It’s time to flash back seven years to 2012, an era of huge choruses, thumping dance beats and an endless supply of sci-fi influenced music videos. 2012’s charms were endless, but here are fifty of the absolute best singles. To be eligible for this top fifty list, songs must have had a Korean release as … Continue reading
It’s time to flash back seven years to 2012, an era of huge choruses, thumping dance beats and an endless supply of sci-fi influenced music videos. 2012’s charms were endless, but here are fifty of the absolute best singles. To be eligible for this top fifty list, songs must have had a Korean release as … Continue reading
In what has become an annual tradition, it’s time to take a look at K-pop’s biggest agencies and offer my 2018 verdict. After yesterday’s focus on SM Entertainment, it’s time to move onto YG Entertainment. As usual, the thoughts are my own and aren’t privy to any insider information. I’m not taking into account things … Continue reading
Seungri’s new album has seemed to split opinion online, with some listeners declaring it the best full-length of the year and others feeling like its sound is outdated when thrown into the modern K-pop landscape. In many ways, the album feels like it could have been released in 2012 or 2013, and that’s precisely the … Continue reading
It’s hard to believe, but it’s been five long years since Bigbang’s Seungri last released solo music. In the meantime, his fellow members have had their chance in the spotlight, cementing their individual styles as Seungri threw much of his attention into lucrative business ventures. As time passed, the thought of a 2018 solo project … Continue reading
With over 2,300 songs on my iPhone’s “K-Pop Singles” playlist, I thought it would be fun to add a bit of unpredictability to my song review posts. So as a result, we have the brand new “Random Shuffle Review” feature. The rules are simple. I fire up my playlist, press “shuffle,” and whatever song plays first … Continue reading
Most of the time, a k-pop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-side tracks deserve recognition, too. In the singles-oriented world of k-pop, I wanted to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. Once the Olympics kick off next month, I’m sure Louder … Continue reading
2017 has been the year of Bigbang members’ solo tours, organized as farewell victory laps as military conscription looms in the near future. After G-Dragon visited Seattle back in July, I was happy to see that band mate Taeyang would be coming even closer to my corner of the world — landing in Vancouver, BC … Continue reading
Back with double title tracks, Taeyang has made a long awaited comeback as mandatory military enlistment looms in the distance. While Darling stripped back on production flourishes to shine a strong spotlight on his powerful vocals, Wake Me Up takes a trendier approach. Bigbang, and its members’ solo work, have such an idiosyncratic sound that … Continue reading
It’s been a long time coming, but 2017 seems to be the year of Bigbang members’ solo comebacks. First we had G-Dragon in June, and now it’s Taeyang‘s turn. The White Night album arrives with great anticipation, especially after the monstrous success of 2014’s Eyes, Nose, Lips. And for the first of two title tracks, … Continue reading
It might not be the k-pop hub that is L.A., but living in the Pacific Northwest, we get our fair share of concerts in neighboring Vancouver. Even so, when I saw that G-Dragon had extended his world tour to Seattle, it seemed like a minor miracle. I can’t remember a time when a big-name k-pop … Continue reading
Amidst everything going on with his band-mate T.O.P, G-Dragon made the right decision in releasing the emotive Untitled, 2014 as the first single from his new mini album. But this being G-Dragon, we knew we’d be getting at least one hip-hop hype track before the album campaign was over. The eye-catchingly titled Bullshit is the … Continue reading
It’s such a thrill to write about a solo G-Dragon track. Though Bigbang has been active over the past few years, we haven’t heard from G-Dragon on his own since 2013’s brilliant Coup d’Etat album. But on a personal level, he was one of my first ambassadors to k-pop as a whole. I can’t think … Continue reading
It’s hard to believe that, after a year and a half since launching this website, I still haven’t had the opportunity to review any Korean comebacks by solo Bigbang members. For a group approaching military enlistment age, you’d think that YG would want to keep the members as busy as possible. So Good may have been created as … Continue reading
Released in September of 2013, Coup d’Etat built on the touchstones of G-Dragon‘s 2009 debut album and his 2012 One Of A Kind mini. At this point, his immense star power had been cemented, allowing for high-profile collaborations that brought a more international flavor to his work. Within this framework, Coup d’Etat is one of k-pop’s … 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. March 2017 Overall Thoughts Oh, March. It’s such a long month, yet gives us so little when it … Continue reading
Bigbang may be one of the biggest k-pop acts around, but they’ve also mastered the art of solo releases. Each of their five members has released solo work tailored specifically to their strengths. Most of these have fit comfortably within the Bigbang brand, but power vocal Daesung has branched out even further, carving an immensely … Continue reading
If there’s anything I’ve learned from covering pop music for over a decade, it’s that songwriters and collaborators are just as important as the artists themselves. Though they often work behind the scenes, this feature is a chance to shine the light on some of k-pop’s most innovative and accomplished producers and composers. DAISHI DANCE … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I’ll 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. December 2016 Overall Thoughts As expected, the last month of the year was comparatively sparse when it … Continue reading
It’s the time of the year for Korea’s annual music festivals! It’s a particularly exciting few days for k-pop, filled with special performances and a look back at the year’s most influential hits. SBS is the first of the three networks to kick off the week of “gayos,” and unfortunately they set the bar incredibly … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 