At the end of each month, I compile my top three K-pop title tracks and list a ton of honorable mentions. But each Sunday, I’ll offer a compendium of the week’s new releases featured on the blog. And even more than that, I’ll attempt to rank them from my least-to-most-liked. I invite you to share … 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 2026 Overall Thoughts I really don’t want to be a buzzkill, but now that we’re … Continue reading
Though Hui is most well-known as the leader and main vocalist of Pentagon, he’s also the pen behind some fantastic K-pop tracks from other artists. We have him to thank for Wanna One’s Energetic, for example. Because of this, I’m always interested to hear his solo work. He knows his way around a good pop … Continue reading
There are a number of acts who have debuted in the past few decades and have dozens of song ratings on this blog. I thought it would be fun to lay these ratings out in chronological order, line-graph style, and take a macro view of their careers so far. Then, similar to my “Underrated K-pop” … 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
At the end of each month, I compile my top three K-pop title tracks and list a ton of honorable mentions. But each Sunday, I’ll offer a compendium of the week’s new releases featured on the blog. And even more than that, I’ll attempt to rank them from my least-to-most-liked. I invite you to share … Continue reading
Since leaving Cube Entertainment, Pentagon’s Kino has embarked on a solo career filled with quirky electropop and interesting ideas. I enjoyed his last EP quite a bit and new title track Taxi builds upon that sonic foundation while adding a generous sprinkle of 80s synth and occasional bursts of rock intensity. So many acts are … Continue reading
After taking a look at K-pop’s biggest agencies, I’d like to turn my attention to the smaller (but still important) players in the K-pop game, three at a time. Disclaimer: As with my write-ups on K-Pop’s biggest agencies, this is written from an outsider’s perspective. I’m not privy to any business-related financial information beyond what … Continue reading
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
Though Hui didn’t score enough votes to join project group ZEROBASEONE, he’s able to leverage his stint on Boys Planet for increased attention on his group and solo work. This is the guy who co-wrote the mighty Energetic, so I have faith he’s still got incredible things up his sleeve. Whale is not one of those … Continue reading
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
Just weeks since the finale of Boys Planet, Pentagon’s Hui is back with his group. But before he (presumably) participates in a big Korean comeback, other members are here to deliver the Japanese-language dance track Shh. This group configuration is down to six people, which is a little jarring for an act that started as … Continue reading
With many writing credits to his name, Pentagon’s Kino has always been a prime candidate for solo work. He finally takes the reigns on special single Pose, though the shadow of K-pop’s established soloists looms large. As with many before him, Kino seems to have gotten his degree from the School of Taemin, unveiling a … Continue reading
K-pop’s title tracks might gain most of listeners’ attention, but many album tracks are worth equal spotlight. I call these “buried treasures.” Beyond this, K-pop’s albums deliver thousands of additional tracks that settle for a more limited audience. It’s these songs that will become a part of my “battle of the b-sides” feature. In this … Continue reading
K-pop’s title tracks might gain most of listeners’ attention, but many album tracks are worth equal spotlight. I call these “buried treasures.” Beyond this, K-pop’s albums deliver thousands of additional tracks that settle for a more limited audience. It’s these songs that will become a part of my “battle of the b-sides” feature. In this … 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. Surprisingly, the bulk of Pentagon’s new … Continue reading
Global music trends are currently in my favor, as sounds shift in directions I tend to enjoy. As always, K-pop is catching up to deliver a wealth of rhythmic, retro-themed tracks. By any measure, I should be jumping up and down and proclaiming this a golden age for the industry. Yet when it comes to … Continue reading
As I was looking back at the dramas I’ve watched this year, I realized that many of the ones I stuck with weren’t even from 2021. Overall, my taste continued to veer toward Japanese series. They just feel quirkier (and shorter!). Rather than try to rank dramas that are so different from one another, here’s … Continue reading
Military enlistment has always been part of K-pop’s boy group narrative, but in past generations these enlistments often occurred after a group had already reached their commercial peak (or ended their contract). This newer generation tends to have a slower, steadier rise in fan base, meaning that some members enlist just as their group is … Continue reading
K-pop’s title tracks might gain most of listeners’ attention, but many album tracks are worth equal spotlight. I call these “buried treasures.” Beyond this, K-pop’s albums deliver thousands of additional tracks that settle for a more limited audience. It’s these songs that will become a part of my “battle of the b-sides” feature. In this … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 