Of the three year-end song festivals, I’ve always considered MBC’s to be the most intimate-feeling, as well as the one with the most diverse line-up. Plus, it’s got the added celebratory nature of New Year’s Eve. In 2020, none of these strengths could really be capitalized upon. It’s hard to create that intimate feeling without … Continue reading
I am not a dancer, but I do enjoy some great K-pop choreography. Point dances and exciting formations can really vault a strong song into legendary status, so I think it’s important to take a look at idol dances each year. As usual, this is not a countdown of the most technically impressive or complex … Continue reading
Each year, it feels like K-pop places more and more emphasis on its music videos. And while I’ll always be a fan of the songs first and foremost, there’s no denying the power of a potent visual. Here are my ten favorites of 2020. 2020 YEAR-END MASTERPOST Honorable Mentions: AKMU – Happening CRAXY – Aria … Continue reading
I’m the type who likes to listen to every major K-pop album at least once. Maybe that’s a bit obsessive, but it guarantees that no buried treasures slip through my fingers. And although much emphasis is put on title tracks, more and more the best K-pop songs are relegated to b-sides. This countdown encompasses any … 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 2020 Overall Thoughts After a fantastic September, October was another strong month. And, it was … Continue reading
Most of the time, a k-pop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, 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. I can appreciate LOONA’s Why Not for what it is, but … Continue reading
Fans have had to wait ages between LOONA comebacks, but 2020 marks the first year the group has released multiple albums. Why Not? follows February’s So What, which steered the girls in a more brash direction. Judging from the songs’ titles alone, you get a sense of how both might sound. They thrive on a … 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. February 2020 Overall Thoughts What to say about February 2020? As the month went on, it … Continue reading
For as popular as LOONA have become internationally, their agency has had a difficult time capitalizing on the hype. Sure, the girls attended last year’s KCON LA, but they’ve gone almost a year without a proper comeback. And though the lore surrounding their concept has been detailed and consistent, their title tracks have varied wildly … Continue reading
You can’t have a K-pop comeback without choreography! However, this is not a list of 2019’s most difficult or technically impressive dance routines. I’m nowhere near qualified to judge that. Instead, these are the top ten performances that really stood out to me this year. Honorable Mentions Cosmic Girls – La La Love Dongkiz – … Continue reading
With another year of KCON behind me, I’m feeling recharged. This is something I needed after a lackluster K-pop summer. Though KCON seemed a bit cursed at the beginning (both ONEUS and Chungha had to cancel, following Everglow who pulled out weeks earlier), it turned out to be a great year. It’s my fifth KCON … Continue reading
The other day, I cobbled together a playlist of every LOONA-related song and hit the shuffle button. I’ve had my gripes about their music in the past (mostly tied to personal taste rather than objective quality), but hearing the breadth of their sound was quite a striking experience. In less than two years, the girls … Continue reading
Unlike the past few years, no rookie really caught my attention in 2018. There were a few high-profile debuts, but most new acts came from very small agencies. Instead, this was a year where 2017’s rookies really got a chance to shine. In many ways, 2018 felt like the year of the project group — … Continue reading
If there’s anything I’ve learned from covering pop music for over a decade, it’s that songwriters and collaborators are just as important as the artists themselves. Though they often work behind the scenes, this feature is a chance to shine the light on some of k-pop’s most innovative and accomplished producers and composers. Sweetch Years … Continue reading
At the risk of alienating their passionate base of fans, I’m not sure if LOONA and I will ever fully click. I get why they’re popular — the ambitious roll-out, the interconnecting storylines, the endless fan theories — but it’s been awhile since their actual music lived up to that hype. FavOrite was a promising … Continue reading
After nearly two years of pre-release build-up, LOONA is finally upon us. Well, almost. favOrite is technically another pre-release, but it’s the first taste of what the entire 12-member group will sound like together. So, with all of the hype the girls have garnered since 2016, did they manage to stick the landing? Yes… and … Continue reading
Despite the fact that its full group hasn’t yet officially debuted, the ambitious LOONA project has already spawned two sub-units. The first (LOONA 1/3) offered a bright, pop-driven album before returning with the surprisingly moody Sonatine. The second (LOONA Odd Eye Circle) took on an edgier persona, resulting in two of the project’s best singles … Continue reading
The fact that I’ve been able to compile a top ten list for LOONA before their actual debut is a testament to just how ambitious their roll-out has been. Over the course of eighteen months, each member of the group has been unveiled via solo and unit tracks. There are over twenty songs to choose … Continue reading
With every LOONA-related release, it feels like the k-pop community combusts with excitement. Now that the group’s entire roster has been introduced, it’s a good time to reconcile my personal indifference with the obvious buzz this project has garnered online. I think I get the appeal. In a way, LOONA’s otherworldly aesthetic is a push … Continue reading
Poking around the internet over the past few months, it feels like everyone is losing their collective minds over LOONA. And while I agree that the prospect of new music each month is exciting, I can’t say that much of the LOONA-related material has had longevity on my personal playlist. Maybe I’m just getting a … Continue reading
