Victon’s Lim Sejun kicks off his solo career under a new agency. He’s one of a handful of artists to sign to Hello Gloom and from20’s Way Better, turning the once-fledgling company into a boutique agency. His first single Summer takes advantage of these new connections, co-written/produced by both Hello Gloom and from20. In K-pop’s … Continue reading
Lisa’s Alter Ego album has utilized a Western pop promotional roll-out, spawning new singles/music videos long after its release. Next Up is When I’m With You, a duet with South African singer Tyla. This feels like a natural pairing: two extremely charismatic artists “maximizing their joint slay,” as they say. Such a big collaboration deserves … Continue reading
Ahead of an eventual BTS reunion once everyone has completed their military service, oldest member Jin is back with his second solo mini album. I recently enjoyed watching him as part of the cast of Netflix variety series Kian’s Bizarre B&B, where he came off very well and added a quirky sense of humor. That … Continue reading
Like many boy groups of their stature, The Wind will be sending a member off to compete in the upcoming season two of Boys Planet. Thanatorn will be absent for promotions during this time and — if he makes the eventual group — for quite some time after. Before that, the group is celebrating their … Continue reading
Rose is an interesting display of time travel. NCT’s Taeyong is still on hiatus as he fulfils his military service. This song was first unveiled in 2021 and the video premiered during an event last year. Now, it’s finally made its way online in time for Korea’s Rose Day. I don’t think we can call … Continue reading
NCT’s Yuta made his solo debut last year with a pummeling J-rock sound. Of all the group’s members, his solo work has felt the most leftfield so far and that’s a great thing. It’s clear he’s passionate about this style, which should always be the number one element fueling solo work. This passion continues with … Continue reading
It’s become common for idol acts to release special music videos after promotions end for their title track. This allows the albums a longer cycle and spotlights various sounds that may appeal to a wider audience. Fifty Fifty’s perky Pookie saw them aiming straight for the pop jugular, but follow-up Midnight Special offers a moodier … Continue reading
BOYNEXTDOOR scored their biggest hit yet with the streaming giant If I Say, I Love You released back in January. They’re on their way to becoming reliable digital chart-toppers in the way few boy groups accomplish, and they haven’t wasted time returning with new music. If I Say, I Love You is included on their … Continue reading
When TWS released their mini album last month, I wrote a track-by-track review knowing full well they’d likely promote one of its b-sides with a music video later on. That prediction has come true with album-opener Lucky To Be Loved, but I’m going to revisit the track today since I have more to say. For … Continue reading
After the release of many sub-unit projects, tripleS are back with their newest full group album. Coincidentally, the name of their title track is the same question I’ve been wanting to ask the K-pop industry for most of this year. Are you alive? This song does exactly what we’ve been conditioned to expect from tripleS. … Continue reading
MEOVV pre-released their Hands Up a few weeks ago and, though the song didn’t bowl me over, I’ll admit that its chorus has stuck in my head. Now, it’s time to see what they’ve got for a title track. Drop Top was written by a variety of YG Entertainment staples, responsible for crafting the greatest … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I compile my top three K-pop title tracks and list a ton of honorable mentions. In 2025, I thought I’d try something new and add a weekly feature to supplement my monthly round-up. Each Sunday, I’ll offer a compendium of the week’s new releases featured on the blog. And … 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
With over 5,000 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 … Continue reading
Girl group VVS terrorized us with their stale Tea a few weeks ago and now they’re back with another gimmicky track. Purrfect strains to be camp (sorry, nobody can unfurl a campier purr better than Eartha Kitt) but as usual this style of humor is at odds with K-pop’s highly-polished, systematic style. Trying to be … Continue reading
The sprawling Fifty Fifty saga continues with two distinct acts. The re-formatted Fifty Fifty continue to promote with label Attrakt, most recently releasing title track Pookie. Meanwhile, the three former members who left the agency amidst legal issues have re-formed and re-debuted as ablume. To be completely honest, I’ve never cared about the music enough … Continue reading
The upcoming soundtrack to F1® The Movie (which is completely outside my wheelhouse – pun intended) promises to be a star-studded affair. And in 2025, that means a bit of K-pop representation — even if it’s tangential. Rosé has certainly leapfrogged over the classification of “K-pop,” and songs like Messy push her further into the … Continue reading
In a major rebrand, (G)I-DLE have renamed themselves “i-dle.” This comes on the heels of their contract renewal with Cube Entertainment and promises to usher in a new era for their music. The group has been remarkably popular since their debut in 2018, with their singles often defining trends of the era. Their discography tends … Continue reading
P1Harmony have developed a big global following, particularly in the States. However, I’ve had a hard time connecting to their music in any reliable way. It’s funny — from music to personality to variety content — some idols are just an instant match with my personal taste while I struggle to get into others no … Continue reading
When writing about Chuu’s title track Only Cry In The Rain last month, I was overly dismissive of its subdued sound. In my defense, it’s hard to muster excitement when you hear so many songs of this same energy day after day. Sometimes, it takes a while for the highlights to reveal themselves. Only Cry … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 