SUNMI is an icon in every sense of the word. Since the 2nd gen of K-Pop, SUNMI has blessed us with her voice and talent, going from one of the most iconic girl groups to dominating the scene as a soloist. After giving us many unforgettable hits, her first full-length album as a soloist is finally here, and her talents as a songwriter and producer are shining brighter than ever before. From the influence of dance music to rock sounds, HEART MAID explores the entirety of SUNMI’s artistry, making every song a gem. But there are those that no one should miss out on!
‘BLUE!’
Before we got the entirety of HEART MAID, SUNMI dropped two singles, and they remain among the best songs on the album. While ‘Balloon In Love‘ was released last summer, ‘BLUE!’ was released earlier this year as the official first taste of HEART MAID. It’s a soft, magical, encapsulating song about unconditional love that feels bittersweet yet youthful, influenced by both synth-pop and band music. Everything about this song is better, and what made it even better was the aesthetic SUNMI accompanied it with – the ideas behind the song, the short blond hair, and, of course, she was back on the bass. Even with the entirety of HEART MAID, ‘BLUE!’ remains one of the main highlights in the release.
‘DDU DDU’
One of the most fun sides of HEART MAID is when SUNMI dips her toes completely in dance tracks, and ‘DDU DDU’ is the best example of this. She’s always been amazing at this type of music, and ‘DDU DDU’ is fun, carefree, and one of her best dance tracks yet. If there’s one b-side from HEART MAID that could be a title track, it’s ‘DDU DDU.’ It’s catchy and infectious, all while saving that side of SUNMI that makes everything seem intricate and dark. It’s not a coincidence that this is the fan favorite.
‘Bath’
While HEART MAID offers fun tracks, towards the end of the album, SUNMI also gets more vulnerable, offering us sweeter, comforting tracks. The best one? ‘Bath.’ The second-to-last track in HEART MAID is the perfect blend of the influence of band music in SUNMI’s discography, her sweet, enveloping voice, and her ability to build an atmosphere and a story in only a few minutes. ‘Bath’ is that ballad that sticks, with an atmosphere perfect for the fall and the winter.
‘Tuberose’
‘Tuberose’ is the highlight of HEART MAID, with its sultry, enticing, mysterious sound. Not only is the guitar solo in the post-chorus exquisite, but SUNMI’s mixing of soft and powerful vocals gives this song a rich texture and a big personality. ‘Tuberose’ is SUNMI excellence only like she can do. And having it followed by the bass solo in the interlude with ‘Bass(ad)’ makes it even better. If there’s one b-side to remember among all these gems, it’s ‘Tuberose.’
‘CYNICAL’
While every single b-side in HEART MAID is worth all the attention, the star of the show for this release is, of course: ‘CYNICAL.’ SUNMI has always excelled at giving us strange, weird, spooky, and cheeky songs, and ‘CYNICAL’ is one of the best examples of this kind of music, so props to her. With its electronic sound, ‘CYNICAL’ is full of irony, giving it an even more unsettling yet fun energy. Even when you’re done listening to the entire album, it’s the song that will never leave your mind.
What’s your top five in SUNMI’s HEART MAID? What was your favorite single from the album? Be sure to let us know by tweeting us at @thehoneypop or visiting us on Facebook and Instagram.
It feels like this summer really passed us by because what do you mean we’re at the end of August already? In any case, it’s time for our favorite time of every month! We’re here to deliver our August K-Pop Hotspot to new, current, and curious K-Pop fans.
Have you been following along with THP this past month? Check out our K-Pop comeback reviews of EVNNE, Yves, Key, JUNHEE, Pentagon’s Jinho, ASTRO’s ZOONIZINI, BoA, NMIXX, Stray Kids, AB6IX, DAY6, and Purple Kiss!
YOUNITE
YOUNITE caught us by surprise with their single ‘BOMBA,’ and we’re beyond overjoyed by the result in our August K-Pop hotspot. Incorporating Latin elements and blending them with their style, the group dropped a fire track that’s impossible to resist dancing along to. And to add to the already banger new piece, they gave us a remake of a B-side you might recognize from one of their previous releases, ‘Poco Loco (Baile Funk Remix).’ This is a powerful two-song single release that will keep your energy up and completely take you in.
We got swept and lost in KiiiKiii‘s ‘DANCING ALONE,’ and still do whenever we listen to the song. The song’s retro vibe feels like we’re taken back in time, to a more carefree and peaceful moment of our lives, where we’re just having fun with our friends. The title may be ‘DANCING ALONE,’ but we get the urge to grab our closest friend and burst into dancing to the nostalgic rhythms. While this is a perfect summer track, we plan to carry it into the rest of the seasons and enjoy it to its fullest. Who says summer is just a season and not a state of mind?
We think we just set the world record for the fastest time to stan a boy group. idntt has completely blown us away with their showstopping debut mini-album, unevermet! They’ve blessed us with not one, not two, but THREE music videos for ‘You Never Met,’ “Storm,’ and “BOYtude.’ We’ve been so obsessed with their sound and concept that this EP has been on repeat all month. idntt has a bright future ahead of them, and we’re sat!
Everyone, stay calm! Yuju just released her third mini-album, In Bloom, and it’s everything we wanted. Her discography keeps getting better, and we fall deeper in love with her music. The title track, ‘REPLY,’ has a nostalgic K-Pop and anime-esque sounds that instantly hook listeners. Yuju’s music has a unique magic you won’t find elsewhere. Her collaborations with Jeong Sewoon and GEMINI are *chef’s kiss*, just like the rest of her EP.
Guess who’s back? YOUNG freakin’ POSSE! We can’t believe we only needed to wait five months for their new EP, Growing Pain pt.1 : FREE. These girls dropped banger after banger, from the title track ‘FREESTYLE’ to B-sides ‘MON3Y 8ANK,’ ‘soju,’ and more! We can honestly say we didn’t skip a single song on this mini-album. YOUNG POSSE brings fun, carefree energy back into K-Pop—and they do it effortlessly!
August was for K-Pop soloists! Red Velvet’s JOY released her first solo mini-album, From JOY, with Love! The title fits perfectly for an album that’s a love letter to life, love, Paris, and summer. The title track ‘Love Splash!’ is our new summer anthem and will soundtrack the rest of the season. JOY‘s EP has no skips, but our favorite B-sides are ‘La Vie En Bleu’ and ‘Scent Of Green.’
SECRET NUMBER is back! After a lineup change, these girls return with a brand new single, and we didn’t realize how much we missed their sound. ‘Don’t Touch’ is empowering, self-assured, and highly danceable. If we heard it in the club, we’d immediately sprint to the dance floor! They must’ve put something in the chorus to make it this addictive because we can’t stop listening.
Moonbyul’s solo comeback has officially made our August hotspot ten times better! Her fourth solo EP, laundri, is a THP-certified no-skips mini-album, as shown by her pre-release song, ‘ICY BBY.’ The title track, ‘Goodbyes and Sad Eyes,’ is the ultimate pop-rock anthem. We always love this sound on Moonbyul and are thrilled to stan such a talented, versatile artist. Moonbyul’s B-sides always hit different. If we had to pick our top three, they’d be ‘Chocolate Tea,’ ‘Over You,’ and ‘Take Off.’
8TURN absolutely got our hearts with this release! We love how ‘Electric Heart’ builds up and explodes with its chorus. The boys draw us into an emotional experience that only grows stronger with each chorus. We are filled with positivity and hope, and those don’t fade, no matter how many times we replay the song.
TEEN TOP being back is like having one of the best dreams, so we make sure to enjoy it to the fullest. And it’s so easy when they continue to bring some of the best releases in K-Pop. Addictive, new, yet completely their own, you can tell Just 15, Just Teen Top is proving once again that the group is true to its musical style. 15 years after their debut, and they still make grand comebacks to remember. We’re absolutely in love and addicted to the title track ‘Cherry Pie,’ having its chorus stuck in our heads. But that’s not all! We’re totally not normal over the whole album, and especially ‘Home Alone (But U),’ to the point that it has become our B-side anthem.
Did someone order a heartbreaking ballad with stunning vocals? BTOB Lim Hyunsik’s new solo single is here! ‘The Answer’ further cements his place in our hearts. He sings of missing a former love and reminiscing about all the moments he’s held onto since the breakup. The music video’s flashbacks of happier times bring us to tears.
Did someone say pop-punk but K-Pop? Yes, it was EXO CHANYEOL with his ‘Upside Down’ title that has our little hearts bursting with joy. And it’s not the only song on his latest solo album of the same name that has our full attention. One of our absolute new faves on the album has to be ‘Ocean Drive’ with its rock elements and how fun it feels, we can almost imagine ourselves on a drive to the ocean. But for the full experience, we definitely recommend listening to the album in order for your first time listening!
IVE’s comebacks never miss! They did it again with their fourth EP, IVE SECRET. We can’t get enough of this new IVE era, especially with a killer title track like ‘XOXZ’ and the music video. As soon as we heard the highlight medley, we knew this mini-album would be one of their best yet! (Which is saying something, considering their discography is packed with hits.) Our favorite B-sides are, hands down, ‘Dear, My Feelings’ and ‘삐빅 (♥beats).’ If you need us, we’ll be having a dance party in our room blasting this EP.
We’re glad our August K-Pop roundup didn’t end without a Sunmi comeback! Her new single puts us in our feelings while lifting our hearts. How does she do it? Ask the multi-talented queen singing the song. Sunmi answers the age-old question, “What would you do if your boyfriend turned into a cockroach?” in her ‘BLUE!’ video. We live for the weirdness. She gives us a lovely song for those who help on sad days. And bassist Sunmi returns in 2025, which is our dream come true.
That’s all for our newest K-Pop hotspot! What was your favorite August K-Pop comeback and debut? Which comebacks are you most looking forward to in September? Let us know in the comments below, or tweet us @TheHoneyPOP!