K-POP HOTSPOT: September 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. September felt like it lasted three minutes, but we can’t complain! And this month had so many comebacks and debuts that we need to review with you all.

But before we dive in, make sure to check out the group releases we have already covered, such as Purple Kiss, TRENDZ, CRAVITY, TXT, Stray Kids, Loossemble, EVNNE, Kep1er, IVE, ONEUS, and XG. And if you think that’s a lot, wait until you catch up on all the solo comebacks: Lee Young Min, Young K, Kim Sejeong, Hwasa, Taehyung, Eric Nam, Key, DAWN, D.O., and Jungkook!

As we move into October, here’s a boy group to have on your radar: SUPERKIND! SUPERKIND has both 2D and 3D members, which is such a unique concept! Their comeback will be on October 18, and we’re excited to see how the virtual members interact with the members in real life.

We also have two major tour news to share! HYO of Girls’ Generation will be in Canada this October and November! She’s DJing at select Toronto and Vancouver nightclubs, and you can find tickets here! We’re already jealous of everyone who can see her DJ in person.

And another icon will be in North America this November! K-Pop legend Rain has announced that he’s kicking off his tour with two concerts in the US. General ticket sales begin September 28, so don’t forget to get your tickets here!

Okay, we think that’s everything so far. Now, let’s get into many more amazing comebacks and debuts in September’s K-POP HOTSPOT!

MARK TUAN

How did we start this month? We’d say perfectly! And we’d have to thank Mark Tuan for that. He captivated us with ‘Everyone Else Fades,’ and we have been stuck on this song ever since. When someone makes a love song so sweet and dreamy, we can only listen and melt away whenever we hear it. We’re sorry (not really), but everything else fades to the background when Mark’s song is on.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MARK TUAN:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

AILEE

Ailee does it again with ‘I’ll Hold You,’ another beautiful ballad that we can’t stop listening to! Ailee sings about missing someone deeply and trying to hold onto the memories of who they used to be. She’s preparing us for the autumn chill with a song that feels like the warmest hug. And those long high notes? No one else is competing at Ailee’s level, we fear.

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

BOYNEXTDOOR

You may wonder Why we’re so obsessed with BOYNEXTDOOR. This group has made us feel butterflies in our stomachs since their debut. These boys’ mini-album, Why, is full of suspense and a promising debut. They’ve brought us ‘Serenade’ and conquered our hearts. ‘But Sometimes’ we must trust, and now, in their latest comeback, BOYNEXTDOOR shows us that love is pretty messy but also full of joy!

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

ENHYPEN

We thought that ‘Bite Me’ couldn’t be better and that the simple concept of the union of lives, vampires, and love was simply incredible. However, ENHYPEN always knows how to surprise us, and they’ve created a Japanese version of this great single. Not only was that enough, but they made an MV that complemented this, which was like the cherry on top.

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

LEE CHAEYEON

Lee Chaeyeon is back with her first single album, The Move: Street! It’s been only five months since her last comeback, and she’s given us another dance bop with ‘Let’s Dance.’ The chorus is so catchy, and the choreography is killer! And we’re obsessed with her b-side track, ‘Cave’ too! Lee Chaeyeon doesn’t miss, and she knows it.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT LEE CHAEYEON:
INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

DKZ JAECHAN

Jaechan of DKZ has made his much-anticipated solo debut with JCFACTORY! The title track, ‘Hello,’ is a bop paired with a cute and creative music video! ‘MAYB’ (feat. Nathania) is one of our favorite tracks from his debut EP. It’s such a chill pop song with a groovy guitar instrumental. We’re beyond impressed by how hard Jaechan works and how much he’s accomplished at such a young age!

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

ROCKET PUNCH

Our girlies Rocket Punch returned, making September one of our favorite months of the year. It’s been too long since we heard from them, so naturally, we were ecstatic. Summer may have been making way for fall, but with ‘BOOM,’ we can’t help but feel the bright vibes all year round. The girls know how to make a bubbly and fun track, and they never disappoint.

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

NCT TAEIL & HAECHAN

NCT‘s Taeil and Haechan have released the latest NCT LAB track with ‘NYCT!’ And it’s their lovely ode to New York City in the nighttime. (Side note: we’re jealous of everyone who lives in New York City and can relate to this song.) This duo sounds heavenly, and we love how they harmonize in the chorus! We’d love to see these two sing more unit songs someday!

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

FTISLAND

FTISLAND is back with their ninth mini-album, and it’s simply everything. Sage is outstanding from start to finish; we don’t know if we’ll ever get over it! The cathartic title track, ‘Sage,’ is a banger, making us feel absolutely free! No matter how sad or tired we may be, this trio never fails to make us headbang to their songs. Our favorite b-side tracks are ‘All Of My Life,’ ‘Not Enough,’ and ‘Rising Star (With G.O.P).’ But let’s be honest: Sage is a certified no-skips EP!

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

YUNA

Now is the time for fall ballads, indeed! YUNA has released her first-ever solo song, and we can’t express how much we’ve missed her voice. ‘Ice Flower’ is a masterpiece that gives us chills every time we listen. One thing about us: we’re suckers for a gentle piano melody! We wish the best for YUNA and are glad she’s blessed us with new music.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YUNA:
INSTAGRAM

KARA HUR YOUNGJI

It’s impossible not to fall in ‘LOVE’ with KARA’s Hur Youngji after listening to her first-ever solo EP, Toi Toi Toi! The title track and music video are so bright and refreshing! Her b-side tracks are just as lovely, and they’ll give us a taste of summer long after the weather cools down. This mini-album is the ultimate mood booster, and we’re so glad she’s gotten to debut!

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HUR YOUNGJI:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM

WEEEKLY

Every day can be a good day when you listen to WEEEKLY! Their new special single, ‘Good Day,’ is a gift to fans awaiting their comeback after over a year and a half. Don’t worry, Daileees; we’re almost to their October comeback! ‘Good Day’ is a track with infectious positive energy that’s begging to be on your morning motivation playlist!

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

EL7Z UP

Supergroup EL7Z UP has debuted with 7+UP, and we couldn’t be more excited! And if you think you see familiar faces, you’re not wrong! Each member has debuted in another group before, including WJSN, CLC, Lovelyz, Purple Kiss, Woo!ah!, H1-KEY, and Rocket Punch! And we’re blown away by everyone’s sheer talents coming together. Their title track ‘Cheeky’ is a bop, and their b-sides on this EP are truly the highest quality.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT EL7Z UP:
INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

MIMIIROSE

mimiirose is back with their second single album, LIVE. And this release has us on the floor with how good these girls sound! The title track, ‘Flirting,’ shows off their strong, clear vocals, even the ones recorded in the background! Their b-side, ‘TIPSY,’ leans more heavily on their rapping and hip-hop sound, proving this group’s versatility. And ‘A-OK’ is a fun dance song we’d blast pretty much anywhere! We might have to stan mimiirose at this point.

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

JUNG YONGHWA

Everyone, stop what you’re doing! Jung Yonghwa, the man, the myth, the legend, just released his second mini-album, Your City. The title track ‘Your City’ has a rock and retro feel that makes it so addictive! The whistling melody is too good, and we even get a guitar solo in the music video! This EP carries the nostalgia of lovesick second-gen K-Pop songs, and we can’t thank Jung Yonghwa enough for this gift.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT JUNG YONGHWA:
INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

TEMPEST

TEMPEST always knows how to steal our attention. Every comeback shows us different musical sides of the group, and, oh look, they did it again! We are so addicted to ‘Vroom Vroom’ that we can’t get the “Ck ck Vroom Vroom” part out of our heads. Seriously, if you listened, you’d know what we mean. If you haven’t, we recommend you do it right now. The hard-hitting parts combined with powerful vocals are everything we need.

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

YUJU

YUJU’s back! After a successful mini-album release with O in March, she’s giving us a brand new dance track: ‘DALALA!’ We love seeing how much she can shine in her solo activities. It helps to know that she’s composing and writing her own songs! YUJU looks like she’s enjoying herself within her world of music, and we’re happy to experience it with her!

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YUJU:
INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

FANTASY BOYS

September has been a month packed with new groups debuting! And we’re constantly impressed by the quality of these debut releases, specifically FANTASY BOYS’ debut EP, New Tomorrow! The title track, ‘New Tomorrow,’ is a hopeful song that makes us feel capable of anything. And just like the song’s mood suggests, these boys have a bright future! We’re obsessed with ‘One Shot’ and ‘Shangri-La,’ and we’ve been replaying these three songs daily!

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT FANTASY BOYS:
INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

WEi KIM YOHAN

In celebration of his birthday, Kim Yohan of WEi has just released a special single: ‘Blue In You!’ He duets with CHEEZE in what feels like the essence of a romance drama OST. Their incredible voices match one another so well. And we’re so obsessed when they sing the chorus together! It’s calming and emotional; we don’t know if we can get through each listen without tearing up.

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

Our playlists are filling up to the brim with the number of bangin’ songs we got this month! And are we ready for October’s K-POP HOTSPOT? Absolutely. What was your favorite comeback from September? Which ones are you most excited about in October? Let us know in the comments below, or tweet us @TheHoneyPOP!

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