As SHINee move into the second part of their Story Of Light promotions, they’ve set a high bar for themselves. I’m still reeling from last month’s awesome Good Evening, which means new single I Want You arrives with some unfair expectations. The fact that the song adheres to k-pop’s seemingly unending tropical trend makes things … Continue reading
With over 2,300 songs on my iPhone’s “K-Pop Singles” playlist, I thought it would be fun to add a bit of unpredictability to my song review posts. So as a result, we have the “Random Shuffle Review” feature. The rules are simple. I fire up my playlist, press “shuffle,” and whatever song plays first gets the … Continue reading
Most of the time, a k-pop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of k-pop, I wanted to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. Though they’ve yet to develop a unique sound for themselves, fromis_9 … Continue reading
With over 2,300 songs on my iPhone’s “K-Pop Singles” playlist, I thought it would be fun to add a bit of unpredictability to my song review posts. So as a result, we have the “Random Shuffle Review” feature. The rules are simple. I fire up my playlist, press “shuffle,” and whatever song plays first gets the … Continue reading
I had the pleasure of attending A.C.E’s first global fanmeet last month, and beyond marveling at their talent, my biggest takeaway was that this small group from an even smaller agency has been able to galvanize a dedicated international fan base with only three songs under their belt. New single Take Me Higher comes at … Continue reading
As a massive fan of ONF’s debut mini album, it’s been frustrating to watch their follow-up delayed because of their involvement with YG’s failed survival series MIXNINE. Two of their seven members ended up “winning” a place in the program’s resulting project group, only to have the whole thing cancelled months after the series ended. … Continue reading
The story of Katie Kim’s long-incubated debut is a frustrating one, to say the least. The husky-voiced singer won season four of K-Pop Star way back in 2015 — a series designed to catapult its victors toward instant fame. Kim ended up signing with YG Entertainment, where her career was essentially held hostage for over … Continue reading
Though fromis_9 is yet another group cobbled together from a survival program, they impressed with a strong debut mini album earlier this year. They’ve yet to offer anything new when it comes to girl group tropes, but working with producers like Iggy & Youngbae and 1Take & TAK has given their burgeoning discography a polished … Continue reading
To my mind, 2015’s Reboot was not only Wonder Girls’ best album, but one of the best k-pop albums of all time. It’s such a pity that the group never had a chance to follow up on its 80’s sound before disbanding. But this — unexpectedly — is where Yubin comes in. With debut solo … Continue reading
These Produce 101 groups are so frustrating. The program compiles such a talented and likable collection of performers, only to undermine that potential with frustratingly generic material. Wanna One’s outstanding first mini album gave me hope that they’d be able to develop a signature sound, but each release since has been a disappointment. New single … Continue reading
With over 2,300 songs on my iPhone’s “K-Pop Singles” playlist, I thought it would be fun to add a bit of unpredictability to my song review posts. So as a result, we have the “Random Shuffle Review” feature. The rules are simple. I fire up my playlist, press “shuffle,” and whatever song plays first gets the … Continue reading
Earlier this year, Pepsi brought together a quartet of Produce 101 alumni for the addictive 80’s pastiche Love It Live It. This unit (YDPP) proved to be more fun than they had any right to be, so it only makes sense to repeat the project. This time, it’s the girls’ turn. WJMK drafts Seola and … 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. May 2018 Overall Thoughts All things considered, May was a pretty solid month. It definitely had … Continue reading
Kim Samuel has been one of the most prolific post-Produce 101 acts, blitzing his way through four title tracks (and two Japanese singles) in just ten months. He’s got the energy of youth on his side, plus the steady producing hands of Brave Sound. If I’m being completely honest, Samuel’s vocals have never been my … Continue reading
Despite the fact that its full group hasn’t yet officially debuted, the ambitious LOONA project has already spawned two sub-units. The first (LOONA 1/3) offered a bright, pop-driven album before returning with the surprisingly moody Sonatine. The second (LOONA Odd Eye Circle) took on an edgier persona, resulting in two of the project’s best singles … Continue reading
Most of the time, a k-pop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of k-pop, I wanted to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. With The Story Of Light Ep.1, SHINee offer the opening salvo … Continue reading
With the constant influx of rookie groups to k-pop’s already crowded marketplace, you’d think you’d want to give your act a unique name that helps them stand out. New boy group NTB is bound to get mixed up with the likes of NCT and UNB, but I guess the lure towards mysterious three letter acronyms … Continue reading
Though they’re still early in their career, Pristin have quickly become known for their bright, light-hearted pop style. Most groups don’t venture out to sub-unit activities until several years into promotion, but it seems that these girls are already hungry to display their versatility. Place Pristin V’s Get It (네 멋대로) next to the full … Continue reading
So many veteran idol groups have gone through changes these past few years — some of them losing members and some disbanding altogether. Seventeen months after their last comeback, AOA are still kicking, but without their former main vocal Choa. So while Bingle Bangle (빙글뱅글) retains the fun, upbeat style the group has pursued for … Continue reading
Three years ago this month, SHINee released their masterful View, which would go on to become one of 2015’s most enduring songs of summer and jump-start k-pop’s fascination with 90’s deep house. Now, three years later, the group finds themselves at an altogether different crossroads. After the loss of member Jonghyun last December, their tenth … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 