Though seemingly benign in its silliness, the phrase “doo doom chit” has big shoes to fill. It recalls memories of the colorful Crayon Pop — a goofy pop act with the songs to back up their gimmickry. K-pop’s girl group trends don’t exactly favor this style at the moment, and could do with a bit … Continue reading
Fantagio Entertainment’s new boy group LUN8 has had an oddly fractured debut roll-out. They emerged late last spring and then followed their title track with a sub-unit release in the fall. New single Super Power marks their first official comeback as a full group, and sounds very little like any of the tracks they’ve released … Continue reading
Since their late-2020 debut, BAE173 have cycled through various boy group tropes — some more successful than others. To me, they’re at their best when revisiting an overwrought, emotional second-gen sound. Tracks like Annoyed and Loved You give them their own niche in the current K-pop landscape, albeit one that’s borrowed from fifteen years ago. … Continue reading
Red Velvet’s Wendy has already established a successful solo career, but it’s existed mostly through ballads that suit her strong vocal power and expression. For new single Wish You Hell, she’s embraced an edgier sound that feels more in line with her group material. As suggested by its title, Wish You Hell slots firmly within … Continue reading
It’s been fun to watch the Highlight members grow into elder statesmen of K-pop, continuing to go strong even as the group has dwindled to four. They’ve managed to keep their fans fed pretty consistently since their rebrand, though it’s been over a year since their last comeback. New single Body sees them return in … Continue reading
Lately, there’s been a plague of member hiatuses and departures for reasons that feel comparatively minor. Tempest’s Hwarang is currently sitting out group activities as penance for… visiting a dance club. Look, there’s a lot I love about K-pop (obviously), but this silly micromanagement of its artists needs to stop. It’s reached a level where … Continue reading
It’s been a long musical hiatus for dance diva Chungha, during which her contract with MNH Entertainment expired and she moved to Jay Park’s label More Vision. Eenie Meenie is the first taste of this new era, and she’s brought along a familiar face to kick things off. Eenie Meenie features ATEEZ’s Hongjoong, instantly raising … Continue reading
It took me some time to come around to xikers’ sound, but their second mini album — and particularly the raucous energy of title track Do Or Die — made me a convert. As with any group debuting in the shadow of an ultra-famous agency senior, they’re at their best when blazing their own musical … Continue reading
ICHILLIN’ impressed with two killer pre-release tracks earlier this year. They seemed poised for a reinvention that favored intricate, engrossing beats and fiery, attitude-driven hooks. Now that their official title track On My Lips has finally been unveiled, all I can ask is… what happened? The answer — as usual — lies with the producers. … Continue reading
Thus far, ZEROBASEONE have found a style that matches them and songs just diverse enough to be both consistent and adventurous. Their Korean title tracks have proven to be big growers on my own playlist, and now it’s time to transpose that onto the Japanese market. Yura Yura is their first original J-pop single. As … Continue reading
The members of iKON continue to stretch their wings, releasing more and more solo releases in varying genres. It’s already been a busy year in this regard, and now lead vocalist Song Yunhyeong is throwing his hat in the ring with the energetic It’s Call (콜이야). Its boisterous trot sound may be surprising at first, … Continue reading
Rather than lean harder into their own sound, LE SSERAFIM’s newest album feels like a bid to become another NewJeans. The problem is, HYBE already has a NewJeans and they’d do much better to diversify the style of the roster. It’s easy to see why a track like Easy was chosen for promotion, and its … Continue reading
There’s been a lot of online discourse lately about the quality of K-pop vocals, and this conversation makes me think back to my favorite second gen groups and the fact that you could easily distinguish each and every members’ voice. To me, vocal character is more important than vocal skill, but Daesung has both. As … Continue reading
Boy group HORI7ON continue to dole out bright, energetic pop music, taking funky cues from early Seventeen with new single Lucky. Though I’ve enjoyed much of their recent material, this group has often been held back by a level of polish that makes their music feel more like an imitator than an innovator. Lucky takes … 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 love highlight medleys, and I … Continue reading
Girl group Rescene will make their debut late next month, but before that they’ve pre-released Yoyo alongside a shortened music video. The song positions them in the space formerly occupied by acts like GWSN and LOONA — a little quirky and ethereal with nuanced production that often shifts tone and rhythm. Those who are missing … Continue reading
Over the past few years, from20 has released a series of synth bangers that firmly established him as one of my favorite artists working in K-pop. With new single Demon, he makes a slight shift into funk pop, retaining his slick sound and catchy hooks. This sound isn’t quite as thrilling to me, mainly because … Continue reading
2024 is still young, but we’ve already seen many new debuts. So far, most of these have been boy groups, and Nomad are here to stake their claim within that arena. Their music takes a more hip-hop/R&B route, backed by notable producers within the genre. Their album boasts songs from big names like Tha Aristocratz … Continue reading
iKON’s Bobby has returned with his third album and a dramatic new hairstyle. He’s also paired with Japanese artist Chanmina, trading blows over the banging Harmless. The song brings him back toward cathartic, confrontational hip-hop. Bobby has always pulled off this style well, and Harmless‘s electronic edge has plenty of potential. Its rugged bass immediately … Continue reading
Before NCT’s “infinite” expansion comes to an end, the project has one more debut to unveil. NCT Wish is their first Japanese unit, though their track Wish has been released simultaneously in Korean. The immediate success of RIIZE has proven a hunger for SM Entertainment boy groups unencumbered from the NCT umbrella, but the brand … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 