We’re so back! Grab your friends and get ready for another installment of THP’s monthly K-POP HOTSPOT. We’re only a month into 2024, and these K-Pop comebacks and debuts have already blown away all our expectations!
We’ve covered so many comebacks in January already! Check out our reviews for boy group comebacks like RIIZE, EVNNE, CIX, AB6IX, and Balming Tiger. And the girl groups slayed this month per usual: we’re talking ITZY, IVE, NMIXX, H1-KEY, Weeekly, and (G)I-DLE!
We can’t forget our amazing soloists, either. YENA, I.M, and IU came back with brand new music, while Hui from Pentagon made his solo debut this month!
THIS MONTH’S NEWS
Of course, we can’t just get into the comebacks of this month without telling you about some more unknown acts that will be worth your time. First up is the talented Hanbyeol – whom you might remember from 2020’s CAP-TEEN – she just released ‘Sweet Dreamz,’ a song that talks about waking up from a dreamful relationship as the person you loved turned away from you and you desperately trying to hold on. You can watch the music video here.
Next up, we have some well-smelling news. Yes, you read that right, one of our favorite K-Pop bands, The Rose, are dropping their first fragrance. The perfume is called Black Rose, like their fandom, and we can only imagine that those scents of jasmine, pear, ambrette, and rose make for an amazing perfume. You can get your own bottle of it right here.
This last piece of news is for our Las Vegas-based K-pop besties because we have something to share. Yes, GRAMMY Museum is bringing back one of our favorite expos: WE BRIDGE MUSIC FESTIVAL AND EXPO is coming back to Vegas in April, and we got some lineup news for you, HWASA, JESSI, DYNAMIC DUO, CRAVITY, KISS OF LIFE and AMPERS&ON are on the list so far with many more to come! Make sure you get your tickets here.
Ok, that should be everything! Let’s get into more fantastic comebacks and debuts in January’s K-POP HOTSPOT!
2AM
Our fave vocal group, 2AM, is back with another killer ballad, ‘If You Change Your Mind!’ This quartet reminds us of what we’ve been missing, giving us the greatest gift to start 2024. 2AM’s high notes never fail to move us, and this new single is everything. We hope to get even more new music from 2AM this year! *fingers crossed*
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT 2AM:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
KIM JONGHYEON
Kim Jonghyeon, formerly known as JR, is back with his second solo EP, Brilliant Seasons! Since his first EP in November 2022, we knew Kim Jonghyeon would wow us with his solo career. And we couldn’t have been more right! The title track, ‘MOTTO,’ is the ultimate feel-good bop with fire rap verses and a catchy chorus. We can take on anything life throws at us with this track. And his b-sides from Brilliant Seasons are just as high quality! Our faves are ‘New Season’ and ‘I’m so dirty, How can I love you.’
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT KIM JONGHYEON:
INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER
JEONG SEWOON
It has been too long since JEONG SEWOON made a comeback, so you have to understand our excitement over this. We missed his soothing vocals; he did great at reminding us how lovely he sounded. And what a treat his comeback was. Quiz gave us eight tracks to swoon over, with a mix of Korean and English songs. It’s the perfect album to chill with and enjoy a day filled with sweet songs.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT JEONG SEWOON:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
SHINee MINHO
In an age where everything seems to happen from one moment to the next, where we tend to fall into cyclical routines, we wish a romance would last at least one night. With this in mind, SHINee’s Minho puts his talent to work and manages to stop time in this song so that the person stays, at least for one night. No doubt this is a honey-sweet single with a touch of R&B.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SHINee:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE
SF9
Is it even a question if an SF9 comeback is good? The answer: it always is. ‘BIBORA’ quickly earned a spot in our hearts and playlists with its addictive sound and the members’ voices flowing smoothly over the melody. And to name a few of our other favorites from Sequence, we’d have to list ‘Midnight Sun’ and ‘Strings.’
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SF9:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE
B1A4
The good things in life tend to want to be repeated over and over again, and B1A4 knows that. With ten years of career behind them, the guys managed to shake up K-Pop again with their new mini album, Connect, with songs perfectly arranged to feel like we’re living the dream over and over again.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT B1A4:
INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE
WAKER
Enter new debuts in January! Here’s the first group that officially stepped into the K-Pop scene this year. WAKER got us obsessed as soon as we heard their title track ‘ATLANTIS,’ drawing our curiosity to their debut mini-album, Mission of School. It was a surprise to see so many songs on a first release: from the pre-released ‘DASH’ to the variety of genres, these boys stole our hearts with their sound, and we already can’t wait for their first comeback and for more music from them.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WAKER:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
SUPER JUNIOR KYUHYUN
When a Super Junior member drops a solo release, we always rush to check it out. So, naturally, that’s what happened when KYUHYUN dropped his EP Restart. His honey vocals got us melting over the whole album. The title ‘The Story Behind’ showcased his emotional side so well that we were too engulfed to do anything but listen. And what a treat it was to have a Super Junior-K.R.Y. song included! ‘Thanks To You’ is one of our favorites for sure.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT KYUHYUN:
INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
8TURN
Have you seen eight blonde boys passing by? We were following them, and we think we got distracted by their incredible pace! 8TURN does it again! They’re back with a new era that has us all gobsmacked. They dropped a new mini album that shows the authenticity of this group and how they do things in music. They’ve got style, a catchy beat, and a ru-pum pum that’s got us all dancing!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT 8TURN:
INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
ONLYONEOF
Wow, OnlyOneOf really came for us with this one. The catchy ‘dOpamine’ became an instant addiction, and we don’t know how many times we’ve replayed it. If you haven’t seen the music video yet, let’s just say prepare yourself for the visuals. Overall, Things I Can’t Say LOve is a treat to the ears, and we strongly recommend you listen to every track on the album.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ONLYONEOF:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE
TEEN TOP NIEL
Getting a NIEL solo release is a treat, no matter what genre he goes for. ‘Parting Path’ brought forth his sophisticated vocals and, in combination with the wintery music video, created an even more impactful release for all the senses. The single PARTING EMOTION also brought ‘Loved XX,’ a song in which we hear a new side to NIEL that we recommend everyone listen to. We’re not giving all the spoilers.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT NIEL:
TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
TRIPLES ARIA
January is the perfect month for wintry ballads! tripleS plays into this concept with the debut of their new ballad sub-unit: tripleS Aria. Their first single album, Structure of Sadness, is everything we expected from a ballad group. The title track, ‘Door,’ is a masterpiece, and we’d be lying if we said we didn’t tear up from their vocals. And the girls’ b-side, ‘Farewell My First,’ puts us in our feels even more! It’s a 10/10 for us.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT TRIPLES:
INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE
SISTAR19
One of our most anticipated returns this January had to be our favorite duo, SISTAR19. The name itself meant this would be a powerful comeback, which truly did not disappoint. ‘NO MORE (MA BOY)’ had us instantly hooked, proving the hold these ladies still and always will have on us. SISTAR19 slayed this comeback!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SISTAR19:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER
DXMON
We can all agree that these guys scream, “Hello! We bring something new to K-Pop!” at first glance. From their rhythm to their style, DXMON is the new group that invites us to remember a bit of second-generation K-Pop with a modern twist but without leaving the nostalgia of the 2000s behind. With Hyperspace, the boys in DXMON introduce themselves to the public, leaving us with a spark and asking for more!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT DXMON:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
TWS
Pledis has debuted their new boy group, TWS, and this debut has been a breath of fresh air! Their first mini-album, Sparkling Blue, is high quality from start to finish. The bright title track, ‘plot twist,’ has such fun choreography, and we loved the “boys will be boys” energy throughout the music video. We enjoyed all the b-sides in this EP, too! TWS really impressed us with their debut, and we’ll be replaying their feel-good songs for weeks.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT TWS:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
LOVELYZ RYU SUJEONG
Ryu Sujeong gave us the January comeback and collab we did not know we needed, and we’re still unable to stop replaying it. With the help of American singer XYLØ, the latest release by the K-Pop singer is honestly killing it. ‘SHXT’ is a catchy title track that you will be having on repeat, while ‘Fallen Angel’ explores a darker atmosphere that you won’t be able to resist. 2ROX are the ‘BAD GIRLS’ we stan, and when we say we need more projects like this one, we mean it.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RYU SUJEONG:
INSTAGRAM | INSTAGRAM (2ROX) | YOUTUBE
WJSN SEOLA
An undoubted talent since WJSN, SEOLA shows us a little more of her with her solo debut. With such a perfect single, she tells a whole story from start to finish, with incredible vocals and a style that is only as good as she could make it. ‘Without U’ is a song that tells of that one time you find yourself in a dream love, and you must choose to move on when that dream is over. The love you believed in can only be a good memory for your sake. Without a doubt, it is a song that leaves us buzzing.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WJSN:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
KIM JAEHWAN
When it comes to reinventing himself and giving us every genre possible, we have to admit Kim Jaehwan is the one. The moment we heard we would be getting a new Jaehwan comeback this year, we were more than ready for it. Jaehwan is channeling 2010s funk with ‘Ponytail,’ and it pays off. We were immediately transported to our Bruno Mars phase, and Jaehwan’s vocals made this song even better. Show us someone who does it like this guy!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT KIM JAEHWAN:
INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
POW
POW decided to prepare us for February’s most romantic day early on. Already having our eyes on them, the boy group delivered a sweet new single for us to further capture our hearts. ‘Valentine’ asks the question so many people expect to hear around this time of the year, and we’re accepting the role as their fans. We already had, and now it’s official. Who can say no to POW?
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT POW:
INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
VANNER
Why does it feel like we are giving you the key to a well-kept secret here? VANNER have become one of the groups we look forward to when it comes to their comebacks. And obviously, we were more than intrigued to see what their second mini-album would have in store for us. Turns out it was only greatness. ‘Jackpot’ is the rock bop we needed to end January with. The ad-libs and vocals in this song just proved how talented VANNER are and we can only recommend you check out the entire mini, especially ‘PONYTAIL,’ ‘Be My Love,’ and ‘CIRCUIT.’
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT VANNER:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
YUGYEOM
We don’t know about you but we think it is always nice to hear from one of the sevens! Ahgases are getting fed through solo work while we are patiently waiting for new GOT7 group work – once JJP are back from the military. But our youngest brings us a new soft and sweet single. ‘La Sol Mi’ is here to give us a tease of what’s to come with Yugyeom’s first full album and we love what we are hearing. This song is so sweet, and groovy and fits the light mood of this new year. It was a great way to end this packed month of music!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YUGYEOM:
INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
These new K-Pop releases gave us a kickstart into 2024! January’s K-POP HOTSPOT was jam-packed, and we’re already eager to see what February has in store for us!
What was your favorite January K-Pop comeback or debut? Which ones are you most excited about for next month? Let us know in the comments below, or tweet us @TheHoneyPOP!
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