aespa have done a fair amount of covers in their career, and they haven’t exactly chosen obscure material. There’s a danger in covering beloved classics, which is my cue to encourage you all to listen to the original Regret Of The Times and Seo Taiji & Boys’ entire 90’s discography. It’s amazing how many genres … Continue reading
Along with labelmates ITZY, NMIXX’s album has been preceded by a few pre-releases. First was December’s Soñar (Breaker), a song that has grown on me since its initial release. Then came Run For Roses, one of the group’s most striking songs yet. Pre-releases are a good way to build momentum, but they can also put … 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. I wonder how many ITZY fans … 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. B1A4’s new album blitzes through three … 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. On what must be a limited … Continue reading
With over 4,000 songs on my iPhone’s “K-Pop Singles” playlist, I thought it would be fun to add a bit of unpredictability to my song review posts. So as a result, we have the “Random Shuffle Review” feature. The rules are simple. I fire up my playlist, press “shuffle,” and whatever song plays first gets … Continue reading
BXB recently offered their own take on Turbo’s 90’s classic The Black Cat Nero, a song that was also covered by ATEEZ a few years back. While it’s always nice to hear rookies honor legends of years past, the cover was an odd teaser for BXB’s newest project. Airplane sees the group taking a different … Continue reading
“Who Am I” feels like an appropriate song title for JD1, because I had to do some research to find out who exactly Jeong Dong Won was before pressing play. It turns out he’s an established trot singer and actor tackling a more traditional “idol” image with this single. I find that turnabout pretty interesting, … Continue reading
Limelight leapfrogged up my “Top K-pop Rookies” list last year on the strength of one song. Madeleine emerged last summer as shimmering counterprogramming to many of 2023’s trends. Its bold melodies and propulsive sound only grew more addictive with time, and made me long for a future where Limelight built upon this success with even … Continue reading
The month of January has a reputation for being pretty dry when it comes to K-pop, right? This week has been anything but, and has certainly kept me on my toes when it comes to new releases. Next up is Lee Chanhyuk from AKMU, with his first solo single following his 2022 debut album. 1 … Continue reading
Whether working with Teen Top or on his own, Niel’s voice instantly conjures nostalgia. It’s very recognizable and rich with character. And on new single Parting Path (이별하러 가는 길), it’s quite versatile as well. The song is largely mid-tempo, but with an energy that builds and changes as it reaches its finale. I’m sure I … Continue reading
After 2022’s Vagabond, I found myself paying more attention to Trendz. Their agency smartly paired with producer LEEZ, who painted the group’s music with many sounds I loved in ATEEZ’s early discography. But though their songs were all very solid, none grabbed me with enough force to make Trendz an act I returned to often. … Continue reading
2024 is bounding out of the gate with debuts. ALL(H)OURS is the latest in a string of new groups, each competing for their own sliver of the market. It’s been a mixed bag so far, with Waker being my favorite of the bunch this month. As I often say, the guys of ALL(H)OURS seem to … Continue reading
Following last week’s MATZ, IT’s You is the second ATEEZ unit track from their recent album to be given a music video. In my mind, unit tracks should be used to expand a group’s sound, delivering niche genre experiments that suit whichever members are participating. That didn’t exactly happen on The World Ep.Fin: Will, and … Continue reading
OnlyOneOf’s 2022 “Underground Idol” series gave them great focus, helping to carve out a sonic and thematic place for their music. Since then, their work has become more fractured. The abrasive Seoul Drift grew quite addictive over time, but their BL drama “Bump Up Business” was so cheesy I couldn’t even finish it. It’s probably … Continue reading
Though I didn’t love their debut track, 8TURN’s first comeback Excel proved to be a big grower and eventually took a spot on my “Top 50” year-end countdown. As with most rookies, I feel they have a ton of potential and they’d benefit from further exploring the raucous rock energy they delivered last summer. Sadly, … Continue reading
JYP Entertainment releases so many music videos and performance videos and extended teasers that it’s become difficult to know which songs to write about on this blog! Run For Roses was first performed last year and isn’t the title track for NMIXX’s upcoming album, but it’s a compelling taste of what’s to come. Run For … Continue reading
In my eyes, B1A4 are one of K-pop’s all-time greats, and nothing they do now will change that. However, I’ve struggled to connect with most of their music as a trio. I miss those unique elements that only all five could deliver. And while new single Rewind doesn’t try to rekindle that magic, its throwback … Continue reading
It seems SF9 have settled into a once-a-year-comeback pattern, giving them less chances to hit it out of the park. Last January’s Puzzle had its heart in the right place, but I found the repetitive rhythm of its chorus difficult to fully embrace. Bibora accepts Puzzle‘s baton but ups the tempo and maintains its focus. … Continue reading
ITZY have released so many teasers and pre-releases leading up to their second full length album that you could be forgiven for thinking the project had already been unveiled! I didn’t connect with either of their pre-release tracks, though the confrontational energy of Born To Be fit them well. Fortunately, they saved the best for … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 