Astro are the latest group to release a song via the Universe app, meaning its full music video is only available to subscribers. So far, this barricade hasn’t been too much of a drawback because few of the Universe songs are any good. Most of the time, these tracks feel like cast-offs, pulled from the … 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 2021 Overall Thoughts When it comes to new music, I often mention the “expectations game.” … Continue reading
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
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
For years now, I’ve been crossing my fingers for Astro’s return to the bright, carefree pop of their debut era. Those fingers also begged for a reunion with producers Iggy and Youngbae, who crafted a definitive sound for the group. But, the world rarely gives you everything you want, so in place of another Hide … Continue reading
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
Congratulations to ATEEZ’s Wave! This was a tough fight, with Sistar leading through much of the day. But, ATEEZ turned things around and ended up snatching victory with 54.6% of the vote. Pour one out for Sistar, everyone. They would have gotten my vote! We’re down to our last match-up in this second round of … Continue reading
Congratulations to Golden Child’s Let Me! Honestly, I was expecting the song to get annihilated by BLACKPINK, but the voting was neck-and-neck all day. Eventually, Let Me pulled ahead with 61.1% of the vote. We’re down to the final match-up in this first round of the bracket. It’s the battle of the boy groups, as … Continue reading
Two years ago, I took a look at my favorite “Songs of Summer” between 2012 and 2018. Now that we’re getting closer to the season, I think it’s time for an update! This time, I’m cheating a bit. I kept this feature’s original title for continuity’s sake, but my top song of summer for 2020 … 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. April 2021 Overall Thoughts 2021 continues to be a strong year for K-pop. When it comes … Continue reading
A K-pop group’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’m not super thrilled with the … Continue reading
I fell in love with Astro’s music over the course of their debut year. In fact, I picked them as my favorite rookies of 2016 – above even the much-hyped NCT. However, I’ve barely recognized Astro in their past two comebacks. It wasn’t just that their concepts had become “darker.” The music itself felt increasingly … Continue reading
I’m the type who likes to listen to every major K-pop album at least once. Maybe that’s a bit obsessive, but it guarantees that no buried treasures slip through my fingers. And although much emphasis is put on title tracks, more and more the best K-pop songs are relegated to b-sides. This countdown encompasses any … Continue reading
Well… 2020 was certainly different, wasn’t it? It was a year where the industry couldn’t function as usual, but that didn’t stop K-pop from churning out more music than ever. It was a year of unprecedented international success and rising album sales — just as most other music markets struggled to move physical product. It … Continue reading
Disclaimer: As with my write-ups on K-Pop’s biggest agencies, this is written from an outsider’s perspective. I’m not privy to any business-related financial information beyond what any other fan would know. The purpose of these articles is to examine how well these agencies are serving their artists and the general k-pop fan-base. If you’re curious … 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. October 2020 Overall Thoughts After a fantastic September, October was another strong month. And, it was … Continue reading
When Weki Meki debuted in the summer of 2017, they billed their concept as “teen crush.” Over the years, their singles have occasionally lived up to that moniker. However, their recent one-two punch of Dazzle Dazzle and Oopsy strayed too far into cutesy chant-pop for my taste. New single Cool returns them to their edgier … 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. September 2020 Overall Thoughts Back in late winter, my reviews were often besieged with comments stating … Continue reading
As soon as I heard that Astro’s Moonbin and Sanha were debuting as a sub-unit, my first inclination was to hope for an opportunity to revisit the more upbeat material from their debut year. You know me… always looking for more bright, uptempo pop music! But as usual, placing specific expectations on a song before … Continue reading
There are few things I enjoy more than a great summertime song. They’re bright, they’re exciting, and they remind me of my favorite time of the year. There’s no telling what this summer in K-pop will bring, but over the next few weeks I’ll be flashing back each day, showcasing a highlight from past summers. … Continue reading
