T-ara’s one of those veteran idol groups who have become content to coast on their past glories rather than continue to drive the k-pop music scene forward. Though scandals and lack of promotion have dulled their popularity quite a bit over the years, they’re also one of the few 2009-debuted girls groups to remain standing. … Continue reading
Along with many of us in the States, tonight’s election results have hit me to my core. It’s hard to objectively write about music when you’re in state of shock, so I wanted to give a heads up that it may take a bit longer to get to some of the new releases over the next … Continue reading
After two weeks of pre-releases, Paradise marks the official title track of Hyolyn’s new mini album. Teasers promised something more uptempo and hip-hop influenced, and Paradise delivers in that regard, sounding like a cross between her work with Sistar and resident bad girl HyunA’s solo material. The song steams along quite promisingly during its initial … Continue reading
It’s been over a year since Topp Dogg released music, and since then the group has lost another member. Then again, they started with thirteen, which always seemed a bit bloated for the style of music they were pursuing. Though they’ve been active for three years, the group has never really found the breakout success … Continue reading
Girl group Mamamoo have slowly been inching their way into the major leagues of k-pop. Their sound is unique among their peers, opting for an old-fashioned mix of soul and r&b in a world of trendy production techniques and concepts. This approach can only succeed with true talent at the helm, and Mamamoo are a powerhouse … Continue reading
As BTOB has essentially turned into a ballad group, fans have been waiting for when they would finally come back with something more uptempo. After all, amidst the slower material on their most recent albums, the group has proven that they can still throw out a ridiculously fun, new-jack swing influenced dance track. But Pray … Continue reading
On the road to re-establishing their brand over the past year or so, B.A.P have blitzed us with a variety of sounds, from the dark theatricality of last November’s Young, Wild & Free to the uptempo pop of Feel So Good and That’s My Jam. Now, they return with a song that feels like a … Continue reading
As a companion to my Top Ten Singles lists, it’s time to look at some of the best album tracks and b-sides from the best artists. Though Block B haven’t released as many b-sides as most of their contemporaries, for them it’s a matter of quality over quantity. Here are ten of their best. Honorable … Continue reading
Most of the time, a kpop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-sides deserve recognition, too. In the singles-oriented world of kpop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. A large chunk of VIXX’s discography was built with the help … Continue reading
What is up with GOT7’s Japanese discography? I can’t think of any other k-pop act with such a wide discrepancy between their Korean and Japanese material. Yes, Japan is a very different market with their own likes and dislikes, but Hey Ya (along with their other j-pop releases) doesn’t even fit neatly into current Japanese … Continue reading
Most of the time, a kpop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-sides deserve recognition, too. In the singles-oriented world of kpop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. EXO-CBX’s new mini album is absolutely fantastic from start to finish. … Continue reading
K-pop rookies seem to be getting younger and younger with each passing year, so the emergence of The East Light (with an average age of 15) isn’t all that surprising. But unlike the hyper-polished pop of similarly-aged NCT Dream, these guys are tackling a less likely genre of music: classic garage rock. And despite their … Continue reading
When it comes down to it, the whole BOYS24 experience has been kind of frustrating. Though the program didn’t have close to the cultural impact of its similarly-minded predecessor, Produce 101, it was a highly entertaining series with great talent. Even better, it resulted in a very strong mini album of original songs that were used … Continue reading
A day after YG’s BLACKPINK released the minimalist acoustic ballad Stay, SM Entertainment counter punches with its own version in the form of Taeyeon’s 11:11. But unlike the former’s flirtation with tempo change and folk elements, 11:11 plays it straight down the middle. Surprisingly, this no-nonsense approach actually pays off. More than any other … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I’ll look back at my three favorite title tracks by k-pop artists. Unlike my end-of-year countdowns, jpop and Japanese releases by kpop artists are ineligible, though I will give the great ones a spotlight. For my top three tracks, I’ll take my own ratings into account, but there is a … Continue reading
For the second pre-release before Sistar member Hyolyn’s debut solo album, she’s teamed up with Jay Park. Despite the high wattage of star power on display, One Step still feels like an album track rather than a proper single. But unlike last week’s offering, the song’s sound is much better suited to Hyolyn’s inimitable performance … Continue reading
It feels like we’re reaching the breaking point when it comes to the tropical house trend. Big name groups like BTS and BLACKPINK have managed to wring some life from it this past month, but when even lower-profile acts like Berry Good jump on the bandwagon, the market starts to feel a bit over-saturated. Luckily, … Continue reading
One of the selling points upon Seventeen’s debut last year was their unique configuration as three separate units (performance, hip-hop and vocal) within their thirteen-member group. Though the vocal unit delivered a fantastic one-off in February, I’m surprised that we haven’t had releases from the other units outside of side tracks on the group’s albums. … Continue reading
YG Entertainment has a long history of releasing excellent mid-tempo ballads, but none has ever sounded quite like BLACKPINK’s new single Stay. The girls have constantly been compared to 2NE1 (the only other female act in the agency) and portions of Stay‘s melody feel lifted from directly from that group’s oeuvre, but it’s been repackaged … Continue reading
For the past few months, I’ve felt like one of the only k-pop fans who hasn’t been completely won over by new YG girl group BLACKPINK. Luckily their first comeback, consisting of Playing With Fire (불장난) and Stay, has gone a long way in reigniting my interest. At many points, both Whistle and Boombayah felt as … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 