It’s that time of year again! Even if it doesn’t always feel like it here in the Pacific Northwest, summer is on the horizon. This is my favorite season for k-pop, with a strong focus on energetic, upbeat releases. Unlike the Ultimate 80’s Playlist I featured earlier in the year, “summer” is a far more … 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. May 2017 Overall Thoughts May was a month of contrasts. The first two weeks were among the … 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. ERIK LIDBOM … 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. NAM GI … 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. MONOTREE Years … 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 2017 Overall Thoughts 2017 continues to fall behind when compared to last year. Though it was easy … Continue reading
EXID debuted in early 2012 with a colorful retro pop sound that instantly set them apart from their contemporaries. The group struggled during their initial years before eventually blowing up in 2014. Since then, the girls have gone from strength to strength, and they finally have enough title tracks to warrant a countdown. Here are … 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. THE STEREOTYPES … Continue reading
Debuting in 2014, Red Velvet are SM Entertainment’s newest girl group. Their unique concept has them releasing both quirky uptempo pop (“red”) and refined r&b (“velvet”), resulting in a diverse discography that’s sure to please a variety of tastes. Like f(x) before them, their music lies on SM’s more experimental side, ensuring that k-pop remains … Continue reading
K-Pop is one of the few international genres that places more focus on groups than solo acts, but when a single artist does make it big, they often burst into the stratosphere. Such is the case with Rain (Bi), who set the standard for male soloists everywhere. He is not only a Korean star. He’s a … 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. KIM TAE … 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
As a companion to my Top Ten Singles lists, it’s time to look at some of the best album tracks and b-sides from the best artists. GOT7 are one of those groups that keeps a pretty steady quality when it comes to their music. I found it difficult ranking b-sides because there are so many … Continue reading
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
Debuting with YG Entertainment in 2014, sibling duo Akdong Musician are the very best act to come out of competition series K-Pop Star. Their acoustic pop sound pulls in a seemingly endless mix of genres, bursting with creativity and a sense of boundary-pushing inventiveness. Despite only having three proper studio albums to their name, they’ve … 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. E-TRIBE Years … Continue reading
Every story has a beginning, and k-pop’s idol world starts with first generation groups like H.O.T. Though their music is forever tethered to the 90’s, their experimentation paved the way for many of the genre’s tropes that are still in use today. Here’s a look at my top ten favorites from their singles run (and … 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. RYAN S. … Continue reading
Debuting in 2014 as Woollim Entertainment’s first girl group, Lovelyz quickly rose to fame on their quirky synth-pop sound. Though they’re most known for a light, cutesy image, their music has experimented with different tones as the group has matured. With only eight full-group promotional releases, I had to cheat a bit and add two … 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. ALBI ALBERTSSON … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 