Kwon Eunbi remains a bright spot in Woollim Entertainment’s dwindling roster, capturing attention with her upbeat sound and overall star power. It isn’t easy to launch a soloist in the idol industry, but she’s managed to develop a consistent discography highlighted by club bangers like last year’s The Flash. New single Sabotage delivers her biggest … Continue reading
Though just a year and a half old, Primrose have already gone from a duo to a solo to a four-piece group. Freyja is their second comeback as a quartet, including members from disbanded groups Hot Issue and BugAboo. It’s a striking title for a song, referencing Norse mythology. But the music of K-pop has … Continue reading
The title “Badder Love” is grating on every grammar nerve I have. “Worse Love” would have sounded equally awkward, but there’s something about that “badder” that just slaps me across the face. However, this is the group who’s already promoted with “Trouble” and “Ugly,” so I guess we’ve been warned. Whatever the case, Badder (ugh) … Continue reading
In between being part of the biggest K-pop group on the planet, the members of Seventeen have found time to slowly but steadily develop side careers as soloists and sub-units. Unit tracks are usually divided between their Dance, Vocal and Hip-Hop teams, but albums have occasionally featured duo recordings as well. This is the first … Continue reading
woo!ah! have removed the exclamation points from their name and opted for an ultra-trendy ALL CAPS stylization for promotions going forward. Along with this nomenclatural reinvention comes a new sound. April’s Blush saw them attempting a subdued NewJeans/ILLIT sound to middling effect, but Pom Pom Pom flips things 180 degrees with punk rock attitude and … Continue reading
RIIZE are part of a vanguard of fresh fifth-gen acts that are making this year’s K-pop quite exciting. Pre-release Impossible remains a certified mega-banger, while Love 119 just may be 2024’s biggest grower. So far, they’ve managed to keep the quality remarkably high despite traversing various genres. New title track Boom Boom Bass marks the … Continue reading
NewJeans are spoiling fans with back to back releases of double A-side singles. Last month gave us Bubble Gum and How Sweet, while June promises Right Now and Supernatural. And if you’re one of the many NewJeans faithful, you’ll be happy the group has stuck with their trademark, lighter-than-air sound. On the plus side, songs … Continue reading
K-Pop debuts can be tricky things. At times, they’re the best song a group delivers. Sometimes, they’re the only song a group delivers! But, debuts can also be huge wtf moments in an artist’s career. In this feature, I’ll be looking back at debut songs through the prism of time, re-evaluating how well they hold … Continue reading
Twice’s Nayeon made her solo debut in June of 2022 with the splashy, addictive Pop. Now, almost two years later to the day, she’s picked up where she left off with the even splashier ABCD. There may still be room to grow, but in this era of flattened, fluttery earworms it’s refreshing to hear something … Continue reading
BOL4 transitioned to a solo act four years ago, but new single Lips recalls their days as a duo by enlisting aespa’s Giselle as guest rapper. This is a smart feature, as aespa are currently red hot on the charts and BOL4 could use a burst of rekindled public attention. To be honest, there’s only … Continue reading
For a time between 2017 and 2021, Sunmi delivered at least one mega-banger a year, cementing herself as one of K-pop’s most consistent soloists. The past two years have been less compelling, with 2022’s Heart Burn and 2023’s Stranger feeling like lesser versions of superior Sunmi tracks. New single Balloon In Love marks a sonic … Continue reading
It’s been a rough couple of weeks for fans of underrated girl groups. We’ve seen the departure of members and even the disbandment of long-standing acts. The latest to suffer this fate is Fantagio Entertainment’s Weki Meki. The girls debuted in 2017 but have essentially been inactive for the last two years. Now, instead of … Continue reading
Earlier this year, Trendz’s Go Up single-handedly vaulted them to a new level in my mind. It’s one of my favorite songs of 2024 and offered a new glimpse of the musical heights this rookie group could scale. However, most of Go Up‘s success can be attributed to producer/composer Brave Brothers. Grade “A” Brave Sound … Continue reading
When CSR made their debut in the summer of 2022, I hoped they might inherit GFriend’s “powerful innocence” concept, releasing upbeat, melodic showcases that defied many current girl group trends. That first mini album is still their best. But as comebacks have become more infrequent, their sound has also started to shift. New single Pretty … Continue reading
Surprise drops don’t really exist in K-pop, but Super Junior’s Show Time is as close as we get. Teased only days ago, the digital single arrives without much build-up. It’s their first group comeback since 2022, though the individual members and sub-units have been active more recently. Show Time feels tailor-made for live performances. Its … Continue reading
So, K-pop industry… how do you expect me to take a song called “Poongdung” seriously? There’s onomatopoeia and then there’s just silly sound effects. I guess “풍덩” is more of an established sound in Korea and doesn’t translate well internationally. Fortunately, the song’s summery sound works across all markets. We’ve heard many iterations of this … Continue reading
Through no fault of their own, Everglow have had a tricky time maintaining a stable fanbase do to infrequent comebacks and wild shifts in sound. Last year’s Slay marked a welcome return, though the song itself felt weighed down by dated tropes. Now, the girls have taken a darker approach with the oddly inert Zombie. … Continue reading
About a month ago, we got word of an Infinite comeback. It was vague, but that combination of words will always get my heart racing. As the weeks went on, it became clear that this release would be a “song for the fans” anniversary single and not a full, promoted title track. I can’t say … Continue reading
XY were one of 2023’s most exciting new prospects. Formed through Yoshiki Superstar Project X, they’re a hybrid rock band/dance-vocal troupe that can perform as one big group but also split into specialized units. Living legend Yoshiki provides an idiosyncratic touch as mentor and producer, but releasing new music in a timely matter isn’t one … Continue reading
A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. 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. CRAVITY released a new Japanese single … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 