Starship Entertainment is having a busy year, first debuting new girl group KiiiKiii and now new boy group IDID. IDID won’t have their official debut until September, but like so many other rookies they’re testing the waters with a pre-debut track. It’s a horrible feeling to be very excited about something only to have that … Continue reading
There have been many pre-release tracks this week, a strategy that K-pop seems to be very fond of lately. Yves has an album scheduled for next month and gives us an early taste with White Cat today. Her previous work has delved into hyperpop influences, no doubt inspired by the huge success of Charli XCX’s … Continue reading
ZEROBASEONE’s post-2025 future remains undecided, but they’re finally set to give us a full album on September 1st. Weeks before that, they’re back with pre-release Slam Dunk — an uncharacteristically hip-hop dance track. In K-pop, there’s often this urge to throw many different concepts and styles at a group rather than let them settle into … Continue reading
Prior to this group comeback, One Pact released an EP of solo tracks. I wrote about my favorite one here. Those songs are included on the new album alongside a few new group tracks. Yes, No, Maybe acts as the title and offers a new concept for the guys. Though I wasn’t initially won over, … Continue reading
Apart from his activities with BTOB and undeniable presence at events like Waterbomb, Lee Minhyuk has developed a solo career under the moniker “Huta.” I can’t say that much of his solo music has appealed to me, but I appreciate how it sounds so different from that of his group. New title track Bora is … Continue reading
TXT’s music has changed so much since their debut in 2019. Artistic growth should be expected and applauded, but sometimes I cast my mind back to their Crown days and remember how incredibly excited I was about the group and their quirky synthpop style. Since then, they’ve explored almost every genre you can imagine and … Continue reading
SM Entertainment has been on a roll lately with their boy group albums, though they’ve also struggled to pick the best songs to promote as title tracks. I’m hoping that might be the case with WayV as well, especially since their albums tend to hold many buried treasures. New title Big Bands is bolstered by … Continue reading
Given Mystic Story’s track record, their first boy group ARrC’s material hasn’t been as quirky as I would have thought. So far, their sound hinges largely on old-school hip-hop, which isn’t a unique touchstone when it comes to K-pop’s boy bands. New single Awesome continues this trend with a few early 00s influences thrown in … Continue reading
Girl Group ifeye debuted earlier this year with the sprightly Nerdy. That song boasted a great chorus that was undercut by the airy, subdued production style that’s become so popular with this generation’s girl groups. With new comeback R U OK?, the girls make a sonic turn toward a more percussive summer sound. R U … Continue reading
Throughout their career, Purple Kiss have waffled between sounds and concepts with varied success. Their music hasn’t quite caught on in the way I would have thought despite the group being very talented. This uncertain vibe carries through to new single DOREMI, which feels like their least notable release yet. DOREMI is a stately mid-tempo, … Continue reading
Collaborations between K-pop stars and video games have become more common, which makes sense because I’d bet there is a lot of crossover between the fandoms. aespa’s new track with battle royale game PUBG goes beyond simple tie-in to include a full music video that sees the girls deposited in the game’s violent landscape. Musically, … Continue reading
As Astro’s youngest member, Yoon Sanha has often been constrained by the concepts he’s able to attempt. Last year’s solo effort Dive also seemed a bit confused, attempting a darker makeover that didn’t fit well with his charm as a performer. New title track Extra Virgin gives him a funk makeover, similar to the sound … Continue reading
As always, it’s a Sistar summer, with groupmates Hyolyn and Soyou releasing new singles within a day of each other. Both ladies have delived summer classics on their own, yet nothing will ever compare to their incredible group work. Lately, Hyolyn has taken a more subdued approach to the season, relying on softer sounds to … Continue reading
SHINEE’s Onew continues his prolific solo run with his third full album today. This was preceded by pre-release Confidence, a song that was musically impressive but failed to pull me in on a gut level. Title track Animals is a more straightforward synthpop affair, reminiscent of some sounds you might find on a SHINee album. … Continue reading
Last week, AKMU’s Chanhyuk pre-released the slow burn Out Of My Mind as a teaser for his second full length album. The album has a retro, synth-kissed sound with an idiosyncratic flair different from the hyper-commercialized 80’s revivalism that took over pop music in the early-2020s. With that said, title track Vivid LaLa Love (비비드라라러브) … Continue reading
Fresh off her role in season two of Squid Game, it feels like the perfect time for Jo Yuri to remind us that she’s also a singer. Her last title track was released almost two years ago, which feels like a century. The glossy Taxi remains one of her best, but judging by new single … Continue reading
Lee Chanhyuk’s second solo album is only days away and promises to mine many classic sounds of the 80’s. Prior to its release, he’s shared new track Out Of My Mind (돌아버렸어). From what I can gauge from the highlight medley, its synth-heavy sound is emblematic of what we’ll be getting on the full project. … Continue reading
Through popularity and persistence, Twice have amassed one of the largest K-pop girl group discographies out there, and that’s set to balloon even further with the release of a new album and solo tracks from each member. The album may boast a robust track list, but most of the songs’ running times take their cue … Continue reading
A.C.E’s Kang Yuchan signed with from20 and Hello Gloom’s Way Better agency, joining a boutique line-up of solo male artists. It’s been fun watching this agency grow, though they have not been without their missteps. A set of ill-advised teaser photos for this very track had to be yanked off the internet as fans complained … Continue reading
Following up their promotions for Japanese single Different, LE SSERAFIM have released a music video for its b-side Kawaii. As they clearly want you to know from the producer tag attached to its title, this song was composed by popular Japanese musician Gen Hoshino. This is quite a coup for the group, instantly lending Kawaii … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 