It's a K-pop Thing

Alkemie Sound Lab

A podcast by two journalists and K-pop fans who love to bring a little nuance to the fan experience. Hosted by Theresa Avila and Alexis Hodoyán-Gastélum, two journalists, friends, and fellow K-pop multi-stans, each episode of It's a K-pop Thing explores the fan culture and the stories behind the people who've helped grow K-pop into a global phenomenon.

In each episode you can expect analysis and commentary on trending K-pop news stories with the right amount of background and context for new and old fans alike. It's a K-pop Thing is, "the show where we talk about all the things that make K-pop distinctly K-pop." Follow the Show: @IKPTpod on Instagram

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34 episodes
Updated July 27

Episodes34

Newest first

Feb 22, 2024 · 36 min
Play This! K-pop x Latin Songs We Recommend (PT:2 of BIBI and Becky G Special)
This episode is PART 2 of our two-episode discussion on the latest K-pop and Latin music collab, "Amigos" by BIBI and Becky G. If you haven't checked out PART 1, go back to the feed and listen! In this portion of the discussion, we dive into our top K-pop and Latine song recommendations! We focus on K-pop songs that cater to a Latine audience, by either featuring a Latine artist, they're sung in Spanish or..they simply have a Latin vibe. EPISODE RUNDOWN: Intro to the discussion Song Rec #1 (1:11) - GOT7's "Lullaby" in SPANISH Song Rec #2 (7:36) - VAV ft. De La Ghetto & Play-N-Skillz “Give Me More” Song Rec #3 (15:25) - Super Junior x Leslie “Lo Siento” Song Rec #4 (22:44) - ONEUS “Baila Conmigo” Final Thoughts (30:17) - Plus other song recs! LISTEN TO OUR FULL SPOTIFY PLAYLIST! We've got more 25+ K-pop x Latin songs that highlight the growing crossover between Korea and Latin America. REMEZCLA ARTICLE on K-pop x Cumbia/Norteña LET US KNOW YOUR DREAM K-POP X LATINE COLLAB! Tag us on Instagram @IKPTPod to let us know! 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: itsakpopthing@alkemielab.com
Jan 15, 2024 · 1 hr 10 min
Play This! BIBI and Becky G's "Amigos" (PT:1 The History of K-pop & Latin Collabs)
Hey everyone! We're back in 2024 with an episode we recorded at the tail end of last year when BIBI and Becky G had just released their collab track, "Amigos." It's a chill, fun song that also serves as a good introduction to K-R&B and Latin music. Given this song bridges the broader worlds of K-pop and Latin music—two of our fav genres—we naturally have have a LOT of thoughts on the song! This episode is PART 1 of our two-episode discussion on the latest K-pop and Latin music collab, "Amigos" by BIBI and Becky G. Make sure to stay tuned for Part 2 of our discussion later in a future episode, where we give our top song recs for K-pop/Latine music collabs. EPISODE RUNDOWN: Intro Artist Bios: BIBI & Becky G (2:36) Why does this collab make sense? (5:57) Song Review (20:45) When did we start seeing K-pop/Latin collabs happen? (28:23) Our Hot Takes (39:59) What's NEXT for K-pop/Latine collabs? HYBE's influence (43:18) What we would like to see when K-pop labels go to Latin America (59:29) Wrap Up (66:34) 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: itsakpopthing@alkemielab.com
Oct 13, 2023 · 1 hr 22 min
Play This! SB19's "GENTO" and Other Beast-Idol Tracks We Love
For this edition of Play This! we’re discussing “Gento,” a song by Filipino-boy-group SB19. While it’s not K-pop, per se, the song has been making its way around the industry’s boy groups, thanks to numerous idols doing the “Gento” dance challenge. But, what is it about this song that has male idols flocking to it? Is the popularity of SB19’s “Gento," maybe due to changes in concepts for K-pop boy groups? Are male idols simply missing the hard-hitting choreography we once associated with “Beast Idols” in K-pop? More importantly—what actually happened to the “beastly idol,” or “beast idol,” or “beast-dol” boy group concepts from the 2010s? In this episode, we share our theories behind the popularity of "Gento" and we give you a brief history of "beast idols" in K-pop. Plus, we share other songs by some of our favorite "beast-dols" as well as our predictions for where boy groups go next. Buckle up—as MONSTA X says — "we are BEASTMODE!" LISTEN TO THE PLAYLIST ON SPOTIFY: "SB19's Gento and Other Beast Idol K-pop Songs" EPISODE RUNDOWN (with timestamps): PART 1: SB19 & The History of Beast Idols Episode Intro (1:39) SB19 Quick Bio (4:56) "Gento" Song Analysis (6:48) Our theory behind "Gento"s popularity (12:27) How have K-pop boy group concepts changed? (16:50) How do we define "beast idols" in K-pop? (22:36) A brief (and VERY unscientific) history of beast idols in K-pop (31:15) PART 2: Other Beast-dol Songs We Recommend 2PM — "I'm Your Man" (45:18 ) MBLAQ — "This is War" (50:16) MONSTA X — "Shoot Out" (58:02) B.A.P — "Warrior" (63:37) Special song mentions: DMTN, MYNAME, ZE:A, Hotshot, SPEED, Block B (72:17) FINAL THOUGHTS Is Y2K boy group nostalgia up next? (75:00) TAKE OUR POLL ON SPOTIFY: What’s your favorite “Beast-ly” Boy Group in K-pop? Do you think we should have more groups with this type of concept today? 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: itsakpopthing@alkemielab.com
Sep 20, 2023 · 1 hr 32 min
Is There Such a Thing As TOO Many K-pop Concerts?
If you're a K-pop multi-stan like us in the USA, you might have noticed something lately: The number of K-pop acts on tour has grown by a LOT! But with that growth, we've also seen an increase in tour dates overlapping and fans ultimately having to choose between which of their favorite artists to support. We have to ask: Are we finally in the era of too many K-pop concerts? To help us talk through this dilemma, we invited our friends Carolina and Kat, each one-fourth of the women behind the podcast Not Your Average Fangirls. If you've ever listened to the show, you know NYAF are some of the biggest K-pop multi-stans around! On this episode we chat about how K-pop tours have changed, what improvements we'd like to see and—most importantly—their tips for how fans can pay for those concert tickets! EPISODE RUNDOWN (with Timestamps): Part 1: Overview of current K-pop tours (2:28) The 3 problems we've noticed with tickets (4:48) Our thoughts on shows not selling (8:24) The impact on older and newer K-pop groups Should promoters do more 2 for 1 sales? (13:59) Is the playing field more uneven? (18:34) Part 2: Interview with NOT YOUR AVERAGE FANGIRLS (23:30) How do we decide what shows to attend? (30:12) What's unique to K-pop tours? (39:21) The impact of certain venues and stadiums (46:23) Can things be improved? How? (64:00) Budgeting for K-pop concerts (68:21) The most we've spent on tickets ... (86:00) Tours we're excited for! Plus a shout-out to SuperM (88:15) VOTE IN OUR SPOTIFY POLL—Let us know what YOU think! Are we in the age of too many K-pop concerts? CHECK OUT NOT YOUR AVERAGE FANGIRLS HERE: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nyafangirls/ X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/NYAFangirls 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: itsakpopthing@alkemielab.com
Aug 10, 2023 · 1 hr 18 min
Play This! TXT & Jonas Brothers "Do It Like That" Plus More K-pop Collabs We Recommend
We're back with another edition of Play This! where we give you some song recommendations inspired by recent K-pop releases. On this episode, we discuss the latest collaboration between a K-pop group with a Western artist: "Do It Like That," by TOMORROW X TOGETHER and Jonas Brothers. "Do It Like That" is a bouncy, fun pop song that's perfect for summer and it got us thinking about how rare and special it is to have a collab happen between a K-pop group and a Western artist. Tune in as we travel back in time to bring you some of our favorite musical crossovers from years past. GET THE PLAYLIST ON SPOTIFY: Play This! Great K-pop Collabs (TXT, Jonas Brothers and More) EPISODE RUNDOWN (w/TIMESTAMPS) Intro to the episode (2:09) What is the TXT sound? (6:36) How does this song bridge fandoms across generations? (10:15) The 411 on "Do It Like That" (16:51) Measuring the song's "success"(19:55) Other Great K-pop Collabs with Western Artists We Recommend (28:57) Don't Need Your Love — NCT DREAM, HRVY All Night —BTS, Juice WRLD Put My Hands On You — DEAN, Anderson .Paak Freal Luv — Far East Movement, CHANYEOL, Marshmello, Tinashe (52:43) Temple — Baauer, M.I.A., G-DRAGON Let's Shut Up & Dance — Jason Derulo, LAY, NCT 127 Honorable Song Mentions (73:49) Sour Candy — Lady Gaga, BLACKPINK Up To You — PRETTYMUCH, NCT DREAM Kiss and Make Up — Dua Lipa, BLACKPINK NILIRIA — G-DRAGON, Missy Elliot LET US KNOW: What did you think of our song picks? What would you add to the list? Tag us on Instagram and Twitter with your thoughts OR leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! 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: itsakpopthing@alkemielab.com
Jul 21, 2023 · 1 hr 6 min
We Chat With AleXa About Singing In Spanish and What Makes K-pop Unique
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. LINKS TO SOCIAL: It's a K-pop Thing: @ikptpod Alexis: @hoe_doyan Theresa: @theresa__avila CONTACT: E-mail us at: itsakpopthing@alkemielab.com
Jun 23, 2023 · 58 min
Play This! (G)I-DLE's "Queencard" Plus Other Unserious, Camp-y K-pop Songs We Recommend
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) Babyface — WJSN Power Up — Red Velvet (Bonus: Dumb Dumb) 30 Sexy —RAIN Nerdy — Purple Kiss Honorable Song Mentions (46:11) BBoom BBoom, I'm So Hot, Wrap Me In Plastic — MOMOLAND Bo Peep Bo Peep — T-ARA Bubble Pop! — HyunA I'm Gonna Be a Star — TWICE Super Duper — SUPER JUNIOR 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. LINKS TO SOCIAL: It's a K-pop Thing: @ikptpod Alexis: @hoe_doyan Theresa: @theresa__avila CONTACT: E-mail us at: itsakpopthing@alkemielab.com
May 2, 2023 · 49 min
Play This! FIFTY FIFTY'S "Cupid" And Other Soft K-pop Hits We Recommend
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 IU - "BBIBBI" LE SSERAFIM - "Good Parts (when the quality is bad but I am) BOL4 - "Some" 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. LINKS TO SOCIAL: It's a K-pop Thing: @ikptpod Alexis: @hoe_doyan Theresa: @theresa__avila CONTACT: E-mail us at: itsakpopthing@alkemielab.com
Apr 12, 2023 · 1 hr 20 min
Girl Groups Run K-pop: Pt 2 (IVE, TWICE, FIFTY FIFTY)
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. LINKS TO SOCIAL: It's a K-pop Thing: @ikptpod Alexis: @hoe_doyan Theresa: @theresa__avila CONTACT: E-mail us at: itsakpopthing@alkemielab.com
Mar 30, 2023 · 51 min
Girl Groups Run K-pop: Pt 1(NewJeans, LE SSERAFIM, Girls' Generation)
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. LINKS TO SOCIAL: It's a K-pop Thing: @ikptpod Alexis: @hoe_doyan Theresa: @theresa__avila CONTACT: E-mail us at: itsakpopthing@alkemielab.com
Feb 28, 2023 · 1 hr 1 min
All Hail HYUNA! (Special Segment: Battle of the B-sides)
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. LINKS TO SOCIAL: It's a K-pop Thing: @ikptpod Alexis: @hoe_doyan Theresa: @theresa__avila CONTACT: E-mail us at: itsakpopthing@alkemielab.com
Feb 17, 2023 · 1 hr 5 min
Rookie K-pop Group TFN (Formerly T1419) Sets Its Eyes on Latin America
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. LINKS TO SOCIAL: It's a K-pop Thing: @ikptpod Alexis: @hoe_doyan Theresa: @theresa__avila CONTACT: E-mail us at: itsakpopthing@alkemielab.com
Jan 17, 2023 · 1 hr 11 min
A Look at GHOST9's Debut During the Pandemic
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. LINKS TO SOCIAL: It's a K-pop Thing: @ikptpod Alexis: @hoe_doyan Theresa: @theresa__avila CONTACT: E-mail us at: itsakpopthing@alkemielab.com
Sep 22, 2022 · 2 min
This Is Our K-pop Debut ... As Podcast Hosts
What happens when you bring together two journalists who are the go-to K-pop stan in their friend group? Well, apparently, they start a podcast about K-pop! Welcome to the debut of It's a K-pop Thing! "The show where we talk about all the things that make K-pop, distinctly K-pop." Hosted by Alexis Hodoyan-Gastélum and Theresa Avila, It's a K-pop Thing explores the fan culture that's helped grow K-pop into a global phenomenon. Because as longtime K-pop stans know, the world of K-pop is so much MORE more than just the music. (Though, let's be clear: The music IS incredible!) Each episode of It's a K-pop Thing dives into one aspect of the K-pop industry—whether it's fan signs, rookie debuts, PC trades, or something else—in order to spotlight the one-of-a-kind fan culture that's transformed the way we consume music. We're just getting started and hope you look forward to our "debut!" >>FIRST EPISODE DROPS FALL 2022>> STAY IN TOUCH Follow @ikptpod on Instagram and Twitter for the latest on the pod! Have feedback or ideas for what we should cover next? E-mail us at: info@kpoppod.com ABOUT OUR HOSTS: Alexis is a longtime K-pop journalist who's interviewed K-pop acts like Monsta X, Red Velvet, BTS, Momoland and more. She's currently the music editor for Remezcla, a Latine music and culture publication. Alexis's ult group is Super Junior. FOLLOW ALEXIS: @hoe_doyan on Instagram and Twitter Theresa is a writer, editor and producer who has covered beauty, style and all things business and entrepreneurship for publications like Girlboss, The Cut, Mic and others. Her love of K-pop and podcasts means she's almost always wearing a pair of headphones. Theresa's ult groups is EXO. FOLLOW THERESA: @theresa_avila on Instagram. 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: itsakpopthing@alkemielab.com