As covered in my review of pre-release Rose, Super Junior-D&E’s GGB has been mired in controversy over the implications of its title. As a foreign listener without the cultural context to be offended, it’s easier for me to ignore this and focus on the merits of the song itself, though I don’t understand why the … Continue reading
SM Entertainment is in full swing this week, releasing a new NCT Dream mini album yesterday and a new single from K-pop legend BoA today. New BoA music is always something to celebrate, even if her promotions are usually more subdued these days. The sound of new single Emptiness (정말, 없니?) echoes this approach, harnessing … Continue reading
Newly-debuting girl group Rescene are apparently fans of the two-syllable onomatopoeia song title. After delivering pre-release YoYo late last month, they’re back with their official debut UhUh. Neither of these titles inspire much confidence, but the songs have been stronger than those sound effects suggest. Though UhUh is a mixed bag, its highlights outweigh its … Continue reading
It’s a well-worn K-pop trope for bright, happy-go-lucky boy groups to eventually turn dark, brooding and shouty. However, this transformation usually doesn’t happen within the space of a one comeback! After bursting into listeners’ hearts with the buoyant On And On last November, AMPERS&ONE have already succumbed to mind-numbing shout-chanting on new single Broken Heart. … Continue reading
I don’t know why the name “ME:I” makes me giggle, but it does. It sounds like something you’d come up with from a random K-pop name generator. In fact, ME:I are a J-pop act, formed through the latest season of Produce 101 Japan. But like their predecessors JO1 and INI, they’re essentially a Japanese act … Continue reading
HYBE’s empire continues to grow with the debut of new girl group ILLIT. They’re under subsidiary Belift Lab and formed through the series R U Next?. They’re the first of a few new girl groups emerging this week, and their debut single Magnetic feels perfectly in line with current trends. HYBE (and specifically, NewJeans) have … Continue reading
We’ve long since crossed the threshold of having definable NCT units with their own sound and purpose. Instead, the past five or six years have seen the rise of a standard SM Entertainment style, and when the agency does release a song that embraces a different sound it feels almost revelatory. Unfortunately, the only revelatory … 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. DAY6’s new album may not reinvent … Continue reading
If you read my monthly “Global Pop Round-Up” feature, you’ll know how much I like dance music. It’s rare to find a straight-up club track in K-pop these days, as idol group configurations usually require an arrangement that mixes genres and tempos. The last all-out dance track I can remember was Somi’s Fast Forward — … Continue reading
I wrote a track-by-track review of Ryugujo’s new EP a few days after it was released, and I’ve only gone on to appreciate it more since then. It feels like Ryugujo’s music takes a quantum leap forward every time they release something new. This will be a hard feat to keep up, but it’s been … Continue reading
n.SSign have promised three title tracks from their newest album, and they seem to be spreading them out. Funk Jam arrives over a month after they started promoting Happy & (a song that grew on me a lot, by the way). When I first saw the album’s track list, the combination of the words “funk” … Continue reading
During Lucy’s first two years after debut, they felt like one of the freshest acts in K-pop. Their music overflowed with ideas and hooky melodies that kept me coming back for more. Since then, they’ve settled into a reliable niceness. I’m not sure if it’s them or me, but I haven’t been able to muster … Continue reading
Last time we heard from The New Six, they were kicking it old school with the upbeat Kick It 4 Now. That track leveraged nostalgia to its advantage, melding new jack swing beats to catchy hooks. But this being K-pop, we can’t simply build on a good thing. New single Fuego offers a completely different … Continue reading
Despite their cringeworthy group name and equally cringey debut single, I respect how Young Posse are trying to do something a little different from their peers. When it comes to building credibility in the hip-hop world, last month’s Young Posse Up was a good start. But ultimately, the song was too hookless to appeal to … Continue reading
Super Junior-D&E haven’t even made their comeback yet, but it’s already embroiled in controversy. Title track GGB will not be performed on music shows after its title was deemed derogatory toward women. Honestly. I had to look up what “GGB” means before I realized that the real issue likely stems from the Korean version of … Continue reading
Purple Kiss have had a somewhat disjointed singles run so far, swerving from one sound to another in shifts that can often feel drastic. My most played song (Autopilot) isn’t a title track at all. I’d love to hear that kind of synth-powered melodic showcase promoted with videos and performances. Instead, we have the trendy, … Continue reading
I wouldn’t consider myself the biggest Travis Japan fan overall, but their single Candy Kiss was one of my favorite songs of last year. They excel when given old-school funk beats and an uncomplicated, upbeat sentiment. Someone in the agency must agree, because new single T.G.I. Friday Night feels like a natural extension of that … Continue reading
Apink’s Kim Nam Joo made her solo debut in 2020 but hasn’t released new material since then. Sticking with the monosyllabic b-word pattern of past track Bird, she’s returned with new single Bad. It’s a mix of blazing potential and crushing frustration. When it comes to girl group material this year, there’s been a persistent … Continue reading
The Boyz’ Phantasy series has seen them in top form, rattling through a variety of styles with confidence and flair. The trilogy comes to a conclusion with Love Letter, which feels a bit like an afterthought. Minimal promotion and a truncated track list give it the air of a going-through-the-motions repackage, but thankfully Nectar continues … Continue reading
It’s hard to believe it’s been nearly three years since DAY6 released a new album. The aptly-titled Fourever is their first as a quartet and a welcome return for one of the most dominant idol bands of the last decade. Title track Welcome To The Show offers a suitably dramatic sound to usher in their … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 