It's a K-pop Thing

This was a big year for fans of K-pop at Coachella, especially because we had a younger group and two Second-Gen icons perform at the festival. First up we had KATSEYE, who made headlines following the will-she-or-won't-she-appear speculation regarding Manon. Then we had TAEMIN, who made headlines as the first K-pop soloist to play at the festival. Following that, we had the one and only BIGBANG, who finally got their time to shine in the desert after their previous performance was cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic.
As Coachella has grown, so, too, has K-pop.  And, in a world where concerts are getting more expensive and other music festivals like Lollapalooza are gaining ground ... where does K-pop fit in?
Is landing a spot at the biggest music festival a smart brand investment or is it merely a vanity performance? Let's discuss.
IN THIS EPISODE:
A brief overview of the history of K-pop at Coachella
The K-pop "multiverse" at the festival (according to us)
The presence (erm, lack of?) Manon at the festival
Our takeaways from the key K-pop performances at Week 1 & 2
KATSEYE: Pinky Up — Is this the group's signature sound now?
TAEMIN: The MJ references and his perfectionism on full display
BIGBANG: Why the second weekend was the better show for older fans
Our Big Q: What is K-pop's place at Coachella and is it worth it for artists?
The reality of how industry connections determine the artist lineup
The K-pop groups we think will debut at Coachella next year
It's a K-pop Thing is hosted by two journalists and longtime K-pop stans, Alexis Hodoyán-Gastélum and Theresa Avila.

LINKS TO SOCIAL:
It's a K-pop Thing: @ikptpod
Alexis: @hoe_doyan
Theresa: @theresa__avila
CONTACT:
E-mail us at: [email protected]

*This is Part 1 of a mini-series on the Return of BTS*
We're trying something new on the pod ... a mini-series! It's been nearly 4 years since the 7 members of BTS released new music as a group and there's plenty to talk about. To mark the occasion we're taking a close look at what this moment means for BTS and for the industry as a whole.
To kick off this mini-series, we're rewinding a few weeks to the group's first performance in Seoul in front of Gwanghwamun in Seoul, South Korea. We chat with a journalist and fan who saw the comeback concert in person and was lucky enough to be up close to center stage. We also discuss the album's rise to the top of the charts and whether or not the Netflix livestream lived up to fans' expectations.
IN THIS EPISODE:
Setting the Stage
ARIRANG's dominance on the Billboard charts
The album in numbers: the sales, streams and milestones 
Crowd attendance: How many people actually showed up for the comeback?
About the director of the Netflix Livestream: Hamish Hamilton
Why the Netflix livestream maybe missed the mark
What K-pop fans really want to see during a performance
Interview with Philiana Ng
Winning a raffle prize on WeVerse - what are the odds?
What the concert was really like for fans in the audience
What the cameras didn't capture about the members on stage
Does the new album represent BTS 2.0?
ABOUT OUR GUEST:
Philiana Ng is an entertainment journalist who regularly covers television. You can find her work on publications like Yahoo! MSN, the Hollywood Reporter, Entertainment Tonight, among others. 
Instagram: @philiana1
 X: @insidethetube
SHOW LINKS & ARTICLES:
BTS the Comeback Live: Arirang’: 10 things you didn’t see on TV during the Netflix special (Gold Derby)
BTS rampages back to the top of the charts (NPR)
BTS stays at No. 1 on the charts — and thwarts Ye in the process (NPR)
CREDITS:
This episode was produced, recorded and edited by Theresa Avila. Our theme music is by Edna Lugo. Our cover art design is by Alejandro Abarca.
It's a K-pop Thing is hosted by two journalists and longtime K-pop stans, Alexis Hodoyán-Gastélum and Theresa Avila.

LINKS TO SOCIAL:
It's a K-pop Thing: @ikptpod
Alexis: @hoe_doyan
Theresa: @theresa__avila
CONTACT:
E-mail us at: [email protected]

"NCity is on fire."
That's what it seems like for NCTzens everywhere who, in the last few days have faced the unexpected bombshell news of Mark Lee saying goodbye to NCT and SM Entertainment. As if that wasn't bad enough news, days later, TEN also announced that he was leaving the company. But, crucially, TEN clarified that he would remain a part of NCT and WayV. 
Still, it's little salve for fans of the group (us included!) who have to now reckon with an uncertain future as key members of NCT have officially departed the group.
It's also hard NOT to think about other recent K-pop departures. So if you're in your feels about this era of NCT coming to a close, tune in and process thing with us.
Tune in to hear:
What made Mark Lee's departure all the more shocking
What impact each NCT member had in the group
Mark's history at SM Entertainment — we saw him grow up!
How Mark's Christian faith influenced his music
How we define an "Ace" member in K-pop
What Danielle, Heeseung, Manon and Mark have in common
How 2nd and 3rd Gen K-pop groups dealt with missing members
Our theories on why Mark left the group
What might be next for Mark next
Our hopes for NCT moving forward
It's a K-pop Thing is hosted by two journalists and longtime K-pop stans, Alexis Hodoyán-Gastélum and Theresa Avila.

LINKS TO SOCIAL:
It's a K-pop Thing: @ikptpod
Alexis: @hoe_doyan
Theresa: @theresa__avila
CONTACT:
E-mail us at: [email protected]

We finally have BLACKPINK's first EP since 2022, the highly-anticipated Deadline, a five-track release that includes "JUMP" and "GO." But does the EP live up to the hype? In the weeks since its release, the reaction from critics and fans alike has been mixed. That tepid response contrasts to the praise for the member's recent solo music — which includes a Grammy nomination. All of this got us wondering about what's next for the group. 
And, importantly, do the member's current solo careers outshine their latest release as a group? 
To help us analyze the latest from BLACKPINK, we invited Jeff Benjamin, music journalist and writer of The Crossover Newsletter. Over the years, Jeff has interviewed pretty much every K-pop idol you can think of, including Blackpink. 
Tune in to hear us discuss:
BLACKPINK's album sales
Our first impressions on the EP
Hits and misses from Deadline
The response from critics and fans
Hearts2Hearts' win over BLACKPINK on the music shows
Our thoughts on the member's solo music
Plus, highlights from their solo careers, including:
Rosé's songwriting and Grammy nomination
JENNI's cohesive album and presence at festivals
Jisoo's acting career and new drama
LISA's entrepreneurial side quests
Lastly, we discuss what we hope to see in the group's next chapter.
It's a K-pop Thing is hosted by two journalists and longtime K-pop stans, Alexis Hodoyán-Gastélum and Theresa Avila.

LINKS TO SOCIAL:
It's a K-pop Thing: @ikptpod
Alexis: @hoe_doyan
Theresa: @theresa__avila
CONTACT:
E-mail us at: [email protected]

ZEROBASEONE's time as a 9-member group has come to a close after more than two and half years. What started as a temporary, project group from the survival show BOYS PLANET (Season 1) will now continue as a 5-member boy group managed under WAKEONE Entertainment, a subsidiary of CJ ENM. 
The group will continue as a quintent consisting of Sung Han-bin, Kim Ji-woong, Seok Matthew, Kim Tae-rae, and Park Gun-wook. The remaining four members, Zhang Hao, Ricky, Kim Gyu-vin, and Han Yu-jin will return to their original agency Yuehua Entertainment (now rebranded as YH Entertainment). What happens next in their careers remains unclear but ZEROSE have plenty of theories.
In this episode, we hear from fans of ZB1 about how they're processing the inevitable closing of one chapter with a group that won over millions of fans and broke record after record.
ABOUT OUR GUEST:
Philiana Ng is a journalist covering entertainment and TV with bylines at The Hollywood Reporter, Billboard, Entertainment Tonight, TV Guide, Yahoo Entertainment, Netflix, The Daily Beast, The Wrap, Primetimer, Backstage, and more. After first interviewing ZEROBASEONE at KCON LA she became an avid fan of the group. Last year she traveled to see ZB1 in Seoul and Tokyo for the start of their most recent tour and she recently flew back for the final encore shows in Seoul. 
Read Philiana Ng's interview with ZB1: https://joysauce.com/zerobaseone-is-ready-to-take-on-the-world/
IN THIS EPISODE:
How ZEROBASEONE came to be on Boys Planet
The 411 on the members' personalities
The timeline for contract negotiations
Project groups and how companies split trainees
Concert experience in Seoul and Tokyo
Tips for buying K-pop tickets abroad
What might be next for the 4 members in Yuehua Entertainment
Will the fandom splinter off?
Fan submissions on how they're processing this moment
It's a K-pop Thing is hosted by two journalists and longtime K-pop stans, Alexis Hodoyán-Gastélum and Theresa Avila.

LINKS TO SOCIAL:
It's a K-pop Thing: @ikptpod
Alexis: @hoe_doyan
Theresa: @theresa__avila
CONTACT:
E-mail us at: [email protected]