A BLACKPINK comeback still feels like a big event in K-pop. Not only do they release music infrequently, but that music tends to have a uniquely global appeal that makes it a hit all around the world. Despite some initial hesitations, I warmed to last year’s Jump quite a bit and it became one of … Continue reading
Around this time last year, One Pact delivered a sneaky little hit in the form of 100. That light funk sound fit them well, but they never followed up with something similar. One year later, new title track Sane couldn’t be any more different. Sane plays with heavy textures, clobbering the listener with walls of … Continue reading
It seems that OnlyOneOf are no more, but in their place we have new group QQQ, comprised of members KB and Nine and former member Love. Usually, a splintering like this would be cause for worry, but OnlyOneOf were well-known for their self-composed music and the masterminds behind it are in this group. K-pop could … Continue reading
AtHeart debuted last summer with Plot Twist, whose title of course reminds me of another iconic K-pop song of recent years. Unfortunately, their sound was less iconic, echoing many current girl group trends. It’s been a too-long hiatus between releases for such a new act, so I was eager to see if this break resulted … Continue reading
In between conquering Korean charts with their title track and album Blue Valentine, NMIXX have maintained an unlikely collaboration with Brazilian drag artist Pabllo Vittar. This pairing sounds more fun than the actual music it has spawned, but it’s always nice when K-pop agencies remember that “global outreach” doesn’t automatically mean going to America. And … Continue reading
With K-pop so inactive this year, we haven’t seen many big debuts. I’m not sure DAILY:DIRECTION counts as “big,” either. After all, they’re only the first act to emerge from their agency ODDWAVE. However, many of the members are already known to fans. We’ve got guys from NINE.i, Mirae, Boys II Planet and B:MY BOYZ. … Continue reading
Even as its members begin to enlist, NCT’s enormous universe guarantees there will be plenty of music regardless of how many performers may be on hiatus. As the brand’s youngest group, NCT Dream is still very much active, but even they have joined in on the sub-unit approach with NCT JNJM — a duo consisting … Continue reading
As SM Entertainment’s bid for fifth-gen girl group domination, Hearts2Hearts had a slow start but have charted progressively better with each comeback. New single RUDE! arrives with plenty of hype, not only because of the group’s potential but also because it finally breaks a late-winter hiatus for the industry. So far, my favorite Hearts2Hearts track … Continue reading
Of all the K-pop agencies, SM Entertainment boasts the largest legacy in the Japanese market. J-pop discographies from BoA, TVXQ, Girls Generation and SHINee match or eclipse their Korean counterparts, as the company invested in Japan early. However, the past few years have seen a more scattershot approach. New releases are infrequent — especially from … Continue reading
Well, the day has finally come. We have our first completely AI-generated music video for a K-pop act. I suppose we should be thankful that the agency isn’t trying to hide this fact — even billing it as an exciting promo tactic. However, the cynic in me believes this technique will become commonplace in the … Continue reading
Korean charts — as with any global music chart, really — tend to be slow to change, with some monster hits sticking around for years. As someone who is always ready to move onto the next best thing, it always surprises me when listeners are intent to play the same song over and over and … Continue reading
K-pop’s 2026 may not have delivered much of note so far, but it has given us a steady drip of new music from the expansive boy group project idntt. This is their third song I’m writing about this year (fourth if you count a “buried treasure” post). I guess having so many members and configurations … Continue reading
Over nine years since her debut with KARD, the group’s youngest Jiwoo makes her solo debut today. This comes after KARD’s popularity has softened in Korea. They’ve transitioned to a more international career and the sound of Home Sweet Home seems to play into that approach. The song opens with a sparse beat, shining full … Continue reading
Yang Yoseop made his solo debut all the way back in 2012, which is crazy to think about. Not only has his group endured through name and agency changes, but he’s been churning out his own work for fourteen years. I’m a big fan of his voice, but I can’t say that much of his … Continue reading
Around this time last year, IVE kicked off a successful run with pre-release Rebel Heart and title track Attitude. Now, they’re seeking to replicate that hat trick with a similar approach surrounding their second full-length album. We’ll hear the title track later this month, but today we have Bang Bang as a taster of what’s … Continue reading
It’s been several months since ILLIT returned with Not Cute Anymore, and since then the song has become a popular TikTok challenge. That’s not too surprising, given how the song’s whole identity was designed to become a viral challenge. Even its ultra-brief running time was well-matched to SNS. Today, the girls have surprised fans with … Continue reading
You know new K-pop releases are in a terrible state if all I have to write about is a pre-release from one of the industry’s “virtual” groups. SKINZ follow PLAVE as the latest virtual act to attempt a successful launch. They debuted last year and are set to release their first mini album soon. Before … Continue reading
The word “Navillera” hits me with an instant serotonin boost because I instantly remember the GFriend song of the same name. For my money, no girl group has released a better title track than that in the last ten years, which is actually a depressing thought when I ruminate on it too long. Today, “Navillera” … Continue reading
POW is such an interesting group. At every turn, they seem to make moves antithetical to traditional idol group success. Their music is often quite subdued, calibrated for coffeeshops rather than stadiums. It’s almost like indie music filtered through an idol group persona, which really should be more compelling than it has been. Instead, the … Continue reading
In a very short time, the newly-debuted LNGSHOT have racked up plenty of hype and plenty of controversy. Their music has one tiny toe in the world of idols but feels primarily indebted to K-R&B, making it more palatable to those “too cool” for pure pop. While I was impressed with the vocals on their … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 