Kpop In 2024: My Wishlist

Another year flew by so far 😵‍💫.

It’s always fun for me to look back at these, because I forget how much happened in the previous year, and it’s fun to look at what actually happened in Kpop versus what I wished for.

Previously I’ve done a recap on what was achieved on the blog over the last year and goals for the next. But at this point, I want to go back to basics, lol.

I got close to some of my goals, but I never really hit any major milestone for the blog or any other personal goals of mine other than finding a job I enjoy. So not a complete loss, lessons were learned. New things were tried, and I re-realized what I want to focus my energy towards, and leave the rest.

I feel like I already covered some of this in my update article. I’ve been trying to figure out what the overarching theme is for me in 2024, and I think it’s downsizing and putting more focus on the things that are fulfilling. That’s the tdlr of it. So let’s get into what my Kpop Wishlist of 2023 was before talking about my wishes for 2024.

What I Wished for in 2023

Chungha US Tour

I talked about hoping we were at the end of Chungha’s contract in 2022 and in 2023 we learned Chungha left MNH 🎉🎉🎉 and she’s currently signed with Jay Park’s More Vision label. So I’m hella excited about her ventures in 2024. Unfortunately, there was no 2023 tour, but just as well.

EVERGLOW Full Length Album And US Tour

This kinda happened! EVERGLOW did tour the US and I bought a ticket. However, due to my work schedule, I wasn’t able to attend. So hopefully I can see them next time they’re back in Atlanta.

WOODZ US Tour

Fooking shook at this one, because it happened, lads!!! WOODZ was such a fantastic concert. I’m so happy I got to see him live and perform some of my favorite songs of his. Funny thing was, not long after my tour date, he announced his enlistment.

So I guess I was right about that being a concern. I’m sooo happy he got to tour before enlistment. I feel like he’s leaving on such a good note. And now I’m back in my WOODZ obsessed era.

CIX Back in Atlanta

…Nope. I didn’t even like their releases this year to be completely honest. I’m looking forward to 0 or 1. I hope it slaps. I’m starving out here for CIX bangers.

Jaehyun Solo Album

Nope, but NCT Dojaejung’s album was good. I’ll talk more about that later in my fave albums article. I still want the Jae solo album, tho 🔫.

Taemin Album

It happened, but I didn’t like it that much 🙈. You win some, you lose some 😪.

Baekhyun Album

No, but this also makes sense, like with the lack of Chungha stuff last year. Apparently Baekhyun has been working on creating his own label (sorry for the K**eab** source, that’s the only decent English one. I do have this one from Soompi though where he explains why there wasn’t an album), so that means we got stuff on the waaaaay.

New EXO And CBX Album

Another win!!! Well CBX if you missed it, had a contract dispute with SME, but then sorted it out. But, yeah, Baekhyun’s agency allegedly is set up for non-EXO related projects. So idk what’s going on really because Chen and Xiumin were invited to join him. But they kinda went through it this past year. So again, makes sense there was no album or anything, lol.

EXO’s EXIST, however, gave me exactly what I wanted from a (full?) group album. But alas, I’ll talk more about that later in the fave albums article.

LOONA And BBC To Get It Together So The Girls Start Making $$$$$

This is a tricky one. Yes, the girls are mostly free. BBC is still trying to get at them legally, but they are at different agencies and thriving. But unfortunately they’re at different agencies and doing different things, but it looks like whenever they can interact, they do, and they all are on good terms so love that.

I saw LOOSSEMBLE live and it was soooo much fun! I missed them so much, and I can’t wait to see them again. I’m still obsessed with their debut album, Loossemble. I’m looking forward to gushing more about this one in the fave albums article as well.

Omega X To Win Sole Ownership Of Their Name And Other Brand Related Items

This also happened, and pretty early on into the year! I’m so happy for them 😭.

Okay, on to my 2024 list!

Wishlist for 2024

Previously I’ve put these in order of most wanted and high chance or happening to most wanted but highly unlikely to happen. This year, I kinda don’t care as much about order, I just wanna get into it, lol.

Wonho 1st Music Show Win, Full Length Album and US/World Tour

Okay, hear me out, a quick Google search of when is Wonho coming back from the military shows this:

I understand I’m wishing/asking for a lot. But…BUT Wonho has prepared so much content for us while he’s gone, who’s to say he isn’t sitting on a whole ass album or at least a good amount of songs that need some polishing before releasing officially. It could even be like a mini album with four or five songs dropped then the tour is announced.

He has a good-sized library already he could tour off of. So a full length album isn’t complete necessary, I’m just greedy, lmao.

But if the September timeline for his discharge is correct, we could get a Novemeber/December or maybe even December 2024 rolling into January 2025 tour from him.

Thank you for listening to my TED Talk.

Chungha Tour and Bare&Rare Pt 2

Now legally, idk if she or More Vision have the rights to whatever what recorded/filmed for Bare&Rare Pt2, assuming she even wants to continue that or just start fresh with a different concept and era.

Really anything Chungha releases, photoshoot, variety show episode, single album, whatever, I’ll take it. I’m just so happy she’s at a new agency and gets to do shit on her terms.

Yugyeom US Tour

🎶 I want you around 🎶. I said in my update that I wanted Yugyeom to tour in the US because he’s been doing these European shows, and I’m incredibly jealous. I would love a full length album from him too in 2024.

Actually, I wanna tag on a GOT7 tour as well. I was talking to a girl at WOODZ concert and we both agreed GOT7 need to come back to the US. She hadn’t seen them live before. I think there’s a market for it. Maybe start with KCON 2024 first or something to test the waters, idk.

TXT Tour

Because I had such a fooking blast seeing them in 2023, I need to see the boys again in 2024.

Stray Kids Tour

This is like, 95% going to happen, Stays are making predictions on Reddit and shit. Everyone is preparing for the February/March announcement of a summer tour, or maybe late spring, idk. But the girls are getting their lives together.

More Multi Group Collabs Like “NOBODY”

I’m working on the finally touches of my November monthly faves article, and “Nobody” by Jeon Soyeon of (G)-IDLE, Winter of AESPA, and Liz of IVE was so refreshing. I love seeing members from other groups interact with each other.

And seeing them make music together is the next best step. I love a year-end music show stage with random boy group member and girl group member, but songs have more staying power long term, imo.

So yes, I want all girl or boy songs, but I also want co-ed releases as well.

More Variety Shows/Specials with Groups/Soloist Interacting with Each Other

Maybe it’s the ISAC withdrawls, but I miss shows like It’s Dangerous Beyond The Blankets, where you have random idols/actors/whatever interacting with each other like this. It’s nothing you have to dedicate a lot of time to like a 12 episode season with a story you have to follow the whole time, you just pop in when your faves are there.

So I’m hoping for more shows like this in 2024. Also, I still want that damn TXT in the Soop series.

Shipping prices from Korea to go down (Weverse)

You have no idea how many times I’ve seen something from Weverse or another Korean site with merch and close out of it after seeing the price of shipping to America, lmao. Not a unique thing, I know shipping to places like Canada for example is ridcious. But I feel like I miss out on so much cool merch because I don’t want to drop $50 in shipping for an item that cost $15, you know?

Highly HIGHLY unlikely to happen, but a girl can wish.

More Twice Solos and Subunits

This is another one I think is likely in the works as we speak. I don’t have any specific member solos or units I want to see. I do think an indie/alt-rock Chaeyoung solo would be awesome.

ATEEZ Luxury House Brand Deals

Specifically Seonghwa YSL brand ambassador. Me and one of my best friends talk about Seonghwa having a YSL deal all the time, and geniunely think it’d be a perfect fit. He’s talked about wearing Black Opium, and he’s carried YSL bags before (he used to this YSL bag with him frequently when he traveled back in like 2021).

And evidence #3:

Thank you for listening to my second TED Talk of the day, lol. But really I’d like to see other members with brand deals too. I know there are a few people who think not every Kpop member needs a designer brand deal, but I disagree. When it’s idols who just fit the vibes of a certain house, it feels natural. And designer houses have always had influencers/muses even before the YouTube and IG influencers.

Hongjoong already has Balmain. Idk what brand would be my top pick for a group brand deal, maybe Alexander McQueen? But I want that for them 🤗.

And that’s my 2024 Kpop wishlist. I would have put Beomgyu Insta, but he just released it. God is good, isn’t he?

I also thought about including A.C.E tour, but idk if they’d do a partial group tour like that. I think releasing more music and getting more visibility might be the better strat in 2024.

Also, can you believe the one year I don’t include Dean, he finally releases a new song 😅. Figures.

What are y’alls wishes this year in the world of Kpop? Any tours or albums you want to happen? Let me know in the comments!

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram.

Take care!

Ash💫