Boy group MYNAME has never really had that one big song that would break them into the k-pop a-list. Instead, it’s been a gradual, consistently strong, road. For me, they’re most notable for having not only a great Korean discography, but also killing it with most of their Japanese releases. This is a hard balance to strike, but … Continue reading
Most of the time, a kpop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-sides deserve recognition, too. In the singles-oriented world of kpop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. I’ve noticed that there seem to be quite a few people … Continue reading
Reviews of any sort represent a snapshot in time. I’d like to think that what I write about a song the day after its release ends up being what I think about it in the long term, and more often than not that’s the case. But certain songs have a way of creeping up on you … Continue reading
I may have underrated Tiffany’s solo debut I Just Wanna Dance when it was released last month. The song’s had unexpected staying power, making the release of Heartbreak Hotel an exciting proposition. And though Hotel is more midtempo than Dance was, it retains many of its late 80’s influences. Shimmering synths support an ethereal melody that substitutes … Continue reading
Well, this is a pleasant surprise! I try not to have many k-pop blind spots, but ballad group 2AM is just one of those groups I know very little about. In my ignorance, I assumed the members’ musical interest started and ended with ballads (though of course Jo Kwon did have his dancey thing going … Continue reading
Now that Double S 301 have gotten their big Korean and Japanese comebacks out of the way, they’re free to release something a little looser and a lot more fun. Ah Ha (아하) arrives on the 11th anniversary of their parent group, SS501, and thankfully is not some drippy ballad. In fact, it’s the best … Continue reading
After the tremendous success of girl group competition show Produce 101 and the domination of its resulting group, I.O.I, it makes perfect sense that MNET would green light an all-male spin-off series. And like Produce, which had its representative song in the form of the quirky Pick Me, BOYS24 has released the pop bombast of Rising … Continue reading
As part of new album EX’ACT, EXO have reveled in both the darkness and the light. If Lucky One was the opening salvo to the summer season, Monster‘s bass-heavy assault takes us into the nighttime hours, pulling the group back to the dramatic, dark fantasia of older material like Overdose, Mama or Wolf. Of course, … Continue reading
For the first time in their four-year history, mega blockbuster boy group EXO have returned with double title tracks. Designed to show us the lighter side of their music is Lucky One, which is more Love Me Right than Overdose. Though I can appreciate all sides of EXO’s sound, my taste naturally gravitates towards more … Continue reading
After giving us the brilliant Sympathy, rocker Jung Joon Young is back with his group (formerly known as JJY Band and now called Drug Restaurant). While his solo material tends to be more ballad-focused, Joon Young really gets the chance to rock out when he’s with his band mates. Mistake ups the tempo substantially, taking … Continue reading
U-KISS are back in Korea after an extended hiatus. Though they’ve been away for about a year and a half, it’s been even longer since they’ve returned with a dance track. The beat-driven Stalker recalls the glory years of their 2009-2012 output, while also sounding different from anything they’ve released so far. Stalker kicks off … Continue reading
Most of the time, a kpop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-sides deserve recognition, too. In the singles-oriented world of kpop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. EXID’s Street album is a bit of a frustrating listen for … Continue reading
Now that U-KISS is set to come back in Korea after quite awhile, it’s the perfect time to look back at their title tracks so far. U-KISS are one of about a half dozen groups/artists that debuted in 2008 and still enjoy some level of success. But their notoriety in Korea has taken quite a tumble over … Continue reading
SS501 was DSP Media’s juggernaut boy group in the mid to late 00’s. Along with groups like TVXQ, Shinhwa, Super Junior and Bigbang, they’re responsible for writing the template of modern k-pop, but unlike those other groups, I feel like they don’t often get as much recognition as they deserve. Leaving behind a stellar kpop discography, … Continue reading
Heize and DEAN are two artists looking to break out. At the moment, it seems like DEAN has the better chance of doing so. His more recent songs have charted well digitally, and he enjoys a certain amount of clout as a songwriter. Meanwhile, Heize has the benefit of Unpretty Rapstar behind her, though I … Continue reading
Seo In Young delivered an incredibly strong (and totally underappreciated) club track last year with Scream, but now she’s slowed things down with Embraced In Your Arms (너에게 안겨), which allows her to show off her unique vocal tone without many distractions. The track’s midtempo pop sound feels like it could have been sung by … Continue reading
I wasn’t a big fan of KNK’s debut a few months ago, and that hasn’t really changed. But, I also make sure never to write a group off based solely on their debut track. Rookie debuts often end up sounding unlike anything else in their discography, and this is definitely the case so far with … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I’ll look back at my three favorite title tracks by k-pop artists. Unlike my end-of-year countdowns, jpop and Japanese releases by kpop artists are ineligible, though I will give the great ones a spotlight. For my top three tracks, I’ll take my own ratings into account, but there is a … Continue reading
After the incredible one-two punch of Up & Down and Ah Yeah, it appeared that EXID had become an unstoppable force in k-pop. Then they released the less-incredible Hot Pink and revealed a chink in their pop armor. New single L.I.E (엘라이) promised us something completely different, and that’s certainly true. But I’m not sure … Continue reading
Girl group Fiestar have hit nearly every kpop genre imaginable, from cloying cuteness… to “light” sexy… to “dark” sexy. With Apple Pie, they merge these concepts into one for a sort of “cute-sexy” approach. Even though members Cao Lu and Yezi are enjoying a certain amount of notability as individuals, it doesn’t appear that anything … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 