DAILY:DIRECTION are one of a few new boy groups this year that are attempting to paint themselves with a quirky brand in order to stand out among competing acts from bigger agencies. So far, this has resulted in a mixed bag of music, but their output has grown stronger with time. New single Which Way … Continue reading
My favorite K-pop group, Infinite, has had trouble picking great songs over the past few years. I’m not sure if it’s a lack-of-A&R situation or a lack-of-great-material-to-choose-from, but while the guys are mega talented with so much star power, I just don’t trust them when it comes to picking title tracks that best suit their … Continue reading
There are a number of acts who have debuted in the past few decades and have dozens of song ratings on this blog. I thought it would be fun to lay these ratings out in chronological order, line-graph style, and take a macro view of their careers so far. Then, similar to my “Underrated K-pop” … Continue reading
There’s no denying that K-pop has entered a techno trend. This isn’t the kind of techno music that swept the industry’s first generation, though you can still draw comparisons. There was a time around 1999 where it felt like every other new idol track came underpinned with a steady club beat. As a lover of … Continue reading
There’s been a lot of talk about K-pop’s second generation on this blog lately, but if you really want a taste for what was popular in Korea during the early half of this era you couldn’t ask for more representative artists than Epik High and Davichi. Both have lasted the long run, still releasing music … Continue reading
There are a number of acts who have debuted in the past few decades and have dozens of song ratings on this blog. I thought it would be fun to lay these ratings out in chronological order, line-graph style, and take a macro view of their careers so far. Then, similar to my “Underrated K-pop” … Continue reading
After leaving the agency he founded, SM Entertainment’s Lee Soo-man quickly began planning his next moves. This resulted in the founding of a new agency, A2O Entertainment, and some loosey singles from various A2O artists aimed toward global markets. Now, it’s time for him to throw his hat back in the K-pop ring with the … Continue reading
After leaving the agency he founded, SM Entertainment’s Lee Soo-man quickly began planning his next moves. This resulted in the founding of a new agency, A2O Entertainment, and some loosey singles from various A2O artists aimed toward global markets. Now, it’s time for him to throw his hat back in the K-pop ring with the … Continue reading
I (mostly) have a rule against writing about K-pop’s new virtual/animated groups, as I don’t think they fit the nature of this blog. However, PLAVE is an exception due to how incredibly popular they’ve become. The virtual approach still isn’t for me, but I get the appeal and when it comes down to it a … Continue reading
2026 has been very light on notable debuts, which is one of the reasons the year has felt a bit underwhelming to me. Even my favorite debut artists haven’t promoted frequently. MODYSSEY are one of those favorites, though it’s difficult to tell since they only had a grand total of two songs to their name … Continue reading
Xdinary Heroes are at an interesting fork in their career, having recently lost their drummer Gunil under dubious circumstances. This comes on the heels of (in my opinion) their strongest title track yet. April’s Voyager quickly grew into a real 2026 highlight, as has their discography overall. I hate to see momentum get derailed under … Continue reading
When I look at NCT Wish’s overall concept, they seem like a group who should be tailor-made for my musical taste. Yet, when I average together my reception of each of their singles, they fall in the lower half of my own “Ultimate Artist Ranking.” At times, their music has felt overly precious to me. … Continue reading
Ever since their debut, MEOVV have been a frustrating prospect. They have all the talent and charisma to be on top of the K-pop game, but are often sabotaged by so-so material. Come to think of it, this has been a pattern with every artist from The Black Label. Helmed by the sometimes-great Teddy Park, … Continue reading
Solo debuts from male idols can go a few different ways. On the one hand, the streamlined nature of these songs can make for very propulsive material, freed from the need to accommodate multiple voices and styles. But more often, agencies seem to follow the same template (**cough**Justin Timberlake Justified**cough**) and end up with diminished … Continue reading
There are a number of acts who have debuted in the past few decades and have dozens of song ratings on this blog. I thought it would be fun to lay these ratings out in chronological order, line-graph style, and take a macro view of their careers so far. Then, similar to my “Underrated K-pop” … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I compile my top three K-pop title tracks and list a ton of honorable mentions. But each Sunday, I’ll offer a compendium of the week’s new releases featured on the blog. And even more than that, I’ll attempt to rank them from my least-to-most-liked. I invite you to share … Continue reading
There are a number of acts who have debuted in the past few decades and have dozens of song ratings on this blog. I thought it would be fun to lay these ratings out in chronological order, line-graph style, and take a macro view of their careers so far. Then, similar to my “Underrated K-pop” … Continue reading
There are a number of acts who have debuted in the past few decades and have dozens of song ratings on this blog. I thought it would be fun to lay these ratings out in chronological order, line-graph style, and take a macro view of their careers so far. Then, similar to my “Underrated K-pop” … 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. I really like KickFlip’s new title … Continue reading
There are a number of acts who have debuted in the past few decades and have dozens of song ratings on this blog. I thought it would be fun to lay these ratings out in chronological order, line-graph style, and take a macro view of their careers so far. Then, similar to my “Underrated K-pop” … Continue reading
