Did anyone else feel like this month flew by? Because it’s already time for another round of our K-Pop Hotspot! We’re sailing toward to end of the year, and our K-Pop playlists have never looked better. We hope you’ve enjoyed some of our seasonal content this month, from ITZY and aespa to Baekhyun and 4th Gen fall playlists.
But before we get into our roundup of October K-Pop comebacks, be sure to catch up on our full reviews for NMIXX, 82MAJOR, KANG YUCHAN, TXT, LE SSERAFIM, and LUCY!
ONEWE
Our beloved ONEWE kicks off the October K-Pop Hotspot with their fourth mini-album, MAZE: AD ASTRA! Dare we say it’s one of our favorite ONEWE EPs? We didn’t skip through a single track. Each song has such high-quality production that we can rely on ONEWE every time. The title track, ‘MAZE,’ is so fresh and fun, paired with a charming music video we can’t stop replaying. ‘Hide & Seek’ and ‘Beyond the Storm’ are just a few of our favorite B-sides.
Everyone say, “Happy 10th Anniversary, TWICE!” We can’t believe how quickly 10 years passed us by with our fave K-Pop girlies. Their special album, TEN: The Story Goes On, is nothing short of perfection. With the super sweet group title track, ‘ME+YOU,’ and nine solo songs, we’re fed to the fullest! The ‘ME+YOU’ music video recreates so many TWICE moments. The iconic ‘Like Ooh Ahh’ bus and outfits give us a blast from the past. And don’t ask us to pick our favorite solo songs; we love them all and can’t wait to see them on tour next year!
Is anyone in need of a hype song? Tune into BABYMONSTER’s second mini-album, WE GO UP! The high-energy title track, ‘WE GO UP,’ will get you out of your seat and on the dance floor (or wherever you need to be) in no time. The rap verses are straight fire, and we can’t stop singing the chorus. Their action-packed music video only seals the deal for this EP. Don’t sleep on their B-sides either! We especially love ‘PSYCHO’ and ‘WILD.’
A JISOO and Zayn duet was NOT on our 2025 K-Pop bingo card, but we’re not complaining one bit! Their new single, ‘EYES CLOSED,’ is about letting go and falling in love blindly. Not in the sense that you ignore someone’s red flags, but that you leave the past behind. Letting go of ex-lovers and people who have hurt us. The space-themed music video adds to the romantic vibe, and we’ve been obsessed ever since.
What a time to stan K-Bands. Hi-Fi Un!corn just released the Korean version of their hit, ‘Teenage Blue!’ It sounds like it could be the opening soundtrack of a coming-of-age anime. We’ll use it to give ourselves daily morning motivation. Their vocals never disappoint and sound great no matter how many times we hit replay. And if you haven’t heard of Hi-Fi Un!corn before this track, prepare to stan pure talent!
Next on our October K-Pop Hotspot is Bae Jinyoung’s first-ever solo mini-album, STILL YOUNG! His title track, ‘Round&Round,’ gives old school hip-hop vibes. He shows off his main dancer energy with killer choreography. And those B-side tracks? What a debut EP! Our favorite songs are ‘Playlist’ and ‘Click.’ We can’t wait to see what direction his solo discography will take.
This fall is heating up, and we have MEOVV to thank. With ‘BURNING UP,’ they don’t explode out of the gate. They ignite, slow and steady, until you realize you’re fully pulled in and burning with them. It’s that cool-headed fire: youthful confidence, sleek rhythm, and a vibe that doesn’t need to shout to dominate. MEOVV show us that a comeback can glow and scorch at the same time, and ‘BURNING UP’ proves they’re stepping into this season not just ready, but unstoppable.
And the award for most beautiful music video goes to…Hwasa’s new song, ‘Good Goodbye!’ It’s a breakup ballad that deserves so much love. Hwasa gets real about her love life and breakup experiences that we desperately need more of in K-Pop. ‘Good Goodbye’ offers an authentic look at the bittersweet ending of a relationship. Even though it hurts, what they had was beautiful and deserves to be remembered fondly.
BM AND B.I ON A TRACK? Everyone, this is not a drill! We had to keep pausing the ‘Freak’ music video because we kept freaking out (haha) over every scene and frame. We’re still fanning ourselves thinking about it. ‘Freak’ absolutely lives up to the hype, and we’re living for the adult K-Pop concept. Scratch that, we’re living for BM’s entire solo EP, PO:INT. Trust us: it’s a THP-certified, no-skips album! We refuse to pick our favorite B-side tracks; each one is *chef’s kiss*.
We cannot ‘FOCUS’ on anything but how amazing Hearts2Hearts’ new comeback is! Their first mini-album, FOCUS, is absolutely mesmerizing from start to finish. ‘FOCUS’ is the perfect title track with an addictive sound and music video. We can’t help but be obsessed! These girls seriously have such dreamy vocals and charisma. There are no skips in sight for this mini-album. It’s a must-listen EP, from ‘Apple Pie’ to ‘Blue Moon.’
From BOYNEXTDOOR’s latest comeback, we see that they’re rewriting what youthful chaos feels like in K-Pop once again. Their newest mini-album, The Action, delivers everything we love about them: sincerity wrapped in playful energy. And the title track (you’ve seen the MV for ‘The Action,’ right? If not, you’re definitely missing out) proves why they’ve become the boy group everyone is watching. Catchy hooks, effortlessly cool storytelling, and that boy-next-door charm you can’t help but root for. BOYNEXTDOOR make growing up feel fun again, and honestly, this era is giving us all the sweet-nostalgia feels. If you want to feel all the soft emotions and giggle a little, go watch the fanchant for ‘As Time Goes By.’ It’s sweet, a tiny bit chaotic, and impossible not to smile at.
Xiumin’s heating up our October hotspot with his seductive new single, ‘Overdrop!’ It’s a mature and moody concept that has us in a chokehold. We’ve been waiting to see this concept on Xiumin, and it was everything we needed and more. We can especially appreciate the music video (and Xiumin’s) visuals all day, every day! And that electric guitar solo and dance break? We’ve ascended at this point. ‘Fireflies’ is just as incredible, and we’ll have both songs on repeat for the rest of the year.
Lee Changsub’s solo discography needs to be studied for how healing and calming his voice makes us feel. His second mini-album, ENDAND, gives us the sense that we’re entering a new era alongside Changsub. The title track, ‘Trickle Down,’ is part breakup song, part yearning anthem. It reminds us that life moves on and time continues to pass even after heartbreak. ‘In Between Love and Farewell (With Lyn)’ is definitely our favorite B-side.
TEMPEST keep living up to their name! Their continuous exploration of genres and concepts sweeps us into various experiences, and their October comeback with As I Am is another new one we didn’t see coming. ‘In The Dark’ is a different title track, which, while not a powerful song, still carries an impactful message. Even the song’s music video immersed us with its storytelling. We highly recommend checking this comeback if you haven’t already, as it carries so many feelings in each of its songs.
We’ve been in our feels, and it’s all because of WEi‘s ‘HOME.’ A song that so effortlessly makes us feel like we belong and we will never be alone? We are stanning the right group! So in love with the emotional and dreamy atmosphere, and the way WEi make us feel like we are exactly where we need to be: home. This comeback, the group created the perfect Wonderland, and we truly hope you feel all the warmth poured into it.
We LIVE for all the solo comebacks on our October K-Pop Hotspot! WONHO’s first full album, SYNDROME, holds a special place in our hearts. ‘If You Wanna’ is a killer title track with seductive lyrics that made our jaws drop! (Doing WHAT all day?!) Did we mention the album is entirely in English? It makes us so proud to see how far he’s come as a solo artist, and we hope this album means it won’t be too long before he goes on tour again!
You bet we screamed over DKZ having a comeback. It felt so long since the last one, so our anticipation was high. And it was met with absolute musical reward! ‘Replay My Anthem’ is now definitely one of our favorite titles from them! And when it comes to their B-sides, we’re having a different song at the top of our list for TASTY every day. But let’s try to give you a suggestion or two if you feel like you need a direction on where to start. We think ‘Appetite’ and ‘Best Friends’ will easily become anyone’s fave tracks!
Our monthly hotspot is going out with a bang with xikers’ new EP, HOUSE OF TRICKY : WRECKING THE HOUSE. These boys have such high-energy releases that never fail to get us up and moving. We can’t stop listening to the title track, ‘SUPERPOWER (Peak)!’ The rap verses are peak, if we may say so. From the cinematic music video to the un-skippable B-sides, this xikers comeback is another winner!
That’s all for our latest K-Pop hotspot! What was your favorite October K-Pop comeback and debut? Which comebacks are you most looking forward to in November? Let us know in the comments below, or tweet us @TheHoneyPOP!
August will always be one of the busiest months of the year for us. And the same goes for K-Pop groups! When we say everybody was in the studio this month, we mean everybody. But we’ll let you be the judge of that in our newest K-POP HOTSPOT!
We have SO many August K-Pop comebacks to cover, so let’s go over everything you may have missed!
THIS MONTH’S NEWS
You thought we would bombard you with music already, didn’t you? Before we get into the best part of the roundup though let us tell you some other exciting news! Do you miss BTS as much as we do? Then fear not Jungkook’s solo documentary JUNG KOOK: I AM STILL is hitting theatres on September 18th worldwide and you can find more ticket info right here. We are so excited to spend more time with our favorite maknae!
Speaking of fun things to watch did you know EPEX just released their new and fun YouTube reality series The EPEX3? If you need some laughter and sunshine don’t be shy and follow this link. We are ready to binge this one at the beach with a cool drink to be honest.
Well, we are almost done but we just wanted to let you know some news about our favorite boys from Omega X! Musically it has been a more quiet when it comes to the group but that doesn’t mean they aren’t booked and busy! Jaehan has put out an amazing OST, Yechan is booked and busy in not just one drama (Your Honor) but also a movie (Mad Dance Office) and our boy Hangyeom has been thriving with his fellow Jazz For You cast members during fan meetings. We are obsessed with seeing these boys thrive in their different career paths and can’t wait for more group activities either.
With that being said let’s get into the music now shall we?
RED VELVET
We’re kicking off our August hotspot with a special single we’ll always hold in our hearts! Red Velvet celebrate their 10th anniversary (yes, 10th!) with ‘Sweet Dreams.’ Their special video compiles behind-the-scenes clips of Red Velvet recording the track, along with a collage of music video shots. It’s crazy to see just how far they’ve come in the last 10 years, and we’re emotional knowing we got to grow up with them.
Next up, we’re highlighting ONF‘s instrumental album, Infuse! While there aren’t any new songs in this comeback, we also wanted to celebrate their seventh anniversary with them. This 51-minute-long album features 15 instrumental versions of all their hits from 2017 to now. Our favorites are ‘Your Song,’ ‘Fly Me To The Moon,’ and ‘New World!’ It’s truly a masterpiece, and we hope to see this with more groups when they do compilations or best-of albums!
If your summer playlist did not have JEON SOMI‘s ‘Ice Cream,’ was it even a summer playlist? “I’m like ice cream, Ah yeah, Ah yeah” has been ringing in our heads all month. Randomly singing and dancing? That was definitely us. Many of us have been melting over the summer from the heat, but this song cooled us down with its addictive tunes and lyrics.
Any time we get a release from our favorite INFINITE, be it group, unit, or solo, we’re there to hype it up. Member L dropped a solo album, one we’ve been needing for a while. Really, ‘What’s Not To Love’ about this release? The sweet, distinctive vocals carry us on a musical trip, from fun to emotional, and we are going along. If you ask us about our current favorite B-side pick, we’ll tell you it’s ‘Blue Summer.’ Maybe it’s because it matches the season with its fun atmosphere. Still, we definitely recommend you take a listen to the whole 24/7 tracklist.
DOYOUNG of NCT really knows how to set off our nostalgia because his new single ’17’ made us feel all the feels. DOYOUNG sings about the simpler times when we were 17 years old, and they really were so good. We’re also in love with the instrumental version, and it’s a song we can play sitting outside and basking in the sun. If you need a feel-good song to clear all your troubles, ’17’ is it!
UNIS has just released their first-ever comeback since their debut in March! Their new single, Curious, features three songs we added to our playlists on the first listen. The title track, ‘Curious,’ is a pop rock banger about getting out of your comfort zone to be the best version of yourself. The electric guitar instrumentals are so satisfying. And the two B-side tracks are just as incredible, from the empowering ‘Datin’ Myself’ to the catchy ‘Poppin!’
Another new K-Pop single we’ve been replaying nonstop is MIRAE‘s Son Dong Pyo’s ‘Wave (2024)’ and his remake of the 2001 track. Truly the perfect song to bid summer goodbye, ‘Wave’ is an addictive track that sounds refreshing with Dong Pyo’s vocals and beautiful instrumentals. Plus, the music video visuals are everything! He killed all the high notes, and we can’t wait to hear more songs from him.
LIGHTSUM is back again, and we have our eyes on them. The girls keep visiting our playlists with new songs, and, of course, we have already added ‘POSE!’ as well. Warning: This song is so fun; it will get you falling for them, and their sound will be even better if you haven’t already. Hear us out: new karaoke fave, perhaps? It is the perfect choice to sing and jump along with your besties.
Okay, we are absolutely jaw-dropped, mind-blown with BamBam‘s ‘LAST PARADE.’ That’s it; that’s our review. Just kidding, but really, are words enough to describe this banger? BamBam is tapping into a new, unexpected concept, and we’re eating it up. Our new location: 𝘉𝘈𝘔𝘌𝘚𝘐𝘚. Favorite side stops: ‘Mi Último Deseo’ and ‘Ball Like That’ having that tight grip on us.
In case you didn’t know, we at THP have been fans of CATCH THE YOUNG since their debut! They’re back with their first single album, Dream It, and it’s been on repeat for weeks. The two tracks, ‘Dream It’ and ‘Wanna Be With You,’ make us feel like we can handle anything life throws at us. From the electric guitar and bass to drums, everyone gets a solo in ‘Dream It.’ And it’s so healing. Catch The Young slayed this comeback, and what more can we say?
ICYMI, WayV has made their Japanese debut this month with The Highest, a six-track mini-album with no skips in sight! They’re proving even more that they sound good in any language. Honestly, we respect the hustle. WayV showed us a more edgy side with ‘Go Higher’ and ‘Tempo.’ But the vibey ‘Deep Ocean’ and anime soundtrack-esque ‘Bandage’ stole our hearts at first listen. Any day is a good day with The Highest playing in the background!
Mother is back to save the summer! Queen HYOLYN is back with an iconic summer single called ‘Wait.’ We’ve been obsessing over the groovy island vibes of this track. The choreography is killer, but we already knew Hyolyn would eat it up. What’s even more iconic about this song is that Hyolyn filmed it in the Philippines, which has officially moved up our bucket list! Have y’all seen the visuals?!
Next on our August K-Pop hotspot is fromis_9‘s third single album, Supersonic! If you’ve been sleeping on them, then this is your chance to stan! The title track, ‘Supersonic,’ is one of our favorite summer songs by far. Catch us singing the chorus at random times throughout the day. ‘Beat The Heat’ and ‘Take A Chance’ are such high-quality B-side tracks, too! These girls have really come into their own sound with this comeback, and we didn’t skip a single song.
Did someone say collab of the summer? Because HUI and Kwon Eunbi‘s new song, ‘Easy Dance,’ is here to steal the show! We weren’t expecting such an iconic pairing, but their voices make so much sense together. As the title suggests, it’s an incredibly easy song for us to dance to and vibe along with. Their Waterbomb performance is one for the record books, and we can only imagine how hyped it would’ve been to see this song live!
While we’re on the topic of iconic, KARD has returned after more than a year since their last comeback! Only weeks after celebrating their seventh anniversary, KARD starts a new era with their seventh mini-album, Where To Now? (Part.1 : Yellow Light). We’re SO here for it! ‘Tell My Momma’ as their title track is a brilliant move, and it’s a refreshing and romantic song about falling in love with someone so quickly and wanting to tell your mom about them. Our favorite B-sides are ‘Waste My Time’ and ‘SHIMMY SHIMMY,’ but the whole EP is worth a listen. Or 1092923838 listens. It’s up to you.
LUN8 also whipped up some good tunes for us this August with 𝘈𝘞𝘈𝘒𝘌𝘕𝘐𝘕𝘎. You know we love the boys in this house. How would we skip on ushering you to check out their new album and the title track ‘WHIP.’ You need one listen to be hooked, test it out, and tell us if we’re right. Listening to the title makes us take a step back and feel free from our daily worries. And if a title isn’t enough and you don’t know where to start with the B-sides, we highly recommend you check out ‘DELULU.’
We love it when K-POP meets Latin Pop, and we’ve been truly blessed with ‘New Woman!’ K-POP queen Lisa and Latin Pop princess Rosalía truly soundtracked the end of our summer with this iconic collab. Intertwining electropop and EDM topped with metallic sounds, the song is super captivating. Rosalía’s verse truly brings in that twist that keeps us on our toes, yet it just works. We love it!
Our talented flowers, MIMIIROSE, dropped new music, and if you haven’t checked it out yet, here’s the nudge you need. We live for the vocals in that chorus of ‘The flowers swayed.’ A refreshing song about the worries we all experience at one point in life and the uplifting, encouraging message that everything will be alright because no flower blooms without being swayed a little bit. So, if you need that push to keep going and not give up, this is the release for you.
We’re getting fed all of August with these K-Pop comebacks! SF9‘s 14th mini-album, Fantasy, blew our every expectation out of the water. The title track, ‘Don’t Worry, Be Happy,’ has taken over our brains with its addictive chorus and positive message. Don’t miss out on their B-side tracks, like ‘Just’ and ‘Melodrama.’ We really can’t stop listening to this EP.
The ultimate weekend anthem: DRIPPIN‘s ‘Weekend.’ We feel energized listening to this release. It’s giving us the bright, contagious DRIPPIN vibe and is perfect for that downtime we get after a busy week. Or even to prepare us for it. This comeback may be a single album of only three songs, but it has our hearts locked. We’re grooving to ‘Fly High’ any chance we get and are particularly obsessed with ‘TIME.’
Can you smell this too? Yeah, that’s ‘Sexy In The Air’ You read that right; no other than our favorite boy, Taemin, graced us with his groovy and recognizable music this past month. We knew from the moment Eternal was announced that this one would be one for the books. Taemin proved yet again how he knows what suits him best, and even under a new company, he kept his signature sound. Songs you should check out from the album are definitely ‘Deja Vu’ and ‘Horizon!’
August is for the girl groups! We said what we said. ILY:1 delivers another stellar comeback with their third mini-album, illang:Firework! These girls are so underrated, and we’d love nothing more than to put everyone we know onto ILY:1. ‘illang (Firework)’ is a summer bop at its core, and their vocals never disappoint. ‘Ocean View’ and ‘I MY ME MINE’ are our favorite B-side tracks, and we’re blessed to get the instrumental versions for all four new songs.
Y’all don’t know Gyeongree’s new single album, Eternal Bloom, like we do. We’ve been waiting for 9MUSES’ Gyeongree to comeback for years, and she’s finally here! ‘Cherry’ is everything we’ve been missing in K-Pop, and it’s such a sweet and infectious song. The music video is absolutely adorable (and relatable). Gyeongree’s dreamy vocals also shine through in the B-side’ Butterflies,’ and we could listen to Eternal Bloom all day.
YOUNG POSSE has proven time after time just how they’re bringing the fun and silliness back to K-Pop! With a GTA-inspired concept for their third mini-album, ATE THAT, we get four new songs that all hooked us during our first listen. The title track, ‘ATE THAT,’ and its music video had us crying laughing. And yes, they definitely ‘ATE THAT.’ We want to be in the room where they come up with ideas because everything is genius. YOUNG POSSE absolutely slayed their B-sides, but we expected nothing less from these girls.
Moonbyul has blessed us with another comeback after a successful FULL album in February and a concert tour this year! But we aren’t complaining! Starlit of Twinkle : Repackage has three brand new songs and the English version of ‘TOUCHIN&MOVIN.’ Her title track, ‘Is This Love?’ is a cute song about her “friend’s friend” who may be in love with a guy. And this song is not about Moonbyul, as she’s already made that clear. (*wink wink*) She’s such a meme, and we love her for it.
Next on our K-Pop Hotspot is Ryu Sujeong‘s new English single, ‘White Dress!’ We can never get tired of Sujeong’s angelic voice; it’s just so soothing. In the music video for ‘White Dress,’ we see her strutting around the city in a wedding dress, shadowboxing, and playing guitar in the park. We now fully believe she’s an angel, and we’re expeditiously adding ‘White Dress’ to our wedding playlist.
This next K-Pop comeback may be a little different from what you’re used to hearing, but we love it! Super Junior’s Sungmin is back with a solo release: a trot song called ‘YO.YO.YO.’ And we definitely enjoyed it more than we expected. Sungmin’s voice is so well-suited for trot, and we were brought back to the early 2000s with this song! He contrasts the upbeat title track with the beautiful ballad, ‘Brilliant Days,’ and we’re beyond obsessed.
VIXX‘s Ken, you never fail to bring us to tears with your voice. His gift mini-album, Consolation & Love, hits us right in the feels. The title track, ‘너에게,’ shows us why Ken is the reigning king of ballads. He hits high notes so effortlessly, and we’re truly honored that we can keep listening to his music. The simple music video for ‘너에게’ showcasing his live vocals speaks for itself. Ken even gave us a music video for his B-side, ‘Love Day,’ which was much more than we could ask of him.
How is ‘Rains in Heaven’ NCT DREAM‘s first English single? Because we need more of these heartfelt songs! This healing track is a huge comfort to us, and we’re officially making it the highlight of our summer soundtrack. As long as the sun’s still out, we’ll play this song on our drives to nowhere with all the windows down. And we’re so jealous of everyone who’ll get to hear this song live on their tour.
A Jun.K solo single wasn’t on our 2024 bingo, but we are here for it! ‘Paint This Love’ is a groovy R&B track about how love can ease your past troubles and create something beautiful from something painful. Jun.K sings as if our hearts and souls are canvases. His song is literally a work of art, and we’re so excited to hear his voice again. Now we’re off to find more metaphors for how at home ‘Paint This Love’ makes us feel.
Just over a year after their last comeback, OH MY GIRL, AKA our summer queens, are back with their 10th mini-album, Dreamy Resonance! First off, the album art is absolutely magical. And second, the title track, ‘Classified,’ is exactly the type of dreamy fairy concept we’ve been missing. But the best part of this EP is the subunit B-sides. These duets are as lovely as can be, and we can’t pick our favorites even if we want to!
Guess who’s finally made their official solo debut? The one and only Jaehyun of NCT with his new album, J! And if his pre-release songs ‘Dandelions’ and ‘Roses’ were any indication, they’d tell us how high-quality and versatile this album is from start to finish. The music video for his title track, ‘Smoke,’ looks like it came straight from a movie. It warms our hearts to see Jaehyun going all out for this release, especially since it’s been such a long time.
Our August hotspot has been a month for so many single albums, and we can’t stop listening! NOWADAYS has just released their second single, NOWHERE, and it’s banger after banger. The title track, ‘Why Not?’ is an upbeat dance track about how having a massive crush on someone feels. The music video has the best kind of energy, and we’re impressed by their charisma.
Everyone say, “Thank you, Woosung” for making us cry! His new single, ‘Day That I Died,’ is a hauntingly beautiful song about losing the most important person in your life. And all you can do is replay the last moments you two had together. We want to know how Woosung captures so much raw emotion in his vocals. He sings with his soul, and we’ll keep this song in our heartbreak playlist forever.
Our solo queen CHUNG HA is back with a brand new single! Who else is as hyped as us? ‘Algorithm’ reminds us so much of her ‘Roller Coaster’ era, IYKYK. The iconic cameos in the music video are everything, from Uhm Junghwa to Gabee! The chorus and choreography are too addictive. We need every club around us to blast this song immediately, and we’ll be throwing our own dance party with ‘Algorithm’ on repeat!
DOHANSE shows us a new color of his music in his second solo EP, BLUESSOM. We already knew how versatile he is as an artist, but this mini-album only cements it. His signature punk rock sound still shines through. And the double title tracks, ‘Blue Night’ and ‘Milky Way,’ contrast each other incredibly. ‘Blue Night’ feels like a breezy summer night, while ‘Milky Way’ belongs in a morning motivation playlist.
Our 2024 is now complete with Bang Yedam‘s comeback! He’s back with his second mini-album, GOOD ViBES, and we’ve already broken our replay button for this release. Not only did he write lyrics for all six songs, but he also contributed to composing and arranging each B-side track. His rapping in ‘We Good’ had our jaws on the floor because how can one man be so talented at everything? There’s nothing but good vibes in the EP!
It feels like the summer isn’t over with WEi’s ‘LOVE2YOU.’ This lovely single, filled with refreshing tunes and a music video with cool summery vibes, is the perfect end for the hot August days. But while it has a rather bright vibe, the song is about the feeling of missing someone special. The intense longing delivered by the boys makes this our new favorite single, no doubt. Just like summer, despite it sometimes being a bit too much with its scorching hot days, we will surely miss it once it’s gone. While it may not be the same feeling, ‘LOVE2YOU’ will give us some sentimental emotions over the warm season, as well.
AleXa continues her journey through 2000s pop-punk nostalgia with her latest single, ‘Joy Of Missing Out,’ and this time, she’s preaching to introverts. In this edgy-sounding song, AleXa sings about the preference of skipping out on big events and busy crowds and why having a party for one is more fun. And honestly? It’s a complete mood!
Yves is back with a new digital single only a few months after her solo debut! ‘Tik Tok’ is a chill, lowkey song about taking your time. The music video looks like a travel vlog, and we love seeing Yves having fun and enjoying her time as a tourist. (Yves travel channel next?) Yves’ voice is so comforting, and we already can’t wait for her next comeback!
There is no better way to end our August hotspot than this. We couldn’t believe we got a FIESTAR reunion and comeback in 2024! We’re getting emotional listening to the 2024 version of their hit ‘You’re Pitiful.’ It hits even harder knowing the lengths Cao Lu went through to buy the copyrights of this song so they could remake it in time for their 12th anniversary. ‘You’re Pitiful’ is truly a timeless song!
August K-Pop comebacks never fail to amaze us! And we sure had a stacked month for this K-POP HOTSPOT!
What was your favorite August comeback? Which ones are you most excited about for next month? Let us know in the comments below, or tweet us @TheHoneyPOP!
July may be winding down, but summer is still in full swing! We at THP have been waiting weeks to gush about July’s K-Pop comebacks and debuts in the latest K-POP HOTSPOT!
Did you also hear about all the new K-Pop tours being announced this month? Which ones are you most excited for?
THIS MONTH’S NEWS
Okay, okay we know that July was packed with amazing comebacks leading up to the Olympics, which has slowed things down, but before we can get into the music we have to share some news with you. Speaking of the Olympics, did you guys see our boy Jin carry the Olympic flame during the Olympic Torch Relay on July 14th? Yes? Same we couldn’t have been prouder of him during this momentous moment! BTS are really doing it all!
In other news, we want to tell you about our boys ENHYPEN who just hit number two on the Billboard 200 chart with their studio album ROMANCE : UNTOLD. You haven’t listened to this album yet. Hello?? Get on it right now! It’s full of summer bangers we promise!
This brings us to a special shout-out to some of our favorite girls! XG released a new melodic banger this past month and we thought it deserved an extra spot up here. ‘Something Ain’t Right’ goes down like soft butter, honestly, the club-inspired track is the perfect soundtrack to our hot summer nights. XG are really growing into a big act that we anticipate every release from! You can listen to the album here. The girls are also set to go on tour in the US during October so make sure you grab tickets here.
KISS OF LIFE
We’re starting July’s K-Pop Hotspot strong with Kiss of Life’s new single album, Sticky! You’ve probably seen the ‘Sticky’ dance challenge on your Instagram and TikTok timelines. But we aren’t mad about the KIOF internet takeover one bit! ‘Sticky’ is a super fun and catchy song with an equally fun music video. And the b-side ‘Te Quiero’ deserves all the love, too. The girls slayed their performance video, and they’re sure to keep making waves in K-Pop!
Don’t play with these 5th-gen girl groups because they’re about it! BABYMONSTER is back with their new single, ‘Forever!’ They know they can handle any concept and genre, and this dance track is everything. BABYMONSTER will always slay their rap verses and vocal runs. We can already imagine ‘Forever’ being played at dance clubs all summer!
iKON’s JU-NE (also known as Junhoe) joined the solo debut train, and oh, how grateful we are. We’ve been loving all his groupmates’ solo releases, and he is no exception. ‘Feel Lost’ has us feeling anything but lost when it comes to our love for this musical masterpiece. And we got a double title track album, with ‘Hope’ taking the co-lead. The two songs allow us to experience the different colors of JU-NE, so there is no doubt you’ll find your favorite among them. Maybe even both, like we did.
Our 2nd-gen queen, Taeyeon, is back with another heavenly single! She continues to set the standard for K-Pop solo artists with ‘Heaven,’ a song about living a better life without that toxic person in it. The chorus is dangerously addictive. And we loved seeing a different side of Taeyeon with the dark and witchy music video concept! (Not to mention the scene when she’s dancing through the dining hall!)
We have so many contenders for song of the summer in July’s K-Pop Hotspot! Youngjae’s new single, T.P.O, brings the ultimate summer vibes. ‘T.P.O’ is such a laid-back and easy-to-listen track with a music video that’s an instant mood booster. We imagine ourselves driving next to the beach while blasting this song. Youngjae will forever have our hearts, and we’ll keep supporting his solo comebacks!
What a time to be a K-Pop fan! Being into the music of older-generation Korean artists and seeing them still make music is so exhilarating. One of our all-time favorite bands, FTISLAND, dropped one of the best comebacks of the month, and you can guess how over the moon we are. Their new album, Serious, plays with our heartstrings in all the good ways. We will never get tired of listening to the band’s music. It fills us with so much energy, the way only a band can affect us. We can’t stress enough just how obsessed we are with ‘Serious,’ ‘BURN IT,’ and ‘T.I.V (Tears In Vain).’ And, well, you don’t need us to list all the song names; you get the idea. We recommend that you all listen to the whole album if you haven’t already done so. If you’re into the unique K-Rock sound, FTISLAND is definitely IT.
Wheein marks the end of her world tour with a new single! Honestly, what did we do to deserve her? ‘coco water’ has a nostalgic R&B vibe, which plays into Wheein’s signature sound and vocals so well. We’re jealous of everyone who saw her perform this track live. Her music is as fresh as coco water, and we feel like we’re healing faster whenever we play her songs. We fear ‘coco water’ will be on repeat until the end of the summer (or year).
Do our eyes and ears deceive us for July’s K-Pop Hotspot? Park Kyung is back with a new single, and it’s a bop! ‘Allalilalilu (feat. YURI)’ is an upbeat track that makes us feel like we’re having the best day at an amusement park. Such a summery, feel-good track is perfect for welcoming Park Kyung back. We can’t wait for his future releases already!
Do we even have words for NCT 127? You already know we love it and get our fangirl mode on when these guys make a comeback. ‘Walk’ is quite addicting as soon as it starts, and we don’t think we can get enough of it. It’s stuck in our heads, and we know that was the point, so we won’t stop thinking about it. As if we could. And we are having all the fun watching that music video and following with their Lives. Some of our other faves from this album have to be ‘Can’t Help Myself’ and ‘Suddenly.’
Lee Seunghoon of WINNER has made his long-awaited solo debut! His first mini-album, My Type, has four high-quality tracks that are just our type. The title track, ‘My Type,’ is exactly the style we expect from Seunghoon: groovy and witty. We’re obsessed with the music video and Seunghoon’s rap flow paired with smooth vocals. Don’t sleep on his B-side tracks, either! Our favorites are ‘Thinkin’ Bad Things’ and ‘Do Re Mi Fa Sol.’
SHINee’s ONEW IS BACK! This is not a drill: ONEW’S BACK! We can’t tell you how long we’ve waited for a new ONEW release. He’s worked hard, and we’re thrilled to have him back. ‘All Day’ did not disappoint one bit. It’s an addictive and groovy track that we could literally listen to ‘All Day.’ We’re dreaming of the day we’ll see ONEW perform this song and many others live. But until then, we’ll keep replaying his new single!
Having his first comeback after returning from the military, and he’s already making us feel Blessed. We’ve been awaiting a Ha Sungwoon comeback, and now that we have it, we can properly buzz about it. From the addictive title track to sweet B-sides, we’re blessed with this one. And did you spot that feature from ERIC of THE BOYZ? We’re having trouble picking our favorites; we’re just too pleased with all the tracks!
DKB’s July comeback is yet another one we’ve been excited for. ‘Flirting X’ is the emotional rock title track we didn’t know we needed. And giving it to us with a music video where the members perform as part of a band is just the perfect setting. Worry not, we also got a performance video, which is truly a chef’s kiss. We are always left surprised by the versatility this group continues to show, and it’s definitely one of the reasons why we love them.
We can’t believe we get to exist on the planet at the same time as KARA! Our queens are back with a new single album, I Do I Do, blessing us with two new summer bops. 2nd-gen idols are coming back slowly but surely, and we won’t let their efforts go unnoticed. We’re obsessed with the title track, ‘I Do I Do,’ which we’ll definitely play at our wedding one day. And we can’t forget about the emotional b-side track, ‘Hello,’ which includes vocals from all six members. Thank you, KARA, for showing us OT6 one more time. Yep, we’re definitely sobbing now.
As if we couldn’t love BTOB even more, they give us another iconic subunit with 90TAN! Only months after the group started their own company, BTOB’s Eunkwang and Minhyuk joined forces to make a duo that completely blows us away with their talent! Their debut single, ‘TANG TANG TANG,’ has the ultimate party vibes with a message of having an all-consuming crush. And it isn’t BTOB if they aren’t silly! We LOVED 90TAN’s music video because we can tell how much fun they had on set.
Well, what an exciting month full of summer bops! We’ve been replaying songs from July’s K-POP HOTSPOT all month!
What was your favorite July comeback? Which ones are you most excited about for next month? Let us know in the comments below, or tweet us @TheHoneyPOP!
The first half of 2024 is over! And we at THP can’t wait to see how the rest of the year will treat us. For now, let’s discuss this month’s K-POP HOTSPOT. June’s K-Pop comebacks blew all our expectations out of the water! We got so many refreshing summer bops and bangin’ new anthems.
Honey bees we know June was a busy one and July is just about to be just as busy but we have some news for you! GI-DLE are finally coming back with their 7th mini album I SWAY on July 8th, they have already started dropping teasers for it and we couldn’t be more excited! But that’s not all the girls are also going to be launching their new world tour iDOL. The tour kicks off on August 3rd in Seoul and we wish all of you wanting to go the best of luck! We hope to grab tickets during the hopefully soon to be released
Speaking of tours, MoAs we have some amazing news for you TXT are bringing their tour as a VR theatre concert tour called HYPERFOCUS : TOMORROW X TOGETHER VR CONCERT to the US and you can catch it in a theatre near you starting off on August 8th in LA! Make sure you watch the teaser for it here because we are hyped!
Now let’s focus on more music releases as Kim Jaejoong is about to celebrate his 20th anniversary with a new album called Flower Garden and in order to kick the celebrations off Jaejoong already released the pre-release song ‘I AM U,‘ and it couldn’t have been better!
But that’s not all when it comes to music our favorite new SM boy group RIIZE is thriving with their newest mini album and to make it even better the boys also released a remix album dedicated to ‘Impossible’ through long-term SM project iSCREAM. This bops hard and we will be raving to it throughout the summer! Stream it here.
Now as a last piece of exciting news you know we always love SEVENTEEN and the boys have now been appointed UNESCO’s Goodwill Ambassador for Youth. Every day that goes by the boys make us happier and prouder of them. The ceremony for it took place on June 26th in Paris and the boys looked absolutely amazing.
Okay lads! That’s all it’s time to get into this month’s releases!
WAYV
Let’s kick off our June K-POP hotspot with the best news ever! WayV is back with their fifth mini-album, Give Me That. The title track, ‘Give Me That,’ is a catchy love anthem in the Chinese and Korean versions. (Because what can’t they do?) And WayV’s music videos never disappoint! Their new EP has absolutely no skips, and our favorite b-sides are ‘She A Wolf’ and ‘New Ride.’
Our favorite duo is back! AKMU’s new EP, Love Episode, is finally here! The whimsical title track ‘Hero’ has such a soothing vibe. Their concepts and visuals never fail to amaze us, and the music video for ‘Hero’ healed our inner child. We could listen to ‘Long D’ and ‘Answer Me’ all day. Leave it to AKMU to give us the vibes we need throughout the summer.
The girl groups this year really do not play around! BADVILLAIN’s debut single, OVERSTEP, beat all of our expectations. The title track, ‘BADVILLAIN,’ is the hip-hop banger we’ve needed, and our villain era starts now. The fire verses and choreography really speak for themselves. And these girls blessed us with a killer music video for ‘YAH-HO (BADTITUDE)’ and a performance video for ‘+82!’ We’ll be stanning until further notice, thanks.
A month with a single from Lovelyz Yein will always be a good one! Yein celebrates her birthday with ‘I Will Be Your Spring,’ a cute and romantic ballad marking the end of the season. And it sounds even more lovely than we expected (as if that were possible!) The music video has the sweetest vibes, taking us back to our high school years and crushes.
June was truly a good month for new music, especially when the outstanding vocals of Han Seung Woo joined the fresh releases. SCENE may only have three tracks, but the number doesn’t matter when the quality is superb. The title, ‘Blooming,’ feels perfect for the warm season, giving us a feeling of freedom and positivism. A little encouragement to live our lives the way we want is always welcome. We are also not able to keep away from the two B-sides, giving us a different experience that is not something you’d want to miss out on. Have you checked the special clips for ‘Lost’ and ‘Stay’ yet?
Get ready if you haven’t checked this one out yet. You will have an ‘Awesome day’ with GHOST9 and their latest release. This single is screaming summer song, and we are stacking our playlists for the warm season every chance we have. Adding GHOST9 just makes them even better. Don’t tell us you would skip this song when it’s right here, waiting for much-deserved appreciation.
There is nothing that warms up our hearts the way the guys from INFINITE do with their music. They showcased the sweetest vocals in their special anniversary single, ‘Flower,’ proving their uniqueness again. We got emotional and melted repeatedly while we listened and even more while watching the special Live clip prepared for us. Seeing the members perform in a sunflower-filled area made the experience even more memorable. It is impossible not to fall in love with INFINITE’s charm and sound. If we are their flower, then they are our suns.
Our queens are back to save the summer right when it starts! cignature has released their fifth EP, Sweetie but Saltie. And is it a bop? Of course, it is! The title track, ‘Poongdung,’ makes it easy to get up and dance along. We always love their refreshing and fun music videos! cignature delivers on their b-sides as always, ‘I like I like’ (both versions!) and ‘Melody.’ These girls slayed this comeback!
CSR has dropped their new single album, L’heure Bleue: Prologue, and we’ve been replaying these two songs for weeks! The title track, ‘Pretty Mob,’ is a masterpiece from start to finish! From the groovy vibe to the music video visuals, we’re addicted to CSR. These girls even directed their special music video for ‘HELLO!’ We absolutely loved this comeback and hope CSR can get the recognition they deserve!
SUPER JUNIOR songs always get us in a good mood with their fun sound and humorous music videos. ‘Show Time’ feels like we’re attending a one-song concert that starts with an impactful high note and carries just the right track to groove to with our favorite 𝘚𝘶𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘚𝘩𝘰𝘸 stars. You’d catch us vibing to the track when we hear it and learning to follow the dance while enjoying their show-stopping music video.
Second-gen king XIA is back with a summer single celebrating his 20th anniversary since his debut! ‘Our Season’ is a rock ballad with a lovely message and XIA’s lovelier high notes. Yeo Jin Goo stars in the bright and nostalgic music video. We’re glad XIA also gave us the instrumental version of ‘Our Season’ because that guitar solo at the end really sealed the deal for us.
TRENDZ brightened our summer playlists like the shining seven meteors that they are. Their latest single album, DREAMLIKE, offers us a good time, but we always enjoy the musical ride with this group. The title track won us with its bright vibes, giving us a feel-good track to love. We’re just mesmerized by their ‘GLOW’ and that choreography. And we simply can’t take our eyes off of it. We also recommend you listen to the energy-inducing B-side, ‘Out of Control.’
Next in our June hotspot is Candy Shop’s first comeback with Girls Don’t Cry! This mini-album has four tracks, and we didn’t skip through a single song. The title track, ‘Don’t Cry,’ sounds like a perfect addition to your summer soundtrack. Their music video feels like a dream, and the visuals are amazing! And rounding out the rest of the EP, ‘Tumbler (Hot & Cold)’ and ‘Welcome To My World’ are title track-worthy b-sides.
Nobody talk to us right now. We’re too busy crying over Weki Meki’s disbandment to function. Their song, ‘CoinciDestiny,’ hits us right in the feels. It sounds so bittersweet, and we couldn’t help getting emotional over the music video. The girls go on a scavenger hunt, finding clues that ultimately bring them back together. We wish them the best and will continue to support them wherever they go!
WOOAH’s back with a brand new concept! Their latest mini-album, Unframed, has taken over our playlists. The rock title track, ‘POM POM POM,’ is edgy and empowering. The girls sing about being their biggest cheerleaders, and they ate this song up, especially the rap verses. We’re glad to be here to witness WOOAH experiment with different concepts, and we’re replaying this EP all summer.
If we’re talking about summer vibes, we must talk about BTOB Peniel’s new single, ‘MIoBI (Make It or Break It)!’ It’s been too long since we got a solo comeback from Peniel. But we’ll wait forever if it’s a banger like ‘MIoBI’ is! This addictive track stole our hearts, especially with how solid Peniel’s vocals are. He has an incredible range, and we can’t wait for more music!
H1-KEY is SO back! Their third EP, LOVE or HATE, has high-quality songs one after the other. The title track, ‘Let It Burn,’ is a badass breakup anthem. We’re here for the rock vibes, and these girls did not let us down! H1-KEY also wrote the lyrics for their catchy b-side ‘letter,’ making it even more memorable. Another no-skips mini-album for June’s K-POP Hotspot!
SF9’s Hwiyoung is back with his first single album, Traveling Fish! We’re so in love with the relaxing lead single, ‘It Is Love ❤️.’ And Hwiyoung even blessed us with a music video and live clip of ‘It Is Love ❤️!’ We can’t get enough of his sweet voice and English lyrics. Traveling Fish also features his previous singles’ Drive5′ and ‘HBD,’ as if we haven’t replayed them enough already!
June is THE month for new singles! Only four months after his full album release, iKON’s DK has just released his latest single, ‘Umbrella!’ We weren’t expecting to be moved to tears because of DK, but here we are. ‘Umbrella’ feels like the type of song we’d listen to before we fall asleep. DK sings about comforting a lover and letting them cry as much as they need, which is enough to soothe us on our worst days.
We always have a soft spot for TWS. These boys have just released their second mini-album, Summer Beat! The title track, ‘If I’m S, Can You Be My N?’ is bubbly and so much fun to hear! Their music video makes this track even more enjoyable. We’re also obsessed with their b-sides ‘Keep On’ and ‘Fire Confetti.’ Whatever you do, don’t sleep on TWS’s vocals and concepts!
Do our ears deceive us? N.Flying is back with a new single, and we’re hyped! ‘Into You’ is an upbeat summer track about someone who is so in love that they can’t help but confess! It doesn’t matter if they look like fools; they just want to give as much affection as possible. We already can’t wait for the next comeback!
The ever-iconic U-KISS is back with a new EP! When they released ‘Morse Code’ back in April, we thought we’d have to wait a while before their next release. But we’re so glad to be proven wrong! Their 13th mini-album, Let’s Get Started, has us falling in love with them all over again. The title track ‘Stay With Me’ has U-KISS’s signature sound with a killer guitar instrumental. And they sure gave us nostalgia with a new version of ‘Man Man Ha Ni!’
SHINee will always and forever have a special place in our hearts, and the fact that they never disappoint us is one of the reasons why. After what felt like a draught, Key finally gives us a bit of food with his newest single, ‘Tongue Tied.’ Can we just say this is exactly what we needed to end the month of June with? The song fits right in with Key’s previous albums. This futuristic but mysterious sound is what suits him so well. ‘Tongue Tied’ and his b-side ‘Fresh’ have been on repeat!
Guess who else debuted this month? Project group B.D.U has released their first-ever EP, Wishpool! B.D.U features Bitsaeon (MONT), Seunghun (CIX), Jay Chang (ONEPACT), and Kim Min-Seo. AKA four incredible vocalists, dancers, and all-rounders. The mini-album’s title track, ‘My One,’ is so high quality it’s hard to believe it’s only their debut! We also love the b-side ‘Forget All’ and the ballad ‘Everlasting Miracle.’ Congrats on debuting, B.D.U!
NCT WISH came back with their second Japanese single album, Songbird! And one of our favorite things about these boys is their youthful and fun concept! The title track, ‘Songbird,’ embodies that perfectly, from the music video to the dance break. We’d play this track any time we need a mood booster, especially on our way to and from work!
Name an artist that’s more well-rounded than ROCKY. That’s a tough one, right? He just released his new EP, Blank, comprised of four tracks you won’t want to skip! The music video for ‘Jealousy’ shows off his talents as a dancer and actor. ROCKY sings about being overcome with jealousy and not wanting to share his lover’s affections. The vibes are it! We can’t get enough of this anthem.
What a jam-packed month! June’s K-POP HOTSPOT has been blessed with new additions to our vacation playlist, and we couldn’t be happier!
What was your favorite June comeback? Which ones are you most excited about for next month? Let us know in the comments below, or tweet us @TheHoneyPOP!
