Originally debuting in 2010, Teen Top was known for their light, uptempo tracks (usually produced by Brave Brothers) that fit their name and image well. Since 2014, they’ve taken a more mature shift in sound, and though their excellent, underrated Natural Born mini album last summer marked a brief return to that fun vibe, … Continue reading
When it comes to girl groups, 2NE1 are like no other in the kpop world. They sit at the very top of my bias list, and much of that is due to their fierce image and the fantastic songs that they’re given. While I wait (somewhat) patiently for a comeback after their excellent 2014 album Crush, … Continue reading
MyName is one of those kpop groups that just haven’t received the recognition they deserve. They’re consistently solid, but haven’t produced that breakout hit that could bump them up a tier or two. One of the problems is that they’ve been incredibly active in Japan, where they enjoy a certain amount of success, and that’s … Continue reading
For me, Shinee has been one of the most consistently strong groups in all of kpop. It’s hard to believe they debuted all the way back in 2008, since they still seem so fresh and relevant with each new release. As much as I love their music, it was surprisingly hard to rank my favorite … Continue reading
So far, 2016 seems to be the year of the collaborations. This feels like a somewhat odd one, between CNBlue’s frontman Jung Yong-Hwa and Sunwoo Jung Ah, who is primarily known as an in-house songwriter (and occasional singer) with YG Entertainment. I’m not exactly sure what brought these two together, though Yong-Hwa seems to be … Continue reading
Let’s get the personal out of the way first. G-Dragon’s Crooked was released a day before I took off for a two-week trip to the U.K. The song, and its accompanying album, became the soundtrack to that trip, as I meandered though London streets, tube stops and alleyways. Crooked is a song for the city, … Continue reading
I have great admiration for Shinhwa as a group and love a lot of their material, but for some reason none of the members’ solo output has done anything for me. Unfortunately, Shin Hye Sung’s new song continues the trend. It really comes down to personal preference, because the song succeeds in what it sets out … Continue reading
Fans have been (justifiably) clamoring for a return from Winner after their successful debut in the summer of 2014. Now, it looks as though they’ll be releasing multiple singles and (partial) albums, following the promotional path YG set out for Bigbang and iKON last year. I’m not a huge fan of this release schedule, … Continue reading
I’ve been to a lot of concerts in my life, even a few kpop shows. But even before the show started, Infinite’s tour was going to be different. There’s nothing quite like seeing your bias group live, in person, for the first time. In some ways, it felt like a surreal dream. It took quite awhile … Continue reading
Now that KARA as a group seems destined for the history books, I thought it seemed right to feature them as the first artist in my Top Ten Songs feature, in which I try my best to rank my ten favorite title tracks from some of the best kpop groups. Throughout their career, KARA has … Continue reading
I remember when I first heard of Lucky J in the summer of 2014. It was when they were promoting Can You Hear Me, and among all of the other music around that month, I couldn’t help but think it sounded tremendously American — especially that charismatic female vocalist. Then, Unpretty Rapstar became a … Continue reading
Nugu girl group FlaShe, previously known for their cute releases, have succumbed and crawled down the sexy route. Unfortunately, Lip Bomb is kpop firing on half-cylinders. The song itself isn’t bad, despite sounding like a copy of a Brave Brothers’ track, but the production definitely lets it down. In order to stand out in the … Continue reading
For as insular a world as kpop is, I’m surprised that these cross-company collaborations don’t happen more frequently. I mean, it doesn’t take a genius to realize that EXO’s Baekhyun + miss A’s Suzy = $$$. Because of this, the two of them could have sung the phone book and been a major success, which … Continue reading
LuHan’s been releasing a lot of material over the past couple of months, and the quality has definitely varied. The bulk of his stuff has a sparely produced, American hip-pop feel, which isn’t something I naturally gravitate to. Luckily, the strength of his personality and celebrity helps cover some of the qualms that I have … Continue reading
It seems fitting to kick off my ongoing “Legendary Song” feature with what I believe to be the best kpop song of all time. To be honest, for me it’s not even a contest. The Chaser goes beyond simple pop song and traverses into uncharted territory. It’s simply an audio blast from another planet — so perfectly crafted and utterly thrilling … Continue reading
Dal Shabet isn’t a girl group that I’ve followed with any real regularity. I did love their B.B.B. from 2014 but thought last year’s Joker was pretty weak. This year, they’re the first big idol group to make a comeback, though they’re down to a four-piece (there used to be six). They’ve also enlisted super … Continue reading
I’ve watched a handful of Running Man episodes, but not enough to be super familiar with every cast member. Because of this, I come into Lonely Night without any bias towards Gary as a television personality (except feeling that “Gary” is a horribly boring name for one of Korea’s most successful rappers). This allows me … Continue reading
2015 was a year in which almost every major kpop group and soloist made at least one comeback. So who had the most influence over the kpop landscape? Who were the ultimate trend groups of the year? It’s impossible to answer with 100% accuracy, but I’m going to try my best! Male Group: BTS There … Continue reading
I feel like I need to begin every Infinite review or post by reminding everyone that they are my ultimate bias group, and although I’ll try to be somewhat objective, I’m going to like pretty much everything they do. That being said, Can’t Get Over You is probably my least favorite single they’ve ever released … Continue reading
Okay, okay. When I say kpop, I mean mostly kpop, because there’s going to be some jpop and cpop in this list as well (some of it in very prominent positions), but “Top 50 K-Pop & J-Pop & C-Pop Songs of 2015” just doesn’t have the same ring to it! The only other criteria for … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 