Purple Beck’s June debut Crystal Ball was promising but unpolished, slotting them comfortably alongside K-pop’s quirkier girl groups. But, more important than a debut is its follow-up, especially when it comes to acts from smaller agencies. Financial constraints are very real in these cases, and if an agency splurges on an underwhelming debut, subsequent material … Continue reading
When releasing an album, Zico often promotes more than one title track. On his 2017 album Television, he backed up the freewheeling Artist with the more melodic Anti, and this cross-genre approach worked well. With the first half of his new album Thinking, Zico seems to have replicated this release strategy. While Daredevil is a … Continue reading
After leaving Seven Seasons (home to his group Block B) late last year, Zico has gone on to create his own label, KOZ, for future solo activity as well as recruitment of outside artists. This seems like a good strategy for him, as he’s always had his feet in both the idol and underground hip-hop … Continue reading
Despite being a big fan of the group, no EXO solo or sub-unit has connected with me this year. The guys are now elder statesman in the K-pop industry, and with that comes guaranteed success for any new material they release. But rather than branch out and push K-pop forward, the guys have channeled their … Continue reading
ONEUS made a splash when they debuted with the incredible Valkyrie this January. Their follow-up single Twilight has grown on me a lot, and the guys have proven to be reliable conduits for solid mini albums, but I fear that they offered their strongest punch right off the bat. A fantastic debut is important, but … Continue reading
A legacy can be both a blessing and a curse. TVXQ’s storied past includes some of my favorite K-pop ever, and the guys continue to be incredibly active since their return from the military in 2017. Yet, each time they release a new song, I expect it to hit me the way that their past … Continue reading
It’s only been a short while since BTS emerged from their late-summer break, but J-Hope is already gracing fans with a surprise single — the trilingual Becky G collaboration Chicken Noodle Soup. The song is a cover of the insipid, siren-filled original from Webstar and Young B. At the very least, J-Hope and Becky G’s … Continue reading
Among other things, 2019 has suffered a distinct lack of Sweetune-produced tracks. Their work has been relegated to severely under-known boy groups and idol band IZ, with none of their songs making waves outside of small fan bases. So, when I heard that former Kara member Goo Hara would be returning with a Sweetune-penned Japanese … Continue reading
It’s been over two years since I last wrote about Akdong Musician. I’ve missed their musical perspective, but most of all I’ve missed their voices. In the summer of 2017, right before Chanhyuk enlisted, the sibling duo released their spin on light, radio-friendly EDM. Dinosaur marked a fun shift in their acoustic sound, and left … 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. Not only have Twice steadily been refining their sound in 2019, … Continue reading
So far, PSY’s P-Nation label has emerged with a whimper instead of a bang. After his own album was postponed from its original July release, the agency made an inauspicious debut with Crush’s Nappa. That song was fine, but par for the course when it comes to Crush releases. Despite doing well on digital charts, … Continue reading
Twice have had a transformative 2019 so far, embracing a more refined sound while maintaining their immense popularity. Fancy has slowly become my most-played title track from the group, eclipsing their iconic 2016 work. Time will tell if new single Feel Special will overtake that spot, but the song makes a great first impression. By … Continue reading
With a title like “Dumb Litty,” the only feeling I could muster around the lead-up to KARD’s new single was morbid curiosity. How bad would it actually be? Yeah, I pre-judged this thing pretty hard. But, the group is coming off the swaggy noise attack of Bomb Bomb, one of the year’s most obnoxious title … 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. While I like and appreciate Dreamcatcher’s rock-infused sound, my favorite tracks … 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. The first time through Seventeen’s new album, I was a little … Continue reading
Saturday feel like a group in search of a novelty hit. I mean, any act who debuts with something called “MMook JJi BBa” is not looking to forge the next Stairway To Heaven. No, Saturday are in it for the short term, drawing attention with the most garishly upbeat fare they can muster. This approach … Continue reading
Girl group Laboum were at their commercial and musical peak from 2015-2017, book-ended by the pop brilliance of singles Aalow Aalow and Hwi Hwi. There must be something lucky about repetitive, onomatopoeia titles. Since that point, a newly-matured sound has brought the group a niche fan base, but the girls have struggled to cement their … Continue reading
The Produce 101 train rolls on, with agencies eager to throw their musical scraps at participating trainees and project groups before figuring out what to do with them in the long-run. The tragically-named Teen Teen brings together Produce trainees Lee Woojin, Lee Taesung and Lee Jinwoo, which makes me wonder if “Triple Lee” was ever … Continue reading
It’s easy to see why Dreamcatcher have cultivated an enthusiastic fan base. They follow the road-map I usually prescribe for newer groups: stick with a well-matched pool of composers, develop your signature sound, and offer just enough variation within that sound to keep things interesting. Since 2017’s Chase Me, the girls have forged a consistent … Continue reading
As with so many under-the-radar K-pop debuts, 3YE failed to make much of an impression when they dropped their first single this May. In fact, I had to search back to see if I had reviewed the song at all — that’s how little I remember it. On the plus side, the group seems to … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 