NCT’s Taeyong has been positioned as the breakout solo star of the group, quickly crafting a quirky hip-hop sound that pulls in elements of many different genres. It’s an uphill battle for me, as I find his hyper-affected performance style a little tricky to get into. New single Tap follows suit, upping the eccentricities at … Continue reading
Someone needs to study how CRAVITY went from the likes of My Turn and Flame to one of the most consistent runs of any current boy group. It’s a big turnaround and a testament to what can happen when an agency invests in great songs. New single Love Or Die continues and expands upon this … Continue reading
X:IN have not had it easy on this blog, consistently scoring some of the worst ratings. I considered not even writing about new single No Doubt because, why dogpile on a group who is fighting against the tides to be successful? But in the interest of completion, it feels like I need to touch on … Continue reading
Tempest have a new comeback on the horizon, and I’m confident it’ll be good. This confidence comes from math. For whatever reason, the group seems to alternate between songs I love and songs I loath. I’ve cracked the pattern, and after last September’s awful Vroom Vroom we’re in for a Can’t Stop Shining style hit! … 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
Astro haven’t released a single or album since the passing of member Moonbin last April. Any new music would surely be laced with an undertone of sadness, and that’s completely natural. But for a group who built their name on upbeat bubblegum pop, it’s almost hard to imagine their music taking on a mournful tone. … Continue reading
Twice continued their winning streak with the feel-good, synth-fueled I Got You earlier this month. That song acted as a pre-release for both One Spark and the accompanying album With YOU-th. The two songs share a sense of uplift, anchored by glossy pop melodies and a confident performance. For whatever reason, K-pop’s pre-release tracks often … Continue reading
With so many music videos tied to her new project, IU’s The Winning is turning into a veritable visual album. She certainly has the cachet to support such aggressive promotion, and so far her output has run the musical gamut. The bluesy Shh.. continues expanding the variety. Featuring a trio of guest artists from three … Continue reading
Though they’ve delivered a few pre-release songs, we haven’t had a title track from A.C.E since 2021. The group still isn’t quite whole for new single My Girl, but with Kang Yuchan (Chan) recently coming back from military service, the days of five-member promotions seem just around the corner. As far as long-awaited comebacks go, … Continue reading
The line between “idol” and “artist” can be pretty thin, especially when artists start enlisting idols to feature in their music videos. I’ve never written about a solo BiBi song before, but given her ascent to the top of the digital charts it’s probably time I started paying more attention. New single Sugar Rush will … Continue reading
The JYP family has joined forces for a song advertising Coca-Cola because… why not? Patriarch J.Y. Park has written a real Frankenstein of a track that somehow fails to utilize any of the artists’ skills while digital artists work overtime to jarringly place them within expensive, virtual reality landscapes. None of this makes me thirsty … Continue reading
Moonbyul’s pre-release Think About was a very nice surprise, reinventing her as a funky pop diva with the frothy melodies to make it stick. With Touchin&Movin — the title track of her first full album — she’s further deepened this sound and crafted a real gem. I’ve never been a huge fan of Mamamoo’s solo … Continue reading
The pre-releases for IU’s newest album have run the musical gamut, from theatrical balladry to quirky, hip-hop inflected dance. She’s saved the best for last, unveiling the uplifting pop surge of Shopper. It ticks many of the boxes we’ve come to expect from her music but does so with such gusto that it’s hard to … Continue reading
TRI.BE have the distinction of being backed by legendary producer Shinsadong Tiger, who has written more than his fair share of classic K-pop tracks. But thus far, they’ve struggled to deliver classics themselves, largely playing on trends without fully embracing a signature sound that gives them their own musical perspective. New single Diamond arrives almost … Continue reading
Sometimes you have to wonder how a song even finds its way out of the recording studio. X:IN are not from a big agency, so there probably aren’t a ton of checks and balances when it comes to A&R, but someone still had to give the green light to My Idol. Sure, the song’s intentions … Continue reading
Though it received a muted response around these parts, LE SSERAFIM’s Overwatch single Perfect Night went on to become a big hit for the group. Someone at Source Music was clearly paying attention, as new title track Easy does its best to replicate that sound. This time, the girls have jettisoned the bombastic turns of … 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. In writing about The Wind’s H! … Continue reading
Watching TWS’s Plot Twist‘s unlikely rise to the top of the Korean charts has been an absolute joy. The digital charts tend to be a tough place for boy groups — especially rookies with a bright pop sound. However, the song has caught on and truly lived up to its name sake. This is a … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 