K-pop wastes no time in the first week of January 2026—artists are dropping brand-new tracks and highly anticipated OSTs for films and dramas, sending listener expectations soaring.
Girl group SAY MY NAME returns with a mini album, while Heize and BIG Naughty make comebacks with groove-heavy new singles. Bae Geuna and virtual group PLAVE deliver fresh charms through remakes, and you can also look forward to OST releases that will enrich projects like the film HEARTMAN and the tvN drama Nice to Not Meet You.
With the New Year excitement in full swing, which artists are showing up with a totally new vibe?
◆ SAY MY NAME drops 3rd mini album '&Our Vibe' on the 29th
Girl group SAY MY NAME closed out 2025 on a high note.
On the 29th at 6 p.m. KST, SAY MY NAME made a comeback with their 3rd EP '&Our Vibe.' Having steadily showcased not only skill but inner growth, the group captures the energy of teen girls who have found their own tastes after puberty, channeling it into a lively girls' night party concept.
The new record features the rock-tinged title track 'UFO' (ATTENT!ON)—with lyrics by Hitomi, Kani, and Dohee—alongside 'Bad Idea,' 'Delulu Solulu,' 'Hard to Love,' and 'SAY MY NAME,' spanning from bouncy pop appeal to soft, cozy moods. Fans are buzzing over the members' new vocal colors and their expanding sonic universe.
In particular, the title track 'UFO' (ATTENT!ON) brims with confidence, likening the moment you accidentally spot a UFO to how you won't be able to take your eyes off them. Built on a pop-punk band sound and powered by bold vocal chants, it makes SAY MY NAME's timeline shine even brighter.
Meanwhile, on January 1, the group will take the ceremonial first pitch at the KBL 2025–2026 regular season game between Seoul SK and Anyang Jeong Kwan Jang at Jamsil Indoor Gymnasium, signaling a flashy start to their 2026 promotions by stepping onto the court on New Year's Day.
◆ Bae Geuna releases a remake of SoHyang's 'Only My Heart Knows'
YouTube cover artist Bae Geuna reinterprets a beloved SoHyang track. On the 29th, she dropped a remake of SoHyang's 'Only My Heart Knows.'
Originally released in November 2018, 'Only My Heart Knows' expresses the longing and pain of love. This remake builds from an acoustic guitar intro toward a swelling finale, enhancing the arrangement with a palette of strings, electric guitar, and drums.
Bae Geuna draws praise for delivering a restrained, matter-of-fact opening that blossoms into a powerful, explosive chorus—imbuing the song with aching emotion and a lingering afterglow. Composer Hong Jinyoung wrote the original, with production team Urbane Music handling the arrangement for the remake.
Meanwhile, on the 27th, Bae Geuna won 'Streamer of the Year' at the '2025 SOOP Streamer Awards.'
◆ PLAVE remakes 10CM's 'Borrow Your Night'
Virtual group PLAVE amplifies the film's lingering emotion with pure, heartfelt vocals.
On the 29th, PLAVE released the collaboration single 'Borrow Your Night' for the film Even If This Love Disappears from the World Tonight.
'Borrow Your Night' was originally released in 2021 by singer 10CM as a collaboration track for Naver Webtoon 'Romance 101.' The song evokes memories of pure, innocent love and precious moments. As the main track among this round of collaboration songs, its calm lyrics capture the feeling of wanting to confess tonight—even if the love might vanish by morning.
The film, based on the novel of the same name by author Ichijo Misaki, tells a tender coming-of-age love story between a female student with anterograde amnesia, whose memories reset, and an ordinary male student stuck in a monotonous daily life. Starring Chu Young-woo and Shin Si-a, it opened on the 24th and is now in theaters.
◆ Lee Changsub → Wonstein…Nice to Not Meet You drops full OST album to ease finale blues
Nice to Not Meet You soothes viewers ahead of its finale with a full-track OST album.
The tvN Monday–Tuesday drama Nice to Not Meet You released its complete OST album at noon on the 29th.
The lineup features powerhouse vocalist Daesung and the soulful Lee Changsub, trot star Park Ji-hyun, the uniquely toned Wonstein, delicate vocalist Kim Na-young, and emotive singer-songwriter Woody.
The album includes six tracks: Lee Changsub's 'Drive Me Crazy,' Park Ji-hyun's 'Annoying Person,' Wonstein's 'Sareureu Seureureu,' Daesung's 'I'm in The Trouble,' Kim Na-young's 'Dancing Through the Night,' and Woody's 'I'm Real.'
Across the set, the songs translate the show's fluttering romance, growth, and other emotions into music—capturing upbeat energy while naturally reflecting the characters' relationships.
Meanwhile, Nice to Not Meet You follows a fallen national actor and an entertainment reporter obsessed with justice as they wage an escalating diss war. Lee Jung-jae and Lim Ji-yeon lead the cast with intense performances.
◆ Kwon Sang-woo sings on the HEARTMAN OST—out on the 31st
Actor Kwon Sang-woo grabs the mic.
On the 30th, distributor Lotte Entertainment announced, "The OST for the film HEARTMAN, featuring music sung by the main cast along with tracks heard in key scenes, will be released on the 31st."
The newly revealed poster shows Seung-min (played by Kwon Sang-woo) with a guitar and Bona (Moon Chae-won) striking a confident pose at his side—instantly catching the eye. Framed against a vivid red backdrop, the pair throw up the classic rock hand sign, directly conveying the project's playful, upbeat energy.
The OST includes a range of tracks, from Eve's 'Lover'—performed onstage by college rock band 'Ambulance,' formed by Seung-min and Wondae (Park Ji-hwan)—to 'Back To Me' and 'Brand New,' which appear in key scenes featuring Seung-min and Bona. The ending theme 'Farther Than the Sun' is sung by Kwon Sang-woo himself, promising another hit of laughs, feels, and rock spirit through the music.
HEARTMAN opens on January 14.
◆ Heize returns on the last day of 2025—hand in hand with Ji Chang-wook
Singer Heize is closing out 2025 alongside actor Ji Chang-wook. Today (31st) at 6 p.m. KST, she releases her new digital single 'Even if' across major streaming platforms.
'Even if' is an R&B soul track packed with a heartfelt message—"I'll love only you, even if the world changes and falls apart"—with Heize participating in both writing and composing.
Ji Chang-wook made a surprise appearance in the 'Even if' music video, which Heize pre-premiered during her recent solo concert. Filmed in Sapporo, Japan, the video features the pair delivering an achingly tender love story.
The two previously appeared together on the YouTube show 'JOZZZ,' revealing an unexpected friendship. They first met through a mutual acquaintance and bonded over the fact that they were "neighbors."
◆ BIG Naughty drops 'Promises I Overreached'—closing out the year
Artist BIG Naughty is releasing his new single 'Promises I Overreached' at 6 p.m. KST today via major streaming sites.
'Promises I Overreached' (feat. Gary) rides a bold, hard-hitting sound where BIG Naughty's signature lyrical rap meets crisp, melodic vocals. Reflecting on times of 'overdoing it,' the track captures the realizations and experiences that come with growing up—filtered through BIG Naughty's distinctive sensibility.
Featuring the hitmaker Gary, the song frankly unpacks a life lived at full throttle and the weight of reality, giving the narrative extra depth and gravity. Standing at the center of youth, BIG Naughty's wild yet tightly structured vocals and rap intertwine with Gary's low, solid tone to create two parallel timelines within a single track.