release radar '26: april, part two

So many things happened in the k-pop sphere this month that it warranted a containment zone, so here we are.

In this issue: waxing poetic about Taemchella, the epic highs and lows of Neo Culture Technology and the art of Walk-ing away from it all, to nugu or not nugu?, plus brand new releases from T.O.P, AKMU, Yves, Illit, HYO, Hui (Pentagon), excuses to talk about Jaejoong and more!

Taemchella

Yeah, the #taemchella tag rocks. I love a good portmanteau.

Holy fucking shit. Taemin's Coachella set is one for the ages, one so good that I honestly felt like I got my $10,000 worth from my very own living room! I'm so proud of Taemin and so happy to be a lifelong Shawol too. Shinee are the one k-pop group I allowed myself to get a tattoo for, a tiny symbol commemorating Jonghyun that I got shortly after he passed away. I'm forever grateful for each of the members and the wonderful art they share with the world...even if it means watching Minho run marathons every day.

I used to say that Taemin should've been at Coachella back when Move went viral, but his recent performance at Coachella proved just how wrong I was. Since Move, Taemin has released an onslaught of fantastic music, broken free from the pink purgatory that is SM Entertainment, and in the past year has gained far more experience and growth from touring the world as a solo artist.

Taemin's sets for both weekends are absolutely stunning, and I wholeheartedly recommend grab them whilst they're available from gdrive, and for those clued into the high seas, there's better versions and remastered audio archives in the usual places. Feel free to reach out to me if you need help.

The live band renditions were so fresh and exciting, bringing a new side to Taemin's older material by showing new sides to his artistry. It is so obvious how hard Taemin worked to make this one hell of an impressive performance. He is a true perfectionist at heart, and despite experiencing technical difficulties and some wardrobe malfunctions, I hope he is still proud of himself.

Taemin has always possessed so much love and passion for his art, and it is extremely uplifting to see him so happy and thriving after going through a really difficult time a few years ago. I'm extremely excited for the new songs, when the hell is the release date!

Permission is absolutely crazy and the embodiment of Taemin's influences and his 'sound'. We're seeing a global pop-star for the ages in the making here. Congrats on your future Grammy, Taemin, you've got this in the bag for sure.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/q8wsaqfmnv4?rel=0

If Taemin's set piqued your interest, then I definitely recommend checking out this incredibly mature, insightful, and emotional interview where Taemin gets incredibly candid about being a pop-star in the Korean entertainment sphere since childhood, and his mindset during the preparation behind his Coachella debut.

I honestly teared up reading this answer to what he wants his legacy to be:

"Whether it’s an artist like David Bowie or with fashion, art is something you experience with all five senses. I want to be someone who’s mentioned when people think about art. Even when they taste something, I want people to think about me — to say this, this feeling, is like Taemin. I want to be that kind of sensational and iconic artist while I’m alive."

His words floored me, because in the eyes of so many k-pop idols and fans alike, Taemin has already been there for a while. It's now time for the rest of the world, and for Taemin himself, to realise it.

TAEMIN on His Historic Coachella Debut and Why Second-Gen K-Pop Is the ‘Generation of Dreams Coming True’

Sky Runner - fromis_9

It's nice to finally hear a Japanese debut for fromis_9. Sky Runner is really catchy and wistful, reminds me of 00s rock!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/3ivuYBVadVY?rel=0

Taxi - Kino (Pentagon)

Imagine getting in a taxi and the driver asks you what you want to listen to and you say "Mr Taxi, 相当 즉시 즉시 즉시" and he plays this instead, wyd?

I'll just walk.

https://embed.tidal.com/albums/502430352

ANOTHER DIMENSION - T.O.P

I didn't really know what I was getting into with this as I never got into BigBang, but I certainly knew of their hit songs at the height of their popularity.

My first impression is that T.O.P has a really distinct voice and put a lot of care and effort into this solo debut, especially after his scandal and the intense media backlash he faced for it. I can only imagine what this album means to him, especially after spending so much time away from the spotlight.

Production wise, Another Dimension sounds fantastic, with lush synths, drumbeats and heavy vocal effects that give each song a nostalgic sensation without feeling too dated. If you enjoyed 2010s era Kanye (an artist I used to love as a kid, but damn it does not take a genius to figure out why I no longer tolerate him), this album might scratch an itch for some melancholic rap.

Listening to Another Dimension feels like you're listening to a painful and earnest autobiography. It's a cultural landmark, given the intense scrutiny idols face for the most minor things, and how often they are persecuted for speaking up about issues that truly matter. I wouldn't say I felt bedazzled by the music itself, but I was certainly moved by the subject matter. Honestly, I'd recommend anyone give this a listen for that aspect alone.

https://embed.tidal.com/albums/512830123

Flowering - AKMU

Wow, I was wondering when we'd ever see another AKMU album, especially after the duo parted ways with YG Entertainment to establish their own independant label.

Thankfully, the long wait was worth it! Flowering is a comforting album touching on family, love, and grief. I honestly didn't know I needed this album until I listened to it.

I recommend Flowering to anyone who loves their indie/folk-pop, with just enough country-twang and some tender ballads in between.

https://embed.tidal.com/albums/509924956

NAIL - YVES

Since her debut as a soloist, Yves has landed some incredible features and collaborations with notable artists such as underscores, Rebecca Black, Pinkpantheress, Lexie Liu and Lolo Zouaï, even gaining attention from FKA Twigs, who she dreams of collaborating with.

So far, Yves has taken a lot of inspiration from some of the best women out there in the alt indie/pop world; I can tell Oklou was all over the mood board for Nail, and I'm here for it.

After releasing four EPs, Yves has given us a strong sampling of what her ideal sound is, and it's wonderful to see that she refuses to box herself into one category as she has proven she can do a mixture of indie ballads, hyperpop, 00s inspired rock, and edm.

The title track, NAIL, is built upon a nasty and evocative drum loop which perfectly embodies the sound that Yves has established for herself. There's also an underlying sinister element to the song, showcasing a mysterious and edgier side to Yves as a soloist.

HALO is going to wind up on every hot girl DJ's setlist, mark my words, because it is prime remix material that would allow for a cool artist feature down the line. I'm also interested to see the choreography for this song if Yves ends up including it on her tour setlists.

Break It features the one and only Lexie Liu, who I am a huge fan of, so this song really is a dream come true! Both singers have really distinct and beautiful vocal tones, and Lexie Liu's breathier vocals compliments Yves perfectly.

IT and Birth are extremely heavy on the oklou inspiration; if you haven't yet discovered oklou's music and are looking for more sound-focused music with interesting vocal effects, give Choke Enough a spin, you won't regret it.

This is an extremely polished release and is a lot more sonically cohesive than her previous EP, Soft Error. It's also cool to see Yves have more songwriting credits on Nail as she talked about wanting to be more involved in the songwriting process on her next album when I saw Yves on her Cosmic Crispy tour in August last year.

https://embed.tidal.com/albums/512100811

It's definitely time for Yves to drop her first ever full-length solo album. Hopefully we see one towards the end of the year or whenever her tour schedule comes to an end. I wouldn't be surprised if she manages to land herself on the bill for a major Western music festival in the future such as she continues to break out of the k-pop sphere.

Personally, I'd love to see Yves to continue broadening her horizons in the alt-pop landscape and take a risky dip into some electro-clash or industrial music, I know she has it in her. It wouldn't surprise me if Yves ends up appearing on a handful of singles or remixes throughout the year.

Here's to hoping her next collaboration is with FKA Twigs, or perhaps a remix/feature with Ninajirachi who keeps popping up in her instagram likes.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/04l_GY_v5Wk?rel=0

MOVEURBODY - HYO

Fuck yeah I love it when HYO drops her mandatory 00s coked up hot girl DJ club banger every single year with a low budget music video to go with it!

I always see people in the comments complaining that HYO never gets any high budget visual clusterfuck music videos for her songs but she doesn't need them! This type of music video works exactly for the intended audience.

Real ones (me) want to be one of HYO's booth baddies on her Boiler Room TV debut.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/BPbgRY0JYUE?rel=0

Glow - XNGHAN&XOUL

Okay so we all agree that getting kicked from your group for smoking and having a girlfriend is utterly bonkers, right? But that's sadly how the Korean entertainment industry operates in comparison to western standards where no one in their right mind would give a damn.

Anyway, I'm glad Seunghan was given a second chance. The concept behind 'XOUL' functioning as a rotational support unit of collaborators is extremely Seo Taiji & Boys inspired, allowing Seunghan fill a niche in the current soloist landscape by either using a dance crew for performance focused songs and simultaneously keeping the door open for vocal-heavy projects such as a band concept.

Admittedly, I wasn't fussed on his debut single, Waste No Time, but I enjoyed the b-side, Heavenly Blue, and thought it would be worthwhile keeping him on my radar. Thankfully, Glow was a major improvement that helped me understand what Seunghan is capable of.

I just wasn't expecting him to go all out on gay people house music.

Dancing Anyway is honestly title-track worthy and raised the bar for the rest of the EP. I'm glad this didn't lead into your run-of-the-mill r&b intro track but evolved into a pleasant dance-pop teaser with airy synths which built a lot of anticipation for the title track.

Glow sounds Troye Sivan, Ten (WayV/NCT), and KEY (Shinee) were put into a blender, and instead of a tropical fruit smoothie, out popped a superstar DJ spinning deep house at REVs on a Sunday morning. The chorus is ridiculously catchy, but it was the exhilarating anti-drop and percussion which really sold it for me. Loved it, no notes.

Light The Fire is an outstanding b-side here with an incredibly sleek fusion of r&b with disco. This would be my pick if any of these get promoted heavily.

Wishlist had me worried initially, but I'm glad he didn't lose me with this one. I'm always a little hesitant when it comes to hearing afrobeats in k-pop because we've really gone through it over the past two years. I can hear the influence of Tyla all over this one.

Lovin' On Me rounds out the album by showcasing Seunghan's falsettos without sending him to rock-pop ballad city. Much like the rest of the EP, Lovin' On Me subverted a lot of my expectations for what I thought it would sound like given the hyperpop influence.

What a strong debut EP! I wasn't sure what I was expecting going into this one but I definitely think he made the right choice to move forward as a soloist. Glow was made for the dancefloor, though I believe Seunghan's vocal range is begging for the opportunity to shine on some harder hitting b-sides that match the energy of the title track.

It's actually quite a shame SM run such a tight ship because I can imagine Seunghan doing well in the western market and especially if he were given the opportunity to collaborate with the current wave of fresh and upcoming electronic artists.

That said, if there's any collaborations with his fellow labelmates that NEED to happen, HYO is my first choice because these two could crank out a real Itaewon gay club anthem with strong choreography to boot, though I'd also love a feature with ChungHa.

I also really like the frosted tips. Men should embrace tradition and remember their culture.

https://embed.tidal.com/albums/515455225

Til' I Die - Lee Chaeyeon (Iz*One)

No Tears On The Dancefloor is an instant classic, so mature and classy, reminiscent of Kylie Minogue's style of nu-disco. Definitely her strongest title track so far. I'm not the most fussed on the b-sides, but I will always show up for any post-Iz*One members projects.

https://open.spotify.com/embed/album/1NME7mvfv1WMEGJGcSF9bs?utm_source=oembed

내일의 나에게 (Dear Tomorrow Me) - HUI (Pentagon)

I didn't know Hui was still making music?! I always thought HUI has a lovely voice and that is abundantly clear on this song.

Most of the time pop-rock is extremely hit or miss to me because it always ends up sounding like the midpoint between Imagine Dragons and Ed Sheeran, so I'm glad that wasn't the case here even if it wasn't my thing.

That said, if enjoy pop-rock inspired soloists with strong vocals such as Lee Mujin, Onew, 10CM, and Wendy, then I definitely recommend recommend giving HUI a spin, or at least keeping him on your radar in case he ever releases a mini.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/DG9v8Hg3jXw?rel=0

MAMIHLAPINATAPAI - ILLIT

Okay so...the title track It's Me is a huge miss. The comparisons to Blackpink's JUMP and KATSEYE's PINKY UP are very apt, but this is a sound that I do not care for whatsoever. I really need the title track cloning factory to close down immediately, HYBE department especially.

GWRM does a lot of heavy lifting here and the best song on the EP by far. Their voices sound great and the dreamy synth-driven drum and bass sound really works for ILLIT's concept.

paw, paw! is fun as well, very 2010s girl EDM with cute vocal manipulation, for which I am the exact audience!

https://embed.tidal.com/albums/519769129

"To nugu or not nugu?"

When it comes to the current generation of k-pop, I couldn't be more clueless with where to start. The popularity of streaming and tiktok dance challenges and reels has undeniably influenced music production, for better or worse. Record labels across the world are pushing for shorter songs and more streams, because this ensures chart success and viral trends. A&R feels so heavily geared towards picking the trendiest songs, even if they don't exactly 'fit' the vocal tones and techniques of the members in the group.

There are so many groups in the industry nowadays and groups debut and disband as quickly as a brand new Alice McCall x Shein collection. I can't help but wonder what the future landscape holds for legacy groups in ten or fifteen years time.

Nevertheless, I'm always curious about what is trending and if there is still a spark of something special out there - especially when it comes to girl groups. I'm optimistic that one day someone is going to break the mold, so I'm going to do my best to tune into some fresh talent every now and then going forward.

KEYVITUP - KEYVITUP

I figured a simple place to start on my nugu journey would be KEYVITUP, a freshly debuted boy group under INKODE, a company founded by Kim Jaejoong (TVXQ/JYJ). The choice of group name is...questionable. I seriously thought it said KETCHUP at first, but then again, if Jaejoong is involved, there is bound to be some questionable naming decisions.

There is a lot of potential in this group! I missed seeing a classic cube-style music video where you can visibly see the choreography and the background isn't drenched in migraine inducing visual effects. KEYVITUP's debut is very vocal-focused 90s boyband/hip-hop inspired that reminded me of some classic Backstreet Boys and H.O.T song structure.

The members have great vocal tones that sound distinct from one another however this still EP still suffers from the current industry-wide issue of only releasing bite-sized music under three minutes. It's a shame their pre-debut music video for BEST ONE wasn't the full-length version of the song but I wonder if there was budget or time constraints that factored into a shortened version releasing first.

I want to see the return of catchy bridges and ad-lib vocal battles, and KEYVITUP definitely has some power hitters in the making who could deliver on that in the future. It's a decent debut though, and I hope a full-length album will allow them to showcase more of their overall concept. Their live stages so far have been fun to watch and I've noticed how much confidence they're building with each show, even doing more ad-libs on stage!

I always worry about groups debuting under smaller companies. The company roadmap looks quite ambitious; juggling three rookie groups in an oversaturated industry where fresh talent is chewed up and spat back out is a very ballsy financial investment. I think Jaejoong's heart is in the right place here giving so many rookies a chance, and it will be interesting how these idols fare under his mentorship.

https://embed.tidal.com/albums/509301670

#UNC'S STILL GOT IT

Speaking of Jaejoong (he really is my ult of ults, so I'm making an excuse to speak about this), you all don't know what him singing all 15 seconds of Maze in 2026 means to me! It's so nice to see him performing this one live again on his Galaxy Tour.

The singles from Tohoshinki's TRICK project were really cool and they're some of my most treasured in my k-pop collection. Maze was such a cultural reset and the origin to Jaejoong's stage persona we see today.

Rock will forever his best genre! I'm still hoping for a collaboration with NCT's Yuta once he is free from SM.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/R8AKmER3-Pw?rel=0

The epic highs and lows of Neo Culture Technology

Sometimes listening to NCT makes me feel exactly like I did when Riverdale was airing and I would unapologetically live-tweet every episode because I loved how batshit and camp it was.

There was also a brief period of time where Chad Michael Murray was on the show, so I boycotted Riverdale out of spite because I loved One Tree Hill and hated his character, and to this day I still haven't seen those episodes.

Anyway, my point is that sometimes NCT makes me feel like I'm questioning my existence after an outrageous episode of Riverdale, or feel like that one 070 Shake & Lily-Rose Depp post...trench coat buttoned to the top...what's going on?!

Outta My Way (feat. Kun) - Yaochen

Damn, this song is short as hell, but a win is a win for WayV at the moment.

OUTTA MY WAY sounds so neo that it's almost hilarious that we're getting song like this from a collaboration between a JYP soloist and Kun from WayV, rather than NCT itself.

It won't be something I revisit but t's great to see Kun landing some features and working on his solo career.

https://embed.tidal.com/albums/514746916

Rock Solid (feat. Anderson .Paak) - Taeyong

What is it about Anderson .Paak that makes him so painfully frozen in a 2010s time capsule? This song was almost my Chad Michael Murray on Riverdale moment for Taeyong.

Rock Solid pass on this one.

https://embed.tidal.com/albums/516020119

Ode To Love - NCT WISH

You mean to tell me that NCT Wish are charting like a girl group, being bombarded with plagiarism allegations from the troops, whilst caught in the crossfire of another NCT civil war between unit-only stans? Congratulations NCT Wish, you've finally made it!

I wouldn't call myself a Wish fan but I'm always hoping something they do will land for me because their concept is somehow the midpoint between whimsical horse girl k-pop pioneered by mistreated girl groups with an air of money laundering chicness (GWSN, WJSN, Weeekly, fromis_9, Loona) and Red Velvet.

Ode To Love is a UK-garage track which samples that catchy 'du-dudu-du' hook from The Cranberries' Ode To My Family. It's light, refreshing and very fitting for the Wish concept, though I wish the vocal production was a little less on the tinny side which is something I've noticed with SM releases in the past two years. Why does this keep happening?

Anyway, the album really takes off with Feel The Beat, an absolutely stellar b-side that sounds like NCT Dream fused with Shinee's arena-style EDM, with a punchy house beat driving the song. I can see why Ode To Love is better off as the title track, but I lowkey wish Feel The Beat was chosen instead, opting for a bolder follow-up to the polarising Sticky. Kudos to whoever uploaded the instrumental version to youtube.

People either love or hate Sticky , though I don't find it is as terrible or grating on the ears as people online have criticised it for. The unexpected bossa nova hook was jarring at first, but I also found it deeply amusing because I'm biased towards weird jazz in places you least expect it. Get a group like NMIXX to cover Sticky and watch them run a marathon with it.

The three track run that follows on from Feel The Beat is the strongest part of the album. Crush is a solid dance-pop track, whereas 2AM and Everglow sound like if Wish re-arranged some long forgotten NCT 127 and WayV b-sides, respectively. Everglow in particular is a song I'll return to, I love how it showcases a less 'cutesy' side to Wish whilst retaining their whimsical concept.

Sion's tone appeals to me the most, I really enjoy his rich, warm timbre as it brings a classic 'r&b guy hopelessly yearning-in-the-rain' quality to his lines, bringing a nice contrast to the group. Jaehee has the most classic-SM style voice that really shines on high choruses and complex ad-libs whilst providing a 'full' sound when his voice is layered with the other members verses.

I don't know if SM has 'mandatory ballad track' written into everyone's contracts, but thankfully this time we went to ballad city at the end of the album. I can see Voyage becoming a fan favourite especially at concerts, and it's a strong closer for the album.

Ode To Love throws a lot of darts at the board and some of them land, others rebound off the wall. It's loud, danceworthy and unapologetically maximalist. This is the first time a Wish release has stuck with me so far. I can see why they're quickly gaining popularity with their colourful and cute aesthetics and uplifting music.

I'm not a fan of their quarterly album comeback schedule, but now that 127 and Dream have slowed down (and WayV are screaming to be let out of the basement), the Neo sweatshop demands fresh blood. I just hope that the members stay healthy and don't burn out this year!

https://embed.tidal.com/albums/513758973

I'm looking forward to seeing Wish actually utilised as part of NCT's rotational concept that SM loves to neglect in favour of sticking to the tried-and-true rigid nature of the k-pop industry that consumers refuse to let change...

I want to see Wish perform alongside their seniors as NCT U! There are so many fun combinations that could work, and it's probably inevitable we'll get a sub-unit with Sakuya and Johnny (127), though I'm also hoping to see some some of them paired with Chenle (Dream) and Kun (WayV).

Fuck it, let's put 127's resident aegyo hater Yuta with his juniors and make them crank out the next best electronic J-POP since Perfume's LEVEL3.

...does anyone know if we still have k-pop tomorrow?

Most of the groups I listen to have either disbanded, OR the members are currently enlisted in the military, OR tied up in never-ending lawsuits, OR are benched and blatantly mistreated despite dropping absolute bangers that deserve more promotion, OR have reached a comfortable point in their careers where they only do a comeback once in a blue moon.

Third gen groups are also nearing the ends of their seven year contracts, and even though I've come to accept this, it's a little bittersweet. The second and third generations of k-pop have outlined a major part of my life, including the most delicate and foundational period of transitioning to adulthood.

Whenever my hobbies and interests remind me of the passage of time, especially when it comes to music, it becomes quite emotional - there are so many wonderful people who have crossed paths with me because of these groups and I am forever grateful for it, even if I've lost touch with some of them.

Change can be a scary thing sometimes. Bands retire, reunite, and lose members along the way all the time, but I won't lie the news of Mark Lee quitting NCT was a shocking one at first! I wasn't expecting that news to hit me the way it did, but man, over the years I've loved humorously quoting his iconic verse "oh, ya think ya big boy throwin' three stacks?" from Jopping, even going as far to sneak it into a DJ set.

I truly thought Mark Lee would somehow be the last man standing, but after reading his letter, his decision makes a lot of sense. I feel like the past few years have been so heavily mired in controversies, lawsuits and scandals that have rocked the k-pop world, that it's actually refreshing and heartwarming to see an idol leave on his own terms.

Over the past few weeks I've seen a huge outpouring of support from fans and non-fans alike, and also from Mark's fellow members from NCT - Doyoung and Dream penned heartfelt letters, and also Johnny, who attended Mark's final show - though he hasn't said anything publicly about that, actions sometimes speak louder than words, so I hope that is reassuring to the amount of 127 fans who are certainly going through it right now.

I always overhear discussions about idols who are 'bigger than k-pop', which is discourse I've never taken too seriously, because what does that even mean anymore? I think there's artists like Taemin and Yves who are bridging the gap in ways we haven't seen before, but my perspective on that discussion, however, shifted exponentially when Mark Lee walked away from it all.

Mark's decision is both deeply poignant and inspiring! He worked tirelessly for a decade, sacrificed his childhood, and then walked away with the feeling that he had given it all. In an industry where you simply aren't allowed to put yourself first, Mark decided to choose himself, to pursue his lifelong dreams.

Walking away from something can be absolutely terrifying and it's clear from Mark's letter that he put a lot of thought into it, but at the end of the day, your happiness should be the priority. Though we know this isn't the end of Mark's career as a musician, I'm certain this choice will allow him artistic freedom and the space to finally discover who he is. He's currently working on new music, and where he goes from now will be very interesting.

In so many ways, this reminded me of when one of my favourite tennis players (and former cricketer!), Ash Barty, retired at the age of 25, leaving a gaping hole in the WTA whilst simultaneously unleashing the unbridled wrath of Iga Świątek on the tour. Barty's retirement certainly rocked my world since back then I was still actively following tennis and considered it one of my greatest loves in life.

During that time, Barty conquered the world with 15 singles and 12 doubles titles on the WTA Tour, including three Grand Slam titles in singles and one in doubles, and retired whilst holding her title as World Number One. It was a devastating moment for the sport, but the best possible way forward for Barty, and I was so proud of her decision in the end.

If you could walk away from your career in your mid 20s, with all the confidence in the world, and to start a new journey, would you do it? I know I certainly would if I had the financial means to do so, and so I say, more power to the Ash Barty and Mark Lees of the world.

Real winners know when to quit!

p.s Thank you Mark for helping me land my terrible Careless Jopping which everyone booed me for two months ago. I knew this one was a real zinger, it just hadn't reached the right audience yet.