Girl group HITGS (that’s “Hip, Innocent, Teenager, Girls, Story” for those in the know!) debuted with a kitschy sound that matched their very young ages but have slowly blossomed into a more mature style. Even if this hasn’t yet resulted in memorable music, it points toward potential that could be exciting in the future. Little … Continue reading
After a string of knockout synth pop singles, from20 has reinvented himself as a hyper-sexualized cartoon character. Last year’s Eye Candy and Social established this persona and new single Big Boy takes it even further. These songs remind me of a certain style of early-2000s pop/hip-hop — deliberately silly but also attempting a sort of … Continue reading
It’s been one step forward, two steps back with ATEEZ lately. After a promising 2025, a pair of early-2026 tracks succumbed to some of the group’s most frustrating instincts. That slump continues with new title track Bad, which lives up to its name. I mean, this review almost writes itself, right? Replace the “she’s” in … Continue reading
AtHeart debuted last summer and have been steadily promoting since. Every song they’ve released so far has been rated in the 7s on this blog, which pretty much sums up my feelings about their music. It’s inoffensive but unmemorable, slotting them within a swath of fifth-gen girl groups without much sonic identity of their own. … Continue reading
FNC Entertainment has this way of tossing out a bunch of acts and waiting for them to stumble into some kind of hit. The promotion rarely feels all that intentional, especially with their bands. AxMxP made a strong debut with a full album, but follow-ups have been less thought out. New single 24 Hours (편의점 … Continue reading
Since debuting early this year, the JYP-adjacent dodree has gained interest due to their blend of historical and modern sounds. This leveraging of traditional elements isn’t new to K-pop, but it’s been awhile since we’ve seen a group push so hard into this realm. New single HAWWAH (夏渦) is about what you’d expect from dodree’s … Continue reading
Girl group Primrose haven’t made many waves since debuting, but they’ve got a few solid songs under their belt. Last summer’s Cinema became a staple on my playlist, offering the kind of bright, uplifting pop sound that’s well-suited to the season. New single Cosmic takes the opposite approach, opting for a muted 90s R&B sound. … Continue reading
Initially, I was pretty nonplussed about NEXZ’s output. But after the double volley of Beat-Boxer and Mmchk, they’ve rocketed up the ranks to become one of my most anticipated acts. They’ve promoted consistently in both Korea and Japan over the past two years and now they’re back with a new Japanese single. Hellmate‘s oddly dark … Continue reading
Stray Kids have a tour and a new album coming up, and to promote both they’ve released a special single that serves as an anthem for this era. Run It arrives with little promo other than an excellent teaser video that made me think it might be the best Stray Kids track since Miroh. That’s … Continue reading
Two weeks after the release of their first full album, BOYNEXTDOOR are back with a surprise follow-up track. Though I enjoyed title track Viral quite a bit, most of the album is on the slower, sleepier side. Adios! was the only b-side that stuck out to me, so I’m glad it’s the one getting a … Continue reading
Kim Jaejoong’s iNKODE label has set itself the ambitious task of debuting two boy groups this year. The already-promoting KEYVITUP are meant to be the hip-hop group while VAYONN are tackling pop. My taste tends to lean in a very pop direction, so I’m curious to see what VAYONN have to offer. Their album is … Continue reading
CLASSy have removed the colon from their group name as a subtle rebranding, and to be honest that’s probably needed. They haven’t released new material since 2024 and even before that struggled to generate memorable output. I wrote reviews for every one of their singles and couldn’t hum any of them back to you today. … Continue reading
If you hang around K-pop fandom long enough, you’ll know that some truths are absolute. For example, when an agency announces that a boy group is showcasing a “new” sound or image, it almost always means they’re doing some form of dark and/or braggadocious hip-hop. It almost never means they’re doubling down on melody or … Continue reading
It’s unusual for a member of a popular K-pop group to cut ties before contracts are up, especially if they stick with the agency to promote as a soloist. From all accounts, Heeseung’s departure from ENHYPEN could be chalked up to creative differences. He wanted to release the music he was into. This begs the … Continue reading
As Hearts2Hearts’ career has blossomed, their music has taken a lighter turn. It seems that the understated moodiness of The Chase was a red herring and the girls have found much more success with buoyant fare like this winter’s RUDE. It’s no surprise, then, that new summer single Lemon Tang is their must bubbly, upbeat … Continue reading
Song covers can be tricky. Do too little to change the original and the whole exercise might feel pointless. Do too much and it’s bound to polarize opinion. TRF’s 90s hit Boy Meets Girl has already been covered dozens of times, partly because it’s an Avex standard alongside other oft-covered classics like Get Wild and … 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. Though you wouldn’t guess it from … Continue reading
It’s a day of long-awaited reunions in K-pop. Omega X may not have quite the legacy of Secret, but they’ve been out of the picture long enough to make Uncapped feel like a true comeback. This track brings together only seven of the group’s ten original members but successfully replicates their core sound. Uncapped is … Continue reading
Secret are one of those second-gen groups whose output completely pre-dates this blog. Over the years, I’ve reviewed exactly one of their songs through a retrospective feature, and to be honest their discography has never done much for me. Today, two of the group’s members (Hyosung and Jung Hana) have reunited alongside new member Yebin … Continue reading
USPEER debuted seventy-eight years ago and remained one of K-pop’s most confounding one-hit wonders. Okay… that might be a slight exaggeration. They actually debuted one year ago before dropping off the face of the earth as WM Entertainment underwent a major re-shuffling. The group now finds themselves under MW Entertainment (ran by former WM CEO … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 