We’ve entered December, which all but ensures a steady stream of ballads from both K-pop and J-pop. This softer energy tends to be quite seasonal, as listeners seek coziness over musical bombast. Japan has an especially insatiable appetite for ballads, making NiziU’s AlwayS the perfect release for this time of year. AlwayS starts life as … Continue reading
K-Pop’s first generation is often referenced as the foundation for the industry we enjoy now, but there aren’t enough good English-language sources that give its music the focus it deserves. I’m hoping to change that with a continuing flashback series, spotlighting personal highlights from the era – both iconic and obscure. The era in question … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Oh Difficult (with Sonar Pocket) (from Oh Difficult – 2019) Now this one’s a bit different because it’s a duet and it doesn’t appear on any GFriend album. In 2019, they collaborated with male Japanese vocal/performance unit Sonar Pocket for this special … Continue reading
A week after the MAMA Awards, it’s Melon’s turn to throw its annual celebration. Since the ceremony is centered around a digital streaming service, the criteria is more statistics-based than other shows. However, I’m always surprised how many random award categories these events can come up with to make sure everyone goes home with something. … 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
K-Pop’s first generation is often referenced as the foundation for the industry we enjoy now, but there aren’t enough good English-language sources that give its music the focus it deserves. I’m hoping to change that with a continuing flashback series, spotlighting personal highlights from the era – both iconic and obscure. The era in question … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Night Drive (Eunha & Yuju) (from Walpurgis Night – 2020) This might be sacrilegious to some, but I don’t really care for the unit tracks on GFriend’s Walpurgis Night album. I understand they’re a chance to explore new musical territory, but now … 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. November 2024 Overall Thoughts Well… how are we all doing? Given the news of the past … Continue reading
K-Pop’s first generation is often referenced as the foundation for the industry we enjoy now, but there aren’t enough good English-language sources that give its music the focus it deserves. I’m hoping to change that with a continuing flashback series, spotlighting personal highlights from the era – both iconic and obscure. The era in question … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Neverland (from Season of Glass – 2015) Neverland is the first song a fan would have heard following the group’s debut, coming right after Glass Bead on the track list. As such, it’s a great continuation of their light, poppy sound. Some … Continue reading
SM Entertainment’s new trot boy group has not followed the traditional rollout for a rookie, and that’s to be expected given their niche genre. Rather than perform on music shows, they’ve been hanging out on their very own reality series Falling for a Trot-dol: Lovestruck Sisters. Officially, they haven’t made their full debut yet, but … Continue reading
I’ve wanted to introduce a reader survey for the longest time, and 2024 is finally the year to do it! This is a short ten-question survey that should not take longer than a minute or two. If all goes as planned (I’m new to google forms), I’ll be collecting responses for the next nine days … Continue reading
After taking a look at K-pop’s biggest agencies, I’d like to turn my attention to the smaller (but still important) players in the K-pop game, three at a time. Disclaimer: As with my write-ups on K-Pop’s biggest agencies, this is written from an outsider’s perspective. I’m not privy to any business-related financial information beyond what … Continue reading
K-Pop’s first generation is often referenced as the foundation for the industry we enjoy now, but there aren’t enough good English-language sources that give its music the focus it deserves. I’m hoping to change that with a continuing flashback series, spotlighting personal highlights from the era – both iconic and obscure. The era in question … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Navillera (from LOL – 2016) Previous Thoughts: “The entire track is so intensely powered that it really takes more than one listen to process everything. Unlike past singles, there’s never a moment to breathe, and this is a smart move on their … Continue reading
Modern entries to the winter holiday canon can be tricky since this type of song thrives on built-up nostalgia. Most listeners have a handful of tracks they go back to each year until they become ritual. It’s less common for fans to go out of their way to discover new holiday classics, but when BTS’s … Continue reading
After taking a look at K-pop’s biggest agencies, I’d like to turn my attention to the smaller (but still important) players in the K-pop game, three at a time. Disclaimer: As with my write-ups on K-Pop’s biggest agencies, this is written from an outsider’s perspective. I’m not privy to any business-related financial information beyond what … Continue reading
K-Pop’s first generation is often referenced as the foundation for the industry we enjoy now, but there aren’t enough good English-language sources that give its music the focus it deserves. I’m hoping to change that with a continuing flashback series, spotlighting personal highlights from the era – both iconic and obscure. The era in question … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! My My My! (from Fallin’ Light – 2019) I love the glistening synth tones that open this track. They set expectations for a brisk verse that never materializes, but My My My! gains steam as it goes. The chorus is a standout, … Continue reading
A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. Sometimes, b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. Though they’ve shifted their sound for … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 