Among all J-pop idols, AAA’s Nissy possesses my favorite voice. Incredibly rich and filled with character, it’s the kind of tone that can elevate even the slightest of material. Combine that with an old-fashioned sense of showmanship and you’ve got a performer at the top of his game. New single Relax & Chill may not … Continue reading
Give me a K or J-pop song with the title “Chaser” and I’ll instantly be triggered. I’ve written at length about how I consider Infinite’s The Chaser to be the best K-pop song of all time. It’s so outstanding that they might as well retire the word “chaser” from the K-pop lexicon entirely. But here … Continue reading
Monsta X have been incredibly prolific since their debut in 2015, returning with new music several times each year. And now that they’ve set their sights on the Japanese market, they’re busier than ever. Livin’ It Up is their third Japanese single in the space of only eight months, and their output is only improving … Continue reading
It’s hard to believe that Hey! Say! JUMP celebrated their tenth anniversary last year. After a decade in the industry, most pop acts begin to fade, moving on to less potent material that often feels like a retread of earlier sounds. But JUMP debuted incredibly young, with its oldest members now only in their late … 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 2018 Overall Thoughts I’ve always seen the month of July as the pinnacle of each … Continue reading
Arashi spent much of 2017 experimenting with their sound. Whether it was the swing-inspired I’ll Be There, the symphonic and trap breakdowns of Mikan, or the eleven-and-a-half minute song suite that marked the climax of their sixteenth studio album, Japan’s biggest male group proved that their sense of adventure was not going to slow down … Continue reading
Co-ed group AAA have been dominating Japanese charts for over a decade, but their upcoming album will be their first without member Chiaki Ito. After she left the group early last year to start a family, AAA was left with a truly unique configuration — five men and one woman. Despite this uncommon gender imbalance, … Continue reading
After kicking off a series of digital singles with last November’s Here We Are, Super Junior’s Donghae and Eunhyuk are on the cusp of dropping their first Japanese album in three years. For whatever reason, SM Entertainment never seemed that intent on establishing Super Junior in the Japanese market, but these two have found success … Continue reading
After their reemergence with April’s excellent Ask Yourself, KAT-TUN have released their first full-length album in four years. Its diverse set of songs does a good job encapsulating the group’s twelve-year career — but though they’ve tackled many different genres throughout the years, KAT-TUN have always returned to their distinct blend of anthemic pop rock. … Continue reading
One of the nice things for fans of Johnny’s Entertainment groups is the frequency of their comebacks. The agency’s stable of acts each average two to four releases a year, usually including a stuffed-to-the-brims album. It’s only been about three months since Kis-My-Ft2’s last full-length, but they’re back with L.O.V.E, which sees them donning their … Continue reading
Though their Korean comebacks have become more sparse and under promoted as time has gone on, Boyfriend regularly release Japanese music. Rather than stick with a clearly defined sound, their J-pop output has varied in both style and quality. Unfortunately, new single Call Me falls somewhere towards the bottom of the pack. Its unassuming nature … Continue reading
In just a few short years, Taeyeon has gone from being the leader of Girls’ Generation to one of SM Entertainment’s most bankable solo stars. And with the recent arrival of her Japanese debut, she’s released just enough singles for a top ten list. Now, my favorite Taeyeon song of all time happens to be an … Continue reading
It’s pretty ballsy to title your new pop single “Jesus,” but then again Bullet Train have never been lacking in nerve. They’ve built their sound on a fusion of straightforward dance pop and experimental (sometimes abrasive) production flourishes. Jesus represents a mid-point between the two, surrounding its catchy chorus with a boisterous blend of influences. … 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. June 2018 Overall Thoughts After two and a half years, it finally happened. June’s cumulative rating … Continue reading
Though their music differs vastly in sound, I like to think of AAA as j-pop’s answer to Bigbang. Its members form a uniquely amazing unit when put together, but are just as strong as soloists pursuing their own musical interests. For Mitsuhiro Hidaka, that takes the form of a genre-bending brand of pop-infused hip-hop under the … Continue reading
As successful as Taeyeon has been in Korea, I’m surprised that it took SM this long to launch her as a soloist in Japan. The agency has been killing it with their Japanese releases lately by maintaining their artists’ signature sounds with a few j-pop twists. Taeyeon could have easily promoted Stay in Korea, and … Continue reading
News are no stranger to World Cup anthems. This partnership has already resulted in my favorite single of theirs — 2012’s World Quest — as well as the excellent One (For The Win) two years later. Now they’re back with Blue, which sounds exactly as you’d expect it to. But when it comes to News … Continue reading
It didn’t receive nearly as much media attention, but 100% are currently in a similar situation as SHINee. They’ve also been reduced to a four-member group after the tragic loss of their leader Minwoo earlier this year, even if the exact circumstances may differ. Japanese single Summer Night is their first new music without him, … Continue reading
It’s so great to have TVXQ back, steadily releasing new music in both Korea and Japan. Yet as much as I’ve enjoyed their new material, I’m still waiting for a comeback with that old “SM Performance” style that they execute better than anyone. Over the course of its history, the duo’s Japanese discography has been … Continue reading
To be clear, there is no reason for a pop song to be preceded by a hash tag. And under no circumstance whatsoever should that hash tag actually be part of the chorus. But here we are, with Red Velvet’s #Cookie Jar. This Japanese debut is likely to be their most polarizing title track since … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 