Founding his own agency seems to have been a smart move for Kang Daniel. He’s able to release music when he wants and embrace the genres he’s interested in. And lucky for fans, he’s been pretty prolific so far. Wave follows March’s underrated 2U, and is a proper collaboration track. It’s also a pre-release teaser … Continue reading
Color me surprised to see new music from Secret’s Song Ji-eun. There was a time when she and her group were ruling K-pop charts, but her work has suffered from a long hiatus. Other than a few errant tracks here and there, it’s been almost four years since the last Ji-eun mini album. New single … Continue reading
It seems like almost overnight, K-pop has shifted its attention to retro sounds. This is no surprise, since the industry loves to borrow from global trends. And with songs like The Weeknd’s Blinding Lights become such huge worldwide hits, it was only a matter of time before K-pop decided to jump on board. Now… you … Continue reading
I don’t see how you can listen to this song (or watch its brilliant music video) without a huge smile on your face. SSAK3 brings together K-pop legends Rain and Lee Hyori with equally legendary MC/comedian Yoo Jae-suk for a co-ed trio formed on his show Hangout With Yoo. Their goal is simple, pure and … Continue reading
I debated whether to feature this song as a “buried treasure” or a full single, since it was only given a pre-release choreography video. But, regardless of how you classify it, Yesterday (안무 영상) deserves attention. Yukika’s entire album is consistent in its retro sound and vision, even going so far as to include themed … Continue reading
Watching the roll-out for Avex’s newest pop soloist Kalen Anzai has been interesting, to say the least. While most agencies would attempt to break an artist through some combination of currently popular music trends, Anzai has been positioned as a nostalgia play for late-90’s J-pop – specifically the icy-voiced, melodic dance sound of Ayumi Hamasaki. … Continue reading
This is a little off-topic, but on more than one occasion I’ve misread Time Turner’s title as “Tina Turner.” Now, that’s a K-pop concept I would like to see! In all seriousness, Time Turner (시간을 넘어서) is probably an apt title, because it feels like a miracle in the time-space continuum that The Man BLK … Continue reading
N.Flying have had an atypical breakthrough ever since last year’s Rooftop. Though none of their follow-up material has yet to match the ubiquity of that track, they’re not a one-hit wonder either. Their albums sell well enough, and a number of variety show appearances have helped keep their name in the conversation. Like Rooftop, digital … Continue reading
Entering their final year before indefinite hiatus, Japan’s biggest male idol group set global outreach as one of their goals. This has resulted in English-language re-recordings of their biggest hits, a much greater internet presence, and even a music video or two being available on youtube. Of course, a little thing called “global pandemic” threw … Continue reading
Since returning from the military, Super Junior’s Kyuhyun has released a solo single album and new work with his group and sub-unit K.R.Y. SM Entertainment’s SJ Label has allowed for greater flexibility when it comes to release schedules, resulting in several digital singles free from the promotional machine that usually accompanies idol music. This matches … Continue reading
Lee Hi’s HOLO is her first work as part of the AOMG label, a signing that was officially announced this week. This is great news for fans. Unlike YG Entertainment and its subsidiaries, AOMG is known for… you know… actually releasing music. We may no longer have to wait years in between new Lee Hi … Continue reading
Hyoyeon’s latest release under her HYO stage name has been classified as “jungle pop.” Jungle is a hybrid sub-genre that first emerged from the heavily-percussive breakbeat hardcore, incorporating elements of reggae, dancehall, funk and several other sounds into a dense, noisy brew that favors repeated electronic loops. That all sounds more interesting than Dessert turns … Continue reading
So… we can all just pretend that last year’s Birthday didn’t exist, right? I know that song has its defenders, but it was an incredibly odd, underwhelming debut for someone with as much hype as Somi. I have my issues with new single What You Waiting For as well, but it actually sounds like the … Continue reading
After a blockbuster debut in January, SixTONES are back with their follow-up single Navigator. Originally scheduled for release at the beginning of June, Navigator takes a hard turn from the stadium balladry of Imitation Rain, in line with the detective anime series it soundtracks. This sound is closer to what I had expected from the … Continue reading
I don’t often write about C-pop, and tend to listen to it in spurts rather than all the time. But, I’m always up for a good retro summertime track, and Wu Jiacheng’s Wild Island (无名岛) delivers. I first became aware of Jiacheng through 2018’s K-pop/C-pop collaboration/competition show CYZJ, which I highly recommend. I was taken … Continue reading
Many well-meaning fans pointed me toward Yukika’s Neon last year, knowing how much I love anything that draws influence from the 80’s. And I did enjoy it, even if I think it bops along a bit half-heartedly, without the bite I like to hear in a good pop song. But for me, that’s city pop … Continue reading
I really wish that I enjoyed Irene and Seulgi’s Monster more than I do. I love a good badass, female-fronted comeback, but the track’s droning vocal loop just sounds like bad Halloween to me. Because of this, I’m happy to see that they’re promoting the superior Naughty (놀이) as a follow-up. While Naughty doesn’t bring … Continue reading
Today is AAA soloists day on The Bias List, as two of the group’s members have new material to write about. Given the fact that the group is going on indefinite hiatus soon, I expect we’ll see much more music like this in the future. As AAA’s sole remaining female vocalist, Misako Uno hasn’t been … Continue reading
I’ve compared Japanese co-ed group AAA to Bigbang several times before, even though each act crafts wildly different music. But, they’re both the kind of supergroup that functions well together and results in equally amazing solo material from its diverse, charismatic members. If you buy that comparison, Sky-Hi would be AAA’s answer to G-Dragon. I … 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. TOO’s new mini album is like a K-pop gift from a … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 