superiority because their group appeared at the Grammys. Those reactions speak volumes about what their fans seem to value. Music and talent are secondary to Western validation.

The West Doesn’t Want K-pop, It Just Wants the Formula

BTS should have won a Grammy. They performed twice and left strong impressions. Yet they were treated more like a ratings boost than respected artists.

However, BTS didn’t gain opportunities like the Grammys until they watered down their product and released English songs instead of Korean ones. It was a lesson for K-pop: if you want massive commercial success in America, you can’t do it using the Korean language.

Some may argue the success of K-pop Demon Hunters proves a crossover is possible, but I would argue that it is an English-language movie with English-language songs. So while it may seem the industry loves and embraces K-pop, they don’t. They love and embrace English songs and movies labeled K-pop.

So it makes sense that KATSEYE was invited before major Korean girl groups. A few Asian women singing in English is acceptable. A group singing in Korean? Apparently not.

K-pop, Led by HYBE, Has Caved to Racism and Xenophobia

Most people in the industry simply don’t want fully Korean groups to dominate. When K-pop surged during the pandemic, the response wasn’t acceptance; it was assimilation. English-only releases started things off, followed now by “global groups” and cultural dilution.

HYBE was more than willing to play along. Before “Dynamite,” BTS were already massive. Yet their songs barely made an impact on U.S. radio. It wasn’t until “Dynamite,” a shorter, all-English-language song, that they gained broad acceptance, a move that felt like a betrayal to longtime fans, and maybe even to the group themselves, or at least RM.

In 2019, BTS group leader RM told Time Magazine, “We don’t want to change our identity or our genuineness to get the number one,” adding, “Like if we sing suddenly in full English, and change all these other things, then that’s not BTS. We’ll do everything, we’ll try. But if we couldn’t get number one or number five, that’s okay.”

Less than a year later, “Dynamite” arrived.

I don’t blame RM or the group. These decisions are bigger than them. But why must Korean artists abandon their language to be accepted? Bad Bunny is about to do the Super Bowl with Spanish-language songs. Some of the people celebrating this are the same people who have said to me, “Why do you listen to K-pop, you can’t even understand the lyrics?”

It’s selective racism and xenophobia, and when it comes to Asians in the United States, there’s often little outrage or allyship. Instead, we expect them to assimilate while fighting for others’ rights, rather than being allowed to exist as they are. I don’t understand the disconnect. If Spanish is okay, why isn’t Korean?

Koreans Are Being Left Behind

If the trend is for K-pop artists to assimilate into the Western model or get left behind, where does that leave K-pop long-term? It feels like there’s now a ceiling on how far groups with Korean members and songs in Korean are allowed to go, especially if “success” is measured by American awards and sponsorships.

Not only are Korean idols left behind in this model, but Korean fans are as well. In a December 2025 article in the South China Morning Post, fans said, “It’s all English now,” and also criticized the song’s shorter lengths. The music as they knew it is almost gone, becoming an American export rather than a source of national pride.

While I’m critical of HYBE, it’s worth noting that they weren’t the first to release English songs, and almost every K-pop group now has English lyrics and songs in their catalogue.

However, HYBE has made the most deals with controversial American music-industry executives, including Scooter Braun and lawyers linked to Jeffrey Epstein. If “everyone is doing it,” as Hybe stans often argue when faced with criticism against the company, then HYBE is the worst offender.

BTS’s new album title, Arirang, is a nod to Korean culture, so will they change the tide? Their long-awaited comeback could be the project that brings Korea back to K-pop. Fans are clearly hungry for it. And frankly, HYBE needs it, after becoming the public face of what’s wrong with the industry both at home and abroad.

Erasing Korean identity from K-pop may be the goal of Western labels and some fans. But I truly believe most fans would reward artists who refuse to do that. There’s a massive opportunity waiting. The question is: who will be brave enough to take it first and when?

5 Songs I’m Obsessed With This Week

Growing Pains - Monsta X

MIROH - Stray Kids

Mono - i-dle (feat. skaiwater)

Power - ONE OR EIGHT

My Spring, My Light, My Breath - ALL(H)OURS

I hope everyone who has the opportunity to see Stray Kids’ The dominATE Experience in theaters this weekend enjoys the show! I was lucky enough to attend that concert at SoFi Stadium, and it was a fantastic experience. I’ll be back next week with a review of Ateez’s Adrenaline, Monsta X’s Growing Pains, and more.

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Reality competition shows have put together some of the greatest groups in K-pop. Twice, Stray Kids, Enhypen, Treasure, and Monsta X were all formed on reality competition shows and have done extremely well.

Although a specific type of reality competition show features groups that will be together for a limited time, regardless of their success. In this model, entertainment agencies loan trainees to the show on the condition that they return to the agency after a brief period with their new group. (The timeframe usually ranges from 1.5 to 2.5 years.)

Boys Planet and Produce 101 both follow this model, with 98 and 101 idols competing for spots in temporary groups. It pays off for the labels as the competition reality show format garners tons of fan attention, but is it worth it for everyone else involved?

Painful Endings For Fans and Idols

If a group from Boys Planet or Produce 101 does well and wants to continue, it’s rarely that easy. The idols are on loan from their original agencies, and the agencies have the right to recall them and remove them from the group when the contract is finished. When this happens, it’s the end of the original lineup.

For me, it’s never the same once someone leaves a group. Even when most of the members stay, the original magic is gone. I still remember when Geri left the Spice Girls, Zayn left One Direction, and Michael McCary left Boyz II Men. None of those groups was ever the same. Now, two K-pop boy groups are facing this reality, not because their members are choosing to leave, but because in K-pop, idols rarely have the final say, even when it comes to leaving their group.

ZEROBASEONE has garnered a loyal fandom and commercial success since debuting in 2023 on Boys Planet. I saw them at KCON LA that year, and they were the group the fans seemed most excited to see. Now, two and a half years later, it’s almost time for them to be recalled. Not all nine members will leave, but Zhang Hao, Ricky, Gyuvin, and Yujin have to return to YH Entertainment in March. The group as fans know it is over.

Another group formed from that season of Boys Planet, EVNNE, also faced a similar fate. Seven members who did not make the ZEROBASEONE lineup were grouped together as EVNNE. On December 8th, 2025, Jellyfish Entertainment announced that two members, Seungeon and Yunseo, would be leaving to return to YH Entertainment. EVNNE’s final performance together was heartbreaking.

The members don’t want this. The fans don’t want this. So why keep doing it?

Instead of destroying established groups, why not put together a boy group and debut them on YH, rather than sending them to reality shows in hopes of capitalizing on later success? The publicity from Boys Planet may benefit YH Entertainment’s bank account for a few years, but this model doesn’t make sense in the long term.

A Springboard To Further Success?

Winning a reality show and debuting in a popular group can be a springboard for future success. This was the case for Kang Daniel, who debuted in Produce 101’s boy group Wanna One. Once the group’s contract was over, he went on to a successful solo career. His fellow group members joined other groups and went into acting, but none have reached the level of Wanna One.

Imagine if they weren’t forced to break up in 2018? They were really popular when the group disbanded. On a similar note, ZEROBASEONE would certainly have longevity in the industry if they were allowed to stay together.

This is why I personally don’t watch or get too invested in groups put together on these shows. Why bother loving something if you know it’s going to end? I guess that question applies to all areas of life, and the answer is that it's worth it, even if it’s short-lived. I reviewed ZEROBASEONE and EVNNE and will miss them both.

How do you feel about these types of reality shows?

5 Songs I’m Obsessed With This Week

Cloud Palace - Billlie

Facetime - LNGSHOT

Hypnotize - XG

Bruise - 8TURN

Forever Mine - Lee Jiham

I can’t believe January is over!! Hope you’re all doing well wherever you are in the world. Sending love and light to those who aren’t. Gentle reminder, everyone is going through something. When you can, try to be kind. Life is hard, and we’re all just doing our best.

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Enhypen is one of the few groups that have stuck to their storyline in one way or another since their debut. K-pop groups used to have lore; intricate storylines woven within their music and videos, leaving fans hooked. Now, most groups have left this part of K-pop behind, but not Enhypen.

They debuted with a vampire storyline, marrying the concepts of eternal life to saving the future. This gives them a lot to work with conceptually through love, loss, and a never-ending journey.

The seven-member boy group's latest comeback, SIN: VANISH, offers a big story, but the music left me a tad disappointed and felt like a missed opportunity for a group seemingly at the top of their game.

A Dull ‘Knife’

Enhypen’s new single follows a familiar formula for current K-pop boy groups: rage hip-hop in the vein of Travis Scott and Playboi Carti. The repetitive, bland melody of this style isn’t my cup of tea, and I find the layered effects more grating than interesting.

I also feel like Enhypen is too good for this type of song. It can be sung by anyone, which cheapens their brand. Give it to a rookie group, not an established powerhouse. The members do what they can with it, but with only two minutes and eighteen seconds, they aren’t given much material besides chanting “knife, knife, knife” over and over with an occasional “it’s a knife!” mixed in.

The repetition does ensure the song stays stuck in the listener’s head. I’ve walked around singing “it’s a knife!” all week, although I’m not sure that’s a good thing. The rest of THE SIN: VANISH is slightly better than the single.

Short Songs Have Nowhere To Go

Like the title track “Knife,” the other songs on the project are far too short. The album has eleven songs but is only twenty-three minutes long. Five of the tracks aren’t songs, however. They include narration of the story of this album. A couple in Enhypen’s vampire world is on the run and swear devotion to one another.

That leaves six songs total on THE SIN: VANISH. “No Way Back” kicks things off with a melodic rhythm and a solid feature from So!YoON!. I love the phrasing in the chorus, and there’s a building intensity that sets a nice tone for the rest of the album.

“Stealer” is a vibey dance track, and “Big Girls Don’t Cry” has some promise, but it’s under two minutes, so it never really gets there. “Lost Island” and “Sleep Tight” offer listeners a bit more vocal performance from the group. “Sleep Tight” ventures into R&B territory with some success.

Enhypen sticks with their storyline, but their musical identity feels murkier. They have good vocalists, but seem to have chased recent trends and leaned into rap more. This would be fine if rap was ever their strong suit, but it wasn’t, and it isn’t.

I’m not sure why their label insists on pushing them this way when they have really capable singers. I specifically think they’re wasting Heeseung. Their debut (“Given-Taken”) is one of my favorite K-pop debuts in recent memory. Now, when they do let them sing, they autotune everything and strip the singers’ identities away.

There’s value in allowing groups to grow and evolve over time, but ENHYPEN has sold itself short. They’re so much more than passing trends. Or at least, they used to be.

Song Rankings

My favorite songs from THE SIN: VANISH, upon first listen, ranked from favorite to least favorite:

1. No Way Back

2. Lost Island

3. Stealer

4. Sleep Tight

5. Big Girls Don’t Cry

6. Knife

5 Songs I’m Obsessed With This Week

Hello Mellow - NCT WISH

Running to Future - ZEROBASEONE

Sincere Lies (Feat. GARY) - BIG Naughty, GARY

Are You Ready - LNGSHOT

Given-Taken - Enhypen

Shoutouts: BTS and Fashion Week

I want to give a shoutout to BTS for not using dynamic pricing for their upcoming world tour. I was pleasently surprised to see this and would love to see more K-pop groups do it in the future. I hope everyone who wanted a ticket got one!

Also, a massive shoutout to the idols representing K-pop at Paris Fashion Week. Stray Kids’ Hyunjin, Ateez’s Mingi, and Seventeen’s Mingyu turned heads and had everyone talking. I personally love Hyunjin’s arc from Versace’s bad boy to Dior’s prince:

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I love reviewing debut albums from new groups. It’s a delicate dance for labels and idols to strike the right chord as the project establishes an identity and brand. Too strong, and it may pigeonhole them. Too weak, and it’s easily forgettable in the vast sea of K-pop music. LNGSHOT’s debut is definitely on the bold side, with powerful visuals and confident sound.

For me, the five songs on SHOT CALLERS are a perfect blend for 2026 R&B hip-hop. This shouldn’t be a surprise, since the four-member boy group is the brainchild of Jay Park, a former 2PM member, solo star, and hip-hop label owner. This is, however, the first time Park has ventured into forming an idol group.

As The Korea Times reported, he assembled the group with a different mindset from that of traditional K-pop labels. “Rather than forcing idols into a specific concept, this team was built around people who share my mindset, people I genuinely wanted to give everything to. Instead of squeezing the members into the frame of the group, their identities shaped LNGSHOT itself.”

LNGSHOT follows the formula of Park’s label, MORE VISION. Though the sound may be familiar, there’s enough that’s fresh and new to hook a younger K-pop audience.

Moonwalkin’ To The Top

Pre-release single “Saucin’” delivered plenty of bravado with slick production. I liked it, but to be honest, it left me wanting more. The title track “Moonwalkin’” gave me what I hoped for.

While still keeping the swag of “Saucin’”, “Moonwalkin” has more rhythmic switchups and vocals that suck the listener in. The rap parts work well, but the real strength is the R&B chorus, with melodic singing and a groove that kept me coming back to the song again and again this week.

The other three songs each hold their own, but the album ender is perhaps the best track of the EP. “Never Let Go,” a dreamy synth ballad, ties things together on a sensitive, romantic note. (This is a K-pop trope I’ll never be mad at, as I love a well-executed slow down to finish things off.) In “Never Let Go,” LNGSHOT gets a chance to showcase not only their vocals but vulnerability. Louis stands out as a super young talent on par with early era Justin Bieber, but it’s Ohyul’s vulnerable delivery on the final chorus that gave me chills. Woojin feels like the glue, floating in and out, delivering verses, choruses, and bridges, and Ryul brings cool maturity, rapping and singing with ease.

LNGSHOT’s four members range in age from 15 to 19 years old, but sound like seasoned professionals. Their personas, however, are young and playful. Watching music videos and live performances, you can see some of that playfulness, though the professionalism of K-pop idols is evident in perfectly executed choreography. Having four members is an advantage because each one gets ample time to shine with equal line distribution.

All four members are credited on four of the five songs on their debut EP. Stray Kids' massive success has directly influenced the younger generation, with groups now debuting with more self-produced idols.

With LNGSHOT, there’s something sincere here that’s hard to pinpoint but easy to recognize. SHOT CALLERS sounds like a group confident in their identity instead of chasing current trends. This should guarantee longevity, akin to that of their mentor and boss, Jay Park. LNGSHOT is far from a long shot; they’re an easy bet.

Song Rankings and Album Member Standout

My favorite songs from SHOT CALLERS, upon first listen, ranked from favorite to least favorite:

1. Moonwalkin’

2. Never Let Go

3. Backseat

4. Saucin’

5. FaceTime

Member Standout: All four members have strong moments throughout the EP, but Louis stood out most vocally.

5 Songs I’m Obsessed With This Week

Love Me More - Apink

Love You Less - Joji

Never Let Go - LNGSHOT

Backseat Promises - Kang Daniel

Moonwalkin’ - LNGSHOT

Good luck to everyone trying for BTS tickets next week!! I’ll be back on Friday with an Enhypen review.

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2026 has only just begun, but the news stories coming out of Korea have fans reeling. HYBE is (per usual) at the center of the drama. I took a few weeks off to enjoy Christmas and New Year’s, and in that time, Danielle was kicked out of NewJeans, Bang PD’s 2021 deal with Scooter Braun is back in the headlines, and BTS announced their long-awaited comeback.

HYBE Makes an Example Out Of Danielle

Bang PD never wanted Danielle in NewJeans. Before the girl group debuted in 2022, he requested she be removed. Group creator Min Hee Jin refused this request and kept the lineup of all five girls for what would be a massive K-pop debut.

In the years that followed, a power struggle ensued at HYBE over NewJeans. From what I’ve gathered over court documents and testimony, Bang PD seemed to resent NewJeans' success, as he wasn’t directly involved as he had been with other HYBE groups. Min Hee Jin served as a barrier between him and the girls, giving him little control. In K-pop, it’s all about control. Min Hee Jin was a strong personality with a vision that worked. Imagine if Bang PD embraced that instead of trying to destroy it?

Sadly, we’ll never know the heights NewJeans could reach because HYBE chose to destroy them. After court battles and unsuccessful appeals, NewJeans were forced to remain with HYBE (through its subsidiary label, ADOR).

It came as a shock to fans and media when ADOR released a statement on December 29th saying Danielle was no longer part of NewJeans. In subsequent days, it was revealed that they planned to sue Danielle and her parents for activities outside the group, including endorsement deals and spreading false information to other members.

Danielle, a 20-year-old, is now being sued for $30 million. Ador admitted this week that she didn’t sign any deals outside of the group, but they say she considered it, so she still owes them.

At this time, it’s unclear what the other four members were told. HYBE met with each girl separately, but it’s unclear whether they knew Danielle had been kicked out before the shocking announcement. Regardless of how they feel right now, what can they do? They’re stuck in their contracts and have seen what happens if you keep fighting.

Like EXO is nine, NewJeans is five. Solo stans will still support both groups, but in my opinion, the shine is gone without all the members.

Did Bang PD Bail Out Scooter Braun With BTS’s Money?

When HYBE acquired Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings in 2021, my podcast partner and I spoke about why this was the worst thing that could happen for K-pop. Many people know of Scooter Braun because of Taylor Swift. (Braun bought the masters of her first six albums when she left Big Machine for Universal. Swift was livid, believing she was in the process of retaining her masters. In 2020, Bruan sold them to a private equity firm for $400 million, which she eventually bought back in 2025.)

I know Braun from Justin Bieber, whom he discovered on YouTube in 2008 and continued to manage until they officially parted ways in 2023 (although Bieber had been fighting to end their professional relationship for years prior). To completely get away from Braun, Bieber paid him $31.5 million in 2023.

It's hard for me to believe Braun was a positive influence for Bieber. He took a child and sold him to the entertainment industry. Child stars rarely come out of that unscathed, and Bieber’s struggles have been well documented. (Who do you think orchestrated things like Justin’s 48 hours with Diddy?)

Reports have emerged that HYBE paid off Braun’s personal debts as part of its $1.05 billion acquisition of his company, Ithaca Holdings. Turns out the company was only worth around $50 million, so the rest of that price was maybe goodwill from HYBE on potential future earnings. Ithaca was still $83 million in debt from the Taylor Swift purchase (although Scooter sold the masters, he didn’t use the proceeds to pay down the company’s debt; instead, he distributed the proceeds as dividends).

To complete the acquisition, HYBE spent nearly 75% of its cash reserves and borrowed another $386 million. Braun’s biggest artists, like Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, and Demi Lovato, left soon after, and HYBE America (formerly Ithaca Holdings) has posted losses ever since.

Did that money belong to BTS? Yes and no. While it’s true that BTS earned the majority of that money for HYBE, it was now the company’s money. However, the members have a legitimate right to be upset that the money they earned for the company was used for this rather than being reinvested in their music and projects. (Remember Jungkook didn’t even have a tour for his massively successful solo album.)

So are we to believe that Bang PD was stupid and didn’t know what he was getting into? Perhaps. After all, he always dreamed of taking over the western industry, but didn’t seem to understand how the game is played here. But it’s also possible he’s the Scooter Braun of Korea and has profited from this behind the scenes.

BTS Announce Comeback In March

With all of this negative press, HYBE desperately needs a win. What better way than a BTS world tour and a new album? HYBE’s cash cows are set for a busy 2026 with a fourteen-song album dropping on March 20th, followed by a massive world tour.

The seven members of BTS have a giant target on their backs with this comeback. Fans and critics are eager to see if they’ve still got it, their company is a mess, and other K-pop groups have stepped in to take the crown while they were away in the military.

It’s hard to separate them from HYBE at this point, for better or for worse. Group leader RM has made comments recently that lead me to believe he’s not a huge fan of his employer. In any case, I’m excited to see what they come out with and hope they can one day step away from being HYBE’s cash cow and do their own thing.

Stray Kids To Headline Governors Ball

Stray Kids were announced as headliners with Lorde and A$AP Rocky for the 2026 Governors Ball in New York City. The current kings of K-pop have become the music industry’s go-to headliners for festivals around the world.

They’ve successfully headlined Lollapalooza in Paris and Chicago, Hyde Park in London, I-Days Milano, and now Governors Ball in New York City in June and Rock in Rio in Brazil in September.

Their music and energy really work well in an outdoor festival setting. From the second they hit the stage, Stray Kids command the crowd with so much energy that the audience vibrates along with them. PIT tickets for Governors Ball sold out immediately.

Didn’t get a ticket? Stray Kids' record-breaking tour, dominATE, is set to hit the big screen worldwide in February. The film will showcase the tour performance and behind-the-scenes footage.

5 Songs I’m Obsessed With This Week

Pretty Boy Swag - idntt

Heart to heart - NIve and Kim Young Geun

Kiss and say goodbye - XLOV

Saucin’ - LNGSHOT

Who’s Dat? (Jane Doe) - CLOSE YOUR EYES

Recent news about K-pop has focused less on dating scandals and more on real scandals. It makes me sad as the world behind the fun we’re all obsessed with can be pretty dark. Sometimes I don't want to pay attention to K-pop, but when Stray Kids or Monsta X have a comeback, I’m reminded why I fell in love with it. There’s also a nice mix of new groups I’ve recently gotten into, like XLOV and CLOSE YOUR EYES, that have breathed new life into the genre.

I hope your 2026 is off to a good start! I had a wonderful break in my hometown of Pittsburgh, PA, to end 2025, and I’m ready to take on this year! Next week I’ll be back with fresh music reviews.

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K-pop is about control. The companies control the idols, the fans think they own them, and the young men and women in the middle of everything have little agency over their own lives.

K-pop and rumors go together like peanut butter and jelly. Considering anyone can start an anonymous rumor online and companies can plant stories about other idols, my first instinct is to reserve judgment on rumors until more information comes out. However, dating rumors are usually the easiest to figure out.

Most of the time, if there’s no truth to it, the idol’s company will release a statement saying the dating rumor is false. If it’s true, the companies will stay quiet or release a statement saying something like “we do not comment on our artist’s personal life.” Either way, fans become detectives, determined to prove the rumor true or, more often, to claim it is false. After the pictures of V and Jennie started surfacing, some fans insisted they were all photoshopped and fake. (They weren’t, as the pair were later recorded together walking in Paris).

In the past few months, fan sleuths have started speculating that Jungkook from BTS and Winter from aespa are dating. Their proof of these claims was matching clothes, similar Instagram handles, and a matching tattoo. While the other stuff could be written off, the matching tattoos feel different.

This week, Winter’s company, SM Entertainment, released a statement saying they would pursue legal action against those harassing Winter online. However, they did not deny the relationship. Jungkook's company, Big Hit, has said nothing. Fans have taken this as confirmation that they are, in fact, a couple, and their response has been mature and accepting. Just kidding. Both artists are being viciously attacked online, and protest trucks have been sent to their companies demanding each idol be removed from their group.

It’s always sad to me that idols aren’t allowed to date and experience love. For some across the K-pop fandom, though, it’s not about love. It’s about ownership, parasocial relationships, and immersing their personal identity into that of a K-pop idol. As easy as it is to label these fans with derogatory terms like “crazy,” ownership of this level of obsession also lies with the industry, which creates and profits from a parasocial relationship model in which idols are “in relationships” with their fans.

I hate so many things about the Western music industry, but I wish K-pop idols had the freedom that artists here in the States do. I think Jungkook and Winter would be a cute couple. They’re both super talented and beautiful, with endearing quirks that make them stand out. If they aren't, in fact, a couple and the matching tattoos are just a crazy coincidence, I hope they both find love and live happy lives.

EXO Twists The Knife With New Trailer

For fans of EXO, this year has been a rollercoaster. First, we were promised a group comeback; then CBX (Chen, Baekhyun, and Xiumin) and SM Entertainment couldn’t reach terms in mediation and were going to trial. While fans tried to stay optimistic, it was clear to me in October that this issue would most likely not be resolved in time for their December comeback.

I assumed the comeback would be pushed back or that SM would release an EXO subunit. Instead, EXO is going through with their comeback as six members instead of nine. Turns out CBX gave in to SM’s demands so they could be part of the comeback, but afterward, SM said “trust had been broken,” and they would not be part of it.

Soon after this announcement, content started dropping in anticipation of the group’s new project. This felt like a gut punch not only to fans but also, I would guess, to the three excluded members. SM told them to clear their schedules for December. While they were waiting for the call, the other six members had already recorded new music, promos, and music videos.

This week, the trailer for the title track dropped. The song “I’m Home” sounds like a tender ballad, with the lyric “because you’re my home to stay.” It feels like adding insult to injury, as EXO has been home for so many EXOLS. For me, when it comes to EXO, I’ve never felt farther away from home. The fandom is fighting, I’m not excited for this comeback, and I feel terrible for CBX.

Like Newjeans, they tried to fight back against their company and have been made examples of. Of course, the other six members aren’t going to go against SM now. I’m not going to review this comeback as I fear my personal feelings could skew the integrity of my opinion. I wish the best for all the members, and EXO is nine.

Discover: NEXZ Should be Next

Do you know JYP boy group NEXZ? The seven-member group, comprised of Japanese and Korean members, was formed on the reality show Nizi Project Season 2 and officially debuted in 2024.

I reviewed their debut, but haven’t kept up with them since. That is, until I watched JYP’s episode of The Game Caterers this past summer. In a variety show full of JYP superstars like Stray Kids, Twice, and NMIXX, NEXZ stole the show for me. They were so energetic, athletic, and charismatic, I had to know more.

After listening to their catalog, the music fits the visuals. It’s cool and young without being cutsey and juvenile. In my original review, I thought they came off as bad boys in a K-pop high school. While I may not characterize them as bad boys anymore, they’ve grown into a solid group with good songs and really strong dancing. The sound is a harder hip-hop style, but they can easily do softer, smoother tracks, evidenced by songs like “Want More? One More!”, “Eye to Eye,” and “One Day.”

NEXZ was promoted in both Japan and Korea, but has since shifted more toward Korea and K-pop since their debut. Their releases have all been solid, so I’m a little surprised they haven’t picked up more momentum. Hopefully, in 2026, JYP will give them a bigger push.

Tracks to check out: Simmer, I’m Him, Next To Me, Hard, Want More? One More!

5 Songs I’m Obsessed With This Week:

Winter Falls - Stray Kids

Miracles in December - EXO

Christmas Without You - Taeyeon

Lonely Christmas - Monsta X

Be There For Me - NCT 127 (*Welcome home Taeyong!)

Over the next few weeks, the newsletter will be less consistent as I travel home for the holidays and unplug. So, keep an eye on your inbox! 2025 has worn me out, but I’m grateful for all the blessings and lessons. I’m so happy to be back writing about K-pop and connecting with old friends and a new audience. Have a wonderful holiday season!

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Stray Kids did it! Seven years after winning Rookie of the Year, they finally won a Daesang (grand prize) at the MAMA Awards, winning Album of the Year for KARMA. The other three Daesangs went to Rosé and Bruno Mars for Song of the Year (APT.), Enhypen for Fans’ Choice, and G-Dragon for Artist of the Year.

I can’t argue with these results, as all four are deserving K-pop artists who had huge years. The awards were pretty evenly distributed, although HYBE artists won in some categories where I wouldn’t have considered them in contention.

As I mentioned in an earlier newsletter, the MAMA voting committee may be even more corrupt than the Grammys, so I was fully prepared to be disappointed for yet another year. But this year brought more right than wrong in the award recipients. Check out a complete list of winners here.

The Weekend Belonged to Stray Kids

MAMA 2025 belonged to Stray Kids. Their Album of the Year win carries the weight of years of hard work and industry gaslighting. Bang Chan’s acceptance speech did not disappoint. Always a class act, the Stray Kids leader expressed his gratitude to the K-pop artists who came before, his fellow members, the staff, and, of course, Stays. He also reminded everyone that they write their own music and will continue to show more of Stray Kids in the future.

Seungmin brought everyone to tears (including Stray Kids) as he spoke about the difficult times the group endured, then tearfully exclaiming their signature phrase, “Stray Kids everywhere all around the world, you make Stray Kids stay.”

Did I cry? Yes. I felt such a sense of pride and relief. But more than that, I felt tears of joy as I watched Felix, Han, I.N., Changbin, Hyunjin, Lee Know, Bang Chan, and Seungmin realize their dreams had just come true.

I was also immediately reminded of BTS’s 2018 win for Artist of the Year. They were on top of the world, but tearfully admitted they had a really difficult year and almost broke up. It was a reminder that heavy is the head that wears the crown. Right now, that crown sits on top of Stray Kids' heads as they carry the weight together.

The Kings Walk the Walk

When it comes to MAMA performances, Stray Kids delivered one fitting of the current kings of K-pop. I forgot I was watching an award show, as the excited fans and stage production made it feel like their own concert.

The 13-minute set opened with "Creed," a brilliant choice, as the lyrics are about walking the walk. Flanked by an army of dancers, the guys strutted down the stage with confidence as they transitioned into “Chk Chk Boom.” Hyunjin then delivered a dance solo that has become a signature part of his MAMA performances.

The highlight of the set was the performance of the recent B-side “DIVINE.” Stray Kids microphones were on, and they all sounded great, but it was the choreography that felt most exciting.

Midway through their performance, Lee Jung-jae of Squid Game surprised fans by playing a newscaster who listed Stray Kids' achievements, which was the flex fans had been waiting for. Love them or hate them, they’re breaking records worldwide and have earned their massive success.

Stray Kids ended things with “Ceremony.” The dance break and EDM remix had the arena in Hong Kong shaking as they exclaimed, “We’re gonna celebrate cause we got good karma.” That karma has finally caught up to them, as no one in that room could compete with this performance. As Lee Jung-jae said at the end of his segment, thank you for your hard work, Stray Kids.

2025 MAMA Top 10 Performances Ranked

Instead of giving you five songs I’m obsessed with this week, here are my top ten MAMA performances:

1. Stray Kids

2. BOYNEXTDOOR

3. Treasure

4. JO1

5. Super Junior

6. RIIZE

7. MEOVV

8. Enhypen

9. IVE

10. G-Dragon

I’m not going to cover any other award shows this year, as I find the year-end barrage of shows can get a little repetitive and boring, and I’ve gushed over Stray Kids enough for a few weeks. Instead, I’ll highlight some of the K-pop artists I feel deserve more attention in the coming weeks.

Thank you all so much for the birthday wishes last week! I had a wonderful holiday weekend, and I’m still full from a Thanksgiving feast. Hope my readers from around the world are doing well, staying warm, and enjoying life. See you next week!

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Since their debut in 2023, the six members of RIIZE have been on a rollercoaster ride with fame. Group leader Shotaro and member Sungchan debuted with the SM boy group NCT in 2020, but were rarely used and never officially placed in a subunit like NCT 127, NCT Dream, NCT WISH, or WAYV. Fans were therefore excited when a brand new non-NCT group, including Shotaro and Sungchan, was announced.

I was at KCON for RIIZE’s first performance in 2023. The athleticism and energy the seven young men brought to the stage felt electric. I immediately became a fan and have followed their career closely since.

RIIZE didn’t have long to celebrate their triumphant debut as allegations were quickly hurled at members in an effort to sabotage the group. Seunghan was in trouble for dating and maybe smoking cigarettes. This was enough to force him out of the group less than a year after his dream came true. (The fact that a good-looking teenager dated was apparently too much for some fans to handle, as they believe K-pop trainees should never date.)

A portion of the fandom has boycotted RIIZE ever since his departure, which, while I understand their feelings, I wish they would also boycott the people behind the allegations. (If you listened to my shows or have followed me over the years, you know my theory on who is behind the endless sabotage of artists like G-Dragon, Wonho, and Seunghan.)

K-pop fans are used to unfair things like this happening, but Seunghan’s departure lit a fire between Korean and international fans, with international fans calling out Korean fans' possessive behavior and expectation of their idols.

Korean fans put up over 1000 death wreaths outside of SM Entertainment, demanding Seunghan leave the group, sending a horrific message to a twenty-year-old in a country rife with suicide.

SM, of course, didn’t stand by RIIZE or Seunghan. They didn’t even rush to remove the death wreaths, instead leaving them up for Seunghan to walk by until he finally left the group.

Nevertheless, the six remaining members, Shotaro, Eunseok, Sungchan, Wonbin, Sohee, and Anton, have persisted and have continuously released good music with exciting choreography and visuals since.

RIIZE Did It For Love, Not Fame

During the title track off their new, three-song release, “FAME,” Anton starts the song singing, “they don’t really love me.” While most groups their age are hitting a happy note with new releases, RIIZE has fast-forwarded to the not-so-great side of fame. Who could blame them?

The lyrics wrestle with wanting to run away from fake fame but also hold it close and keep chasing the dream. By the end, the group concludes they will “shout loud for you, ain’t about the fame.” This concept has been explored before in K-pop, but RIIZE manages to breathe new life into it with a hard, trap beat.

Musically, “FAME” has a darker, edgier feel compared to RIIZE’s sound over the past few years. The music video is very effective, with each member looking into their idol persona's eyes in the mirror as they sing, “all this fake fame, maybe I don’t need it.” Their dancing is fantastic as always, culminating in a difficult dance break. (In my opinion, they’re the best dancers in the 5th generation of K-pop by a considerable margin.)

RIIZE have come into their own with this song. It feels authentic but still has the energy fans have come to know and love.

Something’s In The Water

While I really like “FAME”, the opening song off this RIIZE release is one of my favorite tracks of 2025. “Something’s In The Water” is a sultry R&B song with a slow, calm pace, a somewhat rare quality in RIIZE tracks. The chorus melody is addictive. It’s not overly complex or flashy, but I listened to this song on repeat, desperately wanting to hear it again and again. The simplicity leaves little room for members to hide, and all of them rise to the occasion with beautiful vocal performances that highlight the group's different tones.

The last song on this release, “Sticky Like,” is also a really satisfying track, leaning into sincere pop that will instantly connect with listeners. The members of RIIZE interpret and express emotion so clearly through their songs.

On their new three-song release, they gave listeners three very different feelings, and it all works. FAME is a giant step forward for RIIZE. I was already a fan of the group, but now, I’m excited about them again in a way I haven’t been for a while. They are the future of SM, and I hope the label doesn’t fumble them the way they have EXO and NCT.

MAMA Awards Happening Despite Tragedy in Hong Kong

A terrible tragedy occurred this week in Hong Kong when seven apartment buildings in a housing community caught fire. As of the time of this writing, 94 people are confirmed dead, with many more missing.

The MAMA awards happen tonight, so many were wondering if they would take place or not. Organizers have announced that the show will go on, but the red carpet and any fireworks have been cut.

SM has donated $128,000 to the Hong Kong Red Cross, with aespa adding $64,000, and RIIZE and WAYV both donating $32,000. YG, i-dle, and Hong Kong native Jackson Wang also donated $128,000 to the Hong Kong Red Cross. HYBE donated $341,000 to Hope Bridge Korea Disaster Relief Association, which will collaborate with non-profits in Hong Kong to distribute aid to victims’ families.

5 Songs I’m Obsessed With This Week

Something in the Water - RIIZE

Saturday Preacher - Cha Eunwoo

Choose - Ateez

X - Close Your Eyes

My Sign - Baekho

As the holiday season kicks off, I’m focusing on gratitude. My birthday is this Sunday, and while society tells me I should hate getting older, I’m so grateful that I have the opportunity to age. So many, like the victims of the Hong Kong fire, aren’t given that chance. Celebrate life wherever you can. For many of us, music is a vital part of that celebration. We bond over this love of K-pop, and I’m so happy you’re here. As for this weekend’s awards, check out my MAMA picks, and go Stray Kids!

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It seems like just yesterday I was reviewing Stray Kids’ album KARMA. Released in August, the album broke Billboard records and was universally loved by fans around the world. I was one of them. It amazes me that Stray Kids have a target on their back but continue to produce exciting, innovative music time and time again. (I’m not sure if the average fan realizes how historic their current run is in the music world.)

I was surprised when they announced a comeback for November. While it’s not a full album, DO IT is a full comeback with press conferences, media showcases, a flashy music video, and four new songs to promote.

The title track, "DO IT," has one of the catchiest hooks in Stray Kids catalogue. This song leaves little doubt that the Kids have become men over the last few years. There’s still some brashness, but in “DO IT,” a refinement and groundedness come through with a new, mature confidence.

While the verses and bridge have bright moments, the chorus is the star of this track. Members alternate singing “do it, do it, do it, do it” in low registers with some vocal fry. Stray Kids has plenty of sexy tracks (“Red Lights”, “Taste”, “Wow”), but “DO IT” conveys the eight members’ grown-man vibes better than any other song.

“DO IT’s” music video and choreography drive this point home with slick visuals and fresh choreography that rides “Chk Chk Boom’s” wave of rhythm and synchronization. The wild, loud, and chaotic group has slowly morphed into the cool guys who are on top of the world. (But Stray Kids will always have that wild streak, as evidenced by Felix and Hyunjin’s playfulness in the DO IT music video.”)

While all the members look handsome, I was particularly taken by Lee Know and I.N. in this one. The camera loves them both, and they know how to perform under the spotlight. I was also thrilled to see Changbin front and center during choreography formations!

Stray Kids evolved once again with “DO IT,” but another song on the project just launched them into a different stratosphere.

DIVINE Timing

As the K-pop world continues to feel increasingly watered down by the same sounds, visuals, and mediocre lyrics, the kings have stepped in to save the day once again and give us something entirely different and creative. “DIVINE” is brand new but perhaps the most Stray Kids song ever.

The second track off of DO IT opens with a retro commercial-sounding voice saying, “all we need is love, dreams, and Stray Kids.” Then, Seungmin delivers a soulful opening vocal that feels so natural it makes me want an R&B album from the group.

I thought we were about to hear a melodic R&B track, but as soon as Seungmin finishes his electric opening, Felix launches into a rap reminiscent of “Muddy Water” with a throwback 90s alternative rap sound. The chorus consists of a call-and-response type of chant, “This that new pop! We make it right!” the guys yell with signature Stray Kids energy.

Han’s verse starts with cartoonish sound effects that felt so natural I barely noticed. Instead, his phrasing had me leaning in. The last twenty seconds of “DIVINE” then go back to R&B with Bang Chan masterfully ad-libbing to end the song.

The choice may feel bizarre, but it’s actually brilliant. On his first “ohhh” i was immediatly transported to Bruno Mars “Finesse.” Stray Kids get a lot of credit for a lot of things, but their vocalists are slept on. In two moments, “DIVINE” shows they can go up against K-pop’s best vocalists anytime.

Throughout the track, different elements and tempo changes pop up in true Stray Kids fashion. The cartoon-sounding flute and horns would be off-putting if another group did it, but here, it’s seamless. That’s the power of 3RACHA, the production unit of Stray Kids members Bang Chan, Han, and Changbin, who composed the track and are responsible for the group’s sound.

Stray Kids will always win when it comes to unique music. The most impressive thing, however, is that the music is good and “DIVINE” is brilliant.

Stray Kids Need a Holiday

While I’m so happy Stray Kids are back and have given us a fantastic comeback once again, I worry about them. They’ve been going non-stop for years with no end in sight. While I understand it’s how K-pop works and they must strike while the iron’s hot, it feels like a never-ending marathon for them.

If I’m not mistaken, the members wrote and recorded the majority of the last two albums while on their massive stadium world tour that spanned over a year of sold-out performances. After putting all of that energy into performing, they weren’t watching TV and scrolling on their phones in their hotel rooms. No, Stray Kids were writing and recording in make-shift studios inside hotels.

The third song on this project, “Holiday”, may sound happy and poppy, but the lyrics convey an exhaustion and desperation that read like a cry for help.

The chorus echoes this sentiment, with members singing “let me take a break” over and over, pleading that they “just need a holiday.” While it’s a relatable sentiment for all who have experienced burnout, for Stray Kids, it feels vital.

Here’s hoping they get that break sooner rather than later. One thing is for sure: it’s not hurting their creative output. DO IT is a hit with a “DIVINE” B-side that will continue to raise Stray Kids to even higher levels. No one is doing it like Stray Kids.

5 Songs I’m Obsessed With This Week

DO IT - Stray Kids

DIVINE - Stray Kids

Silly Kid - Tempest

Cold Coffee - NCT Dream

Mismatch - &TEAM

Enjoy the comeback, Stays. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. Thank you for reading. I’ll be back next week with fresh reviews and insight.

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When DJ Snake announced his new album would include a song featuring Stray Kids, I didn’t know what to expect, but a tender mid-tempo ballad was definitely not on my list. “In The Dark” has a lovely throwback feel that may give listeners a sense they’ve heard this before. That’s not a knock; in fact, I mean it as a compliment.

The song has a reminiscent feeling that’s equally comfortable and addictive. English lyrics convey longing and desperation, and the K-pop group's pronunciation is excellent. Although that’s expected from Australian-born members Felix and Bang Chan, the other six members have consistently improved their pronunciation, and it shows on “In The Dark.”

All the Kids do solid work on the too-short track, but Felix and Hyunjin are the stars of this song. Traditionally billed as rappers, they split duty on the chorus and nail it with emotional, clear delivery. Considering the voice issues Hyunjin has dealt with this year, his part is remarkable. DJ Snake has hinted at a future performance with Stray Kids on social media. Could that mean a stage at the MAMA Awards?

Stray Kids continue to churn out content, much to the delight of Stays. Next week, they release comeback SKZ IT TAPE: DO IT hot on the heels of September’s KARMA. Based on the visual concept photos (which I LOVE), they’re going to surprise us once again. I like the moody Stray Kids found on “In The Dark” and would be happy to stay in this lane for a minute.

Wonho Delivers Pop Perfection

When he left Monsta X in 2019, Wonho's future was uncertain. The powerful yet sensitive vocalist of the influential third-generation boy group was an integral part of Monsta X’s success, but how would he fare as a solo act?

Wonho has fared well so far, thanks to catchy singles and fanfare over his unusually muscular build. However, while each release has propelled him forward, he has yet to produce a succinct album where his music takes top billing over his identity as the buff guy with sexy pictures. As a longtime fan, this has always frustrated me. He’s more talented than shirtless pictures.

On Syndrome, it finally happens as Wonho delivers ten songs shining with maturity and confidence. I often hear people saying, “Where are the male pop stars?” Well, he’s right here, and if people could find music organically instead of paid playlists and manipulation, he would be a huge star!

The two pre-releases from the album, “Better Than Me” and “Good Liar,” while good, are reminiscent of previous Wonho songs. However, the title track, “If You Wanna,” is new, fresh, and exciting. Here, Wonho experiments with different registers and incorporates rap elements, which work surprisingly well. It’s seductive, sexy, and oozes aura.

The music video has gone viral (at least in my part of social media) with innovative dance formations and visuals sure to please fans. (Wonho and his team were smart to put this song and music video as the title track.)

The rest of the album features hit after hit that stray from a K-pop formula, instead leaning into a more refined pop sound. I specifically enjoyed the vulnerable tracks towards the middle of the album. “At The Time” is a remorseful, melodic pop-rock song where Wonho floats over the melody, showcasing his range. “Beautiful” is a sexy love letter with a thrilling tempo change.

“On Top Of The World” sounds like a smile with a funky bass line and radio-ready chorus. “Maniac” blends The Weeknd and vintage Michael Jackson into Wonho’s now distinct sound. Syndrome has been on repeat for me since it dropped, with no plans to take it out of rotation. It’s a no-skip album that should make Wonho a household name.

Unfortunately, his US tour was recently canceled because the promoters failed to complete “administrative tasks.” I interrupted this as they didn’t get the visa paperwork in on time. It’s devastating as this album is entirely in English and would’ve picked up more fans for Wonho. It seems like he’s always getting the short end of the stick, but hopefully, he can take solace in knowing he put out a stellar album that’s resonating with old and new fans alike.

Song Rankings

Here are my favorite songs upon first listen of Syndrome, ranked from favorite to least favorite (but this is a certified no-skip album):

1. At The Time

2. Scissors

3. If You Wanna

4. Beautiful

5. On Top Of The World

6. Maniac

7. Good Liar

8. DND

9. Fun

10. Better Than Me

5 Songs I’m Obsessed With This Week

In The Dark - DJ Snake feat. Stray Kids

At The Time - Wonho

Co-Star - NEXZ

Updraft - Han

BBUU! - PLAVE

It feels good to be back after taking a break for the past two weeks due to other commitments. While there’s plenty of new music to review, I couldn’t let another week pass without sharing my thoughts on Stray Kids and Wonho. See you next week!

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It’s already time for the 2025 MAMA Awards. Where has this year gone? I guess that old adage is true: time moves faster as you get older. But enough of me lamenting over my age, it’s time to talk MAMAs!

K-pop’s biggest award show is the MAMAs. Others may try, but fans and artists know winning a MAMA is the biggest award you can achieve in the K-pop stratoshpere. It’s like the Grammys, but with even shadier voting. I tune in every year for the performances. This is the stage where young groups are made and established groups prove their worth.

This year, the award show takes place on November 28th and 29th in Hong Kong. Yes, it’s two nights. No, I don’t know why. Yes, it’s been that way for years.

The performance lineup is as follows:

Night 1 (November 28)

• ALPHA DRIVE ONE

• BABYMONSTER

• BOYNEXTDOOR

• BUMSUP

• ENHYPEN

• Hearts2Hearts

• i-dle

• IVE

• MEOVV

• MIRROR

• NCT WISH

• Super Junior

• TREASURE

• TWS

Night 2 (November 29)

• aespa

• ALL DAY PROJECT

• CORTIS

• G-Dragon

• KickFlip

• IDID

• izna

• JO1

• Kyoka

• RIIZE

• Stray Kids

• TOMORROW X TOGETHER

• ZEROBASEONE

Night two is way more interesting in my opinion. G-Dragon and Stray Kids should’ve been put on different nights as they’re arguably the biggest draws. On night one, I’m excited to see TREASURE; they always impress at year-end award shows.

MAMA has a history of voting controversy. However, the most popular group may not be the most deserving. Does someone whose fans used bots for streams and votes deserve an award over an artistic masterpiece that didn’t perform as well? In my opinion, no. But if fans don’t get a say, who decides? Industry professionals? They’re always going to be biased and play politics (look at the Grammys). So, MAMA does a mix of both with varied success.

This year’s nominees really left me scratching my head, though. Stray Kids were snubbed, not receiving nominations in Best Dance Performance Male Group, Best Choreography, or Best Music Video. Jennie was nominated for everything (not really, but close). Lisa was the only member of Blackpink not nominated. Ten and P1Harmony were shut out, and the Best Music Video category is a joke.

Below are this year’s nominees, with who I think should and will win.

Best New Artist

• AHOF

• ALLDAY PROJECT

• Baby DONT Cry

• CLOSE YOUR EYES

• CORTIS

• Heart2Hearts

• IDID

• izna

• KickFlip

• KiiiKiii

Who should win: KickFlip

Who will win: ALLDAY PROJECT

Best Male Artist

• MARK

• BAEKHYUN

• Jin

• G-DRAGON

• j-hope

Who should win: BAEKHYUN

Who will win: G-DRAGON

Best Female Artist

• YUQI

• JENNIE

• JISOO

• TAEYEON

• ROSÉ

Who should win: Jennie

Who will win: Jennie

Best Male Group

• SEVENTEEN

• TOMORROW X TOGETHER

• BOYNEXTDOOR

• ENHYPEN

• RIIZE

• Stray Kids

• ZEROBASEONE

Who should win: Stray Kids

Who will win: SEVENTEEN or ENHYPEN

Best Female Group

• aespa

• BABYMONSTER

• i-dle

• IVE

• LE SSERAFIM

• TWICE

Who should win: IVE

Who will win: aespa

Best Dance Performance Male Solo

• MARK - “1999”

• KEY - “HUNTER”

• G-DRAGON - “TOO BAD (feat. Anderson .Paak)”

• j-hope - “MONA LISA”

• KAI - “Wait On Me”

Who should win: G-DRAGON

Who will win: G-DRAGON

Best Dance Performance Female Solo

• DAYOUNG - “body”

• MINNIE - “HER”

• JENNIE - “like JENNIE”

• JISOO - “earthquake”

• KARINA (aespa) - “UP”

Who should win: DAYOUNG

Who will win: JENNIE

Best Dance Performance Male Group

• SEVENTEEN - “THUNDER”

• BOYNEXTDOOR - “IF I SAY, I LOVE YOU”

• NCT DREAM - “When I’m With You”

• NCT WISH - “poppop”

• PLAVE - “Dash”

• RIIZE - “Fly Up”

• TWS - “Countdown!”

Who should win: RIIZE

Who will win: TWS

BEST DANCE PERFORMANCE FEMALE GROUP

• ILLIT - “Cherish (My Love)”

• aespa - “Whiplash”

• BABYMONSTER - “DRIP”

• BLACKPINK - “JUMP”

• IVE - “REBEL HEART”

• LE SSERAFIM - “HOT”

Who should win: BABYMONSTER

Who will win: aespa

BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE SOLO

• DOYOUNG - “Memory”

• Roy Kim - “If You Ask Me What Love Is”

• LEE MU JIN - “Coming Of Age Story”

• TAEYEON - “Letter To Myself”

• ROSÉ - “toxic till the end”

Who should win: Roy Kim

Who will win: Lee Mu Jin

BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE GROUP

• DAVICHI - “Stitching”

• HIGHLIGHT - “Endless Ending”

• MEOVV - “DROP TOP”

• TREASURE - “YELLOW”

• ZEROBASEONE - “Doctor! Doctor!”

Who should win: DAVICHI

Who will win: ZEROBASEONE

BEST BAND PERFORMANCE

• N.Flying - “Everlasting”

• CNBLUE - “A Sleepless Night”

• DAY6 - “Maybe Tomorrow”

• QWER- “Dear”

• Xdinary Heroes - “Beautiful Life”

Who should win: Xdinary Heroes

Who will win: DAY6

BEST RAP & HIP HOP PERFORMANCE

• HAON - “Skrr (Feat. GISELLE of aespa)”

• Dynamicduo & GUMMY - “Take Care”

• BIG Naughty - “MUSIC (Feat. LEE CHANHYUK)”

• pH-1 - “Life Is A Movie (Feat. Jung Zi So)”

• TABLO & RM - “Stop The Rain (TABLO X RM)”

Who should win: BIG Naughty

Who will win: TABLO & RM

BEST COLLABORATION

• MARK - “Fraktsiya (Feat. Lee Young Ji)”

• JENNIE & Doechii - “ExtraL (Feat. Doechii)”

• G-DRAGON - “TOO BAD (feat. Anderson .Paak)”

• ROSÉ, Bruno Mars - “APT.”

• V & Park Hyo Shin - “Winter Ahead (With Park Hyo Shin)”

Who should win: G-DRAGON

Who will win: ROSÉ, Bruno Mars

BEST OST

• Park Hyo Shin - “HERO (From the Film ‘Firefighters’)” (Firefighters OST)

• TOMORROW X TOGETHER - “When the Day Comes” (Resident Playbook OST)

• BOYNEXTDOOR - “Never Loved This Way Before” (Odd Girl Out OST)

• HUNTR/X - “Golden” (Netflix - KPop Demon Hunters OST)

• Saja Boys - “Soda Pop” (Netflix - KPop Demon Hunters OST)

Who should win: Park Hyo Shin

Who will win: HUNTR/X

BEST MUSIC VIDEO

• LEE CHANHYUK - “Vivid LaLa Love”

• JENNIE - “ZEN”

• aespa - “Dirty Work”

• ALLDAY PROJECT - “FAMOUS”

• BLACKPINK - “JUMP”

Who should win: Lee Chanhyuk

Who will win: JENNIE

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY

• JENNIE - “like JENNIE”

• aespa - “Whiplash”

• ALLDAY PROJECT - “WICKED”

• CORTIS - “GO!”

• G-DRAGON - “TOO BAD (feat. Anderson .Paak)”

Who should win: G-DRAGON

Who will win: JENNIE

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

• aespa

• AHOF

• ALLDAY PROJECT

• Baby DONT Cry

• BABYMONSTER

• Baekhyun

• BOYNEXTDOOR

• CLOSE YOUR EYES

• CORTIS

• ENHYPEN

• G-Dragon

• Hearts2Hearts

• i-dle

• IDID

• IVE

• izna

• j-hope

• Jennie

• Jin

• Jisoo

• KickFlip

• KiiiKiii

• LE SSERAFIM

• Mark

• RIIZE

• Rosé

• SEVENTEEN

• Stray Kids

• Taeyeon

• TWICE

• TXT

• Yuqi

• ZEROBASEONE

Who should win: Stray Kids

Who will win: G-DRAGON

Song of the Year

• aespa – “Dirty Work”

• aespa – “Whiplash”

• ALLDAY PROJECT – “FAMOUS”

• ALLDAY PROJECT – “WICKED”

• BABYMONSTER – “DRIP”

• BIG Naughty – “MUSIC (feat. Lee Chanhyuk)”

• BLACKPINK – “JUMP”

• BOYNEXTDOOR – “IF I SAY, I LOVE YOU”

• BOYNEXTDOOR – “Never Loved This Way Before”

• CNBLUE – “A Sleepless Night”

• CORTIS – “GO!”

• Davichi – “Stitching”

• DAY6 – “Maybe Tomorrow”

• Dayoung – “body”

• Doyoung – “Memory”

• Dynamic Duo and Gummy – “Take Care”

• G-Dragon – “TOO BAD (feat. Anderson .Paak)”

• HAON – “Skrr (feat. Giselle)”

• HIGHLIGHT – “Endless Ending”

• HUNTR/X – “GOLDEN”

• ILLIT – “Cherish (My Love)”

• IVE – “REBEL HEART”

• j-hope – “MONA LISA”

• Jennie – “like JENNIE”

• Jennie – “ZEN”

• Jennie and Doechii – “ExtraL”

• Jisoo – “earthquake”

• Kai – “Wait On Me”

• Karina – “UP”

• Key – “HUNTER”

• LE SSERAFIM – “HOT”

• Lee Chanhyuk – “Vivid LaLa Love”

• Lee Mu Jin – “Coming of Age Story”

• Mark – “1999”

• Mark – “Fraktsiya (feat. Lee Young Ji)”

• MEOVV – “DROP TOP”

• Minnie – “HER”

• N.Flying – “Everlasting”

• NCT DREAM – “WHEN I’M WITH YOU”

• NCT WISH – “poppop”

• Park Hyo Shin – “HERO”

• pH-1 – “Life Is A Movie (feat. Jung Zi So)”

• PLAVE – “Dash”

• QWER – “Dear”

• RIIZE – “Fly Up”

• Rosé – “toxic till the end”

• Rosé and Bruno Mars – “APT.”

• Roy Kim – “If You Ask Me What Love Is”

• Saja Boys – “Soda Pop”

• SEVENTEEN – “THUNDER”

• Tablo and RM – “Stop The Rain”

• Taeyeon – “Letter To Myself”

• TREASURE – “YELLOW”

• TWS – “Countdown”

• TXT – “When the Day Comes”

• V – “Winter Ahead (with Park Hyo Shin)”

• Xdinary Heroes – “Beautiful Life”

• ZEROBASEONE – “Doctor! Doctor

Who should win: G-DRAGON

Who will win: G-DRAGON

Album of the Year

• aespa – Whiplash

• ATEEZ – GOLDEN HOUR : Part.2

• BABYMONSTER – DRIP

• Baekhyun – Essence of Reverie

• BOYNEXTDOOR – No Genre

• ENHYPEN – DESIRE : UNLEASH

• G-Dragon – Übermensch

• i-dle – We are

• IVE – IVE EMPATHY

• Jin – Happy

• NCT DREAM – DREAMSCAPE

• NCT WISH – COLOR

• PLAVE – Caligo Pt.1

• RIIZE – ODYSSEY

• SEVENTEEN – SPILL THE FEELS

• Stray Kids – KARMA

• TXT – The Star Chapter: TOGETHER

• ZEROBASEONE – NEVER SAY NEVER

Who should win: Stray Kids

Who will win: G-DRAGON

There are also fan choice categories for male and female artists. I think G-DRAGON is going to clean up, but the rest is more difficult to pick. Jennie was nominated so many times, she’s definitely going home with awards, and I’d be surprised to see aespa shut out. On the boys' side, it’s anyone’s guess.

Speaking of the MAMA Awards, here are my ten favorite MAMA performances:

EXO (2013) - A year into their careers, EXO showcased tremendous stamina in both vocals and dance.

Monsta X and Seventeen (2015): Monsta X and Seventeen are very different, but ten years ago they delivered an amazing rookie collab stage showcasing each group’s strengths.

BTS 2016: BTS were on fire in 2016, and this performance showed they could do it all and foreshadowed massive success.

NCT 127 (2017): The charisma of 127 was undeniable during this performance. Specifically, that V formation during Cherry Bomb.

Monsta X (2018): The beast idols of Monsta X ushered in a new era of boy groups with this performance.

Ateez (2019): I was unfamiliar with Ateez when this performance began. By the end of it, I was blown away and couldn’t believe they didn’t win Best New Group that year.

Stray Kids (2020) - While the 2022 performance is legendary, this one felt like the fearless prince coming for the king. They were ready to snatch the crown that night and did so in convincing fashion.

Treasure (2022): I liked Treasure’s songs, but hadn’t seen many live performances. After this one, I’ll always feel like Treasure is underrated.

J-hope (2022): If ever there was a superstar performance, this is it.

BIGBANG (2024): Your idols' favorite idols, BIGBANG, thrilled everyone with their reunion performance.

There will be no newsletter for the next two weeks because I’m traveling. See you in November!

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I missed out on being a Directioner. While younger fans were transfixed by One Direction, I was still going to Backstreet Boys concerts. It’s not that I didn’t like One Direction; they just weren’t of my generation. However, as a music nerd, I’m very familiar with all five members and their catalogs.

Zayn has always been my favorite voice in the group. While Harry Styles may be a critical darling and have more commercial success, I far prefer Zayn’s sound and artistry. I loved “Pillowtalk” and haven’t stopped playing “Love Like This” since its release in 2023.

Skilled at harmonizing, it makes sense that Zayn would collaborate with other artists. He found success with “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever” with Taylor Swift, but it was his duet with Sia, “Dusk Till Dawn,” that showcased artistry with proven staying power.

I was excited to hear about his new release with Blackpink’s Jisoo. Unfortunately for both, “Eyes Closed” doesn’t quite live up to Zayn’s previous collaborations. Jisoo sounds great, with soft, low notes that highlight her vocal strengths. Zayn also delivers a solid vocal performance —so what went wrong?

Well, the track doesn’t go anywhere. The verses are pretty basic, both lyrically and musically. This left me waiting for a huge chorus that never came. The whole song exists on a parallel level. Instead of leaving me wanting more, I was ready to press skip.

They could’ve knocked it out of the park with the right song, but sadly, this one is just okay, if forgettable. The good news is that they both look fantastic in the futuristic music video that harkens back to late ‘90s pop videos.

NMIXX Continue Winning Streak With First Full Album

Although they’ve been together for three years, NMIXX has just released their first full album. While previous EPs, mini-albums, and singles gave fans a solid understanding of who NMIXX were, Blue Valentine cements their musical style with a variety of offerings that stay distinctly in their weird, wonderful world.

The six-member girl group from JYP has always stood out for their different sound and vibe. Sonically, it’s usually strange. There are tones and choices made in NMIXX’s music that aren’t happening with other K-pop groups. Whether it works or not is entirely subjective, but for me I love their sound!

The title track and album opener, “Blue Valentine,” features the signature NMIXX switch-ups but feels a little tame compared to the rest of the album. I really liked the strange pre-chorus, and the music video captures that section perfectly. Tame for NMIXX is still innovative in K-pop, and I predict “Blue Valentine” will perform well for them.

“SPINNIN’ ON IT” (the pre-release track) and “Phoenix” set a solid tone that NMIXX fans are sure to love. Both songs have their signature sound, but the haunting layering and harmonics of “Phoenix” stand out to me. Then, “Reality Hurts” and “RICO” deliver two absolute bangers.

“Reality Hurts” brings deep bass signaling a strong dance track in the vein of Kim Petras or Lady Gaga’s darker offerings. The end of the verse is full of attitude and confidence befitting of the group, and Sullyhoon nails it. The vocal fry-laden chorus is cool and unique, just like Lily, who earned a writing credit for this one. “Reality Hurts” leans into English while “RICO” contains Spanish lyrics and a beat sure to get you dancing.

“Game Face” sounds more K-pop than the previous tracks, but they play with the melody, taking a song from good to great. NMIXX has a knack for going low when you think the song is going high and hitting a high note when a traditional melody would’ve gone low. The chorus here is perhaps the brightest on the album, while “Crush on You” is the most traditional.

“ADORE U” plays with rock to deliver an effective power ballad with beautiful harmonies, and “Shape of Love” elevates a moody mid-tempo track with energetic instrumentals and a soaring chorus. I would’ve cut the last two songs from this album. While they’re not bad, they don’t bring the same feel as the rest of the album.

That said, I’m not sure I’ve felt this enthusiastic about an album since maybe Stray Kids. Song after song after song, I felt excited and left wanting more. For someone like me who listens to so many releases, trust me when I say that feeling is rare. The strongest string of music on Blue Valentine spans from “Phoenix” to “Game Face,” with four songs that could easily serve as title tracks.

I want to give a specific shoutout to the composers and producers of NMIXX’s music. The drums are always placed so well. It may not seem like a big deal, but the placement and volume of the drums craft a unique sound we’ve grown accustomed to with NMIXX. All the members can really sing, but a few have interesting tones not found in their peers. This combination makes NMIXX one of my favorite girl groups.

They also just brought back Halloween/costume dance practices:

Song Rankings, Bias, and Album Standout

Here are my favorite songs upon first listen of Blue Valentine, ranked from favorite to least favorite:

1. Reality Hurts

2. Game Face

3. Phoenix

4. RICO

5. SPINNIN’ ON IT

6. Shape of Love

7. Blue Valentine

8. ADORE U

9. Podium

10. Crush on You

11. O.O Pt 1 (Baila)

12. O.O Pt. 2 (Superhero)

Bias: Bae

Album Standout: Lily. Her voice stood out, and she has a writing credit on my favorite track. However, all six members killed it on this album. Best vocal line of the 4th gen girl groups.

Twice Delivers Subpar Vocals on a Big Stage

NMIXX’s labelmates, Twice, have also had a big week, but I’d say it hasn't been as positive. During fan wars, Twice fans point out that their group can sing at every opportunity. In a world full of girl groups who lip-sync, this has become one of their defining characteristics. Based on live performance videos and concert footage, where they sound good, I understand why fans would hang their hat on Twice’s vocal ability.

However, on Wednesday night, four members performed at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, and it was surprisingly shaky. Even with a back track, Momo was the only member who didn’t go off-key. The others struggled with varying degrees to find the note and not go flat. The first song wasn’t great, but “Strategy” was particularly rough (starting at 3:00 in the video below). Tzyu is being bullied online as if she were the only subpar performer, but I expect more from Twice’s two aces, Nayeon and Jihyo.

Perhaps it’s the nasal tone or projection style of Twice, but the performance didn’t seem to translate well for many Americans watching on Wednesday. (The comments from non-K-pop fans on X were exceptionally brutal.)

Was it just a bad night? My educated guess is that their team had nothing to do with the live audio engineering and mix. When groups tour, not only do most now have loud backing tracks, but staff also monitor individual microphones in real time to keep them in tune and on pitch, making adjustments as often as needed. It’s become autotune on steroids.

This performance, compared to concert footage, makes me think they’re using some of these enhancements during live shows, which weren’t available at the fashion show. It also really hurt them to only send four members. This week, they released an album celebrating 10 years, and with concert tickets going on sale, it was a major missed opportunity for the group.

The most bizarre part is Twice fans saying, “they sounded great,” and passionately arguing with anyone who disagrees. If that sounded good, the bar is far too low. It’s okay to admit when your favs have an off night. Even Whitney Houston had bad nights!

5 Songs I’m Obsessed With This Week

Reality Hurts - NMIXX

ICONIC - xikers

Deja-Vu - Chen

That’s That - AMPERS&ONE

UP TO YOU - Chanyeol

Next week, I’ll share my thoughts on this year’s MAMA Award nominations!

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A.C.E should’ve been bigger. They had all the components for a successful K-pop group: great songs, choreography, voices, and looks. So what happened? Most of the time in the music business, talent accounts for 1%, and luck, connections, and business make up the other 99%. Unfortunately for A.C.E., they were signed to a smaller label that didn’t have the funds and connections to push them to the top.

I was lucky enough to see A.C.E. here in Los Angeles last year. I had been a fan for a long time but had no idea what to expect from the live show. I walked away an even bigger fan, blown away by their vocals and in-person charisma, especially Jun’s.

He was always the most conventionally handsome (in my opinion) and had a great voice, but I was surprised by the star power Jun had on stage. Often in groups, we don't get a genuine sense of who a performer is until we see them in concert. Stray Kids Felix is an excellent example of this. A sweet member, known for baking brownies and being cute, becomes an aggressive performer you can’t look away from. J-hope is another prime example.

In A.C.E., Jun was that member. The group's contracts with Beat Interactive ended in March, and they decided to pursue solo activities for the foreseeable future. It wasn’t surprising to me that Jun set up his own agency immediately and has now released his debut solo album under his full name Junhee.

I love a good concept, and in The First Day & Night, Junhee brings us along for a day in his life. Each song represents a specific time on a single day, taking listeners on an emotional, pop-filled journey of love and loss.

The pre-release single, “Supernova,” was previously listed among my songs I’m obsessed with. While the song is good, the music video is what grabbed me. Junhee seemed ready to step into the solo spotlight with stylish outfits and choreography complementing the storytelling.

The title track of The First Day & Night, and the album opener, “Umbrella,” is a bright pop song with lyrics lamenting the realization that he’s being used. “You only call me when the raindrops falling down. You only call when it’s gray and freezing out.” He’s in love, but he’s being used. While the music doesn’t quite fit the sad feeling of the lyrics, it’s so bright and catchy that I can’t help but call it feel-good. It’s also how Junhee starts this day at 10 am.

After stressing over his relationship, he reunites with the four other members of A.C.E at 12:30 pm for “Tattoo,” a youthful track promising to never forget. It seems fitting that the leader would bring his members along on his first solo album, and the track works although it doesn’t quite live up to A.C.E.’s songs.

My album standout happens at 6 pm. “Sugar” gives Junhee the opportunity to show off impressive vocals and artistry. His delivery reeks of sincerity, belting out “we’re like salt and sugar,” as he pleads his case to a recent ex, whom he thought he would marry. The synths add a layer of sophistication to what could’ve easily been a standard ballad.

By 2 am, Junhee and his ex have reunited, and he’s now awake, realizing he always loved her more than she loved him. “Night”, the only song on The First Day & Night that Junhee wrote and produced, is also the most vulnerable piece of the album.

This is a strong debut that Junhee and his fans should be proud of. It’s rare to have a cohesive album concept these days, and he executed it well. I love a good story, and the first chapter of Junhee’s solo career was a page-turner.

Taeyong Surprises Fans With “501"

I let out a loud gasp as I was scrolling through Twitter (yes, I still call it Twitter) this week. My NCT bias, Taeyong, released a new song and music video out of nowhere. While we have to wait a few more months for Taeyong to officially be back from military service in December, this song reminds fans of what we’ve been missing. In fact, the top comment on YouTube is currently “kpop is so boring without this man.”

I have to be honest, the first minute of the track, I didn’t know what to make of it. But I was quickly reminded why Taeyong has been a long-time favorite when the hook dropped. “501” is dark, sinister, and bold. The music video has Taeyong sporting bright red hair, an edgy outfit, and plenty of black. It almost feels like he’s entertaining demons in hell. Instead of being fearful, he’s their leader.

While his looks are indeed striking, Taeyong is not a cookie-cutter idol. Much like “501,” he’s weird, definitely wild, and walks to the beat of his own drum. Most of all, he’s fearless. Taeyong dives in when others are hesitant. Remember when NCT 127 first heard “Sticker”? The other members were horrified, but Taeyong was excited.

Taeyong could easily go the route of his peers and play it safe. Instead, he challenges himself and consistently goes to places other idols would fear. His authenticity has helped him rise to the top in an industry built on manufactured perfection. As the YouTube comment said, K-pop is boring without Taeyong. December can’t come fast enough.

Pentagon Celebrates 9th Anniversary

Like A.C.E., Pentagon should’ve been bigger. One of my favorite groups of all time deserved better, and it drives me nuts that most fans give me a blank look when I mention them. The nine-member group debuted nine years ago today, on October 10, 2016.

I found Pentagon while reviewing their 2020 release, “Daisy.” In a great year of K-pop releases, “Daisy” stood out for its distinct sound and a melody oozing with angst. I was immediately a fan, but it wasn’t until their 2022 release, IN:VITE U, that they moved into my top five groups.

Lead single “Feeling Like” was good, but the B-sides, specifically, “Call My Name,” were brilliant. In fact, I still listen to it regularly. People celebrate self-produced groups, but I rarely see Pentagon on those lists. The members are talented songwriters and producers responsible for the group’s biggest hits.

In 2023, Cube Entertainment announced that members Yeo One, Yan An, Yuto, Kino, and Wooseok did not renew their contract with the company, though the group would not be disbanding. A month later, Hongseok followed and left Cube, and earlier this year, Jinho and Hui’s contracts ended.

While the group didn’t officially break up, they haven’t released new music since 2023. Yesterday, they reunited for their anniversary, giving fans a glimmer of hope that the members will reunite and release new music again one day.

5 Songs I’m Obsessed With This Week

501 - Taeyong

Sugar - Junhee

Call My Name - Pentagon

Down - A.C.E

Ruin My Life - BOYNEXTDOOR

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Things are not okay in EXO’s universe. With Sehun finally done with his military service, Exols were hopeful a complete group comeback was on the horizon. Kai announced it was, in fact, and to my surprise, SM then confirmed a December comeback and a 2026 world tour.

This almost made me think that a resolution between the label and EXO members Chen, Baekhyun, and Xiumin (referred to as CBX) had quietly been reached. There was a brief moment when it seemed everything might work out. Fans of EXO know that for them, this is never the case.

In 2023, CBX left SM after accusing the label of wrongdoing. According to them, SM refused to show them the profit settlement data, leading the members to believe that SM had pocketed their profits. The three members also submitted a complaint to the Korea Fair Trade Commission.

After this, both sides reached an agreement where CBX would conduct individual activities through Baekyun’s new agency INB100, but would keep their group contracts with SM. Everything seemed fine, right? Wrong.

In 2024, SM filed a lawsuit against the three members, stating that all three had agreed to pay SM 10% of the profits from their individual activities. CBX held a press conference and refuted these claims, stating that they had agreed to 5.5% not 10%.

Last month, both sides sat down for mediation, but the talks ended without an agreement. This week, they attempted to resolve the dispute again, but were unsuccessful.

Now that mediation has failed twice, the matter will go to trial. No date has been announced, but if mediation took over a year to happen, who knows how long a full trial will take. One thing is for sure, it won’t happen before EXO’s scheduled December comeback.

I feel for all the members of EXO. Chen, Baekhyun, and Xiumin have every right to leave a company that they feel isn't living up to their contractual agreement. This doesn’t happen more often because the entertainment companies (and their lawyers) usually win.

Artists have been exploited, used, and abused since the beginning of time. For every one of them who says, “I’m leaving, I’m not putting up with this,” a hundred more will gladly step into their shoes. It’s an industry built on exploitation. Both members who stayed and those who left will be negatively impacted. No one wants this, but sleazy label executives who wish to deter future artists from advocating for themselves or breaking their contracts.

I’m rooting for all the members. Sadly, I think my dream of seeing EXO live is over for the foreseeable future. I’ll support the remaining members in what they do, but can an EXO release really be an EXO release without CBX? Perhaps CBX should return to their subunit days and release music as a trio.

HYBE’s Bang PD Not Allowed To Leave Korea as Criminal Probe Deepens

SM aren’t the only shady executives in the news this week. My (least) favorite K-pop titan, Bang PD’s insider trading and tax evasion investigation is heating up. After hiding out most of the last year in the US and other countries, the Korean government took measures to ensure he doesn’t skip town again. When he finally returned on August 11, he was hit with a travel ban preventing him from leaving Korea indefinitely.

The disgraced founder of HYBE is accused of misleading investors by concealing plans to go public in 2019, denying any intention to pursue an IPO (initial public offering). He then pressured investors to sell their shares to a private equity fund established by HYBE executives. The fund sold its stake after the IPO and Bang profited $135 million.

He’s been questioned multiple times by the police and denies all wrongdoing. The HYBE offices were also raided (months and months after the fact). A few years ago, I would’ve guessed he’d get off, no questions asked. With recent changes in the government of South Korea, I’m not so sure how this will play out. Most likely, he’ll evade responsibility, and one or two fall guys will go to jail, but there’s a slim possibility we may see Bang PD behind bars.

5 Songs I’m Obsessed With This Week

I’ll Never Love Again - WOODZ

Let Loose - Jackson Wang

Blooming Day - EXO-CBX

Social - from20

Put it on Me - Eaj

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BTS was my gateway drug to K-pop. While I will never support their label, I still find myself enjoying their music. When they reunited after military service, I was more excited than I thought I’d be. It was like seeing an ex all of a sudden and realizing you may not have fully moved on.

This week, the group could be found on movie theater screens worldwide for the start of BTS Movie Weeks, a two-week-long celebration of live performances spanning the career of the seven-member phenomenon.

On Wednesday night, I quietly found my seat in a movie theater in Los Angeles for 2016’s “The Most Beautiful Moment in Life on Stage” tour. I was shocked at the diversity of the crowd. I’ve been doing this long enough that I shouldn’t be, but it still blows me away that K-pop can bring so many different types of people together.

In my row, a couple in their 80s enthusiastically waved Army Bombs while a little girl in front of me yelled “Jimin!” the first time he appeared on screen. A guy in his 30s sang every word while his girlfriend smiled. Beside them, a group of friends waved their hands from side to side and did fan chants all night.

Three things stood out to me about BTS in 2016. One, they were AMAZING performers. They did high-intensity songs with ridiculous choreography while singing live without a backing track. Groups today don’t do that. They don’t.

“Danger” is one of my favorite BTS choreographies. It’s so demanding and just gets harder and harder as the song goes on. They nailed it with live vocals and PERFECT choreography. Many of these groups are incredibly talented, but BTS had a synchronicity and hunger that stood out.

The second thing that jumped out to me was that Namjoon (stage name RM) was a more aggressive performer back in the day. His flow, stage presence, and ambition were evident the entire concert. In recent years, he has faded back and let others shine, but he has the aggression of Suga and the presence of J-hope when he wants to turn it on.

Three, BTS will never get back to what they once were. This is not a knock on them at all. It’s a nod to the inevitability of aging and reaching massive success. The glimmer and hunger in their eyes, which they each had during the 2016 concert, look different in 2025.

I don’t have the same spark I did at twenty. It’s evolved and refined itself through years of experience. So has theirs, but when BTS were coming up, there was no question that they would become a household name and change the game.

I’d suggest that anyone unfamiliar with their early work go back and watch their live performances. They’ve earned every ounce of their success. Sure, they may never get back to their younger selves, but they have the opportunity to create something just as good. Are they hungry enough to do that? I guess we’ll see in 2026.

On Wednesday night, I was reminded why I got into BTS all those years ago and have a renewed passion for the group. BTS were my first K-pop love, and although time and age have changed things, they’re still special, and I know now that I will forever be a fan.

Two New Solo Albums From EXO Members

It’s no secret I love EXO and their solo work. While Baekhyun is my EXO bias and favorite K-pop vocalist, I’ve actually listened more to Suho’s solo work because of specific songs like “Morning Star” and “Decanting.” While he’s released new projects since then, nothing has quite lived up to Grey Suit for me.

His new release, Who Are You - The 4th Album, presents Suho unafraid to experiment with new sounds and have fun. The results are good, not great. Lead single, “Who Are You,” starts with a sense of humor and maintains a happy beat throughout. Suho has embraced his rock side, and he carries it well. My favorite track is “Medicine,” an 80s throwback complete with synths and a Thomas Dolby-like chorus.

On the other side of the coin, fellow EXO member Chanyeol continues to delve into a more indie/alternative rock sound on his latest release, Upside Down - The 2nd Mini Album. As a rapper in EXO, Chanyeol’s solo work offers fans a completely different side of his artistry and identity. Luckily, this release lives up to the promise of his previous release, Black Out.

The title track, “Upside Down”, is a solid single, but “High and Dry” and “Happy Accident” are the album's standouts. Chanyeol has always struck me as a nice guy, happy to let others have the spotlight. When it shines on him, though, he’s a star. Authentic, interesting, and talented.

K-pop Idols Continue to Dominate Fashion Week

While the general public may underestimate the value of K-pop idols, fashion houses completely get it. In recent years, Hollywood movie stars and “it girls” have been overshadowed at fashion week by Korean idols.

Designers and their investors have been at the forefront of brand deals for idols, rocketing them into individual brands as opposed to simply members of a boy or girl group.

Over the past few weeks, labels held shows for their Spring/Summer 26 lines in Paris, London, Milan, and New York City, where Jungkook was the main event at Calvin Klein. In London, Stray Kids Seungmin looked sharp at Burberry.

Milan had the largest turnout of idols. Seventeen’s leader, S. Coups, closed the Hugo Boss show. Stray Kids Bang Chan stunned at Fendi where he sat inbetween the CEO of Fendi and fellow Aussie, Naomi Watts.

Meanwhile, all seven members of Enhypen attended the Prada show along with Twice’s Sana and Karina from aespa. Jin from BTS was the star attraction at Gucci, and Twice’s Momo and Seventeen’s Joshua were seated next to each other at Onitsuka Tiger.

It wouldn’t be Milan Fashion Week without the face of Versace, Hyunjin. “Versace’s Prince,” as Donatella Versace affectionately calls him, has helped renew the brand to a younger generation and catapulted his star into a new galaxy.

5 Songs I’m Obsessed With This Week

Butterfly - BTS

High and Dry - Chanyeol

Morning Star - Suho

No More Dream - BTS

Epilogue: Young Forever - BTS

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By my estimate, JYP stands at the top of current Korean popular music. Besides the massive success of Twice and Stray Kids, the label is home to Korea’s most popular rock band. With idol looks and catchy pop-rock tunes, DAY6 have become a staple for domestic and international fans. Their chart success in Korea has cemented them as the leaders of the national rock music scene.

Songs like “You Were Beautiful” and “Congratulations” are well-known hits lamenting lost love. The group has experimented with various sounds and lyrical content since debuting in 2015, but their loyal fan base has loved it all. Music isn’t the only variable that changes with DAY6. The original lineup included six members (hence the name), but Junhyeok and Jae have since left the band.

DAY6’s The DECADE is aptly titled since the group is celebrating its tenth anniversary. The celebration dips its toes into various genres, offering listeners a diverse array of sounds to choose from. Unlike Western rock bands, which typically feature a single lead singer, DAY6 follows the K-pop model of multiple group members sharing vocal responsibilities. Young K, Sungjin, and Wonpil take on the majority of vocals, with Dowoon picking up a few lines here and there.

A Buffet of Sounds

Single, “Inside Out” is a catchy pop-rock song where the phrasing in the verses, backed by a nice bass riff, is the most interesting part of the song. The track evokes a bit of nostalgia for longtime DAY6 listeners. Is it groundbreaking? No. Is “Inside Out” a solid song? Yes.

The rest of the album, however, has songs that piqued my interest more. “Sun, Stay Asleep” is a bright pop track that I immediately added to my morning playlist. Although the lyrics tell a story about wanting a good night to last forever, the horns and happy guitar notes feel more like a joyful morning walk in the sunshine.

“Disco Day” is straight from the 70s. I love how they incorporated strings, a common feature in many disco songs of the era. The chorus is reminiscent of Bee Gees hits, featuring high vocals.

Maybe it’s because I just saw them at the Rose Bowl, but I’ve been listening to a lot of Oasis recently. “Before the Stars” has a bit of a Noel Gallagher-like guitar opening. Although the song doesn’t quite pull off the Oasis sound, it works well enough to bring 90s rock to the project.

“Our Season” boasts an earnest quality, featuring sincere vocal performances. DAY6’s music feels very sincere to me. While I prefer a bit more grit from rock bands, I think DAY6 does what they do as well as anyone. As I mentioned previously, the model is not a Western one. Korean rock has its own sound, and there’s something fun and refreshing about experiencing a new take on it if you keep your mind open.

The DECADE showcases a myriad of styles DAY6 can pull off. While fans may argue over their favorite songs, the album gives listeners plenty of good music to vibe to. Isn’t that the point?

Song Rankings

Here are my favorite songs from The DECADE upon first listen, ranked from favorite to least favorite:

1. Sun, Stay Asleep

2. Inside Out

3. Dream Rider

4. Disco Day

5. Our Season

6. Before the Stars

7. So It’s the End

8. Dream Bus

9. Take All My Heart

10. My Way

Ateez Release a No-Skip Japanese Album

Ateez continues to surprise me. They rarely go in the direction I anticipate for new releases. If I’m expecting a hard hip-hop track, they release a smooth EDM song. On their latest Japanese release, Ashes to Light, they offer fans a more introspective, grounded, and mature project, complete with their signature fire.

The title track, “Ash,” starts with a slow build, comparing the end of a relationship to ash floating away in the wind. It’s dramatic, cool, and made me lean in for more. A beat in the pre-chorus lets the listener know the song isn’t a mid-tempo ballad but, in fact, a dance track. I was pleasantly surprised by this revelation, and it set the tone for an interesting album.

The group has a laser focus on the future while proudly dancing in the ashes of their past. For Ateez, it’s a past to be proud of. The K-pop trailblazers have achieved massive success with fans around the world, consistently innovating and keeping their fan base, ATINY, on their toes.

The rest of the nine-song album features several slower songs that delve into the emotional depth of the eight-member group. I specifically connected to “Crescendo” and “Forevermore.”

Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of upbeat tracks as well, with “FACE” and “Birthday” bringing energy and attitude. I specifically liked the flute at the beginning of “Birthday.”

K-pop Heavyweights Coming to Coachella

Justin Bieber is set to headline Coachella 2026, alongside Sabrina Carpenter and Karol G. K-pop representation will be provided by seasoned performers BIGBANG and Taemin. BIBBANG’s energetic music and lively performance are perfect for a festival like Coachella, and Taemin will surely gain even more fans after they see his amazing charisma in person.

I’m selfishly hoping T.O.P. makes his triumphant return to BIGBANG on the Coachella stage. Imagine how amazing that would be??

The festival doesn’t happen until April, but if you don’t want to cough up $649 for a ticket, you can watch Coachella live on YouTube for free. I highly recommend this option unless you ult BIGBANG or Taemin. Otherwise, enjoy your couch, air conditioning, and snacks with a close-up view from multiple camera angles.

EXO is FINALLY Home

I want to extend a massive welcome home to Sehun from EXO! The EXO members started enlisting in the military in 2019. With Sehun’s return today, they’re finally done with enlistment and back together. While on tour, Kai recently promised new music and an EXO tour in 2026. To the surprise of many, he wasn’t just teasing a vague date. SM confirmed plans the next day.

I wish every group would enlist the way BTS did, with all members going in at the same time. Sure, one and a half years is a long time, but six years is an eternity in K-pop years. Since EXO started enlisting, four members have left SM Entertainment. While the label will allow all nine to work together for EXO projects, it’s hard to imagine that’s an easy negotiation.

I hope it all works out and I FINALLY get to see EXO in concert. I’ve seen Baekhyun and Kai together in SuperM, but to see EXO is a bucket list item.

5 Songs I’m Obsessed With This Week

Sun, Stay Asleep - DAY6

Ash - Ateez

Trauma - The Rose

Tempo - EXO

Stupid - AB6IX

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This week brought a handful of interesting new K-pop releases, including Haechan, CIX, aespa, and Kang Daniel. One thing I love about writing my newsletter is the freedom to be honest in my reviews. I’m not worried about editors or publications sanitizing or censoring my voice. It’s difficult to admit when I don’t love music from my favorite artists, but if everything is good, nothing is good. (Apologies to my loyal podcast listeners who have heard me say this over and over again.) That said, this week had some good, bad, and everything in between.

Haechan Steps Into The Solo Spotlight

Fans of NCT have been waiting for Haechan’s solo debut for years. One of the most popular members of NCT units, NCT 127 and NCT Dream, Haechan’s vocals often stand out in a sea of other talented vocalists.

I’ve often called him Baekhyun Jr. His admiration for the EXO vocalists has shown during NCT reality shows and behind-the-scenes footage (I’ve watched a lot). So for his solo debut, I expected a bit of Baekhyun influence to come through, and it did.

On Taste - The 1st Album, Haechan delivers R&B grooves with a beautiful vocal quality. Although he doesn’t have the tone of Baekhyun, he has the technical skill. Aside from two songs, the album was produced by DEEZ, who clearly took heavy inspiration from The Neptunes’ production on Justin Timberlake’s solo debut album Justified.

Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo’s influence has surfaced everywhere in pop and K-pop recently. It’s not surprising that younger producers have caught on to their genius. Not only were they responsible for Justin Timberlake’s solo debut, but also crafted massive hits like “Milkshake” by Kelis, “I’m a Slave For You” by Britney Spears, and “You Don’t Have To Call” by Usher. My favorite Neptunes tracks come from their project N.E.R.D., which was truly ahead of its time, capturing a gritty, dangerous sound that highlighted the range of Williams and Hugo. “She Wants To Move” soundtracked my early days in New York City.

Haechan’s single “Crzy” is fun and has its moments, but doesn’t live up to the promise of the verses. Perhaps because of the evident heavy influence of “Like I Love You”, but I found it a bit flat, out of no fault of Haechan, who does his best with a lackluster chorus.

The rest of the album, similar to the single, has bright moments but doesn’t quite live up to Haechan’s talent. I’m a sucker for a good bassline, and “Talented” delivers an addictive groove. “Roll With Me” is one of two tracks not produced by DEEZ and the best song on the album. Here, Haechan’s voice is the star, not the production. He glides over the midtempo beat with shades of early Michael Jackson phrasing.

The influences are apparent on Haechan’s solo debut album, but who he is as an artist remains a bit of a mystery. The songs, while pleasant enough, cannot match their original influences. For a solo album nine years in the making, SM could’ve done better.

CIX Continue to Find Their Footing Post Jinyoung

When reviewing CIX during their 2022 tour, I saw their talent and promise, but to be honest, I couldn’t help but notice something was off. When you’ve seen as many boy bands as I have in concert, it becomes obvious which groups are friends and which ones are coworkers. This isn’t always a predictor of success, but it can affect live performance.

In 2022, it was clear to me that Jinyoung and the rest of the group didn’t vibe, so it wasn’t surprising when he left CIX in August of 2024. Jinyoung’s departure left a big hole that the remaining four members of CIX have been determined to fill.

Earlier this year, CIX released CIX 7th EP Album THUNDER FEVER. The first track, “Bad Moves,” deserved more noise, but the title track, “THUNDER,” is one of my favorite songs of the year.

Their new release CIX 8th EP Album GO Chapter 1: Go Together, may not live up to that album, but it’s a solid release while CIX finds their footing post Jinyoung. Title track “WONDER YOU” features haunting synths with a funky switchup in the pre-chorus. Hyunsuk’s breathy opening stands out on the single.

“S.O.S” opens the project, successfully playing with retro and rock sounds. I love the floaty chorus done beautifully by Seunghan and Yonghee. “UPSTANDER” is solid, and “IN MY DREAMS” is a beautiful ballad with a dreamy layered chorus, showing the remaining members of CIX have the chops to keep the group going and fans interested. I hope I get the opportunity to see them live again and observe if the chemistry has improved with the updated lineup. Musically, they’re right on track.

What’s Going on With aespa?

I’ll be honest, aespa is one of my favorite girl groups. While all four members are beautiful and serve stunning visuals, it’s their music that made me a loyal fan. Songs like “Next Level,” “Better Things,” and “Supernova” have been on repeat since their respective releases.

Recently, I haven’t connected with songs like “Dirty Work” as much, so I was hoping for a palate cleanser with their new release. “Rich Man”, the title track of the same-named mini album, is another letdown. The lyrics have the girls saying they don’t need a rich man like their mom told them to get, because they’re rich men themselves. While this message could resonate, it somehow falls flat.

The song reminds me of i-dle’s feminist-tinged tracks, such as “Wife” or “Tomboy,” but i-dle executed the concept better. Perhaps that’s because they write and produce some of their music while aespa is less hands-on. Or maybe the music videos for those songs were more effective?

Even if the girls sold it perfectly, the actual music is a drastic drop off from previous releases. It makes me wonder what’s happening at SM with aespa. When they debuted, they were supposed to be a group of eight, four members plus four virtual avatars. Things have changed, and while I wasn’t a massive fan of that concept, there’s something to be said about committing to K-pop lore and diving into the universe you create. The project is on pace to sell 31K units in the US opening week.

The other five songs on the mini-album left a lot to be desired, so I’m not going to do a lengthy review. Suffice it to say, it was disappointing, and I hope aespa gets back on track on their next release. All it takes is a few not well-received comebacks for a group to fall off permanently. Just ask ITZY.

Kang Daniel Celebrates the Small Things

The best music this week comes from Kang Daniel with “NO DAY”. In 2024, Kang Daniel underwent the public dissolution of his label, Konnect Entertainment. From the sound of it, a large shareholder embezzled money, and Daniel didn’t have the capital to keep it going himself.

Far too often, creatives lack a thorough understanding of the business side and are taken advantage of, which can lead to financial exploitation and theft. It’s a shame he had to deal with this, but musically, he’s never been better. Through his experiences, Daniel seems to have a renewed appreciation for the simple things in life.

He wrote the lyrics for the English-language “NO DAY,” celebrating life’s unremarkable days. In today’s world, it’s a pleasant reminder to enjoy things like taking a walk and sipping a cup of coffee. Musically, I just love the sound of this one. It’s bright, but light and poppy.

5 Songs I’m Obsessed With This Week

THUNDER - CIX

NO DAY - Kang Daniel

Roll With Me - Haechan

Ever After - MICO (feat. eaJ)

Too Late - JUSTB

I’m happy you’re enjoying my weekly reviews once again! Thank you for your support, messages, and engagement. Next week, it’s time to talk about bands. That’s right, I’m finally reviewing Day6 for the first time since 2021. Have a great weekend, friends.

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In a room full of K-pop idols, Monsta X are the cool guys. When asked who my favorite K-pop groups are, Monsta X is usually the first or second group out of my mouth. Their music, masculine imagery, and individual aura has always sucked me in.

I’ve reviewed numerous Monsta X releases and concerts, and I've been waiting for X, the group's first release since five of the six members completed their mandatory military service. X is aptly titled as the group and their fanbase, Monbebe, celebrate ten years of Monsta X.

Things have changed since the beast idols debuted in 2015. In 2019, Wonho was forced to leave the group after a bogus scandal threatened to ruin Monsta X. Despite it all, Wonho has gone on to have a successful solo career, and Monsta X has found increasing success as their international star has risen.

Monsta X has one of the most talented lineups in K-pop. Joohoney and I.M. are among the best, if not the best, rap unit, with entirely different styles that complement one another, harkening back to classic hip-hop groups like the Wu-Tang Clan, where style and flow varied wildly from member to member, adding more interest and excitement than groups with similar individual flows.

Kihyun is one of the best vocalists in the music industry, with many fans saying the “K” in K-pop stands for Kihyun. Meanwhile, Hyungwon’s gorgeous low tone is only upstaged by his model looks. The yin to Hyungwon’s yang is Minhyuk. Like Hyungwon, Minhyuk is tall with model looks, but he has a clear, higher voice that perfectly contrasts Hyungwon’s low notes. Shownu’s voice lands in the middle of these two with a distinct sound that stands toe to toe with his captivating dancing.

New and Improved?

It’s clear the group (or their management/label) thought it was time to switch things up for Monsta X’s ten-year anniversary. The prerelease “I Do What I Want” is more chaotic and free than the slick, sexy sound long-time listeners are accustomed to.

It borrows from 90s Brazilian house, with an addictive beat and a catchy hook. I’ve walked around singing it non-stop since its release a few weeks ago. (It helps that the title is also my personal catchphrase.) The music video went viral with the group dressed as sexy, shirtless goblins. The visuals were fun, different, and exciting. I also loved the performance video, which highlighted fresh choreography.

Based on the pre-release track, I had high hopes for the title track “N the Front.” Members Joohoney and I.M are usually credited on Monsta X songs as both rappers actually pen their own raps (not exactly common in K-pop). Joohoney has even penned the title track for album releases like “LOVE” and “Gambler.”

For this title track, the group looked outside to well-known K-pop producer Dem Jointz, the man responsible for some of my favorite K-pop tracks, including NCT 127’s “Cherry Bomb,” “Kick It,” and “Sticker.”

This time, he brings nine other songwriters with him on the 2:59 track. The result is an often muddy mix that grates on the ears. I’m not sure if it’s the compression, overused distortion, or simply a case of trying to do too much with too little time, but I found myself struggling to enjoy this song. It’s also hard to believe that ten people were involved in writing the simple lyrical content.

On “N the Front”, the verses work better than the chorus. I found myself nodding my head to Joohoney and I.M’s rap more than any other part of the song. They could’ve written something better over this track than what the outside songwriters gave them. Vocalists Minhyuk, Shownu, and Hyungwon are hidden behind effects and almost indistinguishable in the track. Kihyun hits the high notes with his usual attack, although it feels somewhat one-dimensional, lacking variety and nuance due to the song itself. The members try to sell it with Joohoney and Kihyun standing out.

It’s not the worst song ever, and I give Monsta X credit for embracing something new, but this is the type of track better suited for a less experienced group in need of studio tricks. It sounds like a song that many other groups could record, and historically, Monsta X’s catalog hasn’t been full of tracks that other groups could easily replicate. At this point in their career, Monsta X doesn’t need to chase trends. They’ve established themselves as leaders in the industry, so why do what a bunch of other groups are already doing?

The music video is a departure for Monsta X as well. While I loved the styling and close-up shots (they all look ridiculously handsome), I found the storyline a bit confusing. Don’t get me wrong, there are really fun elements, but I wanted to see more of the members and less of the extras. Like the song, it’s a case of way too much condensed into a short running time.

After the fun surprise of “I Do What I Want,” “N the Front” was a letdown.

B-Sides Bring It Back

Luckily, the rest of the album quickly gets back on track with Monsta X contributing to each of the remaining four songs on the six-track mini-album. “Savior” is a sexy mid-tempo track showcasing Monsta X as seductive grown men in their 30s. Unlike “N the Front,” this one highlights the distinct tones and talents of Kihyun, Shownu, Joohoney, Minhyuk, I.M., and Hyungwon.

“Tuscan Leather” could’ve and should’ve been the title track. It has the high energy they were clearly looking for, featuring driving hip-hop verses and a chorus for vocalists to show off, as well as touches of jazz piano and a throwback 90s beat. I.M’s signature tone shines during his parts. It’s complicated, cool, sophisticated, and fun. If that doesn’t describe Monsta X, I’m not sure what does.

"Catch Me Now," my favorite track from the project, may not be the most complex song, but the bass line and groove is truly addictive. Here, vocals are the star, and Monsta X delivers. Hyungwon, Minhyuk, and Shownu sound fantastic throughout the track. WARNING: The hook is perfect and will stay in your head long after the song finishes.

Hyungwon wrote the last song on X, “Fire and Ice.” He’s quietly become the ace songwriter of Monsta X’s b-sides, writing hits like “Secrets,” “Mercy,” “Nobody Else,” and “Wildfire.” “Fire and Ice” is another standout song to add to his impressive resume.

A signature intensity and longing characterize Hyungwon’s music. He brings drama, and his members know how to articulate it with their performances. I especially loved Kihyun’s low range on this one. Joohoney has proven himself as an all-rounder with excellent vocals, but don’t sleep on I.M.’s singing ability. When needed, he lends his distinctive tone and swagger to tracks with ease, as he does on “Fire and Ice.”

Although “N the Front” didn’t work for me, the rest of the album more than makes up for it. I’m most impressed by the evolution of Monsta X’s songwriting and performance. Their confidence doesn’t need to be screamed from the rooftops. A loud bridge like on “N the Front” is upstaged by the subdued bridge of “Fire and Ice.” While everyone else tries hard to grab the eyes and ears of K-pop fans, Monsta X doesn’t need to beg or demand the spotlight, as it effortlessly shines on these six guys no matter what they do. I just hope they trust the members instead of outside influences for the next title track.

Be sure to tune into Monsta X’s Killing Voice on September 9th! After watching Stray Kids kill it last week, I can’t wait to see another one of my favorite groups show the world they can really sing. More than any other show, Killing Voice also gives viewers a real feel of the personality of each group.

Song Rankings, Bias, and Album Member Standout

Here are my favorite songs upon first listen of X, ranked from favorite to least favorite:

1. Catch Me Now

2. Do What I Want

3. Tuscan Leather

4. Fire and Ice

5. Savior

6. N the Front

Bias: Kihyun

Wrecker: Hyungwon

Member Standout: Joohoney. This one was a close call, but Joohoney brought energy and spunk to every millisecond he was behind the mic.

10 Songs I’m Obsessed With This Week

In honor of their ten-year anniversary, here are ten of my favorite Monsta X B-sides:

Underwater - Take.1 Are You There (2018)

Myself - Take.1 Are You There (2018)

U R - Follow - Find You (2019)

Misbehave - All About Luv (2020)

Nobody Else - Fatal Love (2020)

Beastmode - Fatal Love (2020)

Secrets - One of a Kind (2021)

Ride With You - No Limit (2021)

The Dreaming - The Dreaming (2021)

And - Shape of Love (2022)

Next week, I’ll give my thoughts on new releases from CIX, Haechan, and more.

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