In addition to managing Nick Lee (whose production credits include Jimin’s “Set Me Free Pt.2,” SEVENTEEN’s “Ash,” and CL’s ALPHA), Max Cho has global aspirations for his management company, Cho & Co. In this episode, Hope talks to him about these plans, his experiences working with K-pop artists, the “wedding ring analogy” he uses to explain his management philosophy, parallels between working on movies and music, and more!

On countless occasions, K-pop songs have interpolated, sampled, remixed, or otherwise drawn inspiration from other songs. This episode features the stories behind the most iconic, strangest, funniest, and most surprising examples!

A guide to the best J-pop albums, songs, and music videos released by K-pop artists!

A wild weekend for Roblox, cult accusations, THAT GQ profile, Mr. Bang’s candid CNN interview, chaos on set of The Idol, alleged military service evasion, exciting graphic novel news… SO MUCH has happened in the world of K-pop over the past few weeks, and it’s time to break down all the major headlines!

A brief overview of C-pop industry milestones and unforgettable moments, the ways many forms of music originated in China, the biggest stars in the C-pop world, the ways C-pop and K-pop differ, and heated reactions to the Hallyu wave among C-pop fans.

How did the T-pop (Thai pop) and P-pop (Pinoy pop) industries get started? How do they differ from K-pop? What do their futures look like? Which T-pop and P-pop stars stand out the most? This episode answers all these questions and more, followed by some interesting facts about the Hallyu wave across Asia!

From the origins of karaoke to the ways J-pop laid the groundwork for K-pop boy bands, the Japanese music industry is filled with groundbreaking moments and surprising twists and turns. This episode chronologically walks through the biggest ones: a dramatic prank on fans who believed a rumor about their favorite band breaking up, the introduction of Winter Sonata to a Japanese audience, the time Lady Gaga's attempt to promote J-pop was shut down, and so many more! 

Regardless of what LOONA’s future looks like, it is worth celebrating all they have accomplished so far; they have left an irreplaceable mark on the world of K-pop and proved the vast storytelling potential of music. While past episodes of “LOONAverse Talk” covered LOONA’s story through music video recaps, today’s episode covers their story through song lyrics and album commentary. When looking at LOONA’s commentary on their own work over the years, the life lessons in their work become clear, and the answer to “What’s the big deal about LOONA?” becomes obvious!

A quick recap of aespa’s “Girls (Don’t you know I’m a Savage?)” short film and the terms to remember to understand KWANGYA and the SMCU!

A ranking and review of the twenty best new releases from K-pop, J-pop, C-pop, and P-pop artists!