GFriend have already packed a lot into their 2019. In just two months, they’ve released a full-length Korean album and a Japanese single. Now, they’re back with another new J-pop track, funneling various sounds from their four-year career into the upbeat Flower. Last year’s Memoria was a lyrical, slow-burn affair, but Flower punches right out … Continue reading
Double title tracks seemed to be all the rage a few years ago, but we don’t see much of them anymore. Woollim Entertainment has a history of this tactic, previously promoting two singles from Sungkyu’s 2015 album. It’s a great way to showcase multiple sounds. In Dongwoo’s case, the exciting Party Girl makes up for … Continue reading
Nearly nine years after his group’s debut, Infinite’s Dongwoo has finally released a solo album. Its been a long time coming. As one half of successful sub-unit Infinite H, his talent as a vocalist and rapper have positioned him to take on styles that aren’t usually associated with Infinite’s music. As a rabid Infinite fan, … Continue reading
For fans of second-generation idol acts like myself, it seems like all we hear these days is farewell/going-on-hiatus tracks. Most are wistful ballads or “please don’t forget me” dirges, so it’s always refreshing to hear something more upbeat. As more and more SM Entertainment artists begin their mandatory military enlistment, the agency has done a … Continue reading
Sunmi is in the middle of what many music fans would call an “imperial phase,” where basically everything she releases is gold. New single Noir arrives without any music show promotion and very little pre-release teasing, yet will be the track on everyone’s playlist based on her name alone. And with two singles in my … Continue reading
One of my biggest K-pop new year’s wishes was that boy groups would ditch the moodiness and go brighter, so I was delighted when it was announced that Big Hit’s new group TXT would debut with an upbeat, youthful concept. Based on agency clout alone, the guys were destined for massive out-of-the-gate success — the … Continue reading
After the success of JJ Project, it’s time for GOT7 to spawn a second sub-unit. JUS2 is formed by members Yugyeom and JB, and comes after a year in which the group took more creative control of their sound. Focus On Me is again co-composed by the guys themselves, and builds on aspects of their … Continue reading
With over 2,600 songs on my iPhone’s “K-Pop Singles” playlist, I thought it would be fun to add a bit of unpredictability to my song review posts. So as a result, we have the “Random Shuffle Review” feature. The rules are simple. I fire up my playlist, press “shuffle,” and whatever song plays first gets … 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 2019 Overall Thoughts We’re deep in the winter doldrums, and that’s exactly what February’s K-pop … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 