I raved about LuHan’s Medals at the end of last year, but with each successive release, it seems more and more apparent that the stately melodicism of that track was a red herring in his solo discography. For Excited, LuHan has once again paired himself with American production team Rock Forward. They do an adequate job … Continue reading
Nu’est have finally returned after nearly two years since their last Korean album. Many fans have been waiting for their comeback, and I’m definitely one of them. I’ve followed the group for some time and liked pretty much everything they’ve released so far. But I’m disappointed to say that I don’t think Overcome will ever fully … Continue reading
Legendary boy group SS501 is back in the form of its sub-unit, SS301, which consists of members Heo Young Saeng, Kyu Jong, and Hyung Jun. Among groups of their age, I feel like SS501 often doesn’t get the credit they deserve from newer fans for writing much of the kpop template that younger groups still adhere … Continue reading
Jo Kwon, of JYP’s 2AM, is known by many as a “variety idol.” This is due to his bright, outgoing personality and uncanny ability to make a total fool of himself. Embracing elements of camp and gender reversal like very few of his peers, he’s a unique and important figure in kpop. But, you’re not going … Continue reading
KAT-TUN released my favorite song of 2015 with their epic Dead Or Alive. Since then, they delivered the not-so-great Kiss Kiss Kiss and have been on hiatus for nearly a year. Because of this extended wait, my anticipation for Tragedy was high. However, it hurts my fanboy heart to say that I am thoroughly underwhelmed … Continue reading
As a former member of girl group Kara, it’s ironic that Nicole has been giving us more Kara-esque releases over the past few years than Kara itself. This is due, in part, to her continuing work with Sweetune, whose bright, poppy style is ideally suited for the Japanese market. As I’ve mentioned before, Sweetune are my absolute … Continue reading
I’ve been a massive fan of pretty much everything GOT7 has released in Korea. Given this, I’m continually baffled with how utterly terrible their Japanese singles have been in comparison. Other than one or two tracks, their jpop persona might as well be that of a completely different band. Yo Moriagatte Yo is the lead track from … Continue reading
I was one of the (very) few who didn’t care for Taeyeon’s solo debut, I. I understand why it was such a big hit, and why so many loved it. My qualms came down to personal taste more than anything. Still, the fact that I was less enamored than most led me to approach Rain without … Continue reading
Yoo Seungwoo rose to fame as part of Korea’s Superstar K audition program. Like many singer-songwriter types, the show afforded him the kind of break usually reserved for more traditional idol groups. Last year, he signed with Starship Entertainment, which is better known for its hip-hop and r&b-oriented artists, as well as being home to … Continue reading
Amoeba Culture is really a label on the rise. Fueled by the incredible success of Zion.T, they’ve cultivated a stable of artists that are at the forefront of Korean r&b. While not having the same unique character to his vocals as Zion.T, Crush has already proven himself a hitmaker despite being a relatively fresh debut. … Continue reading
MyName is one of those kpop groups that just haven’t received the recognition they deserve. They’re consistently solid, but haven’t produced that breakout hit that could bump them up a tier or two. One of the problems is that they’ve been incredibly active in Japan, where they enjoy a certain amount of success, and that’s … Continue reading
So far, 2016 seems to be the year of the collaborations. This feels like a somewhat odd one, between CNBlue’s frontman Jung Yong-Hwa and Sunwoo Jung Ah, who is primarily known as an in-house songwriter (and occasional singer) with YG Entertainment. I’m not exactly sure what brought these two together, though Yong-Hwa seems to be … Continue reading
For as insular a world as kpop is, I’m surprised that these cross-company collaborations don’t happen more frequently. I mean, it doesn’t take a genius to realize that EXO’s Baekhyun + miss A’s Suzy = $$$. Because of this, the two of them could have sung the phone book and been a major success, which … Continue reading
I’ve watched a handful of Running Man episodes, but not enough to be super familiar with every cast member. Because of this, I come into Lonely Night without any bias towards Gary as a television personality (except feeling that “Gary” is a horribly boring name for one of Korea’s most successful rappers). This allows me … Continue reading
I have great respect for Jun. K’s work. In fact, his bonkers 2014 single Love & Hate is probably my favorite 2PM-related release ever, solo or otherwise. He definitely has a unique creative sentiment, which sometimes causes him to veer in all sorts of strange directions. Love Letter was originally a Japanese single and mini-album … Continue reading
December (particularly this year) is the time for Christmas songs in kpop. Now, I love me a good Christmas song, but the problem is that they naturally have an expiration date. Luckily, April’s Snowman is more of a winter single than holiday-themed. Despite only debuting a little over four months ago, the girls have already … Continue reading
EXID is one of a handful of girl groups who have had an amazingly breakout 2015. Like most listeners, I was late to the party and really only fell in love with them this year. Up & Down and Ah Yeah remain unmatchable, even though their new single Hot Pink tries its hardest. It doesn’t … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 