In connection with my desire to fully keep up with the J-pop industry, I’m planning to do a weekly round-up of any new releases that have caught my ear. Some of these may have been covered on the blog already, but my hope is that this will become a one-stop shop for anyone interested in … Continue reading
Fresh off a successful group comeback, Kara’s Nicole is back with her own solo single. She’s become the most musically prolific of the group and holds a special place on my bias list because of her solo work with production team Sweetune (check out her 2016 J-pop album Bliss if you haven’t!). Unfortunately, all good … 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. July 2022 Overall Thoughts Counting up all of July’s releases, I’m not sure we’ve ever had … Continue reading
I’m digging this sudden surge of second-gen artists making long-awaiting solo comebacks. In Nicole’s case, the situation is even more exciting because it may precede an actual Kara reunion. Though Kara were enormous during their heyday, their legacy isn’t as familiar to this newer generation of K-pop fans. In addition to her group’s epic discography, … Continue reading
If you’re anything like me, you’re very upset that legendary production team Sweetune has been sidelined from the K-pop industry for the past year or so. I’d kill for some new Sweetune music in 2020, but for now we’ll have to settle for past glories. I’ve combed my archive to bring you some Sweetune tracks … Continue reading
Wrapping up the end of year countdowns, it’s time to delve deeper into the albums 2016 gave us. Among hundreds and hundreds of tracks released this year (and last December!), here are forty of the absolute best. + Make sure to check out the rest of the year-end countdowns here! 40. OH MY GIRL – KNOCK KNOCK … Continue reading
An idol group is nothing without their actual music, and that music doesn’t come to life on its own. K-pop producers and composers shape a year’s sound more than anybody else, and in 2016 there were five that stood out as being particularly energizing. + Make sure to check out the rest of the year-end … Continue reading
As a former member of girl group Kara, it’s ironic that Nicole has been giving us more Kara-esque releases over the past few years than Kara itself. This is due, in part, to her continuing work with Sweetune, whose bright, poppy style is ideally suited for the Japanese market. As I’ve mentioned before, Sweetune are my absolute … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 