After Sistar’s disbandment last year, there’s a gap in the market for the new k-pop queens of summer. AOA seemed to be gunning for the position with May’s Bingle Bangle, and Momoland made a convincing bid with this week’s BAAM, but ELRIS have gone one step further by returning with an album entirely dedicated to … Continue reading
When producers LDN Noise and Ryan S. Jhun collaborate, we tend to get instant classics. From Married To The Music to Dumb Dumb, their track record is incredibly strong. And frankly, I’m surprised that KBS was willing to secure such behind-the-scenes star power for UNB. It would be easy to saddle the temporary project group … Continue reading
Most of the time, a k-pop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of k-pop, I wanted to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. If I have any misgiving about Nu’est’s post-2016 material, it’s that … Continue reading
It’s so great to have TVXQ back, steadily releasing new music in both Korea and Japan. Yet as much as I’ve enjoyed their new material, I’m still waiting for a comeback with that old “SM Performance” style that they execute better than anyone. Over the course of its history, the duo’s Japanese discography has been … Continue reading
Other than fromis_9’s debut in January, producers Iggy and Youngbae have had a pretty barren 2018. Most of their recent work has been relegated to b-sides on girl group albums. But now the duo has been enlisted to pen the debut title track of new group NeonPunch. And rather than emulate the innocent pop sound … Continue reading
Sometimes time away can be a good thing. “Absence makes the heart grow fonder” is a cliché for a reason. Last year, DAY6 were incredibly active in Korea, releasing two songs a month as part of their Every DAY6 project. But though this resulted in some exciting music during the first half of the year, … Continue reading
Momoland’s Bboom Bboom only improved the more popular and ubiquitous it became. There’s something irresistible about cultural touchstones — hooks and moves and moments that everyone knows (whether they enjoy them or not). But this mega-hit status presents one very big problem. How do you follow up on a phenomenon? Years ago, Crayon Pop were faced … Continue reading
Nu’est’s post-Produce 101 ascendance has been nothing short of extraordinary, and I’m surprised that they took so long to follow up on last October’s successful Where You At. Despite that song’s adherence to the annoying-instrumental-drop-as-chorus trend, I eventually came around to enjoying its dynamic arrangement. In contrast, new single Dejavu feels much more subdued and less … Continue reading
Ever since the announcement of SHINee’s sixth album promotions, many were wondering how the group would address the unavoidable — the tragic passing of founding member Jonghyun late last year. It was there in the melancholic edges of Good Evening, and even in I Want You’s wistful lyrics, but it’s woven into every fiber of … Continue reading
If there’s anything I’ve learned from covering pop music for over a decade, it’s that songwriters and collaborators are just as important as the artists themselves. Though they often work behind the scenes, this feature is a chance to shine the light on some of k-pop’s most innovative and accomplished producers and composers. ESBEE Years … Continue reading
Ever since their debut in late 2016, The East Light have provided a steady stream of music in collaboration with their producer Midas-T. Taking into account pre-releases, title tracks and follow-up promotions, the group has never truly gone on hiatus in almost two years. This unending schedule would be tiring if the music wasn’t always … Continue reading
Before Block B struck gold as an edgy idol group, members Zico and Park Kyung cut their teeth in the music industry with underground hip-hop releases. It’s interesting, then, that their story has come full circle. Recently, both rappers’ solo hits and variety appearances have eclipsed those of their full group. It makes me wonder … Continue reading
To be clear, there is no reason for a pop song to be preceded by a hash tag. And under no circumstance whatsoever should that hash tag actually be part of the chorus. But here we are, with Red Velvet’s #Cookie Jar. This Japanese debut is likely to be their most polarizing title track since … Continue reading
Most of the time, a k-pop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of k-pop, I wanted to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. Back in k-pop’s second generation (approximately 2003-2011), agency collaboration albums were … Continue reading
I love a good comeback. And I don’t mean “comeback” in the new promotional cycle sense (though I obviously love those, too). I mean an honest to goodness resurgence in popularity after years of increased obscurity. J-pop group Da Pump has been around since the late 90’s, though they’ve struggled to maintain commercial success ever … Continue reading
With over 2,300 songs on my iPhone’s “K-Pop Singles” playlist, I thought it would be fun to add a bit of unpredictability to my song review posts. So as a result, we have the “Random Shuffle Review” feature. The rules are simple. I fire up my playlist, press “shuffle,” and whatever song plays first gets the … Continue reading
Just last week, former JBJ member Longguo released his solo debut. Right on his heels is Kim Donghan, the project group’s youngest. More often than not, I struggled to connect with JBJ’s music, so I can’t help but approach these solos with deflated expectations. But that sense of ambivalence makes Sunset all the more impressive. … Continue reading
Ever since their 2015 commercial resurgence with cathartic ballad It’s Okay, BTOB have fallen into a pattern of increasingly toothless pop music. They’ve never been more successful than they are now, so it’s hard to fault them from sticking to a winning formula, but I fear that any bit of edge has been completely ironed out … Continue reading
It’s been over a year since Taeyeon released her impressive full length album, My Voice, which went a long way towards fostering her versatility as a performer. With Something New, she continues to experiment with genre and prove why she’s one of SM Entertainment’s most valuable assets. From the outset, Something New is a different … Continue reading
Starting her career as a member of girl group Jewelry, Seo In Young soon branched out as a solo artist. Over the course of a decade, she’s established a diverse discography, moving between dancefloor anthems and torch ballads with ease. She also possesses one of the most unique vocal tones in all of k-pop. There’s … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 