It’s always nice to hear from an old friend. Nana has a special place in my heart for several reasons. First, she was a member of the fantastic After School and their quirky sub-unit Orange Caramel. She also co-starred in the first full Korean variety show I ever watched: 2014’s Roommate. So, seeing her name … Continue reading
PREVIOUS RECAPS: Episode One // Episode Two // Episode Three // Episode Four // Episode Five // Episode Six // Episode Seven // Episode Eight // Episode Nine // Episode Ten I’m trying something different this week because I honestly don’t have the time to watch the entire episodes of this series at the moment … Continue reading
GOT7’s BamBam has explored a variety of sounds during his solo career — some more successful than others. He has a new EP on the horizon and today we get the first taste of his first work under a new agency. Dancing By Myself is well-positioned for global appeal, sung mostly in English and harnessing … Continue reading
A few days ago, Twice’s Chaeyoung pre-released the first taste of her debut solo album with Avocado. Depending on your taste, that track either felt refreshingly new for K-pop or like a bit of a snooze. I fall in the latter category, though I did respect its unique tone. Pre-releases are afforded some leeway when … Continue reading
A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. 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. Based on Wendy’s past solo work, … Continue reading
FNC Entertainment is one of the few large agencies continually debuting new bands. They’ve make it their specialty ever since the days of FTIsland and CNBlue, and with the major success of acts like DAY6 there’s clearly still a market for this sound. New K-band AxMxP (pronounced “A.M.P” and standing for “Amplify Music Power”) makes … Continue reading
Red Velvet’s Wendy made her solo debut four years ago and most of her work has been some form of ballad (Wish You Hell notwithstanding). I’ve always been a proponent of big-voiced pop stars using that big voice over fast-paced, energetic material. There’s nothing better than power notes anchoring a banging dance track, and I’d … Continue reading
i-dle’s Yuqi has a solo single album scheduled for later this month and has kicked off promotions early with pre-release track Gone. Much of Yuqi’s music has passed me by, but I absolutely loved 2021’s Bonnie & Clyde and her track Fly To The Youth (written for agency juniors NOWZ) was an early summer highlight. … Continue reading
I know I don’t speak for all K-pop fans, but I am tired — so tired of being yelled at by overly aggressive boy groups shouting alongside cacophonous instrumentals. Previously, ALL(H)OURS found a nice middle ground between noise and sleek structure, delivering the standout singles Shock and Gimme Gimme. But with new track Ready 2 … Continue reading
Those of us begging for a WJSN comeback have been tossed the smallest bone by Starship Entertainment today. The agency has unveiled member Dayoung’s first solo single with almost no promotion or build-up. However, beggars can’t be choosers and I’m happy to see WJSN back in any capacity. I wouldn’t expect member solos to uphold … Continue reading
Earlier this year, CIX’s Thunder became a favorite of many fans. I liked the song too, though it has enjoyed little-to-no staying power on my playlist. Still, its crunchy electro funk felt like a nice makeover for the group’s sound. That sense of bombast seems to be a one-off as new single Wonder You (니가 … Continue reading
Momoland are back! I repeat: Momoland are back! This is not a drill. After their disbandment in 2023, the group have proven that nothing is ever really dead in K-pop and have made a return with new single Rodeo. This is their first new music in nearly four years — a time period that represents … Continue reading
Given Big Hit’s track record, my expectations for new boy group CORTIS were high. Sadly, I haven’t been able to connect with any of their pre-release material. If I ignore the English lyrics of What You Want I can almost appreciate its 90s stoner rock pastiche, but songs like GO! leave me completely cold. Now, … Continue reading
Nine years after debuting as part of NCT 127, Haechan is finally releasing an album of his own. He’s a huge R&B fan and worked with a small team of collaborators to craft a suite of songs that honor that genre. It’s a sign of shifting generations that the template for male soloists has gone … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I compile my top three K-pop title tracks and list a ton of honorable mentions. In 2025, I thought I’d try something new and add a weekly feature to supplement my monthly round-up. Each Sunday, I’ll offer a compendium of the week’s new releases featured on the blog. And … Continue reading
In connection with my desire to fully keep up with the J-pop industry, I’m planning to do a weekly round-up of any new releases that have caught my ear. Some of these may have been covered on the blog already, but my hope is that this will become a one-stop shop for anyone interested in … Continue reading
PREVIOUS RECAPS: Episode One // Episode Two // Episode Three // Episode Four // Episode Five // Episode Six // Episode Seven // Episode Eight // Episode Nine We’ve hit another ranking announcement episode, which means I will forgo a longer recap in favor of a quick summary. This week’s episode is over three hours … Continue reading
I listened to DAY6’s new album yesterday and thought — as I often do with their albums — that almost every b-side was stronger than the title track. Luckily, the guys are promoting double titles this time and have quickly followed up yesterday’s Inside Out with a video for album opener Dream Bus (꿈의 버스). … Continue reading
Ahead of their fourth full-length Korean album and tenth anniversary, the members of DAY6 re-signed their contracts with JYP Entertainment. And why wouldn’t they? The group has seen a massive rise in popularity over the past few years as their solid discography continues to grow. But with increasing success, it can feel like the band … Continue reading
It may simply be my exhaustion with current K-pop trends speaking, but I feel like agencies often learn the wrong lessons from their successes. aespa’s most successful title tracks have hinged on varying levels of repetition, but ever since last year’s Whiplash it feels like SM Entertainment has been on autopilot with the group’s material, … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 