Of the many, many rookie groups in k-pop at the moment, the one I’m rooting for the most strongly is Snuper. Their endearing goofiness and solid teamwork reminds me a lot of Infinite during their debut years. And then there’s the Sweetune-produced music, which has been absolutely fantastic. Over the past few months, the group has gained … Continue reading
Other than the inherent awkwardness that comes with pairing underage Somi with 28-year-old Eric Nam for a love song, You, Who (유후) makes total sense on paper. Both artists are known for their amiable personalities. Both have international roots and enormous fan bases. And while neither is what you would call a powerhouse vocalist, both … Continue reading
In k-pop, there are two kinds of debuts. The first comes from an established agency and is usually teased extensively (sometimes with an entire reality show) before it’s unleashed on the world. The second comes from a small or new agency and just sort of appears without any sort of high profile warning. These are … Continue reading
Boy group Victon debuted last November and have quickly amassed a strong fanbase. Being label-mates with superstars Apink certainly helps, but based on their music alone I still need a little convincing. I’m Fine was a decent earworm of a single, but pre-release What Time Is It Now was better. And now we have the glitchy … Continue reading
Boy group BIGFLO debuted in 2014 with an off-the-wall, Block B-esque sound that incorporated many alternative musical influences into their otherwise straightforward brand of k-pop. Songs like Delilah and Bad Mama Jama painted the group in an interesting light, but that goodwill began to erode as BIGFLO lost and gained members, taking long hiatuses between releases. Stardom … Continue reading
Both Sistar‘s Soyou and EXO‘s Baekhyun have become known as popular duet partners, so it’s a no-brainer to pair them together for a digital single. Infuse some of the downbeat balladry that Korea loves and you have a recipe for instant success. Unfortunately, “success” doesn’t necessarily translate to “interest,” and I can’t say I was particularly … Continue reading
This time last year, SM Entertainment‘s 52-week Station project kicked off with Taeyeon’s Rain. At the time, it seemed like an exciting prospect that could have gone in any number of directions. And though the end results weren’t usually as thrilling or noteworthy as they could have been, the project itself felt like a total … Continue reading
After what seems like years of waiting, Woollim Entertainment is set to debut their new boy group this year. And alongside them, we get the added surprise of a new girl group as well. Rather than introduce these unfamiliar faces through a reality show (which honestly would have been preferable), the agency has decided to … Continue reading
As the whole I.O.I saga comes to a close, I still struggle to understand why the group’s phenomenal popularity just didn’t resonate as strongly with me. After all, I loved Produce 101 and was primed to support the girls’ output as they embarked on their year-long promo, but other than Very Very Very (which added … Continue reading
Girl group CLC have been active for nearly two years now, but four mini albums later and they’re still struggling to break through and distinguish themselves from the pack. This is despite a very promising debut with the addictive Pepe in March of 2015. Given this dilemma, a total aural and image overhaul was a … Continue reading
2PM‘s Jun. K, along with many of the group’s other members, will be leaving us for the military soon. But before he goes, he’s released a special album to tide fans over. It feels weirdly wrong to critique this type of release, but before you write me off as some Jun. K music hater, know … Continue reading
As much as I love VIXX, Ravi’s rap verses have often been my least favorite part of the group’s songs. I know that he has his (many) fans, but I’ve just always found his style to be a little corny and overbearing. Because of this personal bias, I can’t say I was exactly thrilled to … Continue reading
Of all the new generation girl groups, Sonamoo have had the hardest time distinguishing themselves from the pack. Over the course of three title tracks, the girls have given us some decent music, but it’s all been slavishly generic. It’s almost as if their agency doesn’t quite know what to do with them. Unfortunately, the … Continue reading
Barring last November’s toothless Orange, Shinhwa have always done a nice job keeping with the trends and releasing modern, edgy material each time they come back. And now that all sorts of 90’s acts are returning to the k-pop world, that sense of forward-moving momentum really sets them apart. But while that sense of experimentation … Continue reading
It’s only the first week of 2017 and we already have two newly debuted boy groups. Varsity has twelve members, and is a joint project from Korean and Chinese companies, with a focus on multi-national members and a global reach. This all makes sense from a business perspective, but I’m always surprised that these relatively … Continue reading
It’s hard to overstate the influence and importance of first generation girl group S.E.S on modern k-pop. Not only were they SM Entertainment‘s first girl group, but they were one of the first girl groups in the entire genre. Their massive popularity in the late 90’s and early 00’s paved the way for countless followers. … Continue reading
Nada is the latest act to utilize her newfound fame from variety show Unpretty Rapstar to jump start a solo career. Prior to her runner-up status on the series, she was known primarily as a member of girl group Wa$$up, though she had previously released a solo single as well. Wa$$up have had a hard … Continue reading
After hitting us with two uptempo Korean comebacks, sub-unit Double S 301 returns yet again with a softer sound suited to the winter months. New single Remove is notable for the fact that it was co-composed by member Heo Young-Saeng, who has previously done some excellent work on his own with producers Sweetune. As a song, … Continue reading
Heize first gained fame about a year ago by appearing on the second season of Unpretty Rapstar, but rather than follow an expected hip-hop trajectory since the show’s finale, she’s offered music that adds much more of a melodic, r&b influence. Taking this approach even further, Star (저 별) goes full-on ballad, showcasing Heize’s vocals over spare … Continue reading
After receiving a boost of much-deserved spotlight for her dancing on summer series Hit The Stage, Hyoyeon is the latest Girls’ Generation member to get a crack at a solo single. And while distributing it digitally through the SM Station platform is a bit of a cop-out to those waiting for an accompanying mini album, … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 