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
I thought about waiting to write a review for One Pact’s FXX OFF (꺼져) until the music video was released, but the situation surrounding it is just too ironic not to explore. The group’s comeback is today and — like many K-pop acts — they’ve gone for a daring, badass sound with a faux-controversial title … Continue reading
Brave Entertainment’s in-house groups continue to baffle me. Brave Brothers is one of the best producers in the business, capable of churning out epic dancefloor fillers and supercharged pop classics. Yet, he rarely gives his strongest material to his own groups and promotion continues to be a struggle. I doubt many people even realize rookie … Continue reading
I was concerned when GHOST9’s new digital single didn’t include any music video teasers, making it feel more like one of those throwaway “for the fans” releases than a full comeback. Now, Awesome Day (째깍째깍) arrives with a low budget “lyric video” — never the most encouraging sign for a group’s future. The song itself … Continue reading
When the members of Kara embarked on solo careers, Nicole most reliably stuck with producers Sweetune. This instantly gave me a soft spot for her music. If you’re a fan of that production team, she’s got a few Sweetune bangers on her 2016 Japanese album Bliss. But times change and new management has brought new … Continue reading
Han Seungwoo has been active as a soloist for years now, but I have a hard time recalling any of his music. He’s a polished performer with a great voice. He just needs songs that cater to those skills while leaving behind a hook or melody that resonates beyond the comeback’s short promotional period. Unfortunately, … Continue reading
NCT Dream’s new Japanese single Moonlight has been kicking around for a few weeks now. In fact, I first wrote about it as part of my weekly J-pop series. At that point, we were unsure whether it would receive a music video or not, but I’m glad the track has gotten the promotion it deserves. … Continue reading
Leading up to the release of their second mini album later this month, TWS are the latest group to drop a promoted pre-release single. Generally, these have been stronger than the actual title track, with TWS’s own Plot Twist being the obvious exception. That song has gone on to become a mammoth hit on both … Continue reading
Just a few weeks after the release of their first full album, Xdinary Heroes are already back with a special digital single. Their recent output left a good impression on me, so the unexpected drop of Boy Comics (소년만화) is certainly welcome. Some of my favorite moments on the group’s album were when the music … Continue reading
Sometimes I can be remarkably bad at predicting which songs are going to grow into huge viral hits. When AKMU’s Love Lee was released last year, I found it both dull and cloying — a hard balance to pull off! But thanks to numerous TikTok dances, the song quickly became ubiquitous. I still find it … Continue reading
New girl group BADVILLAIN has pluses and minuses going for them. On the plus side, the group includes the little sister of Choi Bomin from Golden Child (a Bias List favorite, as if you didn’t know!). But they’re also called “BADVILLAIN” and that’s a really dumb name. I guess it’s meant to sound imposing, but … Continue reading
WayV returned last year with a solid album and an interesting title track. Now that summer fast approaches, their newest comeback promises something brighter and groovier. Given that one of my favorite WayV b-sides is 2020’s buoyant Electric Hearts, this is definitely welcome news. And with the NCT universe not as dominant as it used … Continue reading
It’s been a “will they or won’t they” situation with Kep1er over the past few weeks. After all, acts spawned from MNET competition shows usually come with an expiration date. However, the group has bucked tradition and extended their contract — minus members Mashiro and Yeseo. Shooting Star heralds the release of their first full … Continue reading
In between comebacks, A.C.E have often released special singles of various genres. Most of these songs feel more like appetizers than full courses, allowing the group to dabble in different music markets with English-language performances. Supernatural arrives in an English and Korean version. I’ll be linking the Korean version because whenever given the chance that’s … Continue reading
On the heels of fellow EXO members D.O. and Chen, Suho has just released his newest solo album. This was preceded by Cheese, featuring fellow SM artist Wendy. That track, and new single 1 to 3 (점선면), borrow heavily from 70’s rock influences. While Cheese‘s influences felt more interesting that the song itself, 1 to … Continue reading
ARTMS have spent the past two months unveiling track after track from their debut album. To fully enjoy these pre-releases, it’s often felt like a doctorate in post-LOONA lore has been necessary. Most relied more on worldbuilding than nuts-and-bolts, satisfying song construction. But with Virtual Angel, ARTMS may finally have opened their world to the … Continue reading
There are a number of K-pop groups from the class of 2018-19 that I’ve fallen out with musically. ATEEZ and Stray kids immediately come to mind, with ITZY and TXT also losing some luster from their peak. Taking a look at my year-end countdown from 2019 depicts an alternate universe where these groups’ music ruled … Continue reading
Though I should know better by now, I’m still surprised at how well BABYMONSTER’s Sheesh has done on the charts — especially given its lukewarm-to-awful reception in many critical circles. This is a good reminder of the sway YG Entertainment still holds over fans, along with the broader fact that disgruntled internet chatter is rarely … Continue reading
As a casual observer, it can be difficult to remember where all the LOONA members ended up after the group’s dissolution. Some became Loossemble while others formed ARTMS. Yves joined neither, though she did have a hand in song composition for Loossemble. Instead, she’s embarked on her own with a new label and new sound. … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 