There are a number of acts who have debuted in the past few decades and have dozens of song ratings on this blog. I thought it would be fun to lay these ratings out in chronological order, line-graph style, and take a macro view of their careers so far. Then, similar to my “Underrated K-pop” … Continue reading
THIS WEEK IN K-POP: Ranking the New Releases from September 6 – 12
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
New & Noteworthy J-pop of the Week (September 13, 2026)
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
8TURN: A Career In Song Ratings
There are a number of acts who have debuted in the past few decades and have dozens of song ratings on this blog. I thought it would be fun to lay these ratings out in chronological order, line-graph style, and take a macro view of their careers so far. Then, similar to my “Underrated K-pop” … Continue reading
Buried Treasure: &TEAM – Night To Howl!
A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. Sometimes, b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. It always amazes me how a … Continue reading
Buried Treasure: VERIVERY – Way To Zero
A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. Sometimes, b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. VERIVERY just released an all killer, … Continue reading
Song Review: ENHYPEN – Checkmate
It’s become an expectation that HYBE groups will film music videos for at least two tracks on each album and ENHYPEN are already back with a clip for their song Checkmate. This follows the release of Bloody Paradise released last month and offers a more thrilling sound. 2026 is the year where K-pop’s tempo officially … Continue reading
F-VE DOLLS: A Career In Song Ratings
There are a number of acts who have debuted in the past few decades and have dozens of song ratings on this blog. I thought it would be fun to lay these ratings out in chronological order, line-graph style, and take a macro view of their careers so far. Then, similar to my “Underrated K-pop” … Continue reading
Song Review: Pentagon – Coward
Pentagon are the latest act to celebrate their tenth anniversary this year, and although they’ve lost a few members they’ve brought together seven of the ten original line-up for special single Coward (겁쟁이). Co-composed and produced by member Kino, the track takes the sentiment expected of a career milestone and bolsters it with plenty of … Continue reading
Song Review: LE SSERAFIM – Made My Night
Three years ago, LE SSERAFIM released Perfect Night, a collaboration with the video game series Overwatch that became a massive hit for them. Now, they’ve back with another collaboration — albiet in a very different genre. Made My Night opts for an energetic club sound, further adding to the resurgence of dance music in K-pop. … Continue reading
82MAJOR: A Career In Song Ratings
There are a number of acts who have debuted in the past few decades and have dozens of song ratings on this blog. I thought it would be fun to lay these ratings out in chronological order, line-graph style, and take a macro view of their careers so far. Then, similar to my “Underrated K-pop” … Continue reading
Song Review: Mark Lee – My Friend
With so many K-pop acts trying their luck at a global career, it can be hard to determine what “counts” as K-pop anymore. I don’t know that I’ll be writing much about former NCT member Mark Lee’s burgeoning solo career in the future, but this track feels like an important milestone that deserves some kind … Continue reading
Song Review: IU – Dear My Crazy Soulmate
It’s been awhile since we’ve heard new original material from IU, but she’s promised a double a-side of sorts, promoting each of her new September tracks with a music video. First up is Dear My Crazy Soulmate, whose title sounds more like a Korean drama than a comeback. And come to think of it, the … Continue reading
Song Review: MCND – Devil Youth Club
MCND are one of those mid-tier groups I sometimes forget about until they make another comeback. They’ve been at it for six years now, which seems incredible. Across that career, most songs have been rated in the “7s” here on the blog, putting them firmly within “middle of the pack” territory. I’d love a big … Continue reading
Song Review: ALL(H)OURS – Dang Dang
Though they’ve released their fair share of duds, at its best ALL(H)OURS’ music offers creative production and the kind of addictive hooks that characterized many second-gen hits. I was no fan of their latest pre-release Hop, but the teasers for title track Dang Dang had me anticipating another compelling blend of genres from the guys. … Continue reading
PIXY: A Career In Song Ratings
There are a number of acts who have debuted in the past few decades and have dozens of song ratings on this blog. I thought it would be fun to lay these ratings out in chronological order, line-graph style, and take a macro view of their careers so far. Then, similar to my “Underrated K-pop” … Continue reading
Song Review: In A Minute – Midnight
The other day, I asked Google if and when K-pop might return to the sounds popularized in the early 2010s. Its AI seemed pretty intent that pop’s cyclical nature meant we’d see a 2nd/3rd gen resurgence in the next year or so. No one should completely trust AI, but for all our sake I hope … Continue reading
Song Review: Big Ocean – Love Sign
What do you do when you really like the sound of a song but are totally disappointed in its length? The music video for Big Ocean’s Love Sign pulls off the trick of making you think the track is more complete than it is, but when you go to listen to the official audio you … Continue reading
Song Review: hrtz.wav – Alive (ft. RIIZE’s Sungchan)
After being formed on MNET’s Steal Heart Club, hrtz.wav made their debut earlier this year. I didn’t think much of that title track, though the band showed promise. Thankfully, their new album sounds like a major upgrade and Alive offers proof of their evolution. They even secured RIIZE’s Sungchan on the track (which feels very … Continue reading
Song Review: Hearts2Hearts – Moonride
Brand sponsorships are plentiful in K-pop, and every once and a while they result in an original song and music video. Such is the case with Hearts2Hearts’s team-up with Kia. The “moon” in Moonride refers to a new dark trim offered by the company and makes me expect an equally beguiling song. Alas, this Moonride … Continue reading