Song Review: Cherry Bullet – P.O.W! (Play On the World)
Review

Song Review: Cherry Bullet – P.O.W! (Play On the World)

Cherry Bullet have made a habit of returning exactly once a year with a song that gains many admirers but never quite breaks them into a new level of success. This is FNC Entertainment’s fault more than anything. Unless you’re BLACKPINK, you can’t expect much from once-a-year comebacks. The group has been around for four … Continue reading

Battle of the B-Sides: SHINee, SF9, MBLAQ, Baekhyun, (G)I-DLE
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Battle of the B-Sides: SHINee, SF9, MBLAQ, Baekhyun, (G)I-DLE

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

Song Review: SF9 – Puzzle
Review

Song Review: SF9 – Puzzle

Coming off the heels of an incredibly slow December, 2023 in K-pop is off to a similarly stagnant start. I’m waiting to hear the first track of the year that’ll knock me off my feet, and Puzzle‘s propulsive teasers seemed to point in the right direction. SF9’s music has grown more consistently slick over the … Continue reading

Grading the K-Pop Agencies 2022: Part One  (Brand New, Cube, DSP, Fantagio, FNC, IST, Jellyfish)
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Grading the K-Pop Agencies 2022: Part One (Brand New, Cube, DSP, Fantagio, FNC, IST, Jellyfish)

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

Battle of the B-Sides: Seventeen, CNBlue, (G)I-DLE, Twice, STAYC
Feature

Battle of the B-Sides: Seventeen, CNBlue, (G)I-DLE, Twice, STAYC

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

Buried Treasure: SF9 – Driver
Review

Buried Treasure: SF9 – Driver

A K-pop act’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 have a strong bias toward … Continue reading

Song Review: SF9 – Scream
Review

Song Review: SF9 – Scream

After eight months without a comeback, SF9 have returned as SF6. Such is the reality for K-pop’s boy groups, who must juggle military enlistments as their career matures. But, that’s beside the point because the guys have finally stepped out of their moody, sensual style and embraced sunny summertime pop! They’ve delivered an entire album … Continue reading

Battle of the B-Sides: N.Flying, AOA, Red Velvet, Beast, EXO-CBX
Feature

Battle of the B-Sides: N.Flying, AOA, Red Velvet, Beast, EXO-CBX

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