Longtime readers will not be surprised to hear that I’ve had trouble getting into GOT7’s music these past few years. Ever since they started writing more of their own material, their sound changed in a way that just wasn’t for me. However, their May mini album offered hope. I wasn’t overly enamored by the title … Continue reading
Though I’ve already written about (and ranked) the Queendom finale songs, (G)I-DLE have made the smart move to pair their track Lion with an official music video. I think they deserve a full review for their efforts, right? While the song does nothing to dispel the accusations of cultural appropriation that swirl around the group … 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. I always expect Taeyeon albums to be 100% ballads, and I’m … Continue reading
Second chances are rare in K-pop, but for four of Pristin’s ex-members (Eunwoo, Minkyeung, Gyeongwan and Yaebin), a new opportunity has emerged in the form of girl group HINAPIA. However, this debut comes from a much smaller entertainment company, lacking the industry clout (and budget) of Pledis Entertainment. Nevertheless, Drip arrives with its fair share … Continue reading
So much of K-pop is about style, but some groups put extra effort into establishing their aesthetics and lore. This approach paid off for girl group LOONA, and now their creative director Jaden Jeong has set his sights on OnlyOneOf. I can’t say the group’s music has done much for me so far, but the … Continue reading
Over the past few years, my connection to GFriend’s music has started to fracture. From 2015 to 2017, they released some of my absolute favorite K-pop songs in recent memory, culminating in the flawless trilogy of Rough, Navillera and Fingertip. Since then, the group has lost too much of the power from their “powerful innocence” … Continue reading
Like too many other groups this month, rookies We In The Zone are down a member for their first comeback. So, in a way Loveade represents a fresh start. The group received some fan love this May with their debut, but are definitely in need of a boost when it comes to attention from the … Continue reading
Last year, Yubin was at the forefront of K-pop’s city pop revival, releasing a pair of retro songs that found a small – but passionate – audience. Before the unveiling of new single Silent Movie (무성영화), she hinted that the song would take a more subdued approach. If you’re anything like me, “subdued” is not … Continue reading
Voting controversies or not, the Produce 101 juggernaut rolls on with the debut of yet another special rookie unit. BDC hail from Brand New Music, putting them in a bit of a predicament. The agency just debuted boy group AB6IX this year to great success. History dictates that it’ll be awhile before they’re ready to … Continue reading
More than any other year so far, 2019 has seen SM Entertainment’s NCT project expand its tentacles toward foreign markets. Chief among these initiatives is WayV, the Chinese branch of the NCT Universe. C-pop has its own musical preferences, but WayV’s discography has acted as a pretty seamless extension of SM’s Korean work. This proved … Continue reading
This May, A.C.E released one of 2019’s most thrilling title tracks: the rock-tinged, attitude-driven Under Cover. The guys seemed to have found their niche, taking the intensity of their debut-era material and fusing it to a complex, inventive instrumental. Their new release Savage (삐딱선) proves why I’m so adamant about idol groups finding the right … Continue reading
Brown Eyed Girls’ covers album Re:Vive is largely a down-tempo affair, tackling many old Korean ballads and reinventing them with the girls’ unique performance style. This is an interesting approach, and one that is sure to polarize. Brown Eyed Girls are at their best when pushing boundaries, and nothing about their choice of covers seems … Continue reading
Most of the world’s music industries were built on song covers, launching artists with performances of what many would consider standards. Covers (and cover albums) have lost their popularity in the digital era, but Brown Eyed Girls have tackled this approach for their new release, Re:Vive. It’s been a long four years since the group’s … Continue reading
Never one to miss an opportunity, Monsta X have been releasing a non-stop stream of music over the past several years. Between Korea, Japan and America, they’ve got to be one of the most prolific artists of this generation. Though it’s been over eight months since their last Korean album, the wait hasn’t seemed nearly … Continue reading
It’s been over two years since Taeyeon’s last full-length album, and in that time her discography has grown in drips and drabs — a holiday album here, a Japanese mini album there. Judging from her concerts, she’s been sitting on a lot of her new material for awhile, making the release of Purpose highly anticipated. … Continue reading
Though TVXQ are one of my all-time favorite K-pop acts, most of their post-enlistment music hasn’t hit me in the same way as their classic material. However, new Japanese album XV is a strong collection of work, touching on many of the aspects that have made them such a musical force. The guys seem to … 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. I wasn’t all that enamored with DAY6’s latest title track, but … Continue reading
I’ll tell you one thing: I never thought I’d be writing a Sunny Hill review in 2019. After the girls left their agency two years ago, I assumed they’d all-but broken up. Two of their members did leave during this long hiatus, replaced by a new pair of performers (one of which from short-lived group … 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. I consider TXT’s debut mini album to be pretty close to … Continue reading
CIX are one of those 2019 debuts with a fan base already baked in. Their roster includes former contestants of Produce 101, Mix Nine and YG Treasure Box. They’re a hodgepodge of already-known personas, which makes it easy to root for them. This name recognition helped secure a quick Japanese debut, with My New World … Continue reading
