It's a K-pop Thing

Alkemie Sound Lab
  • 4.7 (14)
  • MUSIC COMMENTARY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

"The show where we talk about all the things that make K-pop distinctly K-pop." Hosted by Alexis Hodoyán-Gastélum and Theresa Avila, 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. Follow the Show: @IKPTpod on Instagram & Twitter Email: info@kpoppod.com

  1. OCT 24

    Just Give Kpop Demon Hunters the Grammy and Oscar Already

    Kpop Demon Hunters arguably gave us not just the song of the summer, but the soundtrack of the year. Sound like hyperbole? It's been months since the animated musical was released this summer and it shows no signs of slowing down. Thanks to word-of-mouth and some early guerrilla-style marketing, viewership for the film snowballed so unexpectedly and so quickly that it now holds the distinction of being Netflix's most-watched original title ... EVER, with more than 236 million views as of late August. Now, with Halloween upon us, it seems kids everywhere are eager up to dress up as Rumi, Mira, Zoey, or any of the other memorable characters from the film. At the same time, the singing voices of HUNTR/X have been making the rounds on late night TV ahead of what is arguably a campaign to get in front of the voting bodies during awards season next year. Last but not least, we have the release of EJAE's new single, "In Another World." It's about time time we finally dove into what exactly makes KPOP Demon Hunters so successful and so sticky in pop culture. Listen to hear our discussion on: How Kpop Demon Hunters capitalized on fandom cultureThe power of word-of-mouth and YouTube reactorsKevin Woo's marketing advantage as a real-life K-pop idol The choice of original songs vs. needle drops from existing K-pop groupsEJAE's career in K-pop mirroring Rumi's character arc storyKids, families and keeping K-pop accessibleOur takes on the real inspo for HUNTR/X and Saja BoysIt's a K-pop Thing is hosted by two journalists and longtime K-pop stans, Alexis Hodoyán-Gastélum and Theresa Avila. FOLLOW US: Twitter: @ikptpod & Instagram: @ikptpod FEEDBACK? IDEAS FOR FUTURE EPISODES? E-mail us at info@kpoppod.com

    1h 17m

  2. OCT 9

    Can We Actually Afford K-pop?

    After taking a break in 2025 we are BACK with a fresh season of It's a K-pop Thing! It's been a long 9 months — we could have had a baby! — and we've missed talking all things K-pop. There's tons of new things we want to try for this upcoming season so stay tuned for updates on that on our Instagram account (@IKPTPOD).  To kick things off this season, Alexis and Theresa are focusing on the current fan experience. With SO many K-pop groups touring and tickets prices being SO expensive ... we have to ask: Can we afford K-pop? In THIS economy? Tune in and hear as we commiserate with one another and strategize on how we can make lemonade out of lemons this K-pop touring season. It's a K-pop Thing is hosted by two journalists and longtime K-pop stans, Alexis Hodoyán-Gastélum and Theresa Avila. FOLLOW US: Twitter: @ikptpod & Instagram: @ikptpod FEEDBACK? IDEAS FOR FUTURE EPISODES? E-mail us at info@kpoppod.com

    1h 17m

  3. JAN 17

    K-pop Stadium Shows: Are They A Good Thing? Let's Discuss

    We're back with a fresh season for 2025 and to kick things right off we're bringing you a conversation we recorded at the end of last year when Stray Kids announced their upcoming stadium tour! There's no doubt that K-pop has grown, and with it, the size of venues artists perform has grown as well. So many K-pop acts have made headlines selling out shows at stadiums across the United States and with Stray Kids embarking on an even stadium-ONLY tour, it seems a new milestone for K-pop is here: Go Big or Go Home. But—are stadium concerts in K-pop a good thing? Alexis and Theresa dive into the heavy cost that comes with attending a stadium concert and why they might not be the best thing for the fan experience. IN THIS EPISODE: SEVENTEEN Stadium Recap at BMO in LAThe Evolution of Concert Culture in K-popThe Not-so-great Impact of Stadium Tours on K-popConcert Ticket-buying Strategies and Tradeoffs to ConsiderAre We Going to See Even More K-pop Stadium Tours?How Could the Stadium Show Experience Be Enhanced?Final Thoughts and Wish ListIt's a K-pop Thing is hosted by two journalists and longtime K-pop stans, Alexis Hodoyán-Gastélum and Theresa Avila. FOLLOW US: Twitter: @ikptpod & Instagram: @ikptpod FEEDBACK? IDEAS FOR FUTURE EPISODES? E-mail us at info@kpoppod.com

    1h 14m

  4. 09/19/2024

    Cha Eun Woo & NCT Dream in Mexico (EP 17: Traveling to Mexico for K-pop: Tips and Tricks)

    We are back after our summer break for a brand new season of It's a K-pop Thing! In this episode, we catch up and discuss what it was like traveling to Mexico this summer to see NCT Dream and Cha Eun Woo. Then, you don't want our advice and tips in the second half of the show! If you've ever thought about traveling to see a K-pop show in Mexico (or maybe greater Latin America), this is the episode for you. We give you the real, honest advice we would give our closest friends about what you can expect at a show, what you should look out for and more. In this episode we cover: What it's like to go to Mexico for a K-pop ConcertCha Eun Woo in Mexico City 2024 at Arena CDMXWhat his fan meeting/concert was likeNCT Dream in Mexico CityWhat it was like getting floor seats for NCT Dream in Latin AmericaHow to see a K-pop concert in Mexico Tips for K-pop concerts in MexicoTIMESTAMPS: 0:00 - Cold Open1:45 - Start of Show 3:39 - Cha Eun Woo in Mexico City19:00 - NCT Dream42:23 - Advice and Tips for Traveling to Mexico45:01 - TIP 1 - Don't be afraid to go alone48:26 - TIP 2 - Tap your Mexican friends/mutuals for help55:53 - TIP 3 - Take the right amount of cash61:02 - TIP 4 - Buy the bootleg merch!67:55 - TIP 5 - Do your research on local events before/after the show73:32 - TIP 6 - Make friends at the show80:23 - TIP 7 - "Don't piss them off"88:23 - TIP 8 - Level your expectations about concert etiquette97:12 - Final Thoughts 98:52 - End of Show It's a K-pop Thing is hosted by two journalists and longtime K-pop stans, Alexis Hodoyán-Gastélum and Theresa Avila. FOLLOW US: Twitter: @ikptpod & Instagram: @ikptpod FEEDBACK? IDEAS FOR FUTURE EPISODES? E-mail us at info@kpoppod.com

    1h 39m

  5. 06/18/2024

    Play This! ILLIT's "Magnetic" Plus K-pop Debut Songs That Have Stood The Test of Time

    In this edition of Play This! we bring you a previously unreleased episode that almost didn't air. Shortly after recording our discussion about ILLIT's debut hit single, "Magnetic," news broke of the corporate turmoil and fallout going on at HYBE and ADOR regarding allegations of plagiarism. In this episode—recorded prior to the allegations surfaced by ADOR's CEO Min Hee Jin—Alexis and Theresa discuss the similarities and differences between NewJeans and ILLIT,  the evolution of girl group concepts and what makes a great K-pop debut song. LINK TO THE FULL SPOTIFY PLAYLIST: Listen Here RUNDOWN (with timestamps): Disclaimer for EpisodeOriginal Show Intro (2:20)Overview of ILLIT and how it formed (5:01)First Impressions of ILLIT's concept (10:18)Is it bad for ILLIT to be compared to NewJeans? (13:26)Does ILLIT have J-pop vibes? How is it different? (20:21)Marketing ILLIT at Fashion Week (23:58)HYBE's access to songwriters & the classic K-pop sound (29:49)Do groups have to DEBUT with a HIT? (38:49)SONG RECOMMENDATIONS  Overview of the best K-pop debut songs  (44:26)NCT U "7th Sense" (45:29)SEVENTEEN "Adore U" (55:15)EVERGLOW "BON BON CHOCOLAT" (61:04)ITZY "DALLA DALLA" (74:15)Final Thoughts (85:40)LET US KNOW: What's your favorite K-pop debut song? TAG US ON SOCIAL: Take a photo of you listening and tag us on Instagram at @IKPTPOD and let us know what you liked about the show! It's a K-pop Thing is hosted by two journalists and longtime K-pop stans, Alexis Hodoyán-Gastélum and Theresa Avila. FOLLOW US: Twitter: @ikptpod & Instagram: @ikptpod FEEDBACK? IDEAS FOR FUTURE EPISODES? E-mail us at info@kpoppod.com

    1h 31m

  6. 04/05/2024

    Destination K-pop Concerts: NCT 127 in Tokyo and TWICE in Las Vegas

    We have a special concert recap episode that's ALL about our recent K-pop travels, concerts experiences and even a special run-in with some K-pop idols after a concert! (No spoilers: You'll have to tune in to hear who it was!) In this episode we cover how Alexis recently traveled to Tokyo to catch NCT 127 before military enlistments for the members began and Theresa talks about how she flew to Las Vegas to catch TWICE on the last stop of their world tour.  We get into the nitty gritty about Alexis's experience buying the SM Global package and what it was like watching a K-pop show without her phone. Plus, hear about Theresa's experience giving K-pop freebies for the first time and how VCHA opened for TWICE. It's a K-pop Thing is hosted by two journalists and longtime K-pop stans, Alexis Hodoyán-Gastélum and Theresa Avila. FOLLOW US: Twitter: @ikptpod & Instagram: @ikptpod FEEDBACK? IDEAS FOR FUTURE EPISODES? E-mail us at info@kpoppod.com

    1h 56m

  7. 03/02/2024

    Has K-pop Hit a Plateau? Is It Slowing Down? What's Next?

    Lately, the general consensus seems to be: K-pop is bigger than ever before —and that's to be celebrated— but it's also ... different. The music trends are changing and, depending on who you ask, it's not always for the better. Especially among multi-stans, there seems to be a newfound sense of overwhelm and fatigue due to the relentless amount of content churned out by K-pop. All of this has us thinking: Are we entering a new era of K-pop? Is K-pop's rapid growth stalling? Dare we ask: Has K-pop Hit a Plateau? To help us understand where K-pop is today, we're joined in a roundtable discussion by friends of the pod, DJ Peter Lo of the Kpopcast podcast and Tamar Herman, a longtime K-pop journalist and author of the newsletter Notes On K-pop. We don't promise to have all the answers, but maybe we can share some good thought starters! Let us know what you think of the state of K-pop today by tagging Alexis and Theresa on Instagram @IKPTpod. Follow Tamar @Tamarwrites Follow Peter @DJPeterLo  It's a K-pop Thing is hosted by two journalists and longtime K-pop stans, Alexis Hodoyán-Gastélum and Theresa Avila. FOLLOW US: Twitter: @ikptpod & Instagram: @ikptpod FEEDBACK? IDEAS FOR FUTURE EPISODES? E-mail us at info@kpoppod.com

    1h 12m

  8. 02/22/2024

    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 discussionSong Rec #1 (1:11) - GOT7's "Lullaby" in SPANISHSong 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. FOLLOW US: Twitter: @ikptpod & Instagram: @ikptpod FEEDBACK? IDEAS FOR FUTURE EPISODES? E-mail us at info@kpoppod.com

    37 min
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About

"The show where we talk about all the things that make K-pop distinctly K-pop." Hosted by Alexis Hodoyán-Gastélum and Theresa Avila, 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. Follow the Show: @IKPTpod on Instagram & Twitter Email: info@kpoppod.com

Information

  • Creator
    Alkemie Sound Lab
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2025
  • Episodes
    21
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 It's a K-pop Thing
  • Show Website
    It's a K-pop Thing

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