This week’s K-pop (and K-pop-adjacent) releases tip the scales between loud and boisterous and smooth and understated. On the loud side of the spectrum, NCT 127 and XG deliver hard-hitting hip-hop and punk-tinged tracks, respectively, playing the role of unruly misfits bent on turning the world upside down. On the end is TUIDE, SEVENTEEN’s DINO, and RIIZE, all of whom settle into more chill styles of dance and soul music.

---

NCT 127 - “BLINGY”

Following the pre-release of their B-side track, “Piñata,” boy group NCT 127 has officially returned with their latest album, BLINGY. Compared to their previous era, Walk, in 2024, the group is temporarily down to five members: Johnny, Yuta, Taeyong, Jaehyun, and Haechan, with Doyoung and Jungwoo currently in the military. However, the absences haven’t slowed the quintet a bit as they celebrate their 10th anniversary this year with their newest title track, also called “BLINGY.” Staying true to form, the track is described as a hip-hop track built on distorted synths, heavy drums, and a chanting chorus, reinterpreting elements of rage and dubstep in the group’s own register. With an aggressive chorus, gritty bass, and an unruly attitude, “BLINGY” is 127 to its core — unapologetic, brazen, and exceptionally “neo.”

TUIDE - “SUN KISS”

Becoming the first girl group under HYBE’s latest subsidiary label, ABD (A Bold Dream), seven-member group TUIDE has made its official debut with “SUN KISS,” the lead single from its first mini album, Tune & Play. With a laid-back, breezy atmosphere, TUIDE and its label describe the song’s style as “soultronic,” a fusion of soul and electronic music that will be the backbone of the group’s core sound moving forward. Soultronic naturally blends the warmth of soul music with the stylish sounds of electronic music, TUIDE member Seoyeon explained. While many rookie groups tend to debut with energetic, colorful title tracks, the more muted, languid tone of “SUN KISS” is a welcome change of pace and an indicator of what to expect from TUIDE’s blooming discography.

XG - “O.R.B (Obviously Reads Bro)”

Known for incorporating early 2000s R&B, hip-hop, dance-pop, house, and electronic dance, Japanese group XG is flipping the script again with their new single, “O.R.B (Obviously Reads Bro).” Shedding their previous soundscapes, the seven-member group takes on Y2K pop-punk with equally vibrant punk aesthetics and an attitude to match, perfectly replicating the vibes of American punk artists like Simple Plan and Avril Lavigne. Conceptually, “O.R.B” is a spunky love letter to XG’s youngest member, Cocona, who came out as transmasculine non-binary in 2025, with lyrics littered with “bro” references — a nod to Cocona’s new pronouns, he/they. While XG has already proven they can fit into any category they choose — sleek, sharp, enchanting — it only makes sense that wild and rebellious would be the natural next step in the group’s evolution.

DINO (SEVENTEEN) - “LIKE IT”

After releasing his first solo album, 吉BOARD (Gilboard), under his alter ego, Picheolin, SEVENTEEN’s DINO is back with another music video for the B-side track “LIKE IT” — but this time as himself. Rooted in dance-pop with elements of EDM, “LIKE IT” stands in stark contrast to the album it appears on, effectively distancing itself from the more traditional Korean elements that Picheolin represents. But without that moniker, DINO’s personal style is polished, calculated, and magnetic, with the track incorporating smooth, rhythmic synthesizer beats to accentuate the sharp group and pair choreography throughout the video. If Picheolin represents joy, nostalgia, and the vintage Korean aesthetic, DINO represents sensual restraint, control, and the modern age of K-pop.

RIIZE - “Sunburst”

Following the release of their second Japanese single, “All of You,” in February, boy group RIIZE is back with another Japanese original, “Sunburst.” Similar to the sound they’ve already established in 2024’s “Impossible,” this track is another house-based dance song, albeit much more relaxed and easygoing, fitting seamlessly into this year’s end-of-summer K-pop playlist. Combining rhythmic beats with cool synth sounds, “Sunburst” captures the spontaneity of love and the willingness to jump into the deep end if it means holding on to that exhilarating feeling. “If you jump, I jump, right beside you,” Anton and Sohee trade off singing in the first pre-chorus. Sonically, the single is a dazzling feast for the ears and an echo of RIIZE’s greatest strengths in dance-driven records.