K-pop wasted little time setting the tone for 2026. January and February arrived packed with heavyweight comebacks from the genre's biggest names alongside ambitious debuts from new acts eager to claim their place. LNGSHOT — "Moonwalkin'" from "SHOT CALLERS," released Jan. 13 Verdict: Surprisingly good While the rookie boy band's predebut release, "Saucin'," made it easy to assume that LNGSHOT would fall neatly into a hip-hop rivalry narrative with HYBE Labels' CORTIS, “Moonwalkin’,” the official title track of the four-member band's debut album "SHOT CALLERS," arrived and quietly refused that storyline. Where CORTIS leans playful, LNGSHOT chooses a more grounded, groove-heavy lane, almost like rookies deciding they would rather age well than trend fast. Handling accessible R&B and hip-hop without sounding like an industry plant is harder than it looks, and the group clears that bar with ease. There are also obvious nods to pop icons Michael Jackson, Destiny’s Child and even early Justin Bieber, especially in one member’s vocal tone that feels tailor-made for global pop ears.