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. Many specific K-pop sounds get repurposed … Continue reading
I had the pleasure of attending Jeon Somi’s meet and greet at KCON LA this past weekend and was quite taken with her abundant charisma. This seed of interest was sown with last year’s stellar dance single Fast Forward — a song that still gets me pumped to this day. But with that said, love … 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. July 2024 Overall Thoughts After a stellar June, July was always going to have a hard … Continue reading
Super Junior’s Eunhyuk and One Pact’s Jongwoo have gotten into the idol group business with the production of multi-national boy group Celest1a, formed through the series K-pop House. From what I can tell, much of their promo thus far has been in Japan, but debut single Panda sees them performing mostly in English. As far … Continue reading
**NOTE: This review was originally published as a “buried treasure” but now that the song is being promoted I wanted to bump it back up to the top of the blog and add the music video to the post. The song rating has also been updated! ENHYPEN’s second full album is a mellow affair and … Continue reading
BTOB are most celebrated for their stately ballads and light pop music that showcases their vocals. However, the group are capable of much more than that. I’m partial to their many dalliances with new jack swing, mostly because those songs let the guys have fun in a more carefree way. New sub-unit single Tang Tang … Continue reading
Across their Rania, BP Rania and Blackswan days, this group has been home to a whopping twenty four members. This revolving door has gained some stability in the past few years, with the current line-up performing together since 2022. Roll Up arrives just over a year since their last comeback and sees the group trying … Continue reading
I don’t always write about Stray Kids’ follow-up singles because they tend to release so many music videos for songs that otherwise go un-promoted. However, this is very slow period for K-pop due to the Paris Olympics pre-empting music shows, so I might as well make an exception for Mountains. Mountains opens the group’s newest album … Continue reading
This year’s KCON was bigger and better than ever, stretched out over three days and dozens of stages. It’s my eighth year attending so I feel like a veteran at this point, but each year’s a bit different. 2023 was a stressful experience in several ways so I wasn’t sure what to expect in 2024. … Continue reading
I’ve listed my “top tens” for many artists, but it’s time to rummage through entire discographies and rank every single from worst to best. This feature will primarily tackle groups who have disbanded or gone on indefinite hiatus. It’s a way for me to re-evaluate my initial thoughts on their singles run. Don’t be surprised … Continue reading
RIIZE have barely let a month slip by without releasing new music. This is the perfect way to unveil a rookie group, blitzing the market with material so fans have no opportunity to stray elsewhere. Just six weeks since their funk dynamo comeback Boom Boom Bass, the guys have returned with their Japanese debut. Lucky … 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
Rather than contain my “Risers and Fallers” feature to a single post in June, I’m going to share a bite-sized version at the end of each month. This will let me account for more songs and make a nice lead-in to the monthly round-up post. I anticipate most of these ratings adjustments will be negligible: … Continue reading
Thus far, XG have presented several distinct styles. Most prominent is their mix of hard-hitting hip-hop and R&B flourishes, which has already won them many devoted fans. But every once and awhile, the group shifts things over to the dancefloor. New single Something Ain’t Right is the most full-throated move in this direction yet. Taking … Continue reading
Mystic Story has become known as a creative, slightly left-of-center agency, home to quirky girl group Billlie, the violin-powered idol band Lucy and K-pop’s original sonic rulebreakers Brown Eyed Girls. Now, it’s time for a more traditional boy group with the soon-to-debut ARrC. Before their official unveiling next month, they’ve teased us with pre-release Dummy. … Continue reading
HYBE and Geffen’s American (K-pop adjacent) girl group KATSEYE made a pre-debut last month with the solid but underdeveloped Debut. Less than a month later, they’re back with follow-up Touch, which succumbs to the same issues as its predecessor without developing its own strengths. Like Debut, Touch is a wisp of pop track. At just … Continue reading
K-pop idols thrive on building a steady, dedicated fan base. This is most often accomplished by a constant stream of releases and deluge of content. But within the vast K-pop industry, there are more than a few “one hit wonders” – acts who release one single or album and are scarcely heard from again. It’s … Continue reading
After uniting on a band version of Gaho’s Start Over in 2020, KAVE have transformed into an actual group with a proper debut. Fronted by Gaho, the band boasts an eclectic mix of producers that add a unique touch to Korea’s K-rock scene. Legend acts as their first title track and delivers a mix of … Continue reading
When debuting a new K-pop group, I’m convinced that agencies either pull a random handful of letters/numbers from a bag or crack open a dictionary, close their eyes and choose the first word their finger lands on. “Dignity” is a perfectly nice word. It’s beautiful, even. However, it doesn’t immediately conjure the image of a … Continue reading
Kara are one a few second-gen groups to make a long-awaited return these past few years. If I’ve learned anything from these comebacks, it’s that nostalgia can lead to unrealistic expectations. The chances of a group returning to their musical peak (or launching a new peak era) are usually pretty slim. For most fans, it’s … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 