Over three years since their debut, NMIXX have finally released their first full album. And with twelve tracks, JYP Entertainment isn’t skimping on the occasion. Pre-release Spinnin’ On It built hype earlier this month and now Blue Valentine is here to remind us just how strange the group’s music can be. “Mixxpop” isn’t something that’s … Continue reading
For groups like TWS who debut with a bright, youthful concept, the need to “mature” their sound is always lurking just around the corner. I’ve seen it with pretty much every act I’ve loved over the past decade and the inevitable arc from cute young kids to grown, sexy adults can go two ways. Either … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I compile my top three K-pop title tracks and list a ton of honorable mentions. In 2025, I thought I’d try something new and add a weekly feature to supplement my monthly round-up. Each Sunday, I’ll offer a compendium of the week’s new releases featured on the blog. And … 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’ll confess that I haven’t given … Continue reading
I hate to be cynical, but collaborations between K-pop stars and Western artists rarely work. Western pop tropes almost always take precedence, smoothing out K-pop edges until we’re left with very middle-of-the-road material. For her first solo album, BLACKPINK’s Jisoo went down a dance pop route, but all of that promise is shaved away on … Continue reading
Twice are no strangers to fan songs. In fact, their career has been one long ode to their fans. I can’t think of another group who has consistently catered to fans’ taste and musical expectations as well as Twice have. That’s not to say they haven’t experimented here and there with sound and style, but … Continue reading
Thus far, BABYMONSTER have followed the tried and true YG Entertainment formula, releasing a bunch of seemingly disparate digital singles eventually cobbled together into a mini or full album. This new comeback feels much more typical of K-pop: a title track and a few new b-sides. They’re not even tacking their summer single Hot Sauce … Continue reading
With over 5,000 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 … 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
I’m always a bit skeptical about songs called “Rock & Roll” that aren’t from actual rock bands, but if anyone’s got the attitude to drive this style it’s ITZY. They made their name on a brash energy that felt punky even as it was carefully designed by a corporation to appear so. Japanese single Rock … Continue reading
Though ONEWE debuted all the way back in 2019, K-pop is currently experiencing a resurgence of bands and rock music in general. This opens possible inroads that were harder travelled before, though it also means a more stuffed marketplace. Today, they guys are back with their sixth mini album and its sprightly title track Maze. … Continue reading
After breaking into the big leagues last year, QWER have been a reliable fixture on the Korean charts. Korea loves a rock band with a quirky, indie sound and QWER fill a void. As far as chart success is concerned, they feel like the female DAY6 at the moment. In addition to their off-kilter material, … Continue reading
After a slew of singles, newcomers HITGS are finally releasing their first mini album. The Chuseok holiday is a very odd time to do so, but they’re out with new title track Happy today. So far, their music has been pitched to a young audience, at times sounding like something you’d hear on a children’s … Continue reading
Over the years, K-pop agencies have found ways to keep content coming even as male idols serve their mandatory military enlistment. NCT’s Taeyong won’t be discharged until later this year, but he pre-recorded a video for “new” track 501 and surprise-released it for fans eagerly awaiting his return. I can’t say I’ve been a big … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I compile my top three K-pop title tracks and list a ton of honorable mentions. In 2025, I thought I’d try something new and add a weekly feature to supplement my monthly round-up. Each Sunday, I’ll offer a compendium of the week’s new releases featured on the blog. And … 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. One thing’s for sure: the entire … Continue reading
Recent releases by TWS, RIIZE and IDID have me wondering if I’m starting to go full circle and enjoy weirdly atonal boy group hip-hop tracks again. It helps when the production is interesting and the subject matter isn’t simply “I’m so cool, look at me.” To be honest, much of my opinion about this style … Continue reading
As we enter the pre-Chuseok holiday period, new K-pop releases are bound to slow down. However, that doesn’t affect Japanese releases from K-pop idols since they don’t have to worry about Korean music shows being cancelled. i-dle are taking advantage of this with new J-pop single Where Do We Go (どうしよっかな), which paints a summery … Continue reading
K-pop’s pre-releases are getting out of control. I can barely keep up! Fans are absolutely spoiled with material, and now we have these surprise-release ‘music videos disguised as album promo’ moments. The YouTube video attached to NMIXX’s Spinnin’ On It is technically labeled “Blue Valentine Core: SPINNIN’ ON IT,” but incorporates an entire song from … Continue reading
Like so many other groups of their era, the members of BAE173 have tried to gain traction by participating on survival series. Most notably, that resulted in member Minwook re-debuting as the leader of Close Your Eyes, taking him away from the group. Now, the rest of BAE173 are back with a pre-release for their … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 