Boy group Halo haven’t exactly had an easy time of it, releasing six comeback singles up to this point without garnering a substantial hit. Though it may be hard to believe, they’re actually senior artists to many of their peers, having debuted way back in 2014. What makes this lack of notoriety even more frustrating … Continue reading
When it comes to the style of music released, DAY6’s Every DAY6 project has kind of subverted expectations. When I think of k-pop, it’s the summer months that hold the most uptempo, party-starting tracks. But DAY6’s more boisterous material was released towards the start of this year, with these last two months devoted to mid-tempo, … Continue reading
The first rule of a successful cover version is to do no harm. Most songs worth covering are loved for a reason, and a certain respect for the original should be given when looking to make it a part of your own discography. Beyond that, an artist should make their interpretation count. There’s no sense … Continue reading
Rookie groups are a dime a dozen these days, and the threshold for success seems to be even more immediate than it used to be. Mess up the first go around and you may not get a second chance. This is likely the reason we’re seeing such polished debuts even from low-to-mid tier agencies. New … Continue reading
In 2013, Lee Hyori made a highly successful return to k-pop with a sound that balanced a newly matured style with the kind of pop hooks that brought her such notoriety as a solo artist. Fast forward four years later and she’s come back with material that exists even farther from the k-pop mainstream, choosing … Continue reading
As lead vocalist for boy group g.o.d, Kim Tae Woo’s voice helped soundtrack a generation. But more often than not, members of first generation groups struggle to achieve any sort of musical notoriety so long after their brand was at its peak. This isn’t unique to k-pop, either. The music industry isn’t exactly kind to … Continue reading
Though still a very new group from a small agency, VAV have been lucky to pair with a-list composer/producer Ryan Jhun for their last string of singles. His involvement has brought a certain clout to their music, even if the songs themselves have been a bit of a mixed bag. But with the newly released … Continue reading
In contrast to Starship Entertainment’s first boy group, the bright and poppy Boyfriend, Monsta X debuted in 2015 with a much stronger hip-hop sound. Before that, the group had been formed through variety series No Mercy, which helped to develop an instant (and very international) fan base. Two years later and they’ve released just enough singles … 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. June 2017 Overall Thoughts Of the 18 months I’ve been running this site, June was the strangest … Continue reading
Crush is one of those artists that I want to love. Watching him on variety shows like I Live Alone reveals a quirky, oddly charismatic personality that doesn’t always translate to his music. In the world of solo r&b acts, he’s got that extra little something that makes him stand out. But as his popularity … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 