Weekly K-pop News — First Week of October 2025
By Nomad's Dream | October 3 2025
The holiday season (Korean Thanksgiving) has begun, but since it started off with rain, we’re facing a rather gloomy Friday. It’s one of those days when, despite being in a good mood, you just want to go home early, feel the warm air, and watch a movie.
It’s already been a while since the second half of the year began (often called the festival season) but the start of October feels calm and quiet. The K-pop scene is lukewarm these days, not too hot, not too cold.
Maybe it’s just the change of seasons.
Will things change once the cold wind starts blowing? With less than 100 days left until Christmas, I hope we at least get a “Christmas season effect” this year.
4th Generation Girl Group IZNA Releases 2nd Mini Album Not Just Pretty
The first news of the week is about the release of 4th generation girl group IZNA’s second mini album, Not Just Pretty.
“Mamma Mia” - An Expression of Confidence and Style
The Italian phrase “Mamma Mia” literally means “Oh my God” in English, an exclamation similar to “Goodness!” or “My gosh!” While it’s often used as an interjection, it also conveys strong emotion or expression depending on the situation.
The same applies in musical theatre in songs, “Mamma Mia” is used to express confidence, boldness, and a willingness to break free from convention. IZNA used “Mamma Mia” in their second mini album to express that very confidence.
From the time of their debut, IZNA attracted attention through rumors that Teddy, head producer of THEBLACKLABEL, and Miyao were involved in their production.
Teddy participated once again in both composition and lyrics for the new album, joined by other well-known names such as KUSH and IDO.
In short, it’s an album you can trust to be good. IZNA’s performance in both domestic and international charts has been unexpectedly strong. Considering they are a rookie idol group from a mid-sized agency who debuted in the later part of the 4th generation, their results are quite impressive.
The “three essentials” for idols are: good songs, talent, and fandom.
With top producers providing solid tracks, members chosen for their skills, and strong support from both Korean and international fans, it’s no surprise that IZNA is gradually and steadily growing. There’s a saying that a girl group’s true potential shows after at least three mini albums.
Excluding singles, this is IZNA’s first mini album, and based on this performance, their next one is highly anticipated.
Singer-Songwriter Yerin Baek Releases Full Album Flash and Core
The second piece of news is about singer-songwriter Yerin Baek’s new full-length album release.
This marks Yerin Baek’s third studio album, arriving nearly five years after her second album, tellusboutyourself. The new release carries a sense of weight and depth, filled with a substantial collection of tracks.
The album includes 15 songs, featuring three title tracks: Track 4 MIRROR, Track 10 Lovers of Artists, and Track 13 in the middle.
The album’s production partner is PEEJAY, a top-tier producer known for his work with leading Korean R&B and hip-hop artists. In this project, he expands Yerin Baek’s musical spectrum, adding rhythm, synth-based layers, and a rich variety of sounds that enhance the album’s overall mood.
Rejjie Snow and Kim Ahil also participated as featured artists. Alongside the album release, Yerin Baek is set to hold a concert at Inspire Arena in Incheon this October.
Known for having one of the most dedicated fanbases among Korean singer-songwriters, her concert reportedly sold out immediately upon ticket releas, a true case of “picketing” (fierce ticket competition).
K-pop Short News- First Week of October
Here’s the K-pop roundup for the first week of October.
Singer Park Hye-won Releases a New Single
Park Hye-won (HYNN) has released a remake of MC the Max’s rock ballad “Geudaega Bunda.” The original song was released 11 years ago, and Park Hye-won’s delicate yet powerful voice gives it a completely new life.
Ballads are not easy to pull off these days, but this new single could provide Park Hye-won with another stage to shine.
Jazz Vocalist Moon Hye-won Releases Full Album
Moon Hye-won’s new full-length album, created in collaboration with Yamamoto Tsuyoshi, offers a wide range of jazz styles — from classic jazz to fusion and acid jazz.
The title tracks are Track 3 Fascination and Track 7 Mool Anggae (Water Mist), though personally, Track 7 Mool Anggae stands out. With the rainy weekend weather, it feels like the jazz seamlessly blends into the damp, moody atmosphere.
Noel’s Kang Kyun-sung Releases New Single
Kang Kyun-sung, the vocalist of Noel, has released a new single titled “Rain Song.” The track leans toward blues, featuring Kang Kyun-sung’s delicate vocals layered over gentle guitar melodies.
This follows his previous single “Deullinayo” released on September 11, marking his fifth single release this year. Fans are eagerly anticipating seeing him perform these songs live.