It's a K-pop Thing – Détails, épisodes et analyse

We're back with a fresh season for 2025 and to kick things right off we're bringing you a conversation we recorded at the end of last year when Stray Kids announced their upcoming stadium tour! There's no doubt that K-pop has grown, and with it, the size of venues artists perform has grown as well. So many K-pop acts have made headlines selling out shows at stadiums across the United States and with Stray Kids embarking on an even stadium-ONLY tour, it seems a new milestone for K-pop is here: Go Big or Go Home.

But—are stadium concerts in K-pop a good thing? Alexis and Theresa dive into the heavy cost that comes with attending a stadium concert and why they might not be the best thing for the fan experience.

IN THIS EPISODE:

• SEVENTEEN Stadium Recap at BMO in LA
• The Evolution of Concert Culture in K-pop
• The Not-so-great Impact of Stadium Tours on K-pop
• Concert Ticket-buying Strategies and Tradeoffs to Consider
• Are We Going to See Even More K-pop Stadium Tours?
• How Could the Stadium Show Experience Be Enhanced?
• Final Thoughts and Wish List

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

FOLLOW US:
Twitter: @ikptpod & Instagram: @ikptpod

FEEDBACK? IDEAS FOR FUTURE EPISODES?
E-mail us at info@kpoppod.com

We are back after our summer break for a brand new season of It's a K-pop Thing! In this episode, we catch up and discuss what it was like traveling to Mexico this summer to see NCT Dream and Cha Eun Woo.

Then, you don't want our advice and tips in the second half of the show! If you've ever thought about traveling to see a K-pop show in Mexico (or maybe greater Latin America), this is the episode for you. We give you the real, honest advice we would give our closest friends about what you can expect at a show, what you should look out for and more.

In this episode we cover:

• What it's like to go to Mexico for a K-pop Concert
• Cha Eun Woo in Mexico City 2024 at Arena CDMX
• What his fan meeting/concert was like
• NCT Dream in Mexico City
• What it was like getting floor seats for NCT Dream in Latin America
• How to see a K-pop concert in Mexico 
• Tips for K-pop concerts in Mexico

TIMESTAMPS:

• 0:00 - Cold Open
• 1:45 - Start of Show 
• 3:39 - Cha Eun Woo in Mexico City
• 19:00 - NCT Dream
• 42:23 - Advice and Tips for Traveling to Mexico
• 45:01 - TIP 1 - Don't be afraid to go alone
• 48:26 - TIP 2 - Tap your Mexican friends/mutuals for help
• 55:53 - TIP 3 - Take the right amount of cash
• 61:02 - TIP 4 - Buy the bootleg merch!
• 67:55 - TIP 5 - Do your research on local events before/after the show
• 73:32 - TIP 6 - Make friends at the show
• 80:23 - TIP 7 - "Don't piss them off"
• 88:23 - TIP 8 - Level your expectations about concert etiquette
• 97:12 - Final Thoughts 
• 98:52 - End of Show

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

FOLLOW US:
Twitter: @ikptpod & Instagram: @ikptpod

FEEDBACK? IDEAS FOR FUTURE EPISODES?
E-mail us at info@kpoppod.com

Today's episode features a special interview with K-pop idol and artist, AleXa! Recently we chatted with her about her latest digital-single, "Juliet," and the 6(!) different versions of the song, which include a bachata remix sung entirely in Spanish. In other episodes, we’ve touched on the globalization of K-pop and how artists have branched out to other markets to gain traction beyond Korea.  But, AleXa is the latest K-pop idol to turn to the massive fandom in Latin America and recognize them with a special release for Spanish speakers. 

Tune in to hear AleXa talk about writing a ballad, what it was like winning American Song Contest, and her thoughts what makes K-pop so unique. Plus, stay tuned after the interview for our takeaways and discussion on the significance of K-pop catering to international fans.

WATCH ALEXA PERFORM"JULIET" IN SPANISH HERE:
https://youtu.be/R-5PnLajFn4

EPISODE RUNDOWN (w/TIME STAMPS)

• Intro to AleXa (2:17)
• Interview with AleXa (4:32)
  • Singing in Spanish & not sounding like a "gringa" (8:35)
  • Bringing K-pop to American reality TV (19:15)
  • Growing up in Oklahoma & finding your people (21:42)
  • Why K-pop is always "intentional" and polished (31:28)
• Our Discussion & Takeaways (39:31)
  • How do we define K-pop today? (44:13)
  • Where does AleXa fit into the music landscape? (48:07)
  • We applaud AleXa for addressing her haters (50:55)
  • Some context on K-pop catering to Latin America (58:48)
  • Final Thoughts: The impact of K-pop in Spanish (1:02)

LET US KNOW: What do you think of AleXa and other K-pop idols singing in Spanish? Tag us on Instagram or Twitter @IKPTPOD with your thoughts!

ABOUT OUR GUEST ALEXA:
AleXa (알렉사) is a K-pop singer, dancer and songwriter who grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In 2019, AleXa made her multilingual K-pop debut with “Bomb,” which hit #7 on Billboard’s “World Digital Song Sales” chart. After a breakthrough comeback with mid-tempo dance track “Tattoo” in 2022, her song “Wonderland” earned a resounding win on NBC’s American Song Contest, a remake of Europe’s hugely popular Eurovision Song Contest. “Wonderland” ranked #38 on Billboard’s Pop Airplay chart, propelling AleXa to the 6th most played Korean artist on U.S. radio and the first female Korean act to present at the 2022 Billboard Music Awards.

KEEP UP WITH ALEXA:
Official Site: https://www.alexazb.com
YouTube: AleXa • ZB Label⁣⁣
Instagram: @Alexa_zbofficial

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

FOLLOW US:
Twitter: @ikptpod & Instagram: @ikptpod

FEEDBACK? IDEAS FOR FUTURE EPISODES?
E-mail us at info@kpoppod.com

We're back with more K-pop song recommendations! For this episode of Play This! we take a very *serious* look at a very UN-serious song: (G)I-DLE's latest comeback and hit, "Queencard." Sometimes in K-pop we get wacky concepts,  nonsensical lyrics and unserious music—but who cares if it WORKS?  And "Queencard" works fantastically, thanks to the plenty of camp elements throughout.

Tune in for our discussion on all things camp in K-pop (Hint: It's everywhere; you just have to know what you're looking for). Plus,  don't miss our song recommendations in the second half of the episode! We dug into the K-pop archives for some oldies but goodies.

GET THE PLAYLIST ON SPOTIFY: PLAY THIS: (G)I-DLE’s Queencard Plus Other Unserious & Camp K-Pop

EPISODE RUNDOWN (w/TIME STAMPS)

• Intro to (G)I-DLE's "Allergy" & "Queencard"
• What makes (G)I-DLE's "Queencard" camp? And why does it work? (6:29)
• What is "camp" & what does it look like in K-pop? (8:37)
• Is the song all about girl power or is it completely "unserious"? (17:39)
• Soyeon in Produce 101 & beauty ideals (22:55)

Other K-pop "Camp-y" and "Unserious" Songs We Recommend (30:05)

1. Babyface — WJSN
2. Power Up — Red Velvet (Bonus: Dumb Dumb)
3. 30 Sexy —RAIN
4. Nerdy — Purple Kiss

Honorable Song Mentions (46:11)

1. BBoom BBoom, I'm So Hot, Wrap Me In Plastic — MOMOLAND
2. Bo Peep Bo Peep — T-ARA
3. Bubble Pop! — HyunA
4. I'm Gonna Be a Star — TWICE
5. Super Duper — SUPER JUNIOR
6. DESSERT — HYO, Loopy, JEON SOYEON

BONUS: The K-pop groups we would like to see do a camp concept (51:29)

LET US KNOW: What other camp-y, fun, and unserious K-pop songs would you add to this playlist? Tag us on Instagram or Twitter with your thoughts!

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

FOLLOW US:
Twitter: @ikptpod & Instagram: @ikptpod

FEEDBACK? IDEAS FOR FUTURE EPISODES?
E-mail us at info@kpoppod.com

FIFTY FIFTY's "Cupid" is still going strong on the charts, thanks to the popularity of its English "Twin" version. But where do you from there? What other K-pop songs do you queue up on your playlist? After all, you need at least a few good songs to get the algorithm to do its thing!

Lucky for you, we've got four K-pop songs for you that are in the same vein as FIFTY FIFTY's "Cupid." Tune in to hear us break down what's helping "Cupid" chart so well plus our personal song recs for you to play next.

EPISODE RUNDOWN:

• Intro
• How does TikTok factor into all this?
• Is "Cupid" an outlier?
• Other K-pop Soft Pop Hits We Recommend
  1. IU - "BBIBBI"
  2. LE SSERAFIM - "Good Parts (when the quality is bad but I am)
  3. BOL4 - "Some"
  4. Wonder Girls - "Rewind"
• What older K-pop hits would blow up on TikTok today?

LET US KNOW: What other K-pop soft pop hits would you recommend? Tag us on Instagram or Twitter with your thoughts!

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

FOLLOW US:
Twitter: @ikptpod & Instagram: @ikptpod

FEEDBACK? IDEAS FOR FUTURE EPISODES?
E-mail us at info@kpoppod.com

We're back with Part 2 of our mini-series examining the state of Girl Groups in K-pop today! We have a lot to discuss in this episode, including new releases by plenty of 4th-gen acts as well as our theories on why the spotlight is shining so brightly on girl groups.
PLUS!! We share our TOP 10+ GIRL GROUPS (atm): With so many girl groups charting at the moment, we made our own list of the girl groups that have us excited for the rest of 2023! Plus, you'll hear which groups we're crossing our fingers make an epic comeback so they don't fade into the background.
(Note: If you missed Part 1 of our discussion, go back to the feed and check out our interview with music journalist Lai Frances.)

EPISODE RUNDOWN:

• Vox Pop: What K-pop Stans Think (2:38)
• K-pop Girl Groups Are Breaking Records (6:09)
• Theories On Why Girl Groups Are Breaking Through (9:25)
• Our Top 10 List of Girl Groups (for 2023)  (31:25)
• Honorable Group Mentions (67:25)
• Groups We Hope Have a Comeback (72:20)

LET US KNOW: WHAT GIRL GROUPS TOP YOUR LIST RIGHT NOW?
Do you agree with our Top 10? What groups are you most excited about? Tag us on social and let us know!
HELP THE SHOW GROW
Share the show with a friend, a mutual or anyone curious about K-pop! Already done that? Tag us on IG & Twitter with a screenshot of the latest episode & what you thought about it!

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

FOLLOW US:
Twitter: @ikptpod & Instagram: @ikptpod

FEEDBACK? IDEAS FOR FUTURE EPISODES?
E-mail us at info@kpoppod.com

Something major happened in K-pop last year: For the first time since the aughts, girl groups outshone their male group counterparts. Not only did girl groups deliver hit after hit, but 2022 also saw 4th generation girl groups consistently vie for the top spot in K-pop music charts and award shows. And if “Ditto” and “OMG” are any indication of how this year’s gonna pan out, it’s looking like girl groups are gonna have another winning season.
ABOUT THIS EPISODE:
This is PART ONE of a mini-series examining how girls groups are dominating K-pop at the moment. Be sure to follow and subscribe to the show so you don't miss Part 2 of our discussion!
OUR GUEST:
To help us make sense of why 2022 was such a pivotal year for K-pop girl groups, we spoke to journalist (and friend of the pod), Lai Frances.  Lai Frances, has profiled acts like Le sserafim, Itzy, and Nayeon from Twice. She’s written for publications like MTV News, UPROXX, Tomorrow Magazine, among others.
EPISODE RUNDOWN:

• 1- Intro: Why 2022 Was THE Breakout Year for Girl Groups (2:58)
• 2- Guest Bio: Lai Frances, K-pop journalist (4:58)
• 3- Interview Highlights:
• Overview of 2022's big wins (8:06)
• Is it time for boy groups to ‘step back’? (Pun intended) (14:18)
• How have girl group concepts evolved? (18:19)
• Are labels pushing out girl groups more? (21:50)
• Touring for GG in 2023 & beyond (30:01)
• HOT TAKE: Are boy groups stuck, (sonically)? (36:00)
• Will the market get saturated? (40:11)
• What's next for girl groups? (47:39)
• 4- Closing Thoughts (49:13)

LET US KNOW: DO YOU THINK GIRL GROUPS ARE WINNING?
What do you think about girl groups in K-pop right  now? Do you agree that they're outshining the boy groups? Do you think they'll keep winning in 2023? Why/why not
HELP THE SHOW GROW
Share the show with a friend, a mutual or anyone curious about K-pop! Tag us on IG & Twitter with screenshots of you listening to the show.

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

FOLLOW US:
Twitter: @ikptpod & Instagram: @ikptpod

FEEDBACK? IDEAS FOR FUTURE EPISODES?
E-mail us at info@kpoppod.com

We've tabled the reporting this week to bring you a special bonus episode in the form of a little game we're calling, "Battle of the B-sides."
Now, before you get ahead of yourself—there is no singing OR actual "battle" taking place. Instead, we're taking a deep dive into the B-sides of one of our favorite K-pop artists to figure out which non-title-track is our favorite.

Here’s how it works: 

• Two teams will each share their Top 2 album B-sides from an artist and then will make the case for why it’s that idol’s “winning” B-side! A not-so-impartial judge will help to choose a winner over a few rounds of debate. 
• By the end of it all, we hope you’ll come away with a deeper appreciation for an artist’s music as well some new songs to listen to! 

To make this all happen, we've invited our friends over at the Kpopcast to join us for our inaugural Battle of the B-sides: HYUNA Edition!
That's right—for this episode we’re starting off with none other than the remarkable, one-of-a-kind, and iconic HYUNA!

EPISODE RUNDOWN:

• Team Intros: "Sounds Like K-pop" VS "The Return of 2PM" (3:24)
• First Impressions of HYUNA (5:53)
• Round 1: "Get Outta My House" VS "ICE ICE" (17:28)
• Round 2: "Freaky" VS "Show Window" (30:01)
• THE BEST B-SIDE! (44:11)
• Hopes for HYUNA Moving Forward (53:31)

HYUNA B-SIDE SONGS MENTIONED:

• "Get Outta My House" 
•  "Ice Ice"
• "Show Window"
• "Freaky"

CHECK OUT THE KPOPCAST HERE:
Web: https://kpopcast.net/
Twitter: @thekpopcast 

WANT US TO FEATURE ANOTHER K-POP ARTIST?
If you like this episode and want us to explore deep cuts from another artist, make sure to tag us on Instagram & Twitter @IKPTPOD or email us at info@kpoppod.com.

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

FOLLOW US:
Twitter: @ikptpod & Instagram: @ikptpod

FEEDBACK? IDEAS FOR FUTURE EPISODES?
E-mail us at info@kpoppod.com

We're back with a very special follow-up episode in our mini series on rookie K-pop groups that survived — and thrived— throughout the pandemic.

For Episode 2 we're super excited to announce we have the podcast's ... FIRST ~ EXCLUSIVE ~ K-POP INTERVIEW!

In this episode, we chat with TFN (formerly known as T1419)—a rookie K-pop group that quickly caught our attention because of the unique way they're promoting themselves in Latin America and Japan.

Tune in to hear the members discuss what it was like to debut during a time when K-pop groups couldn't meet with fans in person—and what they make of their Latine fans. Plus, we spoke to one lucky TFN/T1419 super fan who met the group while they were in Puerto Rico last summer for the Latin Premios Juventud award show. Lastly, we dissect the group's performance at KAMP and where we hope the group goes next.

EPISODE RUNDOWN:

• 1 - "What's in a name? TFN's Quick Bio" (4:09)
• 2 - Some Notes On Our TFN Interview (7:11)
• 3 - TFN Exclusive Interview (8:44)
• 4 - "The Pros/Cons of Stanning Rookie Groups" (Our Interview with Amanda Soto, a TFN stan)  (20:02)
• 5 - Analysis: Was KAMP a test for TFN? Did they pass?  (42:07)
• 6 - Final Thoughts (60:31)

TAG US — Let us know if there's another rookie K-pop group that you think should be on our radar! Who would you like to see us interview next?

SPECIAL THANKS to TFN & MLD ENTERTAINMENT for helping make this episode possible!

REMEMBER TO KEEP AN EYE OUT ON SOCIAL FOR EXCLUSIVE TFN CLIPS!
Follow us on @ikptpod on Instagram and Twitter for updates :)  
 
WATCH TFN'S SPANISH SONG "BEFORE SUNSET" HERE:
https://youtu.be/oNnGFBl8LVs

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

FOLLOW US:
Twitter: @ikptpod & Instagram: @ikptpod

FEEDBACK? IDEAS FOR FUTURE EPISODES?
E-mail us at info@kpoppod.com

Debuting a K-pop group under normal circumstances is, to say the least, no easy feat. So, what do we make of a rookie K-pop group from a smaller music label that not only debuts during the COVID-19 pandemic, but also decides to go on tour? Well, that's exactly what K-pop group GHOST9 did in 2022.

In our very first episode of It's a K-pop Thing, we're kicking off a two-part series that looks at K-pop groups that debuted during the pandemic. In Episode 1, we go back in time to January 2022, when GHOST9 held their first concert in the U.S.

We'll discuss the group's performance at the El Rey Theater in Hollywood, their collaboration with KOREOS, a dance cover group at UCLA, and lastly, their overall marketing and promotional strategy—and what we make of it!

EPISODE RUNDOWN:

• 1 - "A surplus of K-pop concerts" (4:55)
• 2 - GHOST9 Concert Recap (6:30)
• 3 - KOREOS Interview with Janie Wang (janiewang_19) and Rin Sohn (@rin.ajin) (18:30)
• 4 - Does this marketing strategy work? (55:34)
• 5 - What's next?  (67:51)

Stay tuned for Part 2, where we look at another rookie K-pop group that's taken a very different approach to getting their name out there!

WATCH GHOST9 & KOREOS COLLAB HERE:
https://youtu.be/s60jrrIg1is

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

FOLLOW US:
Twitter: @ikptpod & Instagram: @ikptpod

FEEDBACK? IDEAS FOR FUTURE EPISODES?
E-mail us at info@kpoppod.com