In honor of SHINee’s Key taking charge of his sound on new mini album Bad Love, I’ll be taking a look at each track throughout the week. Check back every day, and make sure to explore my other In-Depth Album Reviews if you’re interested! 1. Bad Love // 2. Yellow Tape // 3. Hate That… … Continue reading
Though they’re undoubtedly one of K-pop’s most popular acts, the idea of Twice expanding into the Western market has always felt a little iffy to me. For whatever reason, international fans tend to flock toward darker, edgier concepts. Twice’s music is often bubblegum in execution, which may reinforce negative K-pop stereotypes held by more skeptical … 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. September 2021 Overall Thoughts September is usually a hit of miss month. Releases tend to be … Continue reading
In honor of SHINee’s Key taking charge of his sound on new mini album Bad Love, I’ll be taking a look at each track throughout the week. Check back every day, and make sure to explore my other In-Depth Album Reviews if you’re interested! 1. Bad Love // 2. Yellow Tape // 3. Hate That… … Continue reading
Hot issue debuted earlier this year with the attitude-infused Gratata. Like many onomatopoeia K-pop songs, the sound wasn’t for me. But as fellow 2021 rookies Ciipher proved yesterday, there’s always room for improvement. The ladies are making their first comeback with Icons – another in the seemingly endless series of “I’m the best” girl crush … Continue reading
Now in their second year after debut, E’Last have maintained a symphonic sound that hearkens back to earlier generations of K-pop boy groups. I love them for this, but I’ve yet to fall head-over-heels in love with any of their songs. The drama and bombast is much-appreciated, but the songwriting tends to meander more than … Continue reading
Several weeks after pre-release Spicy, CL is back with the second taste of her upcoming album Alpha. Lover Like Me was penned by English singer/songwriter Anne-Marie, who has had tremendous success in Korea with her song 2002. I’m not sure what it is that made 2002 such a massive hit in the country, but it’s … Continue reading
In honor of SHINee’s Key taking charge of his sound on new mini album Bad Love, I’ll be taking a look at each track throughout the week. Check back every day, and make sure to explore my other In-Depth Album Reviews if you’re interested! 1. Bad Love // 2. Yellow Tape // 3. Hate That… … Continue reading
You can’t always judge a book by its cover, and you can’t always judge a rookie by their debut song. K-pop history is full of strong groups who debuted with subpar material (Girl’s Day and ZE:A say hello), and we may need to add Ciipher to that list. Last spring’s I Like You was an … Continue reading
In honor of SHINee’s Key taking charge of his sound on new mini album Bad Love, I’ll be taking a look at each track throughout the week. Check back every day, and make sure to explore my other In-Depth Album Reviews if you’re interested! 1. Bad Love // 2. Yellow Tape // 3. Hate That… … Continue reading
Despite debuted just over two years ago, AB6IX are already releasing their second full-length album. From its title Mo’ Complete, you get the sense the group is laying it all on the line, and that includes the first Lee Daehwi-composed title track since last year’s Salute. Cherry is the brightest, most cheerful single they’ve ever … Continue reading
After being delayed from a planned July release, SHINee’s Key has finally returned as a soloist with his Bad Love mini album. Judging from reports, he and SM Entertainment clashed on everything from concept to title track. I imagine a scenario where SM presented some dusty old NCT scrap and said: “this is what the … Continue reading
Rather than release double title tracks, JYP Entertainment has been gifting its acts with a variety of music videos, blurring the line between singles and b-sides. In general, I think this is an exciting prospect, but I’m starting to wish the agency invested as much effort in making great music. As I mentioned in my … 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
K-pop history is stuffed with great albums, and there’s only so many Buried Treasures and Battle of the B-sides features available to cover all these noteworthy tracks. The album format has always been special to me. Whether it’s a full-length or mini, albums have the opportunity to tell stories and develop an act’s personal style. … Continue reading
A K-pop group’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. For me, ITZY’s music has suffered … Continue reading
Victon is slowly proving to be a group of successful soloists. Han Seungwoo carved out a nice career for himself prior to enlistment, and now it’s rapper Do Hanse’s turn. His debut comes in the form of a digital album, with Take Over as the first of two title tracks. Surprisingly, it’s the only song … Continue reading
K-pop history is stuffed with great albums, and there’s only so many Buried Treasures and Battle of the B-sides features available to cover all these noteworthy tracks. The album format has always been special to me. Whether it’s a full-length or mini, albums have the opportunity to tell stories and develop an act’s personal style. … Continue reading
ITZY burst into K-pop two and a half years ago with a song and sound that made them one of 2019’s most interesting groups. Since then, so many of their peers have ITZYfied their own music – shoveling teen crush attitude over busy instrumentals stuffed with restless, chintzy percussion. ITZY should be immensely proud of … Continue reading
It’s been over two years since The Rose’s Kim Woosung released his first mini album, though he returned with digital single Lazy earlier this year. His material usually maintains an alternative edge while flirting with pop sounds. In a trendy but welcome shift, he’s put on his disco shoes and sparkly shirt to deliver the … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 