K-POP HOTSPOT: July 2023 Comebacks And Debuts Roundup

Hello, honey bees who have a taste for the best honey, aka K-POP. It is time for another installment of your favorite THP feature – our K-POP HOTSPOT. What time is it? Summertime! July brought the heat and even hotter summer beats. So, of course, a lot happened this last month, from debuts to comebacks and more, so this K-POP roundup is packed as per usual! Before we dive in, make sure to check out the comebacks we already covered, such as KIM SUNGGYU, YOUNG K, QUEENZ EYE, TXT, ZEROBASEONE, EXO, NMIXX, TEEN TOP, JUNGKOOK, ENHYPEN, SHOWNU X HYUNGWON, MISAMO, THE ROSE, INFINITE, AND ITZY!

Okay, we are done. Now, let’s get into many more amazing comebacks and debuts from July.

PURPLE KISS SWAN

Swan of Purple Kiss has just released her first-ever single album, Twenty! This single album has two stellar tracks, ‘Twenty (prod. Jung Key)’ and ‘Be My Everything.’ The title track is such a feel-good song with top-tier music video visuals! Having just turned 20 this month, Swan sings about embracing her age, dancing how she wants, and enjoying life as it happens. And her b-side, ‘Be My Everything,’ is an OST-worthy slow jam. Swan’s vocals are so classic and gorgeous, and her solo debut is IT!

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT PURPLE KISS:
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SEVENTEEN JUN

Jun of SEVENTEEN is back with a new Chinese solo single, ‘Psycho!’ And he’s giving us everything with this jaw-dropping comeback, from the killer choreography to the insane music video visuals. Not to mention just how addictive ‘Psycho’ sounds. Jun contributed to the lyrics and composition, which explains why we keep replaying it! He’s in his villain era, and we aren’t planning to stop him.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SEVENTEEN:
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KISS OF LIFE

You’re telling us that Kiss of Life just debuted? Where have they been all our lives? This quartet’s first mini-album, Kiss of Life, is a THP-certified no-skips EP! The title track, ‘Shhh,’ is a showstopper. These girls’ rap verses and vocals flow together so naturally. And ‘Bye My Neverland’ is such a solid b-side that we wouldn’t be surprised if it were the title track too. Each of their solo tracks shows off their individual styles and talents, and we’re struggling to pick our favorites. But we had to stan Kiss of Life instantly, if you couldn’t tell!

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT KISS OF LIFE:
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SANDARA PARK

What a time to be second-gen K-Pop fans! Sandara Park is back with a new EP, Festival! The title track, ‘Festival,’ feels like a brand new start for Sandara, and we’re living for it! Her music video is fun and bright, and her carefree energy automatically makes us smile. We can’t explain it, but this mini-album has the perfect sound for the summer. It’s easy to hear how much time and effort Sandara put into each song, and we couldn’t be more proud of her for delivering a high-quality EP!

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SANDARA PARK:
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HYOLYN

Name a duo we didn’t know we needed this July. We’ll go first: Hyolyn’s new single, ‘This Love’ featuring Paul Blanco! Our queen never disappoints with her music, and ‘This Love’ has been on repeat all month. It’s the kind of summer song you’d listen to at the end of a long day, and hearing Hyolyn’s and Paul Blanco’s voices together is such a vibe! The music video deserves to be made into a rom-com with the chemistry between Hyolyn and her co-star Kim Hyeon Jae!

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HYOLYN:
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LOONA ODD EYE CIRCLE

The day has finally come: ODD EYE CIRCLE is back! Kim Lip, Jinsoul, and Choerry re-debuted with their sub-unit this month as part of ARTMS. And as expected, they are doing everything right. Version Up is a mini-album filled with amazing songs that sound exactly like the old LOONA sound we know and love, yet with something fresh, original, and unique. And while we’re in love with all the songs, ‘Air Force One’ is one of the most memorable summer songs this month with its addictive, bright, yet fancy sound. To summarize, ODD EYE CIRCLE are serving in their new debut, and we love every part.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ODD EYE CIRCLE:
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(G)I-DLE

(G)I-DLE’s new English single ‘I Do’ hit us like a shot in the heart! We weren’t expecting a comeback so soon, and we weren’t expecting a whole English album in the works. But these girls don’t know when to stop, and we’re beyond blessed! ‘I Do’ is an emotional song about not wanting to see your ex-lover move on from you. The music video is such a cool concept. We get to hear everyone show off their impressive acting skills on top of their beautiful vocals. ‘I Do’ was made to blast in your car on long drives to nowhere!

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT (G)I-DLE:
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NCT DREAM

Everything about NCT DREAM’s third studio album, ISTJ, is a masterpiece! From the pre-release track ‘Broken Melodies’ to the title track ‘ISTJ,’ we had a blast listening to this entire comeback. There are songs for every mood because these guys are that versatile! For example, ‘ISTJ,’ ‘Skateboard,’ and ‘SOS’ are the best songs to get you hyped up. And ‘Blue Wave,’ ‘Starry Night,’ and ‘Like We Just Met’ are for the chill days and nights. This album may be our favorite one from NCT DREAM yet!

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT NCT DREAM:
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IKON JAY

iKON’s Jay has released the much-anticipated second part of his solo debut with the single Blue Moon! ‘Blue Moon’ is, in a word, mesmerizing. Jay showcases his versatility with this sultry R&B track about someone you can’t stop missing. Speaking of versatility, ‘Wait For You’ is a ballad that sounds like it was made for Jay’s emotional vocals. And the upbeat b-side, ‘Good Girls,’ is a bop! Jay’s songs are so easy to vibe with, no matter what mood we’re in, and we’re obsessed with his sound!

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT IKON:
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MIRAE

MIRAE is back with their fifth mini-album, Boys Will Be Boys, and we didn’t skip through a single song! The title track, ‘Jump,’ is a bright and playful song about jumping into love. And we’re in love with the fun music video of the boys learning how to play basketball! MIRAE’s b-sides are some of our favorites, and we can’t pick which one we like best from this comeback. They always know how to make a solid comeback from start to finish, so don’t sleep on these boys! 

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MIRAE:
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NIZIU

NiziU are back with their second studio album, Coconut! And yes, it’s packed with summer bops and island vibes, as expected. The title track, ‘Coconut,’ makes us feel like we’re lounging on the beach and drinking out of a coconut. Our favorite b-side tracks from this album are ‘Look At Me,’ ‘Paradise,’ and ‘Prism.’ These girls’ vocals are so underrated! And we’re jealous of anyone who will get to see them on their Japanese tour from now until September!

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT NIZIU:
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NEWJEANS

Wow. What a comeback. NewJeans slays the day once again with their second mini-album, Get Up! There’s so much we could talk about. First, we’re so obsessed with the nostalgic Powerpuff Girl-style concept art. And we already knew this EP had no skips based on their pre-release tracks: ‘NewJeans’ and ‘Super Shy.’ Their title track, ‘ETA,’ is the ultimate summer club song! NewJeans’ sound and vocals are unique, and they sing some of the catchiest choruses we’ve ever heard. It’d be impossible for us not to sing along to each of their tracks on this EP. ‘Get Up’ deserves a full-length song, and we can’t wait for the day they release it. And we don’t know what the budget was for this comeback, but we’re still in shock that they got Hoyeon Jung and Tony Leung to be in the ‘Cool With You’ music videos! 

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT NEWJEANS:
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OH MY GIRL

We are absolutely floored by the quality of these July comebacks! Oh My Girl is back with their ninth mini-album, Golden Hourglass, and it’s hit after hit! But it’s clear why they picked ‘Summer Comes’ as the title track because it’s a party song that sounds like how summer should feel. The music video visuals exceeded our expectations, and we couldn’t keep our eyes off the screen. Every song on this EP slaps, and our favorites are ‘Celebrate,’ ‘Dirty Laundry,’ and ‘Miracle!’

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OH MY GIRL:
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YUGYEOM

Yugyeom’s new single album, LOLO, is IT! It has two incredible tracks: ‘LOLO’ and ‘Say Nothing.’ ‘LOLO’ is a banger, and Yugyeom’s voice shines on this track. It’s too addictive! And don’t even get us started on Yugyeom and LeeHi’s collaboration with ‘Say Nothing!’ It’s groovy and sexy and everything we ever wanted. Their harmonies had us ascending! We’re so proud of his solo journey thus far, especially seeing his confidence improve with every comeback.  

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YUGYEOM:
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ILY:1

ILY:1 are back with their second mini-album, New Chapter, and we’ve been hooked since our first listen! These girls are so cute and charismatic in the music video for their title track ‘My Color.’ And they’ve also blessed us with the choreography video for the b-side ‘Blossom!’ This EP is their second one this year, and we’ve been so impressed with their concept and vocals. It’s another successful comeback full of bops and lovely instrumentals! 

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ILY:1:
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SOYOU

Soyou’s back! We repeat: Soyou’s back! Her new EP, Summer Recipe, is the ultimate summer soundtrack if you ask us! The title track ‘Aloha’ features BORA, and we were so excited about this reunion! It’s a bubbly summer hit with all the right vibes, but we expected nothing less from these queens. And Soyou’s collaboration with MIRANI in ‘Starry Night’ is another of our favorites! This whole mini-album is fire. 

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SOYOU:
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TREASURE

Finishing up July’s roundup of comebacks and debuts is Treasure’s second full album, Reboot! We’re convinced these boys don’t know how to make a bad song because they ate up every track on this album. The bangin’ title track, ‘Bona Bona,’ has an epic beat drop before the chorus and such a danceable instrumental. Their b-sides did not disappoint us either! ‘I Want Your Love,’ ‘Run,’ and ‘B.O.M.B.’ have our hearts! We could listen to Reboot all day, and we plan to! 

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT TREASURE:
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How did we make it through this month of bangers without collapsing, right? Are we ready for August’s comebacks to come at us in full force? Of course! What was your favorite comeback of July? Which one are you most excited about in August? Let us know in the comments below, or tweet us @TheHoneyPOP!

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