A new season means plenty of debuts and comebacks to cover! Welcome back to THP’s monthly K-POP HOTSPOT, AKA your go-to for all things K-Pop. March is a month for changes and moving to different chapters, and we’ve loved all the new sounds and debuts so far.
Have you seen the comebacks we’ve covered already? Be sure to check out fire group releases from TEMPEST, LUN8, The Boyz, DAY6, Purple Kiss, LUCY, YOUNG POSSE, and Super Junior D&E. Our fave solo artists also killed it this month, including Chungha, V, Wendy, Seori, and J-Hope!
DAESUNG
‘Falling Slowly’ may be a heartbreaking song, but we continue to fall slowly for DAESUNG‘s voice. It has been years, and we still can’t get enough of it. Not only that, but we keep being surprised at how wonderful he sounds: the experience of listening to his songs is truly heavenly. Naturally, we’ve been swooning over his sweet honey vocals in ‘Falling Slowly.’ The inclusion of a whole movie-like music video made it an even more captivating experience for not just our ears but our eyes as well.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT DAESUNG:
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IKON SONG YUNHYEONG
How did we feel after hearing Song Yunhyeong‘s solo debut title track would be a trot one? We were overwhelmed with joy! ‘It’s call’ is such a fun song; it charms with an addictive beat and chorus. But Song did not limit himself to one genre. His album features a variety of sounds, with additional trot tracks, creating different moods with this five-piece experience. If you’re not obsessed already, that can only mean you haven’t listened yet. We don’t make the rules; they’re just facts.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SONG YUNHYEONG:
INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
ICHILLIN’
ICHILLIN’ is back with their third mini-album, Feelin’ Hot, and it’s a banger! (We know bangers. We know bangers.) They pre-released two B-side tracks, ‘BITE ME’ and ‘DEMIGOD,’ earlier this year, so we already knew their EP would be a hit! These girls absolutely delivered on their title track, ‘On My Lips,’ such a fun and upbeat song! And their 2024 version of ‘La Luna’ sealed the deal for us. We just might stan!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ICHILLIN’:
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XIKERS
Something that seemed difficult or impossible, xikers made possible, mixing hip hop with rock and guitars that roar non-stop. As the main title says, the guys don’t stop in their ascent to success and recognition for their authenticity. Kicking off with a powerful rap followed by verses showing how versatile they are, we’re enjoying this new xikers phase. What do you think of this style?
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT XIKERS:
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HIGHLIGHT
Ready to party with HIGHLIGHT for this March K-POP HOTSPOT? Their latest title track, ‘BODY.’ is a fresh and fun piece for all to groove to. There is still time until summer, but this is a perfect track to play during the warmest season. Do we really need anything else to loosen up a bit? And if you want a little laugh to go with it, make sure that you check out that music video: the members are giving us just the right amount of comedy we need. The whole of the group’s newest mini-album, Switch On, is an enjoyable new addition to our playlists and our lives.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HIGHLIGHT:
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HWANG MIN HYUN
We thought honey was one of the sweetest things in the world, but after Hwang Min Hyun‘s new single, ‘Lullaby,’ we know that his voice is even lovelier than that! How he tells us everything will be alright has us melting. Full of charm, he shows us that singing is one of his fortes and lets us release all our love for him and his music in one breath. It is a miracle of spring. So now, we have a new default lullaby!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HWANG MIN HYUN:
INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
BAE173
BAE173 blew our minds with ‘Fifty-Fifty.’ We’re here for this cool concept. And that chorus? It has us hooked since the first listen. It has been so long since we got a proper comeback, but the wait was truly rewarding. We love their release and are happy to get new music from them. You will find us streaming this any chance we get.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BAE173:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
XODIAC
It’s clear that there is no right way a genre should sound, but without a doubt, when XODIAC releases new material, we know that the planets have aligned to let us hear what K-Pop sounds like. In harmony once again, the boys show their authenticity and joy in telling stories within their universe and music. One thing is for sure: following them now is the best decision because these guys are on the rise and in their ‘Hey Day!’
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT XODIAC:
INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
YOOA
YooA finally returned to us in March’s K-POP HOTSPOT, and she is not done reinventing herself and her musical style. After two releases that couldn’t be more different from each other but still straight bops in their own regard, she is back with another club banger! ‘Rooftop’ is more groovy and edgy but still has the YooA sound and vocals. This girl never misses; we can’t wait to see what’s next for her!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YOOA:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | YOOA’S INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
APINK KIM NAMJOO
Stop the presses! APINK‘s multi-talented Kim Namjoo is back with her second single album, BAD! Her concept for the title track, ‘BAD,’ is so unapologetic and badass that it makes us want to be bad, too. The outfits in the music video are giving, and we’d do anything to see her live performances! And if that wasn’t enough, the two B-side tracks are just as title track-worthy, and there isn’t a single ‘BAD’ song in sight.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT KIM NAMJOO:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | NAMJOO’S INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
TNX
The New Six, AKA TNX, are back with their first release of the year: their first single called ‘FUEGO!’ And as the title suggests, this comeback is fire. The beat is easy to dance to, and these boys killed their choreography, per usual! We can already imagine the countless solo dance parties we’ll have to this song. Go ahead and put ‘FUEGO’ in your hype playlist for us. TNX did not come to play!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT TNX:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
ILLIT
HYBE’s new girl group, ILLIT, has finally debuted, and we’re here for it! ILLIT’s debut EP, Super Real Me, has been on repeat nonstop for the past few days. ‘Magnetic’ is so addictive that it’s become our motivation to wake up every day, if only to keep listening to this track. And the B-side tracks’ Midnight Fiction’ and ‘Lucky Girl Syndrome’ fit our music taste perfectly! These girls slayed their debut, and we’re beyond proud of them!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ILLIT:
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NCT DREAM
NCT DREAM is back with their new EP, DREAM()SCAPE, and it might just be our new favorite March comeback yet! We’ll start with the title track, ‘Smoothie,’ a smooth (haha) and groovy hip-hop track about blending hate and negativity into a smoothie and drinking it away. And the B-sides are on another level! Like… ‘BOX?’ ‘Carat Cake?’ ‘icantfeelanything?’ NCT DREAM delivers banger after banger with every release, and it’d be impossible to pick our favorite track from this mini-album.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT NCT DREAM:
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BOA
March is THE month for female solo artists! Because why wouldn’t it be? Queen of K-Pop BoA‘s new single, ‘Emptiness,’ gives us everything we’ve been missing and more! And with an Afrobeats-inspired beat that BoA self-produced, no less. ‘Emptiness’ is the ultimate breakup song about all the times an ex-lover has lied or manipulated you. But the key to moving on comes from your decision to stop believing them and leave them behind for good. BoA has never had a bad song, and she won’t start now!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BOA:
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AMPERS&ONE
AMPERS&ONE did it again, and it’s only their first comeback! These boys may be rookies, but they keep captivating us with their bops, and that only speaks how promising they are. ‘Broken Heart’ is that powerful title track we’d be screaming and grooving hard to, especially during that chorus. Have you heard it? It’s an absolute banger. We highly recommend you also check out their b-sides. ‘Crazy Stupid Fun’ is the perfect party song we can’t get enough of, and ‘Someday’ is a cute, upbeat piece you wouldn’t want to skip.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT AMPERS&ONE:
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CANDY SHOP
March’s K-POP HOTSPOT has been killing it with these debuts! Next, we have Candy Shop, an adorable new quartet with the sweetest concept! Their debut EP, Hashtag#, has no skips from us. The title track, ‘Good Girl,’ is a whole vibe and a half with an addictive chorus and a bubbly aesthetic that we’ve been eating up. We can see the B-side ‘Candy#’ being played at a dance club, and ‘No Fake’ feels like a Sunday Funday. And the intro’ Hashtag#’ deserves to be a full song! What more can we say about such an incredible debut?
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CANDY SHOP:
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UNIS
Something is in the March air, and it’s not just pollen. It’s the way rookie girl groups have been serving with their debuts! We’ve been floored with so many high-quality EPs, and UNIS does not disappoint with their first EP, WE UNIS! The music video visuals and outfits for the title track ‘Superwoman’ are killer! Our favorite B-sides are the dreamy ‘Whatchu Need’ and the rock track ‘Dopamine (UNIS Ver.)’ We have no choice but to add UNIS to our stan list after this.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT UNIS:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
TAN
It’s no secret that we love TAN‘s music, and they’ve finally gifted us with a full album. With a strong lead track like ‘HYPERTONIC’ and the various genres we come across in the W SERIES ‘3TAN’ (WORLD Ver.), we can only agree that this is an all-rounder group. Every release is simply top-tier. We want to point you toward ‘Lights,’ ‘ADRENALINE,’ and ‘Love is an Open Door,’ which are just a couple of our favorite songs from the album. And, of course, we’re pretty obsessed with ‘HYPERTONIC,’ and we know you will be too.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT TAN:
INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
ARTMS
Umm, excuse us, ARTMS?? We didn’t know these girls were actresses too! They did not have to do us like that with their pre-release single, ‘Birth.’ A dark and edgy art concept with some of the best visuals we’ve seen in a long time, ARTMS’ ‘Birth’ completely blew us away! We also want to know who drew the art for the music video because it deserves to go into a museum. 10/10 concept. 10/10 track. We’ll be here obsessing until the next release!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ARTMS:
INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE
LABOUM SOYEON
Spring ballads will hit different every time. LABOUM’s Soyeon just made her solo debut with her single, ‘Goodbye.’ Her beautiful vocals are so underrated, and every high note she had gave us chills! We’re fans of simple music video concepts like ‘Goodbye’ because it lets us focus on Soyeon’s heavenly voice. We could fall asleep to ‘Goodbye’ any day!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SOYEON:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | SOYEON’S INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
BANG YONGGUK
It is always a welcomed sight when one of the B.A.P members blesses us with new music! Our leader Bang Yongguk gave us an extra special easter gift this year with his third mini album release 3 and title song ‘Movimiento.’ What a way to close March and this HOTSPOT with. We missed the singer and predominately rapper as he never fails to deliver a bop with a lot of meaning at the same time. ‘Movimiento’ is exactly that. We get his raspy signature rap along with a bop-worthy beat. Yongguk did it again and the entire mini album is a masterpiece!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BANG YONGGUK:
INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
What a packed month for K-Pop debuts and comebacks! March’s K-POP HOTSPOT fed us so well, and we’ll obsess over these songs for days to come.
What was your favorite March 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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