Though Mamamoo have always been a vocal-centered group, their secret weapon is rapper Moon Byul. With her ultra-cool, gender-bending performance style, she’s brought fans of all persuasions into the group’s fold — even if her voice is often relegated to a short verse or two within bigger pop songs. She seems like the perfect candidate … Continue reading
Being an idol rock group has to be difficult. If you incorporate choreography or dancefloor-driven electronics to your music, you start to lose any rock “credibility” you might have established. Yet, the idol scene craves the kind of trendy, concept-heavy pop/r&b that is difficult for bands to replicate. Rookie quartet IZ seem to be struggling … Continue reading
Ever since the concept of NCT was announced, I looked forward to the day that all of its members would unite for one dynamic single. I imagined a giant chorus of vocals, an army of dancers. I imagined a song as immense and dramatic as the idea of NCT itself. But all that imagining was … Continue reading
The Produce 101 train keeps chugging along with the debut of soloist Yoo Seonho. Making his mark as one of two very young trainees from Cube Entertainment (the other being Lai Guanlin, who would go on to debut as part of Wanna One), Seonho developed quite a fan base through the series. But despite his … Continue reading
If any group was poised to give us a bizarre Orange Caramel-esque sub-unit, Oh My Girl has the resume. They come from an agency known for its quirky concepts, and the girls have already delivered a few themselves. But after the surprising success of January’s majestic Secret Garden, it’s a bit unexpected to make such … Continue reading
Last time Mamamoo released a CF song and music video, it was in the form of the gloriously breezy Woo Hoo, which remains one of the best tracks in their discography. Now, the girls are shilling for Maeil Bio yogurt with the much more derivative Everyday (매일 봐요). This comes right on the heels of … Continue reading
Sometimes, songs aren’t designed to be experienced in traditional ways. Super Junior’s Super Duper first reared its head during the group’s tour, where spirits were high and adrenaline was pumping. Had I been there in the audience, I’m sure I would have been enthralled by its goofy energy. But, I was not there. And taken … Continue reading
Since parting ways with Cube Entertainment and establishing their own agency, the individual members of Highlight have been quite prolific. Sometimes this has been in the form of mini albums, or — in rapper/composer Junhyung’s case — digital and single releases. His solo work has dropped without much build-up or promotion, as if he’s simply … Continue reading
Every k-pop rookie has a story, but some are more off-the-wall than others. With the debut of new trio Honey Popcorn, we’ve got quite a doozy. The group is composed of three former Japanese AV (adult video) stars, relaunching their careers as idols in Korea. It’s hard to imagine this backstory flying in k-pop’s squeaky-clean … Continue reading
Back in 2016, when I.O.I charted the course for what a post-Produce 101 group would look like, I felt like one of the few listeners who didn’t completely succumb to their charms. Part of that was due to an uneven series of releases with a quality level that didn’t seem to match the girls’ potential. … Continue reading
Oh, GOT7. I want to love your music. I really do. Your first two years were full of addictive hits that struck a perfect balance between pop and hip-hop. But ever since 2016’s Fly, I’ve struggled to connect with what is clearly becoming your signature style. Seriously, though, I feel like a broken record whenever … Continue reading
Lately, it seems like we’re getting a lot of pre-releases and sort-of-but-not-really comebacks masquerading as “fan songs.” Pop duo MXM are the latest to follow this path, making a quick turnaround from their January comeback Diamond Girl before a promised full-length release later in the year. I happened to love the funk-laced makeover of their … Continue reading
Twice have enjoyed a meteoric rise in Japan, quickly reigniting the female side of the hallyu wave. I only wish that this success was accompanied by music that felt as fresh as most of their Korean output. So far, singles One More Time and Candy Pop have largely adhered to the tropes one might expect … Continue reading
Less than a year into their debut, girl group Weki Meki have quickly become lodged in a frustrating dilemma: their album tracks are consistently superior to the songs they’re given to promote. This pattern began with August’s noisy I Don’t Like Your Girlfriend, which came across as nearly atonal compared to the five tracks that … Continue reading
Thus far, Suzy’s solo music has often been more about aesthetic than dynamic composition. She possesses the kind of soft vocal that lends itself well to this relaxing style, even if it’s not the type of thing to appeal to my tastes. This makes it difficult to review most of her work, as it feels … Continue reading
With the cute bubblegum pop of Twice leading the girl group wave in Korea, it’s becoming harder to find new rookies debuting with anything but a cheerful image and sound. When Girlkind (what a name…) first started dropping teasers for Fanci, it seemed that we were in for something new. They’re billed as a hip-hop … Continue reading
Sometimes it feels like Monsta X and I are on a constant seesaw. I’ll love one single, then dislike the next. To be fair, their hard-edged sound was not designed for my particular musical taste. I understand why they’ve amassed such a devoted fan base, but I think they’re at their best when they blend … Continue reading
At this point, I think I’d rather SM Entertainment abandon their digital Station project to focus more completely on full-fledged comebacks. It’s not that Station hasn’t resulted in some standout songs, but overall last year’s discography felt pretty forgettable. I fear that, rather than adding to artists’ catalogs in an interesting way, many of the … Continue reading
B.A.P have nearly replicated their prolific 2016, making another three comebacks this year. That constant work ethic has to be lauded, even if the material hasn’t always kept up the same level of consistency. New single Hands Up throws back to the group’s debut sound, marrying its modern verses to a gruff, 2012-era hook. This … Continue reading
Over the past few years, SM Entertainment has made an annual tradition of releasing the same sort of gentle piano ballad for Christmas. All have been enjoyable in their own right, but none have matched EXO’s utterly gorgeous Miracles in December from 2013. EXO will be coming back with another winter single next week, but … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 