This Week In K-Pop [Nov 9]

SEVENTEEN RECEIVES APPRECIATION CERTIFICATE FROM THE LA CITY COUNCIL

On November 9, SEVENTEEN’s Joshua received a Certificate of Appreciation from the LA City Council to honor his and the group's contributions to arts, culture, and the community. While SEVENTEEN has received various appreciation certificates before, the LA City Council event was particularly special. Before Joshua moved to South Korea and became part of the world-famous boy group SEVENTEEN, he was just a young boy from LA with big dreams.

During his acceptance speech, Joshua said:

“LA and SEVENTEEN are alike in many ways; we both thrive on the endless possibilities that diversity creates. LA stands tall as the capital of culture and creativity, fueled by the bustling energy created by people from diverse backgrounds. SEVENTEEN is like that, too. The 13 of us have come together with our different personalities and tastes to create a dynamic and creative spirit that's unique to SEVENTEEN.”

After the speech, the Santa Monica Pier’s Pacific Wheel lit up in SEVENTEEN's official colors, rose quartz and serenity, alongside the group's logo.

GOT7’s Jinyoung’s Back!

GOT7's Jinyoung is finally back from military service after diligently completing his mandatory duties as an active-duty soldier. In an interview following his discharge, the idol said:

“I had a fun time with good friends for the past year and a half. I think I’ve become a stronger person after joining the military. I promised the fans to return as a better person, and I think I was discharged in good health, so I wanted to express my gratitude to fans.”

Jinyoung also mentioned he will soon begin filming for his upcoming drama “Unknown Seoul” alongside actress Park Bo Young. Additionally, he spoke about his upcoming album during a recent livestream.

Upcoming Tours, Events, & Performances

• 2NE1 has added three more tour dates for their “WELCOME BACK” tour, with new stops on:

  — 02.01 in Kuala Lumpur

  — 02.15 & 02.16 in Ho Chi Minh

  — 02.22 & 02.23 in Macao

• NCT 127's fourth tour, “NEO CITY - The Momentum,” has announced its schedule. Dates and stops are as follows:

  — 01.18 & 01.19 in Seoul

  — 02.15 & 02.16 in Jakarta

  — 02.22 & 02.23 in Bangkok

  — 02.28 in Duluth

  — 03.02 in Newark

  — 03.02 in Toronto

  — 03.07 in Rosemont

  — 03.09 in San Antonio

  — 03.12 in Los Angeles

  — 03.15 & 03.16 in Osaka

  — 03.22 & 03.23 in Taipei

  — 03.29 & 03.30 in Fukuoka

  — 04.05 & 04.06 in Nagoya

  — 04.26 & 04.27 in Macau

• The lineup for the LAPOSTA Music Festival, scheduled for January 31 and February 1 at Tokyo Dome, Japan, has been announced. The K-pop artists who are performing include ZEROBASEONE, Kep1er, and IZNA.

• EVNNE, TRENDZ, INI, ZEROBASEONE, H1-KEY, and NouerA have been added to the lineup for the 2024 Music Bank Global Festival, which will be held in Japan on December 14 and 15.

• The 2025 Rabbit to the Moon Music Festival, scheduled for February 22 in Thailand, has revealed its lineup, including EXO's Baekhyun, Zico, The Rose, POW, and Kep1er.

The More You Know

• BLACKSWAN’s former member Youngheun recently announced on her Instagram that she will be marrying her boyfriend of six years, ex-M.I.B's HanGil, on December 16. Congratulations to the happy couple!!!

• The lord giveth and the lord taketh away; as GOT7 Jinyoung returns, NCT’s Jaehyun has just started his mandatory military service for 18 months. The next time we hear from him will be around May 2026.

Our Favorite Music From This Week

Tomorrow X Together's 7th mini album, “The Star Chapter: SANCTUARY,” was easily one of the best releases this week. The album is cohesive and follows a consistent sound without feeling repetitive or boring. However, where are the bridges??? As for our favorite track, it was a tough choice between “Heaven” and “Over The Moon.” But after listening to both songs back-to-back multiple times, “Over The Moon” takes the top spot, largely due to Soobin’s angelic falsetto in the chorus: “Over the moon, over the stars.” Lastly, it would be a crime not to mention “Danger.” This song likely marks the album's shift from a dreamy tone, especially with Yeonjun, Beomgyu, and Taehyun's deadly pre-chorus line, “What you doin’ to me? What you doin’ to me?”

MISAMO's second Japanese album, “HAUTE COUTURE”, definitely lives up to its name. The entire album has an elegant vibe with a crisp sound. The B-side track “RUNAWAY” particularly stands out, with its dreamy melodic instrumentals and beautiful ad-libs, making it arguably the best song on the album. That said, “Wah Wah Wah” is undeniably the catchiest song, with its repetitive chorus that is sure to get stuck in your head.

Seems like Minho realized that an angel loses a wing every time a K-pop artist releases an album shorter than 15 minutes, so he decided to end the streak with his 30-minute album, “CALL BACK - The 1st Album”. With 10 tracks, the album explores a more mature, sensual RnB sound. While it’s difficult to rank the songs since each has its own charm, “Because Of You (feat. NINGNING)“ is a must-listen. The track is smooth, with Minho and NINGNING’s vocals melting together like ethereal heavenly butter.

DAY6's SUNGJIN also blessed us with a 33-minute video, gifting yet another angel a wing. As a self-producing artist, SUNGJIN took part in writing and composing the entire album, resulting in an immaculate and deeply comforting collection. The song “Check Pattern
feels like it could belong on a K-Drama soundtrack, with beautiful lyrics like, “Perhaps we’re just walking on countless intersecting lines / Meeting you was just a coincidence / If I just make myself think like that, maybe the parting would be bearable.” It's sure to become a fan favorite. Moreover tracks such as “Nowhere You Are” and “You Wake Me Up” are heart-wrenching, with melancholic melodies and equally moving vocals — the perfect songs to cry your heart out to.

Lastly, VIVIZ's B-side “Full Moon” from their latest album brings the light, dreamy pop sound that this week was missing. The only downside is that the track feels criminally short, leaving listeners wanting more. Despite this, the beautifully layered ad-libs in “Full Moon” elevate it, making it enchanting and perfect for late-night long drives.

Next Week’s Comeback Schedule

Sunday, November 10, 2024

N/A

Monday, November 11, 2024

• ENHYPEN: Album “ROMANCE: UNTOLD daydream”

• NCT DREAM: 4th Album “DREAMSCAPE”

• YUTA (NCT): 1st Mini Album “Depth“

• KAVE: 2nd EP Album “Say My Name“

• TWS: 1st Single “Last Bell“

• TIOT: 3rd Digital Single “Take It Slow“

• MUU: Track “By Your Side“

• VAHN: Single “Goodbye“

Tuesday, November 12, 2024

• Big Ocean: 1st Mini Album “Follow“

• Lovelyz: Track “닿으면, 너“

• An Yujin (IVE): OST “더 그레이트“

Wednesday, November 13, 2024

• Stray Kids: 2nd Japan Album “GIANT“

• STAYC: 5th Japan Side Singles “GPT Japanese Ver.“ and “Tell Me Now“

• OMEGA X: 2nd Mini Album “To.“

Thursday, November 14, 2024

• Yves: 2nd EP “I Did“

• PRIMROSE: 3rd Mini Album “Steal Heart“

• DAYCHILD: 2nd Single Album “CRESCENT“

• YOUNHA: 7th Mini Album Repackage “GROWTH THEORY: Final Edition“

• BIBI: Tracks “DERRE“ and “BURN IT (feat. DEAN)“

Friday, November 15, 2024

• JIN (BTS): 1st Album “Happy“

• ATEEZ: 11th Mini Album “GOLDEN HOUR: Part 2“

• CLASS:y: 3rd Mini Album “LOVE XX“

Saturday, November 16, 2024

N/A

— Javeria Yousuf

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