girls✨️

writing and sharing my thought on kpop as a stan since 2015

[cheerupjihyo]

My Top 10 Kpop Releases in May 2026

10. YUHZ - Rush Rush

After not liking the Alpha Drive One debut, I was a bit nervous about the YUHZ debut. Because like AD1 I got invested into this group by watching their survival show (I rarely watch boy group survival shows btw). But I should not have worried as their debut was so good! They came out with a really cute and fresh debut track that I immediatly needed to add to my summer playlist! I cannot believe how underrated this debut is! You all need to go give it a listen!!!

9. ITZY - Undefined

I love albums where each member gets their own solo and very often one of those solos ends up being my favorite track on the album. That is true for the latest ITZY release. While I really enjoyed the whole album, it is the song Undefined that stood out to me the most. It really reminded me of those retro-inspired girl group songs of late 2nd, early 3rd generation. I have always had such a soft spot for those type of songs and I am glad to have another great edition to that very specific playlist!

8. BABYMONSTER - MOON

I will be the first to admit that normally I do not listen to BABYMONSTERs full albums as I don't really tend to vibe with their title tracks. With their latest comeback I randomly decided to check out the full album, despite not liking the title track. And I am so glad I did! I really ended up enjoying this mini album and there were two songs that really stood out to me! The first of those being MOON. Something about this song feels so cool. It really reminds me of the "The Perfect Red Velvet" album and as that is one of my favorite albums.. any song that sounds like it would fit on there is going to be a hit in my books!

7. BABYMONSTER - I LIKE IT

My favorite song on the new BABYMONSTER album has to be I LIKE IT. This song is so much fun to listen to! It has that girl group summer vibes that I am just weak for. I don't have too much to say about this song, except that listening to it is just so much fun!

6. CrazAngel - Picasso

I am so mad people are sleeping on this song, just because it is from a lesser known (some may argue nugu) group! This song is exactly the type of music I want to listen to in the summer! It is fun and quirky, while still having an overall really relaxed feeling. I love the part where they go "pica-pica-picasso". It just scretches something in my brain! Overall I would recommand this song to people who are missing New Jeans. Trust me.

5. NMIXX - LOUD

NMIXX will always hit with their comebacks and their latest mini album in no exception to this rule! I love this b-side. It is very bittersweet and I love me some bittersweet music (as you will see from the rest of top 5 this month). This song has great vocals and a great vibe to it. Not much to say honestly...

4. aespa - 'Til We Die

While there were many great songs on the new aespa album, the one that stood out to me the most is 'Til We Die. This song feels so cinematic to listen to! I love the vocals on this track and the emotions it manages to convey! I know this song is going to go hard live and I cannot wait to hear it on stage!

3. I.O.I - IF I

I.O.I IS BAAACK! Or at least was back for one month. I love this group and I love their new music. IF I is such a beautiful song. I love this type of pop rock ballad. The song is emotional in the best way possible and I needed it to be promoted way more than it was!

2. NMIXX - Heavy Serenade

Speaking of absolutely beautiful songs. Any other month Heavy Serenade would have been my favorite! This song is just so beautiful! I love that is has this kind of magical feeling while still playing heavy into NMIXX strenght as a vocal heavy group. This song feels like the softer little sister to Blue Valentine (which just happened to be my favorite song of 2025). This comeback was absolutely PERFECT.

I.O.I - Suddenly

However my favorite song of the year has to go to Suddenly by I.O.I. This song was everything I wanted from an IOI comeback and more. This might actually be their best song ever?? I am not sure yet, but for now I just cannot get enough of this song! It is beautifully bittersweet and once again I am just weak for pop rock songs with a bittersweet emotion at it's core. This comeback was everything to me and it made me so emotional!!

[cheerupjihyo]

May 2026 Kpop Album Reviews

These are not all albums that came out in May 2026, just albums that I listened to fully for the first time in May 2026!

TRIGGER WARNING: OPINIONS!

ILLIT - MAMIHLAPINATAPAI 90%

Songs added to my Spotify: GRWM (Get Ready With Me), paw, paw!, Mamihlapinatapai & Love, older you

Songs blocked on my Spotify:

Favorite track: Love, older you

Would I buy this album? Pre-ordered it

The first album I listened to this month was the new ILLIT album that came out on the very last day of April. I love ILLIT and was super exited to see them try out something new. I won't lie, the title track isn't working for me. I love the verses but the "Who's your bias?" part just doesn't sound right for me.. But the b-sides make up for that! Like always for ILLIT the album tracks really stand out. I love their vocals and the dreamcore vibe they put into all of their music. Overall I still consider this album a huge win! I won't let one part of one song stop me from loving this album!

Fromis_9 - From Our 20's 100%

Songs added to my Spotify: LIKE YOU BETTER, REBELUTIONAL, Love=Disaster, Strawberry Mimosa, Twisted Love & Merry Go Round

Songs blocked on my Spotify:

Favorite track: Merry Go Round

Would I buy this album? YES!

I loved Fromis_9 when they debuted and I also loved their first comeback.. and then I just kind of forgot to keep up with them? Big mistake on my part as they are clearly still making great music! I love this summer album that they released last year, it has really strong third gen vibes and I will always be a sucker for that. The album is such a happy listen and the vocals of the girls really stand out! I cannot believe it took me this long to listen to a full Fromis_9 album again! I really cannot let that happen again (but knowing me and the way I try to keep up with so many groups at the same time, it probably will...)

BABYMONSTER - CHOOM 85%

Songs added to my Spotify: MOON, I LIKE IT & LOCKED IN

Songs blocked on my Spotify:

Favorite track: I LIKE IT

Would I buy this album? Yes.

I had never really listened to a full BABYMONSTER album before as I don't tend to like their title tracks. The same with this release, I don't vibe with CHOOM. But for some reason I was curious to what their side tracks sounded like and I decided to check out the mini album.. And I am so glad I did! The side tracks on this album are AMAZING! I did not know this group was making music that good. I love how every song feels very different, but they somehow still all fit together. I especially love the songs MOON and I LIKE IT. MOON because it is very cinametic and I LIKE IT because it is very cute. Overall, I am very pleasantly surprised by this mini album!

CRAVITY - Dare to Crave: Epilogue 83%

Songs added to my Spotify: Lemonade Fever, OXYGEN, Everyday, On My Way, SET NET G0?!, PARANOIA, Stadium, Marionette, Click Flash Pow, Love Me Again & Wish Upon A Star

Songs blocked on my Spotify:

Favorite track: Marionette

Would I buy this album? Hell yes!

CRAVITY was one of those groups where I really like the title tracks I have heard from them, but never really listened to a full album.. Untill this month when I randomly decided to listen to their 2025 release. And I must confess that I have been SLEEPING on this group! I knew I liked them based on the songs I knew, but I did not know they were this good?! I love this album. This is what I would consider boy group excellence. To me the vocals stood out the most, like damn, I didn't know they could sing like that! Overall I am so glad I listened to more of their music and I really need to dive into their other releases soon!

NMIXX - Heavy Serenade 77%

Songs added to my Spotify: Heavy Serenade, IDESERVEIT, Superior & LOUD

Songs blocked on my Spotify:

Favorite track: Heavy Serenade

Would I buy this album? Pre-ordered it :)

Ever since seeing NMIXX live earlier this year, they have become one of my top girl groups. So I was very excited for their comeback! As far as NMIXX albums go, this is actually a bit lower in my rankings. But NMIXX is so good that even their lower ranking albums are still absolute bangers! I love this album. THE VOCALS, HELLO?! This album is just gorgeous. The two stand out songs for me are Heavy Serenade and LOUD. Both give me lesbian vibes and no I shall not eleborate on that. Overall just another great NMIXX album, but from them I expected nothing less!

ITZY - Motto 73%

Songs added to my Spotify: Motto, Glitch, Asylum, Undefined & Tangerine

Songs blocked on my Spotify:

Favorite track: Undefined

Would I buy this album? Yessss

One thing about me is that I am weak for JYP girl groups. ITZY being one of them... Well actually ITZY is very hit or miss for me. I tend to either hate or love their comebacks for some reason. Their latest comeback Motto falls on the love side for me! I love ITZY when they go light and summer fun and that is what they did with this comeback. I also love albums where every member gets a solo, it gives us as fans a look into what type of music each members likes and gives members a chance to shine. Often when a group releases an album like that and I don't have a bias in the group yet I pick my bias based on what song I like the most.. Glad to announce Chaeryeong is my bias in ITZY now!

I.O.I - LOOP 43%

Songs added to my Spotify: Suddenly & IF I

Songs blocked on my Spotify:

Favorite track: Suddenly

Would I buy this album: Maybe?

One thing about me is that I am VERY nostalgic for I.O.I. This was one of the first survival shows I watched and the first I watched while it was airing. This group means a lot to me so I was so hyped for their comeback. In terms of the title track THEY DELIVERED. Suddenly might actually be their best song and that says a lot because this group has a killer discography. Maybe I was expecting too much as I did leave the mini album a bit dissapointed. It wasn't bad, but it didn't really stand out to me. Still I loved seeing these girls toghether on stage again and I have a feeling Suddenly will end very high on my Spotify wrapped this year!

FLARE U - YOUTH ERROR 60%

Songs added to my Spotify: WAY 2 U, Hyper & Playground

Songs blocked on my Spotify:

Favorite track: WAY 2 U

Would I buy this album? Sure.

Kinda randomly I decided to check out this newly debuted duo and I am really glad I did. While I did not love this debut mini album, I did really enjoy it. The title really matches the songs on the album as this debut has that really fun and young feeling to it. I will for sure keep my eyes out for whatever these boys decide to do in the future. There is so much potential in this duo and I cannot wait to see them grow in their career!

aespa - LEMONADE 60%

Songs added to my Spotify: LEMONADE, Can't Help Myself, Camouflage, Roll, My Plan & 'Til We Die

Songs blocked on my Spotify: WDA (Whole Different Animal)

Favorite Song: 'Til We Die

Would I buy this album? Yes.

I was really nervous going into this album as aespa is a very hit or miss group for me. And I got tickets for their tour in Europe next year! And I really do not like WDA.. Yeah the odds were against me for liking this album. But thankfully it really surprised me in the best way! I actually think this album has more highs than lows and the highs are really high! I ended up really loving a lot of the b-sides on this album and I know I will be listening to some of those all summer long! Overall, I had no reason to be nervous going into this as aespa ate.

[cheerupjihyo]

My Top 10 Kpop Releases from April 2026

10. NCT WISH - Ode to Love

Starting of my top 10 this month is the latest title track from NCT WISH. This song is just so cute! I also love the sample they used and the way it flows naturally into the song. The dance is super cute and the song is super cute, overall just a great song to listen to. One that is great for this time a year!

9. hrtz.wav - Outta my mind

I love me a good k-band so I was exited to see another one debut this month! hrtz.wav is so good and everyone is sleeping on them! Outta my mind specifically is just a great summer rock song. If you like DAY6, you really should be giving this group and especially this song a chance in my opinion!

8. LE SSERAFIM - CELEBRATION

CELEBRATION is one of those songs you either love or hate.. and clearly I love it! I am usually not the biggest fan of EDM, but sometimes I find an EDM song that is just insanely addictive.. CELEBRATION is one of those for me. It just scatches an itch in my brain. I don't care what anyone else says, i am simply too european to be hating on this one!

7. ILLIT - paw, paw!

Another comeback everyone is hating on... I love the new ILLIT album. The title track may not work for me, but the b-sides are absolute bangers. I love that ILLIT is not afraid to go a bit more experimental with their music while still keeping that dreamcore vibe to them. To me paw, paw! is a perfect example of their music. I think a lot more people would love this song if they gave the album a chance!

6. KickFlip - Stup!d

I have been really enjoying KickFlip's music and their latest comeback is no exception. I love this kind of pop rock thing they got going, it really fits their youthfull concept in my opinion. My favorite song on their new album has to be Stup!d. It is just such a fun song to listen to!

5. hrtz.wav - NINETEEN

And back to me ranting about this debut. Clearly it left an impression on me. NINETEEN is such a perfect debut song. The vocals are great, the music is great and this song is simply made to be enjoyed during the summer season. If you have not listened to them yet YOU REALLY SHOULD!

4. Xdinary Heroes - Voyager

Lately I have been getting invested in Xdinary Heroes' music. They are quickly becoming one of my favorite k-bands out there! While I haven't had time yet to listen to the full album, I needed to add the new title track to this list. I love their soft metal/hard rock sound and Voyager fits that perfectly. I love the vibes of this song and I am starting to understand why they got so popular!!

3. AMPERS&ONE - GOD

Coming in at number three I have another one for the underrated list! AMPERS&ONE made their comeback this month with the title track GOD and something about that song is just super addictive to me. I cannot explain why this song works for me while so many simular boy groups songs do not, but I am just rolling with it. If you are a fan of that louder side of boy group music where they repeat a word a lot.. I suggest giving this one a go! It is such a fun and addictive title track!

2. ILLIT - Love, older you

More ILLIT in my top 10? I am nothing if not predicatable. I really love ILLIT's vocals and they really shine through in this album track. It is such a sweet calm song. It is simply beautiful to listen to and I know this is a song that is going to mean a lot to young girls listening to it. And once again, I cannot stress how much I love everyone's vocals in this one!

RESCENE - Runaway

But by far my favorite release of April has to be Runaway by RESCENE. The other songs do not even come close to how much of a masterpiece this song is. It is magical to listen to! Absolutely gorgeous vocals mixed with dreamy music.. simply stunning. I highly recommend checking out this song. For everyone, but especially if you love Red Velvet, Oh My Girl or GFriend!

[cheerupjihyo]

My Top 10 Red Velvet Songs

10. Kingdom Come

I know for a lot of people this is one of their top Red Velvet songs and for a reason! Kingdom Come is such a masterpiece that it is forever a shame that it is a random B-Side and not a song they ever truly promoted! The song feels so cinematic when you listen to it. It captures this feeling of dread perfectly and I love listening to it. It also stands out as one of the vocally strongest songs in their discography. The harmonies?? Hello?? Their voices just work so well together!!!

9. Huff N Puff

I have such a soft spot for the entire "The Red" album, but Huff N Puff has to be my favorite track on it! I love how fun and playful this song is. Peak Red Concept song if you ask me. I also love the choreo of this track, I really recommend watching one of the stages where they performed this. Overall this song is just a lot of fun to listen to and always brings me right back to falling in love with Red Velvet back in 2015!

8. Marionette

In general I do prefer Red Velvet's korean songs over their japanese ones.. but exceptions must be made! And my favorite Japanese song by Red Velvet has to be Marionette. To me this song is the perfect example of the creepy but cute vibe that Red Velvet is so famous for. The fact this is a b-side and not a title track is wild to me as I would imagine a music video for this track would be amazing! I love how this song has that childhood feel while also adding a layer of creepiness to it. I love it whenever music does that and Marionette is an absolute perfect example of that very specific sub-type of music!

7. Mr. E

Another B-Side? yes. What can I say except that Red Velvet just has really amazing B-Sides? Mr. E is a great example of that. This is another song that is definitely one for the red side of their discography and I love it. This song is so much fun to listen to! I love the way Mr. E sounds like Mystery. I love that this whole song just feels magical in the most fun way possible! This song is just an absolute mood lifter and one I don't think we as a fandom talk about nearly enough!

6. Knock Knock (Who's There?)

I love it when Red Velvet fully leans into their creepy/horror concept and Knock Knock (Who's There?) is one of those tracks where they fully go for it. I can easily see this being a song people make those creepy looking tiktok edits with, but this song is criminally undderated so that is not happening.. I love the entire Chill Kill album, but Knock Knock (Who's There?) has to be the biggest stand out on the album. It so perfectly captures the creepy vibes of the comeback! I need more people to give it a try!

5. Happily Ever After

Okay last B-Side on this list, I promise! Rookie in general is one of the best Red Velvet albums in my opinion. With Happily Ever After being such a highlight on the album (and a highlight in their entire discography to be honest). Again, this song has a bit of a fairytale vibe to it and I love it for that. This song never fails to put me in a good mood and therefor it has to be this high on the list for me. Even if I feel like this one is under appreciated in the fandom as a whole..

4. Russian Roulette

Red Velvet has many iconic title tracks that could easily make the list. But the first one to actually make it has to be Russian Roulette. This song is very addictive and fun to listen to! It is also the first time they truly mixed their cute and dangerous sides perfectly in my opinion. The music video is just as iconic as the song itself and one of my go to songs to play if someone wants to learn more about kpop. This is just peak girl group music for real!

3. Ice Cream Cake

The five member debut will always be iconic. Personally I consider this the Red Velvet debut and the other two songs pre-debut singles. Because Red Velvet is five! Anyways.. I love this song. It is the definition of a catchy song and perfect for summer nights. It sticks in your head and is the perfect introduction to what this group stands for. Also the different shades of (strawberry) blonde were simply iconic! I love this era so much!

2. Psycho

As my runner up I have the song that I am sure will be most people's number one. Psycho is widely considered to be Red Velvet's best song and for good reason. It is such a masterpiece of a song! From vocals, to music, to styling, to dance.. this comeback was just everything! It will go down in history as setting a golden standard for girl group music for real. I love it when Red Velvet isn't afraid to go dark and they certainly did that with this one. Overall just a perfect song that I simply have no notes on.

Cosmic

My personal favorite Red Velvet song has to be their latest comeback. The absolute masterpiece that is Cosmic. The bittersweet feeling this song gives me! I have no other words for this song that gorgeous. One of the most (if not the most) beautiful kpop songs to ever exist. I cannot put into words how perfect this song is and if you have not listened to it yet.. GO LISTEN NOW!

[cheerupjihyo]

April 2026 Kpop Album Reviews

Note: These are not all albums from April 2026, just albums that I personally listened to in full for the first time in April 2026.

Trigger warning: Opinions!

SHINee - Boys Meet U 67%

Songs added to my Spotify: Dazzling Girl, 1000nen zutto soba ni ite, Run With Me, The World Where You Exist, Keeping love again, BURNING UP!, Fire & I'm with you

Songs blocked on my Spotify: Kiss Yo

Would I buy this album? Probably won't even be able to find it if I wanted to

While SHINee is one of my ult groups, I recently realised I never really listened to their japanese discography. I don't know why, I guess I just never got to it? Anyways, this obviously need to change! So I started with this album randomly. While I enjoyed it for the most part, I hold SHINee to a bit of a higher standard and in my opinion this album did not meet the bar set with their korean discography. While I liked most songs, there wasn't really a stand out song that will become a new obsession with me.. Still a really solid album though! They can't all be masterpieces after all..

NMIXX - Fe:304: BREAK 81%

Songs added to my Spotify: DASH, Soñar (Breaker), Run For Roses, BOOM & Break The Wall

Songs blocked on my Spotify:

Would I buy this album? Yes!

In March I saw NMIXX live, even though I did not know most of their discography and girl did they win me over with that concert! I left a fan! So obviously I needed to deep dive into their discography, starting with the BREAK album. I really enjoy this album, each song on it feels unique, but the whole thing still feels cohesive. It also has in my opinion one of the best b-sides of all time; Run For Roses. Overall this album is what I would consider girl group excellence. It gave me F(x) vibes, if F(x) had been under JYP. And I absolutely love that vibe! I love how experimental and fun the songs on this album are and I understand why NMIXX got so popular.

NMIXX - Fe:304: STICK OUT 83%

Songs added to my Spotify: See that?, Red light sign but we go, BEAT BEAT, Moving On & Love Is Lonely

Songs blocked on my Spotify: SICKUHH

Would I buy this album? Another yes for NMIXX

I continued my dive into NMIXX with their other 2024 release; STICK OUT. While this album had lower lows for me, overall I just slightly prefer it over BREAK. But both are masterpieces in my opinion! This album is again very cohesive and fun to listen to. My personal favorite song on this album has to be the b-side "Red light sign, but we go". I cannot explain it, but there is something very addictive to that track! Overall another really strong album from NMIXX that makes me very exited to check out the rest of their discography.

ITZY - CRAZY IN LOVE 56%

Songs added to my Spotify: LOCO, Sooo LUCKY, LOVE is, Chillin' Chillin' & Mirror

Songs blocked on my Spotify: SWIPE

Would I buy this album? Unsure.

I also continued my deep dive into ITZY's discography this month by checking out their album CRAZY IN LOVE. I ended up feeling really mixed about this album, most songs felt very meh to me. But when the song was a banger, it was a banger. There are mulitple B-Sides on this album that I know I am going to return to again and again in the future! And I love the title track as well! So yeah, as you can tell I feel mixed about this album and therefor am not sure if I will end up adding it to my collection anytime soon...

KickFlip - My First Kick 61%

Songs added to my Spotify: Eye-Poppin', Twenty, Stup!d, Scroll & My Direction

Songs blocked on my Spotify: Backward & Roar

Would I buy this album? Maybe?

This album was such a rollercoaster to listen to! There were some songs on here that hit hard, but also some songs that I couldn't even finish listening to? That being said, just based on quality this album is really up there. The songs are great and very well done, it's just that some of them are really not my cup of tea... However I love it when KickFlip does that pop-rock type of music and there are so many songs like that on this album! So overall, I still love this album and am curious to see where this group will go in the future!

AMPERS&ONE - DEFINITION 50%

Songs added to my Spotify: GOD, All Eyes On You & Tears In Your Smile

Songs blocked on my Spotify: Hit Me Up

Would I buy this album? Probably not

AMPERS&ONE is one of those groups that I don't actively follow, but I am rooting for them for some reason. I don't keep up with their music much, but most of what I know by them I do enjoy. The same can be said for their latest album. I am glad I gave it a try, even if it wasn't exactly my taste in music. That being said, I can tell these boys are so talented! I love the vocals in Tears In Your Smile and I hope we can see more of their vocal work in their future projects! If you are looking for a smaller boy group to check out, I would recommand AMPERS&ONE and this album is honestly a pretty good place to start.

hrtz.wav - The First Wave 100%

Songs added to my Spotify: Dream, NINETEEN, Highlight, I AM SO FINE, Outta my mind & Close To Me

Songs blocked on my Spotify:

Would I buy this album? YES

I love me a good k-band, so naturally I was drawn to this debut. And I was not disappointed! This debut mini album is filled with banger after banger. I cannot believe everyone is sleeping on this group as I think they got the talent and the music to make it big. So if you are looking for a k-band to get into, I highly recommand this one. Plus they only had their debut this month, so there is not too much to catch up on. Just this one mini album that is filled with great music!

N.Flying - Everlasting 93%

Songs added to my Spotify: Everlasting, Rise Again, Love You Like That, Love In Memory, Still You, Born To Be, Run Like This, Moebius, LOG & Stand By Me (Korean Ver.)

Songs blocked on my Spotify:

Would I buy this album? Yes.

I forgot that I still had not checked out the most recent N.Flying album.. my bad. But this month I finally got around to fully listening to it and I loved it so much. I knew I would love it ofcourse as N.Flying is one of those bands that is just very consistantly good. I don't think there is a single album by them that I did not enjoy. Everlasting is no exception. The music is just so good and they manage to convey the emotions of each so well. I feel like this is the perfect summer night album and I am so happy I finally took the time to check it out!

[cheerupjihyo]

My top 10 2nd Gen Girl Groups

10. Miss A

The fact that Miss A is so low on the list says more about how much I love second generation girl groups than about the quality of Miss A. Miss A is considered an iconic girl group for a reason! They always delivered quality bangers with every comeback! Their music feels so nostalgic to me. I do agree with the critisism that JYP was really favoring Suzy, but I do not hold that against the group. That is really a JYP issue in my opinion... Anyways, icons for a reason. We love Miss A in this house.

9. APink

The absolute queen of the cute concept in my opinion. APink is another one of those groups that is just so consistant in quality. No matter if you listen to early or late APink, they always deliver good music with amazing vocals. I love that recently they have been coming back on the scene and the recent songs are still great! I love how even though they matured a lot in their concept, they never lost the core of the APink concept. Even their most "dark" concept has that APink softness to it and I love a group that is able to stay consistant like that!

8. Stellar

Being a fan of Stellar has never been and will never be for the weak. This is the one group where I can say I am glad they disbanded.. because the members literally asked us to stop supporting them so they could disband. I am glad they got their wish and it is so messed up that their company forced a sexy concept on the members when they did not feel comfortable doing that! I really wish these girls were treated better and got a better company as they are all so talented. I love their music and the way their voices sound together. In an ideal world they got to choose their own direction in music and I am sure that would've been even better than what we got.. But alas, an amazing girl group that went through way too much trauma...

7. T-ARA

I am so glad that recently I am seeing T-ARA get a lot of love on TikTok. I remember being a big T-ARA fan in the 2010's and trust me, that was not for the weak. After the scandal, every comeback felt like it could be their last. However these girls really kept going and kept making amazing music! I still love them very much and listen to them all the time. Funny enough the songs by them that have been gaining popularity on TikTok are not the songs that I tend to listen to a lot when it comes to T-ARA. But that being said, I love these girls and I am glad they are finally getting the love they deserve. The kpop fandom owes them an apology for real!

6. Dal*Shabet

Can you tell from my list so far that I really like sexy/mature kpop girl groups with a bit of a retro vibe to them? Dal*Shabet is another group that falls into this catagory and I love their music so much! I feel like as a kpop community we are not giving these girls enough love. Their discography is amazing and y'all are just SLEEPING on it. If you ever need that retro girl group fix and you have not checked out Dal*Shabet.. what are you waiting for?!

5. After School

One thing about me is that I will never escape Pledis Entertainment groups and it all started with this one right here. After School was one of the first kpop groups I got into and I still love them to this day. Their music is insanely nostalgic to me and their songs were always original. They always did something unexpected and I love them for that. Now I do hate how Pledis Entertainment treated them (and their other groups)... But I love that I live in a world where After School has existed and with all these second generation groups coming back lately.. this is one that I would absolutely LOVE IT if they decided to make a comeback!

4. F(x)

Another group that is one of the first groups I ever got into. One of the groups that started this over a decade long love for kpop at this point. F(x) is really not like any other group out there in my opinion. Their music is very experimental and yet every comeback was a banger! I truly feel like they were ahead of their time and we are never going to get another group like them. The closest we have is NMIXX, but even they do not come close to the experimental and fun girl group F(x) was. I need them back ASAP!

3. Wonder Girls

I feel like a list of second generation girl groups simply is not complete without Wonder Girls. They were so important to kpop as a whole! Everytime I go through their discography, I am suprised by how little comeback they actually had. But even with a short discography, they had a huge impact on kpop as a genre. And on my music taste. Wonder Girls is where my love for retro kpop girl groups started and they are still my go to recommandation for anyone looking for retro vibe music. I also love that halfway through their career they switched from being a girl group to being a girl band that played their own instruments. Absolute legend behaviour!

2. 9Muses

Being a 9Muses stan is not for the weak let me tell you that. The line up changes in this group are insane (look it up if you don't believe me), but even with all that hardship they still managed to release amazing music. I am obsessed with their music and their vibe, which is why they are my second favorite second generation girl group of all time! A friend of mine recently reminded me of how much I used to talk about them and honestly.. I need to get back to doing that. Someone needs to keep the legacy of these girls alive!

Girls' Generation

My favorite second generation girl group has to be Girls' Generation! They were the very first kpop group I ever got into and they are still one of the four groups I consider my ults. I cannot explain how perfect their discography is to me and therefor I won't even try. Girls' Generation in my opinion is the definition of Girl Group excellence! I am so exited to see what they got planned for their 20th anniversary next year!

[cheerupjihyo]

My favorite kpop releases of March 2026

10. IRENE - Love Can Make A Way

One thing about me is that I will always be a Red Velvet fan first. And this month was a great month to be a Red Velvet fan as Irene dropped her first full album! I really enjoy the album, it is a bit more laid back than what I usually listen to, but it is still great in my opinion! Love Can Make A Way is a really good pop ballad with hints of rock in there. Irene's vocals really get a chance to shine in this one and I love the overall bittersweet feeling this has. If you are a fan of the song "Blue Valentine" by NMIXX, I highly suggest checking this one out!

9. Baby DON'T Cry - Bittersweet

Next on the list I have another song that is great for Blue Valentine fans and that is Bittersweet by rookie girl group Baby DON'T Cry. I truly do not understand why these girls are not the next big thing in kpop right now as their music is just so good! The vocals in this song are amazing and it truly catches that a Bittersweet feeling. Overall this song is such a win and deserves so much more love than it is getting!

8. AB6IX - BOTTOMS UP

BOTTOMS UP by AB6IX is one of those songs that is just the perfect song for summer. It is a really fun pop song that reminds me of summer break. It has a bit of a mid-2010s vibe to it that I really appreciate. The song is just so much fun!

7. Big Ocean - One Man Army

If there is one thing I will always be a sucker for it is men with too much eyeliner and so much drama. And that is exactly what Big Ocean delivered with their lastest comeback. This song feels so cinematic! I can see this playing during a final fight scene in a movie when the heroes are about to be defeated. I am obsessed with this song for real and I need everyone else to also be obsessed with this one!

6. IRENE - SPIT IT OUT

Another Irene song made the list! This is my favorite song on the album (spoiler for the rest of this list I guess). I love how dark and dramatic this b-side is. It really suits Irene's vocals in my opinion and I hope she releases more dark concepts in the future!

5. H1-KEY - To. My First Love

I love H1-KEY. And they continue to release bangers! Their latest comeback feels like the love child of GFriend and an anime intro. If that sounds interesting to you in any way, you need to give this song a listen! Another great summer song that I just know I will be playing on long car rides in the summer evenings. It just has those vibes to it in my opinion! Once again the vocals are also great on this track, like they always are with H1-KEY. And I just think they work best when they lean a bit into the pop-rock side of kpop. This song is another example to prove my case for real!

4. Dragon Pony - Oh Perfect!

The fact that people are still sleeping on Dragon Pony pisses me off! I absolutely adore the songs that I know by them (granted, I still need to deep dive into their discography as I don't know much) and I think they really got the potential to be one of the top K-Bands in the game. Oh Perfect! is another absolute banger of a comeback. I love how it is feels angry, but not too angry. I can barely explain the vibe of this song as it is so specific, so you just have to listen to it to understand what I mean.. I guess :)

3. Baby DON'T Cry - Shapeshifter

Baby DON'T Cry released two bangers this month and the fact that they are both being slept on.. If kpop was really about the music, these girls would be ontop of the rookie game right now! Shapeshifter is such a fun summer song! I love the bright vibes it has and the way it feels fun and empowering to listen to. And once again the vocals sound amazing on this track! If you are looking for the song of the summer, this one is a strong contender in my opinion

2. ODD YOUTH - Babyface

Speaking of being slept on.. Here is another nugu group for you to give a chance this summer! Babyface is another song that is here to completely take over my summer playlist for this year. If you love cute and fun girl group songs, you need to be listening to this one! It is so addictive!

YENA - CATCH CATCH

Like everyone else I have been obsessed with CATCH CATCH since the teasers started coming out. As someone who was a big T-ARA and Orange Caramel stan back in the day, this song just brought me right back to that second gen greatness! I love this song, this is so much fun to listen to! And the dance is so much fun to do! This is what I have been missing in kpop and I love YENA for bringing it back!

[cheerupjihyo]

March Album Reviews

note: these are not all albums that came out in March2026, just albums that I listened to for the first time in March 2026

TRIGGER WARNING: Opinions

SF9 - LOVE RACE 60%

Songs added to my spotify: LOVE RACE, Side by Side & No No No

Songs blocked on my spotify: 

Would I buy this album? Sure.

To me SF9 has been one of those boy groups where I am aware of their existence and I like some of their title tracks, but I never really gave a full release of them a listen. Well this month I decided to change that and listen to their latest mini album! And I really should have been listening to them this whole time, because I learned that their music is really fun to listen to! I especially enjoyed the song No No No! It is such a perfect song to discover right before summer and I am sure I will be listening to it quite a lot this year!

IVE - I’VE MINE 77%

Songs added to my spotify: Off The Record, Either Way, Holy Moly & Payback

Songs blocked on my spotify:

Would I buy this album? Yes.

I am slowly catching up to IVE’s backlog and this month I listened to their mini album I’VE MINE. Honestly this album was so good?? I loved the laid back vibes this album had throughout it. I can imagine this being a perfect album for the fall/winter season. Or for late summer nights. I regret sleeping on IVE for as long as I did, but I am very excited to continue exploring their backlog. So far I have not been disappointed!

aespa - Girls 43%

Songs added to my spotify: ICU, Life’s Too Short (English Ver.) & Black Mamba

Songs blocked on my spotify:

Would I buy this album? Probably not

Another group I have been exploring the backlog of is aespa. I remember not loving their early stuff, but since I love their 2025 stuff, I decided to take a look back and see what I missed. Now I do have to say that early aespa just isn’t for me. While I don’t think the songs are bad, it is just not the type of kpop that I listen to… I was surprised to find I like Black Mamba a lot more now as I remember listening to it upon release and not vibing with it at all. I don’t know if it’s because my taste has changed or because I went in with different expectations, but I ended up really enjoying the song this time around. Still it wasn’t enough to save this album for me…

YENA - LOVE CATCHER 100%

Songs added to my spotify: Catch Catch, Spring Fever, Sticker, April’s Cat & Question Marks

Songs blocked on my spotify:

Would I buy this album? Already did!

I LOVE SECOND GEN RETRO CONCEPTS! And YENA brought exactly that energy back to the kpop world with her newest comeback! The whole album is so much fun to listen to. Catch Catch is the perfect summer banger and I got a feeling it will stick around for a bit. This comeback already feels iconic even though it literally just came out. YENA has been making amazing music for a while now and I am glad she is finally getting the attention she deserves with this comeback. Everything about this mini album is just great, I literally have nothing else to say!

H1-KEY - LOVECHAPTER 100%

Songs added to my spotify: Be full of Romantic, To. My First Love, Stuck with You, My WIsh & Not Like a Movie

Songs blocked on my spotify:

Would I buy this album? YESS

Another perfect score album?! I don’t know what was going on with the girls this month, but they were knocking it out of the park with these comebacks! H1-KEY quickly became one of my favorite girl groups last year and I do not regret stanning them at all! Their latest comeback is another one that is just so freaking good! I especially love the vocals in this album, especially Hwiseo. The album feels like a GFriend album, but with a little bit of a japanese edge to it. So if that sounds at all interesting to you, you really need to give this album a try! Trust me on this one.

AB6IX - SEVEN: Crimson Horizon 65%

Songs added to my Spotify: BOTTOMS UP, Forever, So Sweet (0522) & Endless

Songs blocked on my spotify:

Would I buy this album: I dont think so?

AB6IX is one of those groups where I know that teenage me would’ve been obsessed with them. So I am always willing to check out their music. The title tracks I know from them are top tear and BOTTOMS UP is no exception to that! It is such a fun track to listen to and a perfect song for those long summer nights. The rest of the album was pretty good as well, although not good enough to really stand out to me. Like the songs were fine, some were added to my playlist, but for the most part I found this album to be a bit forgettable. It is truly saved by the banger that is BOTTOMS UP!

Baby DON’T Cry - AFTER CRY 50%

Songs added to my Spotify: Bittersweet & Shapeshifter

Songs blocked on my Spotify: 

Would I buy this album? Maybe.

I truly do not understand how Baby DON’T Cry is stuck in nugudom!! Their music is really good as their first mini album shows. The songs Bittersweet and Shapeshifter are both absolute bangers in my opinion! And while the b-sides did not really stand out enough to me to add to my playlist, they were not bad songs in my opinion. But especially Shapeshifter has taken over my playlist this past month and I wish that this song got more recognition as it deserves so much better! Give these girls a try if you are looking for that old school cute concept girls.

IRENE - Biggest Fan 90%

Songs added to my Spotify: Biggest Fan, Face To Face, Million Miles Away, Love Can Make A Way, SPIT IT OUT, Black Halo, MTV (My Timeless Video) & Wasteland

Songs blocked on my Spotify:

Would I buy this album? Pre-Ordered it 🙂

One thing about me is that I will eat up whatever Red Velvet releases. One thing about Red Velvet is how they don’t know how to release bad music. That being said, I have to admit the first half of this new album is not the strongest and that includes the title track. While I like it, I was hoping for something a bit more with the teaser that we got.. That being said, the album is still such a good listen! Especially in the second half with songs like SPIT IT OUT, Black Halo and Wasteland. This album is filled with “chill bops” and perfect for a road trip playlist!

[cheerupjihyo]

My Top 10 Girls Generation Songs

10. Talk Talk (I Got A Boy)

Starting off today’s list is Talk Talk, the I Got A Boy version. Don’t ask me why they got two songs with the same name, but in my opinion the one on I Got A Boy is the superior one. This album track is just so much fun to listen to! It is a perfect summer song in my opinion! If you are looking for a second gen girl group song to add to your summer playlist that isn’t one of the overplayed ones.. here you go!

9. I Got A Boy (I Got A Boy)

Speaking of I Got A Boy.. I have to talk about this title track! It is by far the most experimental title track Girls’ Generation ever released and the experiment really worked in my opinion. The song is all over the place, but it somehow works? And let’s not forget the iconic “Don’t stop, let’s bring it back to 1:40”. This song is just girl group excellence in my opinion and it is only so low on this list because the overall quality of Girls’ Generation is just that high!

8. FOREVER 1 (FOREVER 1)

Being the last comeback Girls’ Generation ever released, you would expect this song to be more popular. However, it is severely overlooked in my opinion. This song is just the perfect summer song, but y’all be sleeping on it! I truly do not understand people who don’t give OT8 Girls’ Generation a chance, because y’all are missing some absolute bangers like this one!

7. Genie (Genie)

I am aware for a lot of people Genie would be at the top of their list, but for me it isn’t quite there yet. That being said, this song is still a banger! I understand why it is considered a classic as it has everything a classic pop banger would need. However, I do think it is rather on the safe side as far as kpop goes. So while this is a great song, I just cannot rank it any higher…

6. Mr. Mr. (Mr. Mr.)

I was obsessed with this song as a teenager when this came out. I cannot explain to you why this song is so great, but it really is! It was my top Girls’ Generation song for a long time, but I fear I overplayed it a bit too much. That being said, I still really love this song! It is so second generation girl group in the best way possible!

5. FLOWER POWER (Girls & Peace)

A ranking of Girls’ Generation songs simply would not be complete without at least one Japanese release! Their Japanese songs are so good?? My favorite of them has to be Flower Power. This is such a 2000’s coded pop banger! It fits right in with the girly pop of that era and that makes me super nostalgic whenever I listen to it. Overall a really great song!

4. HOOT (Hoot)

I love it when girl groups go retro and HOOT is one of the best examples of that. The song is retro and fun in all the correct ways. Once again, this is a perfect song to put on any summer playlist. The dance is also so much fun and one I really do hope to learn sometime in the future!

3. Into The New World (Girls’ Generation)

Girls’ Generation really started their career strong when they debuted with this track. There is a reason this one stood the test of time and is still very popular everywhere. The song is just really that good. I also love how this song became a bit of a protest song in Korea! I think that really shows the power this track (and Girls’ Generation in general) has. Overall this is a classic for a reason and one that everyone should know, no matter what generation fan you are!

2. Gee (Gee)

Coming in at number two I have the other Girls’ Generation classic. Whenever someone asks me to show them kpop, this is the song I play for them. Gee in my opinion is the peak of girl group music and the first thing I think of when you ask me what is the most girl group song (if that makes sense). The song is so fun and playful. The vocals are great, the dance is great, everything about this song is just great! I seriously have no notes!

1. Lion Heart (Lion Heart)

Lion Heart is not just my favorite Girls’ Generation songs, but one of my favorite kpop songs of all time! No one gets Lion Heart like I do for real! I love the vintage vibes and the vocals are just heavenly in this one. I play this song all the time and I never really get tired of it. I do however think this song is best in those summer evenings.

[cheerupjihyo]

My favorite kpop releases of February 2026

10. ZEROBASEONE - LOVEPOCALYPSE

Starting off the list this month is the final song from ZEROBASEONE as all nine members. I love the bittersweet feeling this song has. I am a sucker for these kinds of pop-rock ballad songs and ZEROBASEONE really pulled it off. Their vocals sounded amazing in this track which makes me wish we had more of this type of music from them. I will miss the members that are leaving, but will continue to support the remaining members in the future!

9. Yang Yoseop - Shine

Next up we got another pop-rock song that is not quite a ballad but also not not a ballad? Yang Yoseop has some really great vocals which he is definitely showing off in this track. Again, this has a bittersweet feeling to it that I absolutely love. This song feels like the last day of summer. It came out a bit early for that, but oh well

8. IVE - Fireworks

Okay warning, there will be a lot of IVE on this list. Their album was just such a highlight of February for me! First up is the song Fireworks, a song that is just perfect for those late summer evenings in my opinion. I especially enjoy the harmonies on this track! This is the late night, next morning follow up to LOVE DIVE and it absolutely slaps!

7. IVE - HOT COFFEE

Like I said, there will be more IVE in this list.. Anyways, HOT COFFEE is a really fun song that has a very addictive hook in the chorus. Honestly, this track reminds me a lot of early TWICE b-sides and anyone who knows me knows that I love those types of songs. It is playful while still being easy to listen to. So if you like older TWICE songs, I highly recommend checking this one out!

6. WJSN - Bloom Hour

My girls WJSN are back! And my girls are yearning! This song fits in with the first two songs on this list by having that bittersweet yearning quality to it. It leans more to the pop, but it has some rock undertones. The girls sound amazing on this track! Their vocals were always good, but this time it just hits differently. They sing with so much emotion that you cannot help but get emotional yourself as you listen to this track. The fact that this got 0 promotion is a hate crime!

5. MADEIN - Super Obvious

Firstly, I most admit that I am not totally aware of where we stand with the boycott of this company. From my understanding it was about the CEO standing down and he did, so as far as I am concerned the boycott is over… Okay, back to the music. Another pop-rock song with really strong vocals made it on my list! Seriously, what was in the air in Korea that everyone was yearning for? Not that I’m complaining, I love this music. If you were a fan of Blue Valentine last year, I recommend giving this song a listen. Trust me.

4. IVE - Hush

More IVE? More IVE. I love Hush. This song feels very second generation girl group and I love some second generation girl group music. I especially love the way they sing “hush” in the chorus with a lot of air? Kinda breathy? I don’t know how to explain it, but if you listen to the track you will understand what I mean.. Anyways, another stand out song on the new IVE album. The girls really did so well on this one!

3. STAYC - MWUAH

I am aware this is a japanese song, but it is from a kpop group and this is my list I can do what I want. And what I want is to talk about the new STAYC song. I must admit I am not that deep into STAYC, but every song I do know by them is a banger (I really should dive into their discography at some point…). MWUAH is a really fun summer song! It is exactly the type of song that I want from a girl group during this season; fun, quirky, playful and a bit experimental! I have noticed that I tend to love STAYC’s japanese releases a bit more and this song is no exception. It goes hard!

2. Hearts2Hearts - RUDE!

Speaking of songs that are fun, quirky and playful.. Here is another one! Just like everyone else this month I have become obsessed with the new Hearts2Hearts comeback! I have been silently rooting for these girls since debut as they have been dropping banger after banger. I am so happy this song is finally getting them the love they deserve! This song is just the perfect summer song and I suspect it will be dominating the charts and my personal playlists for the next few months

1. IVE - BANG BANG

Okay I just had to end this list with another IVE song, sorry not sorry! As someone who loves more experimental girl group songs and someone who loves country music.. this song was just MADE for me! I am the target audience for this and I have become obsessed with this track! I know for sure this will show up at my most played songs of 2026 at the end of the year! The mix between experimental pop and country is just everything I did not know I needed in my life! I love this track so much!!!

[cheerupjihyo]

February Kpop Album Reviews

note: these are not all albums that came out in February 2026, just albums that I listened to for the first time in February 2026

TRIGGER WARNING: Opinions

MISAMO - HAUTE COUTURE 30%

Songs added to my spotify: Identity, Jealousy & Misty

Songs blocked on my spotify: Money In My Pocket

Would I buy this album? No.

As a big TWICE stan, I never really got into the MISAMO sub-unit. But this month I decided to give one of their full albums a try.. and it just wasn’t working for me. The songs weren’t bad, but they failed to stand out to me. I felt overall very “Meh” about this album and wished I loved it more. That being said, the song Jaelousy is a certified banger and I will be playing that on repeat for the foreseeable future!

Suho - Who Are You 81%

Songs added to my spotify: Who Are You, Light The Fire, Birthday, Golden Hour & Fade Out

Songs blocked on my spotify:

Would I buy this album? Yes.

Even though EXO is one of my favorite boy groups, I never truly took the time to get into their solo’s. I decided that needs to change, starting with my bias Suho. And this was such a good place to start! I really enjoyed his solo mini album, it had that kind of pop rock sound I love in kpop. Also his vocals are just so good and I cannot believe we as a fandom do not talk about how good his vocals are more often. Especially when he sings a bit higher… I love it every time! Overall I really enjoyed this mini album and need to check out more of his solo works in the future!

idle - I NEVER DIE 85%

Songs added to my spotify: TOMBOY, Never Stop Me, ALREADY, POLAROID, ESCAPE & LIAR

Songs blocked on my spotify:

Would I buy this album? Yes.

Last year I fell in love with idle, but I did not get around to checking out their full discography. One of the albums I still needed to listen to was I NEVER DIE and well, I finally listened to it this month. I loved this album! Going in I was a bit nervous, as people seem to like this one a lot less than 2. But I love both equally! I love the cool girl vibes of this album and it really does not have a single bad song. I should’ve been listening to idle for years, but I am glad I am finally getting to listen to them now!

Yang Yo Seop - Unloved Echo 40%

Songs added to my spotify: Fade Away & Shine

Songs blocked to my spotify:

Would I buy this album? Probably not.

Watching Inkigayo, I saw Yang Yo Seop perform the song Fade Away and I was intrigued by his vocals. I really like the tone of his voice, which was the highlight of this album in my opinion. His voice really fits a ballad heavy album like this, however I do tend to find ballad heavy albums a bit boring. While this was a nice one to listen to while doing some chores, I doubt this is an album I will be returning to in the future.. Except the song Shine, that one is a banger and I will absolutely return to that in the future!

IVE - REVIVE+ 67%

Songs added to my spotify: BLACKHOLE, BANG BANG, Hush, Stuck In Your Head, Fireworks, HOT COFFEE, Unreal & In Your Heart

Songs blocked on my spotify: 8

Would I buy this album? Yes.

Last year I really fell in love with IVE and this year they started off really strong in my opinion. BANG BANG is one of my favorite songs released in 2026 so far. As someone who mostly listens to kpop and country.. yeah that song was just made for me! But I also really enjoy the other songs on this album! The album gave me second gen girl group vibes and I am such a sucker for that! I also love albums that give each member a solo, it gives you a bit of an insight in what each member likes music wise. Now I do not have a IVE bias yet, but just based on the music it would be Rei!

[cheerupjihyo]

My favorite kpop releases of January 2026

10. CHUU - HIDE & SEEK

As you will find out quickly, this is the month I discovered that I absolutely LOVE Chuu’s solo music. Her album is just filled with banger after banger and HIDE & SEEK is one of them. I love how upbeat and happy this song is without feeling overstimulating. It is just super cute and exactly the type of music I want from a girl group (or in this case female solo) winter comeback!

9. ONEUS - STOP & MOVE

I love it when my boy groups insert some disco vibes into their music and that is exactly what this song is serving! I honestly think this should have been the title track as it is much better than Granade and it would also stand out a lot more than Granade... Anyways, this song is a real banger and I highly recommend checking it out if you like it when your boy groups get a little disco. Great songs from SHINee fans as well if you ask me.

8. ChRocktikal - Iris

A whole rock/metal debut album and what is the song that makes it into my top 10? The ballad, of course. To my friends I am nothing if not predictable. While I enjoyed most of the ChRocktikals debut album, this song just stands out to me. The vocals are so heavenly to listen to and it just puts me in this magical mood if that makes sense. I highly recommend checking out this song, even if you are not into k-bands!

7. CHUU - Canary

And we’re back at another CHUU song. Like I said, I really fell in love with her this month.. Canary is just such a beautiful song! Vocally the strongest song on the album in my opinion. And the music… it just feels so cinematic to listen to this one! If you are a fan of Taeyeon, you NEED to check it out immediately!

6. CHUU - XO, My Cyberlove

So fun fact, this is the first 2026 choreo I decided to learn because the choreo of this one is just so much fun and exactly the type of dance I enjoy doing! The song itself is just so cute~! It really stole my heart and made me check out the full album and well.. as you can see in this list that is a choice I do not regret. This song is just everything I love about girl solos and it is just a perfect warm hug for the winter season

5. WAKER - LiKE THAT

I am going to be honest here, I had never heard of this boy group before this month. And here we are with them so high up my top 10 releases! LiKE THAT is another song where the boy groups go disco and as said earlier, I love it when they do that! The song is so much fun to listen to and very addictive in my opinion. I also checked out the full album which is just filled with banger after banger. WAKER is not the most popular group, but I really suggest checking out their latest comeback and supporting them. This is exactly the type of music we need more of in 2026! Also I feel this song would do well with people who like EXO and SHINee…

4. CHUU - Teeny Tiny Heart

Okay I promise this is the last CHUU song on the list and what a banger it is! Teeny Tiny Heart is just so cute and fun to listen to! Another one that I just ended up being addicted to and cannot stop listening to.

3. MISAMO - Confetti

I know this is technically japanese, but this is my blog and I can do what I want. So I am putting Confetti on here because I have grown obsessed with this song. The theatre kid in me really woke up with this song and I love how dramatic and ready for the stage it feels. This feels very second gen to me and one of the sub-genres of kpop that I have always enjoyed is theatre kpop. And this is serving that for real! I hope this starts a trend, because I want more songs like this! Also is it just me or does this song remind you of Girls Generation-TTS in the best way possible?

2. dodree - Born

We have been asking for an original girl group for so long and dodree came onto the scene and delivered just that! I love their mix of traditional korean sounds and pop music, it works so well together. The overall feel of this song is somehow light and dark at the same time and I can see this working perfectly for some kind of fantasy movie. The vocals are great and the mood is just fantastic! You need to check out this debut if you haven’t yet!

1. dodree - Just Like a Dream

Okay let me gush about dodree for just one more minute.. The title track of their debut is just everything to me. Again the mix of traditional korean and pop music is working perfectly. The title really describes the song as listening to it feels just like a dream. It has that mystical magical quality to it. The vocals are also amazing on this track and the overall vibe they are able to create is just perfect. I cannot stress enough how amazing this debut is!!!

[cheerupjihyo]

January Kpop Album Reviews

note: these are not all albums that came out in January 2026, just albums that I listened to for the first time in January 2026

TRIGGER WARNING: OPINIONS

ONF - Unbroken 50%

Songs added to my spotify: Put It Back & I Found You In Heaven

Songs blocked on spotify:

Would I buy this album? Probably not.

If I had to describe my feelings about this album in one word it's “fine”. There weren’t any low lows, but to me there also weren’t that many songs that stood out. That being said, I don’t tend to enjoy male voices, so boy groups already have a harder time winning me over. I do enjoy the title track as I have been missing this type of concept for a while now. ONF is definitely a group I will keep my eyes on, even if this album ended up being very average to me…

YENA - NEMONEMO 77%

Songs added to my spotify: NEMONEMO & It was love

Songs blocked on my spotify:

Would I buy this album? Yes.

2025 was the year I discovered the soloist YENA and she has yet to disappoint me. I love her brand of overstimulating cute kpop! The mix of kpop with jpop influences really works for me. The title track is by far the best song on this single album. I literally cannot stop listening to NEMONEMO! The b-sides are also good, but not something I have not heard before. This all being said, I cannot wait to see what YENA will bring us in the future!

KEY - Good & Great 77%

Songs added to my spotify: Good & Great, Can’t Say Goodbye, Live Without You & Mirror, Mirror

Songs blocked on my spotify:

Would I buy this album? Yes

As a big fan of SHINee, I do not understand how I completely missed this Key comeback in 2023??? You’re telling me I could’ve been listening to this album for two years already! Anyways.. I really enjoyed this album! It is filled with bangers. In my opinion Key’s solo music is really slept on and deserves so much more attention! I love the kind of retro vibe this album has without being a full retro concept, it really reminds me of 2010’s SHINee and I do miss 2010’s SHINee so much

APink - Re:Love 50%

Songs added to my spotify: Love Me More & Sunshine

Songs blocked on my spotify:

Would I buy this album? Probably not.

I think I was far too hyped when APink announced they were making a full comeback. I absolutely love APink so I went into this album with really high expectations. I think that is one of the reasons I felt a bit disappointed by this. It is still a solid album, but it wasn’t the stand out album I was hoping an APink comeback would be. I was just expecting a bit more from them. That being said, the title track is really cute. But it is outshined by the song Sunshine (no pun intended). Sunshine feels like the type of gen 2 song I was hoping this whole album would be filled with. Oh well, you can’t always get what you want.

CHUU - XO, My Cyberlove 88%

Songs added to my spotify: XO My Cyberlove, Canary, Cocktail Dress, Teeny Tiny Heart, Love Potion, Hide & Seek & Loving You!

Songs blocked on my spotify:

Would I buy this album? Yes.

CHUU has always been one of those artists to me that I have been meaning to check out forever and never got around to. But this month I did listen to her new album and I really ended up loving it. I realise now that I should have been listening to her solo stuff this whole time! I really enjoy her vocal tone and the way she delivers more playful upbeat songs. This album is full of fun songs without it feeling like a full on summer album. My favorite song is probably Teeny Tiny Heart, there is just something about that song that makes me happy. Overall this album is just a perfect light to brighten this winter!

ONEUS - Won 43%

Songs added to my spotify: STOP & MOVE

Songs blocked on my spotify:

Would I buy this album: no

I wanna start this off by saying I really love ONEUS. But that being said, this single album just wasn’t for me. The title track is the exact type of boy group music I do not enjoy and therefore it did not work out for me. The b-sides on this album are a lot stronger and I absolutely love the song STOP & MOVE. That however was not enough for me to feel anything more than “meh” for this album. I hope their next album will be more to my liking…

EXO - REVERXE 35%

Songs added to my spotify: Crown, Suffocate, Flatline & I’m Home

Songs blocked on my spotify: Back It Up & Touch & Go

Would I buy this album? No.

I’m gonna start this off by saying I am a big fan of EXO. But this album just wasn’t doing it for me. It is not because of the missing members, but because the music just wasn’t my type of music. I am not really a noice music girly and this album was very noice music heavy in my opinion. I wanted to love it so much, but it was not working for me. I do love that we got more moments for members to shine that normally get overshadowed by other members. As a Suho biased girl, I loved seeing him get his moments in the spotlight. Sadly that wasn’t enough for me to enjoy this album. I love specifically the song Suffocate a lot, but the rest of the album just was not for me….

ChRocktikal - We break, you awake 60%

Songs added to my spotify: PEACE, RIDE, Myself, Shame, Iris, Masterpiece & Free!

Songs blocked on my spotify: KALish

Would I buy this album? Maybe

I went into this album not knowing what to expect. I love DREAMCATCHER, but I had been warned this album is way more metal/rock heavy than their stuff. Still I was curious to check it out and I am so glad I did! The first few songs were a bit too heavy for my personal taste, but the second half of the album is my jam! I was always Soyeon biased, but I had no idea her vocals would work so well on harder stuff! The music felt great and refreshing. I hope they get a bit more promotion as I think this is a really solid debut album. I think fans of groups like xdinary heroes absolutely need to check out this band!!

dodree - Just Like a Dream 100%

Songs added to my spotify: Just Like a Dream & Born

Songs blocked on my spotify:

Would I buy this album? Sadly it is a digital single so I can’t

I wasn’t sure if I wanted to add this debut digital single to this list as it isn’t a full/mini album, but I just need a moment to talk about this debut! I am obsessed with dodree and their concept of mixing traditional Korean music with modern pop. It works so well and it’s not like anything being promoted in K-Pop right now. I think this duo could become insanely popular in Korea itself if they keep this up. Their vocals are just so nice to listen to and really blend together well. The two songs both sound really cinematic to me and I just cannot wait to see where this duo is going in the future!

WAKER - In Elixer: Spellbound 67%

Songs added to my spotify: LiKE THAT, Lucid Dream, 10 outta 10, Dawn Star, Feeling & Sugar Crush

Songs blocked on my spotify: Drop Out & Dreaming Talk: DAY 3

Would I buy this album? Yes.

The last album for this blog is the new WAKER album. I had never listened to this group before, but the title track drew my attention. I love my kpop boy groups with a dash of disco and that is exactly what LiKE THAT is serving. The whole album was serving that actually. I really enjoyed this release and will definitely keep my eye out for future releases from WAKER!

[cheerupjihyo]

My Top 10 TWICE Album Tracks

As a stan since SIXTEEN

10. PONYTAIL (TWICECoaster: Lane 1)

I love it when kpop does that disney channel pop rock vibe type of music and PONYTAIL is the perfect example of it done right. This song just captures the vibes of a carefree summer perfectly in my opinion. I do wish TWICE would explore their pop-rock side a bit more as the songs where they do always slap!

9. Truth (The Story Begins)

Can I explain why I love this song so much? Not really. Somewhere between the catchy post chorus and the way the vocal powerhouses are showing off why they are vocal powerhouses.. this song just captured me ever since I heard it for the first time. In my opinion this was TWICE showing off who they would be as a group on their debut album and it really stands the test of time!

8. Fanfare (Perfect World)

I love the more youthful and cheery side of TWICE. This is the type of girl group music that just feels made for me specifically! I cannot help but get really happy whenever I hear this song. Plus it is also a great song to listen to when working out (seriously, try it). I love fun <3

7. My Headphones On (Page Two)

The Page Two album has such a special place in my heart. It is exactly what I want from a kpop album! Just like the previous song on this list, this one is just so much fun to listen to! I honestly don’t have much else to say about this song, except that I find it to be criminally underrated and really should get more attention!

6. Touchdown (Page Two)

Speaking of Page Two.. Here is more! I swear there will also be some newer releases on this list. But the older releases have the advantage of being very nostalgic to me okay? ANYWAYS, another fun song who would’ve guessed.. I just love it when TWICE goes fun and this is another perfect example of them doing just that.

5. JELLY JELLY (TWICECoaster: Lane 1)

Another older fun TWICE song. This one is just very addictive to me. I really do not have much to say about this except that you will catch me listening to this one all the time…

4. Like a Fool (The Story Begins)

I love a good TWICE ballad and while I do feel like their later ballads are stronger vocally. This one is just pure nostalgia to me. Which is why when it comes to TWICE, when I am in the mood for a ballad, this will often be the one I turn to. It just is such a sweet listen

3. Blame It On Me (Ready To Be)

I promised there would be some newer (ish?) releases in this list and here is one. Blame It On Me is pure pop-rock greatness. Also the vocals in this one??? Hello??? They are so amazing!!! This song is such a certified BANGER!

2. Fix a Drink (Jeongyeon Solo) (Ten: The Story Goes On)

I wasn’t gonna include any of the solo’s, but since this one is on a group album I am gonna count it. Also because I love this song very very much. Besides kpop my main music taste is country, so every time a kpop artist releases a country style song, I am there. I am sat and I am listening. And this one is just great! Also Jeongyeon solo album when? Her voice is so good I need a whole album of this right now!

1. Queen of Hearts (Formula of Love)

Queen of Hearts is another pop-rock vibe song and in my opinion the best one TWICE has ever done. Also the best b-side TWICE has ever done. The composition of the song mixed with amazing vocals makes this song just an amazing experience to listen to. From what I can see this song is pretty popular in the fandom and for good reason. It just goes so hard!

[cheerupjihyo]

My Favorite Kpop Releases of December 2025

10. Minho - You’re Right

I don’t understand why people are sleeping on Minho’s solos so much? They always slap so hard in my opinion. He had a single album comeback in December and I did not see anyone talk about it!!! Anyways, I really enjoy this song. It is a really chill song to listen to and the vocals really shine through.

9. SAY MY NAME - Bad Idea

I have been following SAY MY NAME for a hot second now and I am so glad to see they are finally getting the recognition they deserve! Anyways, their latest album is full of bangers and you will see more of them on this list. Bad Idea is another really chill song to listen to that shows off the girls’ nice vocals. Just such a good song to put on when studying or doing chores.

8. SAY MY NAME - Delulu Solulu

This song is a bit more on the cheesy side, but I personally love it when kpop groups take an online trend that is no longer THAT relevant and turn it into a song. For some reason those songs always slap and Delulu Solulu is no exception. There is just a very addictive quality to this song in my opinion!

7. EXO - I’m Home

EXO IS BACK! Finally a new EXO song after waiting so long! I always had a soft spot for their Christmas releases so I was so hyped to see them have a comeback in December. I am still confused why they did not put this song on Spotify yet, but I guess SM Ent. did not want to profit from the EXO Christmas hype… Anyways, the song itself has that classic EXO Christmas vibe. I love how nostalgic it feels despite being a new song.

6. ILLIT - ALL FOR YOU

I don’t understand why no one is talking about this ILLIT song as ILLIT is such a popular group? From my understanding this song is done for charity and all the money made from it will go to charity, which is even more reason to support it. The song itself gives me strong second gen girl group vibes and that is something I am just such a sucker for! The song is cute, but I do wish it was a bit longer. I think a good bridge would’ve completed it.

5. Minho - TEMPO

Like I said, WHY ARE WE SLEEPING ON MINHO’S SOLO MUSIC SO BAD?! Tempo is a really nice song in my opinion. I do think Minho’s vocals are doing a lot of heavy lifting here as the song itself is not that interesting. But something about Minho’s vocals in these chiller type songs just scratches something in my brain. I understand why this song isn’t for everybody, especially if you’re more into hype music. But I still think this song is a great addition to anyone's chill playlist!

4. SAY MY NAME - SAY MY NAME

Can you tell I really enjoyed the new SAY MY NAME album? It was by far the best album of December! SAY MY NAME has to be my favorite b-side on this album. I am just a sucker for that Disney channel “pop rock” style of song. And this song delivers that to perfection! I do not understand why this song is not promoted more and I think it could make a real splash, especially to people who were second/third gen girl group stans!

3. UNIS - mwah…(JP Ver.)

I know this is a japanese song, but since it is from a kpop girl group I will still count this. It is my list anyways. The way UNIS is mistreated has to be studied because this group seems to be READY for popularity in Korea and Japan?! mwah.. is just such a good quirky girl group song that we used to eat up. In fact if this song came from Red Velvet, it would have been topping the charts! If you are a fan of the red side of Red Velvet, I highly recommend checking out this song (and the rest of UNIS’ discography).

2. SAY MY NAME - UFO (ATTENT!ON)

I promise this is the last time I talk about SAY MY NAME in this post! But this song is so good! I have been enjoying SAY MY NAME’s music all of last year, but this track really brought them to the next level. It is so much fun and a very addictive listen. I love a girl group that is not afraid to be quirky and colorful and fun. And that is exactly what SAY MY NAME delivered with this comeback! I am also so proud that they got their first win with this song! I hope more wins follow in their future and they keep releasing absolute bangers like this one!

1. Taeyeon - Panorama

Am I biased because SNSD was my first kpop group and therefore I will always have a soft spot for them and their solos? Maybe. But also, have you considered that this song is actually just really good? I love how for her solo anniversary she released a song that has a similar feel to her debut (I), but a more mature version. As usual in Taeyeons music, the vocals are amazing! I love this type of music and I wish there was more of it in kpop.. I love how nostalgic this song feels, perfect for December, perfect for winter and perfect for a 10th anniversary song. I just wish SM Ent. put a bit more effort into promoting this single!

[cheerupjihyo]

My Top 10 Kpop Boy Groups

(as a girl group stan)

10. ZEROBASEONE

My first era: Blue

My bias: Gunwook

My favorite song: Lovesick Game

I am aware I am very late to the party, especially with this group about to disband in January. But this summer I finally got around to watching Boys Planet and I really enjoyed it. It made me properly invested as a survival show is supposed to do. And this year I dove into their discography, finding that I really enjoy their music too! I am a bit sad that they are disbanding in 2026, but I am excited to see where the boys will end up in the future! Overall a very solid group with a really solid discography.

9. GOT7

My first era: Just Right

My bias: Youngjae

My favorite song: If You Do

GOT7 was one of the first groups I stanned and they have a special place in my heart. I may not listen to their music all that much and I definitely prefer their mid 2010’s stuff, but this group just has that something special. From the way they fought to keep the name to their group to the way they just goof off in variety shows. GOT7 feels like one of the most sincere groups out there and for that they will always be special to me <3

8. ASTRO

My first era: debut

My favorite song: Firework

ASTRO is another group that is just very special to me. Ever since their debut I have been invested in them and I don’t see that changing any time soon. Especially in the mid 2010’s they were on such a back to back bangers streak! I also cannot resist a good cute/fresh concept and in my opinion ASTRO are the kings of that! Also Candy Sugar Pop walked so the Saja Boys could run

7. CIX

My first era: Thunder

My favorite song: Thunder

Another boy group on this list that I only started listening to this year! My boy group stan list is so unstable for real. ANYWAYS, I started listening to this group after I saw a performance of Thunder on Inkigayo and I have not looked back since. They are such a talented group and highly underrated if you ask me. I am slowly making my way through their backlog discography and I have yet to find an album that does not have absolute bangers on them. I cannot believe I have been sleeping on these boys for so long!

6. VIXX

My first era: Chained Up

My bias: Hyuk

My favorite song: Fantasy

I partly blame my best friend for this as she is the world’s number one Starlight, but I already was quite interested in VIXX before I met her. They are called the concept kings for a reason and I love me a well thought out concept. Their music is so different from most music in the kpop industry and I love how mature this group feels, especially in later comebacks. To me VIXX is the golden standard when it comes to concept based groups and I will forever be sad they’re not together anymore (with four just does not feel the same to me). I also just have so many fond memories of fangirling over VIXX with my best friend that they will probably end up pretty high on my list for just that.

5. ONEUS

My first era: debut

My bias: Hwanwoong

My favorite song: Crazy Hot

ONEUS was one of those groups that I listened to casually for a long time… until this month when I saw them live and I immediately became a fan! I wasn’t sleeping on them, but I also was not paying enough attention to their game. Which is weird since I love the other groups under their company.. Either way I am fully onboard right now and I cannot stop listening to their music! They are such a talented group with really good music. People need to stop sleeping on them for real for real!

4. DAY6

My first era: debut

My bias: Jae

My favorite song: I Need Somebody

Look, I am aware this is technically a band and not a boy group, but this is my list and I can do what I want. I actually listen to kpop bands quite a lot, but DAY6 is by far my favorite. There is just something about them that stands out. I do have to admit, I prefer their music from before Jae’s departure, especially the sunrise/moonrise duology. I remember them just dropping an absolute banger every month for a year and it was an amazing time to be their fan. Honestly, I would love to see them (or someone else) do another project like that in the future. But I am fully aware that that may be asking for too much as I can image it is so much work to put together and promote the songs properly!

3. EXO

My first era: Call Me Baby

My bias: Suho

My favorite song: Call Me Baby

Can you really talk about kpop boy groups without mentioning EXO? As a mostly third generation stan, they’re almost a mandatory fandom. EXO is just that good? Like they are that girl in my opinion. EXO truly defined a generation of kpop boy groups in the best possible way. They got the whole package in my opinion and I am so excited to see them come back (but I do miss the CBX members). While a lot of EXO’s title tracks are iconic, in my opinion it is the b-sides where they really shine. They just create such bangers on their albums!

2. SHINee

My first era: View

My bias: Jonghyun

My favorite song: Married to the Music

SHINee, my first love when it comes to kpop. Literally the group that got me into this thing back in 2015. I heard Jonghyuns unique voice and I was sold. SHINee to me is that group that I probably will always keep listening to, either as full group music or the groups solo activities. This year I actually went to my first kpop concert which was a Taemin solo concert! I am just so happy that my first group was also my first concert (sort of). SHINee has a discography filled with absolute bangers, both in side tracks and title tracks. They’re also a really good group to introduce to someone looking to get into kpop! Especially with the members still being very active as soloists and them having group comebacks every once in a while.

1. NU’EST

My first era: Overcome

My bias: Ren (ult)

My favorite song: FACE

If NU’EST has no fans, I am dead. I love this group so much! I’ve been a fan since before Produce 101 and okay, maybe I am a bit trauma bonded to them from watching Produce 101. But even if we put that aside, NU’EST is one of the very few boy groups that I listen to on a consistent basis and that I actively try to collect the albums from. It also helps that my ultimate bias (Ren) is in this group, that puts it just above SHINee. But both SHINee and NU’EST are number one in my heart. I am glad NU’EST got a bit more recognition after Produce 101, but it was not enough in my opinion. I do not understand why they were not one of the big boy groups as they had the talent and the music. The way Pledis mistreated this group and fumbled the bag when it came to supporting them needs to be studied. But even with all that, I still love NU’EST more than any other group and probably will listen to their music for the rest of my life.

[cheerupjihyo]

The top 10 kpop albums I want to collect in 2026 + why

(one album per group)

10. Dear.M - ONEUS (2025)

Favorite song: We Are Young

After seeing ONEUS in concert this December, I went from casual listener to fan. The boys were so good live! It really made me want to dive deeper into their discography and that in return made me want to start collecting their albums. I don’t really know where to start, so their latest full album seemed like a fine choice to me. Especially since a lot of the songs on this album ended up on the set list of the tour.

9. Sleep Talking - NU’EST (2013)

Favorite song: Beautiful Ghost

NU’EST is my (male) ult group and I am slowly collecting their albums. Sleep Talking is currently the highest on my wishlist. In my opinion this one is just super underrated! I also would like to collect their older albums before getting to their post Produce 101 albums for some reason (and no I do not know what this reason is).

8. N/A - izna (2025)

Favorite song: IWALY (izna ver.)

This year I watched I-Land 2 and I ended up getting invested in the girl group that came out of it: izna. I would really like to keep up my collection of them. I already own their second mini album “Not Just Pretty”, so I would love to also own their debut mini album “n/a”. There is just something about having a complete collection that feels so nice!

7. The Ruby - APRIL (2018)

Favorite song: Oh! My Mistake

The fact that I used to have a complete APRIL collection and then a few years ago I sold a lot of kpop albums, thinking I got out of this hobby. Not only was I wrong, but I also regret selling a lot of the albums I sold. I definitely regret getting rid of most of my APRIL albums, so I would like to start collecting them again. From the ones I am missing, The Ruby is my favorite which is why I choose to start here to collect them again!

6. I Feel - i-dle (2023)

Favorite song: Lucid

This year I really fell in love with i-dle. I used to be a casual listener of them for a long time, but for some reason they just really clicked for me this year. I did end up buying a few of their albums, but there are many more I would like to own in the future. The one that I got my eyes on the most is my second favorite mini album by them; “I Feel”. This one is just filled with bangers in my opinion.

5. Prequel - DREAMCATCHER (2017)

Favorite song: Fly High

I love DREAMCATCHER and I’ve always been slowly collecting their albums. I own quite a bit of their earlier albums (and yes I was surprised to find out how much they are worth now, being first printings), but my early DREAMCATCHER collection is not complete yet. The next one I would like to get is Prequel, since this is another absolute banger of an album in my opinion.

4. Run Devil Run - Girls’ Generation (2010)

Favorite song: Gee

I used to have a pretty decent Girls’ Generation collection, but I also sold a lot of those albums a few years ago. Now I would like to get back at collecting their albums, starting with Run Devil Run. This album to me is the conclusion of the really early Girls’ Generation stuff and I would like to own it. I never owned this in the first place, my collection was mostly their later works. But I find myself listening to older Girls’ Generation more than to their newer stuff, so I think my collection will focus first on their earlier albums.

3. Cosmic - Red Velvet (2024)

Favorite song: Cosmic

Red Velvet is my actual ult group and they have been for over a decade. Because of this I have a pretty good Red Velvet collection (again, used to be bigger). However that is mostly their older albums as this was the era that I used to collect albums before falling out of the hobby around 2020. Now that I am back collecting albums, I want more of their newer albums. Starting with Cosmic, which that song is still my favorite kpop release of 2024. It’s just so good??!!

2. Monster - Irene & Seulgi (2020)

Favorite song: Monster

I know I said only one album per group, but technically this is not Red Velvet. I choose to count a sub-unit as their own thing anyways… I do own their 2025 release, Tilt. Which made this mini album go up way higher on my wishlist, there is just something about having a complete collection! That being said, this was an album I’ve been meaning to get since its release, but just never got to it. Now that I own Tilt, getting a complete Irene & Seulgi collection has gone way up in my priority list!

1. Not Cute Anymore - ILLIT (2025)

Favorite song: Not Cute Anymore

My goal in 2025 was to complete my ILLIT collection and I did! And just as I completed my collection, they released a new single album. Literally the day after I bought Super Real Me to complete the collection. Worse, this was also the day I started my album buying ban for the rest of 2025. This means that I still need to get my hands on this album to complete the collection. However I am determined to get this collection complete, so this will probably be one of the first albums I buy when 2026 rolls around.