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
Rookies Heart Of Woman are gearing up for their first comeback early next month, but have dropped a surprise pre-release today. Their first album was a stuffed project that spawned several promoted tracks, though it came across as quite scattershot sonically. I’d love to hear them develop a strong, signature sound going forward, but a … Continue reading
XLOV have built their name on a high-concept, visually striking rollout that has garnered a dedicated fanbase. And with their most recent album, that concept started to pair with music that felt more fleshed out and befitting of the group’s natural theatricality. New single Hush continues the forward electro motion but forgets that a great … Continue reading
Over the past few years, JUSTB have been playing around with hyperpop, reinventing themselves as an alternative to K-pop’s mainstream idol groups. Now, they’ve returned with a concept album of sorts, and that concept is K-pop itself. This reminds me of the early-2000s group that was actually called “K-pop” (not a great SEO choice!). For … 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
As hyperpop has gained a foothold in the K-pop industry, we’ve seen it appear most often on the fringes of the mainstream. Yves was once part of this mainstream back in her LOONA days, but she’s developed a more independent streak since going solo. She has a new EP scheduled for next month, but has … Continue reading
Back in May, we watched as the previously nine-member ZEROBASEONE splintered into two different groups and re-debuted. Both acts released very strong material that co-existed well and made me believe that there was room enough for each to be successful. The newly-reconfigured ZB1 has yet to make their next comeback as a five-piece, but today … Continue reading
Two months after its initial release as an album b-side, ALPHA DRIVE ONE have ressurected Talk To Me as its own digital single. I’m not sure what the hope is with this promotion, as the song didn’t even stand out as part of the album, but I suppose they need to keep their name in … 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
If I’m being honest, this new song by Super Junior’s Eunhyuk nearly passed me by. After a certain number of years, I tend to lose track of solo work from members of more established groups. Often, these songs are too safe and dull to warrant much attention. But in a pleasant turn of events, Blue … Continue reading
When it comes to songs that can’t quite be considered “K-pop,” I never know which ones to cover on the blog. Oftentimes, it depends on how busy a release day or week is. But when dealing with an agency as big as SM Entertainment, it feels like new music from any artist is worth at … Continue reading
During ILLIT’s debut year, I would never have thought they’d transform their sound into novelty techno, but their 2026 has taken a sharp turn toward the ridiculous and irreverent with music that’s fun but often sounds more like a meme than a song. This continues with new single You’re Under Arrest (체포하겠어), which bolsters its … Continue reading
Since debut, RIIZE have never stuck to one genre. This pick-and-mix approach can be a lot of fun when the music is consistently high-quality, but gets an artist in trouble if that consistency begins to dip. Without a signature sound tying everything together, it can feel like an agency doesn’t know what to do with … 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
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
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
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. Initially, my reception to Xdinary Heroes’ … Continue reading
BLACKPINK’s Lisa has made a career on solo songs that brag about how awesome/pretty/rich she is… so much so that I don’t expect any other subject matter at this point. So rather than hope for something less shallow, it becomes fun to see just how many different ways she can retread the same message. In … Continue reading
ATEEZ have commanded a large fanbase for years now, but this year they find themselves with an equally large public hit on their hands. I still don’t get how Bad turned into the sensation it did (the song just does nothing for me), but the group is now in a unique position to build upon … Continue reading
