Just A Little Fangirl Love

Release date: 2025 July 23 Album tracklist:  dance with me! Album runtime: 2 minutes  So in an interesting turn of events, I had someone on Threads ask me to review this. Which is interesting. As I just said. The curiosity gave me a really big dopamine hit, I'd just like everyone to know this, so I'm going to do it. I can't promise this will always be the case, but this also isn't the first time (the first one was a message on Tumblr for something that was definitely not kpop, and that one wasn't a full review because of a couple of reasons, but I was still honest about it as I am with all of these.) And even though I have been historically interested in keeping this more strongly Korean than just K-Pop adjacent, I'm not opposed to venturing away from there. So I have some investigating to do on this artist. Be back in a tick. It's gone from interesting to surprising and pleasing, not going to lie. This is flattering. So according to Genius, the artist is a ...

  Hello, everyone and welcome to this week's one-stop shop for the music show wins! We are down two music shows, which is unfortunate because that means fewer wins, but we do have a first win for a song!! Whoo!! For the After School Club re-run due to their ongoing hiatus, I'm handing you ep 453, featuring the boy group WEi! First episode of 2021, first time WEi was on, and while its their debut song, they were about a month out from their second mini album. Hosts were Jamie, Heejun, and Jaeyun (AKA Jayn Lee). Show Champion: CLOSE YOUR EYES "Snowy Summer" MCountdown: BLACKPINK "JUMP" Music Bank: CLOSE YOUR EYES "Snowy Summer" Show! Music Core: ALLDAY PROJECT "FAMOUS" Inkigayo: N/A ASC Performance: 20210105 WEi "TWILIGHT" The Show: N/A

  It's not a whole lot of variation this week, which is a little unfortunate. I'd prefer to have more, you know? On the other hand, I am pretty amused that all the wins this week came from groups at the very start of the alphabet. It's cute, and a little funny. aespa is also the only one of the bunch that isn't a rookie anymore, which is always good to see. The rookie groups need the love, attention, and wins to survive. The other interesting thing is that both of those rookie groups are project groups from survival shows. (Love you, Woongki, I hope this group does better for you...) After School Club is still on hiatus, so your re-run for this is ep 199 in 2016, featuring a still rookie group GFRIEND! Our MCs are Eric Nam, Jamie, and Kevin from U-Kiss (most recently known as the singing voice for Mystery Saja!). GFRIEND are absolutely precious. Show Champion: AHOF "Rendezvous" MCountdown: aespa "Dirty Work" Music Bank: AHOF "Rendezvous" Sh...

Release date: 2025 July 23 Album tracklist:  SLAM DUNK Album runtime: 3 minutes  I love looking at the timing of album releases, and their pre-releases, because you can obviously tell when something is released because of a certain other thing that is also happening around that same time. It just makes me laugh a little. But I do have to say that they've been remarkably active, even in the less than a year since I started writing these reviews. With their contracts only being two-and-a-half years long, on top of being one of MNET's beloved project groups, it makes sense that they've been so active. Good for the fans, potentially exhausting for the group. So, I don't know if this is the result of me being the demographic I am, but literally every time we get one of these sports-type songs, my brain immediately flashes back to High School Musical (fun fact: one of my friends had a poster of Cordin Bleu in her gym locker). And even if it's not a song I probably would ...

Release date: 2025 July 11 Album tracklist: JUMP Album runtime: 3 minutes  I've been doing this for almost two years and this is the first BLACKPINK group song in at least two years, but the first non-OST in three. This brings the total up to just over thirty in total, which sounds like a lot until you factor in how long since debut. And that's a failure on the company's end. But it's still exciting for the fans now that the drought is a little bit over. It won't be over until there's a mini album or a proper album, but this is more of a quick cloudburst, enough to wet the ground but not enough to help the plants survive long. And I'm also pretty disappointed that it's less than three minutes long considering the above paragraph, but I'd still be disappointed even if the group was more active. This is probably dance pop at its finest with a sprinkling of latin and EDM to really round out the sound. Y'all will have to tell me if it feels like a BL...

Release date: 2025 June 27 Album tracklist: Dirty Work , Dirty Work (feat. Flo Milli), Dirty Work (English Version), Dirty Work (Instrumental) Album runtime: 12 minutes  You know, I regularly forget when aespa debuted because they seem like such a visibly driving force that feel a lot older than they are. The temporary forgetfulness is held in check by the fact that I know they're younger than Red Velvet and I know when Red Velvet debuted. I'm also laughing a tiny bit over the fact that this is literally the bare minimum of a runtime that I like. It's kind of funny. Ooh, I'm already pegging this song as an action dystopia movie OST vibing song within the first ten seconds or so. Something like a cross between Mad Max and Divergent, you know? There's a barely restrained feralness to the instrumental track. It growls and scrapes as the song moves with occasional sharp spurts of energy and power, which is especially effective because it gives the song a much needed ene...

Release date: 2025 June 23 Album tracklist: FAMOUS , WICKED Album runtime: 5 minutes  I'm doing the review of this late enough that certain members of this group have already caused...a stir that feels unnecessary, you know? Did that need to happen with him? Nope. I'm not super cool with it. I don't know if it was him or the stylist, but either way, didn't need to happen. Let's do better. In other news, we've got a group of all adults, so as long as we don't have more issues in the future, they don't need to go on Underage Protocol. I believe that Woochan was part of Trainee A, which makes him the third one to debut from that group with another slated to debut in BigHit's next boy group next month. So, fingers crossed that Woochan gets a healthy career with this group. The runtime for their debut single is not ideal, but the title track is right at three minutes, so it could be worse. This is a heavy set of instrumentals. It starts off deceptively li...

  Welcome to the third quarter of 2025, everyone! I almost typed 2015, so if anyone wants to know how I'm doing, that's how I'm doing. Hilariously, this week also features a whole bunch of first wins for songs (and possibly two first wins for groups), as well as three of the four categories of K-Pop artists. We've got boy group covered. We've got girl group covered. But you know what I find the most delightful? A co-ed group is covered. They used to be a lot more common, so any new ones, I'm generally supportive of on principle, though restrictions may apply. With After School Club still on hiatus, and I'm still being patient because they went twelve years in a single season, here's your weekly rerun! Now, I know that the video says the group is called "Elris", but this was their last release under the name Elris. Following this one, they'd spend roughly the next two years or so on hiatus, before returning rebranded as Alice! This is why I ...

  You know what's kind of cool? This week's music show wins cover three of the four categories I classify K-Pop under. The only one missing is a co-ed group. Boy group? Check. Girl group? Check? Soloist? Double check.  Nice. The ecosystem is flourishing. With After School Club still on hiatus, I'm still giving a rerun. This one comes from a boy group that debuted back in 2011. Episode 20, guys, gals, and nonbinary pals! And you know what's really cool? They're having their first comeback since 2018 this month! I'm really excited about this even though I previously had no previous knowledge of the group! Now, granted this is their first Japanese mini album and not a new Korean mini album, but you know what? I'm just happy to see them releasing new music. But, back in 2013, they were young and cute, and I think I really like this song. As always, the links to my reviews for these songs are found in the graph below. Show Champion: Kang Daniel "Episode...

Release date: 2025 July 9 Album tracklist: Fly to the youth (feat. Yuqi), EVERGLOW , Problem Child, Louder, DAY_AND Album runtime: 11 minutes  After watching the music video for Snowy Summer , the one for EVERGLOW was next up on my list. So, I figured I'd do that one next. Well, the pre-release with Yuqi because it came out first. I have high, high hopes that I may finally get the thing I've been wanting since they debuted, which is a less rappy title track. I kind of got one with the BEAST remake that I'm in love with, but I've been waiting for a non-remake title track that I love. I've got a good feeling about this album, and I've been holding off on listening to any of the songs until I could do these reviews. Fingers crossed. Although, even if I don't get one with IGNITION, I'll still be holding out for one. It'll happen. Also, I don't know if I mentioned this with either of my earlier reviews, but the reason why I'm being so stubborn ab...

Release date: 2025 July 9 Album tracklist: Paint Candy, Snowy Summer , You, Bubble Tea Album runtime: 11 minutes  Close Your Eyes debuted back in April , so I'm a little surprised that they are having a comeback so soon, but I'm not going to be too worried just yet. I hope they're taking care of the maknae and any of the other minors in the group specifically. I do have to say I really enjoyed their entire debut album, so I'm hoping that I like this one as well. The album runtime is a little bit suspect, but the title track is just shy of three minutes, so it could be worse and I'll accept it.  The instrumentals are relatively mild and out of the way, which is really nice, but I'll talk about that when it's time for the vocal section. I like how we have sections where the instrumentals mimic the vocals as it can be reassuring for the performers and with them being about three months old at this point, it could be a very subtle safety net. It's also mild ...

Release date: 2025 July 18 Album tracklist:  Sweet Palace , Sweet Palace (Inst) Album runtime: 6 minutes  Okay, so if y'all remember, one of my first debuts that I covered was the girl group New-L , and if I remember correctly, I mentioned that I hoped the group could work out some bugs in their next update in a video game metaphor. And I was actually just thinking about them a few weeks ago because they hadn't had a new release, I hadn't heard anything about them, and I was a little worried that they were going to be yet another group that debuts and then disbands within a year with only that release. But, I'm pleased to see this, even if it is only a single, because it means the group is still going. It also means, that of course I'm going to talk about it because if I can convince even one person to listen to them, then I will be satisfied. And we have the solo instrumental track, so I'm a happy camper. The instrumental sounds a little bit like a track from a...

Release date: 2025 July 8 Album tracklist: Express Mode , Haircut, Air, Delight, I Know, Say Less, D.N.A, Finale, Stuck With You,  Album runtime: 28 minutes  Average runtime of over three minutes, which is aided by the four minute song, but there are only two that are under three minutes. This is all good. Congrats on your almost 20th anniversary, SuJu! The fun thing about this group is that the group and me almost share a birthday. Just as a fun fact, The Incredibles movie is almost exactly one year older than the group.  The introduction of this song is one of the funniest things I've heard in a while. Oh, my gosh. I thought I'd accidentally hit a radio somehow.  Ah, we've got a skittering beat. Good stuff. I'm a little amused that for what I'm assuming is their 20th anniversary album, they went more hip-hop than they normally go, but you know what? The second gen groups adapting to the times is a good sign. They are keeping it in the family, though, because it...

Release date: 2025 July 7 Album tracklist:  Run Baby Run , Run Baby Run (Instrumental) Album runtime: 7 minutes  Well, okay, I seem to have picked up a new girl group. They're a fresh debut, November of 2024. Eldest is currently twenty-three, and the maknae is a minor, but she was the only minor and she was sixteen at debut. So, check, and check. We are good. It also looks like W!TCHX is their second group, but the first disbanded last year after a three year run. Which is a little concerning, especially since they didn't get an official notice. But! I endeavor to give attention to these groups! And also, I ran across this song because of the algorithm and went "When did this come out?" Then I was pleasantly surprised because that meant I got to cover it. And  it's slightly under three-and-a-half minutes long, which is even better. I'll need to take a look at their debut and the song they released in December, and sulk a little that we've only gotten singl...

Release date: 2025 June 25 Album tracklist: LIKE YOU BETTER , REBELUTIONAL, Love=Disaster, Strawberry Mimosa, Twisted Love, Merry Go Round Album runtime: 18 minutes  So as sad as I am that they left Pledis and are down to five members, I'm hopeful that they have continued and greater success in their new home and are well taken care of. This is their third company, and that can't be easy on the members or the fandom. Still! With new environments come new opportunities! And while I did have to round up, title track and half the songs are over three minutes, so I'm cool with this. Only took two listens for me to add it to my fave releases of 2025 playlist. Good news for the song, it's got lots of delicious and enthusiastic texture. It's also rock, which I'm naturally inclined to love. But it's the celebratory rock that we're getting for the song, and with the amount of energy it has, I'm perfectly pleased by this. I'm looking forward to the choreog...

Release date: 2025 July 11 Album tracklist:  Lemon Drop , Masterpiece, Now this house ain't a home, Castle, Bridge : The Edge of Reality, In Your Fantasy , NO1, Skin, Slide to me, Legacy, Creep, ROAR, Sagittarius, To be your light, In Your Fantasy (Korean Ver.) Album runtime: 44 minutes  The run time is just  shy of a three minute average, but I'm completely fine with that because Bridge : The Edge of Reality  is a minute and a half long, which will drag down the average quite a bit. I'm also a little tiny bit scared of this song because I've been hearing things from the ATINYs who've seen this on tour so far. But it's fine, and you know why? I can attempt to be calm about this. I've actually been avoiding listening to any of the concert vids, so it's mostly the unknown that I'm stressed about. But, since I'm already up for the Hoshi x Woozi concert, I might as well get this one out of the way now. This is...Okay. This sounds like an NSYNC song, ...

Release date: 2025 June 16 Album tracklist: Movie Star, Episode , Love Game, One Call Away, Little Bit Lost Album runtime: 14 minutes  I'm late with this, but I've also been putting off listening to this until I could write the review. His voice is incredible, y'all. Ever song I've listened to by him has hit my brain so perfectly well, I'm glad I live in a time when I get to even hear it. Also congrats on the wins! Old timey and a little crackly. I like it. Now, let's see if we get that in other places in the song. And the answer is yes, so it's not a one off and I'm satisfied. There's a weird little quirk to the instrumental, and I mean this in the least insulting way possible, but in places, it sounds like Baby's First Midi Keyboard, or at least like a preset on a keyboard. You're obviously going to go, "But Fangirl, that's pretty insulting." To which I respond, "Yes. But it reminds me of my childhood and learning to make...

Release date: 2025 June 16 Album tracklist: little monster, Billyeoon goyangi (Do the Dance) , jellyous, oops! bamsopoong Album runtime: 13 minutes  ILLIT, I'm delighted to say, had all members at least sixteen or older at debut and now, a year later, they have all members as adults other than the maknae. I'm inclined to encourage this on principle. I do however have to say that I've enjoyed their music so far, which is nice. Plus, they're a March debut and my first five groups were (quite by chance) also March debuts (NU'EST, BTOB, NINE.i, xikers, Stray Kids), which is hilarious. I obviously have an affinity for them. The only good news about the runtime is that the title track is over three minutes, so, sadly, it could be worse and this is a step in the correct direction for HYBE. Bare minimum has been achieved. The combination of the classic movie vibes (which aren't just trapped in the intro so thumbs up from me for that) and the electro pop, synthy elements...

Release date: 2025 June 23 Album tracklist: On My Way; SWISH; SET NET GO?! ; Rendez-vous; PARANOIA; Straight Up To Heaven (Sung by Jungmo, Woobin, Seungmin); Stadium (Sung by Allen, Wonjin, Hyeongjun); Marionette (Sung by Serim, Minhee, Taeyoung); Underdog; Click, Flash, Pow; Love Me Again; Wish Upon A Star Album runtime: 35 minutes  I don't know how similar Kingdom 2 will be to Kingdom , but I'm going to guess that this is their "We're going to release a song and promote it on Kingdom before we have to do the new one" song. Congrats once again on winning Ace of Ace ! It's very exciting for the lot of them. Genuinely looking forward to that when it decides to get announced. I am also a teeny bit annoyed about the runtime.  So I don't know about you, but I kind of love the specific flavor of songs that feel sporty, specifically basketball flavored songs. This one may have a sample in there with the wooden blocks, but I don't actually know the name of...

Release date: 2025 July 1 Album tracklist: HOT SAUCE Album runtime: 2 minutes  The number of groups that I can't do anything with because they debuted fourteen-year-olds is unsettling, especially since a bunch of those fourteen-year-olds are now sixteen and I have to actively remember when they debuted so I don't forget they debuted as fourteen-year-olds. Ignoring how much better they'd be if they'd gotten more time to physically mature before debut, I fully anticipate this group dominating the charts in a few years, if YGE can get their act together and actually invest and reliably promote the group unlike Treasure, and also make sure that they get regular group releases unlike BLACKPINK. Gold star for squandering the talents they've got. A+. The brass instrument gives the song a strong vibe. I'm getting some similar vibes to a few NCT songs, so that's a little bit of a delightful thing. I'm also pleased that despite the very short runtime, we've go...

Release date: 2025 May 19 Album tracklist: In Chaos, ROCK STAR , Miracle, Last VoW, Goal In,  Album runtime: 17  minutes  There's another song of his that I need to do, but for now, I'll be satisfied with this one. I've decided that I really like his voice, having gone back through his discography a little, and given what he said on his show with Changsub, this album in particular will likely be right up my wheelhouse: namely, rock. Also evidenced by the name, but it is what it is. Okay. So. On to the second gen legend. What's funny about this is I know it's going to be classified as rock. Jaejoong, again, said as much during their discussion of their mutual love of rock music. I wouldn't necessarily disagree with that. I would like to add that this is tapping into some country instincts that are very well-developed in me, so much so that I'm having to actively remember that this song is going to be labeled rock. If there isn't an acoustic guitar in the ...

  I'm simply really behind with this. I'm not through doing this. Anyway, we're running down to the end of the Seventeen comeback season, which opens the wins back up to everyone else, as we're clearly seeing below. As much as I've loved seeing Seventeen get their wins for their tenth anniversary, I'm glad for the variation now. Although we get another surprise win for Woodz. It's a welcome development, but a little baffling. I really hope that someone askes him how he feels about this when he gets out. I do have to say it's been a good week for soloists, though. I did not continue that with the After School Club re-run episode, however.  As always, the links in the graph below go to my reviews of those songs. Show Champion: Doyoung (NCT) "Memory" MCountdown: Seventeen "THUNDER" Music Bank: Doyoung (NCT) "Memory" Show! Music Core:  Doyoung (NCT) "Memory" Inkigayo: Woodz (UNIQ/X1) "Drowning" ASC Performanc...

Release date: 2025 July 1 Album tracklist: The Little Star, The Universe, Rendezvous , Incompleted, Cosmic Underdog, AHOF Album runtime: 17 minutes  I'm sorry, everyone. I've been fully distracted by K-Pop Demon Hunters. If my Threads is any indication, I'm hardly the only one. I'm actually building a whole playlist of similar groups and songs so that I can introduce the newcomers to lots of K-Pop, and I kind of feel like my time has come, in my somewhat humble opinion, because I get to launch my enthusiasm and love for the music at them. But, enough about that. AHOF is actually a group I've been looking forward to their debut for the sole reason of a single member (because I didn't watch their survival show). My man Woongki is getting another shot, another chance, another group. Love this kid. He's had a rough go of it, and he just won't give up and I'm 3000% here to support him. It's just going to have to wait with this one because the maknae i...