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
Tag Archives: niziu
Grading the K-Pop Agencies 2025: JYP ENTERTAINMENT
It’s that time of year again! While December is filled with year-end countdowns, I like to take a look back at some of K-pop’s biggest agencies during November. Before reading (especially if you’re new to the blog), it’s helpful to know that my grading focuses most heavily on music releases and how comebacks are managed … Continue reading
New & Noteworthy J-pop of the Week (October 19, 2025)
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
The Top Three K-Pop Songs of April 2025
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. April 2025 Overall Thoughts Oof. What a month. K-pop in 2025 hasn’t been overwhelmingly awesome so … Continue reading
THIS WEEK IN K-POP: Ranking the New Releases from April 13 – 19
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
Song Review: NiziU – What If
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
THIS WEEK IN K-POP: Ranking the New Releases from March 30 – April 5
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
Song Review: NiziU – Love Line
Though they’re primarily based in Japan, JYP girl group NiziU has global ambitions. Love Line (운명선) is their second Korean single, further establishing the girls as part of the K-pop landscape. And while it may exist between markets, the song itself borrows from girl group sounds of the past for a flavor that feels unique … Continue reading
New & Noteworthy J-pop of the Week (January 12, 2025)
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
New & Noteworthy J-pop of the Week (December 22, 2024)
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
New & Noteworthy J-pop of the Week (December 15, 2024)
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
New & Noteworthy J-pop of the Week (December 8, 2024)
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
Song Review: NiziU – AlwayS
We’ve entered December, which all but ensures a steady stream of ballads from both K-pop and J-pop. This softer energy tends to be quite seasonal, as listeners seek coziness over musical bombast. Japan has an especially insatiable appetite for ballads, making NiziU’s AlwayS the perfect release for this time of year. AlwayS starts life as … Continue reading
Grading the K-Pop Agencies 2024: JYP ENTERTAINMENT
It’s that time of year again! While December is filled with year-end countdowns, I like to take a look back at some of K-pop’s biggest agencies during November. Before reading (especially if you’re new to the blog), it’s helpful to know that my grading focuses most heavily on music releases and how comebacks are managed … Continue reading
New & Noteworthy J-pop of the Week (July 14, 2024)
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
Song Review: NiziU – Rise Up
Though JYP Entertainment has been active in Japan for many years, girl group NiziU was an early experiment in “J-pop group produced by Korean agency.” With companies like HYBE, SM and Lapone following suit, this strategy has become more common as time has gone on. It’s changing the J-pop idol landscape and blurring the lines … Continue reading
New & Noteworthy J-pop of the Week (July 7, 2024)
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
New & Noteworthy J-pop of the Week (March 17, 2024)
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
Song Review: NiziU – Sweet Nonfiction
JYP Entertainment has found great success straddling the K-pop and J-pop markets with acts who can easily swerve between the two. New boy group NEXZ will continue this tradition with their upcoming debut, but first it’s time for a fresh single from NiziU. Though they’re first and foremost a J-pop act, the girls made a … Continue reading
New & Noteworthy J-pop of the Week (February 11, 2024)
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