With the departure of founding member Koichi, Bullet Train’s already unique configuration has become even stranger. The group had previously utilized two vocalists to support their five dancers, but now they’re down to only one. That position is a tall order for the group’s youngest, Takashi, who is now responsible for carrying every note of … Continue reading
Queen of the digital charts Heize has returned with an ambitious comeback, releasing two music videos (with a third on the way) for her newest mini album. Honestly, the prospect of reviewing the entire trio is more than daunting. I like Heize’s music just fine, but it hardly fits within my wheelhouse. They always say … Continue reading
I’ll admit that it’s completely unfair, but whenever we get a solo project from the rapper of an idol group, I instantly compare it to G-Dragon. In many ways, GD invented this particular role, and popularized it internationally by way of his immense charisma and genre-blurring execution. Perhaps BTOB’s Jung Ilhoon has noted this as … Continue reading
Thus far, Mamamoo have found success relying on roughly the same formula. Their title tracks fuse a kind of old-school, “let’s put on a show” energy with hooks that draw upon their formidable vocals. But as with any group, the time has come to try something new. Starry Night (별이 빛나는 밤) forgoes their big … Continue reading
Lately, it seems like we’re getting a lot of pre-releases and sort-of-but-not-really comebacks masquerading as “fan songs.” Pop duo MXM are the latest to follow this path, making a quick turnaround from their January comeback Diamond Girl before a promised full-length release later in the year. I happened to love the funk-laced makeover of their … Continue reading
Most of the time, a k-pop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-side tracks 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. I’ve gone back and forth in my opinion about SF9’s … Continue reading
More and more, it seems as though a simple k-pop comeback is not enough. Instead, groups are beginning to herald entire eras with pre-releases and short films that tease an extended release schedule. Such is the case with Wanna One, whose I.P.U (unfortunate acronym and all) acts as the kick-off “theme” to their upcoming comeback. … Continue reading
There are two ways to approach NCT Dream’s Go, and each will color your perception of the song in vastly different ways. Up until now, Dream has acted as the pop-oriented unit of NCT, and the delivery method for the music most closely aligned with my personal taste. Their 2017 My First And Last remains … Continue reading
When Super Junior made their long-awaited comeback late last year, member Sungmin did not participate. You may assume this was due to some terrible crime or clash of personalities, but this self-imposed exile really came down to one factor — and it’s one of the stupidest “controversies” in recent k-pop memory. The guy got married … Continue reading
Rightly or wrongly, I’ve always regarded mixtapes as stream-of-conscious endeavors, dedicated to offering a glimpse at an artist’s persona rather than delivering what we might think of as a traditional hit. Even if an individual song is given a music video, it still doesn’t necessarily feel like a “real” single. But if anyone is going … Continue reading
Cosmic Girls are at their best when they highlight the “cosmic” part of their name. Last summer’s Happy was a fun, peppy diversion, but tried to emulate too many other girl groups and came off as overly derivative. 2016’s Secret established the perfect signature sound for the group, and became one of that year’s biggest … Continue reading
Prior to their debut, N.Tic gained more notoriety from member Jion’s ultra anime style face than the prospect of any music they may be releasing. I suppose everybody needs a gimmick — and judging from the group’s low budget music video, any press will be good press for N.Tic. It’s surprising, then, that their debut … Continue reading
Since their debut in 2016, SF9 have flirted with a variety of genres and sounds. With October’s O Sole Mio they seemed poised for a breakout, exploring the kind of Latin influences that had been conquering the global music scene for months. Because of this, it’s surprising to hear that they’ve pulled a one eighty … Continue reading
Some matches are made in heaven, and Infinite‘s Kim Sungkyu + Nell’s Kim Jongwan is one of them. Not only did Jongwan compose all of Sungkyu’s 2015 mini album 27, but he’s often been lauded by the man himself as the performer that inspired him to become a musician. Now, the duo have returned after … Continue reading
As we continue to build towards the unveiling of NCT‘s first full-length album, Baby Don’t Stop is the second volley in a series of pre-releases by sub-units of the group. Last week’s Boss set the bar pretty high, but to be honest I didn’t expect much from Stop. Taeyong and Ten are two of NCT’s most … Continue reading
Twice have enjoyed a meteoric rise in Japan, quickly reigniting the female side of the hallyu wave. I only wish that this success was accompanied by music that felt as fresh as most of their Korean output. So far, singles One More Time and Candy Pop have largely adhered to the tropes one might expect … Continue reading
In the (almost) three years since their debut, CLC have cycled through just about every girl group concept you can imagine. Yet, none of these changes in style has led to lasting commercial success. And quite frankly, none has resonated all that strongly with me either. With new single Black Dress, the girls are moving … Continue reading
Less than a year into their debut, girl group Weki Meki have quickly become lodged in a frustrating dilemma: their album tracks are consistently superior to the songs they’re given to promote. This pattern began with August’s noisy I Don’t Like Your Girlfriend, which came across as nearly atonal compared to the five tracks that … Continue reading
Just over two weeks ago, BoA pre-released single Nega Dola. I was a bit hesitant with the song, but it’s since grown on me quite a bit. That’s one of the frustrating things about end-of-the-month releases. I never really get to reflect their growth in my “top 3 k-pop songs of the month” round-ups. One … Continue reading
Like a handful of mid-tier groups from their era, Boyfriend have established a more lucrative career in Japan than their native Korea. That’s a shame, because they have one of the strongest (Sweetune-produced) runs of title tracks that k-pop has ever given us. I’d love to see them make a resurgence in their homeland now … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 