When last we heard from TIOT (I swear… there are so many “T”-acronymed boy groups right now) they delivered the melodic pop rock of The Long Season. Though this song didn’t do much to stand out from the pack, its sound pointed a very promising way forward for the group and grew more addictive with … 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. Listening to NCT Wish’s new mini … Continue reading
I love being able to spotlight a severely under-the-radar act on this blog. Epic Travels quietly debuted last year but have since added member Sangil (formerly of Snuper!). If you need a catch-up on Snuper’s extraordinary singles run, this blog will be a great resource. Epic Travels’ new video for Tab Tab currently has just … Continue reading
EXO’s Kai pre-released Adult Swim earlier this month, wasting extraordinary potential on a dull, spoken-word chorus. His actual comeback is still around the corner, but before that he’s surprised us with another new track. Walls Don’t Talk picks up the pace a bit and feels slightly more developed than its predecessor, but still delivers a … Continue reading
As Top Media’s first girl group, Odd Youth have their own path to pave. That path has been rocky so far — at least musically. Their output has trended toward the garish, aiming for quirky but more often landing closer to cloying. It’s nice to see a young group experiment with sounds. However, I’d prefer … Continue reading
Girl group UNIS were one of a handful of survival series spawned groups who made their debut last year. Their two title tracks were solid but unspectacular. If you were to ask me to hum either one of them today, I don’t think I could do it. New single Swicy aims to lodge itself in … Continue reading
82MAJOR have made their name on a quirky hip-hop sound that feels more fully-realized than many of their close peers. While none of their songs thus far have stuck on my playlist for long, I admire their consistency and willingness to play around within their genre. Their music is always fun, and that’s no small … Continue reading
With DRIPPIN’s future uncertain, Rocket Punch disbanded and the vast majority of Golden Child gone, I think Kwon Eunbi may be Woollim Entertainment’s only active artist. What a sad state of affairs for an agency I dearly loved. Fortunately, her popularity remains high and strong management would likely fuel that ascent. I don’t trust that … Continue reading
NCT Wish had a moment last year — starting with their excellent Songbird and continuing into their upbeat banger Dunk Shot — where I could clearly hear the potential of a fun, youthful new generation of SM boy groups. But surrounding those songs has been material I’ve had a hard time connecting with. The music … Continue reading
It’s getting more difficult to decide which songs to write a review for on this blog. NiziU’s b-side What If (만약이라는 건 없어) is promoted by a “track video” today, which is basically a different term for a (somewhat budget) music video. I’m not sure whether the group will be performing this on music shows … 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. This has been an extremely mediocre … Continue reading
As a longtime fan, it’s been thrilling watching from20 and Hello Gloom’s Way Better transform from idea to boutique agency, swiftly collecting new artists like Pokémon. Their roster now holds five individual acts and today we have a new single from the one who started it all: from20. From20’s music has been remarkably consistent so … Continue reading
New JYP global boy group NEXZ debuted last year but hasn’t yet captured my attention with their music. This is despite watching and enjoying season two of the Nizi Project where the group was formed. Like fellow rookies KickFlip, it feels like JYP has saddled them with lesser material that regurgitates music from the agency’s … Continue reading
Aimers are one of those under-the-radar groups who I’ve written about several times on the blog yet can’t for the life of me remember. I know they’ve released music that I’ve (at least somewhat) enjoyed, but no song has taken hold in a way that would make me easily recall it a year or two … Continue reading
Rather than opt a full comeback just yet, Kang Daniel has followed up his latest tour with digital single Mess. Billed as a “special gift” for fans, the song sees him take on the subdued, angsty rock that has gradually become a large part of his discography. Fans of this style would likely call Mess … Continue reading
Last year, WHIB surprised in a delightful way with the bright funk energy of Rush Of Joy, instantly putting them on my radar. For new single Bang Out, it seems they got that “joy” stuff out of their system and are now back to typical boy group posturing. Groups like this are what I consider … Continue reading
Oh My Girl are celebrating their tenth anniversary with special single Oh My. Ten years is a huge accomplishment for any K-pop group, and Oh My Girl’s career has seen distinct phases — from quirky newcomers to “it” girls to veteran pop act. Oh My attempts to distill many of their influences into a refreshing … Continue reading
Beyond a return to fantastic songs, the number one aspect I’ve been missing in current girl groups is energy. STAYC’s Bebe managed to overcome a spoken-word chorus through sheer, explosive verve, proving that a blazing dance beat can make up for so-so melodies. The same can be said about Kep1er’s new Japanese single Yum. Even … Continue reading
Bigbang’s Daseung has been plugging away at his solo career during the past few years, but his most notable turn came as a guest artist on G-Dragon’s chart-topping Home Sweet Home. The thirst for a Bigbang comeback is real, even if it means seeing the group as a trio. While we wait for that possibility, … Continue reading
AMPERS&ONE debuted in late-2023 with the energetic On And On and have largely maintained that upbeat sound since. Though this was a very solid debut, they’ve struggled to find material that matches or elevates its quality. Their music has been consistently solid but lacks the individual personality of a TWS or BOYNEXTDOOR. Kick Start is … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 