The phrase “summer special single” always catches my attention. Summer’s my favorite season for music and “special” implies that the song will be distinctly tied to the season. Today, we’ve got a “special single” from rookie boy group AmbiO, who debuted earlier this year. The song’s heart is in the right place, but its execution … Continue reading
Golden Child may be no more as a group, but occasionally we still get new music from its members. Sadly, the indie nature of this music comes along with clear budget restrictions and limited promotion. Listeners who weren’t already a fan of the group might easily miss a song like Blue Moon. Blue Moon comes … Continue reading
Monsta X’s Kihyun first promoted as a soloist back in 2022 but hasn’t made a comeback since. Much of that, I’m sure, is due to a lengthy military hiatus, but new single So Good picks up right where he left off. As expected, it’s a big, rock-fueled ballad. Kihyun has an excellent voice for this … Continue reading
There are a number of acts who have debuted in the past few decades and have dozens of song ratings on this blog. I thought it would be fun to lay these ratings out in chronological order, line-graph style, and take a macro view of their careers so far. Then, similar to my “Underrated K-pop” … Continue reading
VAYONN are the second new boy group to emerge from Kin Jaejoong’s iNKODE label, adopting a brighter sound palette than their hip-hop peers KEYVITUP. They teased their debut with the so-so Watta Day last month, and I suspect that song will play better in the context of an album. The bouyant MUAH! is their big … Continue reading
i-dle have a history of releasing summer songs, bending the season to their will for material that fits within their sonic wheelhouse. They’re no doubt hoping another summer release will reverse their chart fortunes and see them sitting comfortably in the top ten again. For that to happen, they’ll need something much more striking than … Continue reading
One thing about YG Entertainment is that they’ll always milk a mini album for all it’s worth. More often than not, YG artists film music videos for multiple tracks, extending their promo period. After the off detour that was Sugar Honey Ice Tea, BABYMONSTER are back again with a video for the summery I Like … Continue reading
There are a number of acts who have debuted in the past few decades and have dozens of song ratings on this blog. I thought it would be fun to lay these ratings out in chronological order, line-graph style, and take a macro view of their careers so far. Then, similar to my “Underrated K-pop” … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I compile my top three K-pop title tracks and list a ton of honorable mentions. But each Sunday, I’ll offer a compendium of the week’s new releases featured on the blog. And even more than that, I’ll attempt to rank them from my least-to-most-liked. I invite you to share … 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
There are a number of acts who have debuted in the past few decades and have dozens of song ratings on this blog. I thought it would be fun to lay these ratings out in chronological order, line-graph style, and take a macro view of their careers so far. Then, similar to my “Underrated K-pop” … Continue reading
I generally consider myself a pretty positive, optimistic person and really want this blog to be a space that focuses on the good, but 2026 has been a uniquely challenging year when it comes to K-pop releases. I can’t remember a year where I wrote as many negative reviews, so I’m going to try something … Continue reading
There are a number of acts who have debuted in the past few decades and have dozens of song ratings on this blog. I thought it would be fun to lay these ratings out in chronological order, line-graph style, and take a macro view of their careers so far. Then, similar to my “Underrated K-pop” … Continue reading
When looking back at this year in K-pop, there wasn’t really an album that caught my attention until April. Thankfully, things moved in a more positive direction after that. However, for the first time that I can recall all of the albums on this list are minis. I’m not sure what (if anything) that says … Continue reading
There are a number of acts who have debuted in the past few decades and have dozens of song ratings on this blog. I thought it would be fun to lay these ratings out in chronological order, line-graph style, and take a macro view of their careers so far. Then, similar to my “Underrated K-pop” … Continue reading
I have questions about Howling Entertainment. They keep debuting new boy groups but rarely promote them. Waker have a couple mini albums to their name over a stretch of two-and-a-half years, but the newer Chaser hasn’t made a peep since their early-2026 debut. Now, we have Ascender, the agency’s third group in less than three … Continue reading
We’re halfway through the year, which means it’s time to check in and see how K-pop is doing in 2026. If I were grading the year in comparison to others, we’d be in trouble. There have been brief spikes of excitement, but overall 2026 has been characterized more by its many missteps than its few … Continue reading
There are a number of acts who have debuted in the past few decades and have dozens of song ratings on this blog. I thought it would be fun to lay these ratings out in chronological order, line-graph style, and take a macro view of their careers so far. Then, similar to my “Underrated K-pop” … Continue reading
Those hoping Dreamcatcher offshoot UAU would pick up the rock torch and act as a continuation of Dreamcatcher Proper seem to be out of luck. Instead, UAU has adopted a more dance-friendly sound. This is in keeping with many Dreamcatcher’s b-sides, which just so happen to be my favorite songs from their discography. However, UAU … Continue reading
It’s difficult to know whether to write about a performance video, but the pre-debut of a new group from a major agency feels worth a few words. AEN is Starship Entertainment’s latest boy group, debuting less than a year after IDID. They’re co-managed by a Japanese agency with the idea of actively promoting in both … Continue reading
