Across several releases in 2024, RESCENE proved themselves an exciting rookie act capable of offering a somewhat different sound than most of their peers. K-pop’s girl groups are stuck in a very airy (often “beige”) style of muted pop music at the moment and I’m waiting for a new voice that popularizes a change in … Continue reading
Mamamoo’s Moonbyul impressed with a series of strong singles last year, taking her solo music in directions I wouldn’t have expected. Now, she’s extending that victory lap to new markets with her first Japanese single Aurora (ほしあかり). The song sees her playing in relatively safe genre spaces, especially given Japan’s love for this style of … Continue reading
(G)I-DLE’s Minnie pre-released a song from her new album earlier this month and now its title track HER has been unveiled as she makes her official solo debut. She’s the fourth member of the group to venture out on her own, and rather than reinvent the wheel HER sounds like something you’d hear on any … Continue reading
After years of waiting since their stint on 2021’s competition show LOUD, KickFlip unveiled their frustratingly repetitive pre-release Umm Great earlier this month. And with the release of their mini album today, they become 2025’s first major debut act. As I stated back in Umm Great‘s review, I had hoped this group would balk current … Continue reading
GOT7 has been a good model for how you keep an idol group going even after its members have moved on to solo endeavors. All seven left JYP Entertainment in 2021 but have managed to come back together several times with new music. We haven’t heard from them since 2022, making the release of Python … Continue reading
Rookie boy group ALL(H)OURS has been in the news recently, as K-pop titan JYP Entertainment recently listed their agency as a subsidiary. I’m not sure what this means when it comes to company resources, but it does get their new release plum placement on JYP’s YouTube channel. Given this development, it’s the perfect time for … Continue reading
Angsty rock influences seem to be a major driving force in recent boy group material, following in the footsteps of TXT’s successful rock makeover in 2021. The latest group to mope around with guitars is WEi — an act who has changed styles more than once throughout their idol career. Unfortunately, new single Not Enough … Continue reading
“Special” albums can mean a few things in K-pop. For GFriend, it meant two new songs. Today, for ONEUS it means a handful of new material and a ton of re-recorded hits with their current five-member configuration. Last month’s Rupert’s Drop is also included in the tracklist, while IKUK acts as the title track. Buoyed … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! You Are My Star (from Time For The Moon Night – 2018) You Are My Star is one of those glistening mid-tempo (almost ballad) tracks that often arrive toward the end of an album. In this case, Star closes the Time For … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! White (from Season Of Glass – 2015) White opens with a super satisfying break beat — new jack swing adjacent without fully leaning into the genre. In this way, the song would be right at home in the 90’s – an era … Continue reading
(G)I-DLE members haven’t often committed to solo efforts with full music show promotions, choosing instead to dabble in digital releases and special singles — often unveiled with little fanfare. This is a smart way to slowly develop each members’ personal sound without the pressure of huge comeback budgets and expectations. Minnie’s understated English-language Blind Eyes … Continue reading
Onew pre-released a track last month, previewing his new solo album that drops today. Yay left me a bit unsure, though I appreciate the creative freedom he now has to release the songs and styles he wants. Title track Winner certainly fits within his wheelhouse, merging cathartic balladry with rock elements to forge a track … Continue reading
The year in K-pop officially kicks off with an old promise finally fulfilled. For those of us who enjoyed JYP and PSY’s 2021 survival series Loud, it’s been a long wait for the debut of KickFlip. Four of the five guys remain in the group, with three additional members added since the series ended. Their … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Wave (from Wave – 2016) Previous Thoughts: “Wave hits us immediately with its sunny hook, and even if you’ve never heard it before, it feels universally recognizable. It’s the sound of summer in a bottle — celebratory and more than a little … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Wanna Be (from What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim OST – 2018) I’m surprised that GFriend didn’t record more OST songs, especially early in their career. Their light, melodic sound matches dramas well – especially romantic comedies. Wanna Be is pretty effortless in … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Vacation (from Sunny Summer – 2018) Songs with titles like “Vacation” tend to be fun since they’re seeking to replicate the joy and excitement of being away from home and normal responsibilities. This Vacation equates itself well, though it’s pretty much exactly … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Trust (from Snowflake – 2016) Even GFriend’s strongest albums are not devoid of their sappy ballads. Sappy ballads are a tried and true formula in K-pop and the sentimental, nostalgic side of me doesn’t mind them at all – especially as album … Continue reading
n.SSign’s Love Potion will most certainly be the final K-pop title track released in 2024, and given Korea’s current state of mourning I’m a bit surprised it was released at all. Earlier this year, n.SSign blitzed the market with several promoted tracks from their last album. And more recently, they busted out a killer cover … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Truly Love (from Time For Us – 2019) There are a handful of GFriend tracks that completely passed me by. I mean, according to my iTunes stats I’ve listened to Truly Love a few times but if you were to present me … Continue reading
One of the benefits of becoming a “K-pop A-Z” artist on this blog is my commitment to write about each new song released, even if it’s not a promoted single. Infinite have announced an official comeback for next March, but dropped this special digital track on Christmas as a pre-release. I fear a future of … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 