After leaving Astro, Rocky embarked on a solo career with last year’s ROCKYST and title track Lucky Rocky. I enjoyed the direction he pursued, but thought the execution could use some work. When it comes to today’s Jealousy, I’m drawn even more to Rocky’s musical direction. This style of funky synthwave-influenced pop music is very … Continue reading
K-pop is littered with acts who – for one reason or another – didn’t get the full spotlight they deserved. I’ve spent plenty of time ranking and reviewed the industry’s biggest artists, but these underrated acts should never be forgotten. This feature will take a look at disbanded groups and rank/rate their entire singles run, … Continue reading
The ambitious tripleS project is growing and multiplying faster than NCT ever did, with new units seeming to emerge every month. tripleS Glow is composed of members Chaewon, Sullin, SeoAh and JiYeon and they debuted with Inner Dance (내적 댄스) last week. Now, they’ve released a performance video to add a visual aspect to the … Continue reading
K-pop legend Kim Jaejoong’s J-pop career has been continually active, but it’s been two years since he last released a Korean album. He’s made the comeback worth the wait with a full thirteen-track opus, including guests as diverse as Mamamoo’s Moonbyul and J-pop star Miyavi. Title track Glorious Day makes for a rousing addition to … Continue reading
B.D.U is a project group spawned from MNET’s reality show Build Up: Vocal Boy Group Survivor and consists of M.O.N.T’s Bitsaeon, CIX’s Seung Hun, One Pact’s Jay Chang and trainee Kim Minseo. While I love the idea of a show focused on K-pop’s often-underutilized vocalists, I’d rather the entire industry make a shift toward robust … Continue reading
Gather round, friends. I would like to recite a poem. The deep meaning behind these words may resonate with you in unexpected ways, so don’t be surprised if your eyes suddenly start to well up. There are tissues in the back of the room if you need them. (clears throat, adopts the poise and phrasing … Continue reading
There are few K-ballads I’d write a review for, but I’ll make an exception for any member of Infinite — especially one of my all-time favorite vocalists. Nam Woohyun has released a live album and included the studio recording of new track Sunshine (눈부셨다) as a special treat for fans. This comes mere weeks after … Continue reading
Around this time last year, U-KISS re-emerged with a song that ended up in my year-end top ten, showcasing the continued power of second-gen stalwarts. Fortunately, this wasn’t just a fleeting reunion. The guys are back with another new album and title track Stay With Me (너는 내 모든 곳에 있어). This time around, the … Continue reading
Ex-LOONA member Chuu established a solo career late last year with a pair of singles that cast her as a synth-pop chanteuse. I can’t say I recall anything about either song, even though I remember enjoying them upon release. New track Strawberry Rush opts for something brighter and quirkier — a smart move for someone … Continue reading
It’s been a long time since I’ve written one of these top ten lists. (Okay… it’s been years.) But what better excuse to dive back in than a tenth anniversary celebration? Red Velvet celebrate their tenth year this summer and now it’s finally time to take a look at my favorite album tracks and b-sides … Continue reading
SM Entertainment is having a busy Monday, with no less than three comebacks across both the Korean and Japanese market. Super Junior’s Donghae and Eunhyuk join Red Velvet and NCT Wish in celebrating new music with the release of Japanese single You&Me. And like many acts this month, they’ve opted for a bright, funky summertime … Continue reading
NCT Wish debuted earlier this year as NCT’s final fixed unit. Straddling the line between Japanese and Korean promotions, they appear to be following NCT Dream’s bright sound template rather than the angular experimentation of units like 127. February’s funky Wish was a decent start, but new single Songbird feels like their true arrival. I’ve … Continue reading
Sometimes I forget just how bulletproof the first five years of Red Velvet’s discography was. I’ve been less enthused with their post-2019 output, but even when the music wasn’t my cup of tea the group’s vocals still impressed. They’re one of the premiere girl groups of the last decade, and their tenth anniversary should see … Continue reading
It usually takes me a song or two to fully warm up to a rookie group, and TWS’s Plot Twist was a slow-burn standout that compelled more and more as time went on. The exceptional hey! hey! officially sealed the deal, and now we’re on to the group’s second mini album Summer Beat. I love … Continue reading
K-pop is littered with acts who – for one reason or another – didn’t get the full spotlight they deserved. I’ve spent plenty of time ranking and reviewed the industry’s biggest artists, but these underrated acts should never be forgotten. This feature will take a look at disbanded groups and rank/rate their entire singles run, … Continue reading
In connection with my desire to fully keep up with the J-pop industry, I’m planning to do a weekly round-up of any new releases that have caught my ear. Some of these may have been covered on the blog already, but my hope is that this will become a one-stop shop for anyone interested in … Continue reading
Rather than contain my “Risers and Fallers” feature to a single post in June, I’m going to share a bite-sized version at the end of each month. This will let me account for more songs and make a nice lead-in to the monthly round-up post. I anticipate most of these ratings adjustments will be negligible: … Continue reading
K-pop is littered with acts who – for one reason or another – didn’t get the full spotlight they deserved. I’ve spent plenty of time ranking and reviewed the industry’s biggest artists, but these underrated acts should never be forgotten. This feature will take a look at disbanded groups and rank/rate their entire singles run, … Continue reading
Though NewJeans’ 2024 releases have enjoyed successful runs on the charts, there’s a growing feeling of stagnation with their music. You can only do ‘breezy cool’ so many times before the songs start to blend into one another. It’s time to inject a new genre influence, and the New Jack Swing of Supernatural may be … Continue reading
K-pop is unique in the way idol performers can establish a solo career while still actively promoting with their group. But I often wonder what necessitates a soloist. Of course, fans are eager to see their bias develop their artistry outside the confines of traditional comebacks, but not every performer is equally predisposed to a … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 