Thus far, BABYMONSTER have embraced all the YG girl group tropes you’d expect, casting them as heirs to 2NE1 and BLACKPINK’s throne. This is not an agency known for its willingness to experiment. Instead, they’ve managed to enthrall fans with slight tweaks to successful formulas. With this in mind, it’s time for BABYMONSTER’s version of … Continue reading
GreatGuys is one of those acts that consistently releases solid material, even if they never receive the attention that material deserves. They rarely appear in my year-end countdowns or “top three of the month” rankings, but I’m always pleasantly surprised by their output. I wanted to quickly touch on new single I Love You (각이야) … 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. June 2024 Overall Thoughts It’s been awhile since I’ve said this, but K-pop is in a … Continue reading
It wouldn’t be a K-pop summer without some random Pepsi ad song. Over the past few years, Starship Entertainment has collaborated with the brand to release innocuous (sometimes decent) releases that see various idols teaming together. This time, IVE take on the challenge by themselves, delivering the “easy, fizzy” Summer Festa. “Baby, you can drink … Continue reading
The parade of post-enlistment BTS solo projects continues with a pre-release from Jimin, leading up to a full album in July. I had to look up what a “smeraldo” is (it’s a type of flower), but apart from that brief confusion the title “Smeraldo Garden Marching Band” instantly reminded me of The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s … Continue reading
BLACKPINK members have managed to sustain their global popularity despite a dearth of actual music. The long wait between releases adds mystique to their name, ensuring every group or solo track incredible chart success. In Lisa’s case, a song doesn’t even have to be an official single to smash. 2021’s Money trended for many months … 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. TWS’s Summer Beat is a varied … Continue reading
Seventeen years since their debut, FTIsland are set to release a new album next month. Now a trio, the guys have become one of K-pop’s longest running acts, and pre-release Burn It proves they still have plenty of gas left in the tank. As far as I can tell, this song comes as a surprise. … Continue reading
After leaving Astro, Rocky embarked on a solo career with last year’s ROCKYST and title track Lucky Rocky. I enjoyed the direction he pursued, but thought the execution could use some work. When it comes to today’s Jealousy, I’m drawn even more to Rocky’s musical direction. This style of funky synthwave-influenced pop music is very … Continue reading
K-pop is littered with acts who – for one reason or another – didn’t get the full spotlight they deserved. I’ve spent plenty of time ranking and reviewed the industry’s biggest artists, but these underrated acts should never be forgotten. This feature will take a look at disbanded groups and rank/rate their entire singles run, … Continue reading
The ambitious tripleS project is growing and multiplying faster than NCT ever did, with new units seeming to emerge every month. tripleS Glow is composed of members Chaewon, Sullin, SeoAh and JiYeon and they debuted with Inner Dance (내적 댄스) last week. Now, they’ve released a performance video to add a visual aspect to the … Continue reading
K-pop legend Kim Jaejoong’s J-pop career has been continually active, but it’s been two years since he last released a Korean album. He’s made the comeback worth the wait with a full thirteen-track opus, including guests as diverse as Mamamoo’s Moonbyul and J-pop star Miyavi. Title track Glorious Day makes for a rousing addition to … Continue reading
B.D.U is a project group spawned from MNET’s reality show Build Up: Vocal Boy Group Survivor and consists of M.O.N.T’s Bitsaeon, CIX’s Seung Hun, One Pact’s Jay Chang and trainee Kim Minseo. While I love the idea of a show focused on K-pop’s often-underutilized vocalists, I’d rather the entire industry make a shift toward robust … Continue reading
Gather round, friends. I would like to recite a poem. The deep meaning behind these words may resonate with you in unexpected ways, so don’t be surprised if your eyes suddenly start to well up. There are tissues in the back of the room if you need them. (clears throat, adopts the poise and phrasing … Continue reading
There are few K-ballads I’d write a review for, but I’ll make an exception for any member of Infinite — especially one of my all-time favorite vocalists. Nam Woohyun has released a live album and included the studio recording of new track Sunshine (눈부셨다) as a special treat for fans. This comes mere weeks after … Continue reading
Around this time last year, U-KISS re-emerged with a song that ended up in my year-end top ten, showcasing the continued power of second-gen stalwarts. Fortunately, this wasn’t just a fleeting reunion. The guys are back with another new album and title track Stay With Me (너는 내 모든 곳에 있어). This time around, the … Continue reading
Ex-LOONA member Chuu established a solo career late last year with a pair of singles that cast her as a synth-pop chanteuse. I can’t say I recall anything about either song, even though I remember enjoying them upon release. New track Strawberry Rush opts for something brighter and quirkier — a smart move for someone … Continue reading
It’s been a long time since I’ve written one of these top ten lists. (Okay… it’s been years.) But what better excuse to dive back in than a tenth anniversary celebration? Red Velvet celebrate their tenth year this summer and now it’s finally time to take a look at my favorite album tracks and b-sides … Continue reading
SM Entertainment is having a busy Monday, with no less than three comebacks across both the Korean and Japanese market. Super Junior’s Donghae and Eunhyuk join Red Velvet and NCT Wish in celebrating new music with the release of Japanese single You&Me. And like many acts this month, they’ve opted for a bright, funky summertime … Continue reading
NCT Wish debuted earlier this year as NCT’s final fixed unit. Straddling the line between Japanese and Korean promotions, they appear to be following NCT Dream’s bright sound template rather than the angular experimentation of units like 127. February’s funky Wish was a decent start, but new single Songbird feels like their true arrival. I’ve … Continue reading
