Back in January, Victon impressed with the brisk, powerful Chronograph. It still stands as one of the more memorable boy group comebacks of the year, forgoing many of 2022’s musical trends for a classic, propulsive K-pop sound. Four months later, the guys are back with (the stupidly-titled) Stupid O’Clock. With a title like that, you’d … Continue reading
We have another 2022 debut on our hands, as BLANK2Y give a thumbs up to the K-pop industry. They’re the first idol group to hail from the recently established Keystone Entertainment. (Side note: it always surprises me when newish agencies debut groups with so many members. Isn’t that super expensive??). Some of the guys come … Continue reading
With (G)I-DLE riding high on the charts, Cube Entertainment has devoted much of their attention to them. But, the agency has another group waiting in the wings. LIGHTSUM debuted last year with the fun Vanilla before shifting toward slightly more generic sounds with follow-up Vivace last October. Since then, we haven’t heard much from the … Continue reading
After nearly three years as a soloist, Kang Daniel has finally released his first full album. That’s a huge accomplishment for anyone — let alone a guy who started his own agency and essentially manages his own career. Though I’ve not always connected with his music, I admire how often he infuses it with his … Continue reading
It’s always gratifying to watch a group defy the odds. After exiting JYP Entertainment and embarking on solo projects, it would have been easy for GOT7 to dangle an unfulfilled promise of reunion before slowly fading into fans’ memories. Instead, the guys have joined forces for a new comeback just a year and a half … Continue reading
ONEUS and ONEWE in the same week?? It almost feels like we’re getting closer to a reunion of both groups, where ONEWE supply a killer track as ONEUS bust out striking choreography. It’s happened before, but I need it to happen for a promoted comeback. Until then, ONEWE are back with special single Roommate (룸메이트). … Continue reading
Though GFriend may be no more, its members have kept busy in 2022. VIVIZ are wading their way through season two of Queendom and Yuju debuted as a soloist. Next up is Yerin, who has signed with Sublime Artist Agency and is out with her first mini album. Debut solo single Aria isn’t worlds away … Continue reading
AB6IX’s recent comebacks have been all over the place, swerving from noisy beat drops to light funk to stately synth-pop. It’s a far cry from their debut year, which presented a sleek, stylish dance sound that seemed to be their calling card. Savior switches things up again, bringing in new producers and a new, darker … Continue reading
As an enthusiastic watcher of PSY and JYP’s build-a-boyband series LOUD, I’ve been waiting for its two groups to debut. I’m more excited for what JYP’s group will bring, but PSY’s rearrangements and concepts were incredibly creative. Some of my favorite LOUD contestants ended up becoming part of his team. As P Nation’s first idol … Continue reading
ONEUS went from strength to strength in 2021, but this streak kicked off inauspiciously with the blustery No Diggity. That song grew on me, but still feels like an overly generic use of the group’s skills. New single Bring It On (덤벼) comes across as No Diggity’s older brother, dipping its toes in a ton … Continue reading
Since 2017, Girls’ Generation’s Hyoyeon has established a successful career as a dance artist, exploring various avenues of EDM across a series of singles. For me, her output has been hit-or-miss, with highlights like Punk Right Now and Badster far eclipsing the likes of Second and Dessert. But even if I don’t connect with all … Continue reading
I can’t believe it’s been over a year since Jeong Sewoon’s last comeback! He’s been a reliable purveyor of gentle – often upbeat – pop music since his 2017 debut. He’s also the latest in a long string of Starship Entertainment acts to promote this year. Seriously, that agency has their act together. In the … Continue reading
After a less-than-stellar debut, rookies Ciipher rebounded big time with last year’s excellent Blind. That song’s composition had member participation, which seems indispensable for this group. Judging from the highlight medley of their newest album, the strongest-sounding songs are the ones where the guys themselves are most involved. Self-composition isn’t a skill to be taken … Continue reading
Every since they released Born To Be Wild last year, JO1 have been on my radar in a different way. Now that I know what they’re capable of, my ears are ready for more. And though nothing else has lived up to that high water mark quite yet, I’ve enjoyed becoming more familiar with the … Continue reading
Is it just me, or has 2022 been stuffed with K-pop debuts? They just keep coming, making me wonder if there’s a breaking point in this industry. Eventually, there just can’t be enough audience to support all these acts, right? Like many 2022 debuts, CLASS:y emerge with built-in recognition. They formed as a result of … Continue reading
Kang Daniel is Ready to Ride with our old frenemy the Universe app. I’m committed to writing about each and every Universe release, but because of the app’s “download to watch the full mv” schtick I’m also committed to making these reviews as ridiculous and irreverent as possible. When it comes to Universe, we’ve already … Continue reading
E’Last’s Dark Dream took awhile to grow on me, but once it did I found myself quite engrossed in its dramatic, symphonic sound. That song struggled with a shifting of energy and structure, but always brought things back with its knockout chorus. Because of this, I was ready for anything the group dished out with … Continue reading
When Lovelyz went on indefinite hiatus last year, all members except leader Babysoul went their separate ways. She – now going by her given name Lee Sujeong – elected to stay with Woollim Entertainment as a soloist. Never mind the agency’s uneven reputation when it comes to their senior artists. But, just months after splitting … Continue reading
VERIVERY are hitting us with rapid-fire comebacks. A few weeks ago they returned with r&b slow-jam ‘O’ – a song I’ve enjoyed more each time I play it. This served as a prelude to the release of their first full album, which also acts as the conclusion of their multi-part ‘O’ series. Sadly, this concept … Continue reading
A few weeks ago, new boy group YOUNITE teased their debut with pre-release track Everybody. Its playful hip-hop sound was super engaging and made room for an equally enjoyable chorus. With so many boy groups opting for a dark, gun-slinging shout-pocalypse style, YOUNITE seemed to be a fresh group worth looking forward to. However, when … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 