Though Hearts2Hearts have only released one mini album in Korea this year, they’ve been busy with one-off singles and other releases. We had Japanese track Iconic Heart and most recently the Kia tie-in Moonride. Now, it’s time for the group’s first English-language release, which also happens to be a tie-in. Next Chapter promotes mobile game … Continue reading
Maybe it’s just me, but tripleS’s 2026 release slate has felt like a series of stealth attacks. They’ve been releasing several songs in the Japanese market recently and I’m always surprised when a new one pops up. Now, we have new Korean track Andless, which also seemed to arrive with very little teasing. Again, maybe … 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
With much of the music that’s been released this week, it feels like K-pop is doing a tribute to its own second generation. Now, we have the return of a group who actually debuted in the second gen. That’s right, Teen Top is back again with a new mini album and the promise another big … 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 continue to write about Yuju’s solo music out of respect and admiration for the great work she did with GFriend, but with each new release it becomes clearer that her former group’s high octane pop music isn’t something she’s interested in replicating. It seems that she’s much more comfortable in the corner of an … Continue reading
Lee Han Gyul has an impressively large record in the K-pop industry. Over the course of his career, he’s been part of X1, BAE173, IM, H&D and Polarix. That’s a ton of different groups and projects, most of which came and went pretty quickly. The guy is certainly tenacious, and has earned the right to … Continue reading
After finding success on Boys II Planet, Flare U debuted earlier this year with a song I found quite toothless. The rest of their mini album was stronger, and pointed toward a light pop sound that had potential. The guys maintain this easy appeal with their first comeback Bloom (너의 계절이 찾아와). Bloom is the … Continue reading
DAILY:DIRECTION are one of a few new boy groups this year that are attempting to paint themselves with a quirky brand in order to stand out among competing acts from bigger agencies. So far, this has resulted in a mixed bag of music, but their output has grown stronger with time. New single Which Way … Continue reading
My favorite K-pop group, Infinite, has had trouble picking great songs over the past few years. I’m not sure if it’s a lack-of-A&R situation or a lack-of-great-material-to-choose-from, but while the guys are mega talented with so much star power, I just don’t trust them when it comes to picking title tracks that best suit their … 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’s no denying that K-pop has entered a techno trend. This isn’t the kind of techno music that swept the industry’s first generation, though you can still draw comparisons. There was a time around 1999 where it felt like every other new idol track came underpinned with a steady club beat. As a lover of … Continue reading
There’s been a lot of talk about K-pop’s second generation on this blog lately, but if you really want a taste for what was popular in Korea during the early half of this era you couldn’t ask for more representative artists than Epik High and Davichi. Both have lasted the long run, still releasing music … 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
After leaving the agency he founded, SM Entertainment’s Lee Soo-man quickly began planning his next moves. This resulted in the founding of a new agency, A2O Entertainment, and some loosey singles from various A2O artists aimed toward global markets. Now, it’s time for him to throw his hat back in the K-pop ring with the … Continue reading
After leaving the agency he founded, SM Entertainment’s Lee Soo-man quickly began planning his next moves. This resulted in the founding of a new agency, A2O Entertainment, and some loosey singles from various A2O artists aimed toward global markets. Now, it’s time for him to throw his hat back in the K-pop ring with the … Continue reading
I (mostly) have a rule against writing about K-pop’s new virtual/animated groups, as I don’t think they fit the nature of this blog. However, PLAVE is an exception due to how incredibly popular they’ve become. The virtual approach still isn’t for me, but I get the appeal and when it comes down to it a … Continue reading
2026 has been very light on notable debuts, which is one of the reasons the year has felt a bit underwhelming to me. Even my favorite debut artists haven’t promoted frequently. MODYSSEY are one of those favorites, though it’s difficult to tell since they only had a grand total of two songs to their name … Continue reading
Xdinary Heroes are at an interesting fork in their career, having recently lost their drummer Gunil under dubious circumstances. This comes on the heels of (in my opinion) their strongest title track yet. April’s Voyager quickly grew into a real 2026 highlight, as has their discography overall. I hate to see momentum get derailed under … Continue reading
When I look at NCT Wish’s overall concept, they seem like a group who should be tailor-made for my musical taste. Yet, when I average together my reception of each of their singles, they fall in the lower half of my own “Ultimate Artist Ranking.” At times, their music has felt overly precious to me. … Continue reading
