Micah's K-Spot

This week we’re getting into the controversy surrounding aoen’s Ruka and his connection to a 13-year-old former dance student, the speculation that followed, and his response to everything being said online. Then there’s a VERY messy blind item alleging that girl groups under HYBE subsidiaries have been working against their own companies and even sabotaging their own releases. It’s an anonymous blind item, so obviously we’re treating it as speculation, but there is a LOT to unpack.I also get into why my next ALLDAY PROJECT reaction might be staying on Patreon, my growing frustration with THEBLACKLABEL’s musical direction, and why wanting more from a group you like is not the same thing as hating them.And for this week’s Hot Take: can we acknowledge that K-pop’s beauty standards can be harmful while also acknowledging that appearance is part of what idols are commercially hired to sell?NEW: CAUGHT IN THE K-SPOT 📩Got a dilemma you want me to answer on the podcast? Send it anonymously or otherwise to:[email protected]

UNIS’ time as a group has come to an end, so we’re talking about their contract and what the future may holdThen Jackson Wang has officially signed with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation for management, and the timing gave me a LOT to talk about. What does Roc Nation actually offer Jackson at this stage of his career, and what are the wider connotations of aligning yourself with Jay-Z and his company right now? We also get into SM celebrating 100M views for Girls’ Generation’s Genie while editing Jessica out, Jessica slowly finding her way back into the Korean mainstream, and EXO’s Suho, SEVENTEEN’s S.Coups and BOYNEXTDOOR’s Jaehyun talking about the realities of being group leaders.And this week’s Micah’s Pick is CLOSE YOUR EYES with Open Your Eyes.

BLACKPINK’s Lisa has finally addressed the N-word controversy in her new documentary, so today we’re getting into what she actually said, the apology, and some of the wider conversation around it.Also, Seulgi & Irene have somehow dropped an entire Japanese EP with NO MV, teasers or much of a rollout at all... but the music is here, so obviously we need to talk about it. Taerae also spoke about actively working on his vocal technique, I’m wondering where on earth UNCHILD has gone, ALL DAY PROJECT are already coming back with CRASH and FIVE singles, and CYE have dropped their highlight medley.Plenty to yap about this week.

&TEAM and EVAN are the main event this week because I have THOUGHTS about these comebacks, with examples because apparently I need to show my working. We’re also discussing why certain producers need to stop bringing sauceless white-man energy into K-pop, BLACKPINK potentially nearing the end of the group, CYE’s 7-track album and HEARTS2HEARTS’ “Moonride.”And yes, Bang chan caught some strays cos of his pick me-ism!

THE BOYZ's Kevin has been speaking candidly about the K-pop industry, cultural appropriation, capitalism and why he believes K-pop fans deserve better. There were quite a few points I found myself agreeing with, so that's the centre of today's discussion as I get into what he said, where I think his criticism is justified and the uncomfortable relationship K-pop has always had with borrowing from other cultures while operating as an aggressively commercial industry.There's also a LOT happening elsewhere. ENHYPEN are already working on their next album and Ni-ki somehow received backlash just for mentioning it, ATEEZ are coming back in November, KiiiKiii ended promotions without a music-show win, XngHan & Xoul have introduced four new Japanese members, and Kim Soo-hyun's appearance at the AAAs is facing protests.I also get into the SKIBIDI backlash, why calling every criticism of it “it's just brainrot!” misses the point, and Taemin's latest album, which sent me into a completely different conversation about idols leaving the companies that built their musical identities. Creative freedom is great, but I'm increasingly convinced that some idols are exceptional products and performers without necessarily being particularly good at curating themselves as recording artists.And for this week's Micah's Picks, we're back with TUIDE! Sunkiss and ABD have officially made the cut after I was literally arguing with their fans about their debut last week.