One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Glow (from Time For Us – 2019) GFriend never explored roller rink disco pop as often as they probably should have, but each and every effort is a standout. Their vocals lend themselves very well to this style, backed by shimmering synths … Continue reading
In connection with my desire to fully keep up with the J-pop industry, I’m planning to do a weekly round-up of any new releases that have caught my ear. Some of these may have been covered on the blog already, but my hope is that this will become a one-stop shop for anyone interested in … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Glass Bead (from Season Of Glass – 2015) Previous Thoughts: “Its hooks are sharp and punchy, underlined by a bright beat that approaches new jack swing without completely embracing the genre. Extra stabs of percussion add emphasis in all the right places, … Continue reading
I didn’t watch this season of Kingdom and don’t hold any particular allegiance to any of the participating groups, but I thought it might be fun to take a listen to the series’ original songs and do a little ranking anyway. Because I have no context around these releases, my opinions are entirely based on … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! From Me (from Labyrinth – 2020) We’ve had a lot of bangers this week, and now it’s time for something more gentle. From Me retains a classic GFriend tone, but tempers the theatrics. If other tracks sounded like a huge, bustling metropolis, … Continue reading
Top Media’s first ever girl group teased their debut last month with pre-release Best Friendz. From that song alone, it felt as if their music would be pitched toward a younger audience. Their proper debut track arrives today and shines more light on where the group may be headed. After Best Friendz, it’s pretty jarring … Continue reading
I loved Kep1er’s nine-member swan song Shooting Star and was upset when they never performed it at this year’s KCON LA. Now the group is down to seven, as Mashiro and Yeseo parted ways to join 143 Entertainment’s Madein. A new configuration opens potential for a new sound, and Tipi-Tap certainly switches things up. Unfortunately, … Continue reading
In the lead-up to BABYMONSTER’s first full album, they’ve teased all of its songs except title track Drip. We even heard the full album opener Clik Clak two days ago. I haven’t been impressed by much of the group’s discography so far, but YG Entertainment always seems to come up with at least one highlight … 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. October 2024 Overall Thoughts I’ve probably opened with this overused phrase during previous Octobers, but I’m … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Flower Garden (from Time For The Moon Night – 2018) What I said then: “MIO also produced last year’s excellent Please Save My Earth, and borrows the same wind-tunnel layering effect for Garden‘s pre-chorus. It’s hard to explain this specific audio trick … Continue reading
Around this time last year, BTOB left their longtime agency Cube Entertainment. They’ve since established their own BtoB Company to manage activities for most members, presumably giving them more creative freedom. As their first group effort since this transition, Please Stay (불씨) doesn’t reveal much change. The emotive ballad sits well within their established discography. … Continue reading
Earlier this year, Moon Jongup reunited with three other ex-B.A.P members for “Bang & Jung & Yoo & Moon,” but he’s also been active as a soloist. New single Twist Ya follows last year’s slinky X.O.X, adding a healthy dose of synthwave to give the track extra flavor. Though it doesn’t break any new ground, … Continue reading
It’s been seven years since I last got to write about new G-Dragon music. To call him foundational to my own K-pop fandom would be a vast understatement. From his work with Bigbang to his solo material, G-Dragon is K-pop for me. With an album set for release next month, he’s finally returned with pre-release … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Flower (from Fallin’ Light – 2019) What I said then: “As with many J-pop tracks, Flower’s melody is pretty long-winded, taking several different refrains and melding them into one intricate chorus. Because of this, the song lacks the direct and immediate impact … Continue reading
STAYC’s 2024 material has been increasingly quirky, marked by oddball earworms like Cheeky Icy Thang. Their music’s appeal has always been a bit left of center, which is a good thing. But in a current girl group landscape that favors beige easy-listening, it’s interesting to hear them adjust to the trends. New single GPT does … Continue reading
Quality control at YG Entertainment has been all over the place for the past decade or so, and the agency’s newest artist BABYMONSTER is emblematic of that hit or miss approach. The group’s first full album is just around the corner. Clips of the songs have gradually been teased and the previews range from godawful … Continue reading
SNSD’s Sooyoung actually started her idol career in a short-lived J-pop group before eventually debuting in Korea. It’s funny, then, that it took this long for her to release a solo single in Japan. Better late than never, as Unstoppable recaptures some of the magic from SNSD’s discography while showcasing Sooyoung’s own charisma. A song … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Fingertip (from The Awakening – 2017) What I said then: “Right from the start, Fingertip establishes its unique transformation with the instrumental’s wah wah guitar riff. It’s the opening salvo that ushers in the group’s most high energy synth riff yet, expertly … Continue reading
TVXQ are set to release a 20th Anniversary album in Japan early next month. They already unveiled its lead track Sweet Surrender a few weeks ago and now they’re teasing again with the classic ballad Dearest. Some of their most successful Japanese work has been within this musical realm, and given the special occasion it’s … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Fever (from Fever Season – 2019) What I said then: “There are moments when the song wants to take off (especially the breathless, synth-dripped pre-chorus), but like so many tracks of this style, Fever constantly has to work its way back to … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 