Despite my interest in their concept, I haven’t yet become a fan of XLOV’s musical output. However, one song on their new album stood out to me, and not just because of its unique title. Tooth Gem Chiwawa (투스젬치와와) comes closer to fashioning the kind of offbeat electronic pop the group seem to be pursuing. … Continue reading
The ITZY members have gradually unfurled their solo debuts over the past two years. 2025 saw the release of Yeji’s first album, while Yuna made her solo debut earlier this year. Next up is Chaeryeong, who is often referred to as one of the most skilled dancers of her generation. Because of this, her own … Continue reading
Ah, XG. They’re one of those J-pop/global groups with enough K-pop crossover that Bias List readers have come to expect a write-up each time they release new music. With the way markets are zig-zagging into one another these days, it can be hard to know what to cover on this blog. For their part, XG … Continue reading
Rather than opt for one big comeback, HITGS have spent the year doling out digital singles every couple of months as part of their Things We Dream project. While blitzing the market like this can be a nice strategy, it’s difficult to gain traction this way unless you’re already an established name. New single BRB … Continue reading
When thinking about my “Career in Song Ratings” feature, BoA was the most intimidating artist to approach. She simply has a wealth of material stretching over twenty five years. Such a vast catalog guarantees a wide variety of quality and sounds, from ballads to thumping dance tracks. New Japanese single Hohaba (歩幅) fits within the … Continue reading
Baby DONT Cry released a couple of solid singles early on in this year, but have been relatively silent throughout the summer and fall. Though they haven’t done much to craft a signature sound of their own, their music has been decent so far. Unfortunately, new single Replay hinges on too many of K-pop’s overused … Continue reading
There are vastly different expectations for promotion and release dates between Korea and Japan. While it’s expected that everything (song, mv, album) will drop at once for a Korean comeback, Japan tends to announce release dates very far in advance and dribble out pieces of the project over the space of weeks or even months. … Continue reading
Treasure haven’t released much new material this year, but 2026 marked a transition into a much tougher hip-hop sound. Despite June’s If I leaving me cold at first, the song eventually won me over with its off-kilter hooks. Judging from the previews of new single Shock, I was unsure if this track could do the … Continue reading
AM8IC made their debut about a year ago and haven’t returned since. This is long enough for me to completely forget what I found so promising about their pre-debut song (which is still pretty good, btw). It’s a tough world for nugu groups from small agencies, made even tougher if they’re rarely allowed to promote … Continue reading
The soft, easy-listening trend in K-pop isn’t unique to girl groups. Every once and awhile, a boy group also jumps onto the bandwagon, muting their sound palette for an atmospheric shuffle. Such is the case with N.TOP’s new single Silhouette (실루엣). This group debuted last year and has been semi active in both Korea and … Continue reading
Rookies Heart Of Woman are gearing up for their first comeback early next month, but have dropped a surprise pre-release today. Their first album was a stuffed project that spawned several promoted tracks, though it came across as quite scattershot sonically. I’d love to hear them develop a strong, signature sound going forward, but a … Continue reading
XLOV have built their name on a high-concept, visually striking rollout that has garnered a dedicated fanbase. And with their most recent album, that concept started to pair with music that felt more fleshed out and befitting of the group’s natural theatricality. New single Hush continues the forward electro motion but forgets that a great … Continue reading
As hyperpop has gained a foothold in the K-pop industry, we’ve seen it appear most often on the fringes of the mainstream. Yves was once part of this mainstream back in her LOONA days, but she’s developed a more independent streak since going solo. She has a new EP scheduled for next month, but has … Continue reading
Back in May, we watched as the previously nine-member ZEROBASEONE splintered into two different groups and re-debuted. Both acts released very strong material that co-existed well and made me believe that there was room enough for each to be successful. The newly-reconfigured ZB1 has yet to make their next comeback as a five-piece, but today … Continue reading
Two months after its initial release as an album b-side, ALPHA DRIVE ONE have ressurected Talk To Me as its own digital single. I’m not sure what the hope is with this promotion, as the song didn’t even stand out as part of the album, but I suppose they need to keep their name in … Continue reading
When it comes to songs that can’t quite be considered “K-pop,” I never know which ones to cover on the blog. Oftentimes, it depends on how busy a release day or week is. But when dealing with an agency as big as SM Entertainment, it feels like new music from any artist is worth at … Continue reading
During ILLIT’s debut year, I would never have thought they’d transform their sound into novelty techno, but their 2026 has taken a sharp turn toward the ridiculous and irreverent with music that’s fun but often sounds more like a meme than a song. This continues with new single You’re Under Arrest (체포하겠어), which bolsters its … Continue reading
BLACKPINK’s Lisa has made a career on solo songs that brag about how awesome/pretty/rich she is… so much so that I don’t expect any other subject matter at this point. So rather than hope for something less shallow, it becomes fun to see just how many different ways she can retread the same message. In … Continue reading
YG Entertainment has a long history of keeping its acts in “the dungeon” (ie: not letting them release much material for months/years at a time). This is still the case for many acts, but occasionally the agency also blitzes the market with new song after new song. BABYMONSTER have been in one of these phases … Continue reading
A sleepy duet between Crush and IU? Was this song designed in a lab for chart dominance? It would have been an instant number one in the 2010s and both artists maintain enough public affection to likely make it almost as big in 2026. After all, we’re fast approaching winter where the desire for slower, … Continue reading
