After eighteen months away, boy group BIGFLO is back with renewed energy. Main dancer Euijin finished in second place during KBS’s The Unit, garnering attention through his promotions with project group UNB. And BIGFLO is an act in desperate need of attention. Their last few comebacks have stalled on the charts, putting them in real … Continue reading
Another year of KCON LA is behind us, and it was a fantastic experience. Instead of simply recapping the weekend, I thought I’d offer some sage advice from a veteran KCONer. This was my fourth year attending the event, and there’s a lot I’ve discovered since 2015. So strap yourselves in, because this is officially … Continue reading
Berry Good is one of those K-pop acts who always seem to exist on the periphery. They’ve been around for four years (!) now, and released a slew of solid tracks, but their career never seems to gain any momentum. This is a shame, because the girls have a lot to offer. That potential is … Continue reading
I was lucky enough to be in the audience when IMFACT’s NaNaNa (나나나) was first premiered at KCON LA, making this the rare (only?) K-Pop comeback I’ve heard live and in person before it was released in its studio version. It’s impossible to fully separate the live experience from the song, but it’s nice to … Continue reading
As popular as it has been, Twice’s Japanese material has left a lot to be desired thus far. Pursuing a hyper cutesy motif, it’s only seemed to accentuate the group’s most cloying instincts. But the teasers for BDZ — the lead single from their first full J-pop album — seemed to promise something more mature. … Continue reading
Since returning from their military enlistment, Super Junior’s Donghae and Eunhyuk have released a steady stream of music in Japan, culminating in their recently unveiled album Style. But, it’s been over three years since the duo was last active in Korea. The shadow of 2015’s Growing Pains looms large over their music, standing as a … Continue reading
Amidst all of the comebacks this season, Hyolyn has surprisingly become the summer MVP. Last month’s See Sea leapfrogged over its competition to soundtrack July, but she’s not finished yet. Reuniting with frequent Sistar producers Duble Sidekick, Bae sees Hyolyn closing out the summer with a classic, roller rink ready burst of undiluted pop. Hyolyn’s voice … Continue reading
As Snuper’s Korean success begins to stall, it seems as though they’re being shipped out to every territory imaginable to help garner an international following. This has proven especially fruitful in Japan, where they’ve enjoyed surprising popularity by embracing J-pop’s more idiosyncratic sounds. Summer Magic (夏のMagic) is their third original single for the Japanese market, … Continue reading
Even though a large portion of SM Entertainment’s Station releases tend to be unadventurous ballads, I’ve missed the weekly infusion of new music since season two of the project wrapped in April. For the kickoff of Station’s third season (called Station X O), SM has brought out the big guns. Page 0 pairs Taeyeon with … Continue reading
After what’s seemed like endless delays, DIA is finally back with their first album in ten months. And for title track WooWoo, they’ve paired once again with established producer Shinsadong Tiger, who’s already brought Momoland massive 2018 success by returning to a bright, synth-infused dancefloor template. In contrast, WooWoo slows things down with heavy influence … Continue reading
I’ve been real hot and cold with MXM’s releases so far. I love the guys, but only their January Match Up mini album has really appealed to me. Rather than maintain that addictive funk pop sound, the duo seems more intent on a laid-back brand of hip-hop that emphasizes vibe over melody. New single Ya … Continue reading
After a strong start to the year, Cube Entertainment has collapsed in recent weeks with the mishandling of the E’Dawn/HyunA dating “scandal” and BTOB members’ impending military enlistments. It’s bound to be a rough road in the coming months, but new girl group (G)I-DLE remains a bright spot for the agency. Their May debut saw … Continue reading
With over 2,300 songs on my iPhone’s “K-Pop Singles” playlist, I thought it would be fun to add a bit of unpredictability to my song review posts. So as a result, we have the “Random Shuffle Review” feature. The rules are simple. I fire up my playlist, press “shuffle,” and whatever song plays first gets the … Continue reading
Most of the time, a k-pop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of k-pop, I wanted to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. For a group that I don’t follow all that closely, I … Continue reading
With over 2,300 songs on my iPhone’s “K-Pop Singles” playlist, I thought it would be fun to add a bit of unpredictability to my song review posts. So as a result, we have the “Random Shuffle Review” feature. The rules are simple. I fire up my playlist, press “shuffle,” and whatever song plays first gets the … Continue reading
Among all J-pop idols, AAA’s Nissy possesses my favorite voice. Incredibly rich and filled with character, it’s the kind of tone that can elevate even the slightest of material. Combine that with an old-fashioned sense of showmanship and you’ve got a performer at the top of his game. New single Relax & Chill may not … Continue reading
Most of the time, a k-pop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of k-pop, I wanted to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. It was difficult to pick a “buried treasure” from Red Velvet’s … Continue reading
I’ll be flying to LA later tonight for my fourth consecutive KCON, which means reviews of new releases by DIA, Bigflo and the Taeyeon/Melomance Station track will be postponed until next week. BUT… keeping checking the site, because I’ve scheduled a bunch of great new posts for the next five days. Buried Treasures, Random Shuffle … Continue reading
After a few years of immense growth, K-pop hasn’t seen all that many notable debuts so far in 2018. The industry has become more infatuated with limited run project groups and sub-units, many of which are connected to an audition or survival show. New boy group D-Crunch (short for Diamond Crunch, which sounds less perverse … Continue reading
Give me a K or J-pop song with the title “Chaser” and I’ll instantly be triggered. I’ve written at length about how I consider Infinite’s The Chaser to be the best K-pop song of all time. It’s so outstanding that they might as well retire the word “chaser” from the K-pop lexicon entirely. But here … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 