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. Though they had no comeback, TXT … 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
Adora is an in-house producer for Big Hit/HYBE Entertainment, at least partially responsible for highlights like BTS’s Spring Day, TXT’s Our Summer and GFriend’s Labyrinth (!). Because of this pedigree, fans were excited to hear what she would craft for her own solo debut. Even better, Make U Dance brings along former GFriend member Eunha, … Continue reading
TO1 made their rebooted return with May’s Son Of Beast. That track was a lot of fun, courting the inherent silliness of the idol world with an over-the-top performance. But as cringy as the barking ad-libs may have been, the track’s foundation rested upon strong hooks and a memorable instrumental. For follow-up No More X, … Continue reading
Girl group Laboum recently moved to a new agency, with Kiss Kiss their first release under new management. I would love to see the girls break the dreaded “seven year curse,” which strikes when idol groups’ initial contracts have lapsed. Having debuted back in 2014, they’re already on the right track. But, they’re going to … Continue reading
Trot music doesn’t often pop up on this blog, despite the genre being a huge part of the Korean music industry. Some artists cross over and blend trot with more typically “K-pop” aspects, such as Hong Jinyoung. Others don’t perform on weekly music shows at all. It’s rare for an idol to make a debut … Continue reading
Though VIXX haven’t disbanded, the group’s status seems in limbo. Hongbin left the group last year, Ravi and N left the agency (but not the group), Ken is serving in the military and Jellyfish Entertainment seem more focused on getting VERIVERY off the ground. Leo returned from his enlistment two months ago, and seems eager … Continue reading
A decade after their debut as a sub-unit, Super Junior-D&E have finally released their first full Korean album. That’s a long wait, softened by the fact the guys have been active in Japan as well. Countdown was preceded by solo efforts from both Donghae and Eunhyuk, though neither of those tracks are included in the … Continue reading
I debated whether or not to write about 2AM’s comeback. Their surprise reunion feels too important to ignore, but I’ve never felt any connection with the group. I’m simply not a big fan of ballads, and 2AM’s heyday came before I was fully invested in K-pop. So, their music doesn’t bring a sense of personal … Continue reading
Whenever groups make a quick comeback (less than three months in The Boyz’ case), I want to assume it’s because they found an incredible track and simply can’t wait to share it with the world. Ah, wouldn’t that be nice? Honestly, The Boyz are in need of a killer comeback. Their sales and popularity may … 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. October 2021 Overall Thoughts When I averaged all my song ratings of October, I was surprised … Continue reading
I don’t know what’s in the water this year, but K-pop has really embraced Halloween. Idol acts often record livestreams or special videos for the holiday, but I can’t remember another year with so much Halloween-themed content. In Pink Fantasy’s case, they’ve themed a whole comeback around it. Tales Of The Unusual (기기괴괴) arrives alongside … 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. Kingdom are slowly proving themselves kings … 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
Up to this point, we’ve been lucky to get one or two tracks from Somi each year. Now, she’s released her first full album with (brace yourself…) four new songs! Beggars can’t be choosers, and I’m glad she has a chance to flesh out her sound. New title track XOXO is composed by the usual … Continue reading
This year, Brave Brothers has proven he still has his special songwriting spark. His compositions for Brave Girls are some of my favorite music of 2021. This makes me wonder why he can’t seem to conjure equally great material for boy group DKB. It must come down to expectations. Many K-pop boy groups are expected … Continue reading
Park Jihoon’s Gallery was one of my favorite K-pop tracks this summer, and seemed to carve a new, nimble avenue for his sound. I’ve often enjoyed his singles, but his discography as a whole suffers from a lack of consistency. That’s especially apparent with new comeback Serious, which alternates between messy and dull. Forgive the … Continue reading
I joked on Twitter about October being so weak that K-pop had to reach all the way back to May for new material, and that could really apply to the whole second half of this year. The first half of 2021 was very strong, but these past few months have had a hard time matching … Continue reading
It’s been just over two years since the release of Ailee’s second studio album. Now she’s back with a new full-length, entitled “Amy” after her English name. The album promises to represent Ailee’s true self, and title track Don’t Teach Me (가르치지마) references key moments in her career. The title mirrors 2014’s Don’t Touch Me, … Continue reading
I never paid much attention to Secret Number until last year’s Got That Boom, which firmly planted itself on my playlist for over a month. That track was a great example of set-up and pay-off, with an explosive climax that made me want to hit ‘replay’ immediately after it had ended. For new single Fire … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 