Girl group AOA have quickly risen to the top of the kpop world, due largely to the amazing material producer Brave Brothers has given them. Good Luck marks a turning point, with a shift in both sound and songwriting team. And while the song more or less maintains AOA’s quality musical output, I can’t help but wish for a … Continue reading
I get the sense that CNBLUE’s Cinderella from last year wasn’t all that well-received. But, I appreciated the move towards a more synth/dance driven style and it actually got me more interested in the group than I’d been in quite some time. Nevertheless, You’re So Fine offers a sort of return to form, with its funky, … Continue reading
Like label-mates CNBlue, FTIsland has done a nice job balancing their Korean and Japanese success. Given their status as an idol rock group, their sound has an easily-slotted place within the vast world of j-rock, though the direction of their Japanese material hasn’t always been to my taste. However, I was incredibly impressed with frontman Hongki’s solo … Continue reading
As a sub-unit of girl group AOA, AOA Cream is composed of members Chanmi, Hyejeong and Yuna, none of which have received a huge spotlight in the past. I don’t believe for a second that the trio’s suggestive name was an accident. AOA’s ridden the sexy concept to great success, but they’ve had a series of very … Continue reading
So far, 2016 seems to be the year of the collaborations. This feels like a somewhat odd one, between CNBlue’s frontman Jung Yong-Hwa and Sunwoo Jung Ah, who is primarily known as an in-house songwriter (and occasional singer) with YG Entertainment. I’m not exactly sure what brought these two together, though Yong-Hwa seems to be … Continue reading
Insensible is an awkward name for a song, but I love me a big power rock ballad. Hongki is the lead vocal of Korean rock group FTIsland, and because of this I was expecting a straight-up rock sound from his new solo album. To my surprise (and delight), the album incorporates a lot more dance … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 