K-Pop Releases: May 2025

Initial Release: June 2 (From now on, I'm going to be writing down the release date for every blog - as in, the date I set to have it out. For some reason, whenever I go back to the drafts of my older blogs, I keep having to update them, meaning the release date ends up changing, which is really annoying. I hope this helps.)

Hello everyone! Welcome, or welcome back to K-Pop Releases, where I take a look at a select number of k-pop song released within the month! I'm Grace, A.K.A, Lil' Miss Different, and I'll be reviewing the songs released in May! I don't know about you, but this was an exciting month for me to look at! No joke, this might be my favorite month I looked at so far, as we were getting bop after bop after bop! Not every song clicked, but the ones that did managed to really stick with me! I may have found some of my favorite k-pop songs of 2025 so far!

Once again, I'll be giving each song a score out of 6, based on my own opinion:

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)

Different opinions are fine, but please be respectful of mine if you want me to respect yours. I have a lot on my plate, so let's get ready, shall we? Who are we opening up with?

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'Love Language' by TXT

Release: May 2

Label: HYBE - Big Hit Music

Tier: 2/6

Alright! TXT aren't one of my personal favorite groups, but I like enough of their songs to see the appeal. They're back with a new single, and wow, this is underwhelming.

Before I get into why, let's start with the positives. The subject of communicating through love is a really cute idea. Not only that, but the guys sound really nice here, too... aside from Taehyun, whose voice sounds really strained on a couple of lines. No, what really drags this song down for me is the production. This is supposed to be a breezy, summer-y vibe, right? If so, what is that tittery beat playing across the track? It sounds really annoying! I'm not the biggest expert on afrobeats, but isn't that genre supposed to be relaxing, a "feel the vibe"-type? I'm just saying, if there's an annoying, out of place production element in the song, it takes me out of the experience.

Theoretically, this could grow on me, but there's, like, a dozen other TXT songs I could be listening to instead. All I can say is, right now, LE SSERAFIM have the better afrobeats song, and I'm not sure if that's saying a lot.

'Crazy Train' by E'LAST

Release: May 7

Label: E Entertainment

Tier: 5/6

You know what classic rock song I really enjoy? 'Crazy Train' by Ozzy Osbourne. Sure, the mixing on that track is dated (it's 45 years old, after all), but the song is such a thrill ride! E'LAST's song called 'Crazy Train', isn't that, but still great in its own way.

First off, let's talk about E'LAST themselves. They're an eight member boy band that debuted in 2020 under E Ent. (not the celebrity news network, mind you). Actually, the lineup for this comeback consists of six members, as Choi In is currently in the military, while Seungyeop is on hiatus, I can't find a reason why. Their music is usually really dark, and from what I've heard, they're really underrated.

'Crazy Train' is a nice change of pace for them, being a fun, pop rock summer song. The song knows how to keep your attention - the instrumentation is energetic, the guys sing very well, and I even like the whistling that plays in the background. Please check this group out; you won't regret it!

'DUH!' by P1Harmony

Release: May 8

Label: FNC Entertainment

Tier: 6/6

P1Harmony are slowly becoming one of my favorite boy bands in k-pop. Just from last year, 'Killin' It' and 'SAD SONG' were really excellent tracks, and the guys themselves are incredibly charismatic. They're back, and once again, made a really great song!

'DUH!' is a hip-hop influenced track, with the lyrics mainly focusing on performing on stage, while reaching the highest peak of fame. While the beat sounds really hot, it's P1Harmony themselves that really pull me in. I really like how Theo sounds in the pre-chorus; he has a nice voice. I enjoy the rappers here, too. While Jiung and Intak are good, it's Jongseob that catches my attention the most. He has the entire second verse to himself, and his flow is fantastic! He's probably my favorite out of all this group's rappers. Overall, the guys made another bop! I'm looking forward to what they do next!

'Echo' by ablume

Release: May 9

Label: Massive E&C

Tier: 5/6

Well... Saena, Aran and Sio are back! If you don't know what I'm talking about, here's some info. They're the former members of FIFTY FIFTY. They ended up leaving the group in 2023 after legal disputes, which lead them to form a new group in ablume, now signed to Massive E&C.

This is their debut, and man, 'Echo' is so lovely! The acoustic guitar gives the song the perfect spring vibe, always set to put me in a good mood. The girls sound nice here, too. Aran in particular stands out to me most, mainly because she has the most distinct voice of the three. Though one part of the track I'm not that crazy about is the beat switch-up in the second verse, when Saena starts rapping. It just seems a bit out of place for me. Overall, this is a really nice song; I highly recommend you check it out! I wish the best for these girls - they deserve it!

'DROP TOP' by MEOVV

Release: May 12

Label: THEBLACKLABEL

Tier: 3/6

If you haven't read last month's blog, please do. I reviewed MEOVV's previous single, 'HANDS UP', and I really enjoyed it. I wouldn't call it the best song ever, but it was the first song from them I actually like. Now that MY EYES OPEN VVIDE is out, I can confidently say that this title track is just okay.

Yeah...this one's kind of a let down. You'd think a song called 'DROP TOP' would be fun or cool, and not a slow, mid-tempo ballad. The song is about living life to the fullest, looking at the bright side and learning to move forward. While the girls sing nicely enough, the production leaves a lot to be desired. Not only that, but it feels pretty dated, which isn't inherently a bad thing. It sounds like something you'd hear on Bea Miller's debut album (Does anyone remember her? She made songs like 'Young Blood' and 'Fire n Gold').

A fine song overall, but I could also forget its existence.

'Are You Alive' by tripleS

Release: May 12

Label: MODHAUS

Tier: 2/6

Okay...this one should be interesting. tripleS are a girl group who debuted in 2023, and I kid you not, they have a whopping 24 members! They're pretty much the female equivalent of NCT, a massive group in size who are at least broken up in different sub-units. Although unlike NCT, tripleS' sub-units seem to rotate different members around. That's neat and all, but I feel like everyone's gonna get lost in the shuffle, no?

I hate to say this, but I haven't been invested in this group. With NCT, as hit or miss as those guys are, at least I can tell the members apart from each other! Most of the girls here just sound too similar to me, and music itself... It's okay. Their previous ensemble track, 'Girls Never Die' is really good, even if it wasn't one of my personal favorite songs (everyone else in the k-pop bubble seemed to eat that one up), and I enjoyed Visionary Vision's 'Hit the Floor'.

'Are You Alive' tries to hit the same level of grandness 'Girls Never Die' did, but it doesn't really do that for me. The production doesn't feel that intriguing, the girls are fine, but none of them do a good job of standing out, and the 'La la la's in the chorus sound like a satanic ritual. Maybe I'm missing something in the lyrics, but I just don't feel that impressed with this comeback. Sorry...

'I Feel Good' by BOYNEXTDOOR

Release: May 13

Label: HYBE - KOZ Entertainment

Tier: 4/6

BOYNEXTDOOR are back, and still as good as ever! This time, with more swagger. 'I Feel Good' is really good (pun intended) - a Michael Jackson-esque track with a very slick baseline. The guys have enough charisma to pull off the cool vibes this song has, and the hook is incredibly catchy. It's only in Good Tier for now, mainly because I wish the track ran a bit longer, but otherwise, solid comeback.

'Don't Say You Love Me' by Jin

Release: May 16

Label: HYBE - Big Hit Music

Tier: 3/6

So... Most of BTS are set to finish their military services this summer (Jin and J-Hope finished last year). I don't know what what their group comeback will intale, but I already know it's gonna be huge. But for now, let's focus on Jin, who I feel is one of the more underrated members of that group. Sure, he often gets the least lines in most BTS tracks (that I've heard), but he has a nice voice, and I really like his solo tracks.

What do I think about this song? It's okay, but clearly his weakest solo single thus far. I like the soft pop-rock instrumentation, and Jin sings this song well, but something just isn't clicking for me here. I think it might be the lyrics, being about a failing relationship, and how the guy's feelings makes it harder to let go. To him, his partner hating him is easier than just breaking up. Is this toxic? I've never been in a relationship, so I don't know how I'm supposed to feel about this. I'm also not a lyrics girlie, but I also don't see myself vibing along to the music, either. In other words, I'm gonna end up forgetting about this.

'Fly Up' by RIIZE

Release: May 19

Label: SM Entertainment

Tier: 5/6

Okay, RIIZE are back, and they're officially six members! Yeah... In case you didn't know, they were originally seven members when they debuted, but then one member went on hiatus for several months, only to end up leaving the group anyways in October last year. That whole story is a can of worms, and it's really stupid, so I won't explain it here.

What I will explain is this comeback, 'Fly Up', which is really good! It's a chipper, upbeat 1950's rock and roll inspired track, celebrating optimism and freedom. I really love the choir shouting "Fly up" in the chorus; it just sounds so vibrant. I also really enjoy the members themselves. Shotaro has a fun rap in the second verse, and Wonbin and Sohee really stand out as vocalists. Overall, a fantastic track - give this one a listen!

'Good Thing' by i-dle

Release: May 19

Label: CUBE Entertainment

Tier: 6/6

Yes, you read that correctly: they no longer go by (G)I-DLE - just i-dle. And frankly, I'm fine with that. They're one of my very favorite k-pop groups, so seeing them sort of rebranding themselves intrigued me. They're one of the most diverse sounding groups in k-pop, with each comeback sounding so different every time, mainly due to their leader, Soyeon, being an excellent rapper and producer.

And this song is incredible! Sure, the light touches of autotune are a bit much, but they fit so well with this glitzy beat that they eventually become ignorable. Not to mention that the girls themselves sound amazing here! I already mentioned Soyeon being a great rapper, but I think that's more based on her charisma. She has a quirky voice, but she has a lot of sass, which immediately draws you in. Yuqi's deep voice sounds great on this, too, especially on the second verse, where Shuhua joins in with her. Minnie has a feisty vocal delivery, and Miyeon sounds fantastic on the pre-chorus.

Looks like renewing their contracts at CUBE might've done some good for them, because they set the bar for future title track really high! I can't wait to see what they do next! Also, check out 'Girlfriend' if you haven't - it's also great.

'Elevator' by BAEKHYUN

Release: May 19

Label: INB100

Tier: 4/6

Now we have Baekhyun, who's another member of EXO. If Kai has my favorite solo releases in that group, Baekhyun's probably second place, but I think that's mainly by default. He has a nice voice, he's an excellent singer, and his solo tracks work pretty well.

'Elevator' is a fine song. The production is a little basic, but Baekhyun has enough charm, that I can look past that. There's not much to really say here, it's okay, but I'd rather stick to 'Bambi' and 'Pineapple Slice', thank you.

'Poet | Artist' by SHINee

Release: May 25

Label: SM Entertainment

Tier: 3/6

This one's gonna need some context.

Before I talk about the track itself, I want to talk a bit about SHINee. I haven't listened to every single/title track from them, but from what I heard, they're alright ['Lucifer' and 'Sherlock (Clue + Note)' are my favorite songs from them so far]. I mentioned this before, but I'm not an expert on 2nd Gen era k-pop; mainly because some of the production styles of those songs either haven't aged that well, or just don't click for me. Which is also why I'm very selective with which acts of that era I discuss in this series. After all, SHINee are a very popular boy band from one of the big labels, so why not?

Let's discuss their 2025 comeback, because this one is pretty heavy. 'Poet | Artist' is named after their late member Jonghyun's posthumous album of the same name. If you don't know who Jonghyun was, get ready for your heart to break. He was one of SHINee's main vocalists up until 2017, when he took his own life at 27 years old. I can't say how I felt about his death at the time, since I wasn't interested in k-pop back then, but reading about it was really upsetting. He even had a hand in writing and composing this track, so this song must've been on the shelf for a really long time.

So why did I put this in the Decent Tier? I think it comes down to the production, which feels needlessly loud, when this song shouldn't be. It's supposed to be slower, giving you time to take in the song's atmosphere, but it's really hard to do that when the production sounds jumbled and overproduced. The members themselves sound okay; Onew and Taemin are really good vocalists, and I like how the ladder opens up the first verse. Key and Minho even take a step back from rapping and also sing, and they sound fine, but nothing too special.

A pretty standard anniversary comeback (Happy 17 years!!!), all things considered, but not something I'd see myself returning to. Also, rest in peace, Jonghyun.

'THUNDER' by SEVENTEEN

Release: May 26

Label: HYBE - Pledis Entertainment

Tier: 5/6

And speaking of anniversary comebacks, SEVENTEEN are back!... Well, except for Jeonghan, who enlisted in the military back in September. And Wonwoo enlisted last month (at the time I'm writing this), but he's still in this song.

Of all the boy bands I started checking out after falling into the k-pop fandom, SEVENTEEN are by far my second favorite of them. In fact, I actually plan to check out their albums in full during my spare time, just not sure when.

Yes, I love this group's music, and 'THUNDER' is no different! It's an energetic party track, and while the production could've sounded a bit less fuzzy, it gives the song a lively atmosphere. I also like the members here as well, and the singing and rapping makes them sound effortlessly cool.

Though I do have a couple of gripes with this track. First off, what's with the spelling of "thunder" in the hook? That word is made up of seven letters - usually the spelling gimmick only works if the word is very short. Otherwise, it just sounds you're only spelling to fit a rhyme scheme or meter. Plus, I felt like the song could've had more of an impact, or added some sort of climax. I know I was just complimenting the song's lively vibe, but it doesn't hit the same level of grandness as some of their more recent title tracks. 'Super', 'God of Music', and even 'MAESTRO' are very different tracks, but they sounded huge, and I just don't get that here.

It's still a great track, just not a personal favorite. Also, happy 10 years, SEVENTEEN! Hope you're having a wonderful year!

'FREEZE' by KickFlip

Release: May 26

Label: JYP Entertainment

Tier: 4/6

Looks like KickFlip released their first comeback. If you don't know what I'm talking about, let me catch you up. KickFlip are the new boy band from JYP, debuting in January this year. I reviewed 'Mama Said' for that month's blog, and I liked it fine, but I feel like it became forgotten as the months went by.

'FREEZE' is just as good, but a little more intriguing. It's a pop-rock song for the summer, about living your day to the fullest without worry. The instrumentation kind of reminds me of 'hey! hey' by TWS from last year, except I actually prefer that song. The guys are fine, but they don't leave much of an impression for me. Minje's the only one I can remember, but I think that just comes from him being the token deep-voiced member, and even he doesn't stand out that much. Also, I really hate the drop that happens in the chorus; it sounds so jarring to me, but at least it leads into an awesome refrain.

If it wasn't for that drop, I would've ranked this track a lot higher. I just hope KickFlip can get out of their "just okay" category for me, because I want to like this group. They have the potential to be great - just look at fellow boy band NEXZ! I reviewed their recent title track, 'O-RLY?', last month, and I really enjoyed it! I just wish this song was better than it actually was.

'TILT' by IRENE & SEULGI

Release: May 26

Label: SM Entertainment

Tier: 5/6

The long awaited comeback of the iconic Red Velvet sub-unit was not on my 2025 bingo card, but it's a very welcome addition regardless. To catch you up, Irene and Seulgi made their sub-unit debut in 2020, and woah, 'Monster' and 'Naughty' are incredible tracks! I wasn't sure if they were ever coming back, but here we are!

'TILT' is a very sleek and sexy sounding track, mainly for its production. It sounds dark, yet enticing, and I love the light piano touches. I don't know why, but the song's vibe kind of reminds of Madonna's 2005 hit 'Hung Up'. I also really enjoy Irene and Seulgi here as well. While I prefer Seulgi's tone, Irene is able to stand on her own. Both of these women sound incredible on this! One thing I wish the song could've done was make the chorus less repetitive, and at least find another way to make it memorable. But besides that, this is a wonderful listen, and I hope you check it out!

'2 Months' by UAU

Release: May 28

Label: Dreamcatcher Company

Tier: 2/6

Okay, last song in the blog, and just as we started with a Mid Tier song, we're ending with a Mid Tier song.

Before I get into the song itself, I want to talk about UAU. They're the first sub-unit of the girl group Dreamcatcher, one of the most unique girl groups in k-pop. They generally have a distinct rock sound, and these women have a pipes and bombast to make their songs work incredibly well! I highly recommend you check them out if you're into that type of music, because they're awesome! And when I read that they were gonna debut their first sub-unit, I was excited!

And it pains me to say that this falls really flat. JiU, SuA and Yoohyeon usually have great voices, but here, they sound so non-descript. The song gives them this weird vocal layering that not only makes them sound fuzzy, but it comes to the point where I can't even tell the members apart from each other!

Then there's the production; I like the aquatic drumline that plays in the verses...and then they go away once the chorus hits, giving us an underwhelming nothing of a beat, which leads into an empty drop that adds in a kazoo sound that sounds like it's farting, and it sounds so gross.

In other words, this is 'EASY' by LE SSERAFIM all over again. At least that song had a pleasant flute melody.

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Yeah... Not the best way to end the blog, is it? I hope you enjoyed reading it, because I really enjoyed writing it! I may have found my Song of the Year so far! If you're interested in what you read, make sure to subscribe so you don't miss an update!

June is set to be a near, equally busy month for new releases! BLACKPINK are one of those acts, apparently, so that'll be interesting. I'm Grace, and have a wonderful day!