By Mars Brunk, Graphic Designer

The month of September and the beginning of October was full of fresh new music for the K-Pop industry, with several comebacks ranging from well known groups to solo debuts from well known idols in the industry. 

Tomorrow X Together’s Choi Yeonjun released his solo debut “GGUM” on Sept. 19 to high praise from listeners. Many praised the interesting sound of the song as well as the highly complex choreography that highlights his exceptional dancing skills.  

The choreography features a backwards kick into a split, which fans have tried to cover in TikTok dance challenges, but few are able to emulate the fluidness in which Yeonjun executes the move. He has also gone viral for executing a hip move on the Korean pop music show Music Bank, shocking one of the hosts. 

The six member group P1Harmony had their second comeback of the year, releasing on Sept. 20. Many fans, both Korean and international, were interested to see if the group could top their February release, “Killin’ It” which many claim was their best song yet as a fourth-generation group and relatively new face to the industry. 

Their new release, “SAD SONG” has not only wowed their fanbase, but K-Pop enthusiasts worldwide, with the Youtube views already more than half of what their February release amounted to. Many fans have praised the styling of the members in the music video as Y2K fashion. One member, Kim Jongseob, continues to be highly praised by both fans and the media for his complex spitfire rap that is a common thread in their releases. 

Ateez released their highly anticipated Japanese EP “Birthday” on Oct. 1, with many excited over their first non-collaboration release since May. The music video features many glamor shots of the members on top of birthday themed sets. Fans have praised numerous hard-hitting lines of one member, Kang Yeosang, who has not appeared at the forefront for most of their discography. 

The members of Ateez have also been heavily involved in several fashion events this past month, with Park Seonghwa attending Paris Fashion Week in late September in outfits that showcased his signature androgynous style. Fellow members also attended Paris Fashion Week, with Kim Hongjoong, representing Balmain, and Jung Wooyoung, representing Courrèges. 

The sixth and newest subunit of NCT, NCT Wish, have released their first mini-album titled “Steady”. Seasoned and new K-Pop fans are excited to see them develop as a group, as they have already received praise for their visuals as well as the storyline present in the title track’s music video. A popular Korean music chart, Melon, listed the track “Steady” within the top 100 for a few days, although unfortunately they have currently fallen out of the top 100 charts. 

Many fans have commented encouraging words to the members of the group, complimenting their sound as well as giving them courage to keep improving as a group. The members have expressed that they look up to the current subunits of NCT, most of which have blossomed into some of the most popular groups in all of today’s boy groups. We all sincerely wish them well on their journey as idols!