SF9 only debuted a year ago and have already experimented with a number of styles. Switching things up again, their new single finds them trading hip-hop and EDM for Spanish guitars. Latin music has long been a familiar excursion for boy bands of the West, but its influence is far more unusual when it comes to … Continue reading
Most of the time, a kpop 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 kpop, I wanted to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. I’ve never given N.Flying much attention before, and FNC Entertainment … Continue reading
Newer k-pop fans would be forgiven for not knowing who N.Flying are. Despite being a rookie group from a sizeable agency, the guys haven’t made a Korean comeback in nearly two years. Before that, they presented two very different sounds. Debut single Awesome shone a spotlight on their rap/rock sound, but felt a little too … Continue reading
Though his band CNBLUE has released more than their fair share of great music, the format of a pop/rock group has always seemed to limit Jung Yonghwa’s innate sense of showmanship. The guy knows how to command a stage and pull the audience right into a song. His first solo album in 2015 spawned a … Continue reading
As we’ve seen over the past few months, making it to a ten-year anniversary is no small feat when it comes to k-pop. FTIsland join a select few that have outlasted the threat of disbandment and roster changes and failing agencies. For that alone, they deserve immense respect. Even more kudos should be given for … Continue reading
FNC Entertainment has been working overtime, debuting HONEYST just seven months after launching SF9. Both groups were featured in the agency’s Dance Or Band series, which — despite its competitive nature — felt more like an advertisement for everyone involved than an actual rivalry. And though SF9 were chosen to debut first, the acoustic-leaning HONEYST … Continue reading
Breakout rookies SF9 are wasting no time establishing themselves, releasing a new mini album just two months after the last one. Thus far, the group has adopted an aggressive hip-hop style with mixed results, but for Easy Love (쉽다) they’ve switched it up quite a bit. This is SF9 as melodic as we’ve ever heard … Continue reading
