Weki Meki have been circling the girl crush concept since their debut last year, nailing the attitude but struggling to find songs that fully harnessed their talent. The group’s work has been declared “messy” by many listeners, but I don’t think that’s inherently a bad thing. As a fan of K-pop’s anything-goes past, I love … Continue reading
Cutesy concepts aren’t for everyone. Personally, I can go either way when it comes to the lighter side of girl group K-pop, but once we get into coochie coo chirp chirp meow meow type aegyo it becomes harder for me to appreciate a song. Fromis_9’s DKDK didn’t quite become that infantile (though it did prominently … Continue reading
Is it just me, or has IU become the female Zico? Or maybe Zico has always just been the male her? I imagine a world (cue dramatic gesturing) where she has harnessed her status as K-pop’s golden child to push the industry into new and exciting territory. What if she had never abandoned the lush, … Continue reading
I would never have predicted it, but low-budget, perma-rookie boy groups are kind of having a moment right now. Without the means to hire trendy, big-name producers, acts like Seven O’Clock and BLANC7 have been relying on a proven sense pop songcraft. None of these comebacks has been idiosyncratic enough to become a 2018 standout, … Continue reading
Lee Hongki’s 2015 solo album was a surprisingly diverse affair. It may have been led by a big, theatrical ballad in the vein of his group’s 2012 hit Severely, but the b-sides offered a range of sounds that dabbled in dance and synthpop. In other words, it was exactly what a solo album should be … Continue reading
Nothing Better may be the main title track from Seven O’Clock’s new mini album, but it turns out that there is something better to be found in the form of Searchlight. I’m not sure if the guys will be actively promoting this song as a sub-title track, but it was smart to give it some … Continue reading
Over a year ago, I ended my review of Seven O’Clock’s debut single Echo with a question: how was this rookie group going to stand out? The answer may lie in their new album’s opening track Take It On, which melds an anthemic vocal riff to chugging guitar for a classic (almost country) pop sound … Continue reading
I can’t remember a time when a group’s music has fallen off my personal bias list as quickly as Snuper’s. The group went from releasing two of my top three singles of 2017 to churning out an album so faceless and unappealing that I choose to pretend it doesn’t exist at all. And now, they’ve … Continue reading
You’ll never see me advocating for K-pop trends. Longtime readers will know that cut-and-paste trendiness (often of the tropical variety) has been one of my biggest criticisms of the industry as a whole. That extends to this burgeoning Latin trend, which may easily sink its teeth into the next few years of K-pop’s future. I … 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. It’s confounding when the best singles are unleashed upon the world … Continue reading
The idea of music agency fandom might seem strange to Western audiences, as most notable labels around the world are vast corporations with rosters that share very little common. But of course, K-pop is different. Even as the industry has expanded, it has remained a relatively small microcosm of the global pop music landscape. When … Continue reading
It may seem like DAY6 have cornered the market on emotive idol rock, but The Rose are slowly building a passionate fan base that positions them well for future releases. However, I still need more convincing before I jump on the bandwagon. April’s Baby offered a flash of potential, undercut by its affected vocals and … Continue reading
Sistar’s Hyolyn released two of this summer’s highlights, which shouldn’t come as a surprise. Her performance style is perfectly suited to the season. But as we transition to fall, it’s Soyou’s turn to shine. Her music has always carried a more relaxed vibe, and her breathy tone acts as an ideal autumnal soundtrack. With All … Continue reading
Though Girls’ Generation don’t often promote as a full group anymore, SM Entertainment has leveraged their success for a variety of solos and sub-units. This has mostly consisted of albums by leader Taeyeon, but now it’s time for Yuri to take a shot at solo stardom. Apart from her work with the group, she’s found … Continue reading
It hasn’t even been a week since the release of SM Station’s Red Velvet-meets-GFriend-meets-(G)I-DLE-meets-Chungha supergroup, and we already have another unlikely collaboration on our hands. S.O.U.L is a little different, combining actors and idols for the soundtrack of upcoming Youtube Red drama Top Management. The biggest name here is probably Astro’s Cha Eunwoo, with actor … Continue reading
I didn’t review Noir’s debut track — mostly because it felt more like noise than an actual song — but I’m always up for a new rookie group. And by making it to a second mini album, Noir have already released more material than many of their newly-debuted peers. From its title alone, it’s hard … Continue reading
Nu’est W’s Dejavu has become one of the year’s biggest growers for me. The same thing happened with last October’s Where You At. Initially, I found the group’s reinvented sound to be a bit too trendy, but the songwriting has held up. If any qualms still remain, it’s that their material always seems to veer … Continue reading
The tried-and-true melancholic hip-hop ballad has been a staple of YG Entertainment’s discography for many years, but it feels like it’s been a while since we’ve heard a new one. Goodbye Road (이별길) fits neatly within this template, and is the first real ballad iKON has promoted since 2015’s Apology. Road makes a nice bookend … 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. September 2018 Overall Thoughts September’s usually a pretty slow month, with the Chuseok holiday holding back … Continue reading
With new Korean enlistment laws going into effect, VIXX are approaching that precarious moment when some of its members will have to take an extended leave from the group. Whether the guys enlist one at a time or all together, Reincarnation will likely be their final 6-member Japanese comeback for awhile. It’s no surprise that … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 