As part of my “Summer of K-pop” feature, I recently wrote about Eric Nam’s 2014 single Ooh Ooh. In doing so, I was reminded how effectively that song harnessed his charms. He has a pleasant pop voice and amiable presence, well-suited to light, funky dance tracks. New single Paradise takes him down a more well-worn … Continue reading
With few exceptions, a title like “Nunu Nana” tells me exactly what to expect from the song. It’s unlikely to be the kind of melodically robust pop track I tend to gravitate toward. Its chorus will almost certainly be a repetitive jumble of nonsense words tied to a rhythmic beat drop. And in this regard, … Continue reading
Of all the tracks I would choose for promotion on WayV’s (very solid) album, Bad Alive would be pretty low on the totem pole. And, I certainly wouldn’t opt for a (mostly) English-language revamp. This isn’t meant to be a knock on the track itself. As a piece of music, it’s solid. But stacked against … Continue reading
April enjoyed a well-deserved breakthrough with this spring’s Lalalilala, which stands as their highest-charting title track yet. As a special thank you, the girls have released a short summer album, heralded by the buoyant Now Or Never. If it wasn’t already clear from my daily “Summer of K-pop” posts, I’ll always welcome a fun summer … Continue reading
Over the past two years, ATEEZ’s Treasure series grew into one of the most ambitious, consistent K-pop projects I can remember. And now that it’s finished, the question is: where do they go from here? Wisely, the guys have retained their core production team as they embark on another musical series – this one entitled … Continue reading
I feel like every summer we get a few of these “rapper featuring vocalist” music videos that involve posing on fancy boats and cavorting among palm trees. I like to imagine all of these videos being filmed simultaneously, with hundreds of yacht-and-rapper combos sailing the same small body of water without bumping into each other. … Continue reading
Though her voice was a vital part of Sistar’s appeal, I’ve always felt that Soyou was underrated as a performer. It doesn’t help that most of her solo work has been relatively subdued, coasting more on mood than dynamic songwriting. New single Gotta Go (가라고) makes a drastic genre shift, challenging her with attitude-driven, percussive … Continue reading
I don’t think I’ll ever tire of Exile Tribe groups’ love for early-90’s pop throwbacks. Get With You is the debut single of new unit Deep Squad, which adds three members to veteran vocal act Deep for a fresh combination that injects a little more youth into their sound. This results in a satisfying blend … Continue reading
It feels like ONEUS are a little late to the game, releasing the music video to their Road to Kingdom finale track Come Back Home over a month after the series ended. I guess they’re positioning it as a prologue for their upcoming comeback rather than an epilogue to the series. Thus far, Kingdom has … Continue reading
It’s amazing how quickly military enlistment changes a group’s standing in K-pop. At the height of their fame, Beast were one of the premiere idol groups, and that success continued even after they re-formed as Highlight. But with most of the members now serving in the military, it feels like their heyday was ages ago. … Continue reading
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
