If you don’t count G-Dragon’s 2024 collaboration with bandmates Taeyang and Daesung, I haven’t written about a new Bigbang track since 2022. This makes BiiiG a pretty big deal, but also a bittersweet one. The band has now been cleaved down to three members, making this feel more like a sub-unit than a long-sought reunion. … Continue reading
While it goes without saying that we all miss the full 9-member ZEROBASEONE, I actually think they work insanely well as a five piece. Much of this is down to intention. It feels like — to a certain extent — they’ve gone from a (very good) MNET survival group to a longterm K-pop act with … Continue reading
Red Velvet’s Surfin’ Boy seemed to polarize opinion, but in a strange twist of fate we’ve got a song that actually sounds more like a classic Red Velvet “velvet” track in the form of Jun. K’s new single featuring Wendy. This digital single doesn’t reinvent any wheels, but its smooth, groovy R&B sound is very … Continue reading
BOYNEXTDOOR have several distinct modes to their songwriting, and they’ve found the most success with a hyperactive indie-pop sound best characterized by last year’s blockbuster If I Say, I Love You. A few months ago, they were ddok ddok ddoking in their homeland and now they’re Boom Boom Booming in Japan. However, this single might … Continue reading
I write this review en route from KCON LA, where TXT headlined day three of the festival (more on that later). In a fun twist of fate, it was also the day their most recent Japanese single was released. Setsuna Hanabi (セツナハナビ) follows a very strong Japanese album last year and largely carries the pace … 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. Sometimes it amazes me which song … Continue reading
Sometimes I debate whether I should be covering Katseye at all on this blog. Despite emerging from HYBE, they’re not really “K-pop” in any sense and I haven’t enjoyed their music enough to ever feature it on a “global round-up” post. Yet, you can’t deny the influence they’ve had on a certain type of K-pop, … Continue reading
In the midst of a series of high-profile American promotions, TXT’s Yeonjun has released a follow-up music video for the track Fxxking Star from his newest album. It always cracks me up when artists use an “x” to self-censor a cuss word because it pretty much confirms they’re using the language as aesthetic branding with … Continue reading
Do you ever wonder how a song would sound if it was half asleep? Are you hoping for something so boring that it will actually put you to sleep? Well, idntt has just the song for you with their new “track video” Deep Dream. The hints are right there in the title. You will be … Continue reading
FNC band AxMxP debuted last year with a rock-meets-hip-hop sound. While this isn’t a new approach in K-pop, it gave the guys a bit of distinction within an agency stuffed with similar bands. Since then, their sound has softened a great deal and that continues on new single 10 Reasons To Date Me (나를 만나야 … Continue reading
Rookie SM girl group Hearts2Hearts are throwing their hat in the J-pop ring with their first original Japanese single. Iconic Heart arrives on the heels of a very successful 2026 in Korea. The group’s bright pop sound seems tailor-made for Japanese tastes, but Iconic Heart lacks the effusive hooks of their best work. Right off … Continue reading
The members of Astro have churned out solo material pretty regularly despite the group being inactive. Rocky’s work has been a mixed bag so far and I often find myself appreciating b-sides more than the title tracks. Judging by the highlight medley of his newest album, I predict this disparity will continue. Fake It opts … Continue reading
I haven’t written a review for a Jeung Eunji song in six years, which is kind of crazy when you think about all that’s happened since then. She hasn’t released much music in the 2020s, but the summer theme of her new mini album caught my eye. I’m hanging on to the last remnants of … Continue reading
Every so often, SM Entertainment releases “track” videos for songs that aren’t the main focus of a promotional campaign but serve to build hype. Often, these videos spotlight only a portion of a song, but sometimes they encompass the entire thing. NCT 127 are gearing up for their tenth anniversary comeback. They’re down to five … Continue reading
When last we heard from WayV, they marked the winter season with a 90s hip-hop track. Hip-hop has become a bigger part of their ouevre in general, taking a more streamlined approach than the hulking vocal drama and theatrical arrangements of years past. New single Vision Wings (鸢) continues this overall trend but adds traditional … Continue reading
KiiiKiii blew up big time this January with their hit 404 (New Era), quickly establishing their place at the forefront of this generation’s girl groups. They’ve also become one of the architypes of K-pop’s current dance trend, blending hyperpop with early-2010s EDM. Personally, the first word that comes to mind when I think of them … Continue reading
HYBE is preparing to dominate the conversation once more with the upcoming debut of TUIDE, the first group under their newly established ABD label meant to cater exclusively to girl groups. The optimist in me continues to hope that a new group means a new sound and concept, but judging by pre-release track GRLS the … Continue reading
Just like NewJeans’ soft, lightly experimental sound went on to influence years of girl group releases in their wake, I fear we’re about to see the same with Cortis’s success. Hopefully, this will be more REDRED than Acai, but either way I’m worried this means even less melody/theatricality/singing and shorter songs for K-pop in the … Continue reading
ARTMS pre-released their track Born Stunner a couple weeks ago and it would be an understatement to say I disliked that song. Every once and awhile, some poor release bears not only the brunt of its own shortcomings but the brunt of being the latest in a long line of similar songs with similar shortcomings. … Continue reading
Stray Kids announced their latest mini album well in advance, first teasing it with the release of its opening track Run It back in June. That song offered an interesting branch away from the core Stray Kids sound, attempting a more World Cup, anthemic energy. I thought this might mean they would take a big … Continue reading
