This is one of those features I’ve been wanting to tackle for years now. In many ways, the singles of 2012 set the standard I measure all future and past K-pop against. Song for song, it was the pinnacle of so much that I love about Korean music. It was a year of gargantuan choruses, … Continue reading
When I think of the artists I would have pegged to go the tropical route, Lee Hongki wouldn’t have even entered the conversation. As the front man of rock band FTIsland, his raspy, powerful voice seems too intense for the style, easily becoming the focal point of anything he records. But as last week’s oddball … Continue reading
Lee Hongki’s 2015 solo album was a surprisingly diverse affair. It may have been led by a big, theatrical ballad in the vein of his group’s 2012 hit Severely, but the b-sides offered a range of sounds that dabbled in dance and synthpop. In other words, it was exactly what a solo album should be … Continue reading
FTIsland have been a staple of the K-pop landscape for over ten years now. Having debuted so young, none of the members have yet embarked on their two-year military conscription, making their music a reliably steady presence. This consistency of comebacks threatens to blunt excitement for new material. After all, “absence makes the heart grow … 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 2018 Overall Thoughts Well, March certainly didn’t pan out the way I had expected. If … Continue reading
Along with many other male groups of their era, FTIsland is approaching that dreaded military enlistment time, where each member will have to momentarily leave the entertainment industry for their mandatory service. This portion of an idol’s career tends to bring with it an added sense of sentimentality, as artists bid a temporary goodbye to … 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
This was not one of the easier lists to compile. FTIsland have dozens of singles to choose from, and I’ve liked almost all of them. But, if I were to rate their discography as a whole, the scores would be pretty even across the board, with a few major peaks standing out from an otherwise … 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
Rock group FTIsland are really on a roll this year. First, they released their Japanese N.W.U album with its excellent single You Don’t Know Who I Am, then they came back last week in Korea with one of the strongest singles of their career. Now, they’ve got another hit coming down the pike for an … Continue reading
Rock is not a typical genre in the k-pop idol world, especially that which could be safely described as “heavy” or “hard.” After releasing a more standard brand of radio-rock for many years, FTIsland were given leeway last year to record material more closely aligned to their personal preferences. This resulted in a heavier sound … 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
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 