Though k-pop rises or falls on the strength of its singles, a group’s real strengths can often be found in the lesser-known material that makes up their mini albums and full lengths. The definition of “album” in K-pop is so wide that I’ve got to lay down some ground rules before composing any sort of … Continue reading
Lately, it feels like SM Station has become an extended teaser for that new EXO album we’ve all been waiting for. It’s hard to believe that, six years into their career, we’ve yet to see fully-promoted solos or sub-units from the group other than EXO-CBX. With mandatory military enlistment looming, I think this will change … 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. August 2018 Overall Thoughts Well, if July was disappointing, August was downright anemic. For the first … Continue reading
As the third season of SM’s digital Station platform continues to shine light on unexpected collaborations, the pairing of EXO’s Baekyun and rapper Loco arrives with much expectation. It’s been awhile since we’ve heard any EXO-related material, and fans are more than ready. Luckily, Young gives the duo an interesting piece of trend-free electro-pop music … 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 “Random Shuffle Review” feature. The rules are simple. I fire up my playlist, press “shuffle,” and whatever song plays first gets the … 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. EXO-CBX’s new Japanese album is pretty much a party from … Continue reading
Watching (and obsessing over) Avengers: Infinity War last week has got me thinking. If I wielded the Infinity Gauntlet and had the power to shape the universe, how would I control K-Pop? Infinite comebacks every month! New Sweetune songs every week! Just kidding. I’m not going to be that biased. Instead, I thought it would … Continue reading
