Most of the time, a kpop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-side tracks deserve recognition, too. In the singles-oriented world of kpop, I wanted to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. Alongside the excellent Fingertip, GFriend have released their strongest album … Continue reading
Since their debut in 2015, boy group Romeo has suffered a bit of an identity crisis. Of course, being absorbing into a different agency right as your career is starting can certainly result in some growing pains. But in less than two years, the guys have been a mini-Infinite (Lovesick, Target), a mini-Shinee (Miro) and now … Continue reading
For better or worse, Brave Girls have always been a delivery method for songs by their agency head, Brave Brothers. This obviously limits their sound somewhat, but for fans of the Brave Brothers style, they’re pretty much the gift that just keeps on giving. And now that bigger groups like AOA and Sistar have (mostly) … Continue reading
Since their return in late 2015, B.A.P have swung wildly between concepts and tones, giving us lighter fare like Feel So Good and That’s My Jam sandwiched between the edgier Skydive and Young, Wild & Free. They’ve maintained a remarkably high quality throughout, and that doesn’t change with new single Wake Me Up. Wake Me Up … Continue reading
Since their late-career surge in 2015 with the brilliant ballad It’s Okay, BTOB have hit the ground running, releasing a steady stream of albums just as their contemporaries are beginning to slow down. And now that Beast has left Cube Entertainment and 4minute has disbanded, the group are at the top of the pack within their … Continue reading
It’s March 6th, which means another entry in DAY6’s 2017 monthly project. Three releases in and it’s clear that the quality of music will remain high throughout the year. But even better, it feels like DAY6 are utilizing this extended release schedule as an opportunity to showcase different sides of their music. Rock groups are … Continue reading
In my eyes, GFriend are at the very top of the current girl group pack. They had two songs in my top five of 2016, and have built a strong, easily identifiable sound for themselves that feels more robust and powerful than many of their peers. Learning that new single Fingertip was composed by the … Continue reading
Debuting in 2014 as Woollim Entertainment’s first girl group, Lovelyz quickly rose to fame on their quirky synth-pop sound. Though they’re most known for a light, cutesy image, their music has experimented with different tones as the group has matured. With only eight full-group promotional releases, I had to cheat a bit and add two … 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. ALBI ALBERTSSON … Continue reading
In k-pop, there are two kinds of debuts. The first comes from an established agency and is usually teased extensively (sometimes with an entire reality show) before it’s unleashed on the world. The second comes from a small or new agency and just sort of appears without any sort of high profile warning. These are … Continue reading
Boy group Victon debuted last November and have quickly amassed a strong fanbase. Being label-mates with superstars Apink certainly helps, but based on their music alone I still need a little convincing. I’m Fine was a decent earworm of a single, but pre-release What Time Is It Now was better. And now we have the glitchy … Continue reading
Most of the time, a kpop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-side tracks deserve recognition, too. In the singles-oriented world of kpop, I wanted to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. Though not as strong as their debut album, Lovelyz’ R … 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. February 2017 Overall Thoughts If I could describe February with only one word, it would be “consistent.” … Continue reading
Most of the time, a kpop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-side tracks deserve recognition, too. In the singles-oriented world of kpop, I wanted to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. Listening to the preview clips of Taeyeon’s new album, I … Continue reading
As YG Entertainment itself has continued to pull back on releasing new material from its artists, sub-labels HIGHGRND and The Black Label have started to flourish. Code Kunst is a producer from the former, which is headed by rapper/producer Tablo, who features on Fire Water. Joining the two is JYP’s G.Soul, who has seen a fair … Continue reading
Though not often mentioned alongside k-pop’s most prominent breakout acts, UP10TION have quietly sold an impressive amount of albums, positioning them as one of the most successful rookie groups of the moment. That success looks to be replicated as they make their debut in Japan. J-pop efforts from Korean groups can be very hit and … Continue reading
The story of HIGH4 is a frustrating one. Debuting in the spring of 2014 with a highly successful duet with soloist IU, the group seemed to be on the right track from the very first step. But that song ended up being more about IU than them, and was followed by a series of disparate … Continue reading
Girls’ Generation‘s Taeyeon has been all over the k-pop map this past year. Few artists have embarked on such a sprawling solo career, covering the spectrum from acoustic pop balladry to tropical house-influenced dance. Most recently, she teased us with the hypnotic I Got Love, which seemed to polarize opinion. For me, it was one … Continue reading
In the midst of riding high on the success of her OST work with hit drama Goblin, soloist Ailee released digital single Reminiscing. This comes after a subtle reinvention of her sound with last year’s Home. But Reminiscing (낡은 그리움) doesn’t aim to reinvent anything, content to provide Ailee with a mellow showcase for her … Continue reading
Gugudan’s 2016 debut confounded many. For an act comprised of so many high-profile members, from an agency known to take artistic risks with boy group VIXX, how was Wonderland so generic? Though Gugudan’s potential and name recognition afforded them modest debut success, many of us were hoping that their follow-up would be a leap into new … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 