There was a time when a collaboration between artists like aespa and G-Dragon would have seemed almost unthinkable. SM and YG were the biggest rivals in K-pop, after all. However, G-Dragon’s not part of YG anymore and SM is a shell of what it used to be now that so much more competition floods the … Continue reading
After three years, BOYNEXTDOOR are finally set to release their first full album next month. This usually means extra promotions including a pre-release or follow-up. Without much teasing at all, the group has dropped ddok ddok ddok (똑똑똑) as a taste of what’s to come. Fans will know the significance of this title given the … Continue reading
JYP boy group NEXZ are on the ascendance, and it feels good to write that. Though I enjoyed watching the group form on season two of Nizi Project, it took until last year’s Beat-Boxer for the music to fully win me over. That feeling extended to last month’s excellent title track Mmchk (one of the … Continue reading
Debuting boy group YUHZ come to us from survival series B:MY BOYZ. Like many new series-spawned groups, their contract is slightly longer (five years), which hopefully gives their agency motivation to promote them with longevity in mind. A song like Rush Rush could be considered low-hanging fruit for me. Even at its worst, a bright, … Continue reading
Girl group KIIRAS made a promising comeback last year with Bang Bang, which showcased their vocal talent. They’ve now returned with another two-syllable title in Ta Ta, but this song finds them in different musical territory. We still hear a few moments of vocal drama, but the bulk of the track is built around rhythmic, … Continue reading
After an extended group hiatus, Billlie are returning in a big way with their first full album. They teased us last week with the dancefloor-ready Work, which turned out to be a sonic marker that title track ZAP continues on from. This is a pricklier beast of a song, but still firmly targets the clubs. … Continue reading
I’m back with K-pop’s wonderfully silly acronyms. Debuting boy group NAZE’s name apparently stands for “New Adventure’s Zestyfull Echo,” which sounds delightfully stupid in a way that’s almost impossible to believe is true. They’re managed by C9 Entertainment, who have previously fumbled the ball with groups like CIX, Cignature and Good Day. With that in … Continue reading
The whole Cortis experience didn’t leave a good taste in my mouth last year, but like so many others I’ve become a bit obsessed with new single REDRED. It’s amazing what a great dance beat can do. But more than that, REDRED feels quintessentially new rather than simply a retreat of western rap tropes. This … Continue reading
BABYMONSTER’s new era opens in earnest today, with lead single CHOOM the first volley of continued promotion over the next month or two. Unlike past efforts, this song was barely teased before the full thing dropped, which always makes me a bit nervous. If you’ve got a killer track, you’d usually want people to know … 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. Lucy’s new album is a bit … 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 hate when I look at … 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. XngHan&Xoul’s new mini album feels like … Continue reading
1. All The Possibilities // 2. You, You // 3. Why You So Bad? // 4. Get It Now // 5. Fire Escape // 6. Back To Strangers BACK TO STRANGERS Back To Strangers is the shortest song on the album, but its brevity actually works. I’m not mad at an album ending on a … Continue reading
New Billlie releases have been hard to come by lately, but the group is about to release their first full-length album. Unfortunately, this rollout has been mired in AI controversy. It feels like I see more news about their agency needing to apologize than about the music itself. Perhaps a glossy performance video is just … Continue reading
1. All The Possibilities // 2. You, You // 3. Why You So Bad? // 4. Get It Now // 5. Fire Escape // 6. Back To Strangers FIRE ESCAPE As No Tragedy plays on, I realize that after the first couple of tracks I more-or-less enjoy the rest of the music at about the … Continue reading
1. All The Possibilities // 2. You, You // 3. Why You So Bad? // 4. Get It Now // 5. Fire Escape // 6. Back To Strangers GET IT NOW I expect this to be the most divisive track on the new album because it plays with sounds and textures we haven’t heard from … Continue reading
ILLIT’s music has always been good at capturing the K-pop zeitgeist of the moment, resulting in a very trendy — but often uneven — discography. My favorite ILLIT tracks have gone against the grain to carve out a niche that feels more unique to them. With new single It’s Me, the group has tried on … Continue reading
1. All The Possibilities // 2. You, You // 3. Why You So Bad? // 4. Get It Now // 5. Fire Escape // 6. Back To Strangers WHY YOU SO BAD? Why You So Bad is the third English-language track from TWS, following Unplugged Boy on their debut mini and the awesome anime theme … Continue reading
It’s a day of solo releases from members of some of my favorite girl groups. Unfortunately, these songs usually pale in comparison to work from the members’ respective groups. In the case of Yuju, this is by design. Nothing she’s released on her own has tried to recapture GFriend’s appeal. That’s completely within her rights … Continue reading
Any time I write about a Sistar member releasing new music, it’s only natural to lament the absence of one of K-pop’s strongest girl groups. That’s not fair to the members and I’m sure they’re eager to put past history behind and develop their own artistry, but when you come from a group with as … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 