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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
After the MV teaser for NEXZ’s Upgrade was released yesterday, social media went crazy with Cortis fans accusing the group of plagiarism since many of its L.A.-based shots seemed to match the MV for last year’s Go. It’s rich of any K-pop group’s fans to cite plagiarism, especially in defense of a group whose entire … Continue reading
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
Though many think of D.O. as an R&B singer or coffeehouse troubadour, his most recent work has actually been more upbeat and even dancey at times. He splits the difference with new single Guitarist, which takes the titular instrument in a funky direction. This is as light and buoyant as funk can be, sanitized of … Continue reading
Now that &TEAM have made their debut in Korea, the group straddles two countries — each with their own preferences. Sadly, the melodic rock of their earlier years seems to have fallen by the wayside during this expansion as their agency is moving them into a more downbeat, moody sound. For whatever reason, “moody” seems … Continue reading
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
Last month, i-dle’s Soyeon pre-released her track Star off her upcoming full length solo album. Today, that album finally materializes alongside title track I’m Gonna TOESA (퇴사할게여). For those curious, “toesa” is a romanization of the Korean slang for “quitting a job.” In my line of word it sounds like “TOSA,” a acronym for “teacher … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 