It’s been three years since Park Jihoon was last featured on this blog. That’s practically a decade in K-pop time, as an entire generation of new fans crop up with no real idea who this guy is. For those unsure of the name, Jihoon was one of the pillars of Wanna One, the group formed … Continue reading
These MNET survival shows are getting out of hand because I didn’t even know Unpretty Rapstar: HIP POP Princess existed until I heard about the group spawned from it. H//PE Princess is scheduled to make their full debut soon but they’re testing the waters with pre-release Stolen, which arrives in its Japanese/Korean/English version before the … Continue reading
After some time as a trio, Lucy have returned as the four-piece they’re meant to be. The group is celebrating with their second full album, which includes new tracks as well as updated versions of songs released over the past few years. Title track All Ages (전체관람가) sums up their appeal nicely. Opening with Gwang … Continue reading
As part of my “A Career in Song Ratings” feature, I’ve been looking at trendlines for idol releases. When it comes to song quality, most groups start strong and taper off as they go on. This makes sense, as those early years are vital for gaining a foothold in the industry. In this way, CRAVITY … 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
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
1. All The Possibilities // 2. You, You // 3. Why You So Bad? // 4. Get It Now // 5. Fire Escape // 6. Back To Strangers ALL THE POSSIBILITIES All The Possibilities was revealed a month earlier than the rest of the album at TWS’s most recent fancon, leading many fans (myself included) … Continue reading
Rookie group KEYVITUP is now on their third music video from their debut EP. I haven’t been a fan of much from them yet, and calling a track “legendary” is only setting listeners up for disappointment. The word legendary is thrown around too cavalierly in my opinion and certainly doesn’t apply to this song. Rather … Continue reading
While I’ve found 82MAJOR’s output to be a mixed bag so far, I’m always interested to hear what they come up with. Of all the younger boy groups pursuing hip-hop as their guiding force, these guys seem to have the most fun with it. Recently, their music has taken a more EDM shift but new … Continue reading
The phrase “crying on the dancefloor” connotes a certain type of dance record — propulsive and sleek but driven by a sentimental (often melancholic) melody. It’s a contrast many of us love and even though the title of Lee Chaeyeon’s new single promises the exact opposite, its melding of emotion with club aesthetics is very … Continue reading
Fresh off the massive success of last year’s Blue Valentine, NMIXX are gearing up for its follow-up album. That album is set to release next month, but they’ve started its campaign early with Crescendo. JYP groups have been absolutely prolific at the moment, with multiple acts from the agency promoting at the same time. I … 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
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
It didn’t take long for QWER to go from little-known girl band to chart mainstays. 2024’s T.B.H shot them to instant stardom and they’ve been successful ever since. Bands have enjoyed a resurgence overall in K-pop, but I love when QWER function less as a band than a poppy idol group who just happen to … Continue reading
Since leaving RIIZE, Seunghan has re-debuted as the XngHan&Xoul project, releasing the upbeat Waste No Time last summer. That song showed a ton of potential but didn’t quite fulfill on its ambitions. Now, with new mini album Glow, he takes a deeper dive into club music and the sound feels more assured and exciting. House … Continue reading
It’s nice to fall in love with a group’s music right off the bat, but I also love when an act wins me over bit by bit until I become a huge fan. Such is the case with NEXZ, whose Beat-Boxer impressed last year but just kept growing more and more addictive as the months … Continue reading
Given K-pop’s less-than-stellar track record over the past few months, I’ve been putting all my eggs in a basket called TWS. That’s way too much pressure to put on one release, but the group has earned the anticipation. Since their debut in 2024, their run has been absolutely impeccable, maintaining a bright, melodic color while … 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
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
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 