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Tag: Tempest

  • K-Pop Hotspot: October 2025 Comebacks & Debuts Roundup

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    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.

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ONEWE:
    FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

    TWICE

    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!

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT TWICE:
    FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE

    BABYMONSTER

    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.’

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BABYMONSTER:
    FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

    JISOO & ZAYN

    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.

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT JISOO:
    INSTAGRAM

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ZAYN:
    FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | WEBSITE

    HI-FI UN!CORN

    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!

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HI-FI UN!CORN:
    INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | WEBSITE

    BAE JINYOUNG

    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.

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BAE JINYOUNG:
    OFFICIAL INSTAGRAM | PERSONAL INSTAGRAM

    MEOVV

    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.

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MEOVV:
    FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

    HWASA

    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.

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HWASA:
    INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | YOUTUBE

    KARD BM

    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*.

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BM:
    FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | BM’S INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT B.I:
    INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

    HEARTS2HEARTS

    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.’

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HEARTS2HEARTS:
    INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

    BOYNEXTDOOR

    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.

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BOYNEXTDOOR:
    FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

    XIUMIN

    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.

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT XIUMIN:
    INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

    LEE CHANGSUB

    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.

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT LEE CHANGSUB:
    FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | CHANGSUB’S INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

    TEMPEST

    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.

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT TEMPEST:
    FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | TWITTER (MEMBERS) | YOUTUBE

    WEi

    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.

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WEi:
    FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

    WONHO

    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! 

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WONHO:
    FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

    DKZ

    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!

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT DKZ:
    FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

    XIKERS

    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! 

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT XIKERS:
    FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

    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!

    Need more K-POP content? Don’t worry; we got you!

    Authors: Julie Dam, Marty.

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    Julie Dam

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  • My Youth, The Murky Stream to Confidence Queen: Korean dramas releasing in September 2025 you must watch

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    What Is Happening In K-dramas Now?

    Korean dramas are rapidly gaining popularity among the youth because of their strong storytelling, creative plotlines, and swoon-worthy aesthetics. September 2025 is going to be filled with the release of multiple such shows.

    What Shows Are Being Released In September 2025?

    An impressive list of the iconic K-dramas is being released next month. This includes My Youth, on Viki and JTBC, The Murky Stream on Disney+, Tempest on Disney+,
    Queen Mantis on Netflix and Viki, You and Everything Else on Netflix, Confidence Queen on Prime Video.

    My Youth To Be Released On September 5, 2025

    My Youth is being released on Viki and JTBC, which stars Song Joong-ki as Sun Woo-hae. The protagonist is a florist and novelist who was once a famous child actor but left the industry to find peace. The twist arises when he gets reunited with his first love, and they confront their past.

    The Murky Stream To Be Released on September 26, 2025

    The Murky Stream is a historical drama set in the Joseon era, and stars Rowoon, Shin Ye-eun, and Park Seo-ham. The storyline shows the intertwined destiny of three people in a lawless land. According to IMDb, Takryu tells the story of a man who was a gangster who would become a legend in Joseon. He was known as a gangster at Han River’s Mapo Port and eventually became a Joseon legend because of his body and skills.

    Tempest To Be Released On September 10, 2025

    Tempest is a gripping political drama featuring Jun Ji-hyun, Gang Dong-won, Park Hae-joon, Kim Hae-sook, and more. In the show, after an assassination attempt on a presidential candidate, Seo Mun-joo, a South Korean diplomat is forced to pair up with Sang-ho, an international special agent. This spy romance is the perfect blend of mystery and heartwarming romance.

    Queen Mantis To Be Released On September 5, 2025

    Queen Mantis is a gripping, thrilling remake of the French show, La Mante. It stars Go Hyun- jung , who plays the role of an infamous serial killer, The Mantis, who is on death row for killing five men. His son, who is a cop and despises his mother, now must team up with her to find another killer who has been copying her style to kill people.

    You and Everything Else To Be Released On September 12, 2025

    From teen years to adulthood, two friends linked by warmth and tension grow apart – until one is asked to accompany the other through her final days, is how Netflix describes this heart-wrenching show. Starring Kim Go-eun, Park Ji-hyun, and Kim Gun-woo, this show is a raw exploration of envy, mortality, and friendships.

    Confidence Queen To Be Released On September 6, 2025

    Releasing on Prime Video, this comedic-action show stars Park Min- young, Joo Jong- hyuk, and Park Hee-soon. According to IMDb, Confidence Queen tells the story of Yi-rang, a smart woman who becomes the ultimate con artist. She teams up with James and Gu-ho, working as a trio of swindlers to expose scammers and take their ill-gotten gains .This drama will take you on a fun journey filled with thrills and mystery.

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  • The Tempest Gets Telemarketing Treatment in Spirits to Enforce

    The Tempest Gets Telemarketing Treatment in Spirits to Enforce

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    When it was suggested that cuts to arts funding could financially support Britain’s World War II effort, it’s alleged that Winston Churchill rebuffed, “Then what would we be fighting for?”

    A great, if utterly unsubstantiated story, that warms the hearts of artists everywhere. After all, what is the world without the arts and by necessity, money to fund its creation? If only those in power felt this importance and acted accordingly.

    Unfortunately, any artist who’s scraped tooth and nail to fund a production knows that few of those in power are willing to open the coffers.

    Spoofing this reality is no doubt the seed in Mickle Maher’s one-act play, Spirits to Enforce, now receiving a robust production at Catastrophic Theatre. But like all Maher’s work, the seed of the play unfolds and blooms into something else entirely onstage, resulting in deliciously ludicrous double-meaning and wildly imaginative conceit.

    In Spirits, we get not only Maher’s brand of super wild, we get his superhero treatment as well.

    click to enlarge

    Cold calls from superheroes.

    Photo by Anthony Rathburn

    Twelve superheroes have decided to mount and star in a production of Shakespeare’s mystical masterpiece, The Tempest. But who’s going to pay for it? Why, donors of course, or so they hope.

    Set entirely at a phone bank on a submerged submarine, the superhero-telemarketer/fundraisers, disguised as their undercover personas, ring up a slew of stingy prospects. In quirky fits and starts befitting the odd characters they all are, each explains The Tempest’s premise and their desperate need for funds.

    But never mind the play, who is fighting crime and making sure the evil Professor Cannibal isn’t terrorizing the town, the prospects want to know. Despite assurances that the superheroes have locked him up for good this time, it becomes apparent that Cannibal has escaped while the superheroes lose days and possibly weeks to their no-avail campaign.

    Enter The Tempest epilogue as imagined by Maher.

    The title of the show comes from Prospero’s final lines in The Tempest as he leaves his island and sets sail for home. “Now I want Spirits to enforce, art to enchant, And my ending is despair, Unless I be relieved by prayer, Which pierces so that it assaults Mercy itself and frees all faults.”

    Decades later Maher posits that those spirits are still hanging in, sunk underwater, and taking on superhero status. Did Prospero and the gang not sail home safely as Shakespeare would have us believe? Cannibal does sound a lot like the half-man-half monster Caliban left behind to create a fiefdom on his own, banishing the island spirits.

    If you are Tempest fans, this, and many other nods, including moments of original text, will tickle your fancy, as Maher intends.

    Know not of the Shakespearean tale? Fear not, Maher’s play does give a synopsis of the play that fills in the blanks enough to follow along and enjoy the humor for what it is as opposed to what it represents.

    Things become simultaneously clearer yet wackier when, out of desperation, the superheroes decide to reveal their true powers during calls. Surely that truth will raise some funds.

    Don’t expect anything obvious like flying or being invisible, this is Maher after all, and he doesn’t disappoint. The reveals are genius in their oddness, wonderfully allowing characters to grab their freak flag and wave it proudly.

    Plot-wise, these reveals also allow Maher to lean into The Tempest fully, even giving us spritely Ariel as a narrator of sorts. Are we still watching a play about arts funding? Has it morphed into a show poking fun at Shakespeare’s work itself as illustrated by a superhero gleefully asserting that what makes The Tempest so wonderful “is that the play is just barely there.”

    As the group starts to discuss the rehearsal process on their phone calls, it’s fair to say we’re watching a play skewering the theater process itself with all its pretentions, rituals and self-importance.

    “The audience will sit on the crest of a wave,” one of the superheroes says on the phone. The whole thing will be improvised, says another. The most appropriate time for intoxication is in the rehearsal room, asserts a different superhero.

    It’s all ridiculous, meta, absurd, punny, referential, poetic and wicked smart. But at just under two hours it recalls the words of another Shakespearean character, Polonius, who declares that a crucial part of Hamlet’s play within the play is “too long.”

    Maher’s cleverness here is a bit of a runaway train. Always exciting in the bumps and jolts, but exhaustion from holding on sets in before the play is done with us. It’s easy to forgive as Maher keeps hooking us in with new gags and ramped-up quirkiness, but a haircut of just 20 or so minutes off the production is needed to keep things completely fresh.

    Lucky for us we have Director Jason Nodler steering the symphonic ship of Maher’s words and ideas. This is a true ensemble effort, one that necessitates stagnant time at a table making calls. Yet Nodler, with a big assist from Lighting Designer, Hudson Davis, makes the production look dynamic on all fronts.

    click to enlarge

    Big personalities, one and all.

    Photo by Anthony Rathburn

    More importantly, Nodler choreographs his charismatic cast with precision and plenty of room to shine.
    If you’ve ever seen a Catastrophic show before you’ll know many of the actors. These are big personalities/talents one and all. Noel Bowers, Raymond Compton, Tamarie Cooper, Jovan Jackson, Bryan Kaplún, Jenna Morris-Miller, Karina Pal Montaño-Bowers, Rebecca Randall, Kyle Sturdivant, Clarity Welch, Abraham Zeus Zapata and Walt Zipprian.

    Each one a mini play/character study unto themselves and a joy to watch. Hilarious, no question. But also incredibly sad as they struggle in their soulless world, without art or magic, where they need to beg for creativity to shine. Yet hopeful as they endlessly plug along.

    See how Maher brings us back to the artistic endeavor in opposition to those who would dismiss it?

    Spirits, superheroes, Shakespeare, villains, apathetic audiences, theater prigs, theater naysayers, actors with confidence, self-doubting artists, and just a bucket full of weird. Now that’s a synopsis Maher might approve of.

    Spirits to Enforce continues through October 12 at the Midtown Arts and Theater Center Houston, 3400 Main. For more information, call 713-521-4533 or visit matchouston.org. Pay -Pay-What-You-Can.

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    Jessica Goldman

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