Originally scheduled for release last November, IZ*ONE’s BLOOM*IZ album has become something of a K-pop holy grail. With MNET’s Produce 101 scandal sending its related groups into disarray, it seemed as if the music might never be released. But, while boy group X1 bore the brunt of the controversy and ended in disbandment, IZ*ONE have … Continue reading
Even as the Produce 101 monolith crumbled in Korea, the franchise remained alive and well this past fall in Japan. The first season spawned new boy group JO1 – an eleven-member unit who might as well be interchangeable with any other winner from the series. Still, the idol corner of the J-pop market has shown … Continue reading
Nu’est have been models/spokesmen for character-based business Spoonz since 2018, and that occasionally results in a CF song that harnesses their cuter, more cheerful sound. This collaboration began with the genial I Don’t Care, and now we have Let’s Love – just in time for Valentine’s Day. I usually prefer Nu’est’s brighter side (Love Me … Continue reading
KARD have publicly talked about their difficulties finding music within the K-pop industry that’s written for a co-ed group. Their mixed configuration has become a distinct calling card, but also boxed them in. Compared to single-sex groups, it feels like they’re more limited when it comes to concept. Perhaps because of this, their 2019 work … Continue reading
Cherry Bullet had a rocky debut year, kicking off 2019 with the popular Q&A but soon losing momentum after an underwhelming comeback and months-long hiatus. Making matters worse, the group lost three of its ten members. That’s a pretty big shift less than a year into an idol career. Still, it’s not without precedent when … Continue reading
Throughout their career, The Boyz’ music has moved between bright, funky pop and darker material. It should surprise no reader of this site which sound I prefer. Like Seventeen, this group is at their best when they embrace big, shiny hooks and unflagging energy. But with international fame knocking on the door, the temptation to … Continue reading
If I have one complaint about Sunmi’s music, it’s that she doesn’t release enough of it. She delivered a grand total of two songs last year, despite previewing new material on her international tour. Hell, at this point BLACKPINK has released more music over the past few years, and that’s a very low bar to … Continue reading
Last year, rookie group Good Day sat atop my list of new K-pop acts with the longest hiatuses, and their endless break turned out to be their death knell. But, like a phoenix from the ashes, the group has been reconfigured as Cignature, consisting of five of the former Good Day members plus two new … Continue reading
In only a couple of years, GFriend went from being my favorite active girl group to a hit-or-miss prospect whose album tracks are often better than their singles. As usual, this shift came with a change in producers. The group abandoned their “powerful innocence” sound – courtesy of composers Seo Youngbae and Iggy – for … Continue reading
By all accounts, I should be obsessed with IZ by now. They’ve collaborated with producers Sweetune for their last three singles, and continue to do so with new release The Day. Yet, none of these songs have connected very strongly with me, and none sound much like what I’d expect from Sweetune. Maybe it’s the … Continue reading
When we last heard from Yezi, she was forging incantations into hip-hop magic with the addictive, experimental Anck Su Namun. It’s hard to believe that it’s already been two-and-a-half years since the release of that song. Entire idol group careers have blossomed and fizzled out in less time than this hiatus. Since 2017, Yezi’s been … Continue reading
In contrast to most K-pop releases, BTS’s upcoming album is following a months-long roll-out schedule reminiscent of American acts. My feelings about this aside, the approach is gradually offering hints as to what the album might sound like. And honestly, I’ve got no idea so far. Last week’s Suga solo was more intro than song, … Continue reading
December’s glut of ballads seems to have extended into January this year. It feels like all I’m doing lately is reviewing ballads, which makes it hard to come up with anything new to say. Of course, TVXQ are no stranger to big, emotive balladry – especially when it comes to their Japanese work. But one … Continue reading
Kim Jaejoong’s most recent Korean album was released around the time The Bias List was launched in early 2016. Since then, he’s enlisted, released Japanese music and been active on variety and in dramas. I can still remember when he made his solo debut back in 2013. I had only been a K-pop fan for … Continue reading
Because of how early the Lunar New Year holiday falls this year, the remainder of January is going to be very slow when it comes to comebacks. Like, December slow. It’s in these times that I find myself writing about each and everything that gets released, even if I’d usually pass on it during a … Continue reading
Okay, K-pop, I think it’s time to admit you have a problem. Out of the eight songs I’ve reviewed this week, 50% of them have suffered from the dreaded half-time trap-rap breakdown in their second verse. The rest were mostly ballads or mid-tempos, which don’t generally include rap at all. Some songs are strong enough … Continue reading
Despite garnering huge success as part of idol group Wanna One, Ong Seungwu’s post-disbandment activities have focused more strongly on acting than music. His solo work has been limited to a fun (but forgettable) summer single and an OST for his drama At Eighteen. He’s yet to actively promote a song on music shows, and … Continue reading
My reactions to DreamNote’s singles have been pretty polarized so far. I was not a fan of their self-referencing debut, but follow-up Hakuna Matata wormed its way into my top fifty tracks of 2019. New single Wish (바라다) falls somewhere in the middle, borrowing elements from both songs without pushing the group’s sound in any … Continue reading
Say what you will about the effects of Produce 101 (and believe me, I’ve had a lot to say on the matter), but its influence has reignited interest in idol acts that fall outside of the usual group configurations. Both soloists and duos have seen a resurgence in popularity, offering the chance for popular trainees … Continue reading
Soloist Younha has had a long and illustrious career, filled with commercial highs and lows. But, her name has now been rocketed back to attention thanks to a feature from BTS’s RM. That song, produced by the brilliant Eden/Ollounder/Leez team, isn’t even her title track. Given its big-name collaborators and general awesomeness, it probably should … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 