New girl group VVS have dropped two pre-releases, both of which have landed with a dull thud on this blog. Now, it’s time for their official debut. Given its predecessors, D.I.M.M doesn’t have big expectations to live up to. This is to its benefit, as the song is not particularly good. The best thing I … Continue reading
Girl group VVS terrorized us with their stale Tea a few weeks ago and now they’re back with another gimmicky track. Purrfect strains to be camp (sorry, nobody can unfurl a campier purr better than Eartha Kitt) but as usual this style of humor is at odds with K-pop’s highly-polished, systematic style. Trying to be … Continue reading
We’ve got a new (pre) debut today in the form of girl group VVS, who have been teasing their arrival with some very ambitious, cinematic videos. I was hoping that ambition would make its way into their music, offering a new sound or style in a K-pop year that’s been pretty predictable so far. But … Continue reading
When last we heard from TIOT (I swear… there are so many “T”-acronymed boy groups right now) they delivered the melodic pop rock of The Long Season. Though this song didn’t do much to stand out from the pack, its sound pointed a very promising way forward for the group and grew more addictive with … Continue reading
82MAJOR have made their name on a quirky hip-hop sound that feels more fully-realized than many of their close peers. While none of their songs thus far have stuck on my playlist for long, I admire their consistency and willingness to play around within their genre. Their music is always fun, and that’s no small … Continue reading
New JYP global boy group NEXZ debuted last year but hasn’t yet captured my attention with their music. This is despite watching and enjoying season two of the Nizi Project where the group was formed. Like fellow rookies KickFlip, it feels like JYP has saddled them with lesser material that regurgitates music from the agency’s … Continue reading
Despite a promising start, girl group Billlie has experienced some growing pains as they attempt to carve out their musical niche in the K-pop market. Today, they’ve opted for their first unit track. Snap brings together lead vocal Moon Sua and lead dancer Siyoon on a hard-hitting hip-hop track. While it may showcase some skill, … Continue reading
Xikers have a pretty crazy range when it comes to their song reviews on this blog. It seems that I either love or hate their material and there isn’t much room in between. For every Bittersweet there’s a Red Sun. For every Do Or Die there’s a Koong. So, where does new title track Breathe … Continue reading
With the recent announcement that boy group A.C.E would not be renewing their contracts with Beat Interactive, the agency’s decision to debut Newbeat seems even more important. These rookies are now the vanguard of the company, paving a new road forward. If their pre-releases were any indication, that road seems build around quirky, old-school hip-hop. … Continue reading
After yesterday’s unit track from members Changbin and I.N, Han and Felix are next on the docket with a music video for their entry from Stray Kids’ new mixtape. We’re moving from rock intensity to a hard-hitting blend of EDM and hip-hop. After a moody, ornate opening, Truman‘s beat pushes us into an off-kilter sonic … Continue reading
BTS’s J-Hope is quickly making up for lost time — not that there weren’t projects and songs released during his military enlistment as well. Just two weeks after his duet with R&B crooner Miguel, he’s back with solo single Mona Lisa. This time the music is a bit more upbeat and groovy, but the song … Continue reading
Given their large configuration, Seventeen has already spawned many solos and sub-units. Next up is Hoshi & Woozi: the performer and the songwriter… to boil it down to an overly simplistic description. They’re also the same age, which is where the title 96ers comes from, and will presumably need to start their military service soon. … Continue reading
When it comes to my favorite songs of a year, there are two categories. There are those songs that come from artists who go on to release more incredible material, thus making them an act I follow closely. Then, there are the flukes. The one-offs. TRENDZ have some decent singles in their discography, but as … Continue reading
Seven days into the year and we have our first notable debut of 2025 (KickFlip’s song earlier this week was a pre-release). Three of the four XLOV members were contestants on 2023’s Boys Planet, ensuring a certain level of notoriety even before the release of I’mma Be. The group also has a “genderless” concept, which … Continue reading
Remember when Tempest couldn’t stop shining? Hell, I’d gladly rewind to their Dangerous days of 2023. This year has been such a buzzkill for the group. Losing member Hwarang was a huge blow and musically their burgeoning Japanese discography feels like a misguided attempt to brand them into some bad boy stereotypes. From Vroom Vroom … Continue reading
For a group of their stature, A.C.E have developed an outsized fanbase internationally, touring extensively to cultivate fans all over the world. Their music has occasionally catered to this market, though the past few years have been quite inconsistent when it comes to sound. In my heart, I’ll always hold A.C.E as those daring upstarts … Continue reading
I loved Kep1er’s nine-member swan song Shooting Star and was upset when they never performed it at this year’s KCON LA. Now the group is down to seven, as Mashiro and Yeseo parted ways to join 143 Entertainment’s Madein. A new configuration opens potential for a new sound, and Tipi-Tap certainly switches things up. Unfortunately, … Continue reading
DXMON are making their first comeback since the withdrawal of member Jo (the guy who used to sport the spiky red hair). I wasn’t a huge fan of their debut, but follow-up Girls, Love Boys, Love Girls stood as a late-spring highlight. I’d love to hear them go further down that melodic route, but new … Continue reading
Since their establishment in 2005, Top Media has exclusively managed male acts. Teen Top, 100%, UP10TION and MCND have all made their way through the agency’s ranks, but now Top is branching out to debut their first ever girl group. Odd Youth haven’t taken that all-important debut step yet, but we get a first look … Continue reading
On the surface, Say My Name may seem like a typical new girl group, but they have an interesting mentor. They’re the first idol act from INKODE, the agency co-founded by ex-TVXQ member Kim Jaejoong. Jaejoong often interacts with younger idol groups as part of his variety work, but this is the first time we’ve … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 