A week ago, EXO’s Doh Kyung Soo (D.O.) pre-released the fluffy pop track Popcorn, hinting that his new album might have a more upbeat twist to it. Title track Mars fulfills that promise, transferring the gentle, coffeehouse appeal of his music to a sprightlier sound palette. Mars is still very much within the “easy listening” … Continue reading
There’s not a great deal of consistency across Solar’s new album. Placing a song like Colors right next to title track But I is crazy whiplash. You could say she’s painting with a variety of tones and stretching her wings, but it doesn’t make for a cohesive listen. I’ll let others decide for themselves how … 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
A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. 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. I’m a little baffled why I … Continue reading
A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. 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. K-pop’s early summer continues with the … Continue reading
A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. 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. Until now, I don’t think I’d … Continue reading
A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. 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. IVE will be releasing a music … Continue reading
At their best, E’Last have offered an ultra-dramatic take on K-pop, fueled by orchestral strings and inventive song structures that feel almost like musical theater. Over the years, they’ve drifted from that early sound, most recently in the form of Kiss Me Baby‘s funk energy. New single Gasoline returns to darker textures but fails to … Continue reading
K-pop has a long, storied history of songs about shoes. From Highlight’s Gikwang boasting his Dancing Shoes in 2009 to ITZY putting on their Sneakers in 2022, these tracks tend to be pretty silly. And really, how could they be anything else? Now, TOZ is back with their ode to “Nu Shoes” (and no, that’s … Continue reading
Ever since the immense success of TWS’s Plot Twist, I’ve been wondering if bright boy group fare would come back into vogue. That seems to be happening slowly but surely, and Fantasy Boys’ Pitter-Patter-Love (분명 그녀가 나를 보고 웃잖아) is a great example of the form. I haven’t paid too much attention to this group … Continue reading
K-Pop queen HyunA made her return on a new label late last year, and Attitude was a brief shot of excitement leading into this new era. Follow-up Q&A takes a more vibe-driven approach, but its dance elements work well for her. Between 4minute, Trouble Maker, Triple H and her solo work, HyunA’s covered a ton … Continue reading
Apart from a fantastic pre-release, YOUNITE haven’t done much to stick in my memory. I’ve written about all their title tracks, but I honestly couldn’t hum any of them today. New single Geekin is unlikely to change that, but its addictive beat helps it stand out amongst their discography. I should hate this song. After … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I look back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists. I take my own ratings into account, but there’s a bit of wiggle room as certain songs tend to grow or fade. April 2024 Overall Thoughts K-pop years aren’t always frontloaded, but January was so strong that its … Continue reading
After leaving SM Entertainment, EXO’s D.O. has reverted to his given name for his new album, set for release next month. Before that, we have pre-release Popcorn — an uncharacteristically cutesy bit of pop fluff. I tend to tie Kyung Soo’s solo music to the coffeehouse, and Popcorn still fits comfortably into that setting. However, … Continue reading
After completing their lengthy fantasy-themed series, Kingdom have undergone a branding change with new team name “The KingDom.” Apparently, their lore dictates they now exist in the present era where capital-letters-in-the-middle-of-words is completely normal. As cool as their fantasy influences were, I tended to prefer their more contemporary b-sides so this rebrand isn’t unwelcome. With … Continue reading
A few weeks ago, Mamamoo’s Solar released a teaser of what appeared to be her take on a drag anthem. That song turns out to be the opener of her new album Colours and hasn’t yet been promoted with a full video. Instead, we have title track But I — a total genre shift into … Continue reading
On their first few releases after debut, idol band XDinary Heroes felt a little too gimmicky for me. Songs like Happy Death Day and Hair Cut seemed overly enthused by their own cleverness, so it was refreshing to see the group unleash a straight-ahead rocker with last year’s Break The Brake. For the release of … Continue reading
What did poor 82MAJOR do to deserve a comeback on the same day as both Seventeen and IVE? It’s hard to see how new single Choke (촉) doesn’t get lost in the shuffle, though maybe they’re hoping a rising tide will lift all boats. The song’s rubbery bass definitely deserves attention, even if the song … Continue reading
Best-Of compilation albums are uncommon in K-pop, but if any group deserves to have their singles bundled into an anthology it’s Seventeen. They’ve been releasing bangers since 2015, though I’ve found their more recent work harder to get into. This album features four new songs — each of which will be getting a music video … Continue reading
IVE have quickly established themselves as one of this generation’s representative girl groups, unleashing hits that stay on the charts for months (I Am is still in the top 50 more than a year after its release). With their previous EP, they began branching in new musical directions. This had the potential to be exciting, … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 