Before there was girl group Elris, there was soloist Sohee. She participated in the final season of audition series K-Pop Star, and went on to release a solo track before her group debuted. I’m actually surprised to hear her on her own again this soon, but Hurry Up was probably too good an opportunity to … Continue reading
The idea of a “healing song” must seem especially attractive in a culture like Seoul’s, which values the kind of non-stop work ethic that has resulted in massive technological advancement over a comparatively short period of time. Music can certainly be healing — but like everything, “healing” is subjective. The idea of a calming, barely-above-a-whisper … Continue reading
Though “lead vocalist” was part of Kim Donghan’s member profile when he was a member of project group JBJ, he’s most well known for his dancing. And like so many dancers-turned-soloists, his idiosyncrasies lie more in movement than vocal color. He’s got a perfectly serviceable pop tone, but lacks the kind of texture that would … Continue reading
A sense of innocence has tethered all of April’s music together thus far, but that’s too much of a simplification when it comes to talking about their discography. Structurally and stylistically, they’ve slowly become one of K-pop’s most interesting girl groups. Their singles run has pin-balled from one sound to the next, and now they’ve … Continue reading
Zion.T’s release schedule has slowed drastically since signing with YG Entertainment subsidiary The Black Label, but Korea seems poised to enthusiastically embrace his material all the same. As if his name wasn’t enough to draw headlines, new single Hello Tutorial pairs him with Red Velvet’s Seulgi — a performer who has already been part of … 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 wanted to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. It’s only been three days, but I’ve already gone on quite … Continue reading
Over the years, Kis-My-Ft2 has slowly become my favorite act in the ever-growing Johnny’s Entertainment roster. For my money, they’ve got an unbeatable string of singles, and their bombastic 80’s power pop dance style hits all the right buttons when it comes to my (admittedly cheesy) musical taste. 2018 has been pretty slow for them … Continue reading
Despite my slightly snarky review of the song, Cinderella Girl was an inescapably catchy debut for King & Prince. It perfectly positioned them as Johnny’s Entertainment’s next big thing, and a bonafide sensation in Japan. But as time has taught us again and again, a follow-up is just as important as a debut — maybe … Continue reading
VAV is one of those groups who just keep plugging away. I don’t see their name mentioned much in K-pop circles, nor are they a huge presence on music shows. Yet, they’ve held international tours and make frequent comebacks with glossy, well-produced music videos. Their agency’s Chinese connections probably help when it comes to funding, … Continue reading
When I heard that NCT 127’s Regular was going to be a hybrid of trap and Latin, I let out an audible groan. Trap is one of the few genres I absolutely detest, and K-pop’s Latin trend already feels overplayed just as it’s getting started. Add to that the fact that SM Entertainment seems eager … Continue reading
Weki Meki have been circling the girl crush concept since their debut last year, nailing the attitude but struggling to find songs that fully harnessed their talent. The group’s work has been declared “messy” by many listeners, but I don’t think that’s inherently a bad thing. As a fan of K-pop’s anything-goes past, I love … Continue reading
Cutesy concepts aren’t for everyone. Personally, I can go either way when it comes to the lighter side of girl group K-pop, but once we get into coochie coo chirp chirp meow meow type aegyo it becomes harder for me to appreciate a song. Fromis_9’s DKDK didn’t quite become that infantile (though it did prominently … Continue reading
Is it just me, or has IU become the female Zico? Or maybe Zico has always just been the male her? I imagine a world (cue dramatic gesturing) where she has harnessed her status as K-pop’s golden child to push the industry into new and exciting territory. What if she had never abandoned the lush, … Continue reading
I would never have predicted it, but low-budget, perma-rookie boy groups are kind of having a moment right now. Without the means to hire trendy, big-name producers, acts like Seven O’Clock and BLANC7 have been relying on a proven sense pop songcraft. None of these comebacks has been idiosyncratic enough to become a 2018 standout, … Continue reading
Lee Hongki’s 2015 solo album was a surprisingly diverse affair. It may have been led by a big, theatrical ballad in the vein of his group’s 2012 hit Severely, but the b-sides offered a range of sounds that dabbled in dance and synthpop. In other words, it was exactly what a solo album should be … Continue reading
Nothing Better may be the main title track from Seven O’Clock’s new mini album, but it turns out that there is something better to be found in the form of Searchlight. I’m not sure if the guys will be actively promoting this song as a sub-title track, but it was smart to give it some … Continue reading
Over a year ago, I ended my review of Seven O’Clock’s debut single Echo with a question: how was this rookie group going to stand out? The answer may lie in their new album’s opening track Take It On, which melds an anthemic vocal riff to chugging guitar for a classic (almost country) pop sound … Continue reading
I can’t remember a time when a group’s music has fallen off my personal bias list as quickly as Snuper’s. The group went from releasing two of my top three singles of 2017 to churning out an album so faceless and unappealing that I choose to pretend it doesn’t exist at all. And now, they’ve … Continue reading
You’ll never see me advocating for K-pop trends. Longtime readers will know that cut-and-paste trendiness (often of the tropical variety) has been one of my biggest criticisms of the industry as a whole. That extends to this burgeoning Latin trend, which may easily sink its teeth into the next few years of K-pop’s future. 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 wanted to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. It’s confounding when the best singles are unleashed upon the world … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 