OnlyOneOf’s Underground Idol series is basically one big BL drama, pairing the guys off with one another. Begin and Be Free united Yoojung and KB, and now it’s time for Junji and Rie to spark a romance. Junji’s Be Mine slows the funk undertones of past songs to deliver something more akin to an evocative … Continue reading
With rookie girl groups ruling the charts this year (seriously, have you seen the MelOn top ten lately??), newer boy groups need to pick up the slack. But with so many of these emerging acts harnessing identical sounds, there seems to be a lack of creativity holding them back. BLANK2Y debuted earlier this year with … Continue reading
Following a mini album of mostly OST ballads, Strange World marks Ha Sungwoon’s first promoted comeback under a new agency. But for those worried about his sound shifting too much, new single Focus should be a comfort. He’s right in his wheelhouse, delivering a bass-driven, Taemin-esque dance track. This tends to a pretty satisfying K-pop … Continue reading
Last November, VIXX’s Leo reminded us that he was still a force to be reckoned with. Now, he’s finally followed that one-off single with a new mini album. It’s been a long time coming – over three years, to be exact. New single Losing Game catches him right in his element. It’s a vocal-focused mid-tempo … Continue reading
One of the coolest things about the KCON concert is that it stretches across multiple nights. If you get the combo tickets, you’ve got two days of artists to look forward to. By Sunday, things feel familiar. You’ve got your same seat but there’s a different roster waiting to perform. I was a little frustrated … Continue reading
If my count is correct, it’s been 370 days since CIX released their first studio album. This makes for a surprisingly lengthy hiatus between comebacks. They’ve returned with a different sound, taking a few cues from their debut era but bringing a newfound sense of maturity. As a fully-realized song, 458 doesn’t always get there. … Continue reading
Having vaulted to the a-list only a few months after debut, IVE have entered an early ‘imperial phase’ where anything they touch is all-but guaranteed to be a hit. This kind of instant success can lead to quick stagnation, but the group has a great track record so far. Both Eleven and Love Dive have … Continue reading
After a three year hiatus, KCON LA returned in 2022 for its ten-year anniversary. The annual K-pop pilgrimage is back, and although none of my absolute favorite, tier one acts were attending, I couldn’t resist making the journey for the sixth time. As usual, I can’t “review” KCON because the experience is multifaceted and – … Continue reading
It’s Sunday, which means it’s time to end the week with an open discussion post! To keep things civil, there are a few rules: Be kind and respectful to one another. Any harassing language will be deleted. This is not a place to state what you don’t like about me and/or my blog. Move elsewhere, … Continue reading
These Universe releases just keep on coming! Once upon a time, I thought this might be some limited series and I’d be able to fudge my way through a handful of fun carnival game-esque “reviews” and call it a day. Almost two years later and I guess the joke’s on me… Anyway… we haven’t done … Continue reading
It feels momentous every time I write the elusive words “BLACKPINK are back.” They return so infrequently. The last time we had an honest-to-goodness comeback, we were still mired in year one of the Covid pandemic. We didn’t even have a vaccine yet! Lovesick Girls was a great return to form for the group, hearkening … Continue reading
With so many members and diverse talents as part of the NCT universe, I’m surprised we haven’t seen solo releases every other week. “NCT Lab” – a spin-off of the long-running SM Station project – was established for this exact reason. But after two releases back in February and March, the lab took a hiatus … Continue reading
Rookie group Luminous has compiled an inconsistent discography so far. They debuted with the fantastic hip-hop track Run last year, but followed it with the less-than-fantastic All Eyes Down. Now they’re back with a full album, which is highly unusual from a rookie of their stature. Better yet, they’ve enlisted the great G-High to compose … Continue reading
In 2020, Lucy emerged as one of K-pop’s most exciting and endearing bands. Last summer’s Gatcha! mini album felt like a crystallization of that potential – an all killer, no filler collection of songs that pushed their sound forward without losing the quirks unique to their musical perspective. Ever since then, I’ve become a bit … Continue reading
A few days ago, BAE173’s debut single Crush On U came on random shuffle. I forgot what a jam that song is. But more than anything, it made me marvel at how much the group’s sound has changed since 2020. With member Nam Dohyun now in charge of production, the guys have moved sharply into … Continue reading
Whatever happens, CRAXY will always have one of K-pop’s most brilliantly bonkers debut songs in 2020’s Aria. That ambition has woven throughout their career, even if the music itself has become more typically 4th-gen K-pop in its execution. For their third mini album, the group has turned to production team D_answer, most well-known for their … Continue reading
Oh, The Boyz. There isn’t a current K-pop act that frustrates me more. I love this group. They have so much potential and heaps of global popularity. Yet ever since the brilliant The Stealer, they’ve been stuck in the opposite of an “imperial phase.” It feels all-but impossible for them to release a killer title … Continue reading
With the release of their new special album, ONF have rewritten the rules for how boy groups handle military enlistment. I’m no expert, but I thought idol groups weren’t able to release music during enlistment because of laws related to wages and income. However, WM Entertainment had the foresight to record and prepare this material … Continue reading
It just occurred to me that it’s been nearly four (!) years since TVXQ had a proper Korean comeback. Yes, they’ve been active as soloists and have released multiple albums in Japan during this time, but that’s still a long gap for a veteran act with an enormous, enduring fanbase. For now, those of us … Continue reading
It’s Sunday, which means it’s time to end the week with an open discussion post! To keep things civil, there are a few rules: Be kind and respectful to one another. Any harassing language will be deleted. This is not a place to state what you don’t like about me and/or my blog. Move elsewhere, … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 