I remember being pleasantly surprised when Kim Jaehwan made his solo debut – not because of the by-the-numbers ballad he promoted but because of the breadth of styles he attempted on the b-sides. Since then, I’ve found him to be a compelling voice performing material that feels too middle-of-the-road and safe. That trend continues with … Continue reading
Late last year, Bobby and the other members of iKON left YG Entertainment to join a new agency. It was a smart move if they want to release new music with any regularity. Ahead of a teased group album this spring, Bobby has returned with his first solo work since 2021’s U Mad. When it … Continue reading
It’s been a week and I’m still recovering from the nursery rhyme assault that was NMIXX’s Young, Dumb, Stupid. Thankfully, it was only a pre-release and new single Love Me Like This will be receiving the bulk of their promotion. At this point, I’m not sure NMIXX’s music will ever be for me, but this … Continue reading
I will always respect an artist who refuses to go quietly into the night. With twenty years of music under their belt and many line-up changes over that time, it would be easy for News to settle into a dull, adult contemporary rut of ballads and coffeehouse fare. But in many ways, they feel more … Continue reading
The era of BTS solos continues with Jimin taking the baton as the next member to make his debut. He’s got a pretty good track record of his own, with 2016’s Lie a particular standout. His first mini album is scheduled for release later this month, but he’s dropped pre-release track Set Me Free Pt.2 to … Continue reading
A good portion of my 2023 has been spent listening to and learning about co-ed J-pop group One Love One Heart. They scored two spots in my top ten J-pop songs of 2022 and have released my favorite album of the year so far, which I wrote about in detail here. If you haven’t yet … Continue reading
It’s no secret what a huge fan of Golden Child I am. Their music regularly features in my top ten picks of the year and I’ve been championing their excellent discography since its debut. So, I’m not sure what it means when I say that Y’s If I Were The Wind (바람이라면) does little for … Continue reading
I’m a Woollim mega-fan, but I’ve been deliberately silent about the agency’s upcoming activity because I’m quite annoyed with the current state of affairs. Whether driven by budget, scheduling or staffing, it feels like Woollim has left us supporters in a lurch. Its artists have essentially gone M.I.A since mid-November and the upcoming enlistment of … Continue reading
I enjoyed Trendz’s last single Vagabond quite a bit, even if it pitched them as a younger iteration of ATEEZ. The guys have begun working with that group’s old producer Leez and it definitely shows in the music! But, Leez is an immensely talented composer so I’m happy his work lives on regardless of which … Continue reading
I’m a bit ashamed to admit I’d never heard of So!YoON! prior to the announcement of this collaboration with BTS’s RM. I don’t follow the Korean indie scene closely, but she seems to have carved out a nice niche both as a soloist and frontwoman of band Se So Neon. From what I can gather, … Continue reading
Prior to his solo debut in 2020, I had imagined this huge Michael Jackson style career for Kai. Big songs, showstopping performances and tons of theatricality. Reality hasn’t played out like that, as he seems more intent on pursuing vibey tracks that lean further into R&B. This is absolutely fine (who am I to tell … Continue reading
I’ve been a little hard on NMIXX’s music thus far, but it pushes a lot of my buttons in a bad way. I appreciate the ambition it takes to meld multiple sounds (and songs!) into one. I just don’t think the execution has been there. The music hasn’t showcased the group’s talent in a way … Continue reading
Though it may not deliver a song as instantly classic as Ubu Love or The Answer, Naniwa Danshi’s new single is probably their most consistent since their 2021 debut. It’s spearheaded by two promoted tracks, with Special Kiss getting most of the attention. I enjoy that song for what it is, but it’s 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. Collapsedone is quickly becoming one of … Continue reading
In what feels like the longest tease ever, TAN first released a short version of Fix You alongside their debut in March of last year. On the one-year anniversary of that debut, the guys have finally followed through and unleashed the full song and music video. The result plays pretty much how you’d expect, complete … Continue reading
Pixy have undergone quite a transformation in my eyes, moving from noisy drop-style music to funky experimentations that offer a fresh voice in K-pop’s girl group landscape. New single Karma feels like a distillation of all these sounds… for better or worse. It has its standout moments, but they’re undercut by a jarring drop that … Continue reading
Twice’s graceful metamorphosis into their current pop sound marks one of K-pop’s most satisfying evolutions. The group has always created great music, but they’ve managed to mature in a way that feels fresh, fun and natural. When it comes to pop groups, the goal is really quite simple: consistently release strong music and promote it … Continue reading
Fresh off a successful group comeback, Kara’s Nicole is back with her own solo single. She’s become the most musically prolific of the group and holds a special place on my bias list because of her solo work with production team Sweetune (check out her 2016 J-pop album Bliss if you haven’t!). Unfortunately, all good … 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. As I mentioned when writing about … Continue reading
Thus far, Yuju’s solo career has played out exactly as I feared it might. Her voice was the anchor to many a great GFriend song, providing a powerful sense of drama worth looking forward to. There’s nothing I love more than a dynamite vocalist tackling a big dance track. But, her ambitions seem to lie … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 