Apink have quietly become one of the longest running girl groups still active in today’s idol industry. They rarely make waves (at least internationally), but have sustained their popularity over eight years — an eternity in K-pop. When it comes to solo material from the group, main vocal Eunji is probably the first member to … Continue reading
In K-pop, it’s all too common for little-known rookie groups from smaller agencies to switch wildly between concepts in the hope that something — anything — will help them stick in the public conscious. Unfortunately, this approach very rarely works, and usually feels more inauthentic than exciting. There is no perfect road-map to K-pop success, … Continue reading
In a year flush with debuts, Everglow’s Bon Bon Chocolat stood out thanks to its edgy sound. I wasn’t as enthralled with the song as others seem to be, but I’m always eager for more girl groups who push against the grain. New single Adios continues this approach, borrowing from BLACKPINK’s repertoire to craft what … Continue reading
Pentagon made their bid for a summer hit with last month’s Humph, but my feelings about the song could basically be summed up by its title. I hate to see the group succumb to retreads of 2018 hit Shine at the expense of new sounds. Their one-two punch of Cosmo and Sha La La hinted … Continue reading
When it comes to pop music, everyone’s got their biases. But, being a fan of an entire agency is a uniquely K-pop proposition. It’s akin to being a devotee of Western companies like Marvel or Apple — knowing that your taste so closely aligns with their output that you’re bound to support anything they create. … Continue reading
After a July with few newcomers, the ‘Year of Debuts’ rolls on with an August release schedule already flush with rookies. Leading the charge is Happyface Entertainment’s D1CE, composed of long-suffering trainees who have all been involved with survival series such as Produce 101, MIXNINE and BOYS24. This is the new reality for a lot … Continue reading
Girl group Busters have been around since 2017, but this is the first time I’m writing about them here. As with most rookies from small agencies, their music has tended to blend in with the crowd, lacking any discernible identity of its own. This is despite a unique origin story. The group was formed to … Continue reading
With little attention from the K-pop industry as a whole, idol band The Rose seems to have cultivated a dedicated international fan base — enough for the group to launch tour dates around the world. They may only have a few singles under their belt, but the band has already spawned a solo album from … Continue reading
Sometimes it feels like K-pop releases are preceded by endless weeks of teasers, so Mamamoo’s surprise drop of Gleam (다 빛이나) is a refreshing new strategy. It makes me wonder if an idol act will ever release an entire album without an extended promotional lead-up. Of course, Gleam is essentially a soundtrack for a CF, … Continue reading
Despite largely being produced by the same team, VAV’s singles run has been pretty hit or miss. They’re at their best when forgoing trends and focusing on polished songwriting and dynamic instrumentals. This was the case for March’s Thrilla Killa, which bolstered the group with forceful, funky production and a charismatic concept. This is not … Continue reading
Rookie girl group GWSN have drawn attention thanks to their signature sound of aegyo-infused deep house. And though I’d prefer to remove the first half of that description, I admire that the group has such a specific vision when it comes to style. Rookies are a dime a dozen nowadays, but these girls have already … Continue reading
The year of debuts rolls on with 2019’s second Wanna One-spawned idol group. CIX will likely enjoy instant success due to the presence of member Bae Jinyoung. They’re C9 Entertainment’s first male idol group, following the ill-managed Good Day, who have yet to deliver a single comeback since their 2017 debut. With the continued popularity … Continue reading
The rise in popularity of K-hip-hop and K-r&b has fundamentally changed the K-pop landscape, and we’re reeling from those effects this summer. Hip-hop sub-units are nothing new for idol groups (hello, Infinite H!), but in a climate where this sound is becoming more ubiquitous they no longer feel like an unpredictable novelty. Bringing together members … Continue reading
Fans of Monsta X are very lucky. Hardly a month goes by without some kind of release from the group or its members. They tour constantly, including a hefty amount of international stops. From the point of view of someone who’s been waiting nine months for a damn Golden Child comeback, this regularity of content … Continue reading
Pepsi certainly has some sway over the K-pop market, don’t they? Last month, they gave Ong Seungwoo a solo (semi) debut with the Energetic rip-off Heart Sign, and now they’ve gathered two popular idols from different agencies for a performance-focused duet. Cool Love brings together Hongbin from VIXX and Hyungwon from Monsta X. Neither idols … Continue reading
As EXO starts to transition into a military enlistment-driven era that will undoubtedly see less group comebacks, the members have been branching out with solo projects and sub-units. As expected, this music has been tailored to each members’ personal taste and skill set. This meant way too many ballads for Chen. And now, it means … Continue reading
Such is the selling power of BTS that they don’t even have to rap or sing on a track to make waves. Heize’s new single was co-written/produced by Suga, and her agency wants you to know it. This isn’t to say that Heize needs much help in the promotion department. Her idiosyncratic voice and smooth … Continue reading
So, the million dollar question is: what is a De-aeseohsta? Yes, it’s a Romanization of the Korean title (디에세오스타) of Honey Popcorn’s new single, but that doesn’t shed much light on the meaning. From what I can tell, it’s a word (phrase?) that doesn’t naturally translate to English. So… I’ve got nothing. Yes, I just … Continue reading
As popular as BTS are around the world, I’m surprised that their Japanese-language material hasn’t felt more essential. For me, the best thing to come out of their J-pop discography isn’t Japanese at all. Instead, it’s the galvanizing ‘Stadium Remix’ of Korean single IDOL (ie: my now-definitive version of the track). Barring a couple of … Continue reading
I’m tired of writing about farewell singles. It feels like we’ve had an inordinate amount of idols enlisting in the military this year, and most of them have ushered in their hiatus with a sentimental goodbye track for the fans. I don’t enjoy being critical of these songs. I know how much it stings to … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 