Episodes
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We are back after our summer break for a brand new season of It's a K-pop Thing! In this episode, we catch up and discuss what it was like traveling to Mexico this summer to see NCT Dream and Cha Eun Woo.
What it's like to go to Mexico for a K-pop ConcertCha Eun Woo in Mexico City 2024 at Arena CDMXWhat his fan meeting/concert was likeNCT Dream in Mexico CityWhat it was like getting floor seats for NCT Dream in Latin AmericaHow to see a K-pop concert in Mexico Tips for K-pop concerts in Mexico
Then, you don't want our advice and tips in the second half of the show! If you've ever thought about traveling to see a K-pop show in Mexico (or maybe greater Latin America), this is the episode for you. We give you the real, honest advice we would give our closest friends about what you can expect at a show, what you should look out for and more.
In this episode we cover:TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 - Cold Open1:45 - Start of Show 3:39 - Cha Eun Woo in Mexico City19:00 - NCT Dream42:23 - Advice and Tips for Traveling to Mexico45:01 - TIP 1 - Don't be afraid to go alone48:26 - TIP 2 - Tap your Mexican friends/mutuals for help55:53 - TIP 3 - Take the right amount of cash61:02 - TIP 4 - Buy the bootleg merch!67:55 - TIP 5 - Do your research on local events before/after the show73:32 - TIP 6 - Make friends at the show80:23 - TIP 7 - "Don't piss them off"88:23 - TIP 8 - Level your expectations about concert etiquette97:12 - Final Thoughts 98:52 - End of ShowIt's a K-pop Thing is hosted by two journalists and longtime K-pop stans, Alexis Hodoyán-Gastélum and Theresa Avila.
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In this edition of Play This! we bring you a previously unreleased episode that almost didn't air. Shortly after recording our discussion about ILLIT's debut hit single, "Magnetic," news broke of the corporate turmoil and fallout going on at HYBE and ADOR regarding allegations of plagiarism.
Disclaimer for EpisodeOriginal Show Intro (2:20)Overview of ILLIT and how it formed (5:01)First Impressions of ILLIT's concept (10:18)Is it bad for ILLIT to be compared to NewJeans? (13:26)Does ILLIT have J-pop vibes? How is it different? (20:21)Marketing ILLIT at Fashion Week (23:58)HYBE's access to songwriters & the classic K-pop sound (29:49)Do groups have to DEBUT with a HIT? (38:49)
In this episode—recorded prior to the allegations surfaced by ADOR's CEO Min Hee Jin—Alexis and Theresa discuss the similarities and differences between NewJeans and ILLIT, the evolution of girl group concepts and what makes a great K-pop debut song.
LINK TO THE FULL SPOTIFY PLAYLIST: Listen Here
RUNDOWN (with timestamps):SONG RECOMMENDATIONS
Overview of the best K-pop debut songs (44:26)NCT U "7th Sense" (45:29)SEVENTEEN "Adore U" (55:15)EVERGLOW "BON BON CHOCOLAT" (61:04)ITZY "DALLA DALLA" (74:15)Final Thoughts (85:40)LET US KNOW: What's your favorite K-pop debut song?
TAG US ON SOCIAL: Take a photo of you listening and tag us on Instagram at @IKPTPOD and let us know what you liked about the show!It's a K-pop Thing is hosted by two journalists and longtime K-pop stans, Alexis Hodoyán-Gastélum and Theresa Avila.
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Missing episodes?
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We have a special concert recap episode that's ALL about our recent K-pop travels, concerts experiences and even a special run-in with some K-pop idols after a concert! (No spoilers: You'll have to tune in to hear who it was!) In this episode we cover how Alexis recently traveled to Tokyo to catch NCT 127 before military enlistments for the members began and Theresa talks about how she flew to Las Vegas to catch TWICE on the last stop of their world tour.
We get into the nitty gritty about Alexis's experience buying the SM Global package and what it was like watching a K-pop show without her phone. Plus, hear about Theresa's experience giving K-pop freebies for the first time and how VCHA opened for TWICE.It's a K-pop Thing is hosted by two journalists and longtime K-pop stans, Alexis Hodoyán-Gastélum and Theresa Avila.
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Lately, the general consensus seems to be: K-pop is bigger than ever before —and that's to be celebrated— but it's also ... different. The music trends are changing and, depending on who you ask, it's not always for the better. Especially among multi-stans, there seems to be a newfound sense of overwhelm and fatigue due to the relentless amount of content churned out by K-pop.
All of this has us thinking: Are we entering a new era of K-pop? Is K-pop's rapid growth stalling?
Dare we ask: Has K-pop Hit a Plateau?
To help us understand where K-pop is today, we're joined in a roundtable discussion by friends of the pod, DJ Peter Lo of the Kpopcast podcast and Tamar Herman, a longtime K-pop journalist and author of the newsletter Notes On K-pop.
We don't promise to have all the answers, but maybe we can share some good thought starters!
Let us know what you think of the state of K-pop today by tagging Alexis and Theresa on Instagram @IKPTpod.
Follow Tamar @Tamarwrites
Follow Peter @DJPeterLoIt's a K-pop Thing is hosted by two journalists and longtime K-pop stans, Alexis Hodoyán-Gastélum and Theresa Avila.
FOLLOW US:
Twitter: @ikptpod & Instagram: @ikptpod
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This episode is PART 2 of our two-episode discussion on the latest K-pop and Latin music collab, "Amigos" by BIBI and Becky G. If you haven't checked out PART 1, go back to the feed and listen!
Intro to the discussionSong Rec #1 (1:11) - GOT7's "Lullaby" in SPANISHSong Rec #2 (7:36) - VAV ft. De La Ghetto & Play-N-Skillz “Give Me More”Song Rec #3 (15:25) - Super Junior x Leslie “Lo Siento”Song Rec #4 (22:44) - ONEUS “Baila Conmigo”Final Thoughts (30:17) - Plus other song recs!
In this portion of the discussion, we dive into our top K-pop and Latine song recommendations! We focus on K-pop songs that cater to a Latine audience, by either featuring a Latine artist, they're sung in Spanish or..they simply have a Latin vibe.
EPISODE RUNDOWN:LISTEN TO OUR FULL SPOTIFY PLAYLIST!
We've got more 25+ K-pop x Latin songs that highlight the growing crossover between Korea and Latin America.
REMEZCLA ARTICLE on K-pop x Cumbia/Norteña
LET US KNOW YOUR DREAM K-POP X LATINE COLLAB!
Tag us on Instagram @IKPTPod to let us know!It's a K-pop Thing is hosted by two journalists and longtime K-pop stans, Alexis Hodoyán-Gastélum and Theresa Avila.
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Hey everyone! We're back in 2024 with an episode we recorded at the tail end of last year when BIBI and Becky G had just released their collab track, "Amigos." It's a chill, fun song that also serves as a good introduction to K-R&B and Latin music. Given this song bridges the broader worlds of K-pop and Latin music—two of our fav genres—we naturally have have a LOT of thoughts on the song!
IntroArtist Bios: BIBI & Becky G (2:36)Why does this collab make sense? (5:57)Song Review (20:45)When did we start seeing K-pop/Latin collabs happen? (28:23)Our Hot Takes (39:59)What's NEXT for K-pop/Latine collabs? HYBE's influence (43:18)What we would like to see when K-pop labels go to Latin America (59:29)Wrap Up (66:34)
This episode is PART 1 of our two-episode discussion on the latest K-pop and Latin music collab, "Amigos" by BIBI and Becky G. Make sure to stay tuned for Part 2 of our discussion later in a future episode, where we give our top song recs for K-pop/Latine music collabs.
EPISODE RUNDOWN:It's a K-pop Thing is hosted by two journalists and longtime K-pop stans, Alexis Hodoyán-Gastélum and Theresa Avila.
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For this edition of Play This! we’re discussing “Gento,” a song by Filipino-boy-group SB19. While it’s not K-pop, per se, the song has been making its way around the industry’s boy groups, thanks to numerous idols doing the “Gento” dance challenge.
But, what is it about this song that has male idols flocking to it? Is the popularity of SB19’s “Gento," maybe due to changes in concepts for K-pop boy groups? Are male idols simply missing the hard-hitting choreography we once associated with “Beast Idols” in K-pop?
More importantly—what actually happened to the “beastly idol,” or “beast idol,” or “beast-dol” boy group concepts from the 2010s?
Episode Intro (1:39)SB19 Quick Bio (4:56)"Gento" Song Analysis (6:48)Our theory behind "Gento"s popularity (12:27)How have K-pop boy group concepts changed? (16:50)How do we define "beast idols" in K-pop? (22:36)A brief (and VERY unscientific) history of beast idols in K-pop (31:15)
In this episode, we share our theories behind the popularity of "Gento" and we give you a brief history of "beast idols" in K-pop. Plus, we share other songs by some of our favorite "beast-dols" as well as our predictions for where boy groups go next.
Buckle up—as MONSTA X says — "we are BEASTMODE!"
LISTEN TO THE PLAYLIST ON SPOTIFY: "SB19's Gento and Other Beast Idol K-pop Songs"
EPISODE RUNDOWN (with timestamps):
PART 1: SB19 & The History of Beast IdolsPART 2: Other Beast-dol Songs We Recommend
2PM — "I'm Your Man" (45:18 )MBLAQ — "This is War" (50:16)MONSTA X — "Shoot Out" (58:02)B.A.P — "Warrior" (63:37)Special song mentions:DMTN, MYNAME, ZE:A, Hotshot, SPEED, Block B (72:17)FINAL THOUGHTS
Is Y2K boy group nostalgia up next? (75:00)TAKE OUR POLL ON SPOTIFY: What’s your favorite “Beast-ly” Boy Group in K-pop? Do you think we should have more groups with this type of concept today?
It's a K-pop Thing is hosted by two journalists and longtime K-pop stans, Alexis Hodoyán-Gastélum and Theresa Avila.
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If you're a K-pop multi-stan like us in the USA, you might have noticed something lately: The number of K-pop acts on tour has grown by a LOT! But with that growth, we've also seen an increase in tour dates overlapping and fans ultimately having to choose between which of their favorite artists to support.
The 3 problems we've noticed with tickets (4:48)Our thoughts on shows not selling (8:24) The impact on older and newer K-pop groups Should promoters do more 2 for 1 sales? (13:59)Is the playing field more uneven? (18:34)
We have to ask: Are we finally in the era of too many K-pop concerts?
To help us talk through this dilemma, we invited our friends Carolina and Kat, each one-fourth of the women behind the podcast Not Your Average Fangirls. If you've ever listened to the show, you know NYAF are some of the biggest K-pop multi-stans around!
On this episode we chat about how K-pop tours have changed, what improvements we'd like to see and—most importantly—their tips for how fans can pay for those concert tickets!
EPISODE RUNDOWN (with Timestamps):
Part 1: Overview of current K-pop tours (2:28)Part 2: Interview with NOT YOUR AVERAGE FANGIRLS (23:30)
How do we decide what shows to attend? (30:12)What's unique to K-pop tours? (39:21)The impact of certain venues and stadiums (46:23)Can things be improved? How? (64:00)Budgeting for K-pop concerts (68:21)The most we've spent on tickets ... (86:00) Tours we're excited for! Plus a shout-out to SuperM (88:15)VOTE IN OUR SPOTIFY POLL—Let us know what YOU think! Are we in the age of too many K-pop concerts?
CHECK OUT NOT YOUR AVERAGE FANGIRLS HERE:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nyafangirls/
X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/NYAFangirlsIt's a K-pop Thing is hosted by two journalists and longtime K-pop stans, Alexis Hodoyán-Gastélum and Theresa Avila.
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Twitter: @ikptpod & Instagram: @ikptpod
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We're back with another edition of Play This! where we give you some song recommendations inspired by recent K-pop releases. On this episode, we discuss the latest collaboration between a K-pop group with a Western artist: "Do It Like That," by TOMORROW X TOGETHER and Jonas Brothers.
Intro to the episode (2:09)What is the TXT sound? (6:36)How does this song bridge fandoms across generations? (10:15)The 411 on "Do It Like That" (16:51)Measuring the song's "success"(19:55)
"Do It Like That" is a bouncy, fun pop song that's perfect for summer and it got us thinking about how rare and special it is to have a collab happen between a K-pop group and a Western artist.
Tune in as we travel back in time to bring you some of our favorite musical crossovers from years past.
GET THE PLAYLIST ON SPOTIFY: Play This! Great K-pop Collabs (TXT, Jonas Brothers and More)
EPISODE RUNDOWN (w/TIMESTAMPS)
Don't Need Your Love — NCT DREAM, HRVYAll Night —BTS, Juice WRLDPut My Hands On You — DEAN, Anderson .PaakFreal Luv — Far East Movement, CHANYEOL, Marshmello, Tinashe (52:43)Temple — Baauer, M.I.A., G-DRAGONLet's Shut Up & Dance — Jason Derulo, LAY, NCT 127
Other Great K-pop Collabs with Western Artists We Recommend (28:57)Honorable Song Mentions (73:49)
Sour Candy — Lady Gaga, BLACKPINKUp To You — PRETTYMUCH, NCT DREAMKiss and Make Up — Dua Lipa, BLACKPINKNILIRIA — G-DRAGON, Missy ElliotLET US KNOW: What did you think of our song picks? What would you add to the list? Tag us on Instagram and Twitter with your thoughts OR leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!
It's a K-pop Thing is hosted by two journalists and longtime K-pop stans, Alexis Hodoyán-Gastélum and Theresa Avila.
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Today's episode features a special interview with K-pop idol and artist, AleXa! Recently we chatted with her about her latest digital-single, "Juliet," and the 6(!) different versions of the song, which include a bachata remix sung entirely in Spanish. In other episodes, we’ve touched on the globalization of K-pop and how artists have branched out to other markets to gain traction beyond Korea. But, AleXa is the latest K-pop idol to turn to the massive fandom in Latin America and recognize them with a special release for Spanish speakers.
Tune in to hear AleXa talk about writing a ballad, what it was like winning American Song Contest, and her thoughts what makes K-pop so unique. Plus, stay tuned after the interview for our takeaways and discussion on the significance of K-pop catering to international fans.WATCH ALEXA PERFORM"JULIET" IN SPANISH HERE:
https://youtu.be/R-5PnLajFn4EPISODE RUNDOWN (w/TIME STAMPS)
Intro to AleXa (2:17)Interview with AleXa (4:32)Singing in Spanish & not sounding like a "gringa" (8:35)Bringing K-pop to American reality TV (19:15)Growing up in Oklahoma & finding your people (21:42)Why K-pop is always "intentional" and polished (31:28)Our Discussion & Takeaways (39:31)How do we define K-pop today? (44:13)Where does AleXa fit into the music landscape? (48:07)We applaud AleXa for addressing her haters (50:55)Some context on K-pop catering to Latin America (58:48)Final Thoughts: The impact of K-pop in Spanish (1:02)LET US KNOW: What do you think of AleXa and other K-pop idols singing in Spanish? Tag us on Instagram or Twitter @IKPTPOD with your thoughts!
ABOUT OUR GUEST ALEXA:
AleXa (알렉사) is a K-pop singer, dancer and songwriter who grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In 2019, AleXa made her multilingual K-pop debut with “Bomb,” which hit #7 on Billboard’s “World Digital Song Sales” chart. After a breakthrough comeback with mid-tempo dance track “Tattoo” in 2022, her song “Wonderland” earned a resounding win on NBC’s American Song Contest, a remake of Europe’s hugely popular Eurovision Song Contest. “Wonderland” ranked #38 on Billboard’s Pop Airplay chart, propelling AleXa to the 6th most played Korean artist on U.S. radio and the first female Korean act to present at the 2022 Billboard Music Awards.
KEEP UP WITH ALEXA:
Official Site: https://www.alexazb.com
YouTube: AleXa • ZB Label
Instagram: @Alexa_zbofficialIt's a K-pop Thing is hosted by two journalists and longtime K-pop stans, Alexis Hodoyán-Gastélum and Theresa Avila.
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We're back with more K-pop song recommendations! For this episode of Play This! we take a very *serious* look at a very UN-serious song: (G)I-DLE's latest comeback and hit, "Queencard." Sometimes in K-pop we get wacky concepts, nonsensical lyrics and unserious music—but who cares if it WORKS? And "Queencard" works fantastically, thanks to the plenty of camp elements throughout.
Intro to (G)I-DLE's "Allergy" & "Queencard"What makes (G)I-DLE's "Queencard" camp? And why does it work? (6:29)What is "camp" & what does it look like in K-pop? (8:37)Is the song all about girl power or is it completely "unserious"? (17:39)Soyeon in Produce 101 & beauty ideals (22:55)
Tune in for our discussion on all things camp in K-pop (Hint: It's everywhere; you just have to know what you're looking for). Plus, don't miss our song recommendations in the second half of the episode! We dug into the K-pop archives for some oldies but goodies.
GET THE PLAYLIST ON SPOTIFY: PLAY THIS: (G)I-DLE’s Queencard Plus Other Unserious & Camp K-Pop
EPISODE RUNDOWN (w/TIME STAMPS)Other K-pop "Camp-y" and "Unserious" Songs We Recommend (30:05)
Babyface — WJSNPower Up — Red Velvet (Bonus: Dumb Dumb)30 Sexy —RAINNerdy — Purple KissHonorable Song Mentions (46:11)
BBoom BBoom, I'm So Hot, Wrap Me In Plastic — MOMOLANDBo Peep Bo Peep — T-ARABubble Pop! — HyunAI'm Gonna Be a Star — TWICESuper Duper — SUPER JUNIORDESSERT — HYO, Loopy, JEON SOYEONBONUS: The K-pop groups we would like to see do a camp concept (51:29)
LET US KNOW: What other camp-y, fun, and unserious K-pop songs would you add to this playlist? Tag us on Instagram or Twitter with your thoughts!
It's a K-pop Thing is hosted by two journalists and longtime K-pop stans, Alexis Hodoyán-Gastélum and Theresa Avila.
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FIFTY FIFTY's "Cupid" is still going strong on the charts, thanks to the popularity of its English "Twin" version. But where do you from there? What other K-pop songs do you queue up on your playlist? After all, you need at least a few good songs to get the algorithm to do its thing!
IntroHow does TikTok factor into all this?Is "Cupid" an outlier?Other K-pop Soft Pop Hits We RecommendIU - "BBIBBI"LE SSERAFIM - "Good Parts (when the quality is bad but I am)BOL4 - "Some"Wonder Girls - "Rewind"What older K-pop hits would blow up on TikTok today?
Lucky for you, we've got four K-pop songs for you that are in the same vein as FIFTY FIFTY's "Cupid." Tune in to hear us break down what's helping "Cupid" chart so well plus our personal song recs for you to play next.
EPISODE RUNDOWN:LET US KNOW: What other K-pop soft pop hits would you recommend? Tag us on Instagram or Twitter with your thoughts!
It's a K-pop Thing is hosted by two journalists and longtime K-pop stans, Alexis Hodoyán-Gastélum and Theresa Avila.
FOLLOW US:
Twitter: @ikptpod & Instagram: @ikptpod
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E-mail us at [email protected] -
We're back with Part 2 of our mini-series examining the state of Girl Groups in K-pop today! We have a lot to discuss in this episode, including new releases by plenty of 4th-gen acts as well as our theories on why the spotlight is shining so brightly on girl groups.
Vox Pop: What K-pop Stans Think (2:38)K-pop Girl Groups Are Breaking Records (6:09)Theories On Why Girl Groups Are Breaking Through (9:25)Our Top 10 List of Girl Groups (for 2023) (31:25)Honorable Group Mentions (67:25)Groups We Hope Have a Comeback (72:20)
PLUS!! We share our TOP 10+ GIRL GROUPS (atm): With so many girl groups charting at the moment, we made our own list of the girl groups that have us excited for the rest of 2023! Plus, you'll hear which groups we're crossing our fingers make an epic comeback so they don't fade into the background.
(Note: If you missed Part 1 of our discussion, go back to the feed and check out our interview with music journalist Lai Frances.)
EPISODE RUNDOWN:LET US KNOW: WHAT GIRL GROUPS TOP YOUR LIST RIGHT NOW?
Do you agree with our Top 10? What groups are you most excited about? Tag us on social and let us know!
HELP THE SHOW GROW
Share the show with a friend, a mutual or anyone curious about K-pop! Already done that? Tag us on IG & Twitter with a screenshot of the latest episode & what you thought about it!It's a K-pop Thing is hosted by two journalists and longtime K-pop stans, Alexis Hodoyán-Gastélum and Theresa Avila.
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Something major happened in K-pop last year: For the first time since the aughts, girl groups outshone their male group counterparts. Not only did girl groups deliver hit after hit, but 2022 also saw 4th generation girl groups consistently vie for the top spot in K-pop music charts and award shows. And if “Ditto” and “OMG” are any indication of how this year’s gonna pan out, it’s looking like girl groups are gonna have another winning season.
1- Intro: Why 2022 Was THE Breakout Year for Girl Groups (2:58)2- Guest Bio: Lai Frances, K-pop journalist (4:58)3- Interview Highlights:Overview of 2022's big wins (8:06)Is it time for boy groups to ‘step back’? (Pun intended) (14:18)How have girl group concepts evolved? (18:19)Are labels pushing out girl groups more? (21:50)Touring for GG in 2023 & beyond (30:01)HOT TAKE: Are boy groups stuck, (sonically)? (36:00)Will the market get saturated? (40:11)What's next for girl groups? (47:39)4- Closing Thoughts (49:13)
ABOUT THIS EPISODE:
This is PART ONE of a mini-series examining how girls groups are dominating K-pop at the moment. Be sure to follow and subscribe to the show so you don't miss Part 2 of our discussion!
OUR GUEST:
To help us make sense of why 2022 was such a pivotal year for K-pop girl groups, we spoke to journalist (and friend of the pod), Lai Frances. Lai Frances, has profiled acts like Le sserafim, Itzy, and Nayeon from Twice. She’s written for publications like MTV News, UPROXX, Tomorrow Magazine, among others.
EPISODE RUNDOWN:LET US KNOW: DO YOU THINK GIRL GROUPS ARE WINNING?
What do you think about girl groups in K-pop right now? Do you agree that they're outshining the boy groups? Do you think they'll keep winning in 2023? Why/why not
HELP THE SHOW GROW
Share the show with a friend, a mutual or anyone curious about K-pop! Tag us on IG & Twitter with screenshots of you listening to the show.It's a K-pop Thing is hosted by two journalists and longtime K-pop stans, Alexis Hodoyán-Gastélum and Theresa Avila.
FOLLOW US:
Twitter: @ikptpod & Instagram: @ikptpod
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E-mail us at [email protected] -
We've tabled the reporting this week to bring you a special bonus episode in the form of a little game we're calling, "Battle of the B-sides."
Two teams will each share their Top 2 album B-sides from an artist and then will make the case for why it’s that idol’s “winning” B-side! A not-so-impartial judge will help to choose a winner over a few rounds of debate. By the end of it all, we hope you’ll come away with a deeper appreciation for an artist’s music as well some new songs to listen to!
Now, before you get ahead of yourself—there is no singing OR actual "battle" taking place. Instead, we're taking a deep dive into the B-sides of one of our favorite K-pop artists to figure out which non-title-track is our favorite.
Here’s how it works:To make this all happen, we've invited our friends over at the Kpopcast to join us for our inaugural Battle of the B-sides: HYUNA Edition!
Team Intros: "Sounds Like K-pop" VS "The Return of 2PM" (3:24)First Impressions of HYUNA (5:53)Round 1: "Get Outta My House" VS "ICE ICE" (17:28)Round 2: "Freaky" VS "Show Window" (30:01)THE BEST B-SIDE! (44:11)Hopes for HYUNA Moving Forward (53:31)
That's right—for this episode we’re starting off with none other than the remarkable, one-of-a-kind, and iconic HYUNA!
EPISODE RUNDOWN:HYUNA B-SIDE SONGS MENTIONED:
"Get Outta My House" "Ice Ice""Show Window""Freaky"CHECK OUT THE KPOPCAST HERE:
Web: https://kpopcast.net/
Twitter: @thekpopcast
WANT US TO FEATURE ANOTHER K-POP ARTIST?
If you like this episode and want us to explore deep cuts from another artist, make sure to tag us on Instagram & Twitter @IKPTPOD or email us at [email protected].It's a K-pop Thing is hosted by two journalists and longtime K-pop stans, Alexis Hodoyán-Gastélum and Theresa Avila.
FOLLOW US:
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FEEDBACK? IDEAS FOR FUTURE EPISODES?
E-mail us at [email protected] -
We're back with a very special follow-up episode in our mini series on rookie K-pop groups that survived — and thrived— throughout the pandemic.
1 - "What's in a name? TFN's Quick Bio" (4:09)2 - Some Notes On Our TFN Interview (7:11)3 - TFN Exclusive Interview (8:44)4 - "The Pros/Cons of Stanning Rookie Groups" (Our Interview with Amanda Soto, a TFN stan) (20:02)5 - Analysis: Was KAMP a test for TFN? Did they pass? (42:07)6 - Final Thoughts (60:31)
For Episode 2 we're super excited to announce we have the podcast's ... FIRST ~ EXCLUSIVE ~ K-POP INTERVIEW!
In this episode, we chat with TFN (formerly known as T1419)—a rookie K-pop group that quickly caught our attention because of the unique way they're promoting themselves in Latin America and Japan.
Tune in to hear the members discuss what it was like to debut during a time when K-pop groups couldn't meet with fans in person—and what they make of their Latine fans. Plus, we spoke to one lucky TFN/T1419 super fan who met the group while they were in Puerto Rico last summer for the Latin Premios Juventud award show. Lastly, we dissect the group's performance at KAMP and where we hope the group goes next.
EPISODE RUNDOWN:TAG US — Let us know if there's another rookie K-pop group that you think should be on our radar! Who would you like to see us interview next?
SPECIAL THANKS to TFN & MLD ENTERTAINMENT for helping make this episode possible!
REMEMBER TO KEEP AN EYE OUT ON SOCIAL FOR EXCLUSIVE TFN CLIPS!
Follow us on @ikptpod on Instagram and Twitter for updates :)
WATCH TFN'S SPANISH SONG "BEFORE SUNSET" HERE:
https://youtu.be/oNnGFBl8LVsIt's a K-pop Thing is hosted by two journalists and longtime K-pop stans, Alexis Hodoyán-Gastélum and Theresa Avila.
FOLLOW US:
Twitter: @ikptpod & Instagram: @ikptpod
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E-mail us at [email protected] -
Debuting a K-pop group under normal circumstances is, to say the least, no easy feat. So, what do we make of a rookie K-pop group from a smaller music label that not only debuts during the COVID-19 pandemic, but also decides to go on tour? Well, that's exactly what K-pop group GHOST9 did in 2022.
1 - "A surplus of K-pop concerts" (4:55)2 - GHOST9 Concert Recap (6:30)3 - KOREOS Interview with Janie Wang (janiewang_19) and Rin Sohn (@rin.ajin) (18:30)4 - Does this marketing strategy work? (55:34)5 - What's next? (67:51)
In our very first episode of It's a K-pop Thing, we're kicking off a two-part series that looks at K-pop groups that debuted during the pandemic. In Episode 1, we go back in time to January 2022, when GHOST9 held their first concert in the U.S.
We'll discuss the group's performance at the El Rey Theater in Hollywood, their collaboration with KOREOS, a dance cover group at UCLA, and lastly, their overall marketing and promotional strategy—and what we make of it!
EPISODE RUNDOWN:Stay tuned for Part 2, where we look at another rookie K-pop group that's taken a very different approach to getting their name out there!
WATCH GHOST9 & KOREOS COLLAB HERE:
https://youtu.be/s60jrrIg1isIt's a K-pop Thing is hosted by two journalists and longtime K-pop stans, Alexis Hodoyán-Gastélum and Theresa Avila.
FOLLOW US:
Twitter: @ikptpod & Instagram: @ikptpod
FEEDBACK? IDEAS FOR FUTURE EPISODES?
E-mail us at [email protected] -
What happens when you bring together two journalists who are the go-to K-pop stan in their friend group? Well, apparently, they start a podcast about K-pop!
Follow @ikptpod on Instagram and Twitter for the latest on the pod!Have feedback or ideas for what we should cover next? E-mail us at: [email protected]
Welcome to the debut of It's a K-pop Thing!
"The show where we talk about all the things that make K-pop, distinctly K-pop."
Hosted by Alexis Hodoyan-Gastélum and Theresa Avila, It's a K-pop Thing explores the fan culture that's helped grow K-pop into a global phenomenon. Because as longtime K-pop stans know, the world of K-pop is so much MORE more than just the music. (Though, let's be clear: The music IS incredible!)
Each episode of It's a K-pop Thing dives into one aspect of the K-pop industry—whether it's fan signs, rookie debuts, PC trades, or something else—in order to spotlight the one-of-a-kind fan culture that's transformed the way we consume music.
We're just getting started and hope you look forward to our "debut!"
>>FIRST EPISODE DROPS FALL 2022>>
STAY IN TOUCHABOUT OUR HOSTS:
Alexis is a longtime K-pop journalist who's interviewed K-pop acts like Monsta X, Red Velvet, BTS, Momoland and more. She's currently the music editor for Remezcla, a Latine music and culture publication. Alexis's ult group is Super Junior.
FOLLOW ALEXIS: @hoe_doyan on Instagram and Twitter
Theresa is a writer, editor and producer who has covered beauty, style and all things business and entrepreneurship for publications like Girlboss, The Cut, Mic and others. Her love of K-pop and podcasts means she's almost always wearing a pair of headphones. Theresa's ult groups is EXO.
FOLLOW THERESA: @theresa_avila on Instagram.It's a K-pop Thing is hosted by two journalists and longtime K-pop stans, Alexis Hodoyán-Gastélum and Theresa Avila.
FOLLOW US:
Twitter: @ikptpod & Instagram: @ikptpod
FEEDBACK? IDEAS FOR FUTURE EPISODES?
E-mail us at [email protected]
