Thinking back to K-pop’s most successful debuts, one factor remains the same. If you’re supported by a big agency, your chances of breaking through skyrocket. Everyone else has to fight for scraps, with the odd act making a name for themselves via a combination of perfect timing and luck. New boy group Lucente faces an … Continue reading
Lately, it feels like SM Station has become an extended teaser for that new EXO album we’ve all been waiting for. It’s hard to believe that, six years into their career, we’ve yet to see fully-promoted solos or sub-units from the group other than EXO-CBX. With mandatory military enlistment looming, I think this will change … Continue reading
I want to love Hoya’s solo music. His charisma brought a unique aspect to Infinite‘s sound, but I don’t bear him any ill-will for choosing to leave the group last year. And judging from the styles he’s pursued since then, idol dance pop was never really his thing anyway. This is where our musical tastes … Continue reading
As Kiwi Pop’s first idol group, GWSN feel as if they’ve materialized out of nowhere. Their name is an acronym for a Korean phrase translating to “Girls in the Park,” but becomes hopelessly difficult to remember when stacked up against the many other four-letter K-pop acronyms (WJSN, SNSD, YDDP, WJMK, etc). Nevertheless, the group has … Continue reading
JYP Entertainment’s halfhearted management of Jimin Park the Recording Artist has resulted in her becoming better known as Jimin Park the After School Club Host. It’s understandable for the agency to shift focus to guaranteed money-makers like Twice and GOT7, but Jimin has a talent that really should be nurtured. She’s a dynamite r&b vocalist, … Continue reading
Jeong Jin Woon’s solo material has always been a welcome, rock-tinged counterpoint to K-pop’s usual blend of hip-hop and dance. The guy’s got a whole lot of swagger, and a gritty tone to back it up. New single All I Need Is You switches things up, presenting an experimental soundscape heard more often in indie … Continue reading
Few K-pop artists can spark my interest in the quintessential melancholic Korean ballad, but Infinite’s Woohyun wields one of my favorite voices of all time. Impossibly rich and incredibly emotional, it’s a tone that elevates anything it touches. Ballads are his bread and butter, but I’ve got to admit… I’ve always preferred Woohyun the dance-pop … Continue reading
