This was a big year for fans of K-pop at Coachella, especially because we had a younger group and two Second-Gen icons perform at the festival. First up we had KATSEYE, who made headlines following the will-she-or-won't-she-appear speculation regarding Manon. Then we had TAEMIN, who made headlines as the first K-pop soloist to play at the festival. Following that, we had the one and only BIGBANG, who finally got their time to shine in the desert after their previous performance was cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic.

As Coachella has grown, so, too, has K-pop. And, in a world where concerts are getting more expensive and other music festivals like Lollapalooza are gaining ground ... where does K-pop fit in?

Is landing a spot at the biggest music festival a smart brand investment or is it merely a vanity performance? Let's discuss.

IN THIS EPISODE:

• A brief overview of the history of K-pop at Coachella
• The K-pop "multiverse" at the festival (according to us)
• The presence (erm, lack of?) Manon at the festival
• Our takeaways from the key K-pop performances at Week 1 & 2
• KATSEYE: Pinky Up — Is this the group's signature sound now?
• TAEMIN: The MJ references and his perfectionism on full display
• BIGBANG: Why the second weekend was the better show for older fans
• Our Big Q: What is K-pop's place at Coachella and is it worth it for artists?
• The reality of how industry connections determine the artist lineup
• The K-pop groups we think will debut at Coachella next year

It's a K-pop Thing is hosted by two journalists and longtime K-pop stans, Alexis Hodoyán-Gastélum and Theresa Avila.

LINKS TO SOCIAL:

• It's a K-pop Thing: @ikptpod
• Alexis: @hoe_doyan
• Theresa: @theresa__avila

CONTACT:
E-mail us at: itsakpopthing@alkemielab.com

*This is Part 1 of a mini-series on the Return of BTS*

We're trying something new on the pod ... a mini-series! It's been nearly 4 years since the 7 members of BTS released new music as a group and there's plenty to talk about. To mark the occasion we're taking a close look at what this moment means for BTS and for the industry as a whole.

To kick off this mini-series, we're rewinding a few weeks to the group's first performance in Seoul in front of Gwanghwamun in Seoul, South Korea. We chat with a journalist and fan who saw the comeback concert in person and was lucky enough to be up close to center stage. We also discuss the album's rise to the top of the charts and whether or not the Netflix livestream lived up to fans' expectations.

IN THIS EPISODE:

Setting the Stage

• ARIRANG's dominance on the Billboard charts
• The album in numbers: the sales, streams and milestones
• Crowd attendance: How many people actually showed up for the comeback?
• About the director of the Netflix Livestream: Hamish Hamilton
• Why the Netflix livestream maybe missed the mark
• What K-pop fans really want to see during a performance

Interview with Philiana Ng

• Winning a raffle prize on WeVerse - what are the odds?
• What the concert was really like for fans in the audience
• What the cameras didn't capture about the members on stage
• Does the new album represent BTS 2.0?

ABOUT OUR GUEST:

Philiana Ng is an entertainment journalist who regularly covers television. You can find her work on publications like Yahoo! MSN, the Hollywood Reporter, Entertainment Tonight, among others.

• Instagram: @philiana1
• X: @insidethetube

SHOW LINKS & ARTICLES:

• BTS the Comeback Live: Arirang’: 10 things you didn’t see on TV during the Netflix special (Gold Derby)
• BTS rampages back to the top of the charts (NPR)
• BTS stays at No. 1 on the charts — and thwarts Ye in the process (NPR)

CREDITS:

This episode was produced, recorded and edited by Theresa Avila. Our theme music is by Edna Lugo. Our cover art design is by Alejandro Abarca.

It's a K-pop Thing is hosted by two journalists and longtime K-pop stans, Alexis Hodoyán-Gastélum and Theresa Avila.

LINKS TO SOCIAL:

• It's a K-pop Thing: @ikptpod
• Alexis: @hoe_doyan
• Theresa: @theresa__avila

CONTACT:
E-mail us at: itsakpopthing@alkemielab.com

"NCity is on fire."

That's what it seems like for NCTzens everywhere who, in the last few days have faced the unexpected bombshell news of Mark Lee saying goodbye to NCT and SM Entertainment. As if that wasn't bad enough news, days later, TEN also announced that he was leaving the company. But, crucially, TEN clarified that he would remain a part of NCT and WayV.

Still, it's little salve for fans of the group (us included!) who have to now reckon with an uncertain future as key members of NCT have officially departed the group.

It's also hard NOT to think about other recent K-pop departures. So if you're in your feels about this era of NCT coming to a close, tune in and process thing with us.

Tune in to hear:

• What made Mark Lee's departure all the more shocking
• What impact each NCT member had in the group
• Mark's history at SM Entertainment — we saw him grow up!
• How Mark's Christian faith influenced his music
• How we define an "Ace" member in K-pop
• What Danielle, Heeseung, Manon and Mark have in common
• How 2nd and 3rd Gen K-pop groups dealt with missing members
• Our theories on why Mark left the group
• What might be next for Mark next
• Our hopes for NCT moving forward

It's a K-pop Thing is hosted by two journalists and longtime K-pop stans, Alexis Hodoyán-Gastélum and Theresa Avila.

LINKS TO SOCIAL:

• It's a K-pop Thing: @ikptpod
• Alexis: @hoe_doyan
• Theresa: @theresa__avila

CONTACT:
E-mail us at: itsakpopthing@alkemielab.com

We finally have BLACKPINK's first EP since 2022, the highly-anticipated Deadline, a five-track release that includes "JUMP" and "GO." But does the EP live up to the hype? In the weeks since its release, the reaction from critics and fans alike has been mixed. That tepid response contrasts to the praise for the member's recent solo music — which includes a Grammy nomination. All of this got us wondering about what's next for the group.

And, importantly, do the member's current solo careers outshine their latest release as a group?

To help us analyze the latest from BLACKPINK, we invited Jeff Benjamin, music journalist and writer of The Crossover Newsletter. Over the years, Jeff has interviewed pretty much every K-pop idol you can think of, including Blackpink.

Tune in to hear us discuss:

• BLACKPINK's album sales
• Our first impressions on the EP
• Hits and misses from Deadline
• The response from critics and fans
• Hearts2Hearts' win over BLACKPINK on the music shows
• Our thoughts on the member's solo music

Plus, highlights from their solo careers, including:

• Rosé's songwriting and Grammy nomination
• JENNI's cohesive album and presence at festivals
• Jisoo's acting career and new drama
• LISA's entrepreneurial side quests

Lastly, we discuss what we hope to see in the group's next chapter.

It's a K-pop Thing is hosted by two journalists and longtime K-pop stans, Alexis Hodoyán-Gastélum and Theresa Avila.

LINKS TO SOCIAL:

• It's a K-pop Thing: @ikptpod
• Alexis: @hoe_doyan
• Theresa: @theresa__avila

CONTACT:
E-mail us at: itsakpopthing@alkemielab.com

ZEROBASEONE's time as a 9-member group has come to a close after more than two and half years. What started as a temporary, project group from the survival show BOYS PLANET (Season 1) will now continue as a 5-member boy group managed under WAKEONE Entertainment, a subsidiary of CJ ENM.

The group will continue as a quintent consisting of Sung Han-bin, Kim Ji-woong, Seok Matthew, Kim Tae-rae, and Park Gun-wook. The remaining four members, Zhang Hao, Ricky, Kim Gyu-vin, and Han Yu-jin will return to their original agency Yuehua Entertainment (now rebranded as YH Entertainment). What happens next in their careers remains unclear but ZEROSE have plenty of theories.

In this episode, we hear from fans of ZB1 about how they're processing the inevitable closing of one chapter with a group that won over millions of fans and broke record after record.

ABOUT OUR GUEST:

Philiana Ng is a journalist covering entertainment and TV with bylines at The Hollywood Reporter, Billboard, Entertainment Tonight, TV Guide, Yahoo Entertainment, Netflix, The Daily Beast, The Wrap, Primetimer, Backstage, and more. After first interviewing ZEROBASEONE at KCON LA she became an avid fan of the group. Last year she traveled to see ZB1 in Seoul and Tokyo for the start of their most recent tour and she recently flew back for the final encore shows in Seoul.

• Read Philiana Ng's interview with ZB1: https://joysauce.com/zerobaseone-is-ready-to-take-on-the-world/

IN THIS EPISODE:

• How ZEROBASEONE came to be on Boys Planet
• The 411 on the members' personalities
• The timeline for contract negotiations
• Project groups and how companies split trainees
• Concert experience in Seoul and Tokyo
• Tips for buying K-pop tickets abroad
• What might be next for the 4 members in Yuehua Entertainment
• Will the fandom splinter off?
• Fan submissions on how they're processing this moment

It's a K-pop Thing is hosted by two journalists and longtime K-pop stans, Alexis Hodoyán-Gastélum and Theresa Avila.

LINKS TO SOCIAL:

• It's a K-pop Thing: @ikptpod
• Alexis: @hoe_doyan
• Theresa: @theresa__avila

CONTACT:
E-mail us at: itsakpopthing@alkemielab.com

What started as perhaps a run-of-the-mill corporate statement about KATSEYE's Manon taking a hiatus from group activities has turned into a PR disaster for HYBE x Geffen. In the days following the announcement, there's been a flurry of "read between the lines" speculation that's flooded the internet as fans try to make sense of what might be going on behind the scenes. Adding fuel to the fire, gossip accounts have resurfaced old claims of potential mistreatment and racism against Manon.

There’s no way we couldn’t talk about this.

To help us break it down for you, we invited Natasha Mulenga, an entertainment journalist who has covered K-pop extensively. She's also the author of the book “More Idols of K-pop: The definitive guide to the hottest bands,” and host of the podcast, A Soulful Storm.

Tune in to hear:

• What a "hiatus" usually means in K-pop
• The disconnect in official statements
• Our thoughts on Daniela's dad chiming in
• Manon alluding to mistreatment by liking a video
• The Cut cover story on KATSEYE
• The painful history of the racist "lazy" trope for Black people
• Fans' toxic behavior regarding race and Manon
• Cultural differences toward work in Europe, America and South Korea
• The immense pressure of K-pop idols' schedules
• Speculation and fan theories that have caught our attention
• How we think KATSEYE can move forward

It's a K-pop Thing is hosted by two journalists and longtime K-pop stans, Alexis Hodoyán-Gastélum and Theresa Avila.

LINKS TO SOCIAL:

• It's a K-pop Thing: @ikptpod
• Alexis: @hoe_doyan
• Theresa: @theresa__avila

CONTACT:
E-mail us at: itsakpopthing@alkemielab.com

ATEEZ's latest comeback has proven to be their most successful to date so far and that's thanks in large part to high album sales and streaming that led to a Triple Crown victory on the music shows in Korea and a #3 debut on the Billboard TOP 200.

Their MV for "Adrenaline," the title track off of their 13th mini album, "Golden Hour: Part 4" achieved 10 million views within 24 hours and has since surpassed 38 million views on YouTube (as of our recording). That puts the MV for "Adrenaline," on par with the total MV views for each their previous two comebacks from last summer, "Lemon Drop" and "In Your Fantasy."

Altogether, these achievements indicate ATEEZ is one of the leaders of the current scene for K-pop and especially for 4th Gen K-pop groups.

Tune in as Theresa chats with a fellow ATINY and podcaster, Mina, the host of K-pop Bookshlef about ATEEZ's latest achievements and their why this comeback has them excited.

IN THIS EPISODE:

• ATEEZ's achievements with GOLDEN HOUR PT. 4
• All about "Adrenaline"
• The B-sides we're enjoying
• San's silly sweatstain "controversy"
• The "Idol" image and expectations around perfection
• The underdog story of KQ Fellas
• What it was like to see ATEEZ at Coachella
• The reality of fan signs and fan calls in K-pop

ABOUT OUR GUEST:

Joining us today is Mina, the host of the podcast K-pop Bookshelf, which, as the title suggests, features discussions on books set in Korea or about Korean society. If you want to better understand the culture behind K-pop and K-dramas, you listen to the archival episodes of K-pop Bookshelf wherever you get your podcasts.

LINKS:

• DesTINY in the Desert - Our Trip to CHELLATEEZ
• True Life: I Won a Fansign

It's a K-pop Thing is hosted by two journalists and longtime K-pop stans, Alexis Hodoyán-Gastélum and Theresa Avila.

LINKS TO SOCIAL:

• It's a K-pop Thing: @ikptpod
• Alexis: @hoe_doyan
• Theresa: @theresa__avila

CONTACT:
E-mail us at: itsakpopthing@alkemielab.com

The start of 2026 had seemingly everyone online reminiscing about what life was life back in 2016. Back when times were simpler, more fun and, dare we say, when K-pop music was ... better? Before you come for our necks, let us take a trip down memory lane as we reminisce about how great K-pop was in the 2010s.

In this episode, Alexis and Theresa ask themselves: Did K-pop already peak or is nostalgia giving us rose-tinted glasses? (Er, ears?)

Tune in as we discuss:

• What we consider the "Golden Era of K-pop"
• Why it feels like good K-pop releases are few and far between lately
• Sonically, where K-pop is today with 4th and 5th gen groups
• The "peaks and valleys" of when K-pop was great and not-so-great
• Why 2020 might've given us the last of the greatest hits
• 2nd and 3rd Gen comebacks that are giving us major nostalgia
• The rise and fall of great vocalists in K-pop
• APINK's comeback and why we're excited for the future
• The BEST Songs of 2016 (according to KultScene)
• Our final verdict: Did K-pop Peak? Or is it just nostalgia?

KULTSCENE'S TOP SONGS OF 2016:

Watch: KultScene's Top 25 Songs of 2016 on YouTube

Read: KultScene's Top 50 Songs of 2016 Part One and Part Two

It's a K-pop Thing is hosted by two journalists and longtime K-pop stans, Alexis Hodoyán-Gastélum and Theresa Avila.

LINKS TO SOCIAL:

• It's a K-pop Thing: @ikptpod
• Alexis: @hoe_doyan
• Theresa: @theresa__avila

CONTACT:
E-mail us at: itsakpopthing@alkemielab.com