Beyond the glossy exterior of K-pop’s big budget comebacks lies a whole world of indie artists and idols-turned-soloists. I’m thinking about acts like from20, who happens to have a hand in the song I’m writing about today. Dancing In The Dark arrives courtesy of Hello Gloom, the stage name for IMFACT’s Ungjae. After quietly disbanding … Continue reading
After enjoying 2021’s competition show LOUD, my expectations for TNX were sky high. This was based on their stature during the series and the perceived creativity bolstering PSY’s P-Nation label. But, last year’s debut album turned out to be a disappointment, following too many trends instead of delivering fresh, inventive energy. The pre-release track for … Continue reading
It’s been a rather long hiatus for Purple Kiss, with their most recent mini album released last summer. The atmospheric sound characterizing many of their title tracks isn’t the best match for the summer months, but it’s right at home during the darker days of winter. New single Sweet Juice delivers a fantasy concept that … Continue reading
ONF continue to find ways to remain relevant even when on military hiatus. After releasing a mini album last summer, co-leader and main vocal Hyojin has delivered a winter ballad. Though I’m not generally one for ballads, it’s nice to be reminded that ONF are indeed coming back – sooner than later. The state of … Continue reading
It’s a day of comebacks from ‘girl groups backed by legendary producers.’ While STAYC have Black Eyed Pilseung on their side, TRI.BE’s discography is driven by K-pop legend Shinsadong Tiger. But, this pairing has not been as fruitful as I’d hoped. I haven’t fallen in love with any of their music so far. It feels … Continue reading
STAYC have quickly developed a robust fan base, but for me they’ve yet to eclipse the appeal of their debut track So Bad. Though they’ve worked with producers (and agency heads) Black Eyed Pilseung for every title track thus far, their discography has been surprisingly varied. The more subdued sound of last summer’s Beautiful Monster … Continue reading
After unveiling sub-unit Acid Angel from Asia last year, tripleS have officially made their full group debut with Rising. They’re the latest in a line of new girl groups drawing upon more subdued sounds to create a style that’s effortlessly cool – if not always instantly exciting. As with most of their album, Rising is … Continue reading
It’s been a long ninety days since a K-pop song – title track or otherwise – scored a “9” or higher on this blog. That’s a new Bias List record, if you’re wondering! I’ve often joked that 2023 hasn’t actually started yet, but now we can put that critique to rest. Leave it to SHINee’s … Continue reading
I wasn’t going to recap Boys Planet (and technically, I’m still not doing it), but I’m watching the series and thought others might appreciate a spot to discuss it. So, each week I plan on dumping a few of my random thoughts about the show. Again, this will not be a full, detailed recap. But, … Continue reading
November-December 2008 Overall Thoughts In addition to my monthly K-pop round-up, I’ve taken a look at my favorite three singles from each month since 2009 and factored them into my ultimate Bias List scorecard, which can be found here. The problem is, prior to 2009 it becomes harder to find reliable sources for K-pop release … Continue reading
As a spin-off to my Battle of the B-sides feature, I’m pleased to announce the arrive of “Battle of the Title Tracks!” In this feature, I’ll be pitting three K-pop title tracks/singles against each other and choosing a winner. These songs will mostly be from pre-2016 since I’ll try to focus on music I haven’t … Continue reading
When it comes to Korea and Japan, the difference between release scheduling presents an interesting dilemma for reviewers like myself. With K-pop, I’m usually writing about a song mere hours after it debuted, but J-pop’s extended cycle often allows more time for a track to settle in. There can be weeks — even months — … Continue reading
Since debut, CLASS:y have set their sights on both Korea and Japan, signed under Universal Music for the latter. They remain on the periphery of both markets, though their music is slowly improving. Like so many of their peers, their sound is a hodgepodge of various global elements. They cast their net wide rather than … Continue reading
It’s hard to believe NCT Dream hadn’t released an original Japanese single until now. Nearly seven years into their career, the unit has become one of NCT’s flagship brands. The brighter side of their music seems especially well-suited to a J-pop career. Best Friend Ever hearkens back to their earlier work and pairs them with … Continue reading
Seventeen BSS made their sub-unit debut all the way back in early 2018 with a fun, goofy pop-rock track. At that point, Seventeen were still on the rise – coming off fantastic singles Don’t Wanna Cry and Clap and about to make their Japanese debut with the also-incredible Call Call Call. Five years later and … Continue reading
I wasn’t going to recap Boys Planet (and technically, I’m still not doing it), but I’m watching the series and thought others might appreciate a spot to discuss it. So, each week I plan on dumping a few of my random thoughts about the show. Again, this will not be a full, detailed recap. But, … Continue reading
September-October 2008 Overall Thoughts In addition to my monthly K-pop round-up, I’ve taken a look at my favorite three singles from each month since 2009 and factored them into my ultimate Bias List scorecard, which can be found here. The problem is, prior to 2009 it becomes harder to find reliable sources for K-pop release … Continue reading
K-pop history is stuffed with great albums, and there’s only so many Buried Treasures and Battle of the B-sides features available to cover all these noteworthy tracks. The album format has always been special to me. Whether it’s a full-length or mini, albums have the opportunity to tell stories and develop an act’s personal style. … Continue reading
K-pop’s title tracks might gain most of listeners’ attention, but many album tracks are worth equal spotlight. I call these “buried treasures.” Beyond this, K-pop’s albums deliver thousands of additional tracks that settle for a more limited audience. It’s these songs that will become a part of my “battle of the b-sides” feature. In this … 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. January 2023 Overall Thoughts For the second month in a row, I couldn’t really find any … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 