I’ve been watching K-Pop Star since it’s been on the air, but I’ve always been surprised out how few bona fide stars it actually produces. Apart from Akdong Musician and Lee Hi, the show has become more closely associated with indie acts. This isn’t to say that an artist with a less pop-influenced style can’t be a … Continue reading
Love is a sudden…. what?? English grammar aside, MIXX gave us a surprisingly solid track last May with the slick Oh Ma Mind. And come to think of it, they gave us some wonky grammar as well! They are the classic example of an under-the-radar rookie group, releasing very little actual music but hoping that … Continue reading
Apink have come to the stage in their career where they can release anything and it will become, at the very least, a moderate hit. I’m sure this is the goal for any idol group, but it presents its own challenges as well. So often, veteran groups (both k-pop and otherwise) fall into the trap … Continue reading
Solo careers are a tricky proposition. While a group can easily get by on the novelty of its member’s individual strengths and interactions, there has to purpose to a solo artist. What makes them different and unique enough to stand on their own? What need does their solo work fulfill that their group couldn’t replicate? … Continue reading
There was a period when Jay Park released lighthearted, throwback r&b pop that resulted in at least two singles (the incredible Joah and So Good) that have only grown better with age. But that Jay Park has been replaced with someone much more predictable. In fact, I’ve hesitated more than once to review his prolific output of … Continue reading
Sometimes a group’s name and song title really tell you all you need to know. Nothing about “OhBliss” or (especially) “Bunny Bunny” sounded remotely appealing to me. But you never truly know until you give it a listen, right? Could Bunny Bunny actually be a hidden treatise on the sociological hardships caused as a result … Continue reading
Earlier this year, I picked HIGH4 as the most underrated boy group in k-pop. I really root for them, and I was thrilled to see their Makestar crowdfunding campaign become such a big success. But with this said, I have no idea what they’re doing with this HIGH4 20 sub-unit. The duo is composed of rappers … Continue reading
As part of their official sub-unit debut, Winner’s Mino and iKON’s Bobby have released double title tracks that each show off very different charms. After being thrilled with the upbeat exuberance of Hit Me, Full House (붐벼) brings the guys back to a lurching, stereotypical exercise in what apparently makes hip-hop cool. But here’s the problem: … Continue reading
It’s not uncommon for an agency to use one of its established stars to introduce a new rookie group, and that’s exactly what Plan A (formerly A Cube) are doing with their “Plan A Boys.” Pairing with solo singer Huh Gak, the boys are given a slight head-scratcher of an introduction in the form of … Continue reading
It seems as if CL’s official American debut has been “imminent” for years now. But even without the ridiculously long wait (which has been a YG hallmark of late), I was never very enthused by the prospect of her going international. I don’t want k-pop artists to “break” the U.S. if it means they’ll be … Continue reading
Produce 101, and its resulting girl group I.O.I, has been a strange phenomenon. The show itself managed to spawn several strong hit singles, but once the group actually debuted, they’ve struggled to find a sound (or song) that matched the delirious heights of Pick Me. Whatta Man is no different, offering an unoriginal mixture of … Continue reading
Beast has been all over the place this year. We had the misguided hip-hop of March’s Guess Who, the gorgeous midtempo drama of Ribbon, and now Freaking Cute, which takes a much lighter pop approach. The group gave us a handful of brilliant Japanese tracks last year, but I fear that the creative juice has been used … Continue reading
I was not a big fan of Hello Venus’s previous collaboration with Devine Channel back in May, but Paradise promised something more uptempo and summery. July hasn’t seen a ton of great summer girl group tracks yet, so I prepared myself for something fantastic. I should know by now not to set expectations high without … Continue reading
Though never releasing one as a title track, throughout the years VIXX have recorded some great ballads. I’m thinking especially of songs like Love Letter and this year’s Badbye. So when it was announced that their new Japanese single would be a ballad, I wasn’t overly concerned. But unfortunately, Hana-Kaze (Flower Wind) tends towards the … Continue reading
Newly debuted rookies O21 (O To One) have already received some attention for taking an edgier approach when most of their peers are sticking with an innocent sound. This was enough to catch my attention, but only a good song would maintain that interest. With Show Me, I feel myself drifting somewhere in between curious … Continue reading
When deciding which kpop tracks to skip when writing my reviews, the ones that usually pass by without any commentary are the ballads. There’s just not much to say about most of them. But on this uncharacteristically slow Monday, the only major releases to choose from are ballads. Of the choices, Baek Yerin is likely … Continue reading
Last time we heard r&b soloist Wheesung, he was giving us a powerful, theatrical ballad-with-a-beat, so when Hold Over opens with EXID’s LE spitting an attitude-filled monologue, it comes as a bit of a surprise. In fact, the whole track sounds like it might have been at home on EXID’s latest album. Hold Over coasts … Continue reading
Heize and DEAN are two artists looking to break out. At the moment, it seems like DEAN has the better chance of doing so. His more recent songs have charted well digitally, and he enjoys a certain amount of clout as a songwriter. Meanwhile, Heize has the benefit of Unpretty Rapstar behind her, though I … Continue reading
Road Boyz impressed the hell out of me with their debut last winter, and kept that excitement more-or-less alive with Be My Love. But like most newly debuted groups of their limited stature, they’ve dramatically shifted their sound for Shake It Shake It, and unfortunately it’s been shifted in a direction that touches on some of my … Continue reading
Ever since leaving k-pop mega-group Girls’ Generation in 2014, fans have been waiting for Jessica Jung to release solo material. Fly follows a string of successful solo releases from current members Taeyeon and Tiffany, but despite Jessica’s obvious star quality, the song itself doesn’t do much to cement her as an interesting artist in her own … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 