Now that I’ve taken a look at my favorite title tracks and singles of the year, it’s time to move on to… everything else. This countdown encompasses any track that didn’t receive a full music video. This becomes more nebulous by the year, with “track videos” and “special videos” and the like. I allow myself … Continue reading
Tag Archives: astro
Unwrapping 2025’s K-pop Holiday Tracks: Keep Or Return?
Following a tradition first established in 2020, I’m celebrating the holidays today with the opening of gifts. These packages come in the form of seasonal K-pop tracks not yet reviewed on the blog. As much as possible, I’m only focusing on original songs. There are TONS of song covers and “Christmas versions” of existing tracks … Continue reading
The Top Three K-Pop Songs of November 2025
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 2025 Overall Thoughts Though there’s still another month left of 2025, I always consider November … Continue reading
THIS WEEK IN K-POP: Ranking the New Releases from November 23 – 29
At the end of each month, I compile my top three K-pop title tracks and list a ton of honorable mentions. In 2025, I thought I’d try something new and add a weekly feature to supplement my monthly round-up. Each Sunday, I’ll offer a compendium of the week’s new releases featured on the blog. And … Continue reading
Song Review: Cha Eunwoo (Astro) – Sweet Papaya
Cha Eunwoo’s recently released Saturday Preacher was the rare song review on this blog that garnered absolutely no engagement (ie: comments) from readers. That tells me something, and it’s a contrast I’ve long suspected: Cha Eunwoo the actor and variety star? Mega success. Cha Eunwoo the solo singer? Pleasant but uncompelling. It also tells me … Continue reading
THIS WEEK IN K-POP: Ranking the New Releases from November 16 – 22
At the end of each month, I compile my top three K-pop title tracks and list a ton of honorable mentions. In 2025, I thought I’d try something new and add a weekly feature to supplement my monthly round-up. Each Sunday, I’ll offer a compendium of the week’s new releases featured on the blog. And … Continue reading
Song Review: Cha Eunwoo (Astro) – Saturday Preacher
I remember a time where male idols went off to serve their mandatory military conscription and didn’t (or weren’t allowed?) to promote during this hiatus. Nowadays, it’s common for these idols to pre-record entire albums and videos to dole out while they’re away. The only thing that’s missing are music show performances! Cha Eunwoo enlisted … Continue reading
Battle of the B-Sides: TNX, Astro, SHINee, PSY, Luna
K-pop’s title tracks might gain most of listeners’ attention, but many album tracks are worth equal spotlight. I call these “buried treasures.” Beyond this, K-pop’s albums deliver thousands of additional tracks that settle for a more limited audience. It’s these songs that will become a part of my “battle of the b-sides” feature. In this … Continue reading
THIS WEEK IN K-POP: Ranking the New Releases from August 24 – 30
At the end of each month, I compile my top three K-pop title tracks and list a ton of honorable mentions. In 2025, I thought I’d try something new and add a weekly feature to supplement my monthly round-up. Each Sunday, I’ll offer a compendium of the week’s new releases featured on the blog. And … Continue reading
THIS WEEK IN K-POP: Ranking the New Releases from August 10 – 16
At the end of each month, I compile my top three K-pop title tracks and list a ton of honorable mentions. In 2025, I thought I’d try something new and add a weekly feature to supplement my monthly round-up. Each Sunday, I’ll offer a compendium of the week’s new releases featured on the blog. And … Continue reading
Song Review: ZOONIZINI (Astro) – Some Things Never Change
Let’s get the obvious out of the way first: ZOONIZINI is an awful sub-unit name. I’m sure it has some special meaning as all K-pop monikers do, but saying it out loud instantly makes me feel stupider. ZOONIZINI is Astro’s third sub-unit, made up of members MJ and JinJin. Previous units delivered mixed results, but … Continue reading
The Top Three K-Pop Songs of July 2025
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 2025 Overall Thoughts In the context of this year, the past two months have been … Continue reading
K-Pop Risers & Fallers: July 2025
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 WEEK IN K-POP: Ranking the New Releases from July 13 – 19
At the end of each month, I compile my top three K-pop title tracks and list a ton of honorable mentions. In 2025, I thought I’d try something new and add a weekly feature to supplement my monthly round-up. Each Sunday, I’ll offer a compendium of the week’s new releases featured on the blog. And … Continue reading
Buried Treasure: Yoon Sanha (Astro) – 6PM (Nobody’s Business)
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. Earlier this week, I was lukewarm … Continue reading
Song Review: Yoon Sanha (Astro) – Extra Virgin
As Astro’s youngest member, Yoon Sanha has often been constrained by the concepts he’s able to attempt. Last year’s solo effort Dive also seemed a bit confused, attempting a darker makeover that didn’t fit well with his charm as a performer. New title track Extra Virgin gives him a funk makeover, similar to the sound … Continue reading
Reviewing One of My Favorite K-Pop Summer Albums: ASTRO – DREAM PT. 1
While Astro’s Dream Pt.1 was never specifically promoted as a “summer” album, it’s one of the K-pop projects I most closely associate with the season and was released just before one of K-pop’s most epic summers in 2017. More importantly, it’s incredibly strong and represents a bubbly, ultra-melodic pop sound we just don’t hear much … Continue reading
Song Review: Yoon Sanha (Astro) – Dive
Someone needs to do a case study on why so many idol soloists debut with the most subdued (ie: dull) material you could possibly imagine. Have they been so beaten down by the maximalist needs of K-pop’s idol group system? Are they under the impression that — above all else — they must show some … Continue reading
K-Pop Risers & Fallers: July 2024
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
Buried Treasure: Rocky – Masterpiece
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’ve softened a bit on Rocky’s … Continue reading