Red Velvet’s past three Korean title tracks have split opinion, each becoming more experimental than the last. It’s a wonder, then, that the group have maintained their popularity with music that has been so polarizing. The girls opened their “ReVe Festival” trilogy only two months ago with the release of the carnival-esque Zimzalabim. Though that … Continue reading
With over 2,600 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 … Continue reading
With over 2,600 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 … Continue reading
Since the start of The Bias List in January 2016, I’ve always looked back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists each month. Now, it’s time to look even further into the past, one month at a time. And, yes, the top three rankings count toward The Bias List’s personal artist scorecard! Which … Continue reading
With over 2,600 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 … Continue reading
Pentagon made their bid for a summer hit with last month’s Humph, but my feelings about the song could basically be summed up by its title. I hate to see the group succumb to retreads of 2018 hit Shine at the expense of new sounds. Their one-two punch of Cosmo and Sha La La hinted … Continue reading
But fear not! I’ve scheduled all sorts of posts for over the next few days. Coming up is a review of Pentagon’s newest J-pop single, some great Random Shuffle Reviews, and another “Looking Back” feature for November 2014. So, make sure to check back often! Regular reviews will resume on Tuesday, August 20th. Continue reading
I first gained interest in Winner via a solo release. In fact, it happened before Winner was even a thing. Back in the summer of 2013, Kang Seung Yoon dropped the brilliant pop rock of Wild & Young. As I watched the group debut a year later, I hoped that he would continue releasing solo … Continue reading
K-pop’s summer is starting late this year, as idol groups are finally remembering that it’s time for those high-energy blasts of sunny pop music. Oh My Girl offered their bid last week, but Weki Meki have done them one better with Tiki-Taka (99%). This is easily the best girl group summer track since Cosmic Girls … Continue reading
Less than a month after the release of frontman Kim Woosung’s solo album, The Rose has returned with their fifth single. Woosung’s song has already grown on me, and that’s largely thanks to its uptempo, summer-friendly energy. Red follows suit, offering a more electronic sound than most of the band’s past work. It’s a welcome … Continue reading
With over 2,600 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 … Continue reading
Since the start of The Bias List in January 2016, I’ve always looked back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists each month. Now, it’s time to look even further into the past, one month at a time. And, yes, the top three rankings count toward The Bias List’s personal artist scorecard! Which … Continue reading
Days after railing against the Produce series’ negative effect on the K-pop industry, it’s time to look at the juggernaut from another angle. Since Wanna One’s disbandment at the start of the year, all of its members have gone on to release music of some sort. I’ve not been shy when it comes to my … 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 want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. Ever since 2017’s Move, Taemin’s solo material has largely followed the … Continue reading
Fanxy Child is a hip-hop collective featuring members Zico, Crush, DEAN, Penomeco, Stay Tuned and Millic. To say it’s not my thing would be an understatement, but their first official single, 2016’s Bermuda Triangle, was surprisingly compelling even for those who don’t gravitate toward hip-hop. Much of its success spawned from the interplay between a … Continue reading
I’ll begin this latest Bias List screed by stating that I’m an avid watcher of K-pop’s survival series. From juggernauts like Produce 101 to barely-remembered blips like Under Nineteen, I love a good competition. And yet, I fear that the proliferation of these series is killing K-pop’s creativity. An Old-Fashioned Approach Back in the day … Continue reading
When it comes to pop music, everyone’s got their biases. But, being a fan of an entire agency is a uniquely K-pop proposition. It’s akin to being a devotee of Western companies like Marvel or Apple — knowing that your taste so closely aligns with their output that you’re bound to support anything they create. … Continue reading
It’s been over a year since IN2IT’s last comeback. While none of their material has bowled me over so far, I’ve felt a special kinship with the group ever since running into them at a Target store (!). In some ways, they feel like MNET’s forgotten child, given short shrift in favor of Produce 101-spawned … Continue reading
Prior to their full group debut today, Fanatics’ sub-unit Flavor delivered a quirky little synthpop song last November that hinted at interesting things to come. But as is the case so often with K-pop, the group has opted for a safer sound when it comes to their debut title track. Sunday is upbeat, bubblegum fare … Continue reading
Neither of JBJ95’s past title tracks were instant hits with me, but both proved to be growers over time. While trendy, their music doesn’t feel like typical idol fare, focusing on sentiment over performance-driven gimmicks. This approach isn’t very flashy, but it’s well suited to a vocalist/rapper duo like them. New single Spark (불꽃처럼) shimmers … Continue reading
