Last week’s Spotlight by Sohee marked the first post-series release by a K-Pop Star Season 6 alumni. Hot on its heels is Kriesha Chu’s Trouble. Though the two were placed in the same group for the season’s last few episodes, they’re taking an opposite approach now that the show’s over. Sohee will be performing as … Continue reading
Like many groups trying to break into the big leagues, B.I.G have changed styles almost every time they make a comeback. With February’s excellent 1.2.3, it felt like they finally found one that stuck. But not content to rest on their laurels, the guys have shifted genres once again. Hello Hello sees rapper Minpyo back with … Continue reading
Debuts are always exciting, offering the chance for a rookie act to paint the first brushstrokes of what might become their sound. Beyond the hope for a strong, quality track, a debut is free from the kind of crushing expectations that can sometimes derail the comeback of more established artists. I went into A.C.E’s Cactus … Continue reading
While its ambitious release schedule seemed overbearing initially, it feels as if the LOONA project has started to gain traction with fans. The girls’ material itself has also seen an uptick in quality, with bigger budgets and more involving imagery. It will be fascinating to see how each of these girls assemble into their eventual group, … Continue reading
It’s ironic that the title of MAP6’s new single album is Momentum, because I don’t know what kind of momentum their agency thinks the group is creating with their current promotional schedule. Since their debut in 2015, the boys have released a grand total of seven songs in Korea, making only one comeback per year. … Continue reading
With a title like B-Day (벌떼), a song could easily devolve into cringe-worthy territory. But with the first of iKON’s double title tracks trying too hard to paint the guys as swagger-filled hip-hop legends, a little levity is welcome. And although B-Day doesn’t receive top billing on the group’s new single album, it’s by far … Continue reading
Now that YG Entertainment has moved to a double title track only release schedule for most of their artists — often with a long break in between comebacks — it’s essential for every one of those songs to be amazing. If you start giving the music video treatment to subpar material, it weakens the whole … Continue reading
I was prepared to hate this. I could go on and on about how American/Western trends need to stay far away from k-pop, and how the tropical house sound in particular has felt stale for over a year, but I feel like I bring that up every few days anyway. Even when other k-pop artists … Continue reading
Few k-pop groups have embraced a retro sound as wholeheartedly as Secret. Though they haven’t released any new material since 2014, they were a huge presence in the girl group landscape from 2010-2012 and have since gone on to have successful solo careers. While we wait (impatiently) for a reunion, here are their best title … Continue reading
Another day, another tropical-inspired k-pop track. Last year, when I was complaining about the overuse of this particular sub-genre, I thought it would be on its way out. But so far 2017 has doubled down on the trend, causing so many recent singles to sound the same. Of all the groups that could have fallen down … Continue reading
The recently-concluded final season of K-Pop Star was one of the series’ best years, largely due to the producers’ decision to include trainees in the process. This has continued to pay off, as multiple contestants are releasing material only weeks after the final episode aired. Many of these acts come from smaller agencies that are hungry for … 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. Though it didn’t seem to garner much hype, Dynamite was … Continue reading
FNC Entertainment has been working overtime, debuting HONEYST just seven months after launching SF9. Both groups were featured in the agency’s Dance Or Band series, which — despite its competitive nature — felt more like an advertisement for everyone involved than an actual rivalry. And though SF9 were chosen to debut first, the acoustic-leaning HONEYST … Continue reading
Few k-pop artists could captivate with their voice alone, but Roy Kim is one of them. He could release the dullest song in the world and still knock it out of the park with that impossibly rich, honeyed tone. Korea seems to agree, though it’s been a year and a half since he’s released an album. … Continue reading
It’s hard to believe that, after a year and a half since launching this website, I still haven’t had the opportunity to review any Korean comebacks by solo Bigbang members. For a group approaching military enlistment age, you’d think that YG would want to keep the members as busy as possible. So Good may have been created as … Continue reading
Generally, I’m a huge proponent of a group finding a well-matched producer and sticking with them as long as they can. But what happens when an act attaches itself to a collaborator that I’m not so fond of? Such is the case with VIXX, who have worked with Devine Channel since last summer and overhauled their … Continue reading
It’s not smart to mess with a winning formula, especially when that formula is responsible for a rise as meteoric as Twice’s. The girls’ mega-successful sound was built by producers Black Eyed Pilseung, but now we’re on the second single in a row without their aid. While February’s Knock Knock felt like a real departure … Continue reading
When it comes to solo female artists in k-pop, few have become as iconic as HyunA. Rather than go down a cute, innocent route, she’s harnessed her own sexuality and charisma to cause a stir every time she releases new music. No one would classify her as a power vocalist, but her blend of hip-hop … Continue reading
It’s been a rough couple of weeks for k-pop, with releases dwindling to a trickle in light of presidential elections and holidays and a general springtime slump. With such a scarcity of quality music, I’ve been especially thankful for Korean variety shows. And this year, no series has been more consistently fun than the second … Continue reading
Hitchhiker has long been one of my favorite SM Entertainment producers, collaborating with acts like Shinee and Super Junior to brilliant effect. His experimental solo work is a little harder to enjoy on a pure pop level, relying heavier on trippy, repetitive riffs and percussive loops than any sense of melody. Last year’s $10 felt … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 