january 2026 K-Pop roundup
New format! I’ve decided to try to do these monthly. For each month I’ll pick three tracks to highlight: one from a group, one from a soloist, and one full release (an album/single/EP/whatever).
Group
KiiiKiii - “404 (New Era)”
Solo
Chuu - “Loving You”
Release
Dodree - Just Like a Dream
KiiiKiii had a great start last year, but “404 (New Era)” is absolutely their breakout. Last year they showed that they have stage presence and decently strong performance skills; they intentionally sang live for most of their debut stages to establish their live performance bonafides. They don’t quite have the athleticism or stamina of groups like NMIXX and Zerobaseone, though, which unfortunately is probably partly because of the intense pressure on rookie female idols to be perilously thin. It’s hard to dance on one meal a day, let alone dance and sing. But with “404” and the five other tracks on Delulu Pack (yes, that is the EP’s title) they have crystalized a musical identity much stronger than their vocals. “404” is a certified hit and an absolute bop, fueled by a trippy, dreamy house-style production and cheeky hooks. It sure does have a “talking” chorus, a frequent cause for old-school K-Pop fan ire, but honestly this is one of the best applications of that musical move that I’ve heard in a while.
I don’t have much to say about Chuu other than…I love my heterophobic queen. XO My Cyberlove is her first full album and she’s already a legend. If you want bubblegum pop perfection, she’s your gal, and “Loving You” is my b-side choice for “most Chuu song by Chuu.”
Dodree has been marketed as the “first” idol group to combine gugak with K-Pop, and I guess that’s strictly true in that it is their entire concept. But gugak elements – particularly traditional drums, winds, and reed instruments – have been deployed in music by idols before (Oneus’s extremely fun single “Lit” comes to mind, as do Suga/Agust D’s “Daechwita” and “Haegeum” duology), and singer-songwriter Song Sohee has been making pop music with gugak-style vocals since 2014. All of that said, Dodree’s double-single debut is extremely compelling, and I am really excited to see where they go next.
I am weirdly on top of my life right now and I will be posting my 2025 year-end favorites sometime soon, I swear. Look forward to that (and more frequent posting? We’ll see!).
