I’m heartened by the fact that only two (!) of my top ten singles of 2022 were released before the month of July. That’s a pretty striking figure, and one I can easily see replicating this year. It’s no secret that I’ve been underwhelmed by the first six months of 2023. It’s not that K-pop … Continue reading
In connection with my desire to fully keep up with the J-pop industry, I’m planning to do a weekly round-up of any new releases that have caught my ear. Some of these may have been covered on the blog already, but my hope is that this will become a one-stop shop for anyone interested in … 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. U-KISS’s fifteenth anniversary album is slavishly … 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 like Sung Kyu’s Small Talk … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I look back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists. I take my own ratings into account, but there’s a bit of wiggle room as certain songs tend to grow or fade. June 2023 Overall Thoughts In the coming days, I’ll be sharing my top picks from the … Continue reading
1. Hard // 2. Juice // 3. 10X // 4. Satellite // 5. Identity // 6. The Feeling // 7. Like It // 8. Sweet Misery // 9. Insomnia // 10. Gravity GRAVITY Ah, the pensive album-closer. K-pop loves a pensive album closer. Here’s the deal: Whenever I see the title of this song, my … Continue reading
1. Hard // 2. Juice // 3. 10X // 4. Satellite // 5. Identity // 6. The Feeling // 7. Like It // 8. Sweet Misery // 9. Insomnia // 10. Gravity INSOMNIA Hard concludes with two slower, moodier tracks. In my mind, Insomnia (불면증) is the stronger of the two. After a suite of … Continue reading
XG are an interesting prospect. Managed by legendary J-pop company Avex, they’re finding much more success outside their home country than within. This seems to be by design, as they perform in English and target many K-pop venues and audiences. I haven’t seen them appear on any of Japan’s numerous music shows, but they’ll be … Continue reading
We have just over a week to go until the release of EXO’s long-awaited seventh full album, and the group has now unveiled two pre-release tracks. Following emotional ballad Let Me In, Hear Me Out picks up the tempo ever so slightly to craft a throwback summertime groove. I’m just… so underwhelmed by these pre-releases. … Continue reading
1. Hard // 2. Juice // 3. 10X // 4. Satellite // 5. Identity // 6. The Feeling // 7. Like It // 8. Sweet Misery // 9. Insomnia // 10. Gravity SWEET MISERY I’ve seen Sweet Misery mentioned as many listeners’ favorite track on the album, and I understand where they’re coming from. It’s … Continue reading
1. Hard // 2. Juice // 3. 10X // 4. Satellite // 5. Identity // 6. The Feeling // 7. Like It // 8. Sweet Misery // 9. Insomnia // 10. Gravity LIKE IT There are a few vibes (or if I’m being more cynical, “templates”) I tend to love when it comes to SHINee. … Continue reading
Every year around this time, a handful of idol groups release summer-themed albums. I look forward to these projects, as their bright, upbeat sounds tend to match my taste. WEi are the latest to embrace the season, unveiling the buoyant Overdrive (질주) to promote their sixth mini album. I should absolutely love this track. It … Continue reading
1. Hard // 2. Juice // 3. 10X // 4. Satellite // 5. Identity // 6. The Feeling // 7. Like It // 8. Sweet Misery // 9. Insomnia // 10. Gravity IDENTITY Five tracks into Hard, and Identity is where the album feels like it finally kicks in. Up until now, we’ve had a … Continue reading
NiziU’s second album is scheduled for release in mid-July, but its lead single has been unveiled early. Coconut is NiziU’s bid for a summer hit and contains many of the elements we associate with the season. I’ve had a hard time embracing NiziU’s music. Apart from the occasional standout, I find it too closely-aligned to … Continue reading
1. Hard // 2. Juice // 3. 10X // 4. Satellite // 5. Identity // 6. The Feeling // 7. Like It // 8. Sweet Misery // 9. Insomnia // 10. Gravity SATELLITE At this point, the album is slowly gaining steam. Similar to 10X, Satellite would have benefitted from a later placement in the … Continue reading
I’m following the reunion of Infinite with the eyes of a hawk. They’re my all-time favorite K-pop group, after all. It doesn’t seem that we’ll be getting any new music for the next few months, but I hold out hope the guys will make their looooong awaited comeback before the year’s end. Until then, leader … Continue reading
I’m writing about a new U-KISS track in the year 2023! I can hardly believe it, but this year is shaping up to be a gauntlet of long-awaited second-gen comebacks. U-KISS have endured many line-up changes, and this current iteration reunites six fan favorites. And rather than lean into current K-pop trends, the guys have … Continue reading
Ahead of a promised full-group comeback, Treasure have unveiled their first sub-unit. T5 is apparently composed of the five members who claimed themselves the most handsome in the group. Hey, at least they’re being honest about their intentions! Whatever the case, Move throws down a great groove that raises expectations for how Treasure’s upcoming “Reboot” … Continue reading
1. Hard // 2. Juice // 3. 10X // 4. Satellite // 5. Identity // 6. The Feeling // 7. Like It // 8. Sweet Misery // 9. Insomnia // 10. Gravity 10X This is quite a shift from the album’s first two tracks. Running order is a real issue on Hard, and 10X would … Continue reading
1. Hard // 2. Juice // 3. 10X // 4. Satellite // 5. Identity // 6. The Feeling // 7. Like It // 8. Sweet Misery // 9. Insomnia // 10. Gravity JUICE Apparently, this is the song SM fought for as the album’s title track. And if we’re purely deciding between Juice and Hard … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 