Korea’s mandatory military conscription seems like it’s hitting K-pop especially hard at the moment, with soloist WOODZ the latest to announce an impending hiatus. Before he fulfils his service, he’s gifted fans with a pair of new songs. It’s easy to think of this work as an extension of his excellent album OO-LI, fully embracing … Continue reading
ITZY’s upcoming album promises a tsunami of music videos, which means you’ll be reading a lot about their music here. First up is the titular track Born To Be, which introduces a new era for the group. This is ITZY at their most powerful, unveiling a combative dance routine over a song that ticks off … Continue reading
It feels weird writing a standard “song review” post on the same day as posting my top K-pop songs of the year. Kind of a comedown, honestly! That’s not a dig at Jessica or Amber, who have each been part of my favorite K-pop tracks of all time. It’s kind of interesting seeing a collaboration … Continue reading
What do we have here? A K-pop dance track with a consistent pulse? A rugged electro beat that doesn’t slow or stop even for the pre-chorus?? These shouldn’t be rare features to find in a song, yet Narsha’s Game feels like a time capsule unearthed from a different era. This shouldn’t be surprising coming from … 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. When ATEEZ move away from their … Continue reading
When a group has a handful of 10-out-of-10 Legendary Songs in their discography, it can be hard to temper expectations for new music. I probably hold Kis-My-Ft2 to a higher standard than many other groups because their 2016-18 era is among my favorite discographies in all of J-pop. They’re unlikely to replicate that again, making … Continue reading
Over the years, NCT U has acted as a rotational unit to showcase different configurations of members across a variety of genres. This time, it brings together four Chinese members: Renjun, Chenle, Xiaojun, and Kun. Divided equally between WayV and NCT Dream, Marine Turtle offers a nice chance for the guys to show off their … Continue reading
Earlier this year, I was impressed by a Japanese b-side from CRAVITY, but the group hadn’t yet released an original J-pop single. That changes with Dilly Dally, though it feels more like a Korean comeback that just happens to be performed in Japanese. Dilly Dally‘s pop/rock sheen builds naturally upon September’s Ready Or Not, and … Continue reading
STAYC’s had a pretty strong year, though their music has shifted toward poppier sounds. For those unsure about this transformation, new Japanese single Lit references an energy more akin to their debut year. It’s subdued and quirky, eschewing the bright tones of tracks like Teddy Bear and Bubble. The group pull off this sound well … Continue reading
With new single Boogie Man, Lucy proudly continue K-pop’s tradition of releasing songs with a great Halloween theme long after the holiday has passed. There’s nothing like a little spookiness alongside your winter lights, right? But regardless of Boogie Man‘s musical tone, it’s nice to hear the group stretch themselves and tackle something with more … Continue reading
NMIXX will be one of the first acts to make a 2024 comeback, but before that they’ve unveiled pre-release Soñar (Breaker). So far, 2023 has seen them move away from the intense “mixx pop” that characterized their debut (and polarized opinion). It’s been nice to hear their vocals more clearly, with July’s Roller Coaster a … Continue reading
TVXQ performed Down on this year’s MAMA Awards as the first taste of their upcoming album. It’s hard to believe it’s been five years since their last Korean comeback. I’m hopeful their new music will be an extension of their excellent catalog, but lately SM Entertainment has struggled to deliver the goods when it comes … Continue reading
The other day, I looked back at my top ten K-pop songs of 2019 and realized how much of a slide most of these artists have taken since then. This is subjective, of course. As my interest has waned, they’ve all went on to have tremendous commercial success. I get that I’m probably in the … Continue reading
I just can’t with these “virtual” groups. I’m already irritated by how industry titans like HYBE use effects to strip away all character from their artists’ voices, slowing turning K-pop idols into pretty, performing robots. But crafting an entire group from CGI is another level entirely. With so many acts already vying for attention, I … Continue reading
DKB are at a transitional moment, recently losing member Teo after a drunk driving incident. No one could blame them for being upset, and the aggressive energy of What The Hell seems to channel that feeling. Most of this song is boy-group-by-the-numbers, unveiling a mixture of crooning and bad boy rapping over a rugged beat. … Continue reading
Prior to today’s debut, new boy group One Pact have dropped several pre-release songs. Unfortunately, none of this music has appealed to me (though I did enjoy member Jay Chang’s solo songs last month). After this series of more bombastic, performance-oriented tracks, the guys have pulled way back for Must Be Nice (좋겠다). I’m surprised … Continue reading
I don’t often write “buried treasure” posts for Japanese b-sides, but I almost made an exception for &TEAM’s Dropkick. As fate would have it, HYBE decided to release the song with its own music video and send the guys to promote it on music shows. That’s one hundred percent the correct choice, since Dropkick laps … Continue reading
Upon the release of his first full album, fans are reeling at the revelation that Nam Woohyun was secretly battling a rare form of cancer earlier this year. Beyond the sheer ache we all feel for his struggle, I can’t help but admire his bravery in the face of a life-altering diagnosis. It’s impossible not … Continue reading
This year’s been light on original K-pop holiday carols so far, but I guess we’re just now knocking on December’s door. Rookies ATBO have made an early-career bid for winter ubiquity, releasing a single album themed to the season. Must Have Love checks off all the Christmassy tropes, bounding along a sleighbell-assisted beat. At its … Continue reading
Seventeen members have made smart use of mixtapes to tiptoe into solo work without all the fuss of full comeback promotions. I’m not sure how a single song can constitute a “mixtape,” but music is music whatever you call it and I’m happy to see Dino stretching his wings with more solo material. As one … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 