With over 5,000 songs on my iPhone’s “K-Pop Singles” playlist, I thought it would be fun to add a bit of unpredictability to my song review posts. So as a result, we have the “Random Shuffle Review” feature. The rules are simple. I fire up my playlist, press “shuffle,” and whatever song plays first gets … Continue reading
Since their 2023 debut, WHIB have alternated between lighter and darker sounds. For me, they were at their best in 2024 when they felt a rush of joy, but that rush proved fleeting as they quickly moved into the more aggressive Bang Out. New single Rock The Nation has a delightfully earnest title that made … Continue reading
POW is such an interesting group. At every turn, they seem to make moves antithetical to traditional idol group success. Their music is often quite subdued, calibrated for coffeeshops rather than stadiums. It’s almost like indie music filtered through an idol group persona, which really should be more compelling than it has been. Instead, the … Continue reading
I have not been shy about expressing how completely underwhelming this month (and last month) of K-pop has been. In fact, when January’s average rating is calculated, we’ll probably be looking at a historically low number. Because of this, I’m grabbing onto anything halfway decent I can find. Hell, at this point I’m clinging onto … Continue reading
In a very short time, the newly-debuted LNGSHOT have racked up plenty of hype and plenty of controversy. Their music has one tiny toe in the world of idols but feels primarily indebted to K-R&B, making it more palatable to those “too cool” for pure pop. While I was impressed with the vocals on their … Continue reading
We seem to be in K-pop’s era of “rage hip-hop,” as the genre has slowly entrenched itself within idol releases. So far, this has largely been limited to a boy group phenomenon, but it makes sense that an act like Young Posse would give it a try. After all, they’ve covered many hip-hop sub-genres already. … Continue reading
i-dle are one of those K-pop groups that actively reach out to global audiences and try to incorporate cultural touchstones they may not always be well-versed in. This has led to valid criticism in the past, though their music has leaned in a more generic direction the last few years. With new digital single Mono, … Continue reading
KiiiKiii’s debut year had a somewhat confused sonic landscape, pivoting between quirky sub-genres and meme culture to broad pop brushstrokes that felt more generic. Judging by pre-release Delulu and new title track 404 (New Era), they seem to have regained their focus in 2026 by pivoting toward the dancefloor. 404 (New Era) arrives bolstered by … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I compile my top three K-pop title tracks and list a ton of honorable mentions. But each Sunday, I’ll offer a compendium of the week’s new releases featured on the blog. And even more than that, I’ll attempt to rank them from my least-to-most-liked. I invite you to share … Continue reading
In connection with my desire to fully keep up with the J-pop industry, I’m planning to do a weekly round-up of any new releases that have caught my ear. Some of these may have been covered on the blog already, but my hope is that this will become a one-stop shop for anyone interested in … Continue reading
EXO have been inaugurated into my “K-Pop A-Z” feature, which means anything they release automatically gets a full review. To be honest, I’ve regretted that rule over the past few years since I haven’t vibed with the group’s albums since 2018. Is there new work REVERXE any different? Read on to find out! 1. Crown … Continue reading
New J-pop group STARGLOW made their pre-debut last year with the excellent EDM banger Moonchaser. That song became one of my favorites of they year and made me hope for an official debut that followed a similar soundscape. With Star Wish, the guys have moved in a different direction but proven themselves just as adept … Continue reading
EXO have been inaugurated into my “K-Pop A-Z” feature, which means anything they release automatically gets a full review. To be honest, I’ve regretted that rule over the past few years since I haven’t vibed with the group’s albums since 2018. Is there new work REVERXE any different? Read on to find out! 1. Crown … Continue reading
Rather than contain my “Risers and Fallers” feature to a single post in June, I’m going to share a bite-sized version at the end of each month. This will let me account for more songs and make a nice lead-in to the monthly round-up post. I anticipate most of these ratings adjustments will be negligible: … Continue reading
EXO have been inaugurated into my “K-Pop A-Z” feature, which means anything they release automatically gets a full review. To be honest, I’ve regretted that rule over the past few years since I haven’t vibed with the group’s albums since 2018. Is there new work REVERXE any different? Read on to find out! 1. Crown … Continue reading
Though XG are technically a global group based in Japan, their music has necessitated full song reviews on this blog because it’s so beloved by K-pop fans. I’ve found their output to be a mixed bag and generally prefer when they take a dancier approach. That happened last year with their excellent single GALA and … Continue reading
Two weeks ago, ZEROBASEONE released the fan song ballad Running To Future as the first pre-release from their upcoming “special” (ie: final) album. Today, they’re back with its second pre-release Roses. This one adds rock guitar for texture and a bit more bounce to its percussion but ultimately serves the same purpose as its predecessor. … Continue reading
EXO have been inaugurated into my “K-Pop A-Z” feature, which means anything they release automatically gets a full review. To be honest, I’ve regretted that rule over the past few years since I haven’t vibed with the group’s albums since 2018. Is there new work REVERXE any different? Read on to find out! 1. Crown … Continue reading
It’s funny. For years after 2021’s LOUD series ended, I complained about JYP not debuting his winning team while PSY’s TNX were already promoting their music. Yet after only a year of activities, KickFlip has already released more songs than TNX have in their entire life as a group. I guess that’s the benefit of … Continue reading
EXO have been inaugurated into my “K-Pop A-Z” feature, which means anything they release automatically gets a full review. To be honest, I’ve regretted that rule over the past few years since I haven’t vibed with the group’s albums since 2018. Is there new work REVERXE any different? Read on to find out! 1. Crown … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 