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. TXT’s new album has exactly two … Continue reading
TXT continue to push into global markets, building upon their winter smash Sugar Rush Ride with English and Spanish language collaborations featuring Jonas Brothers and Anitta. Both tracks are present on their new album (minus Anitta), offering a taste of different genres. Meanwhile, new single Chasing The Feeling is the latest in a long line … Continue reading
K-pop artists have a history with League Of Legends‘ themes and I don’t usually write about these songs on the blog. However, everything NewJeans touches seems to become a colossal smash so I feel a certain obligation to cover as much of their music as possible. And refreshingly, the anthemic Gods is a big sidestep … 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. September 2023 Overall Thoughts After a very strong August, it felt like we entered the K-pop … Continue reading
Jungkook has found a winning formula with singles that cater to Y2K pop sounds and feature a popular American rapper. His summer hit Seven proved more durable then expected, offering a breezy take on garage music with a simple — but addictive — hook. If Seven borrowed liberally from Fill Me In era Craig David, … Continue reading
We’re now at the point where I’m writing about these V solo songs out of sheer stubbornness. It’s like Pokémon — you gotta catch them all! Never mind the fact that I have nothing new to add to my existing thoughts. For Us is the fifth (!) music video to spawn from his debut solo … Continue reading
As global K-pop collaborations become more frequent, the pairing of talents matters more and more. Which artists can compliment each other and tease out new dynamics? When it comes to TXT, I found their pairing with Jonas Brothers quite cloying. In that case, the song highlighted a milquetoast, kid’s movie soundtrack vibe that some of … Continue reading
HYBE’s love for releasing multiple music videos from each project really messes with my review system! Do I write about every one of them? For a release as high-profile as V’s solo album, it seems silly not to. Yet, I find myself essentially copying and pasting my thoughts from song to song. I’m not sure … Continue reading
While some BTS members have aimed straight for the top of the charts with their solo work, others have taken a more niche route that compliments their personal taste. In V’s case, that means an album of lo-fi, smooth jazzy sounds. It’s clearly a style he enjoys and it works well with his voice, even … Continue reading
Though I didn’t connect with BOYNEXTDOOR’s debut tracks as strongly as I would have liked, I appreciate their commitment to a signature sound and the bright, youthful energy their music portrays. But Sometimes (뭣 같아) is a quick comeback after their May debut and further develops their unique point of view. This song isn’t as … 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. August 2023 Overall Thoughts For the first time this year, I could have easily filled a … Continue reading
I’m not always a huge fan of K-pop covers, but Baekho chose the perfect song in Elevator. The original 1995 Park Jinyoung classic was a staple of the 90’s, yet it never had an official music video and the song’s production is ripe for an update. As influential as this evergreen hit is, you don’t … Continue reading
In connection with my desire to fully keep up with the J-pop industry, I’m planning to do a weekly round-up of any new releases that have caught my ear. Some of these may have been covered on the blog already, but my hope is that this will become a one-stop shop for anyone interested in … Continue reading
“Best Of” albums are far more common in the Japanese market than any other country I’m aware of, and that extends to K-pop acts. Ima (Even If The World Ends Tomorrow) (今 -明日 世界が終わっても-) is taken from Seventeen’s first “best of,” marking another stage in their successful career. And though the track was composed by … Continue reading
In connection with my desire to fully keep up with the J-pop industry, I’m planning to do a weekly round-up of any new releases that have caught my ear. Some of these may have been covered on the blog already, but my hope is that this will become a one-stop shop for anyone interested in … Continue reading
Multi-song rollouts are becoming increasingly common for HYBE artists, and BTS’s V is certainly taking advantage of the strategy. His solo album isn’t out until next month, but we’ve already heard two of its tracks. Rainy Days follows yesterday’s understated, jazzy Love Me Again, ever so slightly upping the energy to a soft shuffle. Time … Continue reading
The BTS solo roll-out continues in earnest with member V scheduled to release multiple songs ahead of his debut album in September. V’s unique, husky voice has always been one of the group’s secret weapons — a very appealing tone that adds character and texture to anything it touches. The challenge, then, is to find … 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. July 2023 Overall Thoughts This July was characterized by several things, but on this blog it … Continue reading
In connection with my desire to fully keep up with the J-pop industry, I’m planning to do a weekly round-up of any new releases that have caught my ear. Some of these may have been covered on the blog already, but my hope is that this will become a one-stop shop for anyone interested in … Continue reading
Rather than contain my “Risers and Fallers” feature to a single post in June, I’m going to share a bite-sized version at the end of each month. This will let me account for more songs and make a nice lead-in to the monthly round-up post. I anticipate most of these ratings adjustments will be negligible: … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 