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
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. NMIXX’s first full album is very … Continue reading
Over three years since their debut, NMIXX have finally released their first full album. And with twelve tracks, JYP Entertainment isn’t skimping on the occasion. Pre-release Spinnin’ On It built hype earlier this month and now Blue Valentine is here to remind us just how strange the group’s music can be. “Mixxpop” isn’t something that’s … 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
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
Twice are no strangers to fan songs. In fact, their career has been one long ode to their fans. I can’t think of another group who has consistently catered to fans’ taste and musical expectations as well as Twice have. That’s not to say they haven’t experimented here and there with sound and style, but … Continue reading
I’m always a bit skeptical about songs called “Rock & Roll” that aren’t from actual rock bands, but if anyone’s got the attitude to drive this style it’s ITZY. They made their name on a brash energy that felt punky even as it was carefully designed by a corporation to appear so. Japanese single Rock … 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
Recent releases by TWS, RIIZE and IDID have me wondering if I’m starting to go full circle and enjoy weirdly atonal boy group hip-hop tracks again. It helps when the production is interesting and the subject matter isn’t simply “I’m so cool, look at me.” To be honest, much of my opinion about this style … Continue reading
K-pop’s pre-releases are getting out of control. I can barely keep up! Fans are absolutely spoiled with material, and now we have these surprise-release ‘music videos disguised as album promo’ moments. The YouTube video attached to NMIXX’s Spinnin’ On It is technically labeled “Blue Valentine Core: SPINNIN’ ON IT,” but incorporates an entire song from … 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 2025 Overall Thoughts We’ve hit the rare (?) double-header in K-pop with two back-to-back underwhelming … 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
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
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. There have been plenty of debuting … Continue reading
Earlier this month, JYP Entertainment rookies KickFlip pre-released the anthemic pop/rock track Band-Aid, showcasing a sonic upgrade that fits them so well. That soundscape continues with new title track My First Love Song (처음 불러보는 노래), which underpins its rock energy with a consistently bounding beat. There’s a brightness to this song that helps it … 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
Subsidiaries are something we think of with corporations like HYBE and YG, but JYP Entertainment has slowly been branching out in this way as well. Boy group ALL(H)OURS are technically under their extended roster and soon there will also be girl group DDDD 25, formed through the series The Entertainer. Before that, the group’s Youngbin … Continue reading
I don’t have the hard numbers to back it up, but compared to groups their age it feels like the 2PM members have the most prolific string of solo releases. The guys continuously release material in both Korea and Japan, and even if many of these songs fail to register with me in a big … 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
A few days ago, Twice’s Chaeyoung pre-released the first taste of her debut solo album with Avocado. Depending on your taste, that track either felt refreshingly new for K-pop or like a bit of a snooze. I fall in the latter category, though I did respect its unique tone. Pre-releases are afforded some leeway when … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 