Before we get into this month’s roundup we want to extend our condolences to the families and victims of the Itaewon incident. May they rest in peace.
Hello, honey bees who have a taste for the best honey, aka K-POP. It is time again for a new installment of your favorite THP feature – our K-POP HOTSPOT in October! So much happened this month, from debuts to comebacks and more, so this K-POP roundup is packed! Before we dive in, make sure to check out the comebacks we already covered, such as SUHO x MEW, ITZY, GI-DLE, STRAY KIDS, LE SSERAFIM, WONHO, KWON EUNBI, KEP1ER, DREAMCATCHER, MAMAMOO, TAN, TREASURE, ITZY, JAMIE, ONEWE, MX KIHYUN, and BTS JIN.
Before we get into the comebacks and debuts though, let’s have a look at what some of our favorite artists were up to! Girl groups killed it this month and XG is such a new cool group you need to check out, especially since Juria slayed this IU cover of ‘Dear Name!‘ Another girl group that is always slaying the game every month is our beloved aespa, and since we can’t wait for new music, it was super convenient that the group released two remix versions of their banger ‘Girls.’ Make sure you listen here.
With the music releases being top-notch this month we are always excited to see our faves live! Well, conveniently enough, one of our faves announced more tour dates just after they got nominated for four big international awards! SEVENTEEN will return to the Philippines and Indonesia for additional shows in December. Make sure you check for some leftover tickets! Another act we love and that just wrapped up their mega-watt tour is LOONA. They concluded their first world tour with a grand final concert which was held at the Handball Gymnasium in Seoul, South Korea on October 15th and 16th. We are so proud of these girls and hope they get their well-deserved rest!
Okay, we are done, promise! Now, let’s get into many more amazing comebacks and debuts from October.
AB6IX
We really weren’t kidding when we said 2022 is AB6IX’s year! They’re back after less than two months with their sixth EP Take A Chance. The title track ‘Sugarcoat’ is a groovy bop that’s so fun to jam to, no matter what kind of mood you’re in! This quartet never fails to amaze us with their vocals and visuals.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT AB6IX:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
DYNAMIC DUO
Have you ever wanted time to stop? We know that feeling all too well, and so does Dynamic Duo! Their newest single, ‘She Gonna Stop,’ featuring Leellamarz is such a cozy and catchy track. Gaeko and Choiza rap about not wasting your time feeling jealous and enjoying your life as much as possible. And we love how the title is a play on words with the Korean word for “time.”
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT DYNAMIC DUO:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM GAEKO | INSTAGRAM CHOIZA
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT LEELLAMARZ:
INSTAGRAM | SOUNDCLOUD
KANG DANIEL
You know we are never not down for some new Kang Daniel music! This time he finally released his first Japanese EP, Joy Ride, which is as exciting as the title suggests. A joy to listen to and the b-sides have our attention, too. Daniel has become the master of R&B-meets-pop music and we are enjoying every second of it. The next question: Korean comeback when?
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT KANG DANIEL:
INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE
ROCKET PUNCH
Rocket Punch came back to us this month with more upbeat and cute music! The girls released their first full Japanese album called Doki Doki Love and it slaps, people! We love this sound, it just immediately puts a smile on our faces. This is the feel-good music we needed this autumn and it makes us so excited for what’s to come for the group!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ROCKET PUNCH:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | MEMBER TWITTER | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE
KINGDOM
The kings of concepts returned this month with another amazing banger! KINGDOM just added a brand new member and we are excited about his story and king, but this comeback was all about Louis. ‘Long Live The King’ is the perfect combination of dramatics, mysterious music, and Kingdom’s signature sound. We, for sure, had this banger and b-side ‘Poison’ stuck on our playlists.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT KINGDOM:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
MUNAN
In some Korean-Australian news, we got a new music video and single from Munan! ‘Freak Like Me’ is the perfect soundtrack to your next road trip. Your vibes and aesthetic needs are also fulfilled by the accompanying music video which is super fun. We defo put Munan onto our replay playlist!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MUNAN:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE
SUZY
Suzy’s back again! And this time, she gifted us a dreamy, English-language single titled ‘Cape.’ Suzy co-wrote and co-composed this super sweet track, which is about being by someone’s side no matter when or where. We can’t get enough of her angelic vocals, and we’re excited for Suzy to show us even more sides to her music!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SUZY:
INSTAGRAM
DKZ
Everybody, it finally happened! Onc DKZ returned this summer after gaining more public recognition, they made a fast return with the moody rap-focused ‘Uh Heung.’ It’s the power anthem we have been waiting for, and they got their first win with this as well! We are so happy and proud of these boys and they deserve everything that is coming for them!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT DKZ:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | TIKTOK | YOUTUBE
THE ROSE
The members of The Rose are all back together again, and they’ve just released their first full-length album, HEAL. We can honestly say it’s one of the most beautiful albums we’ve heard all year. The composition of each song is great, and our favorites are ‘Definition of ugly is,’ ‘Childhood,’ ‘See-Saw,’ and the title track, ‘Sour.’ There are ten incredible tracks that hold everything we’ve felt and everything we needed to hear. This one’s for all those who are heartbroken, healing, and/or hopeful.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ROSE:
DISCORD | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE
NU’EST BAEKHO
Everybody, stay calm! Baekho just made his solo debut this month with his EP, Absolute Zero! The title track ‘No Rules’ is a sultry song about two lovers meeting in secret (wink), and our favorite b-side tracks are ‘Love Burn’ and ‘Bad 4 U.’ Baekho shows off his charms as well as his beautiful falsettos in this mini-album.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT NU’EST BAEKHO:
INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
PARK JIHOON
Did someone ask for a new retro synth banger? We for sure did and Park Jihoon has more than provided with ‘Nitro.’ Yes, we freaked out seeing the Belgrade-based music video for this bop, but we lost it even more over the red hair and piercings! Jihoon, that’s your best look yet! But yes, ‘Nitro’ has made our October more than perfect and the entire mini album seems to be The Answer to all of our questions.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT PARK JIHOON:
INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
UP10TION
UP10TION kills it with another bangin’ mini-album, and we can’t think of a comeback when they didn’t deliver. Their 11th EP, Code Name: Arrow, exceeds all our expectations, which were already high thanks to the rest of their discography. ‘What If Love’ is an addictive title track with a music video that could be a movie!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT UP10TION:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
VIXX RAVI
Name another idol who has a whole block party before enlisting in the military. Wait, we can’t, because no one’s doing it like Ravi! Ravi knows how to go out with a bang and his latest single, ‘Block Party,’ is the definition of a banger! His rap verses are unmatched and we always love music videos where everyone’s dancing and having fun. We’ll miss Ravi while he’s away, but we know the next 18 months of us replaying his discography will fly by.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RAVI:
INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
LEE CHANHYUK
Lee Chanhyuk takes us back to the 80s with the vibes on his first solo album, Error! The title track, ‘Panorama,’ is a bop with contrasting lyrics about life ending before you’ve had the chance to live it. It’s an important reminder to make choices you won’t regret later. You should also know that he co-composed all 11 songs on the album, on top of writing the lyrics to each one himself! We think it’s clear that Lee Chanhyuk is a man of many talents.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT AKMU:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM CHANHYUK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
N.FLYING
This new N.Flying really came at the right time. We love this band so much at THP, and with Jaehyun and Hun having to soon report for their military service, this comeback is bittersweet. ‘I like you’ offers us the well-beloved N.Flying sound – the guys have perfected this genre of pop-rock music with a touch of killer vocals and dramatic and cute lyrics. We for sure will miss the boys. Thankfully ‘Monster’ is here to keep us company until they are back as one.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT N.FLYING:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
IVE
IVE’s debut was one of the most anticipated K-Pop events of 2021, and they still have yet to disappoint us! Their debut single, ‘Eleven,’ is an absolute hit and we love every second of it. The best part is that they’ve given us the Japanese version of the track for their Japanese debut! (Spoiler alert, it’s still a bop). The accompanying music video is beautiful, just like the original, and the girls look stunning. Not to mention, we also got a new, original Japanese track, ‘Queen of Hearts,’ and we’re in love with it too. Congrats on your Japanese debut, IVE!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT IVE:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | TIKTOK | YOUTUBE
WEI
After listening to Love PT.2: Passion, we’re sure we can all collectively agree that WEi is on ‘Higher Ground.’ From explosive energy to cheerfulness, this mini album has it all! It’s a perfect addition to their previous release, Love Pt.1: First Love, as listening to the albums in order will walk you through the stages of love, both the wholesomeness of having a first love to the intense feelings that come with being in a romantic relationship. We loved listening to WEi’s incredible vocals, and we can’t wait to see what else they have in store for RUi.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WEI:
INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
RED VELVET JOY & WONSTEIN
On behalf of the K-Pop community, thank you to whoever put Red Velvet’s Joy and Wonstein on the masterpiece that is ‘Love Song!’ This beautiful single is about two people getting to know each other and falling in love. ‘Love Song’ is the second release of the World Peace Project series, where some of the proceeds from music streams will be donated to the organization. Naturally, we’ll be replaying this duet for the foreseeable future!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT JOY:
INSTAGRAM
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WONSTEIN:
INSTAGRAM | SOUNDCLOUD | YOUTUBE
JO YURI
The queen of light, soft pop vocals is back with probably our favorite song of hers so far. ‘Loveable’ is not only our favorite adjective when we want to describe Jo Yuri but it is also a fantastic song. The laid-back indie-pop vibes are real and Yuri’s performance of the song makes it extra soothing. We are glad to have her back to ring in fall and can’t wait for more from her!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT JO YURI:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
QUEENZ EYE
We have another debut on our hands, people! The new girl group Queenz Eye are fresh out of the oven and their single is extra ‘Yummy Yummy.’ The music video for this one had us blessed with amazing visuals and a girl crush extravaganza. ‘Yummy Yummy’ is the upbeat, high-energy pop banger our workout playlist needed. We can’t wait for what the future has in store for these girls!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT QUEENZ EYE:
INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
KIM MINHA & NCT DOYOUNG
Let’s talk about a team-up! We had an eargasm the moment we found out Kim Minha and Doyoung would be blessing us with a song! ‘Fallin” is everything we had hoped for. A vocal feast for our ears, the slow but upbeat single is the perfect soundtrack to our autumn!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT NCT:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
ATBO
ATBO is back and with a lot of ‘Attitude!’ We had been waiting for the freshly-debuted boy group to grace the Kpop scene with their presence again and thankfully, they pulled through. ‘Attitude’ is here and it is one catchy boy group banger! Right into the ear and living there for the time being. Of course, if you want something a bit more melodic, ‘Magic’ is the b-side you should focus on!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ATBO:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
CLASS:Y
OKAY, CLASS:y, come through! These girls delivered an incredible comeback with their mini-album Day and Night, and we’re beyond impressed by their talents! The two tracks ‘Zealous’ and ‘Tick Tick Boom’ are like day and night with their sound, concept, and choreography, which shows just how much range CLASS:y has. We were even blessed with music videos for both songs, and they didn’t disappoint!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CLASS:Y:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
ENHYPEN
ENHYPEN! We miss these boys so much! Thankfully they released their full Japanese album 定め in October and we finally got to hear some of our favorite songs again! Especially the lead single ‘Future Perfect’ sounds extra good in Japanese. We are still waiting patiently (more or less) for the boys’ new Korean comeback but until then this album will be replayed a lot!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ENHYPEN:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | MEMBERS TWITTER | OFFICIAL TWITTER | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE
ONLYONEOF RIE
Rie continues to break through barriers with his new single ‘Because.’ His new single is really catchy because of the beat and melody, not to mention that Rie blows us all away with his amazing vocals. You can tell that there is a heartfelt message behind the song, and we cannot wait to hear more solo songs from Rie in the future.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ONLYONEOF:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | MEMBER TWITTER | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE
EPEX
We had to wait a year for the follow-up to BIPOLAR Pt. 2 Prelude of Love, but now Prelude of Love Chapter 1. ‘Puppy Love is finally here! We have waited for EPEX to try the uniform-band outfit concept and, boy, was it worth it! ‘Hymn To Love’ is the EPEX love song we have been waiting for. This one is so high-energy and hard-hitting that it suits our workout playlist perfectly. If you are in need of a softer-sounding song, ‘Love Bomb’ is right there!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT EPEX:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
NCT TEN
You know that when NCT’s Ten breathes we are here to scream about it! ‘Birthday’ came to us in the form of a new NCT Lab x SM Station single and it is a sexy one. Ten channels his inner R&B artist and gives a moody and alluring performance with this single, which left us craving even more.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT NCT:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
TFN
TFN – formerly known as T1419 – is back with their first mini-album and, boy, is this a good one. We might even say it’s the best work they have released so far! ‘Amazon’ makes us crave a trip to the jungle and its melodic pre-chorus and catchy hook get us right there mentally! Even with a new name, the boys haven’t lost their spark, as ‘Amazon’ is a bop and a half.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT TFN:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
ALICE
ALICE is back with a new dance track, and we NEED to play it on a loop all day. ‘Dance On’ is such a groovy song with a fun music video to match! We’re so proud to see the group continue on after all they’ve been through. And we’ll be supporting and dancing along with them for as long as possible!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ALICE:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
VIVIZ
VIVIZ really said, “we’re THE queens,” with their new single ‘Rum Pum Pum!’ It’s a bold and addictive song about what it’s like to fall in love with them. We’re especially in love with the music video visuals and concept for this track. Everything from the set to the outfits is fantastic, and the girls look expensive! (As they should!)
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT VIVIZ:
INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
TripleS – ACID ANGEL FROM ASIA
TripleS is going to be a massive 24-member girl group. But, before they come at us with full force, their first pre-debut, 4-member sub-unit, Acid Angel from Asia, is here. And yes, did they not hesitate to bring us a bop and a half! ‘Generation’ has everything we love about the chic girl group K-pop trend rang in by NEWJEANS and LE SSERAFIM. The melody, the chorus, and the vocals… everything is here and fit. We are excited about upcoming units and the full group debut!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT TRIPLES:
INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE | WEBSITE
KENTA & SANGGYUN
JBJ95 fans, we have amazing news for you! In a series of fortunate events, Kenta and Sanggyu are finally free to promote as a duo again! And they did not hesitate to give us a new song immediately after the court’s ruling! ‘Dreams’ is a beautiful short song about the boys’ journey so far and we hope it is only up from here! Here is to new beginnings.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT KENTA & SUNGGYUN:
INSTAGRAM KENTA | INSTAGRAM SANGGYUN | TWITTER
YOUNITE
YOUNITE finished October off as ‘Bad Cupid’s and we are here for it! If we needed a high-energy love song, this one is it. Not only do their vocalists stand out during the pre-chorus, but their rappers also show us what they’ve got during the verses! The bridge of ‘Bad Cupid’ is also another highlight for us! YOUNITE have worked hard this first year on their music and we can see a really bright future for them!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUNITE:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
How did we make it through this month of bangers without collapsing, right? Are we ready for November’s comebacks to come at us in full force? Of course! What was your favorite comeback of October? Which one are you most excited about in November? Let us know in the comments below, or tweet us @TheHoneyPOP!
Need more K-POP content? Don’t worry; we got you!