The effects of military enlistment have resulted in numerous side projects for DAY6. Their sub-unit Even Of Day has released two albums, and now it’s time for the group’s bassist to embark on a solo career. Young K has long been a prominent songwriter within the band, almost ensuring his own work will carry a … Continue reading
When STAYC debuted with So Bad, I was thrilled by the arrival of a girl group who seemed to deliver a new, exciting sound. Then, they returned with ASAP – a more sparsely-produced, sing-song affair that conformed to many of this era’s girl group trends. Of course, that’s the song that became a huge hit. … 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
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. In the midst of their ONEUS … Continue reading
Stray Kids fans know that the group’s promotion doesn’t end with a single title track. In almost all cases, the group has released a follow-up music video (or more!) for album b-sides. This has quickly established a vast singles run (if you want to count these extra releases as official “singles”). Either way, it’s a … Continue reading
Lee Hi rose to fame as a contestant on the very first K-variety show I ever watched: K-pop Star. I still remember the excitement of her debut, marking the arrival of a new voice in the industry. 1,2,3,4 and – much later – Breathe, were the kind of crossover hits that stay lodged in the … Continue reading
Fresh off the heels of a collaboration with NCT’s Doyoung and Haechan, Ryan Jhun has delivered the second installment of his new Maxis series. I love when notable producers tackle this concept – finding channels for their own work rather than submitting songs to an agency. I’m not sure how long this project is slated … Continue reading
Astro are the latest group to release a song via the Universe app, meaning its full music video is only available to subscribers. So far, this barricade hasn’t been too much of a drawback because few of the Universe songs are any good. Most of the time, these tracks feel like cast-offs, pulled from the … Continue reading
ONEUS’s ambitious “ONEUS Theatre” project is the gift that keeps on giving. Though these songs aren’t promoted on music shows, the group has delivered two newly-released studio recordings and a cover of Michael Jackson’s Thriller — all in under a month. Every K-pop act is hard-working, but it’s satisfying to see the fruit of ONEUS’s … Continue reading
A.C.E are one of the few K-pop groups I’ve seen perform in-person on multiple occasions. Both concerts were held in small venues, giving a sense of intimacy you don’t always get with K-pop. Rather than world-conquering, unapproachable idols, the guys feel more like comfortable friends. That mirrors their overall appeal. They’re scrappy underdogs with more … Continue reading
Brand New Music’s Lee Eunsang made his debut with the short-lived X1, moving onto solo and duo work after that group dissolved. I had to search to see if I had reviewed his solo debut (I hadn’t), which gives a sense of how little impact it left on me. Because of this, I come into … Continue reading
No matter the agency, fromis_9 return again and again with strong material. Their rocky journey has now brought them to the doorstep of Pledis Entertainment, who will be managing their career from now on. Pledis’s recent history with girl groups is far from strong, making many fans nervous about fromis_9’s future. But for now, new … 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. August 2021 Overall Thoughts When it comes to new music, I often mention the “expectations game.” … Continue reading
Nearly all of MCND’s title tracks follow the same path for me. For the first few days, I’m largely unimpressed and craving choruses that are more melodic and less shouty. Then, I watch the live stages and the guys’ energy brings the song to life. As the weeks wear on, those shouty hooks become total … Continue reading
In an unexpected move, veteran group BTOB joined Mnet’s Kingdom competition. While most of their junior competitors opted for the hard-hitting, performance-focused style that’s come to characterize this generation of K-pop, BTOB got by on old-school appeal. Vocals were always put front and center, and their stages often felt like old-fashioned theater pieces. The guys … Continue reading
K-pop acts should never publicize comeback plans too far in advance. Schedules are fraught with uncertainty, especially when it comes to big agencies like SM Entertainment. Key’s new solo album was initially promised for July, but has now been pushed back to the end of September. To satiate eager fans, he’s pre-released Hate That — … 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
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. It’s very common for K-pop acts … 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. Stray Kids’ new album is perfectly … 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. After a string of VERIVERY releases … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 