TXT’s Yeonjun made his solo debut last year with the quirky (and ultimately addictive) GGUM. Now, it’s time for him to try his hand at an album. No Labels arrives with plenty of hype in both Korean and international markets and promises to offer a fuller picture of his artistry (and body, if judging by … Continue reading
Boy group NTX surprised me in the best way possible with their title track Over N Over earlier this year. That song adopted a second/third gen K-pop sound with anthemic gusto and instantly became a standout in their discography. Now, the guys have returned with more creative control and a sonic switch-up that sees them … Continue reading
After an exciting flash of energy with 2024’s Love Attack, girl group RESCENE retreated back to current girl group tropes for their work this year. Still, they’ve developed a small but passionate fan base and are set to expand those numbers with an upcoming album. Up first is pre-release Heart Drop. Honestly, all of these … Continue reading
Newbeat debuted earlier this year with a sound that was decidedly not for me. Their “new beat” included a surplus of irritating sing-talk and recycled samples we’ve heard a thousand times before from boy groups. But with a first comeback comes the chance to course correct. The version of Newbeat heard on Look So Good … Continue reading
I recently finished watching the JYP edition of The Game Caterers — a field day suite of games involving members of every active JYP group. The series was a lot of fun and I admired how agency COO J.Y. Park participated as well. It was like watching the principal of a school hang out with … Continue reading
XLOV’s genderless concept is so welcome in K-pop and makes me want to support the group wholeheartedly, but I’ve struggled with the disconnect between their image and their music. This summer’s 1&Only became a sleeper hit for me, but even then the song felt much too straightforward for XLOV’s ambitions. Sadly, new single Rizz is … Continue reading
Two years since their debut, Kiss Of Life are pushing into the Japanese market with their first J-pop single. It’s hard not to wonder if this move comes as a pivot away from the western markets they had been pursuing up until their controversy earlier this year. Whatever the case, Lucky is a so-so debut … Continue reading
I’ll be honest: a shiver runs down my spine when I see a song title like “Eenie Meeny Miny Moe.” Nursery rhymes have been a part of pop music for decades, but K-pop likes to go overboard with the approach, utilizing their sing-song melodies for the basis of an entire song. Fifty Fifty’s quirky Pookie … Continue reading
Despite emerging from a K-pop agency I have a lot of respect for, I’ve struggled to get into any of ARrC’s material so far. Their overall sound hasn’t been for me as most of the songs have relied on chanted or rapped hooks. Still, I try to approach each new comeback with a blank slate … Continue reading
There’s a certain type of song that’s hard to rate on this blog. It’s a piece of music that sounds objectively good but would never come close to being part of my own playlists. Such was the case with Miyeon’s pre-release Reno. I appreciated the direction she went with the track even if the music … Continue reading
Since their rebranding as DKZ in 2022, the artists formerly known as Dongkiz have released a series of songs I barely remember. Somehow, they even managed to make a Sweetune-produced b-side completely forgettable. I fear their quirkiness dissipated with the “dong.” Okay… maybe don’t quote me on that last line… At any rate, DKZ are … Continue reading
I’ve got a serious bone to pick with xikers’ management. Time and time again, they’ve got the group releasing a so-so title track when there are several banger b-sides begging to be promoted instead. Sometimes, they’ll give one of these b-sides follow-up promotion, but often they’re left solely in the hands of fans who buy … Continue reading
A couple of weeks ago, Lucy released an OST that captured my attention. I love when the group colors slightly outside genre lines, bringing in electronic elements to compliment their existing tone. For a few years now, the band’s work has threatened to congeal into one single sound, struggling to find the killer melodies that … Continue reading
It’s a day of boy group dancefloor thumpers, with both 82MAJOR and Close Your Eyes releasing talk-heavy dance tracks. 82MAJOR are more closely associated with hip-hop, so while this transformation makes sense it’s still a notable change in production style. Trophy (트로피) is still very much a hip-hop track but with added club bounce. This … Continue reading
Choerry’s Pressure completes the run of Odd Eye Circle solo tracks that began with Kim Lip’s Can You Entertain. These songs have existed in similar sonic territory — vaguely nostalgic but mostly smooth and stylish. However, the music has become less interesting with each track and Pressure is the least notable of the bunch. While … Continue reading
Over the past seven months, I’ve grown to love Close Your Eyes for their distinct sound and fantastic creative direction. This year’s male rookie groups have done a great job carving out their own niche in the market and although Close Your Eyes have played within different genres their vocal color and quirkiness has made … Continue reading
Boy group WEi have earned some added clout this year thanks to their youngest member Junseo making it through the final of Boys II Planet and into the debuting group Alpha Drive One. Of course, this doesn’t automatically help the rest of WEi since that means he and his popularity are working elsewhere for the … Continue reading
i-dle’s Miyeon is gearing up for her second mini album next month, and like so many before her she’s dropped a pre-release first. Reno pairs her with indie singer-songwriter Colde for a slow-burn slice of musical drama that feels like a performance piece straight from a movie. Opening with a dramatic spoken-word introduction, Reno unfurls … Continue reading
Tempest have pinballed between sounds and concepts, often making hard swerves from light to dark and back again. Their best music succeeds on memorable melodies and unflagging energy. New single In The Dark jettisons the latter to place all its attention on the former. Sometimes I want to be a fly on the wall in … Continue reading
K-pop’s super producers are largely retired, inactive or relegated to working with artists outside the mainstream. This is such a shame, as the industry needs its individual songwriting voices. Few K-pop comebacks these days have a signature sound because most are cobbled together by song camps using the same samples and loops. I miss the … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 