Author: Rahul M

So many things are happening in “The First Night with the Duke” last week that it is difficult not to be surprised over and over again. Although we are getting near the ending, we are nowhere closer to the happily ever after for Cha Sun Chaek (Girls Generation’s Seohyun) and Yi Beon (2PM’s Taecyeon). But as there is no happiness without some struggles, these moments are also important for the development of the story. Here are some of the most surprising things in this week’s episodes!  Warning: spoilers from episodes 7-8 ahead! 1. Yi Beon and Cha Sun Chaek spending…

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been asked at least a dozen times whether I’m going to review the songs from the popular Netflix movie K-Pop Demon Hunters. The answer is still “no,” though with this post I guess it’s kind of a semi-“yes.” I want to apologize to anyone who received an increasingly dismissive response from me when asking this question. Don’t take it personally and it wasn’t my intent to be rude. It’s just that it’s come up so often that it’s become a running gag in the comments section. Now, there’s a full post to contain all…

When deciding which song off ILLIT’s newest album to feature as a “buried treasure,” I waffled between Oops and Jellyous. I’m glad I chose the former because now I get to write about the newly-promoted Jellyous as well. This is also another chance to wax poetic about how much Do The Dance has grown on me over the past few weeks. It’s by far my favorite ILLIT title track at this point. Jellyous is also fun, though not as uniquely ear-catching. At its worst, the song conforms to the muted sing-song approach I’ve grown so tired of in K-pop, but…

Thus far, BTOB members have experimented here and there with their solo work but never strayed too far from the balladry that’s made them so popular. On past efforts, Lee Changsub has embraced nostalgia, offering his takes on older genres and even newer iterations of older genres. New single Vroom Vroom (부릉부릉) is not a cover of the 2016 Charli XCX hit (can you imagine?!) but it does see him completely shifting his sound toward the dance club. On its face, this should be a thrilling development. I’m always looking for bounding dance beats in K-pop, especially given our current…

To be honest, the title “Charizzma” sends a shiver down my spine. Naming your song “Charisma” would be cheesy enough since this is a quality you should be showing rather than telling, but adding the “Z’s” (a la the cringey slang “rizz”) practically makes the song collapse in on itself before even starting. HITGS already have a dubious musical track record, though last month’s Gross grew on me a bit due to its sheer silliness. I don’t see the same trajectory for Charizzma. The song makes almost every musical choice I find irritating in 2025. It’s hopelessly muted, bopping along…

Xdinary Heroes fans are regularly fed by the band, who must be one of the most prolific acts working at the moment. It feels like new music is always just around the corner, whether that’s in the form of fully-promoted comebacks or drips and drabs of digital singles. New single FiRE (My Sweet Misery) falls in the latter category, though I believe they will still be performing it on music shows. Xdinary Heroes have released a handful of songs I enjoy and a few I dislike very much, but I admire their willingness to experiment with their sound. Being a…

Doh Kyung Soo has one of the richest tones in K-pop, but as with so many great voices his solo music has usually steered toward ballads and coffeehouse-ready midtempos. There’s nothing wrong with that, but the style doesn’t exactly inspire excitement. Teasers of his first full album seemed to promise a more diverse set of sounds (and tempos!) and the bouncy Sing Along! takes a gentle hop toward that. For this song, Kyung Soo’s paired with Zico as a songwriter/producer. This isn’t a collaboration I would have expected, nor does Sing Along sound much like what I’d anticipate the two…

Jeon Somi has returned with what will likely be her only new music this year. Talk about a discography doled out in crumbs! Despite debuting as a soloist all the way back in 2019, she’s never been given more than one single or mini album per year, making it even more important that each and every song hits with full force. 2023’s Fast Forward did just that, while last year’s Ice Cream was a dud. New single Extra lands somewhere in the middle. Extra sets its sights on the 80s, offering a glistening, synth-powered mid-tempo dance track. The glossy production…

A trailer has been unveiled for “BOYS II PLANET”! The second season of the hit survival show “BOYS PLANET,” which gave rise to the project group ZEROBASEONE, “BOYS II PLANET” is a global K-pop project where fans from around the world help produce and launch a top-tier boy group. The show was originally intended to air as two separate audition programs—“BOYS II PLANET K” and “BOYS II PLANET C”—with each show debuting its own boy group. However, Mnet later changed the format so that as the competition progresses, the two narratives will eventually converge into one, ultimately leading to the…

Upcoming film “My Daughter Is a Zombie” has shared a new sneak peek of Yoon Kyung Ho’s character! Based on the webtoon of the same name, “My Daughter Is a Zombie” is a heartfelt comedy about a devoted father who goes to extreme lengths to protect his daughter, who is the last surviving zombie on Earth. Jo Jung Suk will star as Jung Hwan, the doting father who secretly attempts to train his zombie daughter. In the film, Dong Bae may appear rough around the edges, but he is gentle and sincere at heart. He works as a pharmacist in…