We at The Honey POP always lose our minds when SHINee’s music is involved. That, of course, also includes the members’ solo releases. KEY has established his career not just as an idol but as an artist, consistently showcasing his capabilities and never missing an opportunity to leave us in awe. We’ve curated a selection of songs from his colorful solo discography to fit our week’s soundtrack, perfect for adding to your daily playlists.
Monday – ‘Good & Great’
For many people, Monday marks the first day back to work or the resumption of classes. Instead of being sad that the weekend is over, wouldn’t you want to start that day, no, that week with a positive mood? We have the perfect song to get you energized: KEY’s ‘Good & Great!’ What better way to head into the busy Monday than by hyping yourself up? And these lyrics will do just that! ‘Good & Great’ is a good reminder that you’re doing well and you’re rewarded for it. It definitely helps boost our confidence levels when we listen to it, and the song is so catchy, you might end up having it stuck in your head for the rest of the week.
Tuesday – ‘Gasoline’
It’s only day two, and the week is far from over, but that doesn’t mean we can’t keep our hype and spirits up. How to do it the right way? With KEY’s ‘Gasoline,’ of course! Ready to get fueled up and get fired up to go through the rest of the week? You will be once this musical masterpiece sets in your Tuesday playlists.
Wednesday – ‘Trap’
Wednesday is that ominous mid-weekday where we’re far into the week and yet there are still three more days to go until we get to rest. The repetition of the lyrics “And again, and again, and again” amplifies the impact of KEY’s B-side piece, ‘Trap,’ making it a hypnotizing piece that you can’t help but love. And we think its haunting sound fits the vibes of Wednesdays well, but makes them better because, well, it’s a KEY song!
Thursday – ‘I Will Fight’
The real mid-week day, which feels more like it is lying in the second half of the week. With how it is right before Friday, we tend to feel a sudden rush of hope, seeing the light at the end of the busy days, even. And to match our will to make it through, we picked a KEY song that gives us exactly that: ‘I Will Fight,’ an R&B ballad that fills us with determination to overcome any obstacle that comes our way.
Friday – ‘GLAM’
Do we even need to explain this choice? Last day of work and classes. Time for the weekend, to recharge or go all out. So, why not boost that self-esteem with a fun party song? Going out with friends on Friday night? Having a party at home with the music blasting loudly? ‘GLAM’ is the perfect way to get in that mood and celebrate the end of another week during which you did your best. Who’s ready to vibe to lyrics like “I’m gonna be the party / Be the party / Be iconic” on max volume?
Saturday – ‘Guilty Pleasure’
Did you think we’d pick ‘Saturday Night’ for this one? Well, you’re not far from our thought process. That song was indeed a choice, but then we thought of going with a less obvious answer (and definitely still put this on our playlists to listen to at night). But, hear us out! What better day to indulge in some self-spoiling? Take the time to do something you love or enjoy a guilty pleasure. Saturdays seem like a good day for that. They’re right after the last day of work and before the last day to rest, so you can just follow your own desires on a day like this. And we thought ‘Guilty Pleasure‘ would be a great fit to help loosen up and get just in the right mood.
Sunday – ‘I Wanna Be’
We made it to Sunday, the last day before the cycle begins again. But we won’t get sad about it! Instead, our plan is to enjoy the freedom and get mentally prepared for the coming days. Honestly, we’d put so many KEY songs here, simply because his music is pure serotonin. And while we may be doing just that, we wanted to bring your attention to ‘I Wanna Be’: a gem from his earlier solo releases. Listening to KEY’s older music just makes us happy about the fact that he got to explore his artistry further. Those songs give us a warm, nostalgic feeling. And we’d want nothing more but to end the week with a positive charge.
Are you adding these seven songs by SHINee’s KEY to your daily playlists? How did we do with the match-ups? What songs would you pick if you had to soundtrack your week with KEY’s music? Drop by our socials at @thehoneypop on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and let us know.
If we’d known 2025 would be THE year for K-Pop solo artists, we would’ve saved a lot more money. From solo comebacks to solo world tours, fans are getting blessed left and right! The latest tour announcement? None other than SHINee’s KEY, who just released his third studio album, Hunter, last month.
KEY will make his grand entrance as a solo artist in North America for his KEYLAND: Uncanny Valley tour this December. We can’t wait to welcome our king across six amazing shows! We already started brainstorming a few dozen concert outfits to wear.
KEY is such an icon and inspiration to us here at THP, and we have no doubt his concerts will blow past all of our expectations. Each SHINee member’s solo endeavors have been well worth the wait. For now, we’re giving you our dream setlist with five KEY songs we hope to hear on his KEYLAND: Uncanny Valley tour!
Image Source: Courtesy of Platform PR
‘HUNTER’
Of course, we had to start off strong with KEY’s latest title track, ‘HUNTER!’ This dance-pop track pairs with an incredible choreography that we would kill (or even hunt) to see live. We imagine this performance happening at the climax of the concert right before the encore, after we’ve been jumping and singing along and our energy levels reach a new peak.
‘GLAM’
Next, we have another song from KEY’s HUNTER album, ‘GLAM!’ It’s one of our favorite b-sides, and we’d include the whole album on this dream setlist if we could. The beat drop just scratches a specific part of our brain that feels the need to get up and dance our hearts out. We guarantee that if he plays this live on his North America tour, the concert would turn into a rave.
‘Gasoline’
The next song on our dream setlist for KEYLAND: Uncanny Valley is ‘Gasoline!’ This high-octane title track from his second studio album was a cultural reset. The outfits, choreography, and visuals are all 10s across the board for us! We can imagine KEY opening his concert and getting us fired up to this song. Catch us screaming as soon as we hear the brass instrumentals come through!
‘Golden’
We never skip through KEY’s b-sides, especially not ‘Golden’ from his third EP, Pleasure Shop! (We would argue for any song on this mini-album, but ‘Golden’ especially.) This track is, in a few words, freeing, hopeful, and bright. It makes us feel absolutely unstoppable like KEY, like we can be anything we set our minds to. We really hope he plays ‘Golden’ for one of his encore songs.
‘Forever Yours (Feat. Soyou)’
This one might be a stretch, but we’d love to hear KEY’s solo debut song on his KEYLAND: Uncanny Valley tour. ‘Forever Yours (feat. Soyou)’ from his first solo album, FACE, still lives in our minds rent-free. The upbeat instrumental is perfect for keeping the audience’s energy up when it starts to feel like we’re nearing the end of the show. We’d be happy even if he just sings a short snippet of it between sets.
KEYLAND: Uncanny Valley Tour
We can’t wait to see what KEY has in store for his first solo North America tour. His sets and outfits will wow us for sure! And with a tour name like KEYLAND: Uncanny Valley, we know it’ll be nothing short of iconic. For up-to-date tour and ticketing information, you can visit the official website for KEYLAND: Uncanny Valley.
Image Source: Courtesy of Platform PR
Did you love our dream setlist for KEY’s upcoming tour? Which songs do you want him to perform live? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!
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!
