Big Ocean debuted back in 2024 as K-pop’s first hard of hearing group. I’ve never covered their music before, but teasers for new single One Man Army caught my eye. I’ll always be up for some good old-fashioned drama in K-pop, and this song seemed to promise a whole theater show. The actual song is … Continue reading
2026 has seen many debuts of groups from mid-to-small agencies, but few of these acts have had much to say. Debuts offer the chance for new sounds and ideas, or maybe even a look back at a style we haven’t heard in awhile. It shouldn’t be yet another excuse to peddle the same sounds clogging … Continue reading
Everglow had a turbulent 2025, leaving their longtime agency Yuehua and joining upstart CHXXTA Company (whose name looks like a censored curse word). This move was applauded by many, as Yuehua’s track record with the group was spotty at best. Transitions like this can lead to renewed creative freedom or — at the very least … Continue reading
It’s been awhile since we’ve heard from the Way Better agency, whose roster expanded last year. Lim Sejun re-debuted as a soloist with the pleasant Summer last May but hasn’t promoted since. New singer Pray For God is a very different beast, its synth sound feeling much more aligned with agency masterminds from20 and Hello … Continue reading
I’m not looking out for new Infinite music with the ferocity I once was, so I didn’t even realize it’s been such a long time since leader Kim Sung Kyu released a new album. It’s been almost three years, and last month’s pre-release Over It re-introduced his rock side under new label Billions. That sound … 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
At the end of each month, I look back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists. I take my own ratings into account, but there’s a bit of wiggle room as certain songs tend to grow or fade. February 2026 Overall Thoughts I swear I try to find the silver lining whenever possible on … 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. It’s been over a month since … Continue reading
A BLACKPINK comeback still feels like a big event in K-pop. Not only do they release music infrequently, but that music tends to have a uniquely global appeal that makes it a hit all around the world. Despite some initial hesitations, I warmed to last year’s Jump quite a bit and it became one of … Continue reading
There are precious few notable songwriters left in K-pop, so when I find one I connect with I tend to latch on tightly. Such is the case with LAVIN, formerly known as “VAHN.” Not only was his work with NINE.i impeccable, but he’s gone on to craft a solid solo career as well. That career … Continue reading
Around this time last year, One Pact delivered a sneaky little hit in the form of 100. That light funk sound fit them well, but they never followed up with something similar. One year later, new title track Sane couldn’t be any more different. Sane plays with heavy textures, clobbering the listener with walls of … Continue reading
It seems that OnlyOneOf are no more, but in their place we have new group QQQ, comprised of members KB and Nine and former member Love. Usually, a splintering like this would be cause for worry, but OnlyOneOf were well-known for their self-composed music and the masterminds behind it are in this group. K-pop could … Continue reading
Boy group ASC2NT has been around for almost two years and they’re finally releasing something longer than a single album. They’ve been hit or miss for me, but last year’s Don’t Move was a slinky highlight and its b-sides proved the group’s mettle as vocalists. It’s become more and more rare to hear idols actually … Continue reading
AtHeart debuted last summer with Plot Twist, whose title of course reminds me of another iconic K-pop song of recent years. Unfortunately, their sound was less iconic, echoing many current girl group trends. It’s been a too-long hiatus between releases for such a new act, so I was eager to see if this break resulted … Continue reading
In between conquering Korean charts with their title track and album Blue Valentine, NMIXX have maintained an unlikely collaboration with Brazilian drag artist Pabllo Vittar. This pairing sounds more fun than the actual music it has spawned, but it’s always nice when K-pop agencies remember that “global outreach” doesn’t automatically mean going to America. And … Continue reading
New boy group Chaser know how to get my attention. I’m sure they weren’t actually named after my favorite ever K-pop song, but my eyes still widen whenever I see even a tangetial reference to the Infinite classic. Instead, they’re the newest group from Howling Entertainment — also home to Waker. Waker’s lackluster promotion makes … Continue reading
When it comes to WJSN, the old adage “you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone” seems fitting. They and their musical cohorts (Lovelyz, Oh My Girl, etc.) are part of a bygone girl group era. During their heyday, they reliably released melodic pop music with a sense of sonic drama and fantastical imagery. … Continue reading
With ALLDAY PROJECT’s huge success last year, I expect we’ll see more co-ed groups debuting in K-pop. Of course, it takes a very long preparation period to train and debut a group, and versions of ChoCo Family (also known as “ChoCo1 X ChoCo2”) have been promoting all the way back to 2023. However, their four-member … Continue reading
With K-pop so inactive this year, we haven’t seen many big debuts. I’m not sure DAILY:DIRECTION counts as “big,” either. After all, they’re only the first act to emerge from their agency ODDWAVE. However, many of the members are already known to fans. We’ve got guys from NINE.i, Mirae, Boys II Planet and B:MY BOYZ. … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 