Park Jinyoung (JYP) is many things to many people. You may know him as Korea’s answer to Prince, forging a sexually-charged performance style in the 90’s. Or, you may know him as the head of his self-titled music agency, and as a veteran judge on audition show K-Pop Star. And if none of that rings … Continue reading
In the world of kpop, T-ara is really a one of a kind girl group. At their best, they merge an addictive electro dance club bounce to more traditional Korean trot elements. One glance and you may dismiss them as a gimmicky novelty act, but they possess one of the strongest, most reliably catchy discographies … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I’ll look back at my three favorite title tracks by k-pop artists. Unlike my end-of-year countdowns, jpop and Japanese releases by kpop artists are ineligible, though I will give the great ones a spotlight. For my top three tracks, I’ll take my own ratings into account, but there is a … Continue reading
Now that Hyunseung has officially left Beast, permanently changing the group’s DNA, I thought it was a perfect time to share this gem of a performance. Sketchbook is a show that’s known for its live performances. Often backed by a live band, the stage is the best possible showcase for Korean artists on TV. I’ve … Continue reading
For the first solo artist to feature on my Top Ten lists, I could really only choose one person. In many ways, G-Dragon represents the epitome of k-pop — endlessly creative, wildly influential as a fashion icon, and charismatic to a fault. He’s the brains behind most of Bigbang‘s best songs, but his solo career … Continue reading
When I first started getting into kpop back in 2012, K-Pop Star was one of my first tastes of Korean variety. Having been a longtime fan of western competition shows like X-Factor and American Idol, I was totally won over by the series’ format and the judges’ well-researched, astute criticisms. Having watched all five K-Pop … Continue reading
As far as girl groups go, Apink has been the one to fully master and maintain the upbeat, cutesy image. Even as their music has become more sophisticated in sound, its bubblegum hooks have always stood front and center. Initially, I feared that they would be a little too “girly” for me, and that kept … Continue reading
Despite only releasing ten group singles, Block B has risen to incredible fame in Korea. They’re really unlike any other idol groups, with a sense of individual style and idiosyncratic concepts. In the past, I’ve likened their music to a carnival. It’s bright and in-your-face, but underneath lies a grittier, rambunctious edge. They’re also a … Continue reading
I’ve been purposefully holding off on creating a Bigbang list because it’s so freaking hard to do. Not only are they the biggest group in kpop, but they’ve been around for a decade and have over thirty singles to choose from. Oddly, I find that most of my favorite singles are those recorded by the … Continue reading
As Cube Entertainment’s second boy group after Beast, BTOB had a lot to live up to. They debuted strongly in 2012, but began to see a lull in the years that followed. Then, in 2015 they enjoyed a resurgence as a pop ballad group. So, which side is their best side? Read on to find out! Updated … Continue reading
Though Sistar are undoubtedly one of Korea’s leading girl groups, they’ve barely released enough singles to fill a top ten list. Still, quality over quantity, right? Throughout their career, they’ve explored three distinct genres. Debuting with an attitude-infused electro pop sound, they segued into sultry/sexy before eventually winding up as the queens of summertime pop. My … Continue reading
KAT-TUN are a seminal band for me. Along with label mates News, they were the group that got me interested in j-pop, and I think that’s down to their international-minded pop/rock sound and incredible catalog of songs. They’ve been around for a decade, which means there were many, many singles to choose from. I had … Continue reading
With such a cheesy and unnecessarily gendered group name, Boyfriend’s image isn’t likely to entice many outside the pre-teen girl bracket, and that’s a shame because they have one of the strongest discographies among the poppier realm of k-pop boy bands. Working with Sweetune more often than not, I sometimes think of them as the younger, … Continue reading
Along with KARA, Nine Muses are one of the two long-lasting kpop girl groups to have paired with production team Sweetune more often than not. This instantly makes them important to me, as the sound of their music is directly to my taste. They’ve had an incredibly consistent singles run, with even their non-Sweetune tracks … Continue reading
To tell the truth, B.A.P was a group I got into late in the game. Something about their image turned me off initially, but then I came to my senses and realized that their music is actually pretty awesome. They’ve been through a bit of turmoil over the past couple of years, but now that … Continue reading
B1A4 are one of my absolute favorite groups in kpop. They’re also one of the most underrated. Because their music is often sunny, youthful and incredibly melodic, they don’t always get taken as seriously as many of their peers. It’s a shame, because the group boasts one of kpop’s best composers in leader Jinyoung, and they’ve … Continue reading
For whatever reason, Beast were the last of Korea’s major boy groups that I became interested in. I knew and enjoyed all of their singles, but it took a long time for me to investigate their entire discography. However, once I finally got around to it, they quickly became one of my favorite boy groups in all … Continue reading
Just based on a casual look through social media, I can already tell that Vancouver’s Exo’luXion stop is becoming infamous for all the wrong reasons. Still, I wanted to give my thoughts since I was in attendance last night. Before I start, I have to preface by saying that, while Exo were actually one of the groups … Continue reading
Of all Korean girl groups, Girls’ Generation has the longest catalog of title tracks. They’re one of the few kpop acts who have managed tremendous success in Japan, and most of their j-pop singles are as good (or better) than their Korean material. Throughout their lengthy career, they’ve tackled almost every color of kpop, from … Continue reading
(**Outdated list — check out the 2021 update here!) Super Junior are one of the biggest groups in all of Korea, and have developed into legends in the world of kpop. So how do you rate a legend? With Super Junior, it was a little easier than I anticipated. Though they’ve been around for over … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 