With so many pre-releases, it feels like Kiss Of Life have already debuted several times over. But Shhh (쉿) is the big one — the song they’ll be performing and promoting and ultimately be remembered for. As such, it falls somewhere toward the bottom half of their burgeoning discography. It may have been naïve of … Continue reading
When it comes to music videos, JYP Entertainment reminds me of that famous Oprah meme: “You get a car! And YOU get a car! AND YOU GET A CAR!” The agency has become very generous when it comes to promotion, pairing so many of its artists’ b-sides and pre-releases with full music videos. On the … Continue reading
1. Hard // 2. Juice // 3. 10X // 4. Satellite // 5. Identity // 6. The Feeling // 7. Like It // 8. Sweet Misery // 9. Insomnia // 10. Gravity GRAVITY Ah, the pensive album-closer. K-pop loves a pensive album closer. Here’s the deal: Whenever I see the title of this song, my … Continue reading
1. Hard // 2. Juice // 3. 10X // 4. Satellite // 5. Identity // 6. The Feeling // 7. Like It // 8. Sweet Misery // 9. Insomnia // 10. Gravity INSOMNIA Hard concludes with two slower, moodier tracks. In my mind, Insomnia (불면증) is the stronger of the two. After a suite of … Continue reading
XG are an interesting prospect. Managed by legendary J-pop company Avex, they’re finding much more success outside their home country than within. This seems to be by design, as they perform in English and target many K-pop venues and audiences. I haven’t seen them appear on any of Japan’s numerous music shows, but they’ll be … Continue reading
NiziU’s second album is scheduled for release in mid-July, but its lead single has been unveiled early. Coconut is NiziU’s bid for a summer hit and contains many of the elements we associate with the season. I’ve had a hard time embracing NiziU’s music. Apart from the occasional standout, I find it too closely-aligned to … Continue reading
1. Hard // 2. Juice // 3. 10X // 4. Satellite // 5. Identity // 6. The Feeling // 7. Like It // 8. Sweet Misery // 9. Insomnia // 10. Gravity 10X This is quite a shift from the album’s first two tracks. Running order is a real issue on Hard, and 10X would … Continue reading
Debut group Kiss Of Life spent last week unveiling its members, one solo release at a time. The quality of these solos was generally high, increasing expectations for how the four would sound as a complete group. Bye My Neverland (안녕,네버랜드) is the first answer to that question, but the song fizzles more than it … Continue reading
It’s been a few years since we’ve heard from Han Seungwoo. After completing his military service, the soloist is back with the smooth R&B flavor of Dive Into. It’s a bump in energy from 2021’s sentimental See You Again, taking him back to the sounds of his debut mini album. While Dive Into is pleasant … Continue reading
Days after pre-releasing Wicked Love, Yena has made her official comeback with Hate Rodrigo. The title of this song has stirred plenty of online chatter. Is she dissing Olivia Rodrigo? Is this a loving reference? Did Olivia herself have a hand in it? I have to give it to Yena’s team. They know how to … Continue reading
SHINee’s The Feeling has blossomed into an early summer highlight, buoyed by the group’s heavenly vocal blend and the song’s driving energy. I’m very thankful for its existence, and will be positioning it as the official title track in the blissful (deluded?) alternate reality I’ve constructed around SHINee’s new album. Unfortunately, the album’s actual title … Continue reading
Before making her official comeback next week, Yena has pre-released the album’s final track Wicked Love alongside a dance-heavy music video. The song is a hard swerve from the bubbly pop that’s characterized most of her solo discography so far. I’ll never complain about getting extra material, but Wicked Love doesn’t excite me about the … Continue reading
The full title of this song review looks like a mathematical equation, revealing the complicated nature of the sprawling tripleS project. Touch+ is a b-side track from sub-unit +(KR)ystal Eyes, featuring member Sohyun who will be part of upcoming sub-unit LOVElution. Make sense? All these parentheses and plus signs belie the fact that Touch+ is … Continue reading
LUN8’s debut mini album is pretty strong, but opening track Voyager sticks out like a sore thumb. Not only is it my least favorite song, but it sounds like it’s pulled from a completely different project than the rest of the material. I’m curious why Fantagio decided to promote it with a music video. Despite … Continue reading
It’s amazing what can be accomplished when the shackles of a big agency like YG Entertainment are thrown away. In just a couple of months, iKON members have released a full album and solo tracks/features. This is lovely to see, especially with so many years of infrequent comebacks. Lead vocalist Jay (also known as Jinhwan) … Continue reading
GreatGuys’ new music video opens in a roller rink, so you know my interest is already piqued! I love a bright boy group track that’s roller-rink-ready, and Luv Luv Luv fits that template to a tee. It’s driven by tropical synth squiggles and a dance beat that (mostly) stays focused and steady. However, this is … Continue reading
Twice’s first promoted sub-unit Misamo debuts not with a Korean release, but a J-pop song. This is a little surprising, especially since the mellow Marshmallow seems suited to Korean tastes. But when you realize who’s involved in this unit, the decision couldn’t be clearer. Misamo gives the group’s three Japanese members a chance to shine … Continue reading
Like many groups from smaller agencies, DKB has diversified their audience by touring extensively overseas. Their smooth, hip-hop inspired sound holds big international appeal, but new single I Need Love takes them in a direction more suited to the dancefloor. There’s a great song packed in here, but the structure and production seem intent on … Continue reading
Good old VAV! I haven’t written about them in nearly three years. It’s good to see the group back. Their discography has varied so much in sound, from the early funk-pop days to their latter experiments with darker moods. New single Designer brings the guys back to the Latin-inspired style they’d adopted in 2018-19. They … Continue reading
In a summer stuffed with second-gen comebacks, it seemed EXO might be left out of the rush. There’s been a ton of legal drama behind the scenes, potentially sidelining their planned return. But according to reports, we’ll be getting a new studio album after almost four years. Before its title track drops in a few … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 