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. When listening to ILLIT’s new mini … Continue reading
If NewJeans first popularized the subdued style of girl group pop/R&B that currently has a stranglehold on K-pop, ILLIT took that baton and added a chirpy, ‘beep beep boop’ type of chorus that has now become just as ubiquitous. Taken together, these trends have delivered a lethal blow to my own personal taste. To put … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I compile my top three K-pop title tracks and list a ton of honorable mentions. In 2025, I thought I’d try something new and add a weekly feature to supplement my monthly round-up. Each Sunday, I’ll offer a compendium of the week’s new releases featured on the blog. And … Continue reading
It’s been a very slow week in K-pop, so a surprise pre-release from ILLIT saves me from digging in the archives and writing about something old today. Their comeback is slated for later this month with title track Do The Dance, but prior to that they’ve debuted the “brand film” for album opener Little Monster. … 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
After taking Korea by storm in the spring of 2024, ILLIT’s Magnetic went on to see great success in markets like Japan. It only makes sense that they’d expand their career there, especially given HYBE’s existing infrastructure in the country. Almond Chocolate sees them getting in on the lucrative OST business, closely mirroring the sound … Continue reading
Just like last year, I wanted to share my top twenty most-viewed posts for 2024. I find this list an interesting gauge of who is popular (at least among netizens who read reviews). The most obvious takeaway from this list is the utter dominance of girl groups. Seriously, there’s only one boy group in the … Continue reading
Full disclosure: I’m not a dancer nor choreographer, and dance isn’t necessarily what I flock to K-pop for. Because of that, my choices tend to veer toward more iconic routines that are fun to watch rather than technically challenging or impressive formations. I like to believe the two can co-exist, but I do prefer fun … Continue reading
(Note: If you’re unable to view this post on a phone, please try on another device. I believe the number of video embeds is causing trouble on certain browsers.) Yep, I’m back to writing about K-pop’s year-end festivals. They were some of the earliest events I covered on this blog but over the past few … Continue reading
Before I take a look at K-pop’s established artists, it’s time to spotlight this year’s fresh crop of talent! When I ran my first-ever Bias List survey, I was surprised when the majority of respondents noted that this year’s rookies were not particularly exciting. But when I took a look back at the year as … Continue reading
It’s that time of year again! While December is filled with year-end countdowns, I like to take a look back at some of K-pop’s biggest agencies during November. Before reading (especially if you’re new to the blog), it’s helpful to know that my grading focuses most heavily on music releases and how comebacks are managed … Continue reading
I had a dream last night that I went back to listen to ILLIT’s Cherish (My Love) and there was this whole new layer of production on its instrumental I’d never noticed before — including a prominent violin solo. During the dream, I wondered why I hadn’t loved the song on first listen. Upon waking … Continue reading
I haven’t been shy in voicing my displeasure/disinterest with K-pop’s current trend of beige, easy-listening girl group fare. The sound has become ubiquitous over the past year, dulling the excitement of many new groups. But within this sonic realm, ILLIT’s megahit Magnetic stood out as a solid example of the genre. Now they’re back with … Continue reading
In what’s becoming a clear pattern, ILLIT are the latest HYBE-associated K-pop act to see record-breaking success on the charts with their debut Magnetic. Many fans have become upset about their persistent comparisons to NewJeans, but although the details may be unique for each act, I think the observation is apt. We need a name … 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 2024 Overall Thoughts Okay, this year’s already a little weird. We kicked off with an … Continue reading
HYBE’s empire continues to grow with the debut of new girl group ILLIT. They’re under subsidiary Belift Lab and formed through the series R U Next?. They’re the first of a few new girl groups emerging this week, and their debut single Magnetic feels perfectly in line with current trends. HYBE (and specifically, NewJeans) have … Continue reading
