K-pop can often be a microcosm of confusion. The newly debuted BE BOYS have nothing to do with the soon-to-premiere survival series B:MY BOYZ, but you’d be forgiven for making the easy mistake. Up until about a week ago, I assumed the two were one and the same. Instead, this rookie group is the first … Continue reading
Prior to Hearts2Hearts’ debut earlier this year, many K-pop fans were hoping they’d be branded as a new generation’s answer to SNSD. This has less to do with the girls themselves than fans’ longing for the high quality pop music and monocultural reach of SM Entertainment’s earlier generations. However, Hearts2Hearts went more niche with the … Continue reading
It’s been awhile since I last wrote about a solo GOT7 song. Many have passed me by without much fanfare and I simply let them fall by the wayside. However, Yugyeom has some decent solo work to his name and any song whose title beckons me to dance is sure to get my attention (at … Continue reading
It’s a day of pre-releases, as Mamamoo’s Moonbyul joins the fray with a teaser of her new album. She had a very strong slate of 2024 releases, including several standouts in a variety of genres. With this as a comparison, ICY BBY is a definite step down and feels much more indebted to current K-pop … Continue reading
Cube Entertainment’s rookie boy group Nowadays has struggled to gain traction in the market, but it seems the agency is finally ready to give them a push. They’ve been rebranded under the moniker “NOWZ” and given a pre-release track composed by and featuring i-dle’s Yuqi leading up to their appearance at this year’s KCON LA. … Continue reading
Dignity debuted last summer with a fun new jack swing track and an even better b-side that recalled the best of late-second-gen group Block B, landing them on two of my year-end countdowns. But like many rookie groups from small agencies, they swiftly disappeared after that. Almost a year later, they’ve finally returned with new … Continue reading
Of all the former Wanna One members, Kang Daniel continues to be the most musically prolific. Free to do his own thing, he reliably releases new albums every year. Unfortunately, most of this music hasn’t hit me with much force, tending to slide in one ear and out the other. New single Episode boasts a … Continue reading
If NewJeans first popularized the subdued style of girl group pop/R&B that currently has a stranglehold on K-pop, ILLIT took that baton and added a chirpy, ‘beep beep boop’ type of chorus that has now become just as ubiquitous. Taken together, these trends have delivered a lethal blow to my own personal taste. To put … Continue reading
Mixed gender groups are notoriously difficult for K-pop. Though many have thrived overseas (especially in Japan), the formula often results in quick disbandment in Korea — at least post-90’s. Here to buck that trend are ALLDAY PROJECT, a new five-member group from Teddy’s Black Label. Digital single Famous introduces them to the world with plenty … Continue reading
The first girl group from PSY’s P Nation is set to make their debut in about a week, but as with so many other K-pop rookies they’ve released a pre-debut taster. Bet You’ll Regret It (지금을 놓치면 분명 너 후회할 거야) showcases a possible sound for the group that takes cues from the poppier side … Continue reading
There are a handful of ultra-popular Japanese artists whose music I’ve just never connected with. Up until Hachikō, Fujii Kaze was one of those artists. I’ve enjoyed a song here and there, but never to the point where I stopped in my tracks to realize how awesome he could be as an artist. Hachikō is … Continue reading
Since their debut in 2023, n.SSign have struggled to forge their own sound, shifting genres and energy with each comeback. For me, they’ve yet to better the stunning ballad Higher, which displayed a vocal ambition we don’t often hear in K-pop these days. New single Itty Bitty introduces a bit of bombastic funk but ultimately … Continue reading
XLOV debuted earlier this year with a concept that boldly challenges gender norms. This is an exciting development for K-pop and has potential to spawn equally exciting music. So far, the presentation has been more interesting than the songs, and that continues with the pleasant but slight 1&Only. Afrobeats has become a huge genre touchstone … Continue reading
I know that most (all?) fans would likely disagree with me, but my most enduring ATEEZ song remains 2019’s Wave. That track is not at all indicative of their overall sound — especially post-2020 — but has such a great build and glide that targets all my pop music pleasure centers. Because of this, a … Continue reading
After a burst of pre-releases last year leading to their first album, ARTMS have been relatively quiet. They released digital single Burn in early April, which also appears on their new Club Icarus. Now, we have that album’s title track to officially kick off promotions. So far, I’ve appreciated ARTMS’s artistic, genre-blending approach but haven’t … Continue reading
This is the month BTS fans have been waiting for, as all seven members will soon have returned from their military-imposed hiatus. New group music will undoubtedly be in the works, but prior to that the guys continue to chug along with solo projects. After a double shot of solo singles in March, J-Hope is … Continue reading
Girl group Primrose have had an interesting history, moving from duo to quartet and switching genres each time they’ve made a return. Last year’s Steal Heart was their most promising venture yet and new title track Cinema continues that winning streak despite an ultra-cheerful aura that could rub some listeners the wrong way. There are … Continue reading
With two members of BAE173 currently participating in other survival series spawned groups, the rest of the members have joined forces with Fantasy Boys (another survival series act) to form project group Double 0ne. In a perfect world, this would “maximize their joint slay,” but despite each group releasing a few tracks I really enjoy, … Continue reading
Though they’re not technically what you’d call a “title track,” I often write about the signal songs of popular survival series. Since the first season or Produce 101 in 2016, these songs have become K-pop’s most reliable burst of high-drama EDM energy. They’ve basically become their own genre now, tied together by the same musical … Continue reading
K-pop has been mired in early-2000s nostalgia for the past few years. In my opinion, the industry has often adopted the most boring musical trends of that era, but occasionally we’ll see a group hijack the iconic production style of Y2K superstar producers Timbaland and The Neptunes. For Seventeen’s newest album, they skipped the middleman … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 