As Snuper’s Korean success begins to stall, it seems as though they’re being shipped out to every territory imaginable to help garner an international following. This has proven especially fruitful in Japan, where they’ve enjoyed surprising popularity by embracing J-pop’s more idiosyncratic sounds. Summer Magic (夏のMagic) is their third original single for the Japanese market, … Continue reading
Even though a large portion of SM Entertainment’s Station releases tend to be unadventurous ballads, I’ve missed the weekly infusion of new music since season two of the project wrapped in April. For the kickoff of Station’s third season (called Station X O), SM has brought out the big guns. Page 0 pairs Taeyeon with … Continue reading
After what’s seemed like endless delays, DIA is finally back with their first album in ten months. And for title track WooWoo, they’ve paired once again with established producer Shinsadong Tiger, who’s already brought Momoland massive 2018 success by returning to a bright, synth-infused dancefloor template. In contrast, WooWoo slows things down with heavy influence … Continue reading
I’ve been real hot and cold with MXM’s releases so far. I love the guys, but only their January Match Up mini album has really appealed to me. Rather than maintain that addictive funk pop sound, the duo seems more intent on a laid-back brand of hip-hop that emphasizes vibe over melody. New single Ya … Continue reading
After a strong start to the year, Cube Entertainment has collapsed in recent weeks with the mishandling of the E’Dawn/HyunA dating “scandal” and BTOB members’ impending military enlistments. It’s bound to be a rough road in the coming months, but new girl group (G)I-DLE remains a bright spot for the agency. Their May debut saw … Continue reading
With over 2,300 songs on my iPhone’s “K-Pop Singles” playlist, I thought it would be fun to add a bit of unpredictability to my song review posts. So as a result, we have the “Random Shuffle Review” feature. The rules are simple. I fire up my playlist, press “shuffle,” and whatever song plays first gets the … 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. For a group that I don’t follow all that closely, I … Continue reading
With over 2,300 songs on my iPhone’s “K-Pop Singles” playlist, I thought it would be fun to add a bit of unpredictability to my song review posts. So as a result, we have the “Random Shuffle Review” feature. The rules are simple. I fire up my playlist, press “shuffle,” and whatever song plays first gets the … Continue reading
Among all J-pop idols, AAA’s Nissy possesses my favorite voice. Incredibly rich and filled with character, it’s the kind of tone that can elevate even the slightest of material. Combine that with an old-fashioned sense of showmanship and you’ve got a performer at the top of his game. New single Relax & Chill may not … 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 was difficult to pick a “buried treasure” from Red Velvet’s … Continue reading
After a few years of immense growth, K-pop hasn’t seen all that many notable debuts so far in 2018. The industry has become more infatuated with limited run project groups and sub-units, many of which are connected to an audition or survival show. New boy group D-Crunch (short for Diamond Crunch, which sounds less perverse … Continue reading
Give me a K or J-pop song with the title “Chaser” and I’ll instantly be triggered. I’ve written at length about how I consider Infinite’s The Chaser to be the best K-pop song of all time. It’s so outstanding that they might as well retire the word “chaser” from the K-pop lexicon entirely. But here … Continue reading
After nearly two years of pre-release build-up, LOONA is finally upon us. Well, almost. favOrite is technically another pre-release, but it’s the first taste of what the entire 12-member group will sound like together. So, with all of the hype the girls have garnered since 2016, did they manage to stick the landing? Yes… and … Continue reading
Rookie group Stray Kids released my favorite debut of the year with March’s District 9. That track positioned them as an exciting new force in K-pop, blending trendy hip-hop with a bombastic rock edge that felt unique and disruptive. It was always going to be a difficult song to follow up, so it makes sense … Continue reading
SM Entertainment’s summer drought finally comes to an end with the release of Red Velvet’s new mini album. The girls conquered the summer of 2017 with their monster hit Red Flavor, giving any new seasonal song a lot to live up to. But rather than return to Flavor producers Caesar & Loui, new single Power … Continue reading
Monsta X have been incredibly prolific since their debut in 2015, returning with new music several times each year. And now that they’ve set their sights on the Japanese market, they’re busier than ever. Livin’ It Up is their third Japanese single in the space of only eight months, and their output is only improving … Continue reading
It’s hard to believe that Hey! Say! JUMP celebrated their tenth anniversary last year. After a decade in the industry, most pop acts begin to fade, moving on to less potent material that often feels like a retread of earlier sounds. But JUMP debuted incredibly young, with its oldest members now only in their late … Continue reading
By their very nature, ballads are difficult to write at length about. The vast majority follow a similar template, with a greater focus on performance and sentiment than novel production touches. But, when a ballad hits, it hits big. This was the case for BTOB’s late-career breakout It’s Okay, which reinvented them as a compelling … Continue reading
iKON made quite a splash when they debuted in late 2015, but 2018 has really been their coming out party. Not only was Love Scenario one of this year’s biggest hits, but its chill hip-hop sound has gone on to inform many boy group releases since. Its chorus was an earworm to end all earworms, … Continue reading
Arashi spent much of 2017 experimenting with their sound. Whether it was the swing-inspired I’ll Be There, the symphonic and trap breakdowns of Mikan, or the eleven-and-a-half minute song suite that marked the climax of their sixteenth studio album, Japan’s biggest male group proved that their sense of adventure was not going to slow down … Continue reading
