Buried Treasure: SF9 – Go High
Review

Buried Treasure: SF9 – Go High

Most of the time, a k-pop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, 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. Though I would hesitate to call SF9’s 9loryUS a “summer” album, … Continue reading

Song Review: Great Guys – Run
Review

Song Review: Great Guys – Run

Despite their upbeat, self-praising name, Great Guys’ music has been inconsistent in both style and quality. However, I appreciate their willingness to try new things, and I’ve got to give them an “A” for effort with new single Run (내 심장은 널 향해 뛰어). Rather than opt for sounds that every one else is peddling, … Continue reading

Song Review: Dongkiz I:KAN – Y.O.U
Review

Song Review: Dongkiz I:KAN – Y.O.U

Since their 2019 debut, Dongkiz have been reliable conduits for fun, upbeat pop music. Even though they hail from a comparatively small agency, their comebacks have been surprisingly frequent. Now the group is embarking on a sub-unit project, the first of which sees members Jaechan and Munik forming duo I:KAN for the retro New Jack … Continue reading

Song Review: Stray Kids – Easy
Review

Song Review: Stray Kids – Easy

True to form, Stray Kids are promoting their first full album with a series of music videos. Last month’s Blueprint was a smart chose for summertime spotlight, though it doesn’t look like they’re actually going to perform it on music shows. Instead, that honor goes to Easy. Quite frankly, I’m not sure why. Personally, I … Continue reading

Song Review: Chungha – Play
Review

Song Review: Chungha – Play

Though Chungha has yet to release her 2020 album, she’s delivered quite a few new tracks already. Not all of these have been equally successful, but I’ve generally been pleased with her more up-tempo offerings. New single Play follows suit, harnessing the well-worn power of tropical pop to craft a summer-ready anthem. It mostly works, … Continue reading

Song Review: SF9 – Summer Breeze
Review

Song Review: SF9 – Summer Breeze

SF9’s first full album was a big commercial success back in January, and many readers have recommended its b-sides to me. Rest assured, I listened to the album when it was released and enjoyed almost everything on it. However, no one song stood out as being particularly impactful, which actually describes my feelings around SF9 … Continue reading

I-LAND: Episode Two Recap
Feature

I-LAND: Episode Two Recap

I’m back for more I-LAND, a couple days earlier than expected! This week was more focused on preparation than performance, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t have plenty of observations. Episode One Recap Part One: Exposition, and a Tour of Paradise At the beginning of this episode, I felt like we finally got some clarity … Continue reading