Of all current k-pop acts, none feels more closely tied to America than BTS. This is kind of ironic, since many groups nowadays count American members among their ranks. In contrast, all seven members of BTS hail from Korea, and only their leader Rap Monster speaks fluent English. Nonetheless, their music speaks to international audiences in … 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. February 2017 Overall Thoughts If I could describe February with only one word, it would be “consistent.” … Continue reading
Ever since 2015’s I Need U and Dope, BTS have been successfully dominating their release cycles with a juxtaposition of more melodic material with harder-edged blasts of hip-hop dance. That approach continues with their newest repackage album. Last week we had the emotional, rock-infused balladry of Spring Day before Not Today rumbles in to slam listeners with its … Continue reading
Over the past few years, BTS have been churning out showstopping singles with an almost inhuman regularity, rightfully earning their place as k-pop’s biggest international breakthrough. New single Spring Day (봄날) comes only three months after their superb Blood, Sweat and Tears, and represents a shift in sound well-suited to these cold winter months. Releasing a big, sweeping … Continue reading
As we move through the year’s best k-pop moments, it’s important not to forget 2016’s most memorable choreography, which is one of the genre’s most valuable hallmarks. Dance routines are such a huge part of most k-pop comebacks, highlighted by a catchy “point dance” that aims to be easily repeated by viewers. As groups’ rosters begin … Continue reading
Now that we’ve taken a look at this year’s best debuts, it’s time to count down the ten artists who really defined 2016. This list’s criteria is about 75% musical quality/personal taste and 25% influence on the k-pop industry. Since rookies have their own list, they’re ineligible for this particular countdown. + Make sure to check … Continue reading
In k-pop, music videos are nearly as important as the songs themselves. It’s become such a visual genre, regularly churning out glossy videos that look much more expensive than they are. Without focusing too much on the actual song (though it’s impossible to fully separate the two), here were the top ten visual moments of … Continue reading
