K-Pop Releases: Jan. 2026
- Feb 2
- 17 min read
Initial Release: Feb. 2
Hello, everyone! Welcome to a brand-new installment of K-Pop Releases, the monthly review series where I look at several k-pop songs that came out within the month and say my opinion on them! My name's Grace, and today, we're looking at the first month of 2026 - January! But before we get into that, I need to bring something up.
I have social media. You can follow me on Threads, Instagram and YouTube, which are all linked on each of these names. I'm more active on those first two pages, but I'll only use the community tab for YouTube. You can follow me on those pages to learn more about me and stay up to date with each new blog release!
Now back to the intro! Like I said earlier, we're starting off 2026! January may be a slow month, but I think that's intentional, as it sets the standard of what the year could look like. I was writing these for the very first time last year, but now I have more experience! And this month is...okay. We have some good songs, but also a bit of garbage in the mix. In order to see how I feel about these tracks, here's a tier ranking!
Tier Rankings:
0/6 - Crap Tier (hate the song)
1/6 - Bad Tier (still don't like, but could be worse)
2/6 - Mid Tier (boring or just mediocre)
3/6 - Decent Tier (just okay, only check out once in a while)
4/6 - Good Tier (perfectly serviceable)
5/6 - Great Tier (really enjoy)
6/6 - Amazing Tier (completely in love)
I'm gonna bring this up every time: disagreements are fine, but please be respectful of my opinions if you want me to respect yours. I'm trying to make this site a safe place. Now we have that out of the way, let's get this started (insert Black Eyed Peas song here)!
Are we ready?
---
'Love Me More' by Apink
Release: Jan. 5
Label: WITHUS Entertainment
Tier: 3/6
What's this? A 2nd Gen group that didn't come from the Big 3? That's a first for this series!
In case you don't know who this group is, here's a brief introduction: This is Apink - a girl group who debuted in 2011, I believe, under IST Ent. (wasn't called that then) with this soft and cutesy style. I checked out a couple of their biggest songs last year, and I hate to say it, but they didn't seem to click for me. I can't make out what reason exactly, but the best I can say is that I just didn't find them interesting. Though if you like this group, that's fine! Keep doing so.
I'm getting off track. Apink switched to a new label last year, and they start off the year with a new mini-album; and I'll give them this: 'Love Me More' might be the first song from them I actually kinda like. It's a sweet-sounding track, with a soft R&B tone, a flute melody that sounds pleasant, and the members giving nice vocals. I think so far, Eunji and Hayoung stand out the most for their low, yet impressive vocals (especially the former). This isn't something that will stick out in my mind overtime, but I think this one's alright! I may give Apink another chance with their earlier singles because of this.
'Pretty Boy Swag' by idntt
Release: Jan. 5
Label: ModHaus
Tier: 5/6
Before we discuss the song and group in question, I just want to say that when I first saw this song title, I was really worried. I bring this up because there was this Soulja Boy song from 2010 with that same name, and it was really bad! It was a product of its time, with an awkward breathy rap flow and the most tense, yet tedious beat you can imagine!
So who's idntt? First off, idntt is pronounced as "identity" (don't know why it's spelled weirdly, but whatever), and they're an upcoming boy band from ModHaus, set to have, no joke, 24 members! Yes, that company is creating the boy band version of tripleS, that 24-member girl group you might know about (I even reviewed them in May last year!). And no, this isn't an official debut. This is technically a sub-unit debut; in this case, this unit goes by "Yesw8are", debut as eight members. The first sub-unit, Uneverm8t, already debuted in August of last year with its first seven members.
And the song's quality? It's a lot better than that Soulja Boy song I mentioned earlier, that's for damn sure! This 'Pretty Boy Swag' is great! It's a dance-rock track, with the boys giving us really good vocals and having enough swagger (hey, like the song implies) in their performances! Sure, they're flexing, but they sound cool doing so. Plus, I enjoy the upbeat atmosphere; it'll sure put me in a good mood to start my day!
I'm sure that full group debut won't be out for several more months, but when it gets here, I'll be ready to review it! Nice job!
'STING' by JOOHONEY (ft. Muhammed Ali)
Release: Jan. 5
Label: STARSHIP Entertainment
Tier: 4/6
Yes, you're reading that featuring credit correctly.
But before we deal with that, let's talk about Joohoney. You may recognize him as the main rapper in MONSTA X, whom I reviewed in my 'Sept. 2025 Releases' blog. For me, he's the member who stands out the most. I've always loved his gruffy voice, and he raps with so much intensity that he ends up shining in some of his group's most bombastic tracks!
This isn't the first time he's made solo music, either. He officially made his solo debut in 2023, and 'FREEDOM' was a strong first impression as the debut title track! So for his first solo comeback, he put out a pre-release track last month in the form of 'Push', and I can't say I was very fond of it. And that especially sucks, since that song had a featuring credit from IVE member Rei!
'STING' is the title track for Joohoney's newest album, Intensity, and it's alright! And yes, that is Muhammad Ali's famous quote, "I'm gonna float like a butterfly and sting like a bee" opening the song, which is why he's listed as a feature at all. This is a pretty typical pump-up track with a bombastic production, but not much that stands out lyrically. Joohoney gives a really performance in the verses, and his flow is great, but for the chorus, he just repeats Ali's quote twice, which gets old pretty quickly. A fine song, sure, but not something I'll come back to often.
'XO, My Cyberlove' by CHUU
Release: Jan. 7
Label: ATRP
Tier: 4/6
If you've been following me on my blogs, you might've caught on to the fact that I tend to prefer girl groups. A bit ironic, since my favorite k-pop group overall is a boy band, but I just find myself listening to girl groups a bit more. This may be a hot take, but I unfortunately haven't cared for LOONA that much. I love 'Paint the Town', but that's about it. Their songs didn't click for me that much, I'm sorry.
LOONA were a girl group from Blockberry Creative, debuting in 2018. They seem to have a massive fanbase online, but their success didn't seem to translate that well in South Korea. Though in 2023, all the members ended their contracts and redebuted as two different groups later on. It's a very messy story that I'm not willing to get into right now. This blog is starting to become longer than it should.
As for Chuu, she had already left LOONA in late 2022. She made her solo debut in 2023, and this is my first song of hers I'm checking out...and it's pretty good! 'XO, My Cyberlove' is a sweet mid-tempo pop song about love, just about Chuu longing to be with her partner. The lyrics and production don't grab me much, but Chuu has such a lovely voice. I mean it; her singing is really good! I might give her other songs a chance after this. Check this one out if you haven't.
'Running to Future' by ZEROBASEONE
Release: Jan. 9
Label: WAKEONE
Tier: 6/6
So... unless you don't follow k-pop as much as I try to, you're probably aware of ZEROBASEONE's upcoming disbandment in March. They're a project group - it was bound to happen eventually. It's a shame, too, because I really like this group; been a more casual fan since 'SWEAT' and 'Feel the POP'.
This song, 'Running to Future', is the pre-release to their final album, RE-FLOW. And God damn, is it beautiful?! No joke, this song almost made me cry. It's about the guys starting a new chapter in their lives, promising each other that they'll meet again one day. I love the production here; it's so lovely, with a mid-tempo beat, a moving guitar, and even the drum kick is alright! But ZB1 themselves - they're the main highlights on this track! They all give emotionally moving vocal performances, and they all sound great! I especially love the ending high note both Zhang Hao and Hanbin sing in the bridge! That just gives me chills!
The album come out next month, and until then, I'll be looking forward to it! Can't wait to see how the title track turns out!
'Blue' by DxS
Release: Jan. 12
Label: HYBE - Pledis Entertainment
Tier: 4/6
Opening up 2026 with another SEVENTEEN sub-unit debut, eh? I pointed this out in my Year-End blog for last year, so I'll say this again here: it's clearly unlikely we're getting a full group comeback from SEVENTEEN this year. Four of their members are in the military, and I suspect that DK and Seungkwan, our next sub-unit, are gonna be next in line for that.
And how does this song turn out for them? It's pretty good! Wait... just "pretty good"? This is DK and Seungkwan we're talking about! You know, the main vocalists from one of the most popular 3rd Gen boy bands?! And that's my main issue with 'Blue': as great singers these two are, they're not that vocally distinct from each other. They sound great together, but I have a hard time telling who's who unless I'm watching a lyric video.
This is still a nice song regardless of that nitpick. It's about the pain of a breakup, with the narrators still feeling sad about the whole ordeal. DK and Seungkwan give strong, emotional performances, and I like that most of this track is sung in their native language (similar to how I felt about Jo Yuri's 'Farewell for Now!'). The instrumentation is lovely, if a bit boring as well, backed by a piano and swelling violin strings. I feel like this is the type of song that only works in I'm in a certain mood for it. I imagine just listening to the song on its own in a dark corner of my room, and I can let the guys' vocals blow me away. It's great if you love this song, but I might not seek it out that often.
'FREAK ALARM' by ALPHA DRIVE ONE
Release: Jan. 12
Label: WAKEONE
Tier: 4/6
Ah, yes, ALPHA DRIVE ONE - that new project boy band that was formed on BOYS II PLANET; this time, promoting under a five-year contract instead of the usual two-and-a-half years most other project groups did! That's just two years away from the typical seven-year contract most other k-pop groups start off with!
So who are these guys? ALPHA DRIVE ONE, or "ALD1" for short, are WAKEONE's newest boy band, made up of eight members. They made some buzz last month with their pre-debut song, 'FORMULA', which I kinda liked. And now with the release of their actual debut, what do I think? It's alright!
'FREAK ALARM' is an interesting choice of a debut song. You'd think a song with that title would be on more brash and noisy side, but not at all! The production here is fun and bouncy, and the guys give serviceable performances. Nobody in particular blows me away right now, but they do have enough charisma to keep my attention throughout the track.
Overall, this is a good song for ALD1 to start their journey with! Unlike...
'Moonwalkin'' by LNGSHOT
Release: Jan. 13
Label: More Vision
Tier: 2/6
Has anyone heard of the rapper Jay Park? He was a member of 2PM up until 2010, when he left the group and went solo, churning out a good number of hits in South Korea. I bring him up because he opened up the label, More Vision, in 2022. I know this company more for the singer Chungha, but today, we're looking at its new boy band, LNGSHOT. ...What do I even make of these guys?
Honestly, I'm not sure. They're a self-produced group made up of four members, and like ALD1 before, they also had a pre-debut song released last month in 'Saucin'', which was dumb, but also kinda fun. 'Moonwalkin'' takes a different approach - being a trap-R&B style song - and it ends up pretty mediocre. The production is fine enough, but I have one glaring issue with this track: these guys aren't very engaging to listen to.
Yeah, I'll say it - I'm not fond of these guys (I only mean that as artists; I don't know what they're like as people). These guys all have really high voices, and they just don't mesh well against this low-tempo beat, which is meant to sound cool. Louis, the maknae, sticks out the worst for me. I mean, just listen to him; his voice hasn't even dropped yet! I looked up this group on KProfiles, and he's 15 years old. Yeah... That sounds about right...
But here's the thing: a lot of girl groups have had members who debuted at that same age, if not younger, and as young as they sounded, you at least kinda get why they debuted. It could be due to strong vocals or being a solid rapper. Heck, even a couple of NCT DREAM members had a similar issue this kid has when they debuted nearly 10 years ago, though at least their prepubescent voices fit the cutesy aesthetic of 'Chewing Gum'. This song is trying to sound edgy and cool! Louis reminds me way too much of Justin Bieber when he debuted in the pop scene at that same age; trying to come off as "cool" or "charming", but has a voice so high-pitched that it's almost comedic in lacking any vocal charisma!
I'm sorry about the long rant, but I really didn't like this song. Maybe if LNGSHOT waited a few extra months to debut, I might've taken them more seriously. Otherwise, I don't see the vision here. Sorry...
'Knife' by ENHYPEN
Release: Jan. 16
Label: HYBE - Belift Lab
Tier: 0/6
Okay, you're gonna have to follow me on this one. The last time I reviewed ENHYPEN was in the June blog, and I just found 'Bad Desire (With or Without You)' to be okay, along with the group itself. Yeah... I don't exactly have the highest thoughts on ENHYPEN; the guys are good singers, but there's other boy bands from the 4th Gen era that I could be listening to instead. I like them, but their more recent title tracks have felt more generic than anything.
Until now, because holy crap! 'Knife' is so awful! That wirey synth on the hook is an assault to my eardrums! I don't mind ENHYPEN taking a darker route with their music - it actually fits their vampire concept pretty well - but the five producers who worked on this song made it so unlistenable! It's mostly a trap beat, with a pipe organ and a guitar that only comes in tiny appearances, and it doesn't do any of these members justice. I mean it; the guys are trying to pose as threats, but I just don't get that out of their vocals! Not even Ni-ki, who has the clear deepest voice in the group, can sell the sinister vibe because everyone here sounds awful! What's with the unnecessary autotune in parts of the verses, or the repetition of the word "knife" in the chorus?
Doesn't matter; this is atrocious. It's only the beginning of the year, and already, ENHYPEN have their worst title track. At least 'Future Perfect (Pass the MIC)' was funny bad. Can we move on to the next song already? Who's next, anyways?
'Crown' by EXO
Release: Jan. 19
Label: SM Entertainment
Tier: 4/6
Well, look at that! A boy band I can somewhat take seriously!
EXO aren't personally one of my favorite boy bands from the 3rd Gen era, but I can see why other people like them. They have strong vocalists (like with any SM act), their songs are pretty catchy, and they have the right amount of charisma to back up their talent.
So let's check out 'Crown', their first full group comeback since EXIST from 2023! Um... it's okay. Let's start with the highlights: this song is very rock-heavy, with a chugging guitar that sounds badass, and I love the ambition this track has. Chanyeol, Sehun and Kai has some good rap parts, and Suho and D.O. give some really strong vocals. Also, Lay is back! This is first time he's on an EXO title track since 'For Life', which was released back in late 2016 if you can believe it! He's been pretty busy with his solo music career in China, so it's cool to see him back!
Then, there's a certain element that's holding this track back. A certain... elephant in the room, if you will. Baekhyun, Chen and Xiumin aren't part of this comeback. Those three are under INB100, and they've been having legal disputes with SM, which is why they're not able to participate in this comeback. That's such a shame, since not only is Baekhyun a contender for my bias in this group, but I feel like he and Chen could've elevated this track with their incredible vocals!
'Crown' may be a step up from 'Cream Soda', but it left a lot to be desired. That's all.
'Grenade' by ONEUS
Release: Jan. 20
Label: RBW
Tier: 4/6
Earlier this month, I read a post on Instagram that said ONEUS aren't renewing their contracts at RBW, and that they'll be moving to a different company. It's great that they'll still be together, as RBW kinda sucks now! All its artists' music videos just don't gain the high views they used to anymore; makes me worried about that MAMAMOO comeback happening this summer.
Back to ONEUS! They have a new song, and this may be one of their weaker singles in a while. It's still good, but there's a couple elements that hold it back for me. The beginning starts a bit wonky, with the word "grenade" being repeated and the production having a clattering beat. Thankfully, the members save this one. Leedo still has some great rap parts, and I love the way his vocals sound as the outro opens up. Hwanwoong also raps, and he's really good at it! I like seeing him show his skill in that department. Xion and Keonhee have nice vocals, but they're pretty low-key here. I guess that makes sense, since the production is trying to go for a somewhat edgy vibe.
'Grenade' is a fine song, but I know ONEUS can do a lot better.
'404 (New Era)' by KiiiKiii
Release: Jan. 26
Label: STARSHIP Entertainment
Tier: 5/6
Oh good; we're done with all the boy bands! It's been a while since I brought up a girl group, so let's see what KiiiKiii are up to this time?
Honestly, this might be my favorite song from them so far! When I first checked them out last year for their debut, I thought this was the vibe they would lean more into. I liked them, but their previous title tracks were pretty standard, and they left the riskier-sounding songs to the b-sides ('BTG' and 'GROUNDWORK'). So it's nice to see this song in particular being pushed as the single on Delulu Pack!
'404 (New Era)' gives me the vibe of "if NewJeans were upbeat...like, more than they usually are" - a UK house beat with garage rhythms. And despite how "techno" this song sounds, the lyrics are about disconnecting online and interacting with the real world, something I feel like we all need. I love that! I especially love all the members here, too! Kya and Leesol actually get to rap, and their verses are really good! Jiyu, Haum and Sui have nice vocals in the verses and pre-chorus; though the hook does take me out a bit due to the repetition of it. Other than that, the girls knocked it out of the park here! Can't wait to hear more like this!
'Mono' by i-dle (ft. skaiwater)
Release: Jan. 27
Label: CUBE Entertainment
Tier: 4/6
Alright, a new i-dle song! I first reviewed them in May of last year, and I mentioned that they're one of my favorite girl groups. That's still true, as their songs are not just addictive, but their music is so diverse and different every time.
'Mono' is no exception, and it's really good! Though before we dive into this song, there's one unique element of this track I want to point out: there's a featuring credit on this. The featured artist in question is skaiwater, a UK-based rapper who's worked with other rappers earlier in the decade, ranging from Lil Keed, Lil Uzi Vert and Lil Nas X (that's a lot of 'Lil's). They're also non-binary, and honestly, this is an inspired choice of collaboration, as 'Mono' is a song themed around LGBTQ+ rights, while also dancing along to the music. I'm all for that; we need more songs like this, I feel!
Unfortunately, as much as I love its message, I feel like this could've been a lot better. For one, most of this song is in English. There's nothing wrong with that, but that aspect does kinda throw me off. There's only one line in this song that has Korean lyrics, and that's at the end of the first verse, where Soyeon says translated, "Now mute your mind / Let your heartbeat sing its song". skaiwater has the second verse, and while the lyrics there are fine, their voice is so heavily autotuned that it takes me out of the experience a little. Plus, for a song that about moving along to the music, the production is a bit drab - it's fine, but it could've had more umph to it. i-dle themselves are great as usual, so there's a plus for that. Despite the song's flaws, I can see this one growing on me. I do appreciate the message enough for that, but for now, this is just fine and nothing else.
'cloud palace' by Billlie
Release: Jan. 27
Label: Mystic Story
Tier: 5/6
I really like Billlie. They might not be up there as my personal top ten k-pop girl groups, but the songs I've listened to from them are so charming and full of life. To give you an idea of them, here's a brief overview: they debuted in late 2021, they're made up of seven members, and they have an intriguing concept that's hard to follow (maybe unless you're a superfan). Billlie did not have a full group comeback last year as the only thing associated with them that I reviewed was that Moon Sua x Siyoon sub-unit song back in the April blog.
'cloud palace' is the pre-release track to their upcoming album, The Collective Soul and Unconscious: Chapter 2, which currently doesn't have a release date as far as I'm aware. And honestly, this is a very welcome return! It's a very stripped back track, with a swelling piano and a marimba riff that's really addictive. Seriously, that's a great marimba sound! The buzzing synths that come in the chorus are a bit off-putting at first, but the song starts to build up after that, and you start to get used to it after that. And the members? They're really good here, mainly showcasing their vocals. They all sound great on this track; heck, even the rappers get to sing!
I probably would check out the live version I have on here since it just sounds better than the studio version, but this is really good! Welcome back, Billlie!
'VISA' by YOUNG POSSE
Release: Jan. 27
Label: DSP Media
Tier: 1/6
Last song in today's blog, and man, I hate that we're ending it here! YOUNG POSSE are a group I'm very mixed on; they have their bops, and then they have crap like this! I do want to state that this isn't their worst song I heard - their debut 'MACARONI CHEESE' has that "honor" (no really, that one's dreadful) - and while 'FREESTYLE' back in August wasn't everyone's cup of tea, there was at least energy and somewhat compelling elements!
'VISA' has an ugly, droning beat with synths that sound like they were pulled out of an arcade game (not a compliment), and the girls are drowned in so much auto-tune that they all sound terrible! I guess Sunhye and Doeun are decent enough rappers to keep this song engaging, but then Jiana name drops Kanye West, and I'm like, "Can we not bring up that fascist?"
I just feel nothing towards this song? Can we go back to 'XXL' and 'ATE THAT'? Those songs are actually good.
---
And that's our month! If you enjoyed reading this, make sure you subscribe to my blog so you don't miss out on any updates! Also, share this with anyone you know, or those who are also interested in k-pop! I'm currently at 40 monthly visitors, and I couldn't be more proud of myself! One of my goals is reaching 250 monthly visitors, and if we can reach that number...I don't know - the goal will just be complete! Maybe I'll finally get around that 'K-Pop in Canada' blog.
Next month should be interesting, as some of my favorite groups have comebacks - ATEEZ, BLACKPINK, IVE - I'm looking forward to those releases! I'm Grace, and have a wonderful day!
Comments