2025 KPOP ROOKIE GROUPS BLOG

"IN A MINUTE" definately has a great title track called "What You Want". Unfortunately, they didn't release a music video; however, they do have special live clips floating on the internet. If you are able to have the patience of a sloth, then you'll be able to find their showcases on the internet, which are buried deep within the rubble of youtube. Mind you, I had to ask netizens to show me their showcases since I couldn't find them. Most netizens did not know that this group existed. Currently, "IN A MINUTE" is promoting in the Philippines. I'm guessing that their debut wasn't well received in South Korea or that their debut didn't reach the right demographic for them to go viral. If you didn't know, Philippines has a growing Korean population. As well as Koreans residing in the Philippines, there is a huge portion of Filipinos who are active consumers of K-pop. From time to time, you'll hear big names performing in the Philippines, such as 2NE1, IU, Taeyeon, Enhypen, NewJeans, and the list goes on. "IN A MINUTE" did a wise choice of trying to promote in other countries when South Korea pretty much ignored them. It is what it is. Sometimes, South Korea doesn't reciprocate towards newly developing rookie groups, so groups like "IN A MINUTE" have to venture outside of South Korea to start a fanbase. I'm not entirely certain of the percentage or amount of fans, but Kiss of Life(KIOF) has a huge fanbase in America, so it was wise of them to promote their older material outside the confines of South Korea.

The obvious problem with a banger title track is probably because they are starting from a company called "Jwin Entertainment". Have you not heard of them? Honestly, I haven't either. It is because "Jwin Entertainment" is a fairly brand new agency, a company that started in 2021. In other words, a "nugu" group created by a "nugu" company. From rumors that I have heard, they are also producing a new girl group; I only hope and pray that they promote these girls properly. "IN A MINUTE" desperately needs good promotion, but their debut barely scratched the surface in the public's perception and the positive sentiment surrounding the group has died down since the public gives their attention to either newly upcoming comebacks or other debuts.

As much as I loved their music, their entire promotional cycle was poor, meaning it didn't get any exposure. From my examination, "IN A MINUTE" has an incomplete debut; their debut lacked any sort of planned schedules, promotional content, music video, dance practice footage, et cetera. They also have the "nugu" sticker stamped on them, so it is a "double whammy" of misfortune. For anyone who is reading this, their two track album should be added on your playlist; please support groups that create great music, but are unknown. Overall, I did give this group a low score; however, I do recommend music listeners to add their music to their playlist. "In a minute" of hearing their debut, you'll have the time of your life.

Comeback[English Debut]

"IN A MINUTE" did an english comeback/debut. It was a really great track; however, the promotion for this group was just like it was previously, non-existent. They did announce that they will be releasing a track every month called "Monthly MINUTE"; the next one will be volume 2.

I was going to give them an "Over-kill" for this track; however, I do not consider "Tell Me Why" as a comeback. Rather, I consider it as an "English Debut" after their "Korean Debut".

If they release another english comeback, then I don't really mind. I'll be patiently waiting for their next comeback. Every track that "In A Minute" has produced is definately a "must-add" to your playlist. "Tell Me Why" is definately a "slapper"!

Comeback(2)[Solo]

IN A MINUTE's Juntae did an outstanding solo track called "Last Letter", which is part of their "Monthly Minute". Within my blog, I do not review solo music; it is not added to their scoring since it is not a group comeback. Regardless of it not being scored in my blog, I found Juntae's solo release to be quite satisfying!

Comeback(3)

For the past year, I've been waiting for "IN A MINUTE" to finally start promoting in more music shows. The long wait is finally over. Jwin Entertainment finally let "In A Minute" loose and their comeback was definately one of my favorites. To be quite honest, "In A Minute" feels like the underdog of all the K-pop rookie groups. They've been quietly releasing music and not causing a ruckus; however, this time around, they started making a bit more noise than usual. I'm happy that they've managed to do public appearances and promotional-related content on the internet. Within the past year, I was worried that this group would stay unknown; however, I think this comeback had people turn their head to finally notice and focus on the underdogs of the K-pop industry. Although they are still unknown, I think South Koreans are taking notes on "In A Minute".

The choreography of "In A Minute" does look lackluster; unfortunately, I think it is mainly because the group only has 3 members, which makes the whole presentation a tad bit devoid of interesting moments. It would help their visualizations if they had back-up dancers; the empty spaces around and between each member leaves a boring impression. Within those empty spaces, there could be back-up dancers or even stage props just to make their showcases more lively.

I never realized that "In A Minute" had strong vocals; with only 3 members, they are making other k-idol groups run in panic to the nearest karaoke bar to practice their vocals. It is a treat to finally hear their live vocals; it was a long wait since their debut. Is it about time to remove the "nugu" sticker from "In A Minute"? It's a possibility. Nevertheless, they've proven that they have the vocal chops and prowess, which measures beyond what certain veteran k-idol groups have done so far. Often, I find that less popular groups have a ton of talented skills, which is overlooked by the majority of the K-pop audience.

Anyways, I've always loved underdog stories, where unknown artists diligently work towards their dream to be k-idols. "In A Minute" will be releasing more music in the future with their "Monthly Minute". Truly, I can't wait. All their songs have been unknown or under-rated bangers. Confusingly, I've been wondering whether or not K-netizens are purposefully ignoring this group; "In A Minute" has been constantly releasing blazingly great tracks since their debut. Isn't it obvious that we should blame Jwin Entertainment for not promoting this group enough? It is satisfying that Jwin Entertainment has finally started promoting "In A Minute". It is better late than never I guess. Anyways, it will only take a minute or less to enjoy "In A Minute"!

Comeback(4)[English]

"In A Minute" released their english "Monthly Minute Vol. 3" called "Gravity". It's an enjoyable R&B track! I highly recommend it! Definately, "In A Minute" are the underdogs of kpop industry!

Score Calculation:

Debut Score: 9.2
Comeback Score: 0
Comeback(2) Score: 0
Comeback(3) Score: 15.315
Comeback(4) Score: 0
Search Accumulation Score: 1.1M+.16M+.08M+.03M+.02M=1.39M=.139/?
Debut + Comeback + Search Accumulation Score = Total Accumulated Score
9.2 + 0 + 0 + 15.315 + 0 + .139 = 24.654
Total Accumulated Score: 24.654/19
24.654 Divided By 19 = 1.297578947
1.297578947 Multiplied By 100 = 129.757894737
Final Score: 129.7%

In 2021, JYP Entertainment aired a show called "Loud". In this show, they've selected 5 trainees to participate in a new group called JYP LOUD. With malice in their heart, JYP Entertainment shelved this group for more than 3 years! Yes, you heard that right! JYP LOUD spent 3 years in JYP Entertainment's dungeon, never to see the light of day until 2025. In 2025, JYP dusted their skeleton key and decided to unlock the dungeon doors, releasing JYP Loud from solitary confinement. JYP Loud was rebranded to KickFlip, so that netizens can forget that JYP neglected them in the catacombs. Anyways, the group is now free to show what they've developed while rotting in JYP's abysmal chambers. From the depths of JYP's dungeon, they've added 3 more prisoners...uh hem...I meant...3 more members to the group. Now, KickFlip is ready to kick and flip your heart. In a good way, of course!

From my perspective, KickFlip is definitely a performance focused group and it shows alot. Each member is capable in tackling complex moves, singing consistently, and most importantly, winning the hearts of their audience.

It is obvious that this group's target demographics are of the younger generation; however, the group has a family-friendly vibe around them, which is a huge plus. The general audience will enjoy this group because of how they are perceived. KickFlip is relatable to the average k-pop listener, the average teenager. As for complexity, they lack that. Could this be on purpose to appease the masses? Quite possibly. There's nothing wrong with just catering to the mass audience. It gets the clicks/views and no one is upset for over-the-top/extreme content.

KickFlip is visually disappointing since the group is disproportional in size, aesthetics, and demeanor. Imagine opening a bag of nuts. The bag contains pistachios, almonds, walnuts, brazil nuts, peanuts, macadamia nuts, etc. Each nut are of different sizes with each nut having their own unique flavor. This is how I feel about KickFlip. KickFlip is visually incohesive; they are unmatching in symmetry that it may hurt the eyes. This is no way of trying to be disparaging of them, but to point out that concepts may be ruined or broken if there is no similar focus in visualization. The visuals are imbalanced, creating a sort of "eye-sore" for the viewer. There are many who share the same perspective as I do. It seems wreckless or random to have chosen members who aren't in the same visual spectrum. Honestly, I don't mind having this group around since new concepts or music genres can spring from an obtuse-looking group. I think this random selection of members look good on paper, but it is, overall, visually impairing.

My overall vibe of this group is that they aren't trying to rustle any feathers, nor are they trying to take sides. KickFlip has reached a middle ground, where they aren't in some position of antagonizing anyone. Like I said before, KickFlip is "family-friendly" which is something missing in K-pop; KickFlip fills that niche.

Since Kick Flip is part of the "Big Four" entertainment companies in South Korea, they will make appearances in many showcases, exclusive interviews, variety shows, and the list goes on. When a group is under a major label, the kpop industry usually rolls out the red carpet for them to walk on. The best phrase to call this is "Big Four Priviledge", where they are able to promote, appear, advertise, and et cetera on major platforms. While "nugu" groups under lesser known entertainment companies have to fight, tooth and nail, to be locally or globally recognized, KickFlip has a major advantage in being recognized without doing any heavy lifting. Rather, they are on easy mode, doing the absolute minimal to reach a broader audience simply because they have the "JYP Entertainment" sticker, which is a guaranteed stamp of approval within the music industry.

Comeback Blog

KickFlip just did their comeback with their new album "Kick Out, Flip Now!"; "Freeze" is serving as their title track for their album. The instrumental for "Freeze" is a dance pop with mostly synth guitar(it sounds more like electronic guitar); there are parts of the instrumental that borrows elements from "happy hardcore", which is a genre that is mainly composed of upbeat dance/techno. Surprisingly, the lyrics of "Freeze" borrow a certain phrase from Pink Floyd - Another Brick In The Wall. Particularly, "We don't need no education" is a famous line from Pink Floyd. Real music historians know about Pink Floyd. Anyways, I did enjoy "Freeze". You'll feel fairly hyper from listening to it because of its upbeat tempo. KickFlip's discography is a must listen as well. I have no real complaints because it was a solid and fun release.

Comeback(2) Blog

KickFlip's second comeback album "My First Flip" is an okay listen. While their previous album "Kick Out, Flip Now!" had a more synth-pop vibe, "My First Flip" is more into the punk rock/pop vibe. Personally, I enjoyed their previous album alot more; I'm obviously biased and not feeling the punk rock pop vibe, but I bet alot of people will enjoy it. Honestly, there was nothing that kept me ecstaticly glued to their new album; rather, I felt a bit disappointed and felt like going back and listening to their previous comeback album. Like I said before, their previous album/comeback felt more impactful or stood out alot more than their second comeback; it is like they wasted all their creative juice/energy on their previous album and slacked on this one. Overall, it is an average second comeback. By the way, I religiously listened to both albums on repeat and I'm often favoring "Flip Out, Flip Now!" than "My First Flip". On my spare time, I share what I listen to with close people and strangers; the response I get is that they favor the previous album.

Score Calculation:

Debut Score: 15.6
Comeback Score: 17.5
Comeback(2) Score: 15.55
Search Accumulation Score: 26.7M+17.8M+14.3M+11.3M+9.1M= 79.2M= 7.92/?
Debut + Comeback + Search Accumulation Score = Total Accumulated Score
15.6 + 17.5 + 15.55 + 7.92 = 56.57
Total Accumulated Score: 56.57/19
56.57 Divided By 19 = 2.977368421
2.977368421 Multiplied By 100 = 297.736842105
Final Score: 297.7%

IDID was created through a survival show called "Debut's Plan", which had controversies; however, all of the controversies have been addressed and remedied at the last minute. Often, contestants' past history of wrong-doing is publicly exposed; usually, producers, casts, and judges overlook past the troublesome history of contestants until there is a public uproar; in particular, for "Debut's Plan", the track record, rumors, and history attributed to certain contestants were publicly exposed during the survival show to the audience, which instantly caused a protest and boycott. Overall, there wasn't a thorough screening process in order to filter out "bad actors" or "SUS contestants". Who ever is in charge of these survival shows has to stop procrastinating on actually figuring out whether the contestants are qualified and have no shady/suspicious/questionable history. In my blog, I won't specifically address the controversies that happened in "Debut's Plan". There are endless amount of articles out there on the web and social media that you can read; heck, there are also videos on the net that you investigate.

Starship Entertainment is obviously chillin' and having fun in creating these rookie groups! First, they released their new female rookie group KiiiKiii with a style that's fun and natural/off grid. With their new male rookie group, IDID, they are basically doing the exact same styling as KiiiKiii. The best way to describe KiiiKiii and IDID is that of a mullet; "business in the front and party in the back" is a phrase that describes what a mullet is as well as these two new rookie k-idol groups. Another way of describing them is that they are serious, yet unserious. Is Starship Entertainment going through some kind of mid-life crisis, where they are creating these fun, chill, and relaxing rookie groups while living vicariously through them? To be honest, I'm all for this! However, it doesn't hurt to be a bit more serious some of the time and compete against other rookie k-idol groups for clout and such.

For the most part, IDID's discography is meant to be played for the summer! It is quite funny that they released their EP on September 15, which is a time of the year where it starts to get colder; in certain places, it is already snowing. If you are listening to their album in the autumn, then you're going to have to save it for next year because it gives off warm/bright vibes; unless, you are the type of person that listens to summer songs in the autumn. I immensely enjoyed every track! You'll feel like you're in summer vacation or on a tropical island while you are listening to each track of IDID.

IDID's choreography for their title track "Chan-ran" and their pre-release "Step It Up" were performed professionally with alot of enthusiasm; you can tell IDID is enjoying themselves while executing each move. I don't know how many times that I will say this, but it was a fun vibe!

Anyways, IDID and KiiiKiii are for the K-pop fans that just want to listen to fun tracks without over-thinking about what they are listening to. In other words, it is for casual listeners on a hot summer day. Overall, IDID is an under-rated gem and one of the most entertaining rookie groups at the end of summer 2025. Did I mention that it was "fun"?

Score Calculation:

Debut Score: 16.15
Search Accumulation Score: 3.2M+3.2M+2.4M+.97M+.83M=10.6M=1.06/?
Debut + Comeback + Search Accumulation Score = Total Accumulated Score
16.15 + 1.06 = 17.21
Total Accumulated Score: 17.21/19
17.21 Divided By 19 = 0.905789474
0.905789474 Multiplied By 100 = 90.578947368
Final Score: 90.5%

I've felt neutral about 3WAY ever since their first appearance. In the beginning, in 3WAY's pre-debut era, I've noticed that 3Way was copying elements from already established boy groups and former boy groups: The Boyz and X1. The copied elements felt like a poor imitation of The Boyz and X1; 3WAY felt way too robotic in their choreography, each member moving like conveyor belt robots. It is as though they were simply programmed with certain algorithms and executing the programmed input. In other pre-debuts, I really enjoyed their cute concepts, a refreshing and change of direction from their former content. Overall, for their entire pre-debut era, they've kept me in a state of neutrality; there wasn't anything that made me extremely enjoy or dislike anything.

Now that their debut is here, I still feel the same way about 3WAY, a neutral feeling; however, it was slightly entertaining. The music video offers a bit of entertainment as the members are pretending to be characters from the movie: The Matrix. This whole acting part of their music video was unexpected and it felt interesting; I would have kept watching if they kept doing acting roles. Anyways, all I wanted to say is that I enjoyed 3WAY as actors, but not as k-idols. To be perfectly honest, I feel that 3WAY would excel in the field of film, where each member is taking up an acting role.

Anyways, I did enjoy their studio-recorded debut. I'd say that it is okay to add this to your favorite EDM music playlist. Other than that, I'd have to contemplate whether or not to support a group that has kept me in a state of neutrality.

As for their choreography, it felt plain; the choreography is too minimalistic, almost like they've paid a random dancer at a club 50 cents to choreograph the whole routine. In short, nothing has happened that will keep you interested and staying for more. The target audience for their choreography must be the elderly because anyone younger could notice the unenthusiasm displayed in the choreography. As much as I like simple choreography, 3WAY's presentation wasn't put together with a climax in mind; all the movements done by each member felt stale and unremarkable. Like I said previously, the minimalistic choreography is a turn-off; you'll get more entertainment value from orchids being blown by the wind than 3WAY's choreography.

3WAY's visuals aren't great. The fashion and cosmetics of each member felt off. Each member looked uncomfortable with their fashion. It is almost like dressing an aggressive pitbull with a hanbok; sooner or later, the pitbull will be bothered by the hanbok and rip it to shreds. 3WAY's visuals had no symbiosis at all. The cosmetics didn't go well with the members at all. You can put lipstick on a dolphin, but it ends up looking ridiculous. There are times that cosmetics are necessary, but just not here in 3WAY's debut showcases.

If 3WAY plan to continue on their k-idol adventures, then they need to go back to their cute and mellow concepts. Although I've enjoyed their EDM debut, I felt that it didn't suit them as well as their cute/mellow concepts. Anyways, they are 3WAY; eventually, they'll find a way or 3 ways to go about their future content. "If there is a will, then there's a way". In this particular case, there are "3Ways".

Updated(May 27, 2025): Japanese version of their album "Highway" was released.

Updated(June 20-29): WHIT3, 3WAY's sub-unit, is promoting in Japan.

Updated(September 21, 2025): 3WAY rebranded to W3WAY

Comeback Blog

Original: Pixy - Flip a Coin

Original: Pixy - Falling

"3WAY", rebranded to "W3WAY", remade Pixy's two tracks: "Flip a Coin" and "Falling". Was this re-make necessary? Not really. By the way, I've been a fan of "Pixy" since their debut, so I know alot of Pixy's old discography, performances, and variety appearances in different shows/vlogs. I must say that 3WAY's re-make didn't even exceed or match Pixy's original tracks at all. Isn't that the purpose of re-creating K-pop masterpieces? Usually, a re-make is to create a remix or "re-imagining" of the previous artist's work. Unless their intention was to pay tribute and respect to disbanded group Pixy, other reasons to resurrect these two classic tracks would be pointless. The unlikely reason for 3WAY to re-make old tracks is to attract old fans of Pixy; again, this would be pointless because the fans of Pixy have moved on and are pretty much angry about Pixy's disbandment. Most likely, I'd wager that old fans of Pixy would have boycotted this comeback; W3WAY is teasing and pestering an angry Pixy fanbase with their old classic tracks. This smells like a disaster waiting to happen. If you have been a fan of Pixy, then you'll find 3WAY's re-makes to be a bit insulting or downright degrading. Pixy sang their track "Flip a Coin" like an actual psychopath or a puppet-master, which added a layer of immersion; it felt like you were listening to someone who was actually toying with you. While Pixy did a magnificent job on their track, 3WAY sang "Flip A Coin" with no menacing vocals; it didn't give off any psychopathic vibes like how the previous artists sang the song.

U_Chae, former Pixy's Dajeong, did a surprise collaboration with 3WAY's "Flip a Coin" on "Show Champion". It is fantastic to see U_Chae return, but I didn't prefer her to be performing with a group that horribly re-created her former group's tracks. Not only that, but 3WAY's company "NineTwo Entertainment" insulted Pixy's original fanbase by promoting 3WAY's remake on Pixy's social media account. I have no clue how 3WAY's company had access to ALLART ENTERTAINMENT's social media, but I've heard that the project was somewhat linked to ALLART ENTERTAINMENT because ALLART ENTERTAINMENT's trainees were 3WAY. It really felt out of place to announce a group's comeback on another group's social media, especially a disbanded group. In my opinion, this whole situation will make you "side-eye" NineTwo Entertainment for this whole stunt, especially towards an already angry Pixy fanbase.

Overall, I have the same neutral feeling about 3WAY since their Pre-Debut; however, this time, I, as well as Pixy's original fandom, felt a bit insulted from the company's promotional tactic. I'm happy to see U_Chae's brief return; hopefully, Pixy can return again; however, that is a bit of wishful thinking on my part. They could be gone for good. Anyways, 3WAY has found 3 ways of annoying thier audience by insulting Pixy's fanbase, degrading Pixy's tracks, and showing a mediocre performance.

Score Calculation:

Debut Score: 11.95
Comeback Score: 7.6
Search Accumulation Score: .11M+.08M+.02M+.06M+.02M=0.29M= .029/?
Debut + Comeback + Search Accumulation Score = Total Accumulated Score
11.95 + 7.6 + .029 = 19.579
Total Accumulated Score: 19.579/19
19.579 Divided By 19 = 1.030473684
1.030473684 Multiplied By 100 = 103.047368421
Final Score: 103%

Original: iii - Forbidden Midnight(2023 Pre-Debut)

Before I begin, K-pop fans have not realized that the vocal melody is borrowed; in other words, it is an interpolation. The original melody is from Grieg - In The Hall of the Mountain King.

Overall, iii's entire debut was slightly above average. The instrumental composition is fairly basic and commonly used in many older K-pop songs; however, the interpolation, which was the creation of Grieg, creates an addictive chorus. Although the "La La La La" or "make a change" lyrics creates an empty chorus, the repetitiveness gave the audience a delightful tune for the ears, which could get stuck in your head for a week. The studio-recorded vocal tones, iii's strength, stand out alot and is enjoyable to listen to; I found myself singing along.

Anyways, I forgot to include the history of "iii". Before their faces were going to be revealed to their fans, the entire 2023 pre-debut line-up departed between 2024 and 2025. As much as I liked the original members, I think it wasn't working out or it was simply a temporary project for them. The rumor or conspiracy that everyone talked about was that the original "Pre-Debut" team's faces were disguised with artificial intelligence; you can make a judgement yourself whether or not the original "pre-debut" team's faces were hidden by watching their original music video, which I have provided above. With an investigative eye, you can spot certain awkward facial movement from the "pre-debut" team. Again, it is important for you to use your discernment; if you haven't noticed yet, many South Korean entertainment companies use artificial intelligence on their K-pop idols to hide face blemishes, wrinkles, pimples, dark eye circles, eye bags, facial saliva, left-over crumbs on their face, awkward facial expressions, facial imperfections, et cetera. I'm not going to directly point my finger out to which company does this, but it may shock you where artificial intelligence is used. As I said before in my blogs in 2024, it will be extremely difficult to tell the difference between real people and fake people, which are created by artificial intelligence. In about 10 years, you'll be completely bamboozled or fooled with the new A.I. trickery that is being developed. You may think that this is shady activity done by Big Ocean ENM, but I think the A.I. disguise was to simply protect the "pre-debut" girls since they were mainly temporary; I bet it was a conspiracy to show how far they can trick their audience with artificial intelligence. Again, I'd like to appreciate iii's slightly above average debut; it wasn't the best, but the title track was a bop! Some argue that the original was better, which is a fair assessment; however, the original members were only part of a temporary project, which is a bit conspiratorial if you ask me. I bet that they weren't going to reveal them at all because they never existed in the first place. That's one of conspiracies that a netizen came up with years ago; sometimes, I wonder if many groups are completely A.I. generated or using A.I. masking to hide their current identities. If you think deeply about it, then you'll start to get paranoid because it may even be true.

Score Calculation:

Debut Score: 13.5
Search Accumulation Score: .7M+.08M+.06M+.02M+.02M= 0.88M = .088/?
Debut + Comeback + Search Accumulation Score = Total Accumulated Score
13.5 + .088 = 13.588
Total Accumulated Score: 13.588/19
13.588 Divided By 19 = 0.715157895
0.715157895 Multiplied By 100 = 71.515789474
Final Score: 71.5%

WARNING: EXTREMELY UNPOPULAR OPINION BELOW!

Before I begin my blog, I'd like to say that groups under the "Big Four" umbrella will always be successful and popular domestically and internationally. Currently, my opinion or perspective of Cortis is not the shared opinion of the vast majority of K-pop fans; rather, my opinion of them is of that of a tiny minority, who have analyzed their entire debut without jumping on the bandwagon(herd mentality). With that being said, if you are a huge Hybe/BigHit fanboy or fangirl, then this blog will probably make you feel like someone lit you on fire or violated you in the worst possible way. If you are not emotionally invested in Hybe/BigHit, then please continue and bring some soda and popcorn.

The debut appearance of Cortis sparked the initial steps or movement towards the destruction of traditional K-POP with an experimental K-pop sound. Although traditional K-pop will still remain, upcoming rookie groups might jump on this experimental k-pop movement to stay relevant. The typical sound of KPOP might become "dated" once the newer generation is introduced to this type of experimental k-pop throughout the years; newer groups will most likely sway or deviate from normality, a total shift or opposite move from the regular sound of KPOP to different musical compositions and genres. For all the older K-POP fans, you will either hate it or love it because we will start hearing all sorts of different music from now on within the K-POP industry whether you like it or not. While every KPOP rookie group is moving in the same trajectory, Cortis decided to change their conceptual direction and flip the table in terms of how a KPOP song should sound like. From a regular listener to KPOP, I can tell that this was a defiant act or "face slap" at traditional KPOP music composition; as well as this defiant activity, Cortis has, arguably, initiated an unexpected jab or indirect attack on the KPOP industry and community as a whole. Did BigHit take a risk by trying out a new sound? Will this be the start of new sounding KPOP, a break-away from the usual K-POP mold or a "cracking" of the shell that KPOP once was? Obviously, Cortis is trying to change the KPOP landscape, but is the KPOP crowd willing to accept these drastic changes? Public perception depends on the general sentiments of the audience. Is the KPOP community willing to part ways from traditional KPOP and dwell into unfamiliar territory? It all depends on the impact or results of what Cortis has put forth from now and into the future. I know! I know! I have a ton of questions for the future of Cortis because we truly don't know what will manifest during their activity within the K-pop scene; we have no clue of their trajectory, nor of their pre-determined destination after debuting. Everything is merely speculation and the only real thing that we can actually describe is what they've provided during their debut period. Cortis reminds me of a subculture called "hipster", which happened, not too long ago, within the 21st-century; hipsters claimed that they were authentic and unique; however, what ended up happening was these so called "hipsters" ended up conforming and following the rules of the collective zeitgeist. In other words, they were imposters pretending to be someone that they were not. Cortis has given me that "hipster" feeling throughout their entire debut. Cortis is trying hard to be different, but ends up being the same.

Cortis requires a, somewhat, open mind to accept because the sound could be repulsive, depending if you are expecting the usual KPOP sound. Unlike many groups, Cortis sticks out of the crowd like a sore thumb. The issue of Cortis is that they aren't conforming to KPOP standards. Cortis is here to ruffle the feathers of tradition, but is the sound really revolutionary? Short answer: no. Westerners usually have music on their playlist that sounds exactly like the discography of Cortis. Cortis is bringing a western discography to a South Korean audience. With that being said, Cortis is not revolutionizing anything; purposefully, BigHit are trying to hi-jack the South Korean musical movement and to implant it with an Anglo-Saxon or western sound, which is an interruption or disruption within the K-POP eco-system. It's basically like putting a grizzly bear near a den full of coyotes; each coyote is looking at the grizzly bear with curiosity, but the coyotes are noticing the hostile nature of the grizzly bear. This is how I see Cortis within the KPOP industry; Cortis is trying to change the rules within an industry that is already religiously hard-pressed in it's rigidity and common practices. In other words, Cortis gives off a hostile aura within the K-POP sphere.

Am I the only one that did not enjoy their lyrics? The lyrics sounds like Marvel Comic's "Incredible Hulk" wrote it. With the lyrics "Crush, Smash, Rock, Mash up", anyone would correlate this to the angry fictional super-hero, "The Incredible Hulk". Definately, it sounds like the "Incredible Hulk" mouthing these lyrics to his enemies. The track "What You Want" is an alternative "Boom Bap Rock" with a bit of Hip Hop styling, which sounds like the vocals were recorded within a toilet stall at a public restroom, a steel barrel, or a washing machine. I have this strange feeling that they are experimenting on the KPOP fanbase/audience because this type of music is out of the ordinary within South Korea; I bet BigHit is trying to rattle a negative reaction from their audience. Their entire discography sounds like repackaged western music with a grand spanking new coat of paint. It sounds new to the KPOP audience; however, within western standards, the track's cadence and delivery is commonly used in older western music. Within the discography of Cortis, each track share similarities to works of Post Malone, ASAP Rocky, Travis Scott, and many more western artists.

You might scratch your noggin with their choreography. The members are doing their dance moves on threadmills; not only that, but they are smashing the daylights out of it like no tomorrow. I don't consider smashing your feet to the ground aesthetically pleasing choreography; it just looks like a bunch of grumpy and angry kids destroying exercise equipment. The ground stomping is a sight that we often see in western rock concerts; this is a huge indication that they had no innovative or creative ideas on what to demonstrate as their choreography. Instead of actually thinking of and planning a choreography, they are quite literally just wrecking threadmills with no remorse. Can someone call the repair man or repair woman? When Cortis is in town, hide your exercise equipment. I've witnessed more choreography from senior citizens walking on a threadmill at a gymnasium. No one seems to notice how lazy this whole performance set-up was. I pray to the high heavens that this isn't the future of KPOP, where choreography is simply not meticulously planned or properly brainstormed. I don't think this was dancing at all; rather, it felt like a bunch of kids in a mosh pit. I can already hear "rockers", "head-bangers", "metal-heads", or fans of rock music saying "far out dude" or "radical bruh" while watching Cortis. As a long time K-pop fan, I'm simply shaking my head in grief.

Throughout the years of analyzing rookie KPOP groups, I found Cortis to have one of the worst visuals within the KPOP industry. It almost feels like their fashion is vintage, yet has a "thrift shop" look. Hey, I'm not against anyone who wears clothes from thrift shops or welfare bargain shops; however, we are talking about BigHit here. BigHit is one of the Big Four Kpop labels/companies of South Korea, yet they fashion their newly debuting rookies with clothes that you'd find in a bargain bin at a garage sale or homeless shelter. Hopefully, Cortis isn't stealing a Hobo's clothing because that's barbarous and inhumane. Don't they know that Hobos need their clothing for the winter? Is anyone even paying attention to any of their fashion? I'm fairly certain I'm not delusional when I'm describing this group's styling. Everything that I'm describing is very straight forward, yet if you go on social media, then you will notice a majority of social media users are praising and admiring their visuals. By the way, I didn't even talk about the group's disproportional size within the visualization spectrum; Cortis is simply not adhereing to the visual spectrum at all; there is no visual cohesion, each member doesn't supplement or complement one another. I wonder if this rebellious-like fashion was on purpose. I'm starting to think that BigHit is trying a tactic called "repulse to attract." In other words, BigHit are doing all the opposite styling choices done in K-POP to create the opposite effect. This tactical method is a strange one because it is merely just a theory or hypothesis; basically, the method is to attract a certain demographic by doing the exact opposite. For example, when you scold a young child to not eat the chocolate ice cream bars left in the freezer, the opposite happens; the young child ends up going against the authority or parental figure and ends up eating the chocolate ice cream bars. This tactic can work; however, it is not full-proof or yields the expected results. BigHit are intentionally trying to attract the female demographic by showing them the opposite of what they desire, a gritty, messy, and unpolished k-idol group. I wonder sometimes if I'm in some fever dream, where the majority of KPOP fans have rejected their fashion sense altogether. The visuals of this group is certainly incohesive, nothing matches nor blends harmoniously together at all. Am I in the "twilight zone"? Has everyone thrown their fashion sense in the nearest dumpster or disposal bin? Oscar the Grouch has taken over the K-pop industry's visual department.

Social media users are claiming Cortis has strong vocals, yet all I hear is yelling and chanting. I haven't heard vocal prowess at all, just yelling like when a martial artist relentlessly yells while kicking and punching a boxing bag or like a military drill sergeant shouting insults while drilling their cadets. We've heard these types of chants from another group called "Xikers"; however, Cortis doesn't make these chants mesmerizing or spell-binding. As I contemplate Cortis's debut, I wonder why they didn't just consider in debuting as a "K-band" or "Rock Band" because bands often yell and shout alot of nonsense into microphones. The hilarious part about all of this is many K-pop fans consider yelling and shouting as a form of "vocal prowess". Sometimes, I wonder what these K-pop fans are smoking. With all of this said, I can't imagine future K-pop artists dwelling into "Screamo" or other experimental rock sub-genres, which have the singer scream the lyrics. If this yelling/shouting type of music frequently starts happening in the K-pop industry, then I'd have to sign off or opt out of this. Music should be enjoyable, not annoying, where someone is yelling into your ear. Western music, especially "rock 'n' roll", is starting to influence and infect the South Korean entertainment industry. Hopefully, this is only a temporary phase, where Cortis is the first and last group to debut with this type of music; if many groups start following this fad or trend, then I'll simply ignore it to protect my sanity. Again, Cortis may be in the wrong sector of the music industry; there's plenty of room for Cortis to simply step into the K-Band scene, where it is somewhat separate from K-pop.

Cortis are more like rhymers/yappers than rappers. Social media users loved Cortis's rapping and are craving more. On the other hand, here I am responding with a "what the f*ck?". The auto-tune used in Cortis's tracks must be scrambling these social media user's brain-cells; it is like these social media users are rubbing their last two brain cells too rapidly that both brain cells evaporated out of their skulls. Social media users must be caught within the whirlwind of hype and pride of their label that they've left all logic and reasoning on stand-by. Irritably, I discovered that a vast majority of so called dedicated "K-POP fans" have tunnel vision or "blinders"(a narrow perspective); basically, they don't see the whole picture. In this case, they are stuck repetitively reciting the same collective affirmations about Cortis without an honest analysis. Strange enough, these fans are fanatically praising mediocre rhymes. Unfortunately, many so called "KPOP fans" have fallen for the rhetoric that's been broadcasted by popular social media influencers. It is what it is. The fans "can't see the forest for the trees." In other words, the fans are distracted by the details without looking at the whole, the grand scheme. It is obvious that this group needs to intensively work on their rapping before it becomes embarrassing!

The only immensely positive aspect of this group that I can muster are the production, theme, and concept. This aspect of them is top-tier. From all the rookie group music videos, I can confidently say that Cortis has the best series of music videos. The development of the music videos are masterpieces, which offer visually stunning cinematography, over-the-top acting, and easily the most entertaining stories within this season.

BTS and TXT have huge fandoms, which will eventually spill over or drip-feed to their rookie group label-mates, Cortis; since Cortis is now part of the "BigHit family", they are fully supported by their predecessor's fandoms, which is measured by the millions. While the global fandom size of TXT's "MOA" is estimated to be in the millions, the global fandom size of BTS's "Army" is estimated to be around 150 million. These numbers are not a joke because BigHit has a huge global reach and influence unlike the other companies within the "Big Four". I wouldn't be surprised if BTS, TXT, and Cortis have the same individuals within their fanbase; basically, Cortis has a unified and growing fanbase of all three groups combined. It wouldn't shock me at all if there is a plan to create a "super group", which is formed from this boy group trifecta: BTS, TXT, and Cortis. Overall, Cortis has an extreme fanbase advantage at debut by being part of the "Big Four" labels of South Korea. Undoubtedly, with the help of their predecessors, Cortis has accumulated a giant following; as time passes, I expect the fandom to increase exponentially. We are talking about BigHit here, so Cortis is here for the long haul.

Anyways, just to close this blog off, I'd like to briefly discuss the accomplishments of the members. The members of Cortis were known for their involvement in the creation of many famous choreographies, song-writing, and other activities of other k-idols and groups, such as ILLIT, ENHYPEN, TXT, et cetera. Although this is true about their track record, this doesn't ultimately mean that they are instantly a top-tier group. It is not the end of the world for Cortis because k-idols tend to improve over a period of training; since they are in the "Big Four", we will see alot of amazing tracks from this group. I'm convinced that eventually this group will be much bigger in the future. I'd like to tell you that if you like coloring outside the lines within a coloring book, then you'll have a pleasant and fun time experiencing what Cortis has presented. If you are the type of fan that enjoys the traditional K-pop sound, then beware; You are a CIRTIS, "Color INSIDE the lines".

Score Calculation:

Debut Score: 17.1
Search Accumulation Score: 21.6M+14.7M+11.1M+10.8M+8M= 66.2M = 6.62/?
Debut + Comeback + Search Accumulation Score = Total Accumulated Score
17.1 + 6.62 = 23.72
Total Accumulated Score: 23.72/19
23.72 Divided By 19 = 1.248421053
1.248421053 Multiplied By 100 = 124.842105263
Final Score: 124.8%

"AtHeart" is definately a contender for 2025 KPOP Rookie Group of the Year! Their entire debut period was near perfect, surpassing my expectations, as well as many KPOP fans. The best way that I could describe "AtHeart" is a wild card for 2025; currently, all I'm thinking about is their future content. There's a unique aspect, which I can't quite figure out, about "AtHeart" that's sparking my enthusiasm for the future of KPOP. Since their inception from their pre-debut "Good Girl", I initially knew that there was something special or enticing about this group. Basically, what I'm trying to say is that they're uniqueness stands out from an ocean of "cookie cutter" groups, who are simply duplicates or replicas of their predecessors. "AtHeart" is adding a new flavor to the table that wasn't there before, almost changing the way we look at KPOP.

Let's talk about their choreography. All I'm going to say is that their choreography is a masterpiece! I've never seen a string of creative moves combined in one whole choreography for such a long time. One unique move that was bizarre, yet interesting is two members twisting or contorting together in a stylish form, which creates an optical illusion. If you don't know what I'm talking about, it is when two of the girls look like they are "head-locking" or doing some kind of wrestling move involving grabbing each other's heads, except there was no intent of hurting each other. If this move is done improperly, then you'll see cover dancers admitted to the hospital with twisted necks. I can see beginner dancers really damaging themselves doing this move; it's quite dangerous for novices, who haven't developed any sort of flexiblity or cordination. With that being said, there are other combinations of moves that I can discuss, but it is better for you to see yourself. AtHeart's choreography is on another level because of how much creativity and polish was put into it.

Unfortunately, all they need is a comeback to wrap up the year and tie the knot in terms of a guaranteed spot for 2025 KPOP Rookie Group of the Year; however, I doubt that they will rush one out by the end of the year. A comeback at the end of the year will pretty much solidify their group as a driving force in K-pop. Anyways, my prediction of this group is that they'll keep achieving milestone after milestone, depending if they keep their momentum. I envision that this group can reach the popularity of "Red Velvet", "IVE", or "NMIXX"; they may even go higher in level as they progress, but all this is just speculation. Although I think highly of this group, my main concern is if they will squander their momentum; currently, AtHeart has the momentum to even reach higher milestones. Apologetically, I may be hyping this rookie group to extra-ordinary standards; however, whenever I see a potential top tier group, I sometimes get ahead of myself and create unrealistic expectations of rookie groups. At heart, I'm a huge fan of promising groups.

By the way, I forgot to add that this was AtHeart's OT6 debut, a 6 member debut. Their next comeback will most likely be an OT7 debut, a 7 member debut. Their 7th member Aurora fell ill before AtHeart's debut, so she was excluded from participating. Imagine one of their lead vocalists returning to the group. It will be a strong OT7 debut! I can't wait! I hope that she has recovered, so that we can see AtHeart's OT7 era.

Update(10/10/2025): AtHeart released an english version with lyrics of Plot Twist. I provided the link within the links section.

Update(11/1/2025): AtHeart released english remixes of Plot Twist. I provided the links within the links section.

Score Calculation:

Debut Score: 19.75
Search Accumulation Score: 15.9M+10.4M+3.9M+2.2M+2M= 34.4M= 3.44/?
Debut + Comeback + Search Accumulation Score = Total Accumulated Score
19.75 + 3.44 = 23.19
Total Accumulated Score: 23.19/19
23.19 Divided By 19 = 1.220526316
1.220526316 Multiplied By 100 = 122.052631579
Final Score: 122%

The "I Make My Choice" music video is giving me Chocolat vibes, especially the water or rain scene that happens at the end of the video. If you don't know what I am talking about, then check this video as a refresher: Chocolat - Black Tinkerbell. Diva-X's visuals reminds me of other groups such as 2013's Switch Berry and 2024's WiTCHX.

Diva-X seems to be a decade too late in the type of music that they are releasing. Usually, KPOP fans would have loved this song in the past(10 years ago); however, the current trends and the new generation are into cute, dance party, teen crush, or girl crush concepts.

Each member of Diva-X are beautiful and sexy! Unfortunately, at these times, people are looking for cute aesthetics, such as Hearts2Hearts, when it comes to k-idol girl groups. Although Diva-X did a good job on their debut, they are simply competing in the wrong era or time, where the kpop audience has chosen a different vibe.

Personally, I truly hate it when groups like Diva-X are under-promoted. Danah Entertainment needs to do more than just creating a youtube channel; there are so many social media websites that can give this group the attention that they deserve. It is such a shame that nugu entertainment companies do the bare minimum to help their artists. Instead of providing easy access to their debut, "nugu" companies just whisper in empty alleyways about upcoming debuts, almost like building and posting billboards in the middle of Antarctica and hoping someone will notice. Honestly, I don't understand companies investing in a new group without any proper promotions. It is quite disheartening when a talented group such as Diva-X doesn't get any viewership at all.

Please support this group because they need all the support that they can get!

Comeback

For their comeback, Diva-X re-made After School - Diva, a track made in 2009. DJ Nana did a great job creating a more refined production of the old track; as an addition to the track, there is a dance break, which was not in the original After School track. The lyrics are mostly the same as the original; there could be slight changes like Diva-X announcing their brand name within the lyrics of the track; as well as slight changes in lyrics, there are adlibs that may be placed differently from the original track. Overall, the track serves of some kind of a remembrance of "After School", which is appreciative.

A resurrection of a 2009 classic K-pop track could re-ignite many old-timer's desire for music again and offer a nostalgic experience to those who were hardcore fans of After School. During evaluating Diva-X's comeback, I had a question nagging at the back of mind: Was a re-make of a classic k-pop track necessary? I think they are trying to lure back old fans from the grave or the ones that left ages ago; also, the track can showcase to the new generation of how a 15+ year old track still holds weight and relevancy in modern times. Particularly, there is a tiny demographic that only like the music from that time, who don't listen to new music. In my opinion, it is somewhat necessary to bring back old k-pop to serve as an important reference to what k-pop was to what k-pop has changed to now. In other words, it is like a historical marker of how it was in that generation.

Although Diva-X is still in "nugu" territory when it comes to popularity, they have surprised me with their re-make; it is not ground-breaking, nor is it revolutionary; however, it is always nice to remind fans of how cool old k-pop was. Right? The old songs are still captivating to this very day!

Score Calculation:

Debut Score: 15.1
Comeback Score: 12.325
Search Accumulation Score: 29,880+13,310+12,627+8,681+7,243= 71741= .07M = .007/?
Debut + Comeback + Search Accumulation Score = Total Accumulated Score
15.1 + 12.325 + .007 = 27.432
Total Accumulated Score: 27.432/19
27.432 Divided By 19 = 1.443789474
1.443789474 Multiplied By 100 = 144.378947368
Final Score: 144.3%

RE:WIND's Forever belongs in your playlist. You may dislike the track because of the obvious autotune. Overall, it is a good listen; however, I wouldn't take this group seriously.

It has been a month already and RE:WIND didn't do a single showcase in front of a live audience. If they actually did a showcase, then I would increase their score. I'm not entirely certain why a rookie group would neglect the most important part of a debut, a live showcase. Showcases are really important in gaining public exposure; the result of public exposure is usually an increase of subscribers to their fanbase. A group that doesn't show any sort of sign of their existence might stay in "nugu" territory, which should be avoided at all cost. Although they lacked a showcase, they did release a dance practice and a performance video, so all isn't lost. From my observations, the choreography was decent; there are certain parts of their dancing that looked sloppy and the choreography looked incomplete; in certain parts of the choreography, the members are doing minimal movements, almost like they are waiting at a train station with nothing to do, but just stare; with their bulging eyes, the members glare right into the camera like they were trying to burn or melt the lense with their laser-focused vision, which was mostly awkward from an audience's perspective.

With that being said, I hope I'm wrong about this group staying in "nugu" territory. I asked K-netizens about this group and they had no idea this group ever existed. If we were to have the ability to fast-forward or rewind the fabric of reality, then I would fast-forward, so that I wouldn't watch this debut again. It wasn't a bad debut, but mostly a waste of time on my part because I could be listening to other groups that take their debut seriously.

Comeback

Re:Wind's comeback album "Re:Minisce" will leave you in a state of claustrophobia, a fear or anxiety of confined spaces. Their music video and lyrical videos are editted with too many "shake", blur, grey-scale filters/effects, which leaves the viewer feeling like they were tied up and sent to a gulag. It feels like the editor decided to use all the effects possible with "Microsoft Windows Live Movie Maker" and upload the video without any thought on whether or not it will be agitative.

Although Re:Wind's new discography is playlist worthy, I found that the lack of korean lyrics to be concerning. I've noticed that new korean rookie groups often release tracks with either full english lyrics or partial korean lyrics. "Re:Wind" released their track "Little Too Late" with 80%-90% of the lyrics in english, only leaving a tiny chunk of it in korean lyrics. "Heart, Break, Repeat" and "We Got Time" both have fully-fledged english lyrics. I think the K-pop industry is either being subverted to english standards or leaning towards in catering to their english fanbase. This is truly concerning because the "K" in "KPOP" is being neglected or out-right ignored. So, is the future of KPOP going towards this identity crisis of omitting korean lyrics altogether? In my opinion, this is a horrifying push towards a "one world" type of music, where all pop music is just in english; all other languages will just be swept under the rug.

Anyways, Re:Wind's comeback is mostly incomplete, but I didn't expect much from them in the first place since their debut wasn't all that great. RE:WIND seems to want to stay in "nugu" territory, but I think their fans are okay with this because it creates a sort of exclusive or private "club" for them to enjoy RE:WIND content without the mainstream digging their teeth into the group. From my analysis, I consider "Re:Wind" a "Playlist" group. So far, their entire career feels like it will only be "Playlist" worthy and not go beyond that threshold.

Score Calculation:

Debut Score: 11.74
Comeback Score: 6.4
Search Accumulation Score: .91M+.08M+.01M+.01M+.01M= 1.02M = .102/?
Debut + Comeback + Search Accumulation Score = Total Accumulated Score
11.74 + 6.4 + .102 = 18.242
Total Accumulated Score: 18.242/19
18.242 Divided By 19 = 0.960105263
0.960105263 Multiplied By 100 = 96.010526316
Final Score: 96%

For international fans, this might go over your head. "ㅋㅋㅋ" is korean laughter in hangul; however, for the group name, "키키키" is used instead of "ㅋㅋㅋ". "키키키" or "kikiki" is the cuter version of "ㅋㅋㅋ". The spelling "KiiiKiii" is quite different from "kikiki"; Starship Entertainment uses 3 lower-case "i" after "k". There could be a hidden meaning to this that Starship Entertainment and "KiiiKiii" is keeping to their selves. A theory of mine is that the name can be interchangeable from "KiiiKiii" to "KiIIKiII"; it looks like "KillKill". There are other ways of changing the name, but that's the way I see the name.

Anyways, Starship Entertainment is known for Sistar, Boyfriend, WJSN, IVE, Cravity, and Monsta X. These are groups that have stamped their name in the kpop industry, almost to the point of being an household name brand. Heck, you may even say that disbanded group Sistar is still financially fueling Starship Entertainment with their old discography to this very day. IVE is actually one of the strongest groups in KPOP as of right now; currently, IVE has been boosting Starship Entertainment's reputation after Sistar's disbandment and WJSN's sudden disappearance from the spotlight. With that being said, "KiiiKiii" made a sudden debut appearance; netizens were blind-sided with this group because they weren't expecting a new group, but a return of WJSN.

The best way to describe KiiiKiii is an unserious, yet serious k-idol group. KiiiKiii is a tiny package with the firepower needed to get the job done; however, throughout their debut, they've displayed an "off grid" or "au naturel" visuals. Other aspects of this group is their playful and youthful energy seen throughout their music videos, showcases, et cetera. All the content that they've released is "different" and may confuse their audience because they've displayed a mix of serious work and fun little tracks here and there. After watching all of their music videos, I had to sit back and think of what I have witnessed. KiiiKiii aren't building a professional artistic portfolio of music; rather, they've strayed away from the rigid standards of regular, everyday KPOP to a more "chill" vibe, where no one is hustling and trying to be a superior force in the KPOP competition. To be quite frank, I found this to be concerning because the hyper competitiveness in the KPOP industry demands groups like KiiiKiii to be more viscerally invested in winning against other k-idols. While every k-idol group is out for blood, KiiiKii is here to just play and have fun.

Overall, I gave them an okay score. In the areas of choreography, visuals, and audio, KiiiKiii is slightly above average. I predict that there may be a growing concern of the direction of this group because of their unserious nature; however, they've garnered an audience that specifically love KiiiKiii's playful concepts.

Their debut "BTG" uses AAVE(African American Vernacular English). Actually, they replicate it almost identically to how African Americans use it; it is praise worthy. I'm already seeing social media users stumbling off their rockers to accuse KiiiKiii of cultural appropriation. Again, I don't see anything wrong with using AAVE; however, if it was used in such a derogatory manner with ill intention, then I'd say that everyone has the right to accuse them. As for how "BTG" was presented, there was nothing there that is offensive at all. Sometimes, I wonder if users on social media always had a stick up their butt, calling everything from durags to hair extensions as cultural appropriation. At this point in time, these accusations are played out. "BTG" is such a banger that I gave them an "Over-kill" for using AAVE in a proper way.

The entire "BTG" music video was actually funny. The members were partying in a greenhouse with strobe lights; they were also playing around with a bunch of vegetables. The funny part about all of this was the lasers coming out of the Civic Shuttle; that just made the video that much lovable! Again, KiiiKiii isn't trying to impress with elite talents; they're just out and about riding around in a civic shuttle and a dirtbike in a offgrid location. I see this as a "good time". I'm not sure what everyone else is thinking, but the simpliest stuff in life is the most enjoyable, especially if you have lasers aiming in all directions around a greenhouse, as well as shooting out of a Civic Shuttle. That's a party!

In the grand scheme of KiiiKiii, I don't know what Starship Entertainment is planning with this group; "KiiiKiii" wasn't formed to eliminate or out-compete other k-idol groups. It is almost like KiiiKiii was specifically created to mock "serious" groups. Will they constantly change their concepts or will they stick with this playful "offgrid" girl concept. KPOP fans have expressed that "KiiiKiii" feels like a "filler" group; the idea of KiiiKiii filling the role as a KPOP Group substitute is actually plausible. Starship Entertainment would use KiiiKiii whenever their main groups are on hiatus; groups such as WJSN or even IVE would be able to have a break when things become too hectic. This theory or idea does make sense because groups sometimes get exhausted and want to take a break, so KiiiKiii simply goes in as a substitute to save the day. It is almost like clockwork and helps alleviate the pressure from other groups. As a conclusion, Starship Entertainment is not a blunderous baffoon for debuting KiiiKiii; there is no grave error in Starship's decision, but of a strategic, calculating, and goofy one. KiiiKiii's sole purpose is to act as some kind of comic relief if you think deeply about it. 키키키키키키키키키키키키 your butts off all day long with KiiiKiii!

Update(April 28, 2025): KiiiKiii just released a commercial. It is a collaboration with King Fusion/Burger King. Here's the CF: KiiiKiii - Burger King.

Comeback

KiiiKiii has returned with two tracks: "Dancing Alone" and "Strawberry Cheesegame". The title track "Dancing Alone" is a retro synth-pop song that sounds like it was made in the late 90s with a modern city pop feel. Honestly, I love the track!

The music video's setting is VERY familiar. They used the setting for alot of films in Hollywood, especially for films with "summer vacation" or "college freshmen" themes. KiiiKiii is swimming in a lake that's iconic because it is used as a backdrop in many older films. K-netizens said that it was filmed in Canada, but I'm not entirely certain since I think the lakes are also found in the upper United States. Anyways, the cinematography is high budget. I don't think anyone realizes how carefully crafted the scenes are; it's picture-esque with outstanding high definition angled shots. It is finely curated and professionally made with details only hardcore movie critics can notice!

Let's talk about KiiiKiii's choreography. First of all, the "bounce-dancing" is known to be seen in many old Sistar choreography. When I say "bounce-dancing", I am describing a step that feels like they are adding more "frog-like jumping"(like jumping on a trampoline), or an added emphasis on "hopping" in the step; it is not sharp/defined steps like usual k-pop moves. It is best described as a "skipping" step like when you are hopping over a jump-rope or playing a game of hopscotch. Anyways, it incorporates alot of these "bounce" steps, which are exquisitely fun to observe. Since KiiiKiii share the same label as the former Sistar, it is evident that the choreography is inspired by Sistar; we can only guess that the choreographers are the same or probably influenced by their peers.

As usual, KiiiKiii is bringing their "off grid" or "au naturel" visuals, which gives off a playful and youthful aura amongst the members. I love it because it separates them from the common and "cookie-cutter" visuals that we often see in showcases. Like I said before, I don't think "KiiiKiii" is out here to compete, but to have fun.

Overall, their comeback was a success. They also added 4 versions that are remixed tracks of "Dancing Alone"; my personal favorite is the "'00s Version", which made their vocals sound like they are chipmunks.

[Rumor]: On a side note, KiiiKiii mockingly and poked fun at AllDay Project's Annie Moon with the "jeoldae no" meme to promote their comeback album "Dancing Alone". Starship Entertainment's original promotional caption stated(translated to english): “Are you feeling lonely dancing alone? Jeoldae NO KiiiKiii’s ‘DANCING ALONE’ won’t make you lonely.” "Jeoldae No(절대)" means definately not or never in english. This is refering to the Annie Moon interview, where Annie had a conversation with her mother about being a k-idol. Annie Moon had told her mother: ‘Actually mom, I really want to become a singer.’ Annie Moon's mother responds: ‘Does that even make sense? Jeoldae NO.’ This was a indirect poke from Starship Entertainment to Annie; however, netizens are split on this promotional tactic by Starship Entertainment. Personally, I found this whole thing as just fun banter, almost like a light-hearted joke that you share with friends; however, I can see ultra senstive netizens having temper tantrums or even bursting in anger. It's all harmless fun. Like I said previously about KiiiKiii, they are a group that's just having fun while indirectly mocking others along the way.

Score Calculation:

Debut Score: 15.25
Comeback Score: 17.5
Search Accumulation Score: 15.1M+12M+10.2M+5.4M+3.6M= 46.3M = 4.63/?
Debut + Comeback + Search Accumulation Score = Total Accumulated Score
15.25 + 17.5 + 4.63 = 37.38
Total Accumulated Score: 37.38/19
37.38 Divided By 19 = 1.967368421
1.967368421 Multiplied By 100 = 196.736842105
Final Score: 196.7%

You already know the score that I gave NewBeat! I 100% recommend this k-idol group! I have no doubts at all. Anyways, before we dive into all the positives of this group, let's talk about one negative aspect of this group. You may be wondering what it is since I gave them one of the highest scores in Winter 2025, as well as giving them the most "Over-kill" count. That one aspect is obviously popularity. Within my examination and analysis, NewBeat only reached a 3.4 million search accumulation score. That is a low and unimpressive popularity score; a low popularity score means that they aren't recognized as much as other rookie groups. Although NewBeat shows outstanding talent, they aren't gaining popularity, which is mainly dictated by luck, fanbase response, and audience/viewer sentiment. I hope NewBeat can break through the popularity barrier or they won't be globally recognized at all. They need to at least break through the 10 million search accumulation score to at least make a dent at a local level. The global barrier is around 20 million; hopefully, they can reach this mark as well since they are a high tier group.

Let's now talk about what makes this group awesome! Well, let me bring your attention to their vocal prowess. NewBeat exceeded my expectations in all live vocal marks; they're top tier with no major mistakes. A rookie group with no major mistakes in live vocals should be recognized as an accomplishment. Usually, you'll find rookie groups not confident enough to do live vocals, but here is NewBeat just stepping in the spotlight and serving everyone a vocal delight!

Secondly, this group doesn't shy away from doing difficult dance moves. Within their "Flip The Coin" showcases, they've flawlessly executed all their moves with accuracy, rhythm, and precision. Not only that, but they've also incorporated break dance or b-boy moves that are not easily executed by regular dancers without breaking an arm or leg. Although the choreography isn't dance-friendly for beginners or novices; for the most part, the dance moves are fun. They do have other showcases for other tracks from their album that display beginner friendly choreography, so it isn't exclusively catered to advanced or veteran dancers.

Another aspect that caught my eye is their fashion choices. Everyone in social media noticed their "one horn" accessory on their forehead; it's quite the attention grabber, but each member exquisitely rocked the "one horn" look. Also, I'm loving their urban, grungey look with baggy clothing; not many k-idols can make baggy clothing look great, but NewBeat pulled it off without any harsh criticism. In other showcases, they've worn more formal wear such as school uniforms and "preppy" types of clothing; I found that they can naturally go down this route as well, but their Hip Hop style is alot stronger. With that being said, their cosmetics only amplify their handsome looks. Actually, they don't really need the cosmetics, but it truly accentuates and magnifies their facial features incredibly well. Give their stylist a raise!

There's really no need to explain their music video. The cinematography, acting, visuals, et cetera were all interesting and high budget.

I did rate their discography the best for winter 2025. Their album "Raw and Rad" has a huge amount of tracks with each track being of high quality; in my opinion, "Raw and Rad" is above KPOP and Korean Hip Hop standards. Personally, I loved their "Hiccups" track and music video the most because of the hiccup sounds; the hiccup sounds are super funky. However, the rest of the tracks can be set on repeat on anyone's playlist, especially "Jello". Definately, "Jello" is a new track in my excercise playlist.

Before I go any further, I forgot to mention NewBeat's label: Beat Interactive. Although Beat Interactive is not part of or anywhere close to "BIG 4" entertainment companies, Beat Interactive is on a slightly higher tier above "nugu" companies. A.C.E, another boy group, was previously introduced by Beat Interactive back in 2017; however, A.C.E did not renew their contract with Beat Interactive in 2025. Both A.C.E and Beat Interactive mutually split apart from each other. A.C.E actually had a successful run from their debut and released a good amount of albums with Beat Interactive; however, the connection between A.C.E and Beat Interactive ended in good terms. After A.C.E left Beat Interactive, Beat Interactive's new project is now NewBeat, which is looking impressive in Beat Interatives track record.

NewBeat feels like the mix between the younger versions of "Block B" and "Got 7". They can go the high energetic "Block B" hip hop route or the "Got 7" vocal route with hip hop elements; however, it is best for NewBeat to pave their own path with a new creative direction. So far, I'm enjoying their entire debut.

Anyways, NewBeat is definately making it in my KPOP Rookie Hall of Fame for 2025! They are also a high contender for 2025 KPOP ROOKIE GROUP of the Year. As I said previously, the only main concern is their popularity. I hope this rookie group is able to break the threshold, so they can gain more exposure in the local or global music market, reaching out to members of the KPOP community and music enthusiasts world-wide.

If you you don't like your old beats, then choose the new beats with NewBeat!

Comeback

NewBeat released a digital single called "Cappuccino". It's somewhat of a comeback, but it was specifically released for their fans. Since I did attend KCON LA 2025, I must say that "NewBeat" are awesome performers for rookies; at the end of their performance for "Cappuccino", "NewBeat" decided to strip and throw their shirts off to the crowd. Yes, you heard that correctly. "NewBeat" was shirtless. As a shocked spectator, I looked around me and the attendees were shocked as well. A shirtless "NewBeat" caused the crowd to release more heat than usual, which formed condensation around the lenses of my eye glasses; as a result, two layers of condensation surrounding my eye glasses obstructed the view of the "MNET STAGE"; I could have sworn that the members looked a bit embarrassed taking their shirts off like that. As much as I appreciate fan service, this kind of looked like a desperate plea for attention. You see, "NewBeat" are top performers; however, they aren't popular amongst the k-pop community, nor are they recognized by the general masses just yet. "NewBeat" totally needs a viral hit to break out of their unpopular status.

Was "Cappuccino" a hit? Not really. It was fairly mediocre. "Cappuccino" was described as a "gift" or a special performance for fans. From my analysis of the song structure, it sounds like 3 to 4 separate tracks shortened and glued together, which made a disjointed sounding track; it is creative; however, the disjointedness is appparent throughout their track; the best way to describe "Cappuccino" is like placing an arm where the leg should be and a leg where the head should be. You'll notice these sudden changes or awkward shift of sounds when you listen to "Cappuccino". I don't think the track is for everyone, but I can understand the direciton "NewBeat" is going. Simply, they are trying out an unorthodox or experimental hip-hop sound, which sounds like it was rushed and put together to reach some deadline. The fans of NewBeat must be happy with their return; however, I can sense that the fans may want more. Anyways, we are witnessing one of the best upcoming groups, so it is expected to get a bit of a downgraded or average track/digital single. If you take a look at every k-idol group's discography, then you'll find that every k-idol group has an average track. I expect "NewBeat" to recover from this in future comebacks.

[RUMOR]: NewBeat is releasing a comeback album on the second half of the year.

Score Calculation:

Debut Score: 20.55
Comeback Score: 11.05
Search Accumulation Score: 1.2M+1M+.7M+.62M+.51M= 4.03M= .403/?
Debut + Comeback + Comeback(2) + Search Accumulation Score = Total Accumulated Score
20.55 + 11.05 + .403 = 32.003
Total Accumulated Score: 32.003/19
32.003 Divided By 19 = 1.684368421
1.684368421 Multiplied By 100 = 168.436842105
Final Score: 168.4%

ManWolHwa is a jihad-dol(underground idol) group, each member participated in Girls Frontier. ManWolHwa consists of members from temporary groups, which was formed from Girls Frontier; the 3 members are Haeon(Former Creamline), Mingha(Former True Blue and CreamLine), and Riae(Former True Blue).

The song is pleasant to the ear, but nothing too spectacular. You'll find that their debut track is quite the catchy tune; however, the vocals aren't versatile and lacks complexity. If you're looking for a simple song to simply uplift your emotions and groove to, then you'll enjoy their debut track.

Honestly, their choreography is well done by each member, but the movement is too simple. You can teach it to a chimpanzee and it will do each move with pin-point accuracy and precision. It's really that simple.

ManWolHwa's visuals are actually mediocre. Many may even say it is subpar within k-pop standards, but that's what we get from jihad-dols. The jihad-dol scene isn't the most stylish, polished, or high budget, but their fashion can pass somewhat. If you've been to many fashion shows like me(I've been to literally a thousand or more), then you might have noticed what I have noticed: cheap costumes made from restaurant table cloth. Personally, I've seen MalWolHwa's fashion in many public establishments. The material used for their outfits is commonly used as table coverings within certain commercial buffets, coffee shops, and taquerias. Without dubious questions or a shadow of doubt, fashionistas will totally agree with my observations and judgement.

As I said in previous blogs, jihad-dols(underground idols) are difficult to find on the internet and on showcases in real life. You'll be lucky to come across any underground kpop since jihad-dols are swept under the rug. Not only are they swept under rug, but they are also hidden within an ocean of music. If you actually find a jihad-dol group, then please support them because they are very rare. Please support ManWolHwa as best as you can. Even in the full moon(in the darkest time), we can bloom together like a flower.

Comeback

ManWolHwa went "to the moon", then came back "from the moon" with a new-found track called "fragments". To be honest, "Magic Girl☆Earth Landing" sounds similar to "fragments"; however, the instrumental was replaced with a J-Rock inspired sound. The J-Rock instrumental was a bit imbalanced; it sounds like the hi-hat or two cymbals are concentrated on one side of the music. You can hear this throughout the whole entire track. It doesn't sound good at all. Overall, the track is too similar to their debut track; it is like receiving the same gift over and over, but within different wrapping paper.

As I listened to their studio recorded vocals and showcase vocals, I have noticed improvement from their debut. Comparing their previous debut track and their comeback track, I have noticed a slight improvement to ManWolHwa's vocals, which is excellent. It's obvious that they've been practicing at karaoke bars! Anyways, I'm glad these jihadols didn't call it quits. A slight improvement in vocals is still progress. Anyways, I wish the best for ManWolHwa. It must be a struggle to promote in the underground k-idol scene in South Korea, but they are strong and fighting through. May these girls bloom ever so brightly under the moonlight!

By the way, I forgot to add that ManWolHwa has 3 new members: Siru, Hine, and Moki.

Score Calculation:

Debut Score: 8.9
Comeback Score: 8.5
Search Accumulation Score: 4,018+2,640+1,752+1,229+1,038= 10677 = .01M = .001/?
Debut + Comeback + Search Accumulation Score = Total Accumulated Score
8.9 + 8.5 + .001 = 17.401
Total Accumulated Score: 17.401/19
17.401 Divided By 19 = 0.915842105
0.915842105 Multiplied By 100 = 91.584210526
Final Score: 91.5%

South Korea finally debuts a female ballad group in summer 2025. "SonEJiU" is a 4 member group in their 30's; it is motivating and inspiring to see older singers debuting, especially since the music industry usually favors younger k-idols because they are profitable amongst the new generation of South Koreans, as well as international fans. Unfortunately, Ageism still affects k-idol groups and singers alike. If you have been following the K-pop music industry as long as I have, then you must have noticed the shelf-life of k-idol groups. K-netizens usually deem musicians and singers at 25 or above as "manlyo doen(만료 된)", which means "expired"; I've heard K-netizens in the crowd say "expired milk" once when I attended a festival. It is harsh to call older people these names. Anyways, "SonEJiU" released their track "Take My Hand". "SonEJiU" is an acronym for the first part of each member's name combined. It's a creative name that may be confusing because it may sound like a soloist's name, but instead, it is a group name. In the past, each member of SonEJiU were well known for their performances in "The Voice of Korea Season 1/Season2" and "Immortal Songs 2".

Overall, I think they are a contender for best ballad of 2025. So far, there are no rivals in the arena of ballads. I know there are newly developing ballad groups in South Korea, but they are too afraid to debut. "SonEJiU" confidently steps on stage and delivers a fine performance!

Comeback 2

Is this the best korean rookie group ballad this year? Personally, I think this group is a contender; however, I doubt anyone can step up and match this. For crying out loud, "SonEJiu" had the Grand Philharmonic Orchestra playing live music while they sang live. Basically, they had a whole fleet of musicians while a choir of children(NOI CHOIR) sang the background vocals. There's a little bit of details that are left out. National Liberation Day of Korea, also known as Gwangbokjeol(광복절), is celebrated on August 15. SonEJiU performed their track "Korean Dream: Come, O Glorious Light!" for an independence day festival called "2025 Korean Dream Han River". Wasn't this an amazing way to promote a comeback single?

Score Calculation:

Debut Score: 11.85
Comeback Score: 11.45
Search Accumulation Score:.18M+.15M+.13M+.12M+.1M= 0.68M= .068/?
Debut + Comeback + Search Accumulation Score = Total Accumulated Score
11.85 + 11.45 + .068 = 23.368
Total Accumulated Score: 23.368/16
(BALLAD SCORE DOES NOT INCLUDE CHOREOGRAPHY SCORING)
23.368 Divided By 16 = 1.4605
1.4605 Multiplied By 100 = 146.05
Final Score: 146%

SevenToEight was formed from SBS M's reality survival show called "SCOOL". There wasn't much hype or recognition about "SCOOL" at all because there was many participants who were unknown to K-netizens. "SevenToEight" consists of mainly unknown Taiwanese participants(one being Malaysian), each member looks like they are starting from scratch. You may say that each member is lacking experience and their debut could very well end up in a disaster; however, they've clearly shown a near top-tier debut. I've never seen a bunch of unknown idols complete a strong debut like this ever.

That being said, I do recommend this group because of how they've persistently pushed through their debut period without major mistakes. The progress of "SevenToEight" has been quite exciting because it is rare to witness unknown idols equipped with actual talent; usually, the results of reality survival shows are obviously dictated by favoritism from the crowd and judges. Although favoritism still plagues most survival reality shows, at the end of the day, each chosen member still needs to present an outstanding debut, which "SevenToEight" has successfully finished.

Let's talk about this group's weakness. I've recognized that this group has no center visual. One of the members named "Jagger" is somewhat a visual because he resembles Taemin(SHINee); however, I don't think he is a strong center. If there is a comeback, then the stylist needs to create a bold and fancy visual presentation for the group. A ton of people seems to not understand that center visuals are important in K-pop because it creates a focal point, which creates undivided attention between the audience and the group. Without a center visual, people's attention will drift away from the k-idols; instead, people will end up being distracted by other objects that may catch their interests.

Overall, like I said before, I do recommend this group. There's nothing else I can really say about this group other than their puzzling brand name. We can only guess the meaning behind the name "SevenToEight". Does it take "SevenToEight" seconds to love them? What takes 7 to 8? Numbers are used to show the value of something, the duration of it's existence, the time-lapse between point A and point B, or simply a date. There are other uses for numbers; however, the usage of numbers are mainly used to measure something or an event. It could mean that it will take 7 to 8 seconds to enjoy their double title tracks: PDSR and Drip&Drop. Who really knows what their brand name actually means? We are simply guessing.

Score Calculation:

Debut Score: 16.5
Search Accumulation Score: 9.4M+3.1M+.43M+.39M+.37M= 13.69M=1.369/?
Debut + Comeback + Search Accumulation Score = Total Accumulated Score
16.5 + 1.369 = 17.869
Total Accumulated Score: 17.869/19
17.869 Divided By 19 = 0.940473684
0.940473684 Multiplied By 100 = 94.047368421
Final Score: 94%

Social media seems to be loudly raving about "1VERSE". My unpopular opinion is that they used the 2 North Korean defectors as a gimmick to promote the group. I'm not against the idea of North Korean defectors debuting in a k-idol group; however, I think this tactic is short-lived. You see, debuting North Koreans in a group can grab everyone's attention for a minimal amount of time; as time passes, no one will remember the gimmick and "1VERSE" will be seen as another k-idol group. Honestly, there's nothing wrong with this; it is only a temporary effect of advertising to grab everyone's attention. Anyways, "1VERSE" did an incomplete debut. They didn't show any live showcase, dance practices, or any other show to demonstrate their talent. There was a news media showcase for 1VERSE, but it was only a tiny snippet. In any k-idol debut, a showcase is a requirement, especially in the kpop industry. There needs to be some sort of demonstration of their talent to confirm or validate their debut; it spells disaster when there is not a single, or recent showcase; however, there is a showcase that is about a year old before their debut. I'm certain that this group can perform outstandingly, but it needs to be shown during their debut period. From my perspective, this is a "red flag" that tells me that they didn't prepare, practice, or construct a working showcase for their audience.

Anyways, social media loves this group because of their online presence, especially their cooking shows. It's lovely to have a k-idol group share their activity with the world through their social media channels. Why couldn't "1VERSE" just stick with connecting with the world through their social media? They don't necesarrily have to take the k-idol life seriously.

I gave "1VERSE" a low score because they did an English debut; however, they were able to supply their audience with a korean version, which I included in my scoring. My blog is mainly a platform to display korean debuts, not english debuts. Another reason that their score is low is the fact that they lacked actual and recent debut showcases. I'm not the type of person that gives k-idol groups "pity" points for non-participation. It is the way that I score and that's just the way it will be in my blog. Overall, I hope "1VERSE" doesn't only have 1 verse to give to their fans; hopefully, they can give their fans "multi-verses".

Score Calculation:

Debut Score: 6.4
Search Accumulation Score: .35M+.22M+.2M+.14M+.13M= 1.04M=.104/?
Debut + Comeback + Search Accumulation Score = Total Accumulated Score
6.4 + .104 = 6.504
Total Accumulated Score: 6.504/19
6.504 Divided By 19 = 0.342315789
0.342315789 Multiplied By 100 = 34.231578947
Final Score: 34.2%

"ifeye" is an "Oh My Girl" clone. There, I said it! I want to be as transparent as I can be without holding anything back. This is in no way, shape, or form to say that they are "copy cats" or a "copy and paste" group. I'm simply saying that ifeye's entire debut presentation is either inspired or coded to be a replica of "Oh My Girl". If you don't know who "Oh My Girl" is, then here is a refresher: Oh My Girl - Closer. This isn't to say that "ifeye" isn't talented. They've shown that they are extremely talented with their live vocals and dance performances. "ifeye" is a top tier group! Now, as for the statement that I've previously said, you'll find alot of similarities between them and "Oh My Girl". The way that I frame "ifeye" is not through a negative light, but a positive one. The KPOP community definately needs a new generation with the same styling as "Oh My Girl" and "ifeye" is the best candidate for this particular set up. With that being said, I'm not here to call out these girls for being an almost exact duplicate; rather, I am pointing out that "ifeye" definately did an excellent job!

Anyways, their choreography is magnificently subtle! You'll find interesting parts through their subtleties. There was two parts of their choreography that I enjoyed. First of all, around a minute and twenty seconds through their choreography, you'll find the group creating hearts with their arms and hands. Again, it's these subtle changes within their dance that make it worthwhile. Secondly, the part that I appreciate were their sudden and subtle change of choreography near the end, at around two minutes and thirty seconds; it is the part after they say "my heart goes", where they freeze almost entirely while slightly nodding their head, as well as slightly moving their shoulders to the beat of the song. All these subtle displays in their choreography are literally and figuratively heart throbbing. "ifeye" are princesses of subtlety!

Within their music video, you'll notice alot of the scenery is surrounded by an atmospheric blue tint, blue glowing effects, and blue lighting effects. You'll also notice blue petals of flowers, blue coloring in the member's eyes, and blue butterflies. Obviously, blue is the theme color of their music video; however, as well as showing this vigorous color, there is a symbolic message within the music video. Blue flowers symbolize something mysterious or unattainable. In reality, blue flowers do not grow in nature; there is not a single location in the world where flowers are grown naturally blue; however, through scientific experimentation, humans have artificially created the blue flower either through painting roses/flowers with a blue dye or by manipulating the DNA of the flower/rose(via genetic modification). Alot of people have claimed to have seen blue flowers naturally grown, but this claim is actually false. There are plants like the lilac that are the closest to displaying the color blue; however, it is simply the darkest or lightest shade of purple; there are other plants as well, but I forget their names. Anyways, the music videos symbology is about something unattainable. Could this be about a love that is unattainable? We could only speculate through the hidden symbology within the video. The members were chasing or following the blue butterflies; this could mean that the members are trying to reach an unattainable goal/dream from their imagination. The message of their music video could be entirely ambiguous since there are trees being rapidly grown, which were sprouted by sowing blue seeds into the dirt. Could the members be hinting that they want to grow to unattainable heights in terms of dreams/goals or are they simply just implying that with our imagination, we are able to achieve any goal/dream. It is really open to interpretation.

Overall, if you are trying to find a group with similar styling of "Oh My Girl", then "ifeye" is definately in your alley. "ifeye" does stand for "imagine find energetic young eyes". Your imagination has come to an end. You've found "energetic young eyes" right here "IRL". Be "Nerdy" and "Bubble Up" with their debut album "Erlu Blue".

Comeback

ifeye's comeback was fire or "eye-fire"! Sorry, I pictured an eyeball with a fire emoji in the pupil. Immediately, I thought of "eye-fire" as a visual symbol for ifeye. All jokes aside, ifeye was seriously blazing fire with their title track "R U OK?", which incorporates an upbeat latin style sound(more like a Brazilian funk/house sound). I totally enjoyed their entire discography, especially their track "Echo". "Echo" definately is a nice tune to bob your head to while you're driving on the road. If you aren't paying attention to their choreography, then you'll notice Kasia, the leader of the group, always tying her hair with a hairband or "scrunchy" at the introduction of their choreography; personally, I didn't notice this signature introduction until "r u ok?". In their debut period, Kasia did the introductory "hair tie" signature move at the beginning of "Nerdy", but I didn't pay attention to it until now. Anyways, I love how they do this each time; signature moves or gestures helps ifeye stand out from other k-idol groups, which is a plus in my book. By the way, I watched these girls live in KCON LA 2025. From my perspective, these girls can "10X" in future comebacks. Although I found them to be a bit shy on stage in KCON, this aspect of them can improve over-time. Overall, ifeye is a top-tier group; possibly, ifeye will be known world-wide if given the chance. For those who are still questioning whether or not these girls are top tier, all I have to say to you is this: "R U OK?".

Score Calculation:

Debut Score: 18.3
Comeback Score: 18.1
Search Accumulation Score:12.3M+11.5M+1.9M+1.5M+1.2M =28.4M=2.84/?
Debut + Comeback + Search Accumulation Score = Total Accumulated Score
18.3 + 18.1 + 2.84 = 39.24
Total Accumulated Score: 39.24/19
39.24 Divided By 19 = 2.065263158
2.065263158 Multiplied By 100 = 206.526315789
Final Score: 206.5%

I'm at a loss for words! Honestly, I can't find the words to explain "Close Your Eyes". First of all, they are obviously KPOP princes of R&B; it feels like it has been forever since we had an "all out" R&B KPOP group. Each member's vocals can soothe, pacify, and ease you to sleep; when you go to their concerts, bring your pajamas because you'll happily sleep and "Close Your Eyes".

Let's talk about their album: "Eternalt". First of all, I never thought I would immensely enjoy a full R&B discography, each track has the ability to relieve you of your stress and I'm not over-exaggerating. There is light rapping in certain songs, but it doesn't interrupt the smooth flow or structure of the composition. The secret recipe for most R&B is harmony; the members of "Close Your Eyes" are harmoniously in sync with each other. The transition from one member's vocals to the next member's vocals connects and meshes together like puzzle pieces flawlessly snapping together. You won't notice the transition between the member's vocals because it is super clean. If you were a bird and "Close Your Eyes" were glass windows, then you will simply slam into the glass windows because of how clean the windows are. "Close Your Eyes" has clean vocal transitioning between members that it feels like you are seemlessly listening to only one singer. Another word that describes "Close Your Eyes" is unity; the adlibs complement the main vocal lines so well that the blended outcome is crisp, as well as conciliates the louder parts of the instruments.

I forgot to mention that my favorite track from "Eternalt" is "To The Woods". "To The Woods" is on repeat on my playlist forever; it sounds like 1990s-2010s R&B. My least favorite track from the album is "stay4good"; honestly, there's some strange animal and instrument sounds in that track that it makes me laugh uncontrollably. Trust me, you'll laugh at those tiny animal sounds in the background. Personally, I'm not a fan of sounds of the amazon rainforest, especially when a monkey or bird squawks randomly in certain parts of the song. It definately sounds like a monkey or bird throwing up or vomiting.

Choreography for R&B may be tricky. Dance moves shouldn't be too rushed or too precise for R&B because it ruins the immersion. "Close Your Eyes" matches their choreographed moves with their R&B songs extremely well. So far, most of their choreography is satisfactory; however, one part of their choreography could be a "hit or miss" for some. One of the members, Kenshin, had attempted an "index finger dance". This "index finger dance" could be a disaster if done improperly. Honestly, I think Kenshin did the "index finger dance" well; however, I know a few veteran dancers that could find Kenshin's execution of the "index finger dance" as hilarious or ridiculous. If you haven't seen Close Your Eyes's choreography, then you may not know what I'm talking about when I say "index finger dance". It is basically Kenshin just frantically pointing his index finger in random, yet sequential order. Kenshin's "index finger dance" could be a "hit or miss" with veteran dancers.

"Close Your Eyes" did a live vocal performance in front of a live audience. Their live vocals did sound identical to their studio recorded vocals. The crazy part of all of this is that these boys are rookies, yet they are able to confidently sing with conviction.

Overall, "Close Your Eyes" is a top tier group. They have the whole package when it comes to R&B superiority.

In ancient esoteric writings, there are passages that state that when you "Close Your Eyes", the true reality appears. When you open your eyes, the illusion is in full display. "Close Your Eyes" might be unto something. In order to find the truth, you must "Close Your Eyes"!

Update(5/8/2025): Since Jeon Min Wook is still under PocketDol Studio, he is apparently forced to be excluded from certain activities with Close Your Eyes. This is concerning because his promotional activities can be hindered by an agency outside of Uncore. Hopefully, Jeon Min Wook can leave PocketDol Studio as soon as possible, so that he can continue with his new journey with Close Your Eyes. Every time I speak to netizens about KPOP, often I hear bad news about PocketDol Studios. The news that I always hear is mostly controversial topics about mistreatment or some type of poor management decisions, where PocketDol Studios initiates unnecessary meddling activities towards certain members of the groups under them. Certain netizens are saying that there is actual abuse going on under PocketDol Studios, but no one can prove it. Some of the gossip that I hear is that the members can't speak up because they will get blackmailed or worse.

Comeback

You won't close your eyes when "Close Your Eyes" does a comeback. "Snowy Summer", "Paint Candy", "You", and "Bubble Tea" are instantly on my playlist! "Close Your Eyes" have been on a winning streak with each track offering a soothing R&B sound, as well as rap verses. Not only does "Close Your Eyes" offer a fantastic discography, this rookie k-idol group also does an excellent job at live vocals. Definately, when I close my eyes, I'll be dreaming of these handsome k-idols. Of course, it may be too early to judge on whether or not they are 2025 K-POP Rookie Group of the Year; however, I'm pretty certain that they are contenders!

"Snowy Summer" gives off almost the same visual presentation as SHINee's - Married to the Music; however, I'd say it is a more modern and calm R&B version of "Married to the Music". With that being said, "Close Your Eyes" are good actors within their music video; each member of "Close Your Eyes" look comfortable in portraying their role and, from my perspective, they've totally nailed their part as believable characters within the story that they are displaying. By the way, the music video was hilarious; however, as a spoiler, one of the members gets squished, which may anger certain biased fans!

As of right now, "Close Your Eyes" dancing felt reminiscent of BTS and SHINee; as well as having great stage presence, each member hits each move of their choreography with conviction. Although their music is mainly composed of R&B hits, "Close Your Eyes" have shown top-tier dancing. Imagine if this group actually started dwelling into the Hip Hop, EDM, Rap, Boy Crush, and other genres. "Close Your Eyes" can probably do well in venturing within the realms of fast-paced music with advanced and vocally-demanding performances. I may be asking too much from a rookie boy group, but the signs and indications are there for them to be under the world-wide spotlight. It is too early to say, but I think "Close Your Eyes" has what it takes to be a prominent and significant part of the K-pop Industry; heck, I would say that they can reach a world-wide audience. Besides my speculations of the potential future of "Close Your Eyes", I can confidently say that they are one of the strongest groups in the fifth generation. All this group needs is exposure to global/world-wide stages, such as KCON, Lollapalooza, or Coachella. I'm fairly certain that they'll get praise and admiration on the world stage. Again, I think my imagination of "Close Your Eyes" is growing too wild because I can see huge potential from this group that no one has envisioned yet. Anyways, I hope everyone enjoyed their comeback "Snowy Summer"!

Score Calculation:

Debut Score: 19.55
Comeback Score: 19.6
Search Accumulation Score: 24.5M+24.1M+1.3M+1.1M+.92M= 51.92M=5.192/?
Debut + Comeback + Search Accumulation Score = Total Accumulated Score
19.55 + 19.6 + 5.192 = 44.342
Total Accumulated Score: 44.342/19
44.342 Divided By 19 = 2.333789474
2.333789474 Multiplied By 100 = 233.378947368
Final Score: 233.3%

Music Video: HITGS - Sourpatch
Cinematography Score: 1/1
Narrative/Story Score: 1/1
Acting/Modeling Score: 1/1

Link:Audio
Link:Instrumental
Link:Lyrics
Studio Recorded Vocals Score: 1/1
Instrumental Score: 1/1
Lyrics Score: 1/1

Link:MNET MCountdown Debut Showcase
Link:Dance Practice
Stage Presence Score: .45/1
Facial Expression Score: .45/1
Objective Movement Score: 1/1
Choreography Aesthetics Score: 1/1
Live Choreography Score: 1/1
Live Visual Score: 1/1

Link:1thek Dance Society Performance
Link:Performance
Art/Cosmetic/Make-up Score: 1/1
Fashion Score: 1/1
Visual Concept Score: 1/1

Link:It's Live(Live Band and Live Vocals)
Live Vocals Score: .45/1
Live Band Score: 1/1

Discography/Pre-Debut/Pre-releases/Album
Music Video Link:Track 1: Sourpatch
Link:Track 2: Never Be Me
Discography Score: .3/?

Production/Theme/Concept Score: 1/1

Personal/Subjective Score: .8/1

Comeback

Music Video: HITGS - GROSS
Cinematography Score: .75/1
Narrative/Story Score: .75/1
Acting/Modeling Score: 1/1

Link:Audio
Link:Unofficial Instrumental
Link:Unofficial Lyrics
Studio Recorded Vocals Score: 1/1
Instrumental Score: 1/1
Lyrics Score: 1/1

Link:MNET M Countdown Showcase
Link:Dance(Fixed Version)
Link:Dance(School Look Version)
Stage Presence Score: .5/1
Facial Expression Score: .5/1
Objective Movement Score: 1/1
Choreography Aesthetics Score: 1/1
Live Choreography Score: 1/1
Live Visual Score: 1/1

Link:Performance
Art/Cosmetic/Make-up Score: 1/1
Fashion Score: 1/1
Visual Concept Score: 1/1

Link:Live Band[It's Live]
Link:SOURPATCH, GROSS, and Cheers To Youth(Cover of Seventeen) Band Live
Live Vocals Score: .5/1
Live Band Score: 1/1

Discography/Pre-Debut/Pre-releases/Album
Music Video Link:Track 1: GROSS
Discography Score: .2/?

Production/Theme/Concept Score: .75/1

Personal/Subjective Score: .75/1

Comeback(2)

Music Video: HITGS - CHARIZZMA
Cinematography Score: .65/1
Narrative/Story Score: .65/1
Acting/Modeling Score: 1/1

Link:Audio
Link:Unofficial Instrumental
Link:Unofficial Lyrics
Studio Recorded Vocals Score: 1/1
Instrumental Score: 1/1
Lyrics Score: .75/1

Link:MNET M COUNTDOWN Showcase
Link:FIXED MV Dance Video
Stage Presence Score: .6/1
Facial Expression Score: .6/1
Objective Movement Score: 1/1
Choreography Aesthetics Score: 1/1
Live Choreography Score: 1/1
Live Visual Score: 1/1

Link:Performance
Art/Cosmetic/Make-up Score: 1/1
Fashion Score: 1/1
Visual Concept Score: 1/1

Link:HITGS - CHARIZZMA LIVE BAND[IT'S LIVE]
Live Vocals Score: .6/1
Live Band Score: 1/1

Discography/Pre-Debut/Pre-releases/Album
Music Video Link:Track 1: HITGS - CHARIZZMA
Discography Score: .2/?

Production/Theme/Concept Score: .65/1

Personal/Subjective Score: .7/1

Watch out Illit! You have some competition! HITGS! All that I have to say is that HITGS is one of the prettiest rookie groups debuting in 2025. Although this group still needs to work on tweaking their performance, I still consider them a top tier group. You may be asking what this group needs to work on. Ain't it obvious? Their stage presence, facial expressions, live vocals, and modeling are definately lacking; however, this can be eventually fixed over time through practice and repetition. Gradually, after they've developed, sharpened, and honed their skills, HITGS can be a noticeable force in KPOP. Overall, I guarantee that these girls can produce amazing bops! It is only a matter of time.

Update(May 28, 2025): HITGS had a successful debut, so they are doing a comeback called "Gross" on June 2, 2025, a little bit over a month after their debut. This shows that they have a supportive fanbase! HITGS score can substantially increase after their comeback period!

Rumor/Gossip/Hearsay: From the rumormill, there was gossip of H Music Entertainment's CEO physically assaulting Jo from DXMON with a metal pipe; his injuries was so severe that he was admitted to the hospital. After this conflict, Jo was forced to terminate his contract with H Music Entertainment. All these rumors sound too ridiculous and somewhat unrealistic; however, there was a filed police report on a "CEO" beating up members of a k-idol boy group with a metal pipe. This rumor has spread around the beginning of this year and was verified to be true; the CEO had to pay a fine for violating child welfare laws and was sent to jail. Although the CEO was sent to jail, there were also rumors of the members of DXMON being "groomed" by staff members of H Music Entertainment. Before DXMON's debut, H Music Entertainment was called "SSQ Entertainment"; SSQ Entertainment had a spotless history and clean record until all the atrocities happened, which is the reason the company had to change its name to avoid public scrutiny. As a warning or reminder to individuals that want to "STAN" HITGS, it is best to pay attention to details and closely observe events and rumors coming out of H Music Entertainment; this is to ensure HITGS is not being mistreated under H Music Entertainment. Hopefully, HITGS isn't in any harm by being under this company. So far, HITGS has good momentum from their debut. We don't want HITGS to experience the same mistreatment as DXMON, so it is best to keep notes on each members well-being.

Comeback

HITGS comeback was super cute! The instrumental sounded like music an ice cream truck would play around playgrounds, public events, and outside of secondary schools; however, the background instrumental sounds like the sound system of an ice cream truck that is on its last legs and requires maintenance or a fix. It sort of sounds like one of those ancient broken music boxes, where the pins and cylinders are beyond repair; what I'm speaking about are these old music boxes that requires a person to manually wind up the lever to play the music. As well as sounding like music an ice cream truck would play and a broken music box, it does have video game sound effects, somewhat. At the very end of the song, the melody changes to something nostalgic, but I have no clue who they've sampled it from. I'm fairly certain it was a sample because of the familar sound. I can't quite pin-point the exact sample.

The choreography for "GROSS" looks fun and fast. HITGS did every move accurate and precise. They were amazing!

Overall, I was impressed with HITGS comeback for their improvement in their performance. It is like they keep adapting and improving their content through trial and error; they are far from perfect though. It is outstanding to see this rookie group progress together! Time will tell whether or not they will produce a viral hit just like ILLIT. Everyone can sense that these girls are capable of creating a viral bop someday. As a reminder, HITGS is doing another comeback with "Charizzma" in early July; I can't wait for this release!

Edit(7/9/2025): I figured out who HITGS sampled from! The melody at the end was sampled from a very old song called Weezer - Say It Ain't So. It was a tiny sample from the song, but the melody is clearly from WEEZER.

Edit(8/6/2025): To clarify a little bit further, sampling a melody of a song is called "interpolation". HITGS clearly sampled the melody of Weezer's "Say It Ain't So". I've noticed that certain netizens have said that HITGS didn't copy anyone; I didn't say that they copied. I said that "HITGS" sampled the melody.

Comeback(2)

HITGS's CHARIZZMA is a cute summer bop! After listening to HITGS for quite some time, I started to feel like I was transported to a simplier time in the past, where I was just having fun in some random playground. In other words, once you listen to all of HITGS's tracks within their discography, you will feel like you are back in secondary school or, at least, participating in after school extracurricular activities. If you like nostalgic music that brings you back to your childhood, then you'll definately enjoy the tracks of HITGS! As for the younger generation, they may not have this "nostalgic experience" that I speak about. Rather, they'll listen to a HITGS track and simply enjoy it without any deep thoughts. Within "HITGS" lyrics, you'll find nuggets of truthful messages sprinkled in, which may be of your liking.

Score Calculation:

Debut Score: 17.45
Comeback Score: 16.7
Comeback 2 Score: 16.4
Search Accumulation Score:10.1M+7.2M+4.4M+3.3M+3.8M =28.8M =2.88/?
Debut + Comeback + Comeback 2 + Search Accumulation Score = Total Accumulated Score
17.45 + 16.7 + 16.4 + 2.88 = 53.43
Total Accumulated Score: 53.43/19
53.43 Divided By 19 = 2.812105263
2.812105263 Multiplied By 100 = 281.210526316
Final Score: 281.2%

NouerA really left no crumbs behind after eating up their debut. I found no major or minor mistakes at all in their performances. This group is a show-stopper!

According to certain sources, "Nouer" in French means to tie together. "Era" is added to the end of "Nouer". Basically, "NouerA" is defined as to tie together an era. This is an interesting name; they could elaborate on what it means, but it is sort of straight forward.

Let's talk about NouerA's choreography. The beginning part looked like some kind of sniper scope aiming at one of the members, which was super creative. I'm not certain if they were trying to replicate a scene from James Bond. It looks similar to one of the film's intros or outros; don't quote me on this, but it looks like a scene from "Tomorrow Never Dies" or some other James Bond movie. I'm forgetful of which one it is. After the sniper scope, they twirl their circular-formed arm poses, which kind of looked like Olympic Rings surrounding one of the members. I thought that the whole sequence of moves were perfect for an introduction. Now, the dance break could have incorporated harder steps, but I found what they have done to be satisfactory. Overall, I enjoyed all the moves that were precisely executed. Like I said before, there was no crumbs left behind.

There's really nothing to complain about NouerA. It would help NouerA to demonstrate their singing abilities just to increase exposure or visibility, but only if they are comfortable with the arrangements.

The japanese singer of the group, Miraku, is like a doppleganger of Zico(Block B, Owner of KOZ Entertainment). Each member of NouerA look like they are visuals, but Fan is obviously the center visual.

Anyways, I can see this group shining much brighter than they are now in the future. Hopefully, this group can tie all eras together.

Comeback

NouerA's comeback album is a fun listen; however, their title track "n (number of cases)" is boring! Occasionally, I had to stop myself from yawning multiple times listening to "n (number of cases)". Why did NouerA choose the worst and most boring track in their album as their title track? I recommend any KPOP fan to buy the album, but I would skip the title track. It is one of those "must-buy" albums, but in order to enjoy it, you have to find a way to either squelch or erase the memory of the title track out of your brain. The title track is a boring mess. Enjoy the album, but press skip on the track "n (number of cases)"!

Score Calculation:

Debut Score: 17.75
Comeback Score: 16.75
Search Accumulation Score: 7M+4.1M+815K+756K+545K= 11.1M+2.1M= 13.2M = 1.32/?
Debut + Comeback = Total Accumulated Score
17.75 + 16.75 + 1.32 = 35.82
Total Accumulated Score: 35.82/19
35.82 Divided By 19 = 1.885263158
1.885263158 Multiplied By 100 = 188.526315789
Final Score: 188.5%

A choreographer, rapper, model, singer, and chaebol walk into a bar. The bartender says, "That must have hurt". The choreographer, rapper, model, singer, and chaebol respond, "It sure does. We've been hitting these bars all day long." The bartender replies, "Oh, no wonder! You have the black label covering your eyes!".

AllDay Project's line-up reeks of controversy from the start. The Black Label decided to debut a co-ed group, which is unfavorable in the current kpop industry climate. The reason it is unfavorable because it does not feed into the parasocial relationship dynamic between fans and k-idols. Usually, fans desire their k-idols separate from the opposite sex because it destroys or ruins their parasocial fantasy that they've imagined with them; for starters, fans pretend or imagine that k-idols are their actual girlfriend or boyfriend. It is well known that co-ed groups don't get popular unless they are outstanding performers, such as a co-ed group called "Kard". In the case of AllDay Project, their debut garnered controversy, discussion, debate, and instant popularity.

As usual, Teddy and his group of lyricists at The Black Label is responsible for the musical composition of the double title tracks: "Famous" and "Wicked". This time around, the lyrics were dialed down a notch. Commonly, Teddy produces some sort of "diss track" towards the impoverished, bottom-of-the-barrel, or economically disadvantaged citizens; however, he didn't commit to the usual lyrical spiel of degrading the homeless. Again, it was somewhat dialed down for the success of AllDay Project's debut. Within the vault at The Black label, they must have libraries of "diss tracks" at their disposal; most likely, lyrics at The Black Label must be outdated and collecting dust, written as far back as 2010. I bet they are saving the most insulting tracks for later comebacks. As you already know, Teddy is known for his lyrics that promote materialism, economic status, and other superficial-related topics, such as fast cars and jewelry. The hilarious part of all of this is that The Black Label's audience will quickly, without questions asked, lap up or consume anything that is produced by Teddy. The lyrics are usually meant to indirectly insult their audience's economic status, yet the audience will pull through to every nook and cranny to purchase anything that comes out of The Black Label. That is consumerism for you; a bunch of mindless zombies chasing trends that loses steam as soon as they jump on the bandwagon.

Let's talk about each member of AllDay Project from the least to the most controversial.

Let's first start with Bailey. From choreographer to k-idol, at a young age, Bailey was credited in creating choreography for Taemin, SHINee, Aespa, Taeyang, and Lisa. She made a guest appearance in Jackson Wang's music video "Cruel". With all those accolades, she was endorsed by many top brands such as Nike, Samsung, and et cetera. Bailey is a walking success story unfolding.

Secondly, the next member is Woochan. Since 2017, Woochan was building his professional career portfolio. He started turning the general public's heads when he participated as a contestant in a rap competition show called "Show Me the Money 6". Although Woochan was ultimately eliminated, he caught everyone's attention by storm. Although Woochan failed in attempting to debut in other groups, such as "Trainee A", he ended up with a successful debut with AllDay Project.

Youngseo was a former pre-debut member of Be:Lift Lab's ILLIT; however, she terminated her contract with Be:Lift right before ILLIT's debut. This is not 100% accurate or true, but rumors say that she didn't "gel", "click", or grow accustomed with ILLIT members. Not only that, but she had "bad feelings" being under HYBE and Be:Lift Lab. Basically, she followed her intuition and decided to leave in order to pursue other projects. As you know, Hybe and their subsidiary labels are going through internal legal conflicts, such as Min Hee-Jin versus HYBE/Be:Lift Lab fiasco. I bet Youngseo saw all the issues happening at HYBE, so she simply backed away from that place, which, in my opinion, was a wise move.

Although some argue that this member is the most controversial, I personally don't think he is at all. All the controversy about this member is over-blown and exaggerated. The model and rapper of AllDay Project, Tarzzan was accused of being a "culture vulture"; his name could roll people's eyes as well since his name describes him as a wild and crazy jungle man. Social media users and forum posters have already shunned Tarzzan for cultural appropriation. His pre-debut social media photographs had shown him wearing his hair in box-braids and corn-rolls, which is historically known to be a crucial part of black culture, as well as latino culture. Along with wearing another culture's garments as a Halloween costume, he was also accused of using AAVE in insulting ways. Although cultural appropriation is not an illegal activity, it is degrading, insulting, and debasing to other ethnicities, who's ancestors have been enslaved in times of colonialism. Overall, using other country's garments and traditional aesthetics without their permission is known as insensitive. With no ill intention, Tarzzan has publicly stated that he fell in love with Hip Hop culture since he was a child. Is he appropriating or appreciating foreign cultures? It is all debatable. Personally, I don't see anything wrong with it; however, Tarzzan needs to consider that there are people that feel insulted by him for trying to imitate racial stereotypes.

Annie has to be the most controversial member of this group. Annie is the great grand-daughter of Lee Byung-chul, the founder of Samsung Group. Also, Annie is the grand-daughter of Lee Myung-hee, the chairwoman of Shinsegae group. Annie is also connected to other chaebols, the wealthy 1% of South Korea. If you don't know about Chaebols in South Korea, then I'll briefly touch it here. Most, if not all, of the Gross Domestic Product(GDP) is generated by the Chaebols in South Korea. All the money is funneled through the Chaebols and there is no money circulating that hasn't been touched by the finger-tips of the Chaebols. If you are a South Korean citizen, then you are either working under the Chaebol system or a subsidiary of the Chaebol's companies; heck, even money is exchanged in and out from government agencies to the chaebols. If you are a chaebol, then you are pretty much financially set for life. There is a divide or split in opinion about the Chaebols in South Korea. The other half of South Korean citizens praise the Chaebol system because of the prosperity that it has given South Korea; in other words, South Korea would still be in the stone ages if it wasn't for the Chaebol's active entrepreneurship. The Chaebol system changed South Korea to the global economic power house that it is today. As for the other perspective of the Chaebols, South Koreans have claimed that all the corruption, abuse, murders, and economic inequality was caused by Chaebols in the first place. There is differing of opinions about this if you speak to South Koreans. It varies depending on who is benefiting from the Chaebol system in South Korea. It is really a mixed bag of opinions. Anyways, so what does this have to do with Annie? She is the heiress of a Chaebol family and will probably inherit the wealth and hierarchal position. K-netizens and global netizens have named her the true "Nepo-Baby". You may hear the term "Nepo-Baby" being thrown around in KPOP; however, the term is wrongly used, for the most part, towards k-idols, who aren't even wealthy. Simply, the term "Nepo-Baby" was used to either down-play or insult k-idols that have been promoted to higher positions within the industry without earning it. As for Annie Moon, she is an actual "Nepo-Baby". Nepotism has always been an issue throughout time. It has always been debatable whether or not a family should pass their wealth to their descendants. In this instance, it is basically, the wealth of all South Korea concentrated and transfered to Annie Moon. South Koreans say this is an unfair distribution of wealth, which is understandable. For an example, I'd like to present to you what nepotism looks like within a scenario. Imagine that you are in a horse race track with a total of 5 horses. 4 of those horses are initially positioned at the starting line; however, the 5th horse is stationed at the 90% mark at the start of the race, which is a head-start, a few steps near the finish line. Wouldn't you say that the 5th horse is at an unfair advantage and is the undeniable winner of the race? Obviously, the 5th horse will be the victor. Now, think of the 5th horse as Annie, who is the heiress of the Chaebols. Wouldn't you say that inheritance or nepotism is unfair in the economic and monetary system? Imagine trying to compete with someone who is a few steps away from the finishing destination while you are all the way at the start, grinding away through a decade of turmoil just to reach a slither of Annie's economic position. This is what the other half of South Koreans feel about the Chaebol system. Nepotism makes the rich richer and poor poorer. South Korea has accepted this current system. Is it here to stay? I have no clue. Back to Annie. It shocked a ton of netizens that someone of Annie's status/position would debut in a harsh environment, such as the KPOP industry. Annie could be sipping the most expensive tea with her pinky up and living a life of luxory with lavish ammenities at her convenience. Rather, she took up the mantle and has taken up to herself to go through the rigorous process and physically demanding work of being an idol. There has to be an ulterior motive behind all this. You see, Chaebols had a bad reputation throughout the decade as cruel overlords and unforgiving taskmasters. Chaebols are seen as these evil villains that you read in comic books and watch in movies. Whenever a chaebol is in town, usually, the masses will escape to safety or be a victim of their wrath. Anyways, by Annie debuting in AllDay Project, it gives the impression that she is on the hustle and grind like any ordinary citizen. Simply, Annie is trying to clean or maintain the tarnished public perception of Chaebols throughout the years. The intended result of Annie debuting is to repair the Chaebol's image, which was growing hideous within political and corporate events. The event that enraged South Koreans and built distrust towards Chaebols was the MV Sewol sinking, which was the responsibility of a Chaebol; the sinking of MV Sewol killed 304 out of 476 passengers.

The strengths and weaknesses of AllDay Project is quite simple to identify. AllDay Project needs to simply stop creating more controversies than the ones that they are currently in; it should be their priority in sticking only to their musical endeavors; however, the industry does thrive in drama because KPOP fans usually surround controversies like flies to a pile of poop. A weakness that I've observed in this group is their lack of vocalists. Youngseo is the maknae and the only vocalist. The lack of vocalists means that their future comebacks will rely heavily on lyrics, rapping, and instrumentals. There will be no vocal prowess, diversity, and versatility unless they overwork Youngseo to the bone, where she does all the vocal heavy-lifting for the entire group. That's harsh treatment to their youngest member of the group. The solution to this mess is to either add two more vocalists to the group. If you take a look at the plethora of South Korean Idol Groups, then you'll notice that the vocalists are also great at rapping. Unfortunately, AllDay Project doesn't have this. I see this as a problem in the future.

Overall, I recommend this group; however, through-out the years, you might end up looking elsewhere because of the lack of vocalists.

Score Calculation:

Debut Score: 19.15
Comeback Score: NA
Search Accumulation Score: 30M+13M+9.2M+4.8M+4.1M= 61.1M = 6.11/?
Debut + Comeback + Search Accumulation Score = Total Accumulated Score
19.15 + NA + 6.11 = 25.26
Total Accumulated Score: 25.26/19
25.26 Divided By 19 = 1.329473684
1.329473684 Multiplied By 100 = 132.947368421
Final Score: 132.9%

While PSY was doing his gangnam style dance, he had a bright idea. Since PSY debuted a boy group called TNX back in 2022, he decided to debut a girl group called "Baby DONT Cry" in 2025. PSY's label "P NATION" had signed many well-known soloists and trainees; some of them stayed and some of them left. The only missing piece to "P NATION" was a girl group and "Baby DONT Cry" put the last piece into the incomplete puzzle; hopefully, there will be more groups in the future.

The most notable member of "Baby DONT Cry" is Jo Yi-hyun, who was known as "Little IU" because of how closely she resembled the singer IU. If you remember the show "We Kid", then you'll remember her outstanding 2016 performance: We Kid Contestant Jo Yi Hyun. Alot of K-netizens praised her for her performance at such a young age; also, they had high expectations for her moving forward into stardom. With that being said, the rest of the members are fantastic as well; they aren't as well known, but they've shown what it takes to be great performers.

It is already known that the "baby rock" or "teen crush" music of "Baby DONT Cry" was produced by i-dle's Soyeon. Netizens do find it worrisome that Soyeon is always on the grind, producing songs while, simultaneously, maintaining her own group i-dle. Not to be a harbinger for unfortunate news, but at the rate that Soyeon is going, she might end up burning out quick because of the amount of work-load that she's putting herself under; however, I think her passion for music comes naturally, as well as being a leader in the KPOP industry. Regardless of what I said, I'm glad she's producing hits for a female rookie group. To be honest, I'm not a fan of lyrics, where member's announce their names within the track; however, it does help with member recognition, especially if the members are difficult to remember. It's unnecessary if you ask me. You may even say that "Baby DONT Cry" is i-dle 2.0 because they fit Soyeon's style like a hermit crab to a sea shell. The question that many people are wondering is if Soyeon will be the main producer for this group; if this is the case, then we'll be hearing similar songs to i-dle, which may be a positive to i-dle's fanbase. Some fans do have concerns that "Baby DONT Cry" are simply getting the "left-over scraps", "i-dle reject tracks", or "junk tracks" of i-dle, which can be an issue in the future. The failed tracks of i-dle are then thrown away into Baby DONT Cry's discography. This situation is sort of like preparing a meal. After most of the meal has been finished, the left-over parts or "crumbs" are then given to the lower class of people. I hope Soyeon isn't just giving "Baby DONT Cry" her worse or failed tracks. This is a valid concern within the KPOP community.

Overall, I loved Baby DONT Cry's debut. This rookie group has it all in terms of KPOP idol performance: singing, dancing, and modeling. So far, one of my gripes would be fashioning these girls with inappropriate clothing. We've already seen P Nation artists with questionable clothing, as well as questionable choreography. P Nation needs to consider "age-appropriate clothing" since we live in the internet/social media age. Netizens can cancel groups simply because they wore "distasteful" clothing. Personally, I do not mind any type of clothing; however, there are ultra sensitive netizens that will go out of their way to cancel anyone who is not fitting fashion standards.

"Baby DONT Cry" when you see this group. Hopefully, instead of crying, you'll enjoy their debut for the start of summer!

Score Calculation:

Debut Score: 18.85
Comeback Score: NA
Search Accumulation Score: 27M+11M+6.5M+1.1M+621K= 45.6M+.6M= 46.2M = 4.62/?
Debut + Comeback + Search Accumulation Score = Total Accumulated Score
18.85 + NA + 4.62 = 23.57
Total Accumulated Score: 23.47/19
23.47 Divided By 19 = 1.235263158
1.235263158 Multiplied By 100 = 123.526315789
Final Score: 123.5%

Music Video: Hearts2Hearts - The Chase
Cinematography Score: 1/1
Narrative/Story Score: .8/1
Acting/Modeling Score: 1/1

Link:Audio
Link:Instrumental
Link:Lyric Video
Link:English Translated Lyrics
Studio Recorded Vocals Score: 1/1
Instrumental Score: 1/1
Lyrics Score: 1/1

Link:Showcase
Link:Dance Practice
Stage Presence Score: .8/1
Facial Expression Score: 1/1
Objective Movement Score: 1/1
Choreography Aesthetics Score: .9/1
Live Choreography Score: 1/1
Live Visual Score: 1/1

Link:Studio Choom
Link:Studio Choom Full Focused
Art/Cosmetic/Make-up Score: .8/1
Fashion Score: .8/1
Visual Concept Score: 1/1

Link:SBS Radio
Link:KBS CoolFM
Link:Mhz
Live Vocals Score: .1/1
Live Band Score: 0/1

Discography/Pre-Debut/Pre-releases/Album
Music Video Link:Track 1: The Chase
Music Video Link:Track 2: Butterflies
Discography Score: .4/?

Production/Theme/Concept Score: .9/1

Personal/Subjective Score: 1/1

Comeback

Music Video: Hearts2Hearts - Style
Music Video: Teenieping X Hearts2Hearts - Style
Cinematography Score: 1/1
Narrative/Story Score: 1/1
Acting/Modeling Score: 1/1

Link:Audio
Link:Unofficial Instrumental
Link:Unofficial Lyrics
Studio Recorded Vocals Score: 1/1
Instrumental Score: 1/1
Lyrics Score: 1/1

Link:MNET M COUNTDOWN Showcase
Link:Dance Practice
Stage Presence Score: 1/1
Facial Expression Score: 1/1
Objective Movement Score: 1/1
Choreography Aesthetics Score: 1/1
Live Choreography Score: 1/1
Live Visual Score: 1/1

Link:M2 MOVE TO Performance
Art/Cosmetic/Make-up Score: 1/1
Fashion Score: 1/1
Visual Concept Score: 1/1

Live Vocals Score: 0/1
Live Band Score: 0/1

Discography/Pre-Debut/Pre-releases/Album
Music Video Link:Track 1: Style
Discography Score: .2/?

Production/Theme/Concept Score: 1/1

Personal/Subjective Score: 1/1

SM Entertainment, the feudal lords of the k-pop industry, has debuted a new girl group called "Hearts2Hearts". "Hearts2Hearts" is actually a cool name and memorable as well. Their debut track is "The Chase". The instrumental for "The Chase" sounds like synth-bass(if that makes any sense), which makes you feel like you are in a blue ocean within a cave. The "talk rapping" may be the downside of the song, but it fits right in to create a dream-like melody. Like a bunch of raving maniacs, social media users are praising/admiring Carmen, the indonesian member of "Hearts2Hearts". Carmen is trending in the k-pop community and is really grabbing everyone's attention with her sweet/honey-dew like vocals. Carmen's heavenly vocals really lifts the song from its steady pace and adds an extra "Oomph" to it, almost like adding seasoning and sauce to rice, giving a great flavor to it. Ian captivates the audience with her visuals; the way Ian says "Sparkle Sparkle" will make you adore her. The leader Jiwoo definately has stage presence, which is felt throughout their performances. Although she is not a visual, Ye-on, the maknae, shows a style that may get everyone's attention; some may say that she doesn't fit the concept of the group. I beg to differ because she certainly fills in the gaps with her visuals. If every group member looked similar, then the audience will certainly get bored really quick; however, Yeon is sort of like the "life saver" for their visuals. For the rest of the members, I hope the next comebacks can highlight or spotlight their talents; the remaining members didn't stand out as much as the members who I mentioned previously on this blog.

The music video is unfortunately bland because of the scenery. There's nothing interesting about taking a bus to an empty area or to the middle of nowhere. You can clearly see a vapid emptiness within the music video. If you have watched Meovv's debut, then you may feel similar vibes of emptiness or a depraved area. A reason for having empty scenery or backgrounds is to force the audience to pay attention to the member's visuals. It somewhat works to a certain degree. Anyways, the main reason that persuaded me to continue watching the music video was that tiny horse or pony(at first, I thought it was a llama) at the beginning. For the whole video, I was wondering if that tiny horse was going to make a reappearance, but it didn't. I applaud SM Entertainment by tricking me with that tiny pony. Good job! Anyways, I could have lowered the score of the music video if it wasn't for that damned tiny pony.

As for the choreography, I pretty much enjoyed it. The beginning of the choreography(after 10 seconds into it) looked a little rough because they were raising their arms to the air in an unsynchronized fashion, which was aesthetically displeasing; however, it grows on you after a couple of watches. It could be executed a bit better. The highlight of the choreography was when they put their arms back while pivoting/shaking one leg on one spot; if I were to personally name the move, I'd call it the "pivoting leg shake", "leg jiggler", or "cigarette stepper". If you still don't know what move that I'm describing, then picture some person on the sidewalk smoking a cigarette, throwing the lit cigarette on the ground, and stepping on the smoldering end of a cigarette to extinguish it. The smoker stepping on the cigarette describes what I think when I see Hearts2Hearts perform that specific move. That's why I called it the "Cigarette Stepper". It's such a fun move and it looks cool on stage. Overall, I love all the arm movements within the choreography because each arm move was precise with alot of fluidity to it; the best way to describe their arm movement is like that of growing vines, splitting into the air then unraveling downwards. Of course, if vines could move that quickly in real-time, then that's how it would look like.

Let's be honest folks, K-pop idol groups that come out of the big four companies always succeed no matter what. SM Entertainment has that much power in the industry; even if a group under them flops, it is really not a big deal for SM Entertainment. "Hearts2Hearts" could flop big time, but since they are in one of the "Big Four" entertainment companies in South Korea, they have a golden parachute or a golden safety net that will mitigate their flop. That's the greatest advantage of groups being under a major label; groups that are under the "Big Four" have wiggle room or space for failure. Even if they flop, then they can simply dust off, get up, and try again. As for nugu groups and nugu companies, they usually only have one shot at it; a failure usually means disbandment for a nugu group or bankruptcy for a nugu company. You may say that this is unfair. Yes, it surely is unfair, but that's how the industry works. Some groups have room for failure while most groups don't have the luxory for a single failure.

Anyways, SM Entertainment's "Hearts2Hearts" are here to stay and will be here for a long time, so let's all welcome these lovely gals into the industry with open arms. With our hearts to their hearts, we can feel each other's pain and happiness, so we can better understand each other. Isn't understanding the true form of love?

Update(April 30, 2025): From the rumor mill, I've heard that Hearts2Hearts are planning a comeback in June 2025. Ultimately, that will mean that they will receive another "Over-Kill" point. Comebacks in the same year as their debut shows endurance. Endurance is important when it comes to K-idol groups. Basically, Hearts2Hearts will double their score.

Comeback

WOW! WHAT A BOP! I LOVE THEIR "STYLE"! Overall, the entire comeback was fun! This was the most synchronized choreography of the season!

Hearts2Hearts is starting to look like WJSN(Cosmic Girls) because of their aesthetics within their fashion and music video of "Style". Hearts2Hearts do have the "WJSN" face card or "Starship Face"! If anyone misses WJSN, then Hearts2Hearts is a stronger alternative; possibly, even a permanent replacement of WJSN.

Score Calculation:

Debut Score: 16.5
Comeback Score: 17.2
Search Accumulation Score: 32M+24M+24M+10M+10M= 100M = 10/?
Debut + Comeback + Search Accumulation Score = Total Accumulated Score
16.5 + 17.2 + 10 = 43.7
Total Accumulated Score: 43.7/19
43.7 Divided By 19 = 2.3
2.3 Multiplied By 100 = 230
Final Score: 230%

There's always a first to anything! Hak Seong is the first ever North Korean defector to debut in a boy group; the group he debuted in is called "Be Boys". Hak Seong defected back in 2017; it must have been tough to go through the DMZ(Danger Mine Zone) unscathed, especially with his body's limbs intact; usually, people don't make it out of there alive. I wonder how many cruel adversaries and harrowing obstacles, or if any, that he had to face. In every oppressive regime, like the regime in North Korea, there's always citizens who want to flee towards freedom. Empathetic South Koreans are tirelessly looking for any loop hole, secret area/passage, or a hidden convoy to rescue North Koreans. Although North Korea is known for their inhumane acts, leaving North Korea for South Korea is sort of like jumping out of the frying pan and into the lion's den. As much as North Korea is an awful place, South Korea is a hyper-competitive arena, especially within the entertainment industry. Hak Seong escaped the torture chamber of North Korea and is now in a ruthless kpop industry, which is a better and improved situation. Nevertheless, it could have been worse if he got caught getting out of there; I heard defectors, who get caught, end up never seeing the light of day or executed in broad daylight to show North Korean citizens an example of someone who has disobeyed the dictator's rules.

Another member of "Be Boys" that will capture your heart is Takuma, a japanese singer. For the past month or so, I found Takuma to be the most animated person who I've ever seen in the kpop industry for 2025. He reminds me of an old cartoon character from the 90's named Bonkers. The facial expressions, movement, and stage presence of Takuma is impressive; every action that he initiates caught my attention right away because of how he over-exaggerates each move. He's definately someone to look out for in the future. Hopefully, Takuma gets alot more exposure. The best name that you can give Takuma is the mascot for Be Boys.

Anyways, the whole group is fabolous, but the other members, besides the ones that I have mentioned, might need more screen-time. I think they're talented, but they need their skills highlighted or spot-lighted in the next comeback.

"I'm So Sorry But I Love You" has a similar cadence or delivery as Seventeen - Mansae. It does sound like a Seventeen track; however, the guitar in the track makes their debut funky. To be blunt, it is a funky version of Seventeen's Mansae without the same chorus. It is quite the banger just like "Mansae".

Overall, "Be Boys" do have potential; however, I think their debut was incomplete. Alot of their video content doesn't show enough of their skills; there are fancams on specific members, but not the group as a whole. There is still alot of room to improve entertainment-wise. With that being said, boys will "Be Boys". We'll have to see what they have in store for us in future comebacks.

UPDATE(7/30/2025): The fandom name of Be Boys is "Beaver". Although "Beaver" is probably a harmless name in East Asia, in other parts of the world, this word is used as slang to describe a part of a female's anatomy. I'm not entirely certain if Be Boys realize that their fandom name could be problematic in the future, especially calling their fans "Beaver" could be insulting in a way. Anyways, hopefully, they contemplate about their fandom name before outright choosing it.

Score Calculation:

Debut Score: 15.25
Comeback Score:NA
Search Accumulation Score: 733K+221K+30K+13K+8.1K= 1005.1 = 1M = .1/?
Debut + Comeback + Search Accumulation Score = Total Accumulated Score
15.25 + NA + .1 = 15.35
Total Accumulated Score: 15.35/19
15.35 Divided By 19 = 0.807894737
0.807894737 Multiplied By 100 = 80.789473684
Final Score: 80.7%

At first glance at the name of the group, I thought BTS combined forces with BlackPink; however, as soon as I clicked the link, I was shown three "K-halmeoni(K-할머니)" or K-Grandmas. It is impressive that these 3 South Koreans would spend their seniority on doing a debut in the same arena as young adults and possibly toddlers. The members of Bangtan Pink are Hong Jin Kyung, Jang Young Ran, and Lee Ji Hye, who are reaching their late 40s(almost to the age of 50!). It would be interesting to see older south koreans debuting in new groups, which is shocking, yet entertaining. My only main concern is if these ladies get injured, hurting their backs; at their age, seniors could sustain serious damage. Older people have a hard time healing their wounds compared to younger adults; I think it has to do with metabolism since younger adults have higher amounts, which help them heal their injuries at lightning speeds. I could be wrong about metabolism, but I solely think Koreans are built differently than the rest of the world when it comes to physical performances.

The production of the group was the responsibility of Baekho, who is known to be popular for his physique in a festival called "Waterbomb". The co-producers of Bangtan Pink is Prismfilter, which is unknown to me; Prismfilter could be a new label/company starting from scratch. Each Bangtan Pink member were somewhat popular in the past, but as you know, the kpop industry and consumers don't wait for anyone; the kpop industry moves at alarming "break-neck" speeds as fast as a cheetah and has no remorse for older South Korean idols. The trends and popularity changes almost over night, moving the spotlight over to newer and better groups, leaving behind older k-idols at its wake. Unfortunately, whenever older South Koreans take stage, the younger crowd often just ignore them and simply call them "K-Hags", "K-Skeletons", "K-Old-Farts", and other insulting names. Honestly, I do recite these slurs in my mind from time to time because other KPOP fans would yell it out loud in the crowd whenever they see an older South Korean take stage; there's alot of ageism that still happens in South Korea. You hear ageist remarks from the crowd at concerts, online forums, and other places. Obviously, k-idols have a shelf-life, depending on current trends; once a group is out of the spotlight and have reached their peak in entertainment value, it only goes downhill from there.

Anyways, I forgot to mention tiny details of Bangtan Pink. Hong Jin Kyung is known for being a hostess for television shows, actress roles, special guest appearances, starring in commercials, winning best entertainer awards, and the list goes on. She was also part of a group called "Unnies". Jang Young Ran is known as a trot singer and actress. She appeared in South Korean dramas, television shows, films, musicals, radio, and the list goes on. Lee Ji Hye was especially known as a member of the kpop group SHARP; she's also appeared in television shows and internet-based shows. Every member of Bangtan Pink has a ton of experience in the entertainment industry that it is difficult to count(almost an endless amount of activities); the experience accumulated under each member's belt is impressive and they continue to entertain us through different media outlets. It feels like the word "retirement" holds no weight, nor does it have any place in their repertoire or vocabulary; these ladies are fighters!

Update(9/28/2025): I spoke to a few netizens about Prismfilter. They've mentioned that they were more of a "producer" than an actual "label". At the end of September, a K-netizen had told me that Bangtan Pink was signed with "Honeybee Studio". I'm not entirely certain of this because another K-netizen told me that they were under "Prismfilter". I'm getting a mix of unreliable information here. Who's really telling the truth here?

Score Calculation:

Total Accumulated Score: 5.2/19
5.2 Divided By 19 = 0.273684211
0.273684211 Multiplied By 100 = 27.368421053
Final Score: 27.3%

Music Video: XLOV - I'mma Be
Cinematography Score: 1/1
Narrative/Story Score: 1/1
Acting/Modeling Score: 1/1

Link:Audio
Link:Instrumental
Link:Lyrics
Studio Recorded Vocals Score: 1/1
Instrumental Score: 1/1
Lyrics Score: 1/1

Link:Show! MusicCore Showcase
Link:Dance Practice
Stage Presence Score: 1/1
Facial Expression Score: 1/1
Objective Movement Score: 1/1
Choreography Aesthetics Score: 1/1
Live Choreography Score: 1/1
Live Visual Score: 1/1

Link:Online Showcase
Art/Cosmetic/Make-up Score: 1/1
Fashion Score: 1/1
Visual Concept Score: 1/1

Link:Live Session Radio'n Us
Live Vocals Score: .3/1
Live Band Score: 0/1

Discography/Pre-Debut/Pre-releases/Album
XLOV - I'mma Be
Discography Score: .2/?

Production/Theme/Concept Score: 1/1

Personal/Subjective Score: 1/1

Comeback

Music Video: XLOV - 1&Only
Cinematography Score: 1/1
Narrative/Story Score: 1/1
Acting/Modeling Score: 1/1

Link:Audio
Link:Instrumental
Link:Unofficial Lyrics
Studio Recorded Vocals Score: 1/1
Instrumental Score: 1/1
Lyrics Score: 1/1

Link:The K-pop The Show Showcase
Link:KBS WORLD TV Music Bank Showcase
Link:Dance Practice
Stage Presence Score: 1/1
Facial Expression Score: 1/1
Objective Movement Score: 1/1
Choreography Aesthetics Score: 1/1
Live Choreography Score: 1/1
Live Visual Score: 1/1

Art/Cosmetic/Make-up Score: 1/1
Fashion Score: 1/1
Visual Concept Score: 1/1

Link:Radio'n Us Live Session[Arirang Radio]
Live Vocals Score: .5/1
Live Band Score: 0/1

Discography/Pre-Debut/Pre-releases/Album
Music Video Link:Track 1: 1&Only
Link:Track 2: 1 of Lov
Performance Link:Track 3: Bizness
Link:Track 4: 1&Only(Instrumental)
Link:Track 5: 1 of Lov(Instrumental)
Link:Track 6: Bizness(Instrumental)
Discography Score: .45/?

Production/Theme/Concept Score: 1/1

Personal/Subjective Score: 1/1

XLOV consists of former Boys Planet contestants, except for Hyun. Hyun's mysterious appearance in XLOV turned everyone's head in surprise. A member that I've always thought highly of is Wumuti, who is also part of a group called "WaterFire". By the way, if you did not know, I picked "WaterFire" as a monster rookie ballad group of 2024. I hope Wumuti is still in works with WaterFire, but that's really up to him.

The vocals of XLOV reminds me of a 90's era rock band called "Muse", which may be prehistoric for most k-pop fans. "Muse" had dark, yet sexy vocals just like XLOV. I wonder if XLOV will dwell deeper into this type of style of music. XLOV's vocals are alluring, yet eerie; the tempo may give off a dirty vibe, almost seductive to a point of enveloping their audience in a trance; however, the trance that it was building is interrupted with a "silly silly" lyrical verse that kills or breaks the immersion/vibe of the song. The entire song feels like it is split into two because of the anti-drop chant, which is jarring for first-time listeners. Although the "silly silly" verse and anti-drop chant was the weakest part of the song, it is saved by Hyun's vocals, which is in the bridge of the song. The chorus of the song may sound non-melodic, but it grows on you after a few listens. For first time listeners, the sultry talk-singing might make you sweat bullets, so take off your sweater.

Like I said before, the song sounds dark; it gives off a feeling of uncertainty. The dark atmosphere is mainly created by the iconic instrumental.

The genderless concept of the music video is artistic and dramatic. Everything in the video has objects that represent androgyny, hermaphroditism, and a sub-categorey called "cunty". Its purpose is to show an overlap between genders or a melding of both genders, which is displayed in the chess visuals. The chessboard shows both white and black, which represents both genders. This genderless concept is also showing another concept called "non-duality". Within the music video, you will find "exit" signs above the doors. The door with the "exit" signage is opened by the members by the end of the music video, which represents XLOV leaving the dualistic arena or gendered arena. If you look deeper into the concept, then you'll notice that the setting is placed in a classroom(school), where genders are taught to students. Prejudice is learned or indoctrinated into the young at an early age. We are either labeled a male or a female within the process of participating in school. XLOV is basically saying to ditch the genders and "exit" that game. The concept that they are trying to portray may fly over most people's head, but it is right there for everyone to decipher themselves. The point of the visual concept is to help you out of a "black and white" mentality and show you an "exit" out of that dualistic trap. XLOV brilliantly executed their concept in such an easy-to-understand way. I bet no one will ever look beyond what they see on the surface level. With that being said, we are indoctrinated into dividing humans by our reproductive organs. Biologically, there can only be two genders: female or male. It is true in the realm of materiality. The genderless concept is more of a spiritual concept than a biological concept. The biology of humans is split into two genders while the genderless concept is merging them both together. What are we after we pass away? Do we keep our gender after we lose our mortal coil? Is our genders transfered to heaven or hell? The genderless concept deals more of spiritual ideas, as well as religious ones. With furrowed eyebrows, an evangelical christian must be angrily rolling out of their bed at this moment and typing away on their keyboard or phone screen to XLOV's comment section stating that there are only two genders. Although this is true in our material realm, there is no certain fact that we keep our gender after our passing. We could very well be an immortal consciousness, formless with no physical body, as well as a being without any sort of recognizable gender in the after-life.

Everyone is wondering about the member who executed that flexible, back-breaking move in their choreography. That's RUI(stage name)! Chen Kuan-jui is his birthname. Everyone's jaw dropped as soon as he did that move. You'll probably faint if you saw that in person. I bet that I would. Anyways, their performance shows their excellency and professionalism; who ever choreographed the whole performance should have a round of applause. The sensual nature of each move that they make is smooth and sly, almost satisfying as slathering strawberry jam on toasted bread. Not only is their choreography on point, but they've displayed stage presence and facial expressions that will make everyone scream in joy. They definately have one of the best choreography so far in 2025. I love every bit of it!

Overall, XLOV started their rookie debut at a great start. Is XLOV's audience/fanbase the missing piece to a completed love connection or is the audience/fanbase the reason for an incomplete love in the first place? Please support XLOV to find out!

Comeback

Whoa! XLOV really out-did their debut with their comeback! It's everything that you'd want from XLOV, but it is amplified above and beyond! XLOV's choreography is definately a "master-class" in quality. With that being said, I wonder if their future comebacks will keep exceeding at this rate because it might spark a new movement or revolution within the KPOP industry. This new movement could create a "genderless" kpop sub-categorey that may gain steam if it is accepted by the general public. The only problem is that South Korea is mostly leaning in the conservative side within the political/cultural spectrum; it may be difficult for South Koreans to accept XLOV as a driving force in the KPOP industry unless South Korea ends up leaning towards the liberal side of the spectrum. I personally don't know what the future holds in South Korea. Will it stay the same or change over-time? Who really knows?

Score Calculation:

Debut Score: 17.2
Comeback Score: 17.95
Search Accumulation Score: 5.3M+3.3M+3.2M+1.8M+1.4M= 15M = 1.5/?
Debut + Comeback + Search Accumulation Score = Total Accumulated Score
17.2 + 17.95 + 1.5 = 36.65
Total Accumulated Score: 36.65/19
36.65 Divided By 19 = 1.928947368
1.928947368 Multiplied By 100 = 192.894736842
Final Score: 192.8%

PocketDol Studio's "Double 0ne" is the combined might of BAE173 and Fantasy Boys into one group; in other words, "Double 0ne" is a super group. I believe that this super group was necessary because BAE173 and Fantasy Boys were losing their popularity; PocketDol Studio's decision to combine the two groups together was their last ditch effort or desperate attempt to stay relevant in the fast-paced and competitive arena of the KPOP industry. Was this group combination worth the effort? Was this all in vein or all for nothing? Unfortunately, this "super group" was necessary, but the outcome was rather average.

The music video was cringe because of the extraneous amount of close-up face shots; I know they are trying to familiarize each member to their audience. We get it! "Double One" has the face card, but there is no reason to have like 50% of the music video mainly pedestaling their faces. Whoever was in charge of the cinematography has shown amateur editting and poor angles of the members. Not only is this music video cringe, but there is no real story or narrative being delivered to their audience. Again, all the scenes were mostly face shots. With all these face shots, they could have, at the very least, shown a short story or scene to represent the concept. It was all modeling fluff with no substance or content. There wasn't anything marvelous to spark any interest to the viewer.

Every member looked expressionless with no dramatic movements. Although the group had great visuals, it felt like I was watching mannequins, immovable figures, in a clothes department store.

With all the negative aspects of this debut, there's still alot of good that can be siphoned. "Double 0ne" has shown amazing studio-recorded vocals, especially the adlibs within the tracks. Most critics don't pay attention to adlibs in KPOP, which is a shame. The adlibs were expertly placed in the proper areas of the tracks, which created a fluid sound. There were no vocals that felt out of place or was forced; often, I hear interjected vocals and lyrics placed awkwardly in certain parts of KPOP songs, which ruins the pace or cadence. Whenever I hear these awkwardly interjected vocals or lyrics, I always picture runners tripping over their own legs, creating a chain reaction of runners, who have tripped over each other, creating a dog pile of injured athletes. There was no fumbling or mumbling lyrics or vocals coming out of "Double 0ne". The sounds coming out of their mouths were a treat to the ears. Youngseo definately had great vocal control with his progressive notes; he also changed the octave of his vocals, almost like he is whistling. Obviously, Youngseo masterfully trained his vocals.

Overall, I do recommend this group; however, like any talented group, there's always some type of controversy surrounding either the company or the members. Many netizens, especially K-netizens, noticed alot of distress signals coming out of the members. There were times that the members would be on social media streaming platforms(as well as uploaded videos) doing questionable hand gestures, which were known to be signs of abuse or mistreatment. Whenever I chat with KPOP fans, I often come across rumors of PocketDol Studios mistreating and abusing their artists who work under them. This isn't just one account or an outlier saying these rumors, but many online communities spreading gossip. Sometimes, I wonder if these rumors may be over-exaggerated to simply gain publicity for the group. Fans often want certain members in groups to gain popularity, so fans create false stories and narratives of mistreatment. With PocketDol Studio's track record, it has been shown through their history that they've made alot of bad calls and have been accused of multiple counts of mistreatment and meddling. You may not know this, but PocketDol Studio was originally named "MBK Entertainment". MBK Entertainment was well known for harboring a ton of unnecessary drama with their former artists. As a result of all the drama, MBK Entertainment, intentionally, had to change their name; the possible reason of the company name change is to avoid further backlash, protests, and controversies; however, burying the issues, like burying a seed, only let's it grow and fester as time goes by. Nothing really is resolved if it is simply hidden from the public eye. For this blog, I won't be going into detail about all the drama that had happened in MBK Entertainment; we will be here for months addressing each incident that happened within MBK Entertainment. Anyways, I think these distress signals from the artists should not be ignored because the artists could be blackmailed. Usually, artists who are being blackmailed, only send out cryptic messages to the audience in fear of being kicked out of the group if they were to voice their troubles. Unfortunately, there's no actual evidence of all the rumors of abuse. It is only logical to only keep an eye on the members without racing to false accusations towards PocketDol Studios. As a viewer, part of the audience, there's simply nothing we can do until the evidence is obvious and undeniable without any doubt of it being a lie.

Score Calculation:

Total Accumulated Score: 15.62/19
15.62 Divided By 19 = 0.822105263
0.822105263 Multiplied By 100 = 82.210526316
Final Score: 82.2%

The vocals of USPEER sound like AESPA! If I didn't tell you that this song was sung by USPEER, then you would immediately think this was an AESPA track because of their vocals. Personally, I found Si An's vocals to stand out the most; she's obviously the main vocalist. The rest of the group does have a distinct sound; like I said before, their voices are AESPA quality. I hope WM Entertainment can highlight each member's vocals in future comebacks. The whole song sounds like it was produced by SM Entertainment; specifically, the composition of their debut track "ZOOM" is structured like it was made for a 2008 boy group, such as SHINee.

Since this group belongs to the same label as Oh My Girl, you'd think that the music would end up sounding like an Oh My Girl track, but it doesn't, not even in the slightest, sound like something WM Entertainment would create. Rather, the sound has a definate SM Entertainment influence; there's a ton of SM Entertainment signature sounds coming out of "ZOOM". The cadence and delivery of "ZOOM" reminds me of tracks produced for Girls' Generation or TVXQ!. Again, I'd like to emphasize the similarities of USPEER's track with SM Entertainment's artists. With all of this being said, I do not claim that USPEER copied from SM Entertainment; it is rather inspired by music created by music producers from SM Entertainment. Anyways, the more that you listen to "ZOOM", the more you'd like it for its upbeat nature. Also, you will love when the whole group sings in unison! When all the members sing all at once, it gives off a spirit-boosting and motivating energy like a feeling that you are being lifted off the ground and towards space. Without any hesitation, I added this to my exercise playlist.

Now, the group suffers from mediocre choreography. No offense, but USPEER's dancing reminds me of underwhelming moves performed by a disbanded group called "Weki Meki". Again, I'm not trying to drag old disbanded groups; it is simply the best way that I can describe USPEER's choreography. Basically, their dancing is average at most. There's always room for improvement. Since they are rookies, they could probably refine their skills by the next comeback.

I do love their sports-wear attire. USPEER gives off "Tom-Boy" vibes, but there is a slight feminine dash to it. Their styling isn't too masculine.

If USPEER desires to switch things up, then USPEER can potentially go for a "GIRL CRUSH" route for future comebacks. From my analysis, I could imagine and visualize them doing aggressive concepts, as well as other concepts that require fast-paced movements and vocal chants. The potential is there, but it is their decision if they want to utilize their skills for a "Girl Crush" concept. If they decide to go for the same electronic hip-hop themed music for future comebacks, then I wouldn't mind it at all. There's nothing wrong in repeating the same concept. It really depends if they are comfortable with other concepts. Although the sky is the limit when it comes to different concepts, USPEER has potential and room to grow; possibly, they can venture into cute concepts as well. USPEER has what it takes to create a banger or bop. From my perspective, I see USPEER as a blank canvas, which is ready for added components, background, colors, animation, shadow effects, and light effects. Although they are a rookie group, USPEER is ready for advanced concepts and much more. I can already visualize this group taking on tougher challenges, but I may be expecting too much from these young gals who are newly entering the KPOP scene.

Score Calculation:

Debut Score: 15.45
Comeback Score:NA
Search Accumulation Score: 5.2M+337K+168K+159K+146K= 5.2M+.8M= 6M = .6/?
Debut + Comeback + Search Accumulation Score = Total Accumulated Score
15.45 + NA + .6 = 16.05
Total Accumulated Score: 16.05/19
16.05 Divided By 19 = 0.844736842
0.844736842 Multiplied By 100 = 84.473684211
Final Score: 84.4%

Polarix was formed from iQIYI's controversial survival show Starlight Boys, where 69 contestants had to repetitively demonstrate the same choreography until they passed out. It was one of the cruelest survival shows that I have ever seen in my life. Not only was the contestants jumping through firey hoops(just kidding), the judges or guiders had harsh critiques on all the contestants; the cast of judges placed questionable statements towards the performance of certain contestants. The judges were more condescendingly insulting than actually giving beneficial feedback or calls of improvement; k-netizens have also noticed how the judges seem racist towards a particular contestant, who was half black. Enraged netizens were up in arms about the horrible mistreatment the contestants had endured; the insults from the "Guiders" only added more gasoline to the flames, increasing the anger of the audience/netizens alot more than needed. The "Guiders" or judges were Lee Seung Gi, Daesung, Choi Youngjoon, Hanhae, Kwon Eun Bi, Hui, Eric, and Yoon; this was an all-star cast panel, who have experienced harsh treatment in the KPOP industry, yet here they are doing the same exact mistreatment, which the judges experienced themselves, unto the contestants. The phrase "hurt people hurt people" comes to mind in this situation. If you have watched the survival show, then you'll feel alot of unnecessary uneasiness; obviously, I bet the cast had to create these controversial incidents to boost ratings and grab everyone's attention. The negativity shown on the survival show "turned heads" and grabbed the attention of the KPOP community, but in a dispicable way. Mistreatment is bad publicity, but still is publicity. iQIYI must be raking in a hefty amount of profit from all of this bad publicity!

Anyways, Polarix's debut was mostly incomplete. I think it could be that the album was described as a Chinese album; however, 3 out of the 4 tracks contained within the album were actually in Korean/English. This can be seen as false advertising because fans were expecting a chinese album from the very beginning.

Definately, Polarix has mesmerizing studio-recorded vocals and visuals; however, the negatives outweighed the positives for the duration of their debut. The survival show "Starlight Boys" received a ton of backlash, which bled into their debut; in my opinion, the backlash was well deserved and warranted. There was no need to put the contestants in harrowing trials and harrassment. Currently, I am wondering whether or not their label "Idol Youth Entertainment" is doing the bare minimum or simply doesn't care about Polarix's debut period. Is this group going to shine as bright as the star of Polaris or will they simply burn out and fade into the shadows? We simply don't know. What we do know is that all 69 of those survival show contestants might have wasted their time and energy participating in a failing KPOP group. Basically, Polarix was set up for failure, not through the faults of the members of Polarix, but of the fault of the producers and managing departments of Polarix. From my observations, Polarix is being side-lined and neglected by their own label.

Update(6/28/2025): Within the rumormill, Lee Jun Hyuk was accused of financially exploiting his ex-girlfriend. He issued an apology after the accusations. As of right now, there are no official statements that confirm anything. This only adds more fuel to the dumpster fire, which best describes their debut period. With that being said, is this group going to flop or is it worth salvaging an already sinking ship? The backlash towards the survival show only damaged the groups debut. A member being accused of such an heinous activity only degrades the reputation and image of Polarix. Are we witnessing a slow burn towards disbandment? Personally, I have no clue, but if there is smoke, then there is fire. Right?

Score Calculation:

Total Accumulated Score: 4.1/19
4.1 Divided By 19 = 0.215789474
0.215789474 Multiplied By 100 = 21.578947368
Final Score: 21.5%

I'm guessing that you are scratching your head in confusion right about now. You may be saying to yourself that (G)I-DLE aren't rookies. Yes, you are 100% correct! So, why am I reviewing a non-rookie group in a rookie blog? A simple answer is that (G)I-DLE rebranded their name to "i-dle". It may not seem much for removing "(G)" from "(G)I-DLE"; however, searching for the group online within different websites and repositories have a completely different result now. As well as different search results for this group, they have garnered alot of praise, yet there is a sector of their fandom, who have negative opinions about this rebranded debut. Overall, the group's algorithm has changed for the better or worse. I consider rebranded groups as a brand new debut because rebranded groups are no longer associated or recognized as their previous name; international fans may be flustered or befuddled by the name change, which is understandable since fans are accustomed with the original brand name. A rebranded group name can also spell disaster to loyal fans because it may not resonate with them at all; through the process of rebranding, the group may lose fans and also gain new ones, depending on whether the direction of the group suits their fan's desires. A loss of fans and revenue is part of the consequences of rebranding; however, since i-dle is popular and famous, it may not affect them as much as "nugu" groups, who have rebranded. Usually, rebranding is like rolling a dice and the consequences varies from different circumstances. It is strange to me that a successful group such as (G)I-DLE would rebrand since they are popular amongst the KPOP community and the name is pretty much cemented or seen as a permanent "household" brand into the history of KPOP. With that being said, we need to figure out the reasoning behind an iconic group's sudden name change. Although most rebranding is due to the change of concept, direction, aesthetics, et cetera, in this particular situation, this group did not necessarily have to go through this transformative process. They've already attained success and popularity; with a name change, it is mainly an odd decision to make since their careers are far from being failures; the company Cube Entertainment isn't in any "hot water" as well. The true reason for their rebranding is of speculative and conspiratorial nature; they've announced the reasons publicly; however, I don't whole-heartedly believe in what they've presented.

There are only speculations and rumors of the true reasoning behind their rebranding; the best place to start looking is into (G)I-DLE's past history and within a special trailer: i-dle - for (G). First of all, we need to talk about their former sixth member Soojin. On March 4, 2021, Soojin was forced to go on a hiatus due to bullying allegations; within the same year, Soojin left (G)I-DLE. On March 5, 2022, Soojin's exclusive contract with Cube Entertainment was terminated. Around the fall of 2022, there was no evidence of Soojin ever bullying anyone. Personally, I believe that Soojin is the key reason behind the rebranding of (G)I-DLE. The fanbase of (G)I-DLE were clamoring on and on about Soojin returning to the group since she was proven to be innocent; however, there was no real response from (G)I-DLE themselves. There was more evasion than direct conversation about Soojin returning to (G)I-DLE. The trailer "For (G)" is the actual real response to the fans of Soojin; through this particular trailer, they have removed the "(G)" in their name; the implied or esoteric meaning of this was to start a new journey without Soojin. The "For (G)" trailer was simply a farewell to Soojin. The trailer was also an answer to (G)I-DLE's fandom, who were begging (G)I-DLE to bring Soojin back to the group. It is pretty clear now that they don't want Soojin back. The delusional fans or "delulus" must be flaring at the nostrils right now as we speak; these "die-hard" Soojin fans must have stormed out of the fandom without hesitation. The true fans of (G)I-DLE stayed and cherished the transformation to "i-dle"; however, I know that certain parts of their fandom must be infuriated with the name change and opted out of their fandom. The whole point of this rebranding is to change their path without Soojin because the (G)I-DLE brand died with Soojin. The trailer "For (G)" was a funeral procession and a celebration to a new future of i-dle. Like any funerals, it is sorrowful; however, eventually, people need to move on to a different path and live their lives without their deceased loved one. Throughout this rebranding, I felt sympathetic towards Soojin because the "For (G)" trailer was somewhat a final nail in the coffin, a closure for her and fans. I personally believe Soojin must have certainly cried for weeks watching this trailer because this was the final separation between her and i-dle; I'd be devastated watching my own funeral for all to see. I hope Soojin is in a good state of mind and has recovered from this "divorce".

Anyways, let's talk about their rebranded debut. It's a catchy song as always and knowing this group's track record, they will definately slay the charts and many more. A group dedicated to their craft will always succeed. I-dle has shown time and time again that they are the victors in the KPOP arena. Even with a rebranded name, they can adapt and bring forth a great discography; their album is called "We Are" and brings in a fabolous pop rock vibe, which is fun and daring.

Additionally, i-dle did create a second mini-album to celebrate their seventh anniversary called "We Are i-dle", which recreated their classic hits as (G)I-DLE. These classic hits are re-recordings without the vocals of Soojin. This anniversary mini-album somewhat adds salt to the wounds of Soojin if you think deeply about it. I wonder sometimes if there are other reasons of not accepting Soojin back in the group besides the "bullying allegations" that no one has heard of yet. Unfortunately, we'll never really know the true reason except for the fabricated/manufactured reasons of Soojin's departure. KPOP conspiracy theorists have also thought that their "For (G)" trailer was predictive programming; in other words, they thought Soojin was going to have a "staged" death or a fake incident that causes her to vanish from the KPOP industry. As of right now, the conspiracy theories are wrong because Soojin is alive and well; apparently, she is vlogging her vacations to foreign countries. Here's Soojin's channel: SOOJIN's Channel. Hopefully, the conspiracy theories of predictive programming is false. Please keep a close eye on Soojin!

Anyways, (G)I-DLE, like always, will capture everyone's attention. Another fact to remember is that each member of i-dle are millionaires, so they are leaps and bounds ahead of other k-idols in terms of economic success. Cube Entertainment has always pumped out negative publicity or questionable promotional content, which often grabs or captures the KPOP community by droves. It is well known that drama and conflict attracts KPOP fans. In this case, it is controversial for I-DLE to abandon their sister Soojin, who has shown that she was innocent. To offer some sort of advice to distressed Soojin fans, it is best to just support Soojin's new path without I-dle; bluntly, I believe Soojin will not be joining i-dle anytime soon or ever. If this drama is not a big deal to you and you simply couldn't care less about Soojin's existence, then you might as well support I-dle in their new endeavors.

Score Calculation:

Debut Score: 19.8
Comeback Score: NA
Search Accumulation Score: 64M+36M+36M+22M+17M= 175M = 17.5/?
Debut + Comeback + Search Accumulation Score = Total Accumulated Score
19.8 + NA + 17.5 = 37.3
Total Accumulated Score: 37.3/19
37.3 Divided By 19 = 1.963157895
1.963157895 Multiplied By 100 = 196.315789474
Final Score: 196.3%

UDTT is a "Really Really" underrated group. I'm completely satisfied after observing their entire debut, especially their Pre-Debut "Re-Try". Truly, I have no real complaints about this group; however, there's one main controversy that needs to be cleared up.

The only real concern that I have is that their original member Jung Sena mysteriously left the group, which was a shock to me since she's super talented. As a substitute, "Jessica" took her place as the fifth member; Chinese fans will recognize her as Lu Yuting, which is her birthname. Jessica was rumored to debut in other groups; however, she ended up debuting with UDTT. I hope SW Entertainment addresses the fiasco someday soon because other companies such as Shinwha Entertainment is accusing SW Entertainment of illegally hiring Jessica. Honestly, I'm truly confused. Why was Jessica involved in multiple companies in the first place? From what I've read about Jessica, she was supposed to debut in "I.Met.U" and "E11iVyn". If you look at her track record, then you will also notice that she was part of a chinese girl group: "Is Girl". She is jumping from group to group like she is playing Hopscotch. Literally, no one can do what she is doing without any type of monetary influence; in other words, there could be deals behind closed doors on Jessica's behalf to ensure her career position. What was the point of survival shows, such as "Time Turner" and "Chuang Asia Thailand", when you can simply pay a hefty amount of money for any position in a debuting girl group? Doesn't paying for a position in a girl group defeat the purpose of participating in a survival show? Simply, she is able to randomly pick and choose what group she can debut in without hesitation. There's something suspicious about all these events ocurring and that's why SW Entertainment needs to publicly address what has transpired. If I took the moment to explain all of this to a KPOP fan, then they would be confused as well.

Overall, UDTT is a strong k-idol group with a surprising withdrawal of a member and a suspicious member joining their debut. This stuff doesn't just write itself or does it?

Score Calculation:

Debut Score: 17.15
Comeback Score: NA
Search Accumulation Score: 840K+382K+280K+111K+68K= 1.6M = .16/?
Debut + Comeback + Search Accumulation Score = Total Accumulated Score
17.15 + NA + .16 = 17.31
Total Accumulated Score: 17.31/19
17.31 Divided By 19 = 0.911052632
0.911052632 Multiplied By 100 = 91.105263158
Final Score: 91.1%

As I was glancing through social media, I stumbled upon VVS. At first glance, the promotional images showed each member's visuals, which were similar to EXID, yet gives off a "Kiss of Life" vibe. After watching their debut, it didn't actually feel like EXID, nor "Kiss of Life"; however, I felt like I was watching footage of 3YE, a girl group that disbanded around the end of 2024. Certain netizens called VVS "bargain-bin MEOVV", which I totally disagreed to since their style is not even close to MEOVV. The best way to describe this group is a dark version of Young Posse or 3YE. The music video displayed insurmountable scenes of violence from the beginning to the end; this has to be the most violent kpop music video that I have watched for a long time. Actually, I can't remember or recall any music video in South Korea displaying this much violence, except for Boy's Republic - Get Down. I think there were k-idol music videos with boxing scenes, but it doesn't go as far as VVS "smoking" their enemies. I'm glad that none of the members said "Say hello to my little friend" before spraying their opponents with lead. The violent concept or "John Wick" concept is pretty much catering to adult males; this is not me being misandric or being prejudice; however, it is known that males enjoy this kind of bloody, action-packed scenes jam-packed with violence. Generally speaking, females tend to not stick around when there's excessive amounts of violence. All of this violence found in their music video and/or content may restrict them from being publicly shown on television stations and music showcases; I've heard that there are specific and strict criterion for any music video to be aired on Korean Broadcast stations/channels. That being said, VVS may be too explicit to be shown on these television broadcasting channels. Anyways, their rapping is rapid fire. I'd say that they are contenders for the best Spring 2025 kpop rappers, but I think it may be too early to make that judgement. There was alot of attention to detail within their fighting scenes; it is almost like the fighting choreography was produced specifically for a Jackie Chan or a Jet Li movie. With that being said, VVS's music video has the best pyrotechnics and fighting choreography in KPOP to date.

VVS's Tea was a cinematic wonder with phenomenal action sequences; I've never observed a full-fledged, action-packed, mini-movie for a K-pop idol group in this fashion ever. Although the cinematics of the music video was grandiose and professionally produced, I felt partially in favor of their dance choreography and visual performances. Overall, VVS's visualizations were mainly average in quality. The dance choreography didn't have any notable signature moves, nor any climactic sequences of dance moves that would set my heart racing. Not only was their dancing average, but their visuals was average as well. Unfortunately, VVS's fashion was unremarkable and dreary; it could also be that their fashion was chosen for performance only, dismissing quality altogether. The overall presentation almost felt like it melted into the background, only leaving behind a silhouette of their performance. Ultimately, nothing stood out that felt bold or striking; it felt blurry, almost leaving me dazed and confused.

The discography of VVS is mostly Hip Hop and R&B. It was a fairly good listen; however, it may be controversial if you pay close attention to the lyrics. The track that I enjoyed the most was "D.I.M.M."(Diamonds In My Mouth), which is the most controversial track; their rapping style reminds me of an underground rapper from South Korea named "Ash B". Ash B had rapid-fire lyrical rap verses with a unique explicit/hardcore/gangster swag. Each member of VVS are like mini-Ash B clones because of their attitude and swag. From my analysis, VVS can probably compete in "Unpretty Rapstar" and be the winner when it comes to rap prowess/battling. Well, only if "Unpretty Rapstar" ever returns in modern times.

Now, let's talk about the controversial lyrics of Tea and the other songs in the discography. Actually, you might need to sit down for this. The lyrics aren't appropriate for younger audiences because of all the sexual innuendos snuck into the songs; combined with the sexual innuendos, the lyrics are also promoting capitalistic and materialistic ideas surrounding transactional relations. Most KPOP fans will dismiss or ignore the sexual innuendos because fans and viewers are mostly focused or fixated on the instrumentals, choreography, visuals, and rapid fire rapping. Plus, most KPOP fans will say that VVS has the freedom or right to rap/sing about any topic that they desire. I totally agree with this sentiment; however, it really depends on the conditions. Although the members of VVS may be as young as 15 years old, I encourage k-idols to speak/rap/sing about anything that they desire; even if what they say is controversial, they have the right to say it. That being said, you may find it disgusting that minors are singing about sexual innuendos and violence. This may be off-putting for those, especially adults, who actually read the lyrics. In other words, it comes off as despicable for minors to sing about situations that certain adults go through. Minors singing about sexual innuendos are unbelievable and makes them look like liars in a way since they haven't actually experienced any of the lyrics that they have rapped about. Overall, VVS's lyrics are perceived as disingenuous or insincere. This doesn't discredit them from their mastery and skillfulness in rapping; rather, I'm simply stating that k-idols should sing/rap/speak about their experiences instead of the lyricist's experience. Anyways, the lyrics are the sole responsibility of their label; VVS's label intentionally gave minors questionable lyrics, which would be suited only for adults. I don't think the blame should be pointed at the members, but to the label that allowed inappropriate lyrics. At the end of the day, no one will notice the raunchy lyrics, so I'm simply speaking into deaf ears at this point. Again, everyone has the right to speak their mind, even if their ideas are grotesque or unacceptable; however, whatever they speak to the public do have consequences, so it is best to think and consider if the things that are said aren't things to be regretted in the future.

To close off this blog, I forgot to mention that "VVS" means "Very Very Slightly" in terms of grading diamond quality. When you use "VVS" to describe a diamond's quality, then you are basically saying that the diamond quality is not perfect, nor imperfect. "VVS" means right in the middle of quality, a balance of imperfection and perfection. Basically, VVS is implicitly telling their audience that they aren't in a state of perfection or imperfection, but in a state of balance. It's an interesting meaning of the group. Anyways, if you like sipping on "Tea", then you'll love the balanced rapping style of VVS.

Score Calculation:

Debut Score: 15.7
Comeback Score: NA
Search Accumulation Score: 285K+708K+1M+1.8M+2M= 1.7M+1M+1M+2M= 5.7M = .57/?
Debut + Comeback + Search Accumulation Score = Total Accumulated Score
15.7 + NA + .57 = 16.27
Total Accumulated Score: 16.27/19
16.27 Divided By 19 = 0.856315789
0.856315789 Multiplied By 100 = 85.631578947
Final Score: 85.6%

AWIN wants #Cheese, but we all ended up with #MoldyCheese; AWIN's debut wasn't good. If your pupils are dilated or you have formed cataracts in your eyes, then you will still notice the cheap production of the music video. Often, I'm shocked on how entertainment companies cut corners or find shortcuts to dodge production costs, but it makes sense if your company is on a tight budget. Cheap music video production is usually a sign that the company doesn't want to heavily invest in the group because they have no confidence in the group producing a return on investment. Another reason could be that the company is at the verge of bankruptcy. K-pop could very well be in some recession with the production of low quality music videos. With that being said, it is important to note that the members of AWIN do have some say in the production cost; there are certain contracts that have the members either pay the cost or split the cost to produce the music video. Contracts in the Entertainment Industry in South Korea do tend to differ from western companies, so I wouldn't be surprised if the members weren't confident in dishing out a pile of money for their debut. Also, it should be noted that the company could be going frugal in its expenses, which is usually the case for new or upcoming entertainment companies. It wasn't an entirely awful debut. The members do display somewhat of a good presentation at specific moments in their showcase; for example, each member had some kind of "signature turn" or an "entrance introductory move", which is something used in choreography to show visibility to the members. Other than these "signature turns", overall, I wasn't impressed. Within the lyrics, there's this "Wae Wae Wae Wae" and "Way Way Way Way" that sounded forced into the song, almost like these lyrics were added in at last minute to add "catchiness" to the song. Rather, it made me roll my eyes in a "way way way way" bitter way. The vocals of the members sound coarse, over-used, and drained; it is like the members of AWIN ran a marathon or jogged on a treadmill before their debut recordings. J-Star Entertainment did provide us with APEX(Formerly Like A Movie), which I appreciate; however, AWIN's debut was subpar. Was AWIN's debut a win or a lose? It's up to you to decide.

Score Calculation:

Total Accumulated Score: 10.1/19
10.1 Divided By 19 = 0.531578947
0.531578947 Multiplied By 100 = 53.157894737
Final Score: 53.1%

Before NEEZ debuted, they did about a years worth of busking. You can search all their busking videos on different social media platforms. All of their showcases and promotional content were held in Japan; as a result, barely anyone in South Korea has heard of this group. After digging for more information about this group, I found out their company. *DRUM ROLL PLEASE* The company for this group is no other than Startree Entertainment, who has a track record of creating mediocre or sub-par groups in the KPOP industry. If you think that this is an awesome company, then please show me anything that's admirable or praiseworthy that came out of this company. So far, they've disappointed me multiple times.

Anyways, the member that sparked conversations around the internet was "g_me", who is biologically a female. I heard about this rumor from a japanese kpop fan; after hearing this, I immediately started watching their buskings last year. It was hard to believe at first, but after watching a ton of their buskings, I could kind of piece it together. You wouldn't have noticed if someone hadn't told you. To be honest, I was completely deceived. This whole time, I thought "g_me" was male. Mainly, it is the power of haircuts, cosmetics, and fashion. With a creative mind, stylists can turn anyone into any gender or anything.

If you check out their showcases in Japan and their buskings, then you'll notice right away that they aren't good at performances. You can see alot of mistakes. There are many times that they could not execute moves properly. As well as poor movement execution, NEEZ are not synchronized with one another. That's a huge red flag that they don't try to criticize each member's moves, change and tweak errors in movements, or improve any moves within their choreography. One of the members also looks exhausted in many of the buskings; this is a sign of stamina issues. Within their performances, it is easy to spot moves that look half-a$$ed or partially done.

The visuals are subpar as well. It doesn't take a fashionista to spot unmatching and incohesive clothing. Overall, their visuals didn't suit them at all.

As a conclusion, this debut was sub-par. Everytime I hear of the company Startree Entertainment, it always makes me want to curl up in a ball and puts me in a state of depression because everything that this company has released so far has been far below the standards of KPOP.

Update(April 26, 2025): NEEZ disbanded. I knew this would happen! The writing was on the wall! Look at what happened to T:EV's debut. It was awful as well. It is better to sneeze than to "NEEZ" as well as to keep your knees than to witness "NEEZ".

Score Calculation:

Total Accumulated Score: 6.23/19
6.23 Divided By 19 = 0.327894737
0.327894737 Multiplied By 100 = 32.789473684
Final Score: 32.7%

🟑MOST VIEWED🟑

🟔AHOF(아홉) - Rendezvous(그곳에서 다시 만나기로 해)🟔

[Views: 30,562,364] *Date: 10/22/2025*

🟑MOST LIKED🟑

🟔CORTIS🟔[Likes: 2.1 Million] *Date: 10/22/2025*

🟑MOST COMMENTED🟑

🟔AHOF🟔[Comments: 144,928]

🟑SEARCH ACCUMULATION SCORE🟑

🟔KickFlip🟔[Search Accumulation Score: 79.2 Million]

Examination of Popular Music Videos and Clips
⇨Views/Likes/Comments/Search Accumulation From 10/22/2025 ⇦

⬗IN A MINUTE
[Views:1.39M][Likes:3.1K+428+853+480+434=3.1K+2.1K=5.2K][478+NA+224+77+54=833 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: 1.1M+.16M+.08M+.03M+.02M=1.39M=.139/?

⬗KickFlip
[Views:79.2M][Likes:248K+346K+102K+47K+123K=866K][14,024+20,137+6,665+5,245+4,807=50878 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: 26.7M+17.8M+14.3M+11.3M+9.1M= 79.2M= 7.92/?

⬗IDID
[Views:10.6M][Likes:17K+20K+2.4K+5.4K+4.7K=49.5K][1,629+1,473+2,156+226+255=5739 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: 3.2M+3.2M+2.4M+.97M+.83M=10.6M=1.06/?

⬗W3WAY
[Views:290K][Likes:4.3K+3.8K+125+398+265=4.3K+3.8K+.7K=8.8K][161+58+136+27+6=388 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: .11M+.08M+.02M+.06M+.02M=0.29M= .029/?

⬗DNA
[Views:70K][Likes:2.4K+1.2K+362+59+NA=2.4K+1.2K+.4K=4K][485+85+8+384+NA=962 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: .04M+.009M+.001M+.02M+NA=0.07M= .007/?

⬗iii
[Views:880K][Likes:8K+2K+1K+729+565=8K+2K+1K+1.2K=12.2K][868+241+30+111+99=1349 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: .7M+.08M+.06M+.02M+.02M= 0.88M = .088/?

⬗Cortis
[Views:66.2M][Likes:862K+624K+169K+348K+114K=2.1M][46,398+24,815+1,048+12,708+1,102=86071 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: 21.6M+14.7M+11.1M+10.8M+8M= 66.2M = 6.62/?

⬗NR(Noise x R.ef)
[Views:1.48M][Likes:3.3K+1.3K+2K+1.3K+1.5K=9.4K][578+NA+262+221+478=1539 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: .55M+.31M+.31M+.19M+.12M=1.48M=.148/?

⬗TDYA
[Views:1.18M][Likes:3.7K+4.2K+4.6K+3.3K+2.3K=18.1K][497+291+198+191+NA=1177 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: .27M+.29M+.26M+.24M+.12M= 1.18M = .118/?

⬗AtHeart
[Views:34.4M][Likes:50K+21K+4.9K+7.2K+24K=107.1K][2,733+2,048+507+383+1,526=7197 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: 15.9M+10.4M+3.9M+2.2M+2M= 34.4M= 3.44/?

⬗Diva-X
[Views:71.7K][Likes:1.8K+987+117+376+299=1.8K+1.7K=3.5K][238+100+NA+43+60=441 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: 29,880+13,310+12,627+8,681+7,243= 71741= .07M = .007/?

⬗RE:WIND
[Views:1.02M][Likes:1.5K+3.5K+312+207+853=1.5K+3.5K+1.3K=6.3K][138+322+36+18+112=626 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: .91M+.08M+.01M+.01M+.01M= 1.02M = .102/?

⬗N.TOP
[Views:122K][Likes:1.8K+110+319+380+84=1.8K+.8K=2.6K][177+3+50+35+3=268 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: .1M+.008M+.006M+.004M+.004M= 0.122M = .0122/?

⬗KiiiKiii
[Views:46.3M][Likes:391K+59K+107K+63K+116K=736K][23,724+265+6,258+2,203+7,004=39454 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: 15.1M+12M+10.2M+5.4M+3.6M= 46.3M = 4.63/?

⬗NEWBEAT
[Views:4.03M][Likes:21K+2.8K+1.1K+17K+2.3K=44.2K][1,725+222+87+235+123=2392 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: 1.2M+1M+.7M+.62M+.51M= 4.03M= .403/?

⬗ManWolHwa
[Views:10.6K][Likes:152+81+7+16+4=260][4+1+1+14+1=21 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: 4,018+2,640+1,752+1,229+1,038= 10677 = .01M = .001/?

⬗Rekirem
[Views:370K][Likes:5.2K+251+161+319+239=5.2K+.9K=6.1K][854+NA+NA+48+44=946 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: .31M+.02M+.02M+.01M+.01M= 0.37M = .037/?

⬗Sentimental Squad
[Views:5.7K][Likes:107+9+46+23+21=206][15+NA+2+2+8=27 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: 2,138+1,941+841+601+197=5718 = .005M = .0005/?

⬗SonEJiU
[Views:680K][Likes:1.2K+1.7K+5.3K+1.2K+333=9.4K+.3K=9.7K][148+270+148+NA+145=711 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score:.18M+.15M+.13M+.12M+.1M= 0.68M= .068/?

⬗SevenToEight
[Views:13.69M][Likes:38K+11K+1.8K+1.8K+1.2K=53.8K][2,427+1,687+115+114+84=4427 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: 9.4M+3.1M+.43M+.39M+.37M= 13.69M=1.369/?

⬗4x4
[Views:160K][Likes:1.2K+1.1K+1K+801+896=1.2K+1.1K+1K+1.6K=4.9K][91+43+107+49+93=383 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: .07M+.03M+.02M+.02M+.02M= 0.16M = .016/?

⬗1verse
[Views:1.04M][Likes:3.2K+35K+28K+1.3K+8.6K=76.1K][NA+5,070+3,163+NA+859=9092 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: .35M+.22M+.2M+.14M+.13M= 1.04M=.104/?

⬗ifeye
[Views:28.4M][Likes:85K+71K+23K+10K+28K=217K][15,742+17,972+6,589+516+763=41582 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score:12.3M+11.5M+1.9M+1.5M+1.2M =28.4M=2.84/?

⬗CrazAngel
[Views:600K][Likes:4.8K+262+541+279+700=4.8K+1.7K=6.5K][471+25+85+9+59=649 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: .44M+.09M+.04M+.02M+.01M=.6M=.06/?

⬗NOWZ
[Views:38.6M][Likes:19K+50K+51K+5.2K+52K=177.2K][1,894+1,530+1,327+302+311=5364 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: 11.7M+10.6M+6.6M+6.4M+3.3M=38.6M=3.86/?

⬗Close Your Eyes
[Views:51.92M][Likes:94K+68K+23K+24K+9.5K=218.5K][9,987+6,582+1,528+4,291+437=22825 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: 24.5M+24.1M+1.3M+1.1M+.92M= 51.92M=5.192/?

⬗HITGS
[Views:28.8M][Likes:12K+16K+21K+8.7K+98K=155.7K][1,399+950+1,374+709+1,982 =6414 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score:10.1M+7.2M+4.4M+3.3M+3.8M =28.8M =2.88/?

⬗AHOF
[Views:43.4M][Likes:202K+146K+15K+70K+61K=494K][100,464+22,262+334+5,819+16,049=144928 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: 30.5M+5.4M+3.1M+2.6M+1.8M=43.4M=4.34/?

🟑MOST VIEWED🟑

[Views:64,383,423] *Date: 7/25/2025*

🟔i-dle - Good Thing🟔

🟑MOST LIKED🟑

[Likes:2.1 Million] *Date: 7/25/2025*

🟔i-dle🟔

🟑MOST COMMENTED🟑

[Comments:136,112] *Date: 7/25/2025*

🟔Hearts2Hearts🟔

🟑SEARCH ACCUMULATION SCORE🟑
*Date: 7/25/2025*
Search Accumulation Score: 64M+36M+36M+22M+17M= 175Million = 17.5/?

🟔i-dle🟔

Examination of Music Videos(Data Calculations)
⇨Views/Likes/Comments/Search Accumulation From *7/25/2025* ⇦

⬗NouerA

[Views:13.2M][Likes:12K+23K+1.5K+6.5K+5K= 48K][1553+2634+138+388+242= 4955 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: 7M+4.1M+815K+756K+545K= 11.1M+2.1M= 13.2M = 1.32/?

⬗ALLDAY Project
[Views:61.1M][Likes:NA+NA+81K+147K+167K= 395K][33164+7240+277+6465+5090= 52236 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: 30M+13M+9.2M+4.8M+4.1M= 61.1M = 6.11/?

⬗Baby DONT Cry
[Views:46.2M][Likes:81K+34K+88K+17K+5.6K= 225.6K][4541+1946+3447+760+40= 10734 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: 27M+11M+6.5M+1.1M+621K= 45.6M+.6M= 46.2M = 4.62/?

⬗Diva-X
[Views:NA][Likes:NA][NA Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: 9.1K+5.2K+5K+5K+2.3K= 26.6K = Not Enough

⬗Hearts2Hearts
[Views:100M][Likes:123K+540K+681K+80K+224K= 1.6M][1299+57686+69737+1461+5929= 136112 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: 32M+24M+24M+10M+10M= 100M = 10/?

⬗Be Boys
[Views:1M][Likes:549+3.8K+312+822+90= 3.8K+1.7K= 5.5K][38+354+16+78+NA= 486 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: 733K+221K+30K+13K+8.1K= 1005.1 = 1M = .1/?

⬗Bangtan Pink
[Views:NA][Likes:NA][NA Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: 27K+NA+NA+NA+NA= 27K = Not Enough

⬗XONIK
[Views:NA][Likes:NA][NA Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: 28K+11K+4.5K+1.7K+1.6K= 46.8K = Not Enough

⬗XLOV
[Views:15M][Likes:262K+203K+66K+31K+93K= 655K][15858+9368+NA+NA+2762= 27988 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: 5.3M+3.3M+3.2M+1.8M+1.4M= 15M = 1.5/?

⬗Double 0ne
[Views:NA][Likes:NA][NA Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: 71K+39K+32K+28K+23K = 193K = Not Enough

⬗IN A MINUTE
[Views:NA][Likes:NA][NA Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: 9.6K+5K+3.7K+3.1K+3.3K= 24.7K = Not Enough

⬗USPEER
[Views:6M][Likes:NA+1.9K+NA+1.1K+6.5K= 9.5K][1259+143+157+10+702= 2271 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: 5.2M+337K+168K+159K+146K= 5.2M+.8M= 6M = .6/?

⬗HITGS
[Views:15.9M][Likes:14K+20K+96K+4K+4.6K= 138.6K][872+1353+1946+NA+366= 4537 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: 7.2M+4.3M+3.6M+460K+348K= 15.1M+.8M= 15.9M = 1.59/?

⬗XD
[Views:NA][Likes:NA][NA Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: 17K+11K+11K+4.8K+3.6K= 47.4K = Not Enough

⬗Kiiras
[Views:11.1M][Likes:62K+35K+21K+4.7K+14K= 136.7K][16276+2118+1361+310+1401= 21466 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: 7.2M+1.9M+1.4M+443K+189K= 10.5M+.6M= 11.1M= 1.11/?

⬗Polarix
[Views:NA][Likes:NA][NA Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: 74K+55K+38K+34K+34K= 235K = Not Enough

⬗KickFlip
[Views:68.1M][Likes:242K+342K+95K+119K+21K= 819K][13809+20053+6267+4763+733= 45625 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: 26M+17M+13M+8.9M+3.2M= 68.1M = 6.81/?

⬗LADYBOUNCE
[Views:NA][Likes:NA][NA Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: 70K+14K+9.9K+9.4K+6.2K= 109.5K = Not Enough

⬗i-dle
[Views:175M][Likes:441K+397K+469K+350K+493K= 2.1M][30692+21187+14103+10268+21206= 97456 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: 64M+36M+36M+22M+17M= 175M = 17.5/?

⬗Sikkoo
[Views:5.2M][Likes:5.6K+15K+7.5K+19K+13K= 60.1K][120+15+554+782+859= 2330 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: 215K+267K+434K+765K+3.6M= 2.2M+3M= 5.2M = .52/?

⬗UDTT
[Views:1.6M][Likes:4.3K+11K+5.1K+365+405=21.1K][376+715+460+24+NA=1575 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: 840K+382K+280K+111K+68K= 1.6M = .16/?

⬗OSDS
[Views:NA][Likes:NA][NA Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: 7.7K+15K+25K+27K+298K= 372.7K = Not Enough

⬗VVS
[Views:5.7M][Likes:12K+11K+2.3K+9.6K+24K=58.9K][244+640+190+661+1426=3161 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: 285K+708K+1M+1.8M+2M= 1.7M+1M+1M+2M= 5.7M = .57/?

⬗ifeye
[Views:24.2M][Likes:141.3K][40700 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: 11M+10M+1.3M+1.1M+809K= 23M + 1.2M = 24.2M = 2.42/?

⬗Close Your Eyes
[Views:48.7M][Likes:199.9K][20505 Comments]
Search Accumulation Score: 24M+22M+1.1M+907K+714K= 24M+22M+1M+1.7M = 48.7M = 4.87/?

🟑MOST VIEWED🟑

[Views:25M]

🟔KickFlip - Mama Said🟔

🟑MOST LIKED🟑

[Likes:608K]

🟔Hearts2Hearts - The Chase🟔

🟑MOST COMMENTED🟑

[Comments:60,926]

🟔Hearts2Hearts - The Chase🟔

🟑SEARCH ACCUMULATION SCORE🟑

[Search Accumulation Score: 55.4M]

🟔KickFlip - Mama Said🟔

Examination of Music Videos
⇨Views/Likes/Comments/Search Accumulation From 4/22/2025⇦
[Group:Re:Wind][Views:68K][Likes:2.5K][207 Comments](Debut Date: March 28, 2025)
Search Accumulation Score: 68K+NA+NA+NA+NA= 68K
[Group:M.Prism][Views:39K][Likes:1.7K][377 Comments](Debut Date: March 28, 2025)
Search Accumulation Score: 38K+34K+38K+18K+17K= 145K
[Group:KiiiKiii][Views:2.5M][Likes:99K][6,674 Comments](Debut Date: March 24, 2025)
Search Accumulation Score: 11M+5.2M+2.6M+2.5M+1.6M= 22.9M
[Group:NewBeat][Views:1.1M][Likes:16K][1,429 Comments](Debut Date: March 24, 2025)
Search Accumulation Score: 1.1M+1M+507K+446K+357K= 3.4M
[Group:3WAY][Views:77k][Likes:3.5k][116 Comments](Debut Date: February 27, 2025)
Search Accumulation Score: 77K+38K+22K+19K+14K= 170K
[Group:Nouera][Views:4M][Likes:21K][2,468 Comments](Debut Date: February 26, 2025)
Search Accumulation Score: 4M+727K+492K+420K+396K= 6M
☑[Group:Hearts2Hearts][Views:17M][Likes:608K][60,926 Comments](DEBUT DATE: February 24, 2025)☑
☑Search Accumulation Score: 17M+17M+6.9M+5.8M+2.2M= 48.9M☑
[Group:Awin][Views:12K][Likes:1K][235 Comments](Debut Date: February 16, 2025)
Search Accumulation Score: 21K+12K+5.3K+2.6K+2.3K= 43.2K
☑[Group:KickFlip][Views:25M][Likes:231K][13,465 Comments](DEBUT DATE: January 20, 2025)☑
☑Search Accumulation Score: 25M+16M+8.5M+3.1M+2.8M= 55.4M☑
[Group:Hoyoung Label][Views:516K][Likes:5.6K][759 Comments](Debut Date: January 16, 2025)
Search Accumulation Score: 1.5M+1.1M+282K+248K+116K= 3.2M
[Group:XLOV][Views:2.3M][Likes:162K][8,677 Comments](Debut Date: January 7, 2025)
Search Accumulation Score: 2.3M+1.2M+1.1M+645K+486K= 5.7M
Debuts with No Music Video:
[Group:Rekirem][Views:][Likes:] NA(Debut Date: March 24, 2025)
Search Accumulation Score: 3.4K+3.1K+2.4K+2.1K+3.8K= 14.8K
[Group:In A Minute][Views:][Likes:] NA(Debut Date: March 15, 2025)
Search Accumulation Score: = 218K+50K+16K+9.7K+9.9K= 303.6K
[Group:ManWolHwa][Views:][Likes:] NA(Debut Date: February 23, 2025)
Search Accumulation Score: = 5.3K+1.5K+2.2K+NA+NA= 9K
[Group:NEEZ][Views:][Likes:] NA(Debut Date: February 15, 2025)
Search Accumulation Score: = 1K+NA+NA+NA+NA= 1K
[Group:Hidden Glow][Views:][Likes:] NA(Debut Date: January 10, 2025)
Search Accumulation Score: = 10K+6.6K1.8K+NA+NA= 18.4K

Note: The rumors found here may not be relevant after the date mentioned on the surface of the blog tab because the KPOP industry changes rapidly.

🙊StandUp(Label:INDEPENDENT)[Rumor: A 2022 live performance group consisting of Minji, Yooseung, Yujeong, Seonga. There are rumors that they are attempting to debut.]

🙊I-CODE(Label:CNS Entertainment)[Rumor: This 4 member girl group was formed from a TikTok survival show called "Stellar Sugar".]

🙊UX1(Label:?)[Rumor: U-KISS's Kevin Woo, Hoon, And Kiseop is coming back as UX1. I'm not certain if this group will be a sub-unit or an entire rebrand? U-Kiss did say they were in an indefinate hiatus; however, Kevin Woo is back in the group. By the way, if you didn't know, Kevin Woo left U-Kiss in 2017, which was 8 years ago. I'm uncertain of what is going on...]

🙊NewJeans or NJZ REVIVAL?(Label:OOAK)[Rumor:OOAK, "Only One Always Known", is Min Heejin's newly created entertainment agency. Previously, Min Heejin was the creative director of New Jeans. I haven't been up to date with her legal battle against HYBE, but I heard that she is somewhat winning; however, NewJeans or NJZ is in alot of hot water right now because they followed Min Heejin. Hopefully, NewJeans or NJZ will end up in this newly created agency because no entertainment label is going to take in NewJeans/NJZ. The reason why many entertainment labels don't want NewJeans/NJZ is because they are afraid of the possibility of being sued by them. Is Min Heejin preparing a label just for NewJeans/NJZ? Labels are now cautious of having certain groups under their umbrella because of the backlash and controversy. We could only speculate what will happen. There are certain rumors saying that while NewJeans are busy in court/hiatus, Min Heejin will be debuting a new boy group. Although this is just merely speculation, it does help with repairing the damage done to her reputation. However, I believe this whole thing could turn upside down quick because of how everything transpired. If Min Heejin actually re-debuts NewJeans as NJZ, then this would create both positive and negative feedback amongst K-netizens. I know there is a huge divide of opinions about this whole thing, but we truly don't know what the future holds. If Min Heejin can get her shamans to revive or resurrect the NewJean/NJZ spirit, then Bunnies will be beyond appreciative; actually, the whole k-pop community would be happy. As a result of this news, there will be alot of Hybe fans against this, so expect the whole Hybe building to be talking sh*t about Min Heejin and her plans. Update(10/29/2025): Apparently, from the court ruling, New Jeans or NJZ aren't able to legally terminate their contract with ADOR/HYBE. My previous speculation from May 2025 might become a reality; unfortunately, NewJeans/NJZ may not return after 2-3+ years. Unless, of course, NewJeans/NJZ comply and obey the commands of ADOR from now on. If this is the case, then we'll be able to see NewJeans/NJZ doing activities under the terms of ADOR. Another scenario is that NewJeans/NJZ might decline working with ADOR and be on an indefinate hiatus until 2029; in other words, NewJeans/NJZ is probably going to be DUNGEONED! Although hope is lost, NewJeans/NJZ can still do a "settlement", which NewJeans/NJZ agree to pay a huge sum of money to ADOR/HYBE in order to terminate their contracts. This whole thing is still an ongoing legal process, so anything can happen. I'll try to stay up to date.]

🙊Santos Bravos(Label:S1ENTO Records/HYBE)[Rumor: Santos Bravos is a latin american boy group. Like I said before, HYBE is taking over the world with their global music. This is merely the start of HYBE being present in other countries. I will not review this group because it is a global/latin group. Here's their debut visualizer: Santos Bravos - 0%.]

🙊LATENCY(Label:Oddinary)[Rumor:K-Band? Fingerstylish(Huiyeon), Jee won(Cignature), Haeun, HyunJin(Loossemble/LOONA), and Semi. This is interesting, but I may not review.]

🙊EION(Label:WANNABE ENTERTAINMENT)[Rumor: It is rumored to be a 5 member group.]

🙊ANOHRTS(Label:J-Star Entertainment)[Rumor:5 member boy group.]

🙊ADAP(Label:FC ENM)[Rumor: "All Dreams Are Possible". 5 Member Boy Group]

🙊KAJA(Label:Sony Music Entertainment Korea)[Rumor:This is KJRGL's rebranded name. I'm not entirely certain what Sony Music Entertainment is deviously planning, but they are always trying to confuse their audience with their shenanigans. Will they actually do a Korean Debut or will they do another Japanese Debut?]

🙊?(Label:Hybe India)[Rumor:News are swirling that boy/girl groups will be springing up in India. To be honest, I think Hybe is developing a monopoly when it comes to global groups. If this starts to take off throughout the world in every country, then "Hitman" Bang Si-hyuk should be rolling in the money. Hybe is not only going to be in the "Big Four" in South Korea, but as a global leader in pop music. This may sound scary to NewJeans and their fandom Bunnies because we will see Hybe labels stamped on every music that we listen to; actually, it will give NewJeans and Bunnies a panic attack.]

🙊STEAL HEART CLUB(Label:MNET)[Rumor: This is a survival show to create a global band. Most likely, I won't be reviewing this.]

🙊LNGSHOT(Label:More Vision)[Rumor: Jay Park's label. The label is also known for their current artist, Chung Ha. Rumors say that it is a 4 Member Boy Group. The teaser images of this group is already full of attitude with all the members literally "flipping the bird" or showing their middle finger towards their audience. It already looks super edgey.]

🙊STARGLOW(Label:BMSG)[Rumor: A boy group rumored to have project 7 contestants. Moonchaser is their japanese/english pre-debut, which should be worth the listen. I will not review it.]

🙊S2iT(Label:?)[Rumor: A 5 member girl group preparing for their pre-debut.]

🙊Unpretty Rapstar : HIP POP Princess(Label:MNET)[Rumor: The result of this show is to create a global hip-hop girl group. The show premieres on October 16. The main producers are: Soyeon, Gaeko, Riehata, and Iwata Takanori.]

Current Groups:

Korea Group A - Celebrity

Japan Group A - Celebrity

Korea Group B - Escape The School

Japan Group B - Escape The School

Korea Group C - Self-Styling

Japan Group C - Self-Styling

Korea Group D - Free Youth

Japan Group D - Free Youth

🙊GOLDDUST Girl Group(Label: GOLDDUST ENTERTAINMENT)[Rumor: The girl group BEWAVE is splitting in half; both groups will still be under the same label. While Zena, Ain, and Gowoon will create a new group, Jiun, Yunseul, and Lena will stay in BEWAVE. Strange right?]

🙊nytt(Label: W.ONE Entertainment)[Rumor: nytt stands for "Not Your Typical Trainee". So far, there are 5 trainees in the group.]

🙊CIIU(Label: JYP ENTERTAINMENT AND NCC Entertainment)[Rumor: This was called Project C. It is a chinese debut, so I won't be reviewing this group.]

🙊AM8IC(Label:TOV Entertainment)[Rumor: ?]

🙊Hybe x Geffen Records New Girl Group(Label: Hybe x Geffen Records)[Rumor: Hybe x Geffen Records are creating their second global pop girl group. The line-up is rumored to be mostly established, except for certain positions. There are auditions for a japanese member. It is rumored that this group will debut in 2026 - 2027. Like I said previously, I don't review global pop groups, only kpop groups.]

🙊BOY19ER(Label: Spheres Entertainment)[Rumor: 6 Member boy group. I'm not certain of how to pronounce the name...]

🙊NTH BOYS(Not Then Boys)(Label: ?)[Rumor: Boys II Planet contestants revealed their group on August 3. A few weeks later, the group disbanded. They were going to release a pre-debut track “Not Yet” on November 15, 2025. Rumors says that the group is still going to be creating content. There's still a possibility that they are working on future projects.]

🙊Ready To nCH Trainees(Label: n.CH Entertainment)[Rumor: I'm not certain netizens know about n.CH Entertainment. They are a subsidiary of SM Entertainment, who have brought us "KKD" and "n.SSign". To be honest, I hope this new group will spark the interest of KPOP fans because this company hasn't made any noise with their current groups at all. After the disbandment of "Nature", fans jumped ship and decided to stan other groups from other companies.]

🙊A-IDOL(Label: MBC)[Rumor: 36 contestants from 6 different groups (LIGHTSUM, PURPLE KISS, WOOAH, DreamNote, ICHILLIN', CSR) competing for a position in a new group. The contestants are judged by A.I. called "LODIA-I".]

🙊GIRLSET(Label: JYP Entertainment)[Rumor: A rebranded girl group consisting of Former VCHA LEXI, CAMILA, SAVANNA & KENDALL. I don't think I will be reviewing this group because it is most likely a "global" pop group, which many mistaken as "kpop". As you know, each South Korean company are trying to dip their toes in the international markets to create a "global" pop group; it's part of a gigantic initiative in expanding their company world-wide, reaching to all different countries. The only group that has global influence, so far, is Katseye. I think JYP Entertainment are trying to compete with HYBE; however, they had failed earlier with VCHA.]

🙊Nü FEEL.(Label:Girls Theme Park Project)[Rumor: A pre-debut Japanese group rumored to debut on September 15, 2025. I might not review this japanese debut, but I've heard that Rocket Punch Juri will be responsible for the music creation. The group should be promising.]

🙊House of Girls(Label:ENA)[Rumor: House of Girls is a female singer-musician survival show consisting of 10 Contestants. The cast of judges are Kim Yun Ah, Yang Dong Geum, Shin Yong Jae, and Soyou. The broadcast started May 23, 2025 and ends on July 25, 2025. I'm not certain of what the outcome is just yet.]

🙊Bestted(Label:?)[Rumor: Bestted consists of Nizi Project Season 2 And Universe League contestants. This group may be leaning towards a Japanese Debut than a Korean debut. While Universe League was a South Korean survival show, Nizi Project Season 2 is a japanese survival show.]

🙊Everglow(Label:Chxxta Company)[Rumor: This is all speculation for now and it is not 100% true; however, there's alot of rumors saying that they will continue as a 4 member group. Depressingly, I wanted their group to keep all the members together. I'm not certain when they will re-debut.]

🙊Girl Group(Label: THE L1VE)[Rumor: There are rumors that contestants of Girl's Planet 999 and I-Land 2 will be in this group.]

🙊Alphie(Label:Modhaus)[Rumor:A sub-unit of TripleS.]

🙊Rainbow 18(Label:K-Tigers E&C)[Rumor: This is the third sub-unit of Rainbow. I will not review this group.]

🙊Ettone(Label: O21)[Rumor: Japanese Debut at September 10, 2025. I probably won't be reviewing this.]

🙊MUL(Label: ?)[Rumor: This group disbanded in 2024, but now rekindled the group in 2025. They are promoting in Japan.]

🙊Nebula(Label: Nebula)[Rumor: A Korean-Japanese fictional project girl group for a web drama. I will not review this. Here is one of their songs: Nebula - Shining Star]

🙊uneverm8t(Label:Modhaus)[Rumor: This is a sub-unit of idntt.]

🙊yesw8are (Label:Modhaus)[Rumor: This is a sub-unit of idntt.]

🙊itsnotov8r(Label: Modhaus)[Rumor: This is a sub-unit of idntt.]

🙊idntt(Label: MODHAUS)[Rumor: It is rumored that this boy group will have 24 Members like TripleS.]

🙊I:Z(Label: Play Maker E&M)[Rumor: Currently, a duo; however, there are rumors that other PinkFantasy members could join. This group is focused on queer themes.]

🙊ALPHA DRIVE ONE(Label: WAKEONE)[Rumor:This multi-national project boy group is the by-product of Boys II Planet. They are rumored to debut in 2026.]

🙊Boys II Planet(Label: MNET)[Rumor: 160 Contestants. You'll notice big names on the cast, such as Hyolyn(Sistar), Kim Jae Joong(TVXQ!/JYJ), Xiaoting(Kep1er), and more. Update: There's already controversies surrounding this show; unfortunately, there will be contestants who are going to be kicked out. All for the right reasons, of course. WAKEONE really needs to publicly explain all the contract terminations that are happening...]

🙊ASTEON(Label: MEGAMETA)[Rumor: A 4 member acting/idol boy group.]

🙊ARISE(Label: BY-U Entertainment)[Rumor: 4 member girl group. 2025 debut?]

🙊CLUEUS(Label: ?)[Rumor: A developing group consisting of Starlight Boys contestants...]

🙊YUHZ(Label: Pinnacle Entertainment)[Rumor: SBS's B:MY BOYZ revealed their name as "YUHZ"(You Hertz). The rumor is that they will debut the beginning of 2026. Survival show premieres June 2025~. Here's the signal song: SBS B:MY BOYZ - Be My Boyz.]

🙊Stellar Sugar(Label: ZZANG Company and House Cultural Media)[Rumor: Airs on Friday, May 9, 2025. They also released this performance video called SSS (Shining Stellar Sugar). The winners were annouced to be Moana, Roa, Unia, Kurana, and Jiin. The last 2 members will be chosen between Yona, Yin, Juney and Rian.]

🙊24kumi(Label:YX LABELS)[Rumor: Official disbanded April 2025.]

🙊THE SSYNDROME(Label: Dreamcatcher Company)[Rumor: I won't be reviewing K-Bands; however, this group should be highly anticipated because they have the "Dreamcatcher" label attached to it. This is Dreamcatcher's company, which was previously named "Happyface Entertainment". It's dedicated solely to Dreamcatcher!]

🙊I.MET.U(Label:PI Corporation)[Rumor: 4 member global girl group. This group is the byproduct of the survival show "Time Turner". From what I remember, this show was based on fan votes. The process of establishing the group was questionable. We'll see what will happen when the debut arrives. Many netizens expressed harsh criticism towards Kelly Kim and Time Turner because she was picked over super talented contestants. Netizens also said the show was rigged. Update News(7/28/2025): It is rumored that they will debut in 2026.]

🙊ARVVY(Label: Eighty6)[Rumor: ARVVY means "Awaken Radiant Voices of Youth". Unfortunately, Harin left. 4 Member Girl Group rumored to debut in September 2025.]

🙊Be The NEXT: 9 Dreamers(Label: MLD Entertainment and Artsro Entertainment)[Rumor: This filipino survival show already picked 9 winners from Asia(including members from South Korean group "The KingDom"): Yunho(The KingDom), Ivan(The KingDom), Yohan, Tehll, Zor, SmileOne, Francis, Gelo, Dylan. Unfortunately, their debut was recently canceled. Certain K-netizens have told me that MLD Entertainment is nearing bankruptcy. Although this rumor about their bankruptcy sounds legit, we'd have to wait and see. Aren't there still groups under MLD Entertainment? This sounds like a disaster!]

🙊A20 Trainees(Label: A20)[Rumor: Sunny(Girls' Generation) is training A20 rookies in some kind of "Summer Training Camp". Here's the link: A20 Summer Camp. If this group is being trained by one of the legendary members of SNSD, then these kids are most likely going to have a strong debut. I speculate that this group's debut is going to be a massive success, as well as grand exposure in South Korea and the world. Obviously, they are preparing their rookies for something spectacular!]

🙊SMROOKIES(Label: SM Entertainment)[Rumor: SMTR25 is what the rookie project is called. "SM" stands for SM Entertainment. "TR" stands for Trainee. Lastly, "25" is the number of trainees in the project.]

🙊New Girl Group(Label: SM Entertainment)[Rumor: ?]

🙊YUMENITY(Label: independent?)[Rumor: There was a rumor about them doing some kind of promotion in Japan. Another rumor is that they've added more members.]

🙊VENUE401 BOYS(Label: VENUE401 Entertainment)[Rumor: 3 Member Boy Group]

🙊Newkies(Label: Dongyo Entertainment)[Rumor: 2 member boy group.]

🙊Levergent(Label: Independent?)[Rumor: They recently performed at I:MOND's showcase.]

🙊NAVY(Label: iNKODE)[Rumor: "NAVY" stands for New and Vibrant Youth. This would be the brother group of Say My Name. So far, there are 4 members. The rumor is that this group will debut in 2026.]

🙊0V__X0(Label: IST ENTERTAINMENT)[Rumor: The former name was "00d00m00y". A rumor stated from a K-netizen had said the boy group will have around 8 Members.]

🙊4IREN(Label: UniqueTunes Records)[Rumor: 4 Member Girl Group]

🙊THE REAL HYPE BOYS(LABEL: ADOR)[Rumor: "THE REAL HYPE BOYS" is only a speculated name of the group. After Ador sue NewJeans, Ador will use the acquired money to make this group. This rumor sounds super cruel!]

🙊AMBITION(Independent)[Rumor: 4 Member Boy Group]

🙊GIRL GROUP(LABEL:ATRP)[Rumor: Former Loona's Chuu is under this label. Is the girl group related to LOONA?]

🙊Boy Group(Label: Attrakt)[Rumor: A little brother group of Fifty Fifty.]

🙊Girl Group(Label: Attrakt)[Rumor: A little sister group of Fifty Fifty.]

🙊AxMxP(Label: FNC Entertainment)[Rumor: A rock band, which I may not review.]

🙊Biscuit Girls(Label: Biscuit Entertainment)[Rumor: There's only one member. Is this group going to continue or disband?]

🙊NAZE(Label:C9 Entertainment)[Rumor: c9rookies is now calling themselves as "NAZE". From what I have heard, C9 Entertainment(subsidiary label) has strict rules in how their k-idols should look like. Any member under their label who doesn't meet their quota could very well be kicked out of their label as well as their contract be terminated. Other groups that belong in C9 Entertainment are CIX and EPEX.]

🙊Choco1(Label: Choco Entertainment)[Rumor: The controversy is that they are too young to debut.]

🙊Choco2(Label: Choco Entertainment)[Rumor: The controversy is that they are too young to debut.]

🙊Chrome Trainees(Label: Chrome Entertainment)[Rumor: There's certain netizens saying that the group has "Fainit" members as trainees.]

🙊XOGEANS(Label: Cube Entertainment)[Rumor: The name is only a rumor. I've heard the trainees are crazy talented.]

🙊NEW GG(Label: Cube Entertainment)[Rumor: The name is only a rumor. I've heard the trainees are crazy talented.]

🙊DG Girls(Label: DG Entertainment)[Rumor: 2026 debut.]

🙊Legend Entertainment Trainees(Label: Legend Entertainment)[Rumor: unknown]

🙊Midas World Entertainment Trainee Girls(Label: Midas World Entertainment)[Rumor: unknown]

🙊Mile Entertainment Trainee Girls(Label: Mile Entertainment)[Rumor: unknown]

🙊Pink Bling(Label: DSY Entertainment)[Rumor: This group were only a singing and dancing cover group. A group that's been together for 5 years, but they never debuted.]

🙊Pledis Girls(Label: Pledis Entertainment)[Rumor: Pledis has a bad track record of managing their girl groups; take a look at Pristin and fromis_9. Now, they are creating a new girl group. Unfortunately, I have a bad feeling that Pledis is going to squander another girl group.]

🙊Staron Girls(Label: Staron Entertainment)[Rumor: This group consists of contestants of Universe Ticket.]

🙊Sweet Villain(Label: ON1 Entertainment)[Rumor: 4 Member Girl Group]

🙊Girl Group(Label: Source Music)[Rumor: unknown]

🙊XX Entertainment Trainees(Label: XX Entertainment)[Rumor: unknown]

🙊BlockBerry Creative Trainees(Label: BlockBerryCreative)[Rumor: I'm not entirely certain if most people know this, but BlockBerryCreative is closed for good; all the proof that you need is their office building signage are all torn down with no sign of an active business. However, the rumor mill still continues with speculations and conspiracy theories. One rumor is BlockBerryCreative has started a new agency with a brand new name, which is unknown to most. They are heavily investing in their new trainees and pushing for a new era. Although this company has lost their case against LOONA, BlockBerryCreative(with a new agency name) is doubling down on these new groups. Isn't it obvious that they are trying to make a new "LOONA"? I wonder if there is an agenda or even a vendetta against the original LOONA members. Anyways, BlockBerryCreative is rumored to have male trainees, but there is gossip that there are female trainees as well.]

UPDATE: BlockBerry Creative is making a boy group! The conspiracy theories are true! They are forming a group from "Boy of The Month" project! Obviously, something is going on here!

🙊SOE(Some Other Expression)(Label: WE US Entertainment)[Rumor: A 6 member girl group who planned to debut on November 2024. The rumor is that they've quietly disbanded.]

🙊Girl Group(Label: F&F Entertainment)[Rumor: This company is growing bigger. New trainees and more!]

🙊CTDROOKIES(Label: CTDENM)[Rumor: 4 Member Boy Group. The group was formerly called "SuperEight". LOOSSEMBLE was formerly under this label.]

🙊Daydream(Label: PIA Entertainment)[Rumor: A 2022 group that never debuted. I don't know why there's a long wait...]

🙊DDDD 25(Label: INNIT Entertainment)[Rumor: 5 member Girl Group. INNIT Entertainment is a subsidiary of JYP Entertainment. There was a few performances on social media with certain members. They are impressive! Honestly, they can rival BabyMonster if they are given the opportunity! Here's one of the members doing their solo debut: YOUNGBIN - Freak Show.]

🙊DE:VA(Label: Na Entertainment)[Rumor: A multi-national group. If they do a full english debut, then I may not review it.]

🙊Diaz(Label: EZ Entertainment)[Rumor: 4 Member Boy Group.]

🙊E11iVyn(Label: Moai Entertainment)[Rumor: This is the former label of HeyGirls.]

🙊EVERMORE MUSE(Label: Evermore Entertainment)[Rumor: A girl group formed in 2021. Only 2 members left in it. 4 members participated in the pre-debut, but they left.]

🙊GLX(Label: Shinwha Entertainment)[Rumor: A multi-national girl group. This may be an english debut, so might not review.]

🙊NEWY(Label: H1GHR Music and AOMG(COLLABORATION))[Rumor: The founder of this label is the famous rapper Jay Park. It is rumored that the company has taken in the eliminated contestants of "I-Land 2". Is this a fully packed rap girl group? They are doing their first appearance in Japan. From what I've heard, there's 4 members: Son Juwon, Kim Chaeeun, Yui, Um Jiwon.]

🙊Half&Half(Label: ICE Entertainment)[6 Member Boy Group. It was said that they did a pre-debut called "Together", but I never heard hints of it back in 2024.]

🙊Harana(Label: Shinwha Entertainment)[Rumor: 4 member multi-national girl group.]

🙊Unchild(Label: High Up Entertainment)[Rumor: The name "UNCHILD" is rumored to be their trademark; their former name was "High Up Baby". A new girl group under the same label as STAYC. Na Haeun(SM Trainee/Choreographer) was transfered to High Up as a Trainee. Park Yeeun from I-Land 2 might debut in this group.]

🙊Hi-Hat Boys(Label: Hi-Hat Entertainment)[Rumor: The rumor is that this boy group will debut after Ifeye.]

🙊JX(Label: iNKODE)[Rumor: Duo Debut of Jaejoong and XIA's(former JYJ and TVXQ!). Since I don't review duos, I will just mention it here.]

🙊Girl Group(Label: JXENM)[2 Members remaining. Will this group continue or disband?]

🙊Girl Group(Label: JYP Entertainment)[Rumor: JYP's girl trainees might be ready to debut...]

🙊LUPITER(Label: Laugh Entertainment)[Rumor: 4 Member Boy Group.]

🙊Lura Lucy(Label: Independent?)[Rumor: 3 Member Girl Group.]

🙊MAXIMUM(Label: Independent?)[Rumor: 3 Member Boy Group created in 2020, but never debuted.]

🙊MEP-C(Label: GBK Entertainment)[Rumor: 8 Member Multi-national Girl Group.]

🙊MissDica Girls(Label: MissDica Entertainment)[Rumor: 3 Member Girl Group under the same label as Pocket Girls.]

🙊My One(Label: Startree Entertainment)[Rumor: 5 Member Boy Group.]

🙊MYTRO(Label: SM Entertainment and YamYam Entertainment)[Rumor: The only trot group debuting this year. This is an easy win for them. Update(6/4/2025): There's a rumor that this group is not debuting anymore. Why??? It was such an easy win for them!]

🙊YG NEXT MONSTER Girl Group(Label: YG Entertainment)

Rumor: Recently, YHS made a public announcement video: YG Announcement.

A member has been revealed: Evelli. Evelli was a bit nervous and shakey; however, that's probably because she's in front of YG and producers. Anyone would be shaken up if they were in front of the "Big Four". Anyways, Evelli already has high potential to be the best rapper in South Korea at the age of 15. Now, the nervousness that she had during her showcase can be improved in due time; she was jittery and backed into the microphone stand, which could have been an embarrassing moment; however, she kept her composure and the incident didn't phase her. Her strong attitude reminds me of CL from 2NE1.

A new YG Next Monster revealed: Chanya. At age 14, Chanya has strong vocals; also, she puts tons of emotions into her singing, which creates a dramatic effect(pulls people's heart-strings). Her breath control while singing is unreal because she decorates her breathing with her voice, almost entirely hiding her breathe. She sounds like she's been singing for 7 years, but it is stated that she was a YG trainee for "2 years and 8 months". She only has a few minor things to work on, which is a bit of restriction at the introduction of her singing. Another minor thing that she needs to work on is to avoid "head voice". Other than those 2 things, she has massive potential in being a vocal powerhouse in South Korea. Remember, she's only 14 years old! Imagine her fixing the minor issues throughout the years!

🙊NEXT MONSTER Boy Group(Label: YG Entertainment)[Rumor: At the rate that YG Entertainment is going, I have a feeling this rookie group will debut around 2026 or 2027. There's alot of leaked photographs of this group from Saesangs. I don't know how they got them...]

🙊NEXTU(Label: Shinhwa Entertainment)[Rumor: 3 Member Multi-national group that already did an English Debut.]

🙊NWH:I(Label: Na Entertainment)[Rumor: 7 Member Global Girl Group. I might not review because it might be an English Debut.]

🙊NXD(Label: RBW and RBW Japan)[Rumor: 3 Member Boy Group who released a Pre-Debut called "Jump".]

🙊Rabbit or Fox(Label: UNITIVE)[Rumor: A developing 6 Member Girl Group...]

🙊Season(Label: Studio Meta-K)[Rumor: AI co-ed group. Part of the group is A.I. The other part is human.]

🙊Seoul Area(Label: COLORVERSE Japan, Bandai Namco)[Rumor: "Seoul Area" is a temporary name.]

🙊Boy Group(Label: TITAN CONTENT)[Rumor: Unknown.]

🙊Girl Group(Label: Troy Entertainment)[Rumor: A 2 member girl group said to have more members. There's a mention of a 2025 debut.]

🙊UNNAME(Label: YM Entertainment)[Rumor: 4 Member Boy Group. I'm not sure if they will keep the name. Unfortunately, I heard a k-netizen on telegram say that this group disbanded. I'm not certain of this, but this k-netizen that I chat with doesn't lie about disbandment news.]

🙊WAYE:Z(Label: ?)[Rumor: This is a 5 Member Girl K-Band. Although I love listening to K-Bands, I will not review it because I lack knowledge of musical instruments and music theory.]

🙊Witchers(Label: Blooming Entertainment)[Rumor: A 5 member girl group that started in 2021. Will they ever debut?]

🙊Girl Group(Label: XGALX)[This is going to be XG's little sister group.]

🙊NJZ Rumor(Updated 5/30/2025):Under the court's ruling, NJZ will have to pay 1 billion won(around $730,000 USD) for each violation done against their contract with Ador/HYBE; however, the violations only count if it is done after May 29, 2025. Basically, all the violations that NJZ has done with their rebranded merchandise, concerts, et cetera aren't counted under the enforcement order. Anything NJZ do from now on needs to be under the terms and conditions of their contract with Ador, so no more funny bunny business with their rebranded group "NJZ". Basically, NewJeans have to comply to the court enforcement or they are penalized a billion won for each violation. Since the court is in favor of Ador, NewJeans need to stop their shenanigans with "NJZ" or they are pretty much toast. As for the fans or the audience witnessing this, the only thing we can do is patiently wait on whether NewJeans will continue their illegal "NJZ" route or go back and comply with Ador. In my opinion, if NewJeans continue with the "NJZ" rebranding, they've only dug themselves an early funeral. The contract laws in South Korea isn't a joke, especially when $730,000 USD is hanging over each NewJeans's members heads. The question that I had for quite sometime is the disappearance of Min Hee Jin through all this; she vanished as soon as she saw the guillotine with her name on it. I've also wondered about NewJeans parental and legal guidance through all this. The parents must be naive about contract laws and blinded by the money associated with winning the case. NJZ's legal team(the lawyers) is just raking in their profits; whether NJZ win or lose, the lawyers are only profiting and boosting their reputation by simply participating. It is unfortunate that NJZ has been given awful legal advice from peers. Overall, at this point in time, NewJeans are simply scrambling around salvaging what they have left from all the escapades that they've been attempting; after the injunction, with a bad taste in their mouth, NewJeans will be back at Ador headquarters following orders from their overlords. Not only will they go against their beliefs, but their work environment must be a bit hostile, awkward, and uncomfortable working with people that you don't like being around. You can feel the tension, but hopefully NewJeans can pull through until their contract is terminated. Also, we simply don't know if NewJeans will consider following the court's order or continue their rebellious acts moving forward. If I was in NewJeans shoes, then I would comply with Ador until the binding contract expires. After contract expiration, they can split from Ador and continue their "NJZ" route without having to deal with courts. All of this must be frustrating and a waste of time. There's no polite way of saying this, but "NJZ" is f*cked!

🙊NJZ Rumor(Outdated): There's a rumor that New Jeans is rebranding as "NJZ". Eventually, I will review them; however, there's also k-netizens and global netizens that are saying that NJZ will be sued if they initiate a debut because their contract with Hybe/Ador hasn't been terminated yet. Once everything is settled in court, there is a possibility that NJZ will debut. If NJZ debut before any type of court settlement, then this could very well be a breech of contract. A breech of contract can result in penalty fees(I'm not talking about pennies here, but six figures); it also depends on the court's ruling on what will officially happen. In my honest opinion, I truly don't know if NJZ's attempt with a rebranded debut is legal or a wise choice since South Korea has strict contract laws/regulations. Although all of this drama has been drawing a significant amount of negative feedback from the k-pop community, NJZ is still a highly anticipated debut; all eyes are on NJZ.

NJZ debuted their new song "Pit Stop" at COMPLEXCON HONG KONG. I'm not entirely certain if this whole debut song was legal or not, but it sure got everyone's attention. If you read deeper into this, it was a huge publicity stunt to grab everyone's attention. Unfortunately, they also announced their indefinate hiatus on the same day as their debut. Was this the shortest debut duration in k-pop history? This whole thing sounds like a disaster. From what I've observed from their performance, NJZ killed it! There is no doubt that I can easily place them in my hall of fame and be a contender for rookie of the year, but "Pit Stop" wasn't really a debut; it was more of a "Pre-Debut" or demo since there is no official release of their track to be found anywhere. There's no official schedule on their "Pit Stop" debut period; usually, k-idol groups let their fanbase know ahead of time about their whole entire debut scheduling; however, there is none to be found. The whole presentation was more of a teaser and an announcement of an hiatus. I'm telling you now that NJZ is giving me a rebellious, "in your face" vibe, which is different from their usual vibe. They've burned so many bridges(business relationships) while they were in Hybe/Ador; I hope NJZ can re-build their empire that was burnt down by Hybe. Some argue that NJZ sabotaged themselves by following Min Hee Jin. All this is debatable though, but all the events that had transpired is showing NJZ's debut trajectory, which is a debut failure. Although I do understand that contracts shouldn't be violated, NJZ feel that they've been wronged at Hybe/Ador and do not want to be forced to work for or co-exist with a company that doesn't have their best interest at heart. This free-spirited path that NJZ is carving on their own is revolutionary in its own way; it can also look fool-hardy from other perspectives. I'm feeling a mixed bag of feelings from NJZ and the feeling is really heart-warming; however, at the same time, NJZ has created a dangerous atmosphere with alot of enemies in the corporate landscape. I really do wish NJZ can build new bridges and partnerships with others to jumpstart their career again since they are starting from scratch.

NJZ UNOFFICIAL DEBUT(Pre-Debut-ish):
NewJeans - PIT STOP

Channel has been terminated: NJZ UNOFFICIAL(FANMADE) Channel:
Unofficial Fanmade NJZ Channel

Music Video was terminated: NJZ UNOFFICIAL(FANMADE) Music Video:
NJZ - PIT STOP[UNOFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO]

By the way, I believe that their hiatus is not a month or a few months. I speculate their hiatus can go as long as 3+ years, depending on the severity of contract violations, not to mention penalty fees. "PIT STOP" was more of announcement than a debut; NJZ used this track to tell their fans that they are taking a "Pit Stop" for years. For the fanbase of NJZ(bunnies or tokki), I have empathy for you. I know how you must feel about NewJeans temporary demise. NJZ's situation is looking horrible at every angle that I look at it. I enjoyed their music and still play their music from time to time; it is unfortunate that all of these events played out against NJZ. There is only one hope though; NJZ would have to give into their overlord's demands; in other words, NJZ need to make a compromise and just follow Hybe/Ador's orders from now on until their contract expires. You'll be able to see them performing as soon as possible only if they do activities under the terms and conditions of Hybe/Ador, which are activities that NJZ are trying to avoid. NJZ doesn't want to make that compromise since they feel that there is a breech of trust within their original working environment. Basically, NJZ is in a "lose-lose" situation.

🙊NJZ CONSPIRACY THEORY: I had a theory for some time now about NJZ. Once NewJeans, with all members, have terminated their contract with HYBE/ADOR, they will all end up as a rebranded group "NJZ"; however, this "NJZ" could be trademark infringement. We really don't know if their new rebranded name will be "NJZ". Once everything is settled in court and contracts are terminated, I bet "NJZ" will have to do another rebranding to avoid trademark infringement. Now, here is the twist. Hybe/Ador has the rights to the "NewJeans" name; however, they will not forfeit the name to the original members. Rather, Hybe/Ador will keep the name and re-debut new members under the "NewJeans" name. I know that this conspiracy theory is sadistic and evil, but Hybe/Ador can technically do this legally, under the law. It will be strategic as well because the "NewJeans" brand is already popular and all Hybe has to do is just fill the empty group with a new roster of South Korean Trainees. With one stroke of a brush, Hybe/Ador can paint the original "NewJeans" as delinquent contract defilers and create another "NewJeans" with a positive sentiment surrounding them. Hybe has to be strategic though. The brand new "NewJeans" group has to be ultra talented with top tier visuals; the discography has to match or defeat the original "NewJeans" discography. Everything has to be carefully orchestrated for this to work. Not only would this boost Hybe sales, but it could diminish the original NewJeans members. I know this is evil, but this is a possibility that can legally happen. Hybe can technically do this re-debut of "NewJeans" with brand new members under legal terms. The alternative conspiracy is Hybe just handing over the rights to the brand name "NewJeans" to the original NewJeans members; as time passes, the "NewJeans" brand name could be beyond tarnished and irrepairable that Hybe will just toss it back at the original members. Hybe can be seen glorious in both aspects without shooting a single bullet. Hybe can be the victor by being patient, only taking action after NJZ makes a crucial misstep or mistake. Whether Hybe keeps the brand name or relinquishes it back to the original members, they are still on the higher ground by not initiating any drastic or premature actions. Hybe is looking to win the war, not just a single battle.

🙊"Under 15" Rumor: A controversial South Korean show called "Under 15" is going to air. I'd like to repeat this over and over again. I am in support of minors debutting, depending on certain conditions; however, there are no active labor laws/regulations in South Korea to protect and safe-guard minors from abuse, exploitation, harrassment, blackmail, etc. Overall, I do not promote or advocate for children debuting in the industry's current state, either in k-pop or film acting in South Korea; the current state of these industries requires child labor laws/regulations, which aren't properly in place. However, if it is the minor's choice/decision to enroll as a trainee, then I'm not against it. A child must show 100% volition, an act of their own conscious choice and decision, in enrolling as a trainee or as a member of a debuting k-idol group. If there are no signs of a child having any volition in enrolling as a trainee, then I do not support it at all since it is a complete violation of their autonomy. I understand that parents play a pivotal role in this as well; parents could be coercing and exploiting their children into working in these industries, which is down-right dispicable, especially in its current condition. No children should be forced to doing activities that they didn't sign up for in the first place. As for those who are in favor of banning minors from debuting, you might be in for a huge shock. Usually, laws/regulations that outright ban certain activities will only create a black market for the activities, which will make it much worse than it previously was. For example, certain drugs that were banned by the government ended up creating a black market for those certain drugs. It made matters even worse than before. The best course of action is to simply create labor laws/regulations that protect minors in either k-pop and film acting. Anything that violates the child labor law will be penalized or worse, depending on the severity. There's no need to make matters worse by banning minors debuting.

I've heard that "Under 15" was canceled due to the South Korean public and the world marching down with pitchforks to the "Under 15" company and demanded it to be canceled. I don't think this will fix the problem; shows like this are on demand. That's why you see shows like this spring out from the woodwork and into home media.

Despite all the backlash of "Under 15", MBN will still air the survival show sometime this year. I think they are going to be showcasing all 59 contestants; however, I think they are going to edit and remove scenes from the survival show that made netizens angry in the first place.

UPDATE(AUGUST 2025): "Under 15" was canceled again? What netizens need to understand is that there is a growing market for younger idols; however, I do understand the concern that there is abuse, mistreatment, manipulation, blackmail, bribery, et cetera that happens between management and younger idols. I'm well aware of all these negative aspects of minors debuting. South Korea does have labor laws; however, they aren't properly enforced, nor even religiously followed. Yes, the concern is real; however, out-right banning this will eventually create a formation of underground shows and a black market for younger idols. It is better to not create this black market that I speak about; there's alot more harsher things that can happen within these black markets like human trafficking. There's no need to ban these shows, but what is needed is to strictly regulate them under the law.

UPDATE(September 15, 2025): Apparently, the producer of "UNDER15", Seo Hye Jin, is being sued by two contestants of the show. Since "UNDER15" was canceled, the company Crea Contents Studio(NOT MBN), who is responsible for the creation of "UNDER15", tried to broadcast in Japan with a different name; the new name is called "A Star Is Born". Ultimately, Japan also denied them. As a last ditch effort, they tried to air the show in South East Asia, specifically in Thailand; however, 2 contestants didn't agree to this arrangement since it will interfere with their studies in South Korea, so the two contestants decided to sue the company. Although I'm not against minors debuting as long as labor laws are strictly enforced, we can all see the general sentiment about "Under 15". Everyone doesn't want this aired. It's fairly evident, as of right now, and the producer of the show needs to acknowledge that the general public is against this show. The company needs to call it quits and change their game plan.

🙊"Shamanistic KPOP Girl Group" Rumor: This one was super scary. The girls looked possessed doing what looks like a blood ritual. Although the footage was frightening, I could tell that they are professional dancers by the way they move. The link is not working anymore, but I have footage of it stored in an external hard-drive. Will I watch it again? My answer: a big "NO". Will I share it? Nope. It doesn't look appropriate at all. Ever since this CGI film craze started, I've been seeing some questionable dance footage from South Koreans. It all started with that CGI film that rhymes with "Lemon Punters".

①I do not review "Re-debut" groups. "Re-debut" groups keep their brand name/group name; however, their members are re-organized by the company because of many different reasons such as internal conflicts or disagreements between members, staff, and/or management. As a result of said conflicts or disagreements, members of the group leave their respective agency and new members are added to the established line-up. An example of a "re-debut" group is Fifty Fifty. There was a conflict between the members and their management, which resulted in 3 members leaving the company Attrakt. The 3 former members of Fifty Fifty and the company Attrakt are legally handling their situation in court.

Also, I review "Rebranded" groups, which may be mistaken as a "Re-debut". A "Re-debut" group keeps their name while a "Re-branded" group doesn't keep their name. If a group rebrands their name, then I would have to consider it as a newly developed group; in short, a rebranded group is a debut; rebranded groups are pretty much starting from scratch, possibly, with a whole new concept, theme, visual direction, etc. A group rebranding their name can negatively affect their established fanbase, but may also persuade new people to join their fanbase. Rebranding is 100% risky because there is a chance of huge losses in revenue from loyal fans. A rebranded name can repulse loyal fans because it no longer resonates with the original concept, direction, or perceived image.

②I do not review Solo or Duo Debuts. In my opinion, solo or duo debuts are usually for experienced(under-gone years of training) k-artists or k-idols who have an established fan-base. Although I'm not against anyone from initiating a solo or duo debut without prior experience, it is often unsuccessful or doesn't go popular. There are rare cases where rookies attempt a solo or duo and their song/songs hits mass appeal; however, these are usually exceptional cases, where they've garnered alot of praise from avid music listeners(the public) or were promoted through grass-root movements.

③I do not review K-Bands. As much as I love listening to K-Bands, I don't have a full understanding or grasp of musical instruments; however, I do have experience with playing the piano, drums, violins in front of thousands of people. Although I have certain experiences with these instruments, there's alot of musical theories or concepts involved that are beyond my comprehension and are difficult to explain. Typically, K-Bands do not have dance choreography because they are focused more on the musical instrument that they using; there may be light dancing incorporated into their showcases, but it is not a full-fledged dance choreography. Within a K-Band, usually a main vocalist does all the singing while the instrument players can serve side vocals or even rapping. I may explore K-Bands in the future, but for now, I would have to set it apart from K-pop.

④I do not review groups who lack online content, videos, media coverage, discussion/rumors/gossip, and/or information. There are groups that leave out their identities, such as members in "Furry" or costume-oriented groups. I consider these types of groups to lack information.

⑤I do not review Full English Debuts and other *insert language here* Debuts. The term used for this type of music is "Global K-pop", "International K-pop(I-KPOP)", "Multi-national K-pop", or "G-Kpop". There are other terms like X-pop, which means to transcend pop music's restrictions; the "X" in "X-pop" denotes the removal of the language barrier in music, "x-ing", crossing out, or negating the abbreviated language in front of "pop". Often, I find many people lumping, classifying, or adding music under the K-pop category when it clearly isn't K-pop; it may be categorized under "kpop-esque" or just regular pop music. If someone decided to place Spice Girls, Nsync, Backstreet Boys, One Direction, or Michael Jackson's music under K-pop, then everyone would obviously disagree with that and reject it. Clearly, Spice Girls, Nsync, Backstreet Boys, One Direction, or Michael Jackson's music would be under just regular pop or dance-pop music, depending on the song of course. Let's be honest here and stop placing music in the wrong category. There's obviously confusion going on within the K-pop and music community, where everyone seems to be miscategorizing and misclassifying music. Either that or there is a secret agenda being rolled out by certain groups to undermine the constitution/foundation of South Korea. Sorry, but I've drawn a line, a deep ditch or trench, between K-Pop and other Pop Music; South Korea has created a distinct landmark in the music industry that is difficult to simply ignore or disregard.

⑥I do not review Artificial Intelligence K-idol groups(A.I. Pop or A.I. DOL or A-IDOL), Virtual Content Creator, or CGI POP(Computer Generated Image Pop Music). Honestly, I love music performed by an actual human being. Although these computer generated music is creative, I do not find that it cultivates the essence, spirit, or authenticity of South Korea. Currently, I am doubling down on my position on this matter. The agenda of pushing artificial intelligence, virtual reality content creation, and computer generated image pop music has gone mainstream; not only has it gained popularity, but it is disguising itself with the "kpop" moniker when it clearly isn't kpop. In my 2024 kpop blog, I talk about kpop splitting into two categories: authentic kpop and A.I./VR/CGI kpop. This "A.I./VR/CGI kpop" will entice a huge amount of KPOP fans; however, it will not trick the intelligent kpop fans to jump on the bandwagon. This craze will probably persuade the masses of people; however, the ones with a working brain will see through this deception and have used their discernment to cut this off immediately. It is really your decision to support this new wave of so called "kpop" or so the mainstream has made you believe it is.

⑦I do not review sub-units, temporary units, or fictional groups. Sub-units are a part of k-idol groups who have already debuted. Temporary units are groups created for a small project; once the small project is completed, the group simply disbands. Temporary units usually last for a season. There may be confusion between "Temporary Units" and long-term Units who have a contract for a year or more. Units with a year contract aren't "temporary"; rather, they are intended to last longer depending on the results of their progress/work. As for "Super groups", I do review them. "Super groups" consists of a member or members from other k-idol groups to form a new group with a whole different name. These groups sometimes last as long as a year, depending on how successful they become. "Super Groups" disband and all members return to their original group. An example of a "Super Group" is the group called "SuperM", where they combined the groups EXO, WayV, NCT 127, and SHINee to form one group.

I never really talk about "fictional groups" because there aren't many examples of this. A "fictional group" is often only put together for a movie or short film. Often, I find online users actually thinking these "fictional groups" are actually a real life k-idol group. People that think "fictional groups" are real is hilarious to me; however, "fictional groups" may come back together after the project to create an actual group under a label. In theory, this can actually happen and I would consider this a debut. Nothing like that has happened just yet...

⑧There are others that I do not review, but for now, these are the main ones. I'm certainly not reviewing k-idol groups, who are debuting with adult content. If you are looking for KAV(Korean Adult Video) actors/actresses, then you are looking in the wrong place; there's an over-saturation of that on the internet. There's no need for me to explain this. In the previous/older generation of k-pop, there were k-idols who became "KBJ", also known as Korean Broadcast Jockey, releasing adult content. These groups also released alot more explicit material that turned off fans. In my opinion, there's no room in k-pop for such content; I'm not against k-idols expressing their sexuality; however, explicit material, such as nudity, needs to be transfered to the AV industry.

Mainly, this is my personal way of scoring rookie k-idol groups. It is still in its rough draft/unfinished/infancy stage, but I think it is improving daily. For 2025, my scoring system has left its "Alpha Development". It is now in its beta development, so there is still alot to work on. So far, I have alot to learn and understand about the korean music industry, but I do know a bit more than I previously did. 2024 was definately an eye-opener for me because I never really dived into the inner workings, mechanics, functions, and structure of general k-pop. I started this whole entire blog to better understand the k-pop industry. No better way of understanding something by dismantling the core of it and piecing it back together.

This is a controversial insight that I am going to reveal to the viewer, but you might already subconsciously know it. All entertainment companies in South Korea do a vetting process to filter out "ugly people" from being accepted as a trainee. This is a cruel reality of the entertainment business because attractiveness sells more than talent(and that's a guarantee). In this scoring system that I developed, I will not be rating groups by looks or physical attributes because the entertainment companies/labels in South Korea have already done the screening process and removal of unqualified individuals. They've already did the dirty work of crushing participant's dreams of being a kpop idol; there is alot of hatred towards the process of selecting an idol, but the industry only looks for what is profitable versus what is fair.

Generally, I do not know what the results of being rejected by the entertainment industry. I have not attained adequate scientific data, specifically, on individuals who are rejected by the kpop industry or South Korea, but there are quite a few possibilities of what may happen. One possibility is South Koreans or other ethnicities who are rejected from the entertainment industry just simply accept their fate and move on to other careers or forms of work. A second possibility is a rejected individual could keep trying until they are accepted or they end up being lucky enough to develop a business connection or a relationship with someone in the upper echelons of the kpop industry. A third possibility is a rejected kpop idol participant could develop insecurity about one's own self-image; this leads a person to resort to going "under the knife", also known as plastic surgery; this possibility may make things better or worse depending if the procedure is successful. The fourth and unlikely result of being rejected from the kpop industry is simply a person becomes hysterical or emotionally unstable. All these possibilites are on the table and there's plenty more, but for now, these are mainly served as conjecture; I do not claim that these possibilities are true; however, there are many published articles that allude to what I've said to be accurate.

Below are the criteria that I use to judge/critique k-idol rookie groups. Please keep in mind that I've left out a few criterion, such as physical appearance/attributes because k-idol companies have already did the vetting process. There's no need to do it twice. Also, I know there could be sub-criteria that specifically addresses certain aspects of singing and dancing; however, we'll be here forever nit-picking whether or not a k-idol blinked their eyes properly or twitched their finger at the wrong time. The funny part is that there are hyper-detailed reviews like that on the internet, which are beyond ridiculous. If you are looking for hyper-fixated critique of k-idols, then you are looking in the wrong place.

🞖The cinematography score is mainly based on the quality, production, techniques, and other film-related jargon of their music video.

🞖The "Narrative/Story Score" is determining whether or not there is a story/narrative in their music video. A presented story/narrative in a music video is either accurate to the concept/theme of the group or random.

🞖Although k-idols are singers and dancers, music videos forces them to take on Acting/Modeling roles. The "Acting/Modeling Score" is determined by how great the k-idol's acting within their music video.

🞖The "Studio Recorded Vocals Score" is mainly dictated by whether or not the rookie group has hit the musical notes properly. Adlibs only strengthens their score.

🞖The "Instrumental Score" is determined by the composition or structure of the instrumental.

🞖Are the lyrics writtened straight-forward, poetically, sarcastically, ironically, or etc.? Is there explicit or hidden message within their lyrics?

🞖Stage Presence Score: Confidence, Charisma, and Conviction. The 3 C's that determine stage presence. Do the rookie group have all 3?

🞖Blank stares and unlively facial expressions do chase away fans, so the proper facial expressions is crucial in attracting fans. They say a picture paints a thousand words and a facial expression paints two: welcome or unwelcome.

🞖The "Objective Movement Score" has to do with timing, execution, accuracy, and rhythm of their movement.

🞖"Choreography Aesthetics Score" has to do with creative moves. Are the moves pleasing or displeasing? Are the moves difficult? Are the moves fun?

🞖The "Live Choreography Score" is for their debut showcase.

🞖The "Live Visual Score" pertains to their modeling during their live showcase.

🞖The Art/Cosmetic/Make-up Score is about immersion, intensity, and accentuation. The k-idol is already handsome/beautiful. Art/Cosmetics/Make-up should amplify that handsomeness/beauty.

🞖The fashion score is dictated by the clothes and accessories that they wear. Simultaneously, K-pop idols are fashion models.

🞖The visual concept is the amalgamation of presentation, art/cosmetic/make-up, and fashion. The k-idol must display a symbiosis with their art, modeling it to the point where the k-idol is one with the art.

🞖Can your kpop idol sing live or have they been lip-syncing or heavily relying on auto-tune this whole time? A live performance, whether sung or danced, demonstrates to the fanbase/audience that the kpop idol is authentic, the real deal. Live performances are proof of whether the kpop idol is talented or just selected to only look pretty. Any type of live performance is basically judgement day for kpop idols; this usually makes or breaks a k-idol group. Also, I'm well aware of k-idols using pre-recordings: MR(Music Recorded), AR(All Recorded), LAR(Live All Recorded), and LMR(Live Music Recorded) during their showcases. Although I'm not totally against groups that use pre-recordings when they are trying to demonstrate their dance choreography, in due time, the audience/fanbase will notice the lip syncing and demand a live vocal performance. You must use your discernment on such technology being used and differentiate between live vocals and pre-recordings. There are many indications that show whether they are singing live or just using a pre-recording. Throughout the internet, you'll find articles and investigations on how to figure out if any k-idol, or any singer, is just lip-syncing. In my blog, I won't be dwelling on this procedure, so it is best for you to read the details for yourself.

⚠NOTE⚠ I do not use "MR content(Music Removed Content)" in my assessment for live vocals at all, never did and never will. Before the beginning of 2024, I found that MR(Music Removal) isn't a reliable way of assessing a group's vocal prowess. The music removal process is tricky because of the fact that certain parts of a k-idol's voice could be distorted or altered; the final result of music removal content is not accurate at all. Once the software/technology has been perfected, then I might give it a chance; however, at its current state, it is merely experimental.

🞖A live band authenticates their live vocals. Authenticity is important in k-pop because it seperates the real from the fake. This really shows whether the rookie group can do live concerts on a local stage or a world tour. Endurance and stamina is important for live concerts.

🞖The discography score is mainly based on quantity of tracks, as well as the quality of their tracks within their album.

🞖Each k-idol rookie group has a concept or concepts, which are their primary focus or direction; basically, there's a general message or idea that is being represented through their debut. The concept score is dictated on whether the group executed their concept. With the "Concept Score", I've also combined it with two other parts: "theme" and "production". "Theme" is not exactly "concept" because "theme" is more of a visual representation while the "concept" is more implicit or explicit, which is only interpreted/understood by the viewer. The "production" is mainly on how materials/resources is conveyed throughout the music video; the "production" is usually the byproduct of the "concept" and "theme". "Big Four" companies usually have a high budget to create visually stunning, especially expensive, productions for their "theme" or "concept" when it comes to their music videos. It is like night and day compared to "nugu" companies; usually, "nugu" companies use their garage as their settings with duck-taped objects in the background. You may find me calling groups or companies cheap because of the production.

🞖The "Personal/Subjective Score" is determined by just how I think and feel about the rookie group. For this score, I use certain intuitive mental faculties to determine the score. As well as using my mentality, I use my spiritual resonation to determine the score. I don't think any of my regular viewers or new viewers will understand "spiritual resonation", so I will explain it in two words: "Woo Woo".

🞖The Search Accumulation Score is based on popularity. To save time, I've only accumulated the top five viewed videos of each group, both in english and korean; I rounded the total accumulated score. Within this scoring criterion, I simply ignore groups with thousands of views because that simply won't dent or budge even in the local charts. Videos with millions of views are usually the ones that I consider popular because that budges or moves the domestic or local charts. Videos with around 10 million views budge and move within the global charts, which is the result of international viewers and fans.

Popularity counts as much as talent in KPOP; heck, the "pop" in "kpop" stands for popular. Popularity is usually determined by luck, fanbase response/reaction, and audience/viewer sentiment. For the most part, popularity is uncontrollable; no individual has the power to increase or decrease their popularity; rather, popularity seems to have its own ebb and flow, almost like it has a mind of its own. There are other factors in popularity that we don't truly understand as well, but luck goes a long way in determining a successful debut. Popularity doesn't have anything to do with creative lyrics/vocals/instrumentals, choreography, visuals, or live performances. Mainly, popularity is determined by luck(운). Luck(운) has nothing to do with science or any sort of calculations. K-idols become popular out of happenstance or bestowed by a higher power beyond human comprehension. There's nothing I can say about this topic because luck can't be quantifiable or measurable. Throughout years of looking at k-idol groups, I can tell you that k-idol groups can still be successful without any talent at all. There's a vast amount of examples of these talentless groups or individuals; I won't point them out because they are glaringly obvious. Also, I don't want to step on their "die-hard" fanbase's toes because an all out fan war would occur, so I won't utter a single word. Again, I'd like to emphasize the importance of popularity in a k-idol group's success.

As an added note: The Search Accumulation Score will be updated every season.

🞖Comebacks in the same year as their debut shows endurance. Ultimately, any rookie group that does a comeback will receive an extra "Over-Kill" point. Not only that, but their score pretty much doubles if the comeback is successful or great. Endurance is important in KPOP; not many kpop fans realize how difficult it is to do a comeback in the same year as their debut. For groups that do comebacks, they must possess a huge pool of stamina; it's almost like a super power. As an added note, an "Overkill" point is given to a comeback that is in Korean; a rookie group that does a comeback with a totally different language besides korean is considered as a whole new debut. For example, a k-idol group does a korean debut; however, their comeback is in japanese. In this particular scenario, the k-idol group did a japanese debut after their korean debut. I do not count that as a "comeback", but as a whole new "debut" in a different language.
Additionally, I'd like to clarify the amount of "Over-Kill" points that are given to a group that does a "comeback". Usually, a "comeback" represents a release of either a digital single, a mini-album, or a full-fledged album. Each track within a "comeback" roughly equates to a .1 "Over-Kill" point. For example, a group does a comeback with a total of 6 tracks; this is roughly an extra .6 "Over-kill" points given to the rookie group. There are groups that only release a digital single as their comeback, which equates to a .1 "Over-Kill" point. It certainly wouldn't be fair to give a group a whole "Over-Kill" point for only a single track; the fairest way of distributing "Over-Kill" for a comeback is by giving a fraction or decimal per musical track.

Scoring Criterion Not Included

🞖ALBUM SALES: I do not include album sales numbers within my scoring criteria because this requires "real-time" data from multiple businesses, vendors, retail outlets, downloaded and streaming data from multiple websites, et cetera. There's also the fact that album sales numbers could be manipulated by companies, third parties, scalpers, or multiple computers(also known as "bots") to create a perceived value. I find that including album sales metrics within my scoring criteria wouldn't be accurate because every system of accountability is unreliable or, to the extreme, fraudulent.

Again, I'd like to preface that I believe album sales could be manipulated; however, I am not accusing any particular company at all. Most people do not understand that deals can be made behind closed doors such as chart manipulation, so I won't be delving into this topic any further.

If you are curious about trends/sales figures and would like to investigate mainstream korean album sales, then the best way to start is through these websites:

Hanteo Chart

Circle Chart

List of Late Bloomers

Groups that debuted on or after this date: 11/21/2025 - 12/31/2025. This will be finished on February 2026.

One of the main objectives of this blog is to figure out the best k-pop rookie groups for each categorey in 2025.

This is empty because 2025 isn't finished yet. You silly person!

One of the main objectives for this blog is to figure out the best k-pop rookie group of 2025.

This is empty because 2025 isn't finished yet. You silly person!

⚠NOTE⚠ This section of the blog may contain truths that can possibly evoke negative emotions. If you don't like to read anything that may stir unwanted thoughts or feelings, then please skip this section.

🞂10/24/2025: 2025 SUMMER ROOKIE GROUP NOMINATIONS

Let's first talk about popularity amongst the summer rookie groups of 2025. AHOF's "Rendezvous" is the first korean music video that I've ever seen hit 30.5 Million views within a season. Not only is this a successful debut, but this amount of views is ridiculous coming from a korean rookie group; this must mean that there is a loyal fanbase streaming and spreading/sharing the music video all around different online communities. A die-hard fanbase is somewhat scary, but it also shows that fans are confident in AHOF's abilities within the entertainment industry. There is a lively discussion about AHOF on every social media platform, forums, fansites, and websites; so far, AHOF are the ones that set the summer ablaze with their hit song.

On the other hand, here is a rookie group called "Cortis", who is the most liked within the K-pop industry. Although I don't find them to be the most talented in certain categories, Cortis is gathering everyone's attention with their western appearance, "rapping" style, and discography. Personally, I found the debut of Cortis to be abhorrent because obviously they are trying to alter the traditional sounds of South Korean pop music. Now, I'm not here to discuss the loathsome entrance of Cortis into the K-pop industry; apparently, the majority of K-pop fans express positive feelings towards this rookie group. For now, I will refrain from spewing any harsh criticism about Cortis unless it becomes necessary to speak about them. They are loved greatly by the K-pop community for a reason that I cannot fathom.

If you take a look at internet data throughout summer, then you'll notice KickFlip is still being searched for. Although I acknowledge KickFlip's successful progress, I have noticed that there seems to be a portion of internet searches to be actually searching for "kickflip" in terms of skateboarding, and not the korean group themselves. I am not discrediting KickFlip's talent as an upcoming South Korean pop group, but I acknowledge the fact that users might be accidentally or unintentionally clicking KickFlip's videos without knowing that they are a group; rather, they are clicking on Kickflip's videos out of curiousity on the methods of how to do a "kick-flip", which is a skateboard technique or trick. JYP Entertainment is actually genius about naming their group "KickFlip" because it simultaenously attracts the skaters and korean music lovers.

Masterfully singing live on stage, Son E Ji U is the second group to release a ballad in summer. Definately, they are most likely going to be the winners of the "Ballad" categorey unless some group swoops in and takes their thunder, which I highly doubt.

This was a difficult decision that I had to make within my scoring system; however, I had to create this rare and exceptional case within' my nominations. For the "Best Live Vocal Performance", I nominated two groups, splitting the "Over-kill" point in half. In other words, both teams will receive ".5" Overkill points instead of a full point. This was a rare case, where one team had advanced vocal prowess while the other team had a variety of harmonious vocal tones. Both teams was lacking important features of singing live; however, both teams had the best live vocal performance out of the whole summer season. The k-idol groups that I'm talking about is: "In A Minute" and "Close Your Eyes".

As for choreography, "AtHeart" is the best when it comes to advanced difficulty and creative dance moves; no one comes close to how well each member has executed every difficult move with no noticeable mistakes. As for synchronization in choreography, AHOF takes this hands down; they are impressive with each member executing each move with precision, knowing timing windows to perform each move, slowing down and speeding up their moves at the proper time, and et cetera. There definately one of a kind.

"AtHeart" is the only group wearing matching outfits with stylish boots. While all the summer rookie groups are visually sloppy, here is "AtHeart" actually taking their positions professionally and not trying to take shortcuts in the visual department. To be honest, I'm glad a group is actually dressing to impress; instead of taking the lazy path, "AtHeart" wants to show their audience and fans that they mean serious business!

Cortis has an unlimited budget to create a music video for each track for their album. The production cost of this must be through the roof! BigHit/Hybe must be confident in this group that they basically sold the entire farm, livestock, and tractor to bring this group in the forefront. Whenever BigHit/Hybe envision an idea, they put all theirs chips on the table whether they win or lose; I'm not certain if this strategy will backfire or yield expected outcomes. After all, they are BigHit/Hybe, so I think they know what they are doing by now. We'll just have to wait and see.

The best theme and concept for summer has to be from "Close Your Eyes" with "Snowy Summer". Afterall, "Close Your Eyes" are R&B princes of the new generation. In my honest opinion, they have the potential to be much bigger in the future; however, that really depends on public support and their company investing big in this group. I'm not here with a crystal ball, who is able to predict the future; however, the indications and signs are there that show that "Close Your Eyes" can possibly be a top group amongst veteran and rookie k-idol groups.

🞂10/16/2025: Rookie Status

Someone on telegram asked me on how long a group stays a rookie. The answer to this isn't as simple because of many factors. Usually, the "rookie" label is removed from a k-idol group that has gone through 4 seasons(spring/summer/autumn/winter) together, which is about a year. Some had said that the rookie status is removed from a group after 4 albums together, which, again, represents 4 seasons together. However, I do understand that certain groups aren't together long periods of time; if this is the case, then it is debatable that after 2 years, a rookie status is then removed. From the accumulation of data throughout the years, I'd say that a group is no longer a rookie after a year from debuting; however, there are exceptions like group hiatuses and such. At maximum, I'd say that after 2 years a group can finally remove the "rookie" status. I'd say that 2 years marks the "advanced novice" status. It's not exactly "rookie" or "expert"; it's a status in between a beginner and an expert. After 3 years, an "advanced novice" becomes an "expert" k-idol. After 4 years, a k-idol becomes a "leader" or "master" within the field. Don't get me wrong though. I've seen "leader" or "master" k-idol groups still make mistakes time to time on stage like voice-cracking, doing the wrong choreography, and looking super awkward, but they usually cover or disguise their mistakes professionally.

🞂9/29/2025: Debut Discographies

Throughout my years of listening through South Korean rookie groups and debuts, I found that there are about 5 types of tracks that create a long lasting, famous, and popular discography.

1)The first type of track is usually a vocal heavy track. A "vocal heavy" track is simply a track that heavily relies on vocals. It has an introductory hook, a variety of verses, which are focused on different tones, a quirky pre-chorus, a catchy chorus, a progressive bridge to a high note or octave note, and a heavy "chant" instrumental outro. The arrangement of this structure could vary.

2)The second type of track is usually an instrumental heavy track with light vocals. An "instrumental heavy" track incorporates a huge emphasis on the instrumental, yet the lyrics and vocals fill in the gaps. Usually, this gets the attention of many cover dancers.

3)The third type of track is a "trendy" track. The "trendy" track usually follows what is popular at the current time. If the mass audience is currently jumping into the "EDM" bandwagon, then that is the "trendy" track of the moment.

4)The fourth type of track is the "experimental" or "innovative" track. Basically, this type of track steps out of bounds of the usual sound of KPOP. It explores outside of the conventions and ordinary structure of music; basically, a sound that feels foreign or alien to their audience. A revolutionary sound will create two types of listeners: the "I hate how it sounds" kpop fans and the "I LOVE IT" kpop fans.

5)The fifth type of track isn't really talked about much because no realizes that it can be meaningful. It's called the "ordered, yet chaotic" track. Usually, this type of music dwells in all the aforemention tracks that I talked about in this post; it incorporates all of the 4 types of tracks above in one single track. It's trendy, experimental, instrumental-heavy, and vocal-heavy. It splits the song in 4 sections, each section is either trendy, experimental, instrumental-heavy, or vocal-heavy. You've heard this type of track within KPOP many times, but many critics have called it "disjointed" because it has 4 different tracks in one.

Anyways, there's actually more, but these are the main type of tracks that usually get the attention of avid KPOP fans. The best K-POP rookie group discographies has these 5 types of tracks in their album.

🞂9/29/2025: KPOP Social Media Communities with Emotional Predictions

I've noticed that a ton of social media users are predicting 2025 Kpop Rookie Group of the Year based on no data at all; it's mainly these newbie fans who are obsessed with their k-idols. I swear that these fans would go as far as surgerically installing their lightsticks into their forehead for free, if given the opportunity to. The "gut" feelings that the fandoms express towards their favorite k-idols is somewhat heart-warming; however, most of their judgements are clouded by their emotional biases, which is mainly dictated by their uncontrollable hormonal activity and urges. In other words, they have not provided specific evidence or arguments on why their k-idol group is 2025 KPOP Rookie Group of the Year. Although I understand that they consider that popularity is the main propeller towards rookie group of the year, they haven't collected sufficient or necessary proof of progress that demonstrates that their favorite k-idol group deserves to be rookie of the year. Instead of providing concrete or actual reasons, delusional fans are leaning towards and have accepted preconceived opinions passed around within their friend circles and clubs; these fans have formed tendencies and inclinations to their herd's consensus without looking into the data or actual knowledge. In laymen's terms, popularity counts more to KPOP fans than a group's history/track record; even if presented, hard evidence seems to be ignored by KPOP fans.

🞂8/30/2025: A Game of Social Guessing

In this post, I just wanted to let you know about South Korean social interactions. It is not what it seems. If you go to South Korea, then do not expect a direct answer or comment. You have to read the room, identify social cues, remember past history, and do guess work on what you believe someone is trying to convey. South Korea is nothing like the west, nor is it easily understood. As a citizen of South Korea, you are expected to do the correct guess work when dealing with strangers or familiar faces. This may trouble you, but "yes" may mean "no" and "no" may mean "yes", depending on how well you understand the situation. You might not know this, but within interactions with other South Koreans, there are unwritten rules or etiquette; if you're trying to approach every situation in South Korea with a western mind-set, then you'll get in huge trouble or even misunderstood; at worst, you can actually get into a fist fight if you're too dumb. By ignoring how South Koreans communicate, you are only setting yourself up for failure. If you are expecting a direct answer, you've come to the wrong country.

With that being said, there are plenty of events that rookie and veteran k-idol groups attend, where k-idol groups socialize and interact with other k-idols. Particularly, you should look into the event called "ISAC", which stands for Idol Star Athletics Championships. ISAC is a South Korean reality television show, where K-pop idols compete in variety amounts of sports. Underneath the competition and socializing, there are secret communications between k-idols. If you are shocked about this information, then you must be either living under a rock or lacking conscious awareness of interacting with other human beings. There's plenty of hidden information that can be gathered within social interactions without uttering a single word. During ISAC, it is best to observe attentively on every single k-idol. You'll be suprised at what you can find by simply understanding that there is a hidden world of communication amongst k-idols. I won't be pointing at anything specific that happened in ISAC because there was a ton of things to decipher. Once you figure it out, you'll be shocked at what is truly happening. All I have to say is this: secret information exchanged from k-idol to k-idol.

🞂8/1/2025: Summer 2025 "Search Accumulation Score" and "Overkill" Points

I've decided to leave the "Search Accumulation Score" out of the scoring until the summer season is over. You may notice that the score of groups may be substantially lower than before. I intentionally had to keep this out to ensure that the score is as accurate as possible; sometimes, songs do get viral after only a week(shockingly, sometimes, it takes only a day to go viral!), so it is better to wait until a video peaks, plateaus, or declines in views before I gather data. Each group's score in summer season could be alot higher than it is right now. "Over-kill" points for the main categories will be distributed as soon as summer season ends.

🞂7/30/2025: 2025 SPRING ROOKIE GROUP NOMINATIONS

Hearts2Hearts conquerored everyone's hearts in spring 2025. If Hearts2Hearts finish strong at the end of the year, then they are most likely going to be 2025 KPOP Rookie Group of the Year.

I wouldn't rule any group out just yet. There are rumors of NewBeat preparing an all-out album comeback at the end of summer/beginning of autumn, but first they are releasing a digital single called "Cappucino".

By the way, "AllDay Project" was an unexpected rookie group that can take the world by storm, so I wouldn't rule them out as well. I've heard AllDay Project is going to be backed by a huge financial player in the monetary game; I'm not talking about the rich and wealthy 33 percenters; I'm talking about the 1%. You didn't hear this from me. Just follow the money and you'll notice the trends. Anyways, I forgot to mention that I chose "AllDay Project" over "VVS" and "Sikkoo". "VVS" offers a wide range of tracks; however, under closer inspection, the lyricism felt disingenuous and insincere. On the other hand, "Sikkoo" was definately a contender for the best rappers of spring 2025; however, they lacked the choregraphy and visuals, which is important in KPOP showcases. You may say that choreography and visuals don't matter in Hip Hop stages. I'd have to disagree with this sentiment because the general public's enthusiasm skyrockets when they are presented with a focus or emphasis in visuals and choreography; as well as heightened entertainment value, there is a strong sense of professionalism when a group presents more in their showcases.

"Close Your Eyes" is a fan favorite as well. In the future, I expect this group to be loved by the world like how the world loves BTS. The only issue that I see is PocketDol's involvement with 2 members of "Close Your Eyes". Throughout time and memorial, PocketDol Studios has been a hindrance and a nuisance; look at the company's track record. Hopefully, Jeon Min Wook and Kenshin can find a way out of that label as soon as possible.

As an added note, I'm well aware that KickFlip has a high discography score as well; however, the quality of tracks did not beat or even match "Close Your Eyes". Although KickFlip is considered a top tier group, they slightly lost by a hair's length against "Close Your Eyes". Also, "VVS" has a high discography score as well; however, I consider 3 of their tracks as a "transitional" part of the discography. "Intro", "Outro", and "Interludes" are considered transitional tracks to their main tracks.

Since their debut, I debated with myself and others about KIIRAS. This rookie k-idol group has the strongest live vocals for spring 2025; however, it feels like the management in charge of them aren't heavily investing in them. It feels like their progress is stifled. KIIRAS has the potential to be an unstoppable force in KPOP.

I-dle's rebranded debut is a world-wide success. Often, I come across many groups that rebrand and fail; however, i-dle ended up being the most popular group, who has rebranded in 2025.

XLOV, ifeye, NouerA, HITGS, and Baby DONT Cry have been extremely entertaining. These 5 groups have the momentum to become ten times more viral than what they are right now, but I'm not holding my breath. I've discussed with other Kpop fans that these groups can easily "10X" over top rookie and veteran groups.

Anyways, I wish every Korean Rookie Group good luck moving forward. A secret K-netizen, which I will not reveal here, said that there will be a huge surprise in the months ahead. Hopefully, I'm not being tricked into being too optimistic. I'd rather just keep a realistic perspective, a level-head, about future rookie groups.

🞂4/30/2025: 2025 WINTER ROOKIE GROUP NOMINATIONS

NewBeat has been dominating winter 2025. They are pretty much a contender for 2025 KPOP ROOKIE OF THE YEAR; however, the war hasn't been won yet. There are rumors that other groups are making a comeback in the same year as their debut, so I won't count out the rest of the groups. These rookies could very well surprise me by the end of the year.

Hearts2Hearts plans to make a comeback, so I won't count them out from being 2025 KPOP ROOKIE GROUP OF THE YEAR. Enduring through their debut, Hearts2Hearts are going all out.

There are countless groups that could change the trajectory of events and could possibly win the hearts of everyone, so it is best to keep new rookie groups in consideration. Remember, the future isn't set in stone; new events could change the fabric of reality at any given moment. Basically, expect the unexpected. We don't really know what is in store for us with these new rookie groups.

🞂4/18/2025: NOT MANY KPOP ROOKIES THIS YEAR

You may be wondering why the list of kpop rookie groups isn't as many as last years. It isn't as easy to figure out, but there are certain trends that are happening that can provide a glimpse on why there's only a batch of rookies. First of all, we never seen the birthrate in South Korea plummet this low for decades. Currently, within 2025 data, the birth rate or fertility rate in South Korea is .75 according to wikipedia: List of Countries By Total Fertility Rate. There are other websites and official sources of fertility rates, but basically, the number is fairly the same.

So, if the birthrate is that low, then we'll be seeing less and less KPOP ROOKIE GROUPS next year and the year after that. Although it is unfortunate that we will be seeing less rookies, we can't force South Koreans to give birth to more children; the decision of bearing and nurturing a child is a life altering experience for everyone; for the most part, it is financially straining for an average couple to have a child. There's something going on over there that is causing low birthrates. We can only speculate on the factors on why the birthrates have plummeted within the last decade. One factor could very well be financial reasons. It could be that it is way too expensive to live in South Korea, so it is understandable that couples forego procreation. Logically, if the prices of housing, businesses, goods and services sky rocket in price, then it is only wise to remove the prospects of creating a family. Now, I don't claim that I know all prices of goods and services in South Korea, but I've heard that the price of tteokbokki, a famous traditional rice cake, has gone from $2(2,500 won) to $3.50(4,000 won). In South Korean food markets, you can see the prices of food soaring to all time highs, costing an arm and a leg to most South Korean families. For this example, I'm not saying that the prices of tteokbokki is the reason for low birth rates. It's mainly that all the things in South Korea have become way to expensive and unaffordable for the average citizen. A fraction of the problem is the fact that the average citizen's wages are stagnate while the prices of everything are inflating. South Koreans are trying to outwork inflation, which in the end, doesn't end well. For example, you are being paid $5 an hour for the rest of your life. The price of a loaf of bread is $10, but is increasing in price by $5 every year. No one is able to afford a loaf of bread as time goes on. It is the same in South Korea: stagnate wages and inflated prices of everything.

Another reason for low birth rates in South Korea could very well be that South Koreans are going through an existential crisis or have become increasingly intelligent. South Koreans are observing the raw reality that circumstances aren't in their favor. There is too much on their plate that it has them questioning whether existing in a horrid environment is worth the price. South Koreans have seen the negative aspects of this world first-hand that they simply don't want their children to face the harshness of what is happening. Although this may be related to economic status, South Korean citizens have taken the step away from bearing children because the negatives are outweighing the positives.

Lastly, the reason for low birth rates in South Korea could be easily summed up to the ammount of stress in maintaining social status. Social status in South Korea is hyper-competitive. Citizens always want to out-do or out-compete their siblings, neighbor, friend, relatives, co-workers, and the list goes on. This hyper-competitiveness will stress out alot of citizens because humans aren't made to continously do mechanical procedures for long periods of time; this could be debatable because people may say that all we need to do is "push through". This "push through" mentality could really stress people out because of the fact that they are sacrificing their health for a small return on investment or a tiny increase in social validation. It's mainly people realizing the incentives of going through rigmarole is simply not worth the squeeze. We are given a grandiose future shown by the authorities, but none of it is easily achievable; it is like a scam or fairy tale for the most part. South Koreans see the hyper-competitiveness and had opted out of the endeavor to be better than other people. South Koreans have opted out of stress that is associated with having children because of the hyper-competitiveness of daily life.

I don't think South Korea realizes that it has adopted an anarchist philosophy of anti-natal sentiment. When people think of anarchy, often people visualize an individual with a Mo-hawk hairstyle wearing a gas mask, body piercings, and tatoos covering the body from head to toe. The majority of people think that an anarchist throws Molotov cocktails at privately owned buildings and government facilities. Actually, this depiction of an anarchist is entirely wrong. If I told you right now that an average South Korean is an anarchist, then you would be in disbelief at this idea. You may be asking yourself why a blogger is describing South Koreans as anarchists. Let me explain what I mean. In order for the ruling class to continue their tyrannical acts, they need obedient citizens to follow their orders and authority. Without these obedient citizens, their rule would diminish or outright disappear. Whenever an individual makes the conscious decision of not having children, this takes the power away from the ruling class or the powers that be. The mere act of not procreating removes a vital and crucial part from the plans of the elite ruling class. Without cannon fodder or enslaved individuals, the system can no longer function correctly, nor can it run at peak efficiency. Civilization will crumble without actual people in it and the ruling class no longer has their slave class to manipulate and play around with. When you picture an anarchist, it shouldn't be this caricature of outrageously dressed individuals vandalizing buildings; rather, a true anarchist would look like a South Korean who has no children. Unfortunately, the elites obviously doesn't like how the birth rate looks in South Korea since it is giving off an anti-natal message to the rest of the world. Other countries are now copying the same philosophy of South Korea and this could spread like wild fire. The ruling class must be shaking in their boots as of right now since their power has either diminished or flat-out doesn't work anymore. With that being said, South Koreans are anarchists, who don't realize that they are anarchists. Isn't that funny?

Again, I'd like to emphasize that all of this is just speculation. The future of South Korea could change instantly through different circumstances; however, if the birthrate of South Korea plummets even further, then we might see the first ever societal/civilization collapse that no one has ever seen in our lifetime. It is predicted that South Korea will collapse in 2060 through 2070. In short, we'll be seeing a zombie apocalypse in South Korea. You may think I have a deathwish, but if the rates go even lower than .75, I plan to move to South Korea. Personally, I want to see armageddon or the prophesized apocalypse because it would be interesting for my measily existence. Although there could be casaulties within this collapse, I want to observe and document all the events that happen over there; the experiences of being in a dystopia is priceless. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity to experience an actual "SHTF". Heck, if South Korea collapses, then I won't have anything to freakin' blog about, so it is better that I sink with the ship.

By the way, I forgot to add that since KPOP Rookie Groups are dwindling, South Korea has to "outsource" or migrate individuals from other countries to join their rookie groups. There are debates on whether this is legal or illegal since there are different labor laws for other countries. It only makes sense that the kpop industry reach out to other countries because there aren't any new children in South Korea to debut in these newly created groups. It could be expensive to bring in foreigners, but it is the only way to ensure that the kpop industry stays afloat. Imagine if they didn't bring in foreigners or immigrants to join these new groups. There simply is no other choice, but to supplement groups with foreigners. The KPOP industry would simply crash if they didn't resort to this strategy. In the future, I predict more groups will have more foreign members from different countries. Countries such as Malaysia, Cambodia, Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, China, Vietnam, and et cetera will be involved in KPOP groups. There's no doubt about it. We've seen alot of groups with foreign members in it, so it is inevitable that this change will occur from now on. It is not an "if", but "when". We will see a huge insurgence of this because of the low birth rates in South Korea. You'll see mass immigration from different countries. It is only a matter of time; however, this change might have negative repercussions. We don't know if foreign k-idols will be able to assimilate to South Korea's society. This is just the tip of the iceberg. We might see alot of negativity before we see the positive sides from all the events that are transpiring. We can only wait and see.

🞂4/17/2025: 2025 KPOP ROOKIE GROUP TIER LIST

I'm trying to fix the bugs/errors/bad coding within my original tier list, but my brain isn't working properly. It doesn't hurt to ask for help, I suppose. Later on today, I will go to certain coding forums to figure out what I'm doing wrong within my programming. For now, I have to take a breath of fresh air and remove the "KPOP Tier List" until it is actually working bug-free and ready...

[Also, Today...] I finally found out what I did wrong. It was a minor and overlooked mistake. As of right now, I can release the K-pop Tier List. It will be in a separate page, so that I can fix it later on. There's still alot to fix on it.

2025 KPOP ROOKIE GROUP TIER LIST

🞂4/16/2025: A NEW ERA

Finally, it is the start of a new era of K-pop. I wonder which groups will be on my 2025 KPOP HALL OF FAME and, especially, which group will be crowned 2025 K-pop Rookie Of The Year.

🇰🇷My Reviews of 2025 K-pop Rookie Groups[Blog]

⛈AUTUMN 2025 ROOKIE GROUP NOMINATIONS⛈

☼SUMMER 2025 ROOKIE GROUP NOMINATIONS☼

🌤SPRING 2025 ROOKIE GROUP NOMINATIONS🌤

☃WINTER 2025 ROOKIE GROUP NOMINATIONS☃

🞜Pre-Debuts, Pre-Releases, and Rumors.🞜

🞜2025 DEBUTS NOT REVIEWED🞜

🞜My K-pop Scoring System(Beta Version)🞜

🞜2025 Late Bloomers🞜

List of Late Bloomers

🞜K-pop Rookie Blog🞜

🇰🇷My Reviews of 2025 K-pop Rookie Groups[Blog]

Table Of Contents:

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⛈AUTUMN 2025 ROOKIE GROUP NOMINATIONS⛈

🟔Best Dance/Choreography🟔

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🟔Best Visuals🟔

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🟔Best Live Vocals/Performance🟔

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🟔Best Production/Theme/Concept🟔

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🟔Best Discography🟔

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🟔Best R&B🟔

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🟔Best Rap/Hip Hop🟔

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🟔Best Ballad🟔

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🟔Best Trot🟔

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🟔Most Popular🟔

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Links and Ratings

Comeback

Comeback(2)

Comeback(3)

Comeback(4)

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My Blog

Comeback[English Debut]

Comeback(2)[Solo]

Comeback(3)

Comeback(4)[English]

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Links and Ratings

Comeback Links

Comeback(2) Links

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My Blog

Comeback Blog

Comeback(2) Blog

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Links and Ratings

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My Blog

Score Calculation:

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Links and Ratings

Japanese Version

Comeback

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My Blog

Comeback Blog

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My Blog

Score Calculation:

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