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. I’ll always be that person who … Continue reading
As SM Entertainment’s ascendant girl group, aespa have dipped their toes into a variety of musical endeavors. Infrequent Korean comebacks are interspersed with English and Japanese work, guided them on a global pathway to success. However, their sound has been all over the place, as if SM can’t decide whether they want them to be … Continue reading
Before the end-of-year countdowns next month, I like to take a look at many of K-pop’s biggest agencies and see how their year went. Obviously, 2023 is not over yet so any upcoming changes to an agency’s grade will be reflected next year. We’ve got a lot to pick apart over the coming weeks, so … 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
It’s full steam ahead on the ‘aespa-conquers-international-markets’ ship with the release of another English-language single following last year’s Life’s Too Short. Earlier this year, they also dropped the Tetris-interpolating Hold On Tight — their best non-Korean track to date. I definitely underrated it back in March. Better Things isn’t as creative, but it’s a charming … Continue reading
I’m heartened by the fact that only two (!) of my top ten singles of 2022 were released before the month of July. That’s a pretty striking figure, and one I can easily see replicating this year. It’s no secret that I’ve been underwhelmed by the first six months of 2023. It’s not that K-pop … 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. May 2023 Overall Thoughts We’re not quite to the halfway point of the calendar year, so … 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
The spring of 2023 will be characterized by a quartet of top-tier girl group releases. The results have been mixed so far, with IVE’s I Am throwing down the gauntlet in rousing fashion but LE SSERAFIM’s Unforgiven missing the mark. Now, aespa sweep us into the final stretch before (G)I-DLE bring things to a close … Continue reading
Ahead of their album release next week, aespa have returned with the evocative Welcome to MY World (yes, the capitalization of “MY” is intentional!). Rather than hitting us over the head with intense hyperpop sounds, the track offers a more languid energy. Welcome to MY World builds gradually, moving from downbeat, rock-influenced trap-pop to symphonic … 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
This isn’t a title track or a “buried treasure,” but aespa’s new Tetris OST seems noteworthy enough to receive a write-up. Yes… you read that right. “Tetris OST.” We’re living in the upside-down, here. Thankfully, this upcoming Tetris movie is billed as a biopic/thriller and not one of those awful animated cash-ins that ruin a … Continue reading
Christmas songs. Lots of Christmas songs. That’s pretty much what December in K-pop entails – especially this year. Usually, the month will open with a few big-name releases before devolving into wintery fare, but I think the World Cup has pushed most new comebacks to next year. SM Entertainment seems particularly festive this December, blitzing … Continue reading
This feature has gradually shifted from a December to a November tradition, leaving more space for next month’s sprawling end-of-year countdowns. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be looking at many of K-pop’s biggest agencies and offering my thoughts about how their 2022 went. First up is SM Entertainment. As usual, the thoughts are my … 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 2022 Overall Thoughts Counting up all of July’s releases, I’m not sure we’ve ever had … Continue reading
Based on agency clout alone, aespa were always going to be successful. However, I recall their AI, lore-heavy concept raising many eyebrows pre-debut. And although it was a hit for me right away, the addictive Next Level took time to seep into public consciousness. But quicker than you can say “Kwangya,” we’ve arrived at the … Continue reading
Though HYBE has made the BTS brand synonymous with K-pop around the world (at least to casual listeners), I still think SM Entertainment is the agency others are most seeking to emulate. Even during times their industry cachet has lulled, SM has remained an inexorable through-line when thinking about K-pop on a macro scale. Aespa … Continue reading
Several years after launching their ambitious SuperM project, SM Entertainment has developed a similar strategy for their female artists. From what I can gather, Girls On Top will encompass multiple mix-and-match units. First up is GOT The Beat – a performance unit comprised of BoA, SNSD’s Taeyeon and Hyoyeon, Red Velvet’s Seulgi and Wendy, and … Continue reading
We’re down to the wire now with K-pop’s final year-end festival. MBC’s show is usually my favorite. It feels the most festive, bridging the gap between New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. It also tends to have the most robust artist line-up. Like every festival of the past two years, this one revolved around … Continue reading
You simply can’t have a great K-pop comeback without eye-catching choreography. With each passing year, it’s become more vital to the industry. Dance routines are excellent for a variety of reasons, ranging from intricate “how did they do that?!?” moments to simple point moves that become trendy touchstones. This list covers both of these extremes … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 