With the departure of member Taehyun, Winner has adopted a surprising dance-oriented sound that led to the massive success of April’s Really Really. In a rare display of smart, efficient management, YG Entertainment has allowed the guys to make a quick follow-up designed to cement their new style. When I heard that Love Me Love … Continue reading
Of the two title tracks released from Girls’ Generation‘s tenth anniversary comeback, the bright Holiday was clearly designed to be the wide-appeal, summer-themed pop hit. It feels like a natural follow-up to 2015’s Party, but thankfully downplays that song’s gimmickry in favor of something less saccharine. In fact, Holiday more closely recalls the kind of … Continue reading
SM Entertainment has promised a second half of the year that sees a return of some of its biggest legacy artists. That kicks off with the tenth anniversary comeback of Girls’ Generation. It’s been two years since the girls’ last album, and this extended wait has built up plenty of anticipation. As enjoyable as the … Continue reading
CLC have returned with a vastly different concept and sound almost every time they’ve released an album, causing their discography to have a fragmented personality that has made it difficult for them to establish a lasting fan base. In some ways, I feel like I’ve been overly harsh on their output, but it’s hard to … Continue reading
Only a few weeks after their comeback as a four-member group, Nine Muses have returned with a single that flips the dark, evocative sound of Remember into a brighter dance pop concoction. Throughout the years, the girls have proven themselves capable of delivering high quality material regardless of style or group configuration. Love City (러브시티) … Continue reading
If any contestant seemed best primed for a debut with Produce 101 Season 2’s boy group Wanna One, it was Kim Samuel. He’d already gained debut experience with duo 1Punch and as a solo act, and enjoyed a built-in fan base that stretched all the way back to his trainee days with Pledis Entertainment. So … Continue reading
Newer k-pop fans would be forgiven for not knowing who N.Flying are. Despite being a rookie group from a sizeable agency, the guys haven’t made a Korean comeback in nearly two years. Before that, they presented two very different sounds. Debut single Awesome shone a spotlight on their rap/rock sound, but felt a little too … Continue reading
Though fellow Block B member Zico has stolen most of the thunder when it comes to solo material, Park Kyung has carved a nice little niche for himself. His style tends to be a little more conversational, focusing on sing-songy hooks and a generally unadorned blend of indie, jazz and r&b influences. He found great … Continue reading
Despite their ridiculous group name, new rookies ONF have much to live up to. They’re the newest act from WM Entertainment, home to the consistently fantastic B1A4 and burgeoning boundary-pushers Oh My Girl. The agency is known for its quirky output, raising anticipation for how ONF would sound. With debut single On/Off, the group opts for … Continue reading
Well, I suppose it had to happen eventually. After releasing a string of five outstanding singles, GFriend have returned with a song that feels dangerously close to “so-so.” Though a momentary drop in quality is inevitable for most groups, GFriend have been on such a roll these past few years. Their “powerful innocence” concept and … 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. July 2017 Overall Thoughts July is always the month I look most forward to when it comes … Continue reading
K-pop Star‘s Shannon Williams made waves earlier this year for expressing confusion over her agency’s lack of communication when it came to promotional opportunities. And in some ways, MBK Entertainment botched the release of her new mini album as well, offering very little promo and quietly debuting Hello‘s music video after the song had already … Continue reading
After School‘s Raina was on the cusp of quite a solo career a few years ago with the release of mega-successful duet A Midsummer Night’s Sweetness. But like After School itself, that momentum was blunted by a lack of actual releases to follow it up. Flash forward three years and Pledis Entertainment has given her … Continue reading
The Produce 101 rush of debuts continues with Choon Entertainment’s Longguo and Shihyun. Duos are not particularly common in k-pop, and I assume the two will eventually become part of a larger group. But for now, both performers complement each other well even if portions of their material leave something to be desired. I can’t … Continue reading
Most of the time, a kpop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-side tracks deserve recognition, too. In the singles-oriented world of kpop, I wanted to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. Thank god for EXO-CBX. Even when EXO itself veers toward … Continue reading
Rock group Buzz has been around for over a decade, not particularly well known to international audiences but beloved in Korea for their emotive ballads. 2017 has seen plenty of ballads in k-pop, but we haven’t really had one of those big, bombastic Lim Chang Jung style belters. That dry spell has officially ended with … Continue reading
Before there was GOT7, JJ Project debuted with soon-to-be members JB and Jinyoung. Their 2012 single Bounce was a fun, uptempo party track that blended a wide assortment of genres to create an addictive burst of k-pop energy. In the years since, GOT7’s material has strayed away from the “fun” side of things to explore … Continue reading
Since terminating his contract with TVXQ, Xia Junsu has been active as part of trio JYJ and as a solo artist. Though he might be more well known for the dozens of ornate, theatrical ballads that make up the bulk of his discography, his music is also not afraid to go full avant garde. A … Continue reading
If there’s anything I’ve learned from covering pop music for over a decade, it’s that songwriters and collaborators are just as important as the artists themselves. Though they often work behind the scenes, this feature is a chance to shine the light on some of k-pop’s most innovative and accomplished producers and composers. DEVINE CHANNEL … Continue reading
For as many LOONA releases as we’ve already gotten, few could be considered stereotypical girl group fare. The project has dabbled in a number of genres already, making LOONA’s eventual sound a bit of a mystery. But with member Choerry’s introduction through Love Cherry Motion, we veer much closer to the light bubblegum that fuels … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 