Most of the time, a k-pop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, 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. Though I never featured it as a Buried Treasure, I felt … Continue reading
From late-2016 to 2017, BLACKPINK seemed destined to fill the huge hole left behind by fellow YG Entertainment artists 2NE1. Both Playing With Fire and As If It’s Your Last were excellent pop songs, hampered only by a lack of b-side material to go along with them. Last year’s mega-hit Ddu-Du Ddu-Du took the girls … Continue reading
Just like last year, my K-pop Christmas present is the kick-off to the year-end music festivals. First up is SBS’s Gayo Daejun, which is typically notable for its star-studded, primarily big-name line-up that includes artists from YG Entertainment. Coming in, I wasn’t all that excited about the year’s Gayo because most of my favorite songs … Continue reading
2018 was a fantastic year when it came to album tracks. In fact, many of them were stronger (and more interesting) than their title track counterparts. This makes for a very competitive top 40 list, as well as a host of honorable mentions. Honestly, I could’ve tripled the amount of honorable mentions and still had … 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
I first remember hearing BLACKPINK’s Jennie all the way back in 2013, where she guested on a trio of tracks by YG solo acts. It was clear even then that she was being prepped for whatever the agency’s next girl group would be, but her vocals seemed poised for solo work as well. Five years … Continue reading
After what seems like a decades-long wait, BLACKPINK has returned with new material. This long hiatus approach has been a staple of YG Entertainment for years, and becomes especially problematic for the agency’s newer generation of artists. In BLACKPINK’s case, every title track they’ve released has gone straight to the top of the charts, but … Continue reading
