A few weeks ago, TWS collaborated with American rapper 24kgoldn for the first release in the “essential; studio” series of promotional tracks. As TWS songs always do, the hooks grew on me the more I listened to it. Next up is agency seniors Seventeen — or more accurately, DK and Seungkwan, who debuted as a … Continue reading
Along with his work in One Pact, Jay Chang has had a side career as a soloist. This makes sense given his talents as a vocalist. Not many idols can effectively drive an entire song on their own, but his voice has the polish and weight to make any material compelling. He’s already tried his … Continue reading
I don’t really mess with animated groups, regardless of how they were created or the story behind them. However, PLAVE have grown too big to ignore, easily competing with K-pop’s upper classmen. It helps that they have some fantastic talent working behind the scenes, even if this has rarely resulted in music I’ve gone back … Continue reading
Mnet loves wringing as much as possible from its survival series, so in addition to ALPHA DRIVE ONE, Boys II Planet gives us a spinoff group. MODYSSEY is comprised of Chinese members who didn’t quite make the cut, promoting in Korea with a song by Stray Kids’ 3racha. This is a set-up for instant success, … Continue reading
K-pop’s “seven year curse” meant nothing to TXT, as they very quickly renewed their contracts without any publicized drama. I’ve always felt that getting past this seven year mark makes you a K-pop veteran, which is crazy because it feels like the brilliant Crown was only a few years ago. I think about that song … Continue reading
NCT Wish are set to release their first full album in a week’s time, and like so many idol groups they’re teasing it with a pre-release. I’ve had a love or hate relationship with Wish’s music so far, with many of their tracks (and the execution of those tracks) leaving me cold. Sticky is certainly … Continue reading
Though they didn’t release as much music as usual, &TEAM had a banner year in 2025. They officially became million sellers and made their Korean debut. This has seemed to mark a shift back into moodier music after their stellar, upbeat 2024 output. The group can sell these sounds convincingly, but I hope their increased … 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
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. Kiss Of Life’s Who Is She … 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. The KickFlip machine at JYP Entertainment … Continue reading
Katseye are not a K-pop group, but of all the global acts backed by K-pop agencies they’re by far the buzziest so I continue to write about their work regardless of my own criteria for this blog. Love or hate their songs, they’re guaranteed to garner a strong reaction. Alongside new single Pinky Up, Katseye … Continue reading
Hwasa scored a mega hit last fall with Good Goodbye — a song that took a moment to top the charts but didn’t relinquish its place once it got there. That success was a welcome surprise. I didn’t care much about the song itself, but I’ve always liked Hwasa. Time will tell if those good … Continue reading
I find it difficult to be a consistent fan of groups formed through the Produce/Planet series of survival shows. No matter how much I might like the members, the music often functions as an expanded version of the series’ concept missions. Groups don’t develop a signature sound, meaning one month they may release the best … Continue reading
After many, many years, T.O.P finally released his full debut solo album last week. Listening through, it’s the kind of work I admire even if I don’t personally enjoy. He’s always had an idiosyncratic approach to hip-hop that I believe works better in small doses as part of a larger group. However, fans of his … Continue reading
Bands have become all the rage in K-pop this year and today we have the debut of yet another one. hrtz.wav come from Mnet’s survival series Steal Heart Club, guaranteeing a certain level of promotion from one of the industry’s leading forces. I didn’t watch the series, but certainly noted the band’s masked drummer hagiwa. … Continue reading
New group KEYVITUP must be so impressed by their silly name that they made it the title of their debut track as well. There’s power in repetition, and getting your name out to listeners is important. Their pre-debut Best One hinted at strong vocals, but (the song) KEYVITUP mostly jettisons that charm for familiar 90s … Continue reading
AMPERS&ONE have an identity crisis. Each time they return with new music, it’s like hearing a completely different group. This makes them a tricky prospect to follow and enjoy. Their catalog is so hit and miss and there’s no overriding concept tying the music together. I’ve liked them best when they go straight for the … Continue reading
Since releasing the very good Love Attack in 2024, RESCENE have become a paragon of the trendy “subdued” girl group sound. I’m not sure why their producers decided not to return to Attack‘s upbeat appeal, and for me their musical trajectory has really stalled. New single Runaway doesn’t do much to change that track, though … Continue reading
The campaign for BTS’s ARIRANG album continues unabated with the release of another music video. This time, Hooligan gets its time in the spotlight. This track was promoted with dance challenges even before the debut of its video, making it feel like a co-lead track with Swim. For those looking to recapture the boisterous energy … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 