Halfway through their solo Underground Idol series, OnlyOneOf have reunited as a full group for their first original Japanese single. I imagine Zurui Onna as an interlude. Or, maybe it’s just another excuse for the guys to dance around with their shirts off. Whatever the case, it’s an inauspicious move into a market that should … Continue reading
I did not have “BTOB’s Lee Changsuk making a comeback with a synthwave song” on my 2022 K-pop bingo card! But, I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised. The genre has been a huge inspiration this year, both in K-pop and global music. Eventually it’ll wear itself out the way all trends do, but for … Continue reading
It’s been interesting watching the members of Wanna One settle into their respective comfort zones after the group disbanded in early 2019. As massive a force as they were during the 2017-18 period, many of these solo efforts and spin-off groups have struggled to find notoriety outside their core fan base. In the case of … Continue reading
ONEUS seem to be waffling between aggressive, shout-along title tracks (ie: this spring’s Bring It On) and softer sounds. New single Same Scent catches them in a more reserved state, harnessing a groovy beat and tropical synths that revisit the sound of their 2020 track A Song Written Easily. Given my own bias, the whole … Continue reading
It’s Sunday, which means it’s time to end the week with an open discussion post! To keep things civil, there are a few rules: Be kind and respectful to one another. Any harassing language will be deleted. This is not a place to state what you don’t like about me and/or my blog. Move elsewhere, … Continue reading
K-pop’s title tracks might gain most of listeners’ attention, but many album tracks are worth equal spotlight. I call these “buried treasures.” Beyond this, K-pop’s albums deliver thousands of additional tracks that settle for a more limited audience. It’s these songs that will become a part of my “battle of the b-sides” feature. In this … 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. Key never delivers a bad album. … 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. August 2022 Overall Thoughts Too often this year, my monthly round-ups have been… kind of a … Continue reading
Rather than develop a signature sound, Billlie seem to have developed a signature mantra: “keep things quirky and unpredictable.” From their verbose song titles to their genre-hopping sound, they’re proving to be one of the most interesting girl groups of this era. With such a wide variety of influences, listeners may not connect with every … Continue reading
With the new school year upon us, this is when I go back to work and leave the carefree summer lifestyle behind. So while the summer season may stretch on a few more weeks, I’ve pretty much moved on to autumn (though the sweltering Pacific Northwest weather doesn’t agree with me!). Because of this, it … Continue reading
It’s been about a year since Mamamoo returned as a full group, but the ladies have been keeping busy with solo projects. Now, they’ve debuted their first sub-unit. Mamamoo+ brings together Solar and Moonbyul. This release comes as a bit of a surprise, announced only days ago. Better is an inauspicious debut, opting for laid-back … Continue reading
After nearly a year’s hiatus, Key has returned with a new album. He pre-released the fantastic Another Life next week, which harnessed the synth-powered style that made Bad Love such a triumph. Title track Gasoline opts for a different sound, raiding the SM vaults to craft the kind of maximalist stomper artists like TVXQ used … Continue reading
I’ve had a rough journey with Jinhyuk’s solo music. I try not to be overly negative, but so far very little of it has been to my personal taste. And, the title of his new song “Crack” doesn’t engender a sense of optimism. Might this finally be the Jinhyuk song that wins me over? Or, … Continue reading
When it comes to their music, Woollim Entertainment has been on a roll this year. Many of my favorite 2022 tracks have come from their artists. But, the agency tosses comebacks around haphazardly without much teasing or hype-building. If I had to choose, I’ll always favor song quality over robust promotions. But, it’s a bit … Continue reading
It feels like it’s been ages since Tempest made their early-March debut. The funky Bad News turned out to be a grower, though the group’s sound still existed within generic boy group tropes. But, at least they didn’t succumb to the shouty angst peddled by so many of their peers! That refreshing switch-up continues with … Continue reading
It’s Sunday, which means it’s time to end the week with an open discussion post! To keep things civil, there are a few rules: Be kind and respectful to one another. Any harassing language will be deleted. This is not a place to state what you don’t like about me and/or my blog. Move elsewhere, … Continue reading
Rather than contain my “Risers and Fallers” feature to a single post in June, I’m going to share a bite-sized version at the end of each month. This will let me account for more songs and make a nice lead-in to the monthly round-up post. I anticipate most of these ratings adjustments will be negligible: … Continue reading
After nearly two years of singles, Hey! Say! JUMP are back with a new studio album. Filmusic is a varied collection of songs themed around movie genres. Its most successful moments come when the group tries on a hard rap/rock style, though the self-referential Get Out Of My House is also a treat (especially if … 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. Depending on how you look at … Continue reading
With their recent contract renewal, Twice have beaten K-pop’s “seven-year curse” and established themselves as one of the longer-running girl groups within the industry. Fans have plenty to celebrate, and the group is ready to provide the soundtrack without much delay. The aptly-titled Between 1&2 acts as a bridge between stages in Twice’s career, and … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 