[delayed post] Midweek New Music Roundup :: May 13th - 20th

[hitokage]

I was doing so well this week ... and then, yeah, body went kaboom. Again. I'm tired of being sick and tired all the time, fam. And I'm aware I've missed a couple releases, but rather than getting even later, I made the executive decision to leave them for next week's missed releases section. Because I am tired and [frumple] and oh yeah, had to boot over half a dozen entries from the list for wholesale genslop. Because someone has told the indies scene that MVs are better than audio-only and while that's arguably true, my people, you have cameras right there in your phones, shoot a performance in a park or something, stop feeding the genslop machines! Ugh!

ANYway... slower week than some, with the gentlemen dominating the roundup from the debut of ex-Boys II Planet contestants FLARE U to comebacks by such Kpop "elders" as Taeyang (Big Bang) and Jinyoung (GOT7), plus another comeback by SEEYA, the return of ZEROBASEONE as a quintet, a handful of OSTs, and a special release by Big Ocean. Oh yeah, and a surprise special appearance by one Yoo Taeyang of SF9, plus additional love letters to fans by ONE PACT and NOWZ. Feeling the need to dance? NAZE want to dance you into some pink socks. Looking for the freshest hiphop? Check out Coin, LNGSHOT, or Taeyang for a good time. Yearning for some soulful R&B? I actually didn't cry much this week, but ctrl+F for genre tags. Not sure what you're in the mood for? Scroll the list and pick and choose as strikes your fancy or hit me up for recommendations!

Banner artist slots this week went to xikers and Taeyang, with additional nods marked with 💚s!

Releases for the week of May 13th - 20th:
NOWZ - Us 🔤 *
Park Jinyoung (GOT7) - EVERLOVE *
FLARE U - WAY 2 U (debut) 🔤 * 💚
WOOAH - WXW (Wish With W) *
HYNN - Title Role * 💚
SF9 - Broken Way 🌟 * 💚
NODI, Steven Lee - Unspoken Words Scattered in the Wind *
LAVIN (NINE.i) - IseeThruU * 💚
Haren, RIPLEY - Empty +
6band - I'm working hard to make money today as well *
Wanna One - WE WANNA GO 🌟
Wooseok Byeon - Fate Line (Perfect Crown OST) *
Pagaehun - The Manual *
SOLE - Lucid Dream (Filing for Love OST) * 💚
Young K (DAY6) - Season of Us (My Royal Nemesis OST) *
SEEYA - Stay *
KyoungSeo - Love Actually
#Annyeong - My Love (2026) *
ZEROBASEONE - TOP 5 🔤 * 💚
Choi Yuree - On a Gentle Breeze (We Are All Trying Here OST) *
Jo Young - 그때처럼 네가 좋아
ITZY - Motto 🔤 * 🚩
Ban Gahee - Me, Having Lost Love *
TAEYONG (NCT) - WYLD 🔤 * ⚠️ 💚
Jay Park & LNGSHOT - YEAH! YEAH! 🔤 * ⚠️
TAEYANG (BIG BANG) - LIVE FAST DIE SLOW 🔤 * 💚
ONE PACT - Pull Up *
NAZE - Pretty Pink Socks 🔤 *
Jiselle, SUMMER CAKE - Circle in Me * 💚
SUN KIM - In Pieces
Coin - SPLASH 💚
KANG ASOL - Our Today (Azure Spring OST) * ⚠️
xikers - OKay 🔤 * ⚠️ 💚
I.O.I - Suddenly *
Balming Tiger - Keep On 🔤 *
Big Ocean - Make It Up To You 🌟 * 💚
Han Donggeun - Role *
KIMSINI - It's OK *
Gabee - Bromm, Taki
Kimhyunhoe - 이제야 널 (feat. 123, TAEBIN)


key:
* content warning
+ includes “disappearing” hard subs
🔤 includes CC in English
⚠️ elevated content warning
🔞 age-restricted by YouTube
🚩 other warning
❌ did not complete
🌟 special note
💚 picks of the week



NOWZ - Us 🔤 https://youtu.be/69I7Hj6p8_0
genre: pop rock
cw: flashing/strobing stage lights
note: CC in 4 tracks, including English. The hardcoded subs are unsurprisingly not great. Shall we file this under "love letters to fans"? I think we shall~


Park Jinyoung (GOT7) - EVERLOVE https://youtu.be/-xNZggPQg3I
genre: R&B
cw: lens flares, flashing
note: yeah, I can relate to that "we are all grown kids" sentiment/message. So take that ageist haters and suck on it


FLARE U - WAY 2 U (debut) 🔤 💚 https://youtu.be/dyxmlYXdxUs
genre: dance pop
cw: flashing
note: CC in 12 tracks, including English. Two of FNC's Boys II Planet members who didn't make it. There were more initially, but things happened and so we've just got the pair of them.


WOOAH - WXW (Wish With W) https://youtu.be/eF-AjHm1Ckg
genre: pop rock
cw: flashing, video "artifacts," water glare, lens flares
note: I guess this is the official styling now? Yeah, I spent most of the song waffling on specific genre before landing on pop rock, but it's a good, broad classification for this dance-y but also rock-like feel


HYNN - Title Role 💚 https://youtu.be/itZryXmRioc
genre: pop rock
cw: lens flares, surrealism (mild)
note: those air dancers have a specific name, but I've forgotten it again. If only a boyfriend really was as easy to fix as one of those dancers. 🤣


SF9 - Broken Way 🌟 💚 https://youtu.be/OyYf677_jUk
genre: alt rock
cw: Yoo Taeyang's stupidly pretty face, background flashing
note: The way I did a triple take to make sure I wasn't hallucinating this unexpected gift. I'm not crying, you're crying! 😿😿 Safe service, my sweet boy, come back to us in good health.


NODI, Steven Lee - Unspoken Words Scattered in the Wind https://youtu.be/bBAlYzkGBlo
genre: alt rock
cw: flashing, camera motion/unsteady cam
note: the camera motion got pretty bad in spots, but rarely for very long, at least. Still, caution may be wise.


LAVIN (NINE.i) - IseeThruU 💚 https://youtu.be/WY0e5nm7Pms
genre: pop rock
cw: lens flares
note: Sir, I see what you did there. Cheeky monkey. He's lucky he's cute. And so's the song.


Haren, RIPLEY - Empty https://youtu.be/wQ3xo4zq3mo
genre: R&B
note: terrible hard coded subs, yeesh


6band - I'm working hard to make money today as well https://youtu.be/mniUmC28LlQ
genre: alt rock
cw: lens flares
note: terrible placement for hard-coded lyrics, sigh. Sure, we've seen worse, but still


Wanna One - WE WANNA GO 🌟 https://youtu.be/HCAlaiqSUec
genre: dance pop
note: since I've already set the precedent of re-listing when songs pick up an MV ... here we are with WANNA ONE being adorable. A mix of recording studio and reality content clips.


Wooseok Byeon - Fate Line (Perfect Crown OST) https://youtu.be/3wjCZxNPtXE
genre: adult contemporary (ballad)
cw: arson, blood/injury, medical/hospital, fireworks/pyrotechnics, camera flashes, lens flares
note: video is entirely clips from the drama, so may contain spoilers (probably contains spoilers). And a whole lot of kissing.


Pagaehun - The Manual https://youtu.be/HLpeVE9wq6k
genre: R&B
cw: lens flares (mild)
note: a simple performance piece was not what I was expecting from the thumbnail...this is better


SOLE - Lucid Dream (Filing for Love OST) 💚 https://youtu.be/SZzPIt0DkPA
genre: adult contemporary (ballad)
cw: hospital/medical, drinking (social)
note: video is entirely clips from the drama, so may contain spoilers.


Young K (DAY6) - Season of Us (My Royal Nemesis OST) https://youtu.be/k0KzUZW9SQ0
genre: pop rock
cw: lens flares
note: video is entirely clips from the drama, so may contain spoilers.


SEEYA - Stay https://youtu.be/RMNcT5AqLGA
genre: dance pop
cw: lens flares
note: looks like this continues to be a comeback of the original members and I'm quite fine with that.


KyoungSeo - Love Actually https://youtu.be/n5hA65ilgA8
genre: adult contemporary (ballad)
cw: lens flares (mild)
note: sweet and sentimental video for a sweet and sentimental song


#Annyeong - My Love (2026) https://youtu.be/35RUrJvbeEY
genre: adult contemporary (ballad)
cw: lens flares
note: A quick search failed to pull up an older release with this title from him, but he's been at this awhile and I didn't exactly do a deep dive. Whatever the reason, leaving the title as posted.


ZEROBASEONE - TOP 5 🔤 💚 https://youtu.be/7QGRDC7ngpE
genre: dance pop
cw: water glare, lens flares
note: CC in 7 tracks, including English. It's going to take me a bit to get used to ZB1 ver 2.0, but I see they're already taking no prisoners.


Choi Yuree - On a Gentle Breeze (We Are All Trying Here OST) https://youtu.be/T90shbHcQ8I
genre: adult contemporary
cw: lens flares, drinking (social)
note: video is entirely clips from the drama, so may contain spoilers.


Jo Young - 그때처럼 네가 좋아 https://youtu.be/szYXttX04DM
genre: folk rock (ballad)
note: feels like a lullabye


ITZY - Motto 🔤 🚩 https://youtu.be/1jKnI_ib8c8
genre: dance pop
cw: surrealism, aggressive flashing
note: CC in 9 tracks, including English. I'd prefer to think all these segments were done with a combination of traditional practical effects and human-powered CGI, but we live in the worst timeline and it wouldn't be the first time JYPE took the "easy" way out.


Ban Gahee - Me, Having Lost Love https://youtu.be/0ezOvDg-RYs
genre: folk ballad
cw: computer-enhanced sparkles/floaters, potential hanky warning
note: includes hard-coded subs. I'm not crying, you're crying


TAEYONG (NCT) - WYLD 🔤 ⚠️ 💚 https://youtu.be/tiKgdh4Csj8
genre: hiphop
cw: insects (ants), aggressive flashing, scorpion, snake, shirtless Taeyong
note: CC in 8 tracks, including English. Talk about genre whiplash. Elevated warning for the trigger animals and aggressive flashing. Could have Lore implications, we're not sure anymore. Mostly we're just happy he's back and having fun.


Jay Park & LNGSHOT - YEAH! YEAH! 🔤 ⚠️ https://youtu.be/XdujOljuyNw
genre: hiphop
cw: aggressive flashing
note: CC in 7 tracks, including English. Oh rookies with attitude, it never gets old... 🤣😜 Elevated warning for the aggressive flashing all over the place.


TAEYANG (BIG BANG) - LIVE FAST DIE SLOW 🔤 💚 https://youtu.be/pB3W-k0kQ8U
genre: hiphop
cw: surrealism, fire effect, Taeyang's shirt allergy
note: CC in 8 tracks, including English. The melanistic jaguar is definitely CGI, but I don't care. More shocking is the fact that Taeyang kept a shirt on for more than thirty seconds. Gotta be some kind of record. Bisexual cowboy king?


ONE PACT - Pull Up https://youtu.be/4Jfy_suTcKs
genre: hiphop
cw: flashing, video artifacts/glitches, shirtless members
note: don't follow the group enough to recognize who's who or say who's absent (or why), but ... four boys being goofballs in Hawai'i, oh dear. 😜


NAZE - Pretty Pink Socks 🔤 https://youtu.be/-kZwegYQL1M
genre: dance pop
cw: lens flares, surrealism, gun/armed robbery
note: CC in English, Japanese, and Korean. I'm not sure having these guys turn up at my door would actually convince me to buy their socks ... but they're welcome to come give it a shot? 😜


Jiselle, SUMMER CAKE - Circle in Me 💚 https://youtu.be/lp8KALdSqGU
genre: R&B
cw: lens flares
note: another MV shot in Japan, giving me The Homesick Feels (my brain is a borked mess that likes to miss places it's never been).


SUN KIM - In Pieces https://youtu.be/7rUVz_kBIDI
genre: soft rock
note: atmospheric performance video with hardcoded subs.


Coin - SPLASH 💚 https://youtu.be/5oeJRATyfmk
genre: jazz/hiphop
note: his delivery is too lyrical to be spoken word, so obviously hiphop, but also can't just ignore that very jazzy backing track, so it gets both genre tags.


KANG ASOL - Our Today (Azure Spring OST) ⚠️ https://youtu.be/lgkalKorSvY
genre: adult contemporary (ballad)
cw: lens flares, flashing, water glare, medical/hospital, blood/severe injury, guns, war trauma
note: video is clips from the drama, so may contain spoilers. Elevated warning for traumatic flashbacks.


xikers - OKay 🔤 ⚠️ 💚 https://youtu.be/TU-yT_uMTic
genre: hiphop
cw: aggressive flashing, visual glitching, supernatural elements (ghosts/spirits, spirit fire, powers), nightmares
note: CC in 11 tracks, including English. The dokkaebi are Up To Things ... but then of course they are. Elevated warning for the amount of aggressive flashing - I probably shouldn't've finished ... or watched it again ... but my (grand)babies....


I.O.I - Suddenly https://youtu.be/Jxgbfc89hNI
genre: dance pop
cw: flashing lights, drinking (social)
note: there's a wild vintage feel that I can't pin down to any specific era cuz it's kind of a mashup of 60s-90s


Balming Tiger - Keep On 🔤 https://youtu.be/OUQ6NV9r2Lk
genre: rock
cw: smoking, surrealism, cannibalism, furry, flashing police lights
note: CC in English, Korean, and Japanese. I ... well, that was ... wild. As per usual.


Big Ocean - Make It Up To You 🌟 💚 https://youtu.be/kZU1GukHahM
genre: pop rock
cw: background flashing, unsteady cam
note: the CC SAYS English, but it's not entirely accurate - it's mostly English because the song's mostly English, but nothing is translated. So the background on this is it's their way of apologizing to European Pado after they were forced to cancel the European tour dates due to issues with their partner and safety concerns.


Han Donggeun - Role https://youtu.be/umGP4IiDvaw
genre: adult contemporary (ballad)
cw: lens flares
note: do you need a potential hanky warning or are you normal?


KIMSINI - It's OK https://youtu.be/BORdJx2Mnck
genre: folk rock
cw: water glare (brief)
note: this feels like a weird mix of glam and shabby camping, but I'd take it if it meant a couple days of genuine rest.


Gabee - Bromm, Taki https://youtu.be/9ByL_OYLCZI
genre: dance pop
note: the temptation to tag this as disco is so strong, but that could be more about the styling than the song itself. Excellent waacking, no notes


Kimhyunhoe - 이제야 널 (feat. 123, TAEBIN) https://youtu.be/Htci6tpOgK0
genre: R&B
note: I'm just going with the artist's chosen romanization, since there is one.


And that's the end for another week. What were your favorites? Any surprises? Let's chat!


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