Just A Little Fangirl Love

Release date: 2026 August 21 Album track list: Two Fools, Stuck, Bad For You, Bloody Paradise , Checkmate , Highlight Album runtime: 15 mi nutes  They've gotten some nice wins with this song. Very nice. I'm genuinely pleased for them. Don't get me wrong about that. But. I need to point out that this song isn't even two-and-a-quarter minutes long. It's barely two minutes long. What is wrong with HYBE? We've got a nice Latin vibe to the song, which I appreciate, and that beat is heavy. There's something deeply unsettling about it as well, which as a concept is not overly surprising for the K-Pop vampires. But the amount of repetition in the instrumental doesn't allow for growth within the song. We do get a little bit, but not enough to actually change the sound of the song at any point. So much of the mumbling and whispering that pretends to be cool but tries too hard to be cool. It's fine. This as a trend in sound will move on eventually as did all th...

Release date: 2026 August 10 Album track list: Ever2Late!, Hey Hi, Pop Off Pop Off , SWEET SOUR, Candy Pink Magic Hole Flip Phone , Blue Hour Album runtime: 15 mi nutes  Well, they didn't get a win with this song, so I'll do a review of it because I'm so wildly behind and this way I have to while also being like "Here's this song! You should listen to it! Don't just take my word for it! Feel free to disagree with me!" I don't know what this sounds like yet. I just assume someone is going to disagree with me and that's fine as long as you can articulate why. They're on Underage Protocol, so I can't listen to it like I normally would, but as time marches on, eventually they'll be off it and I'll actually get to listen to their discography. I'm also late enough that I didn't notice that apparently another song from this album had a music video. I need to know what that song sounds like, so I'll be doing that one probably ne...

Release date: 2026 August 17 Album tracklist: After School , we're not the same anymore, Take My Time Album runtime: 11 minutes  I decided to do this song as one of the extra stages for a Music Show Wins post, so I need to do the review. Which works! It's fine! This is a good way to force me to do reviews I didn't originally get to. I don't think this is his official solo debut and it is an OST, but I'm not entirely positive about what all is going on there. I just know he performed this on Show Champion. I'm trying to decide what kind of song this sounds like. It's a very pleasant instrumental that doesn't have a lot of variation. But. There are some points of rest and little resets, but it's just pleasant and comfortable through most of it. But it's also the kind of song where the instrumental is very much secondary to the vocals by design. At least there's some weight to it, though. It's not a floaty song even with how soft his vocals ...

Release date: 2026 September 30 Album tracklist: Pulse, LOUDER , Lucky Charm, LOVE ME, Seize The Night, Fantasy, Odd One Out Album runtime: 20  minutes  I feel really bad for the groups that debuted either right before or during the Covid shutdown. They've had an uphill battle from the start, even more so than the normal uphill battle every group has. I wish Cravity could get more attention because they turn seven next year. The start of this instrumental immediately reminded of The Avengers (the theme song from the movie), and then it went a little bit harder and grindier than the start of the song implies. It's appropriately titled because this is a loud instrumental and rather metallic in places. This will make a great workout song, but I think it's a bit too much for me right now. The stages of this song are probably great though. We've got an excellent range of the voices in this song. A lot of the singing is quite high, and then there's the much lower, more s...

 This is one of the many groups that debuted in 2012, which is why 2012 was called the year of boy groups. There were a lot that debuted and a lot that did really well. Some of them took longer than others, but generally speaking (and it's not just me with my love of 2012 groups), the 2012 boy groups were a good crop. And they are actually technically no longer on hiatus because they released a song back in June of this year (2026)! Yay! I'm fully aware that I'm projecting with the 2012 groups, but it brings me both relief and joy any time I see any of them doing a comeback. There's actually a cute anecdote about Yongseok seeing his leader at an airport in Japan, realizing it was Shin, and calling out to him. They had a meal together and Yongseok admitted he missed being in a group. Shin came around to the idea after a long letter that Yongseok sent him because he was the last one at the company and was still holding onto Cross Gene. Cross Gene debuted as a six-member ...

Release date: 2026 August 22 Album tracklist: We're Happy , We're Happy (Inst.) Album runtime: 6 minutes   I’d like for this group to get more recognition. They’ve had a couple of decently recognized songs, but I actually kind of like what I’ve heard from them. Which means I need to stay away from them so they don’t have an early disbandment. I know realistically that I’m not actually causing it, but I’m also superstitious enough that I don’t want to risk it. So, this comes with an instrumental-only track and that opened with vocals. That’s a choice.  It does seem like it’s a cappella, so it makes sense to include the vocals in that part just so listeners can get the timing of the song right if they’re wanting to sing the song without the accompanying vocals. This is a very summery track, very upbeat and bubbly, but it’s also very much a late summer song, which fits considering when it was released. I’m a little disappointed that there isn’t a big, key defining moment, but the...

Release date: 2026 October 14 Album tracklist: Blank; DEVIL ; P.O.V; View; Sunset Road; CODENAME 3,2,1; Better Days; Love Me; 7 Days; 10th Page; Color; Click Click Boom!; EVERYDAY; Boys And Girls (Feat. Infinite); Those Times; Tree Album runtime: 46 minutes  Once again, everyone say thank you to the algorithm that I built brick by brick. I would not have known about this without it. And since it's the month of the Spookening, I'm very interested in this song based on the title alone. Also, I find it a little funny that he has a song on this album called "P.O.V" and another called "View". I also find it a little adorable that there's actually an Infinite song in this album. And I like the cleverness of the album artwork. This is a bit of a slinky and sultry song. The beat isn't particularly heavy, but it's smooth in a way that reminds me of whiskey in a smoky bar with glittering diamonds and silks. Very upscale place, this song is. It's heavy ...

Release date: 2026 October 14 Album tracklist: DON'T FORGET Album runtime: 3 minutes  The ZEROBASEONE members have been busy. One has debuted as a soloist now, and I find out out that Jiwoong was part of a group and debuted as a soloist before ZEROBASEONE. The more you know. I may need to take a look at his group to see if there's a song that catches my fancy for an Expanded Offerings post. But he also dropped a digital single, which was a surprise when YouTube gave me his music video as a suggested video. That's a lot of guitar there, so much so that it's a little bit too much for his voice, that or the balance is really off. It's a shame because I really like what's going on with the guitar in the instrumental. It's spunky and spicy and sassy with a lot of dramatic tossing its head. But it's a bit too much for how soft his voice gets in spots. And there's even a guitar solo. Is that a vibrato I hear? Jiwoong, I wasn't aware of this. I also have...

Release date: 2026 October 14 Album tracklist:  Go Around , Go Around (Inst.) Album runtime: 6 minutes  If you don't think that I'm going to do a review for a member of god (pronounced "G-O-D") as a soloist, I have not been doing my due diligence in screaming about my love for this group from the rooftops. There are only so many rooftops to scream from, but I will have to rectify this. This song is Son Ho-Young's first solo release in five years, and I am honored to be able to do this for him.  The drums and the guitar don't kick off into the song immediately, which lets the first impression be one of softness. And while we do have very steady energy, the softening that occurs occasionally is going to do really well to either let the vocals rest or to highlight them. We get the instrumental in the single, so I don't have to try to listen under the vocals yet for this part, which is why I can't say that yet, but this is an excellent flow of energy and m...

 Remember remember the Fifth of November, the Gunpowder Treason and plot. I know of no reason the Gunpowder Treason should ever be forgot. November fifth is also the day that the city of Rapture from BioShock was originally founded. Why do I bring this up? Because the song was released on November fifth. This song was actually submitted a couple of months ago in The Form after I asked for some spooky songs for October and I went "Huh. I've never heard of her." And then I found out which group she was in and I went "Oh! That's one of my disbanded girl groups I like to listen to!" So I hope that whoever submitted it enjoys this when they read it, since they didn't give me any way to drop this post in their lap like a cat leaving a mouse buttF on the back steps. And I've definitely never had a cat who would do such a thing. Dahye originally debuted in the girl group BESTie in 2013, and then debuted as a soloist in 2020 under World Star Entertainment ab...

  I'm done with the regular internet for the day because I just discovered the existence of a centipede large enough that, despite being a video, almost sent me up the back of the couch to live there. There are very, very few things that actually scare me. So, hi. I'm going to do this instead. Good motivation. Also, I love that RESCENE has now gotten wins for their debut song. I love that for them. As always, the links in the spreadsheet go to my reviews. Show Champion: Red Velvet "Surfin' Boy" MCountdown: Stray Kids "THIS & THAT" Music Bank: Stray Kids "THIS & THAT" Show! Music Core: RESCENE "Pretty Girl" Inkigayo: RESCENE "Love Attack" ASC Performance: N/A The Show: N/A The Extra Stage: WHIB "CHERRY PIE" The Extra Extra Stage: Junhee (A.C.E) "LA LA LA LUNE" The Extra Extra Extra Stage: LEEBADA "Dancing on the Moon"

Release date: 2026 October 12 Album tracklist: Killin' Me, UNDEAD , Insidious, 3AM, Bloody Gravity, Other Side, Our Light, Steal the Thunder Album runtime: 21 minutes  I'm going to be completely honest here. I forgot he was debuting as a soloist. Luckily, YouTube and the algorithm I have built brick by brick have my back and when I tried to go to bed last night with my Resident Evil Let's Play I've been watching to go to sleep to (it's actually the  Resident Evil 2  remake, but I'm not going to quibble too much), one of my recommended videos was his debut music video. So, here we are. I am loving the titles of these songs though. I'm sensing some spookiness here and I am here for this. Yes. Oh, you want me to actually say more about this. Fine. The instrumental feels like a slightly more rock version of Thriller  by Michael Jackson and Back In Time by Huey Lewis & The News. It's zombie party eighties rock with a dose of the modern flare. I'm alr...

Release date: 2026 August 03 Album tracklist: Dancing On The Moon , Dancing On The Moon (Inst.) Album runtime: 6 minutes  Okay, LEEBADA is an indie singer-songwriter. She's not to be confused with Bada Lee, the choreographer who did Guilty by Taemin, Maestro by Seventeen, and Talk Saxy by RIIZE, or Bada, the leader of S.E.S. I'm reviewing her song because I selected it for an extra stage on a Music Show Wins post, which I'm wildly behind with as I am in most things right now. But she needs the attention, which is why I'm giving it to her. I have not heard the song yet, though. I don't think I've heard any of her song yet, which will make this a fun experience for me. This instrumental is an odd combination of Disney Channel rock and Final Fantasy X-2, but the best parts of those two very different things, if that makes sense. The rock is the strongest part and it spent a lot of time there with the guitar and the drums as the most dominant instruments, but the...

Release date: 2026 October 01 Album tracklist: Never Again Album runtime: 3 minutes  You know what I want? I want for VIXX as a whole group to have a comeback. It's time. I want to review a new VIXX song. We need the Kings of Concepts back. I will accept their solo work as an acceptable replacement, however. There's already a piano cover of this song on YouTube. As there should be since the piano is definitely the dominate instrument going on here. Actually, you want to know what this instrumental reminds me of? Hopelessly Devoted To You from the musical Grease . It's not quite as power ballad, but it's got a similar timbre. It's a beautiful instrument and I'm kind of sad that we don't have just the instrumental to listen to. There's something very sad about a slow, solo piano, but I imagine for people who are not me and need something specific to go to sleep to, this might actually make a good song to sleep to. Ah, listen to that. Listen to Leo's du...

Release date: 2026 October 21 Album tracklist:  360° , Devil, Ender, Pebbles, Swim Across The Sea, A Sleepless Night -Japanese Ver.- , Jinsei Sanka, Countdown, Shintouya, Slow Motion Album runtime: 4 minutes  There are so many songs I could do. But I also really like CNBLUE and even though I don't do a lot of Japanese releases, I'm choosing to do this one regardless. The album doesn't actually come out until the 21st, so I don't know how long this is going to be, but the title track is four minutes so I'll leave that as a placeholder until this is actually released. Listen to that starting guitar. It's so weighty. That weightiness carries through a lot of the song and gives it some very nice heft. But you know what has my attention? The violin. I was not expecting that from this band, but any time a violin shows up, the song has my attention. This is gloriously cinematic in a most wonderful way. This is just settled in a way I really love to see. And I love how...

Release date: 2026 August 07 Album tracklist: 5 Stars ; LA LA LA LUNE ; GET OUT ; Lemonade; OMW; Wonder Why; Medicine; At least, I tried; Forever Young Album runtime: 28 minutes  I am so behind with him. It's fine. It's fine. I'm including this song as an extra stage on a music show wins post, which is why I'm doing this now instead of trying to catch up with the October songs. But also this is my man Junhee. This sounds like something The8 would release, which is just fun. The instrumental is a little bit intense for how gentle the vocals are. It's not intense the entire time, which is good because the song does need it for the variation, but it's supportive, which is what we ask for from songs, even if it's a little overwhelming for the vocals. Junhee is getting very close to rapping here, which is delightful. He's got one of those voices that are incredibly distinct and while this song doesn't show off exactly how strong his voice is, it does show...

Release date: 2026 October 08 Album tracklist: Fairy Tale Album runtime: 4 minutes  Holy crap, y'all. If I'm looking at this correctly, it has been six years since their last comeback, and they turned ten this year. Wow. We're also down to three members of the original six, but  Listen to that piano. Honestly, the vibe of "fairy tale" was nailed with a sledgehammer with this instrumental. It's got spots where it's a little sparkly but it's just soft and pretty for so much of it. We don't even have drums for most of the first part of the song. We get a little bit of a violin before we get any sort of drum set, which I am here for. I love violins in the instrumental. But this is genuinely just so soft and I love it. The piano is doing all of the heavy-lifting here.  They've got amazing voices. Why didn't they blow up? I'm genuinely asking that question because their last comeback was before I even started listening to K-Pop. Also, T'C...

Release date: 2026 October 09 Album tracklist: Treading Water Album runtime: 3 minutes  It's been a hot minute since they released something, so I'm kind of stoked about this. I love their debut song, if you weren't here for this back then or you ignored it. It's pretty awesome. It's one of the most Backstreet Boys things I've heard in recent years. And also, the eldest one loves BTOB, so we already know he's a man of taste for top-tier vocals, and I can say that objectively because of how the other five groups reacted to BTOB on Kingdom (one of my favorite responses was "If they decide to dance too, we're done") and because of what they've won with those vocals. So the fact that one of them loves BTOB tells us his vocal standard, and it will likely continue to influence the vocals of this group because of the emulation thing humans do that's so fun. This feels like it might be leaning a little afrobeats, but I don't think that...

 Alrighty-roo. I went back and took a look at some of the songs I shared with y'all in the other Halloween posts, and decided that I'd put this one on the short list for October this year. The shortlist is twenty songs long, for the record, so I'm not going to cover all of them right now, but I thought that this would be a good one to follow a behemoth of a group. As I said in the Halloween post in 2024, I wouldn't have discovered this group and this song if they hadn't released a new song. Ish. Seriously, this is an underrated group and it's impressive they survived as long as they did. They made it the full seven years of their contract, which is four more than the average girl group, so I just want that acknowledgement for them. Also, their fandom colors are Joyful Green and Cheerful Yellow, and that's just so precious that they actually have colors and what those colors are called. I know that's a bit weird with how dark this song is, but most of th...