Throughout their career, HITGS’s music has often hinged upon deliberately cheesy and chintzy sounds. Their early work felt as if it was composed for a kid’s show, but last year’s Happy teased a more mature (and satisfying) transformation. New single Cherry Blossom continues that transformation, but in a disappointingly drowsy way. These soft songs about … Continue reading
Be Boys made their debut last year with the well-intentioned, but somewhat clumsy, I’m So Sorry But I Love You. Though I didn’t love that song, I appreciated their bright, upbeat energy and certainly have room in my library for more music of this style. New single Slam Dunk continues the youthful verve but pulls … Continue reading
It’s been too long since we last heard from ifeye, especially given their status as rookies needing to get their name out there. Their summer single R U OK? was a slow-burn hit for me, growing more addictive as the season went on and building expectations for what they might return with on future comebacks. … Continue reading
Well… look who’s back! I (along with everyone else) assumed DXMON had faded into the K-pop ether. They haven’t released new material since 2024 and for a group of their stature that’s usually a tacit disbandment or at the very least an “indefinite hiatus.” However, today they’ve surprise released new single SSS (She’s Sweet & … Continue reading
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
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 