Starship Entertainment is having a busy year, first debuting new girl group KiiiKiii and now new boy group IDID. IDID won’t have their official debut until September, but like so many other rookies they’re testing the waters with a pre-debut track. It’s a horrible feeling to be very excited about something only to have that … Continue reading
There have been many pre-release tracks this week, a strategy that K-pop seems to be very fond of lately. Yves has an album scheduled for next month and gives us an early taste with White Cat today. Her previous work has delved into hyperpop influences, no doubt inspired by the huge success of Charli XCX’s … Continue reading
ZEROBASEONE’s post-2025 future remains undecided, but they’re finally set to give us a full album on September 1st. Weeks before that, they’re back with pre-release Slam Dunk — an uncharacteristically hip-hop dance track. In K-pop, there’s often this urge to throw many different concepts and styles at a group rather than let them settle into … Continue reading
We’re back with the second bunch of 80 trainees on “Planet C.” I looked it up and this group is indeed meant to be centered vaguely around China, but there seems to be a bit of looseness around the “K” and “C” planets. One thing I didn’t mention last episode if that I hope ZEROBASEONE’s … Continue reading
Apart from the K-pop ecosystem we all know and love, there’s a thriving trot industry in Korea that most foreign listeners may never be exposed to. I don’t often write about trot music, as it’s its own genre with unique quirks and vast history. However, sometimes a song crosses over in a way that embraces … Continue reading
Prior to this group comeback, One Pact released an EP of solo tracks. I wrote about my favorite one here. Those songs are included on the new album alongside a few new group tracks. Yes, No, Maybe acts as the title and offers a new concept for the guys. Though I wasn’t initially won over, … Continue reading
Apart from his activities with BTOB and undeniable presence at events like Waterbomb, Lee Minhyuk has developed a solo career under the moniker “Huta.” I can’t say that much of his solo music has appealed to me, but I appreciate how it sounds so different from that of his group. New title track Bora is … Continue reading
EPEX are ready to drop their third (!) full album next week, but before that they’ve returned with pre-release Picasso (피카소). EPEX aside, July has been a pretty strong month for K-pop so far. Sure, there haven’t been a ton of awesome 9+ rated tracks, but there haven’t been many outright clunkers either. I mention … Continue reading
Earlier this year, STAYC found their dancefloor groove with the addictive Bebe. Though that song didn’t totally click with me initially, it gradually grew into one of my most-played tracks of the year. With new summer single I Want It, they group keeps the energy high with an early-2010’s EDM twist. As soon as I … Continue reading
TXT’s music has changed so much since their debut in 2019. Artistic growth should be expected and applauded, but sometimes I cast my mind back to their Crown days and remember how incredibly excited I was about the group and their quirky synthpop style. Since then, they’ve explored almost every genre you can imagine and … 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
Last time we had a Boys Planet, I swore I wasn’t going to do any sort of recap but ended up doing a truncated version anyway. I intend to do the same for this season, though I’ll warn in advance that there will be times when the post will be delayed by a few days … 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. Of all possible K-pop artists, I … Continue reading
In my review of 1VERSE’s pre-release Multiverse, I described how I became a fast and fervent fan of the group thanks to their YouTube content. Hopefully some of you followed that path as well, and if you did today is a big day because it marks the group’s official debut. While Multiverse offered a sweet, … Continue reading
SM Entertainment has been on a roll lately with their boy group albums, though they’ve also struggled to pick the best songs to promote as title tracks. I’m hoping that might be the case with WayV as well, especially since their albums tend to hold many buried treasures. New title Big Bands is bolstered by … 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. Earlier this week, I was lukewarm … 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. SM Entertainment has been on a … 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. At this point, it seems as … Continue reading
We haven’t had a Korean comeback from IVE since February, but their Rebel Heart has remained on Korean charts since then and new mega-hit hit single Golden (from the K-pop Demon Hunters soundtrack) has been widely compared to IVE’s past hits. In other words, the group hasn’t exactly been absent from public consciousness. Now, they’re … Continue reading
Not only is it a busy day for K-pop comebacks, but we’ve got a few Japanese releases as well. xikers have already made their Japanese debut and are back with the poppy rush of second single Up All Night. This group’s sound has been all over the place, but I tend to enjoy their songs … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 