For fifteen years now, Nell has held a very special place in the Korean music scene. Their brand of introspective, psychadelic rock offers a necessary compliment to k-pop’s glitzy allure. They also have a special place in my heart, as lead vocal Kim Jong-wan has done production and songwriting work on Infinite’s Sungkyu’s solo albums. With … Continue reading
With a group name as hilariously misguided as MASC’s (just look it up on urban dictionary), it was hard to expect much from their debut single. But, I’m happy to be proven wrong, as MASC joins 2016’s already impressive list of excellent rookie debuts. Unlike so many others from agencies of their size, MASC feels … Continue reading
It’s interesting how SM’s Station platform has started to include songs that are closer to CFs (ie: advertisements). First, we had NCT 127’s Coca Cola/Olympics anthem, and now Yuri and Seohyun from Girls’ Generation are pairing with Pantene for the hair-tastic music video that compliments Secret. Thankfully, the song hides its corporate inspiration well, at … Continue reading
It seems as if CL’s official American debut has been “imminent” for years now. But even without the ridiculously long wait (which has been a YG hallmark of late), I was never very enthused by the prospect of her going international. I don’t want k-pop artists to “break” the U.S. if it means they’ll be … Continue reading
I’m a wishful sort of music listener, often finding myself wanting to jump in and help guide my favorite artists when it comes to choice of material and concept. I guess that’s pretty much describes any fan, right? With Infinite’s comeback looming around the corner, I thought it would be fun to imagine a situation … Continue reading
Just nine days after I.O.I returned as an (almost full) group, Produce 101 is once again churning out material, this time in the form of I.O.I’s sister group, I.B.I, which is composed of girls who didn’t quite make it into the final line-up (still with me?). In contrast to the hard-hitting r&b-styled pop of Whatta Man, I.B.I … Continue reading
It’s hard to remember the last time a major k-pop release was hit with near across-the-board disappointment moments after its release. I suppose there was a similar feeling last summer when it came to the chorus of Bigbang’s Bang Bang Bang, but that turned out to be one of the biggest hits of the year. … Continue reading
I try to keep the focus of my reviews on the songs themselves, but I have to start out by noting that the music video for Cosmic Girls’ new single, Secret (비밀이야), is stunning. Really, it’s one of the most stylish music videos of the entire year. It’s an enormous leap up for the girls in … Continue reading
Girl group Badkiz is coming back after a year away. They haven’t yet found their place in the k-pop world, and a year’s hiatus certainly isn’t going to help that. This is no knock on Badkiz themselves, but it does make me wonder what their management is expecting from this new single. Unless you’re one of … Continue reading
I’m usually not one to care much for mixtapes. Now don’t get me wrong, I understand why rappers release them. Especially in the idol world, there isn’t often much opportunity for them to carry an entire song. Instead, they’re shoehorned into being one aspect of a track that usually has a lot more going on. Mixtapes shine … Continue reading
VIXX continues their Greek God inspired series of albums with a stark contrast to the 80’s funk pop of April’s excellent Dynamite. The group first found major success with darker concepts, so it makes sense to see them back in the brooding, gothic mood for Fantasy. But even if the concept seems somewhat familiar for … Continue reading
Mention the name Shinhwa and most people will immediately think: “k-pop’s longest running boy band.” It’s quite a title, and also quite an accomplishment for any group. Shinhwa debuted in 1998 and have remained strong since, reinventing their sound several times over amidst label changes and military conscription hiatuses. They now stand as a beacon … 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. SEO YOUNG-BAE … Continue reading
Despite Infinite being far and away my favorite k-pop group, I’m always a little hesitant when approaching their Japanese releases. Unlike the consistent quality of their Korean output, their j-pop material involves work with a more diverse collection of composers, resulting in a hodgepodge of different sounds. Luckily, D.N.A sees them trying on a punchy … Continue reading
Who really needs a chorus, anyway? This seems to be the prevailing theory around much of this year’s pop music, and it’s almost always a failing proposition. It’s also evidenced by 24K’s latest offering, which despite flashes of quality, falls victim to an overall sense of jumbled hooks that never fully connect. Throughout the years … Continue reading
For too long, J-Min has seemed like an afterthought within SM Entertainment’s larger roster. I suspect much of this is due to the fact that she works within a rock-oriented, singer-songwriter territory that the agency really doesn’t specialize in. It could also be because her career really kicked off in Japan before she started releasing … Continue reading
As well as being the main vocalist for boy group 2PM, Jun. K is responsible for my very favorite 2PM-related song — the utterly magnificent Love & Hate. His solo career has been more hit and miss since then, but I’m always curious what he’ll come up with next. As far as soloists-from-popular-bands go, his … Continue reading
Produce 101, and its resulting girl group I.O.I, has been a strange phenomenon. The show itself managed to spawn several strong hit singles, but once the group actually debuted, they’ve struggled to find a sound (or song) that matched the delirious heights of Pick Me. Whatta Man is no different, offering an unoriginal mixture of … Continue reading
As part of BLACKPINK’s double title track debut, Boombayah (붐바야) acts as their more uptempo party offering. But whatever BLACKPINK released, the comparisons with YG’s other girl group, 2NE1, were inevitable. Boombayah feels a lot more like 2NE1 than their other track, Whistle, and that becomes both its strength and weakness. Boombayah kicks off with some truly … Continue reading
After years of teasing us, YG Entertainment’s new girl group, BLACKPINK, has finally made their debut. And therein lies one of YG’s biggest problems. After such a ridiculously long wait, anything short of “2016’s best song” is going to come off as a disappointment. Whistle (휘파람) is not among the year’s best, but at the … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 