Ha Sungwoon has one of my favorite post-Wanna One careers, and that continued with August’s fun and funky Strawberry Gum. Recently, he’s announced his departure from Star Crew Entertainment — his agency since debut with boy group Hotshot. Before he moves on to other ventures, he’s put an exclamation mark on this era with the … Continue reading
With Fantagio Entertainment laser-focused on Astro, it feels like Weki Meki have often been tossed by the wayside. This is despite a strong discography with a few big highlights. It’s been over a year since their last comeback, which might as well be a lifetime in K-pop standards. Last year’s Cool was well-titled, establishing a … Continue reading
It’s such a joy to write about T-ara today. The group hasn’t made a comeback since 2017 – before many of today’s most popular acts had even debuted! K-pop’s constant changes and debuts keep it exciting, but there’s nothing like hearing from a veteran act. T-ara are such a huge part of K-pop history, and … Continue reading
In 2021’s steady stream of GOT7 solos, we’ve now arrived at Mark Tuan’s Last Breath. Mark opened his own studio and has been releasing a few singles this year. But, Last Breath could be considered his solo “debut” since it’s the first track to receive a music video that isn’t animated or tied up with … Continue reading
It’s not often that we see duos debut in K-pop, especially those who aren’t already related to an existing group or survival series. Lilli lilli’s name is stylized to look like a barcode, which matches the theme of their debut. I’m not sure what this is all supposed to mean, but it’s nice to see … Continue reading
I never wrote about ICHILLIN’s debut, which arrived just as the new school year was starting. To be honest, a look back at that song didn’t inspire much of a reaction. But, we all know first comebacks are equally as important as debuts, so it’s time to give follow-up single Fresh a chance. With any … Continue reading
I enthusiastically watched the entire NiziU project last year, happy to see many of my favorite personalities and talents make the final group. However, none of their post-show music has appealed to me. They’re one of those J-pop groups who pull a lot from K-pop tropes (JO1 and INI being other prominent examples), and this … Continue reading
The teasers for Billlie’s debut seemed to promise a lore-filled concept with spooky atmosphere and – maybe… just maybe – new musical ideas within the stagnant K-pop girl group landscape. Billlie certainly has the pedigree, hailing from Mystic Story (home to acts like Lucy and Eddy Kim, and with strong ties to SM Entertainment). Debut … Continue reading
Adora is an in-house producer for Big Hit/HYBE Entertainment, at least partially responsible for highlights like BTS’s Spring Day, TXT’s Our Summer and GFriend’s Labyrinth (!). Because of this pedigree, fans were excited to hear what she would craft for her own solo debut. Even better, Make U Dance brings along former GFriend member Eunha, … Continue reading
TO1 made their rebooted return with May’s Son Of Beast. That track was a lot of fun, courting the inherent silliness of the idol world with an over-the-top performance. But as cringy as the barking ad-libs may have been, the track’s foundation rested upon strong hooks and a memorable instrumental. For follow-up No More X, … Continue reading
Girl group Laboum recently moved to a new agency, with Kiss Kiss their first release under new management. I would love to see the girls break the dreaded “seven year curse,” which strikes when idol groups’ initial contracts have lapsed. Having debuted back in 2014, they’re already on the right track. But, they’re going to … Continue reading
Though VIXX haven’t disbanded, the group’s status seems in limbo. Hongbin left the group last year, Ravi and N left the agency (but not the group), Ken is serving in the military and Jellyfish Entertainment seem more focused on getting VERIVERY off the ground. Leo returned from his enlistment two months ago, and seems eager … Continue reading
I debated whether or not to write about 2AM’s comeback. Their surprise reunion feels too important to ignore, but I’ve never felt any connection with the group. I’m simply not a big fan of ballads, and 2AM’s heyday came before I was fully invested in K-pop. So, their music doesn’t bring a sense of personal … Continue reading
This year, Brave Brothers has proven he still has his special songwriting spark. His compositions for Brave Girls are some of my favorite music of 2021. This makes me wonder why he can’t seem to conjure equally great material for boy group DKB. It must come down to expectations. Many K-pop boy groups are expected … Continue reading
It’s been just over two years since the release of Ailee’s second studio album. Now she’s back with a new full-length, entitled “Amy” after her English name. The album promises to represent Ailee’s true self, and title track Don’t Teach Me (가르치지마) references key moments in her career. The title mirrors 2014’s Don’t Touch Me, … Continue reading
I never paid much attention to Secret Number until last year’s Got That Boom, which firmly planted itself on my playlist for over a month. That track was a great example of set-up and pay-off, with an explosive climax that made me want to hit ‘replay’ immediately after it had ended. For new single Fire … Continue reading
Pop music as fantasy can be a lot of fun, and I love some good old-fashioned artifice. That’s why Kingdom’s renaissance faire concept is so appealing. K-pop is uniquely positioned to take advantage of long-form musical storytelling. And even though the group’s debut wasn’t perfect, its embrace of theatricality was much appreciated. However, we can’t … Continue reading
With their return last year, CNBLUE joined the distinguished list of ‘post-enlistment’ idols. Not many K-pop groups last this long, and Korea’s military conscription laws create a natural fork in the road for any male act’s career. At this point, CNBLUE may wish to tweak their sound in search of continued chart relevancy, or simply … Continue reading
IU has bounded from strength to strength this year, holding court on the charts with both Celebrity and Lilac. She remains a constant presence seven months after the release of her album, but it’s time to tie a bow on her 2021 work with a new digital single. Strawberry Moon aims for uplift, and its … Continue reading
In the lead-up to their first (!) full Korean album, Super Junior’s Donghae and Eunhyuk will each be releasing solo tracks. It’s unclear whether these are part of (or separate from) the unit album, but either way it’s a nice treat for fans. Donghae’s California Love enlists the help of NCT’s Jeno. But despite this … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 