Rescene made their debut during a busy week for new girl groups. Lumped alongside ILLIT, UNIS, Candy Shop and ME:I, their UhUh stood as the most promising track of the bunch. But without an album to develop this promise, it was difficult to put much stock into Rescene’s future. Thankfully, their first comeback Love Attack … Continue reading
NCT’s Jaehyun pre-released two tracks from his debut solo album earlier this month. I gave both average ratings but never returned to them again. Rather than “good” or “bad,” the songs didn’t have much effect on me at all. They simply existed — nice, well-performed and very predictable. Title track Smoke continues this pattern, painting … Continue reading
Oh My Girl have been through several distinct musical iterations, but many fans remember them best for the fairy-like, ethereal quality of early singles like Closer and Windy Day. It’s been awhile since they’ve revisited this style and new title track Classified seeks to recapture some of that magic. Like agency-mates ONF earlier this year, … Continue reading
As with most survival show spawned groups, ZEROBASEONE’s discography has been a mixed bag. Most songs have grown on me, but none blew me away on first listen. And despite a number of similar b-sides, no title track has yet to recapture the airy effusiveness of their debut. New single Good So Bad manages to … Continue reading
Rather than contain my “Risers and Fallers” feature to a single post in June, I’m going to share a bite-sized version at the end of each month. This will let me account for more songs and make a nice lead-in to the monthly round-up post. I anticipate most of these ratings adjustments will be negligible: … 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. Overall, 2024 has had a solid … 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. With a (performance?) video still possible … Continue reading
I’m a little surprised NCT Dream haven’t released an international single until now (not counting their duet with HRVY). They’re consistently one of the best-selling NCT units and slot nicely into a radio-friendly pop template. Rains In Heaven fulfills this brief, casting an evocative synth soundscape. Regardless of the song itself, it’s so satisfying to … Continue reading
Sungmin has found a comfortable niche in trot music, a sound that’s still very popular in Korea. And with SM Entertainment set to debut a trot boyband of their own, the genre seems poised for even more of a resurgence. For my part, I appreciate a great trot track (especially when performed live) but very … Continue reading
Last year, it was reported that Nine Muses might be regrouping for a reunion comeback. I’d love to see it, as their discography is one of K-pop’s most underrated gems. But a year later, it seems that the news might have been a pipe dream — and judging by recent returns from groups like Infinite … Continue reading
Across her solo career, Mamamoo’s Moonbyul has proven to be one of the more versatile members of the group, tackling a hodgepodge of genres and concepts with her trademark energy. Last winter’s double shot of Think About and Touchin&Movin was more effective than I’d expected, and now she’s returned with a repackage of that album … Continue reading
STAYC have leaned further into their quirky side as their career has developed, and that includes their Japanese work. 2022’s Poppy is one of their wackiest tracks, capitalizing on a certain J-pop energy that isn’t always embraced by Korean acts. Despite its silly title, new single Meow is more straight-laced, delivering a brief burst of … Continue reading
Rookies Young Posse have made a name for themselves with quirky hip-hop tracks and bizarre music videos with bad green screen effects. New single Ate That leans into both aspects but stands as their best attempt yet, embracing a full throated G-funk beat. I have a huge soft spot for 90’s hip-hop, particularly when underlined … Continue reading
Initially, I dug my heels in when it came to writing about PLAVE’s music on this blog. As popular as they are, this “virtual” boy band almost feels like a different genre than K-pop. And despite their punchy rock sound, I haven’t found much of their music compelling enough to compensate for the lack of … Continue reading
Earlier this year, ILY:1 transitioned to a funkier pop sound that suited them well. IMMM wasn’t able to sustain its strengths for its entire three minutes, but acted as a runway to what could become a unique sound for the girls. New single illang (Firework) jettisons much of that promise, reverting to a standard summery … Continue reading
To me, SF9 have always come across as musical chameleons. Their material is reliably polished and well-performed but doesn’t always have a distinct musical character. Instead, they flit between genres and often land on a winner. January’s Bibora was one of those lucky draws, gifting the guys a sleek dancepop confection that went on to … Continue reading
Apart from the status of Golden Child’s contract (by my count, their renewal deadline is in… nine days?), the biggest Woollim Entertainment mystery is which of its artists will be the first to break the agency’s dreaded three-track album curse. The last time a Woollim artist released more than three songs at once was all … Continue reading
I vastly underrated NMIXX’s January title track Dash, which quickly grew on me and just kept growing over the course of the year. When given great material, this group has unlimited potential. However, JYP Entertainment seems intent on throwing the musical encyclopedia at them, trying every angle they can to see what sticks. Pre-release SICKUHH … Continue reading
Fresh off a commanding stint as headliner at this year’s KCON, SHINee’s Taemin is back with his first release under BPM Entertainment. Moving agencies — especially from one as distinct as SM Entertainment — has the potential to alter the sound of an artist. Taemin has always held an idiosyncratic vision and thankfully BPM seems … Continue reading
Beyond the quality of the music, the number one thing that draws me to a newly debuted group is a unique perspective. Many of this new generation’s big names (TWS, BOYNEXTDOOR) have a specific sound and concept that carries even their weaker material. If any agency is poised to replicate this approach, it’s Mystic Story. … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 