FNC Entertainment has this way of tossing out a bunch of acts and waiting for them to stumble into some kind of hit. The promotion rarely feels all that intentional, especially with their bands. AxMxP made a strong debut with a full album, but follow-ups have been less thought out. New single 24 Hours (편의점 … Continue reading
Since debuting early this year, the JYP-adjacent dodree has gained interest due to their blend of historical and modern sounds. This leveraging of traditional elements isn’t new to K-pop, but it’s been awhile since we’ve seen a group push so hard into this realm. New single HAWWAH (夏渦) is about what you’d expect from dodree’s … Continue reading
Girl group Primrose haven’t made many waves since debuting, but they’ve got a few solid songs under their belt. Last summer’s Cinema became a staple on my playlist, offering the kind of bright, uplifting pop sound that’s well-suited to the season. New single Cosmic takes the opposite approach, opting for a muted 90s R&B sound. … Continue reading
Initially, I was pretty nonplussed about NEXZ’s output. But after the double volley of Beat-Boxer and Mmchk, they’ve rocketed up the ranks to become one of my most anticipated acts. They’ve promoted consistently in both Korea and Japan over the past two years and now they’re back with a new Japanese single. Hellmate‘s oddly dark … Continue reading
Stray Kids have a tour and a new album coming up, and to promote both they’ve released a special single that serves as an anthem for this era. Run It arrives with little promo other than an excellent teaser video that made me think it might be the best Stray Kids track since Miroh. That’s … 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
Two weeks after the release of their first full album, BOYNEXTDOOR are back with a surprise follow-up track. Though I enjoyed title track Viral quite a bit, most of the album is on the slower, sleepier side. Adios! was the only b-side that stuck out to me, so I’m glad it’s the one getting a … Continue reading
Kim Jaejoong’s iNKODE label has set itself the ambitious task of debuting two boy groups this year. The already-promoting KEYVITUP are meant to be the hip-hop group while VAYONN are tackling pop. My taste tends to lean in a very pop direction, so I’m curious to see what VAYONN have to offer. Their album is … Continue reading
CLASSy have removed the colon from their group name as a subtle rebranding, and to be honest that’s probably needed. They haven’t released new material since 2024 and even before that struggled to generate memorable output. I wrote reviews for every one of their singles and couldn’t hum any of them back to you today. … 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
If you hang around K-pop fandom long enough, you’ll know that some truths are absolute. For example, when an agency announces that a boy group is showcasing a “new” sound or image, it almost always means they’re doing some form of dark and/or braggadocious hip-hop. It almost never means they’re doubling down on melody or … Continue reading
It’s unusual for a member of a popular K-pop group to cut ties before contracts are up, especially if they stick with the agency to promote as a soloist. From all accounts, Heeseung’s departure from ENHYPEN could be chalked up to creative differences. He wanted to release the music he was into. This begs the … Continue reading
As Hearts2Hearts’ career has blossomed, their music has taken a lighter turn. It seems that the understated moodiness of The Chase was a red herring and the girls have found much more success with buoyant fare like this winter’s RUDE. It’s no surprise, then, that new summer single Lemon Tang is their must bubbly, upbeat … Continue reading
Song covers can be tricky. Do too little to change the original and the whole exercise might feel pointless. Do too much and it’s bound to polarize opinion. TRF’s 90s hit Boy Meets Girl has already been covered dozens of times, partly because it’s an Avex standard alongside other oft-covered classics like Get Wild and … 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
The Bias List is a K-pop blog that also covers a fair amount of J-pop. But just like most music fans, I enjoy tracks from all around the world. So, I thought I’d start a monthly round-up of some of the non-K-pop songs that have caught my ear. No ratings — just highlights! February 2022 … 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
