Queen of the digital charts Heize has returned with an ambitious comeback, releasing two music videos (with a third on the way) for her newest mini album. Honestly, the prospect of reviewing the entire trio is more than daunting. I like Heize’s music just fine, but it hardly fits within my wheelhouse. They always say … Continue reading
Thus far, Mamamoo have found success relying on roughly the same formula. Their title tracks fuse a kind of old-school, “let’s put on a show” energy with hooks that draw upon their formidable vocals. But as with any group, the time has come to try something new. Starry Night (별이 빛나는 밤) forgoes their big … Continue reading
When Super Junior made their long-awaited comeback late last year, member Sungmin did not participate. You may assume this was due to some terrible crime or clash of personalities, but this self-imposed exile really came down to one factor — and it’s one of the stupidest “controversies” in recent k-pop memory. The guy got married … Continue reading
Rightly or wrongly, I’ve always regarded mixtapes as stream-of-conscious endeavors, dedicated to offering a glimpse at an artist’s persona rather than delivering what we might think of as a traditional hit. Even if an individual song is given a music video, it still doesn’t necessarily feel like a “real” single. But if anyone is going … Continue reading
Prior to their debut, N.Tic gained more notoriety from member Jion’s ultra anime style face than the prospect of any music they may be releasing. I suppose everybody needs a gimmick — and judging from the group’s low budget music video, any press will be good press for N.Tic. It’s surprising, then, that their debut … Continue reading
Since their debut in 2016, SF9 have flirted with a variety of genres and sounds. With October’s O Sole Mio they seemed poised for a breakout, exploring the kind of Latin influences that had been conquering the global music scene for months. Because of this, it’s surprising to hear that they’ve pulled a one eighty … Continue reading
In the (almost) three years since their debut, CLC have cycled through just about every girl group concept you can imagine. Yet, none of these changes in style has led to lasting commercial success. And quite frankly, none has resonated all that strongly with me either. With new single Black Dress, the girls are moving … Continue reading
Just over two weeks ago, BoA pre-released single Nega Dola. I was a bit hesitant with the song, but it’s since grown on me quite a bit. That’s one of the frustrating things about end-of-the-month releases. I never really get to reflect their growth in my “top 3 k-pop songs of the month” round-ups. One … Continue reading
After last week’s pre-release Star, Highlight’s Yoseob is back with the title track from his second mini album. “Where I Am Gone” may be a baffling English translation that feels like an affront to the very idea of syntax, but its mid-tempo sound returns Yoseob to the days of his 2012 solo debut, Caffeine. It’s … Continue reading
The winter of 2018 has yet to give us many great ballads. I’m certainly not complaining, as January yielded a steady supply of uptempo pop instead. But it does feel unusual not to be reviewing ballad after ballad this time of year. Highlight’s main vocal Yang Yoseob is here to remind us of the season, … Continue reading
Despite her participation in the excellent second season of Sister’s Slam Dunk, 2017 never really gave us that reliably retro Hong Jin Young trot anthem. She did promote one song on music shows, but it came and went without nearly the impact of hits like Love Battery — or even 2016’s Thumb Up. So is … Continue reading
Looking back on my past reviews of Gugudan’s discography, I’ve been a little hard on the group. I’ve never actively disliked one of their songs, but every time they make a comeback I feel like they’re failing to live up to their potential. The “series of theatrical acts” conceit that fuels their music is wonderfully … Continue reading
On her currently-streaming documentary, BoA has professed a desire to release music that appeals to the current generation of k-pop fans. Her concerns are valid: Why listen to an established artist like BoA when there are so many younger, trendier groups on the scene? Why not fuel her choreography with a simple, meme-ready point move … Continue reading
Boy group VAV have flown under the radar so far, despite being quite prolific. They released a total of four singles in 2017, but hadn’t yet compiled them into an album until now. The group caught my ear when they started collaborating with producer Ryan Jhun, who composed a few of last year’s best k-pop … Continue reading
UP10TION are one of those under-the-radar groups that somehow become more successful than any casual k-pop fan might expect. Their comebacks never receive all that much spotlight, but the group still manages to sell boatloads of albums. This trait extends to their Japanese promotions, which have a solid track record commercially, even if few listeners … Continue reading
When I cued up Jeong Sewoon’s new single, I was expecting some soft, acoustic ballad. But January continues to surprise with upbeat material, as he’s taken a sudden shift towards EDM. To be clear, Sewoon’s August debut had a lot of rhythm and energy as well, but I’d still consider it to be driven primarily … Continue reading
Quite frankly, Rainz’ new single is a mess. Cobbled together by no less than seven songwriters, Turn It Up lurches from one idea to the next without a lot of fluidity. But some of k-pop’s most enduring classics have a piecemeal, anything-goes appeal. So the question then becomes, is Turn It Up a successful mess, … Continue reading
Boy group VIXX has settled into a comfortable stability, having cultivated a sizable fan base that seems pretty committed to supporting them. But there’s still room to go higher, as last month’s viral MBC Gayo performance proved. Just because a group has established themselves doesn’t mean they should stop challenging new things. Part of that … Continue reading
It’s hard to overstate just how important representation is in media, especially when it comes to minority groups. And with South Korea among the more socially conservative Asian countries, members of the LGBT community rarely see themselves within its idol and actor driven entertainment industry. When representation is present, it’s usually treated as something of … Continue reading
While AOA remains on hiatus, leader Jimin is back with her second solo single in conjunction with W Magazine. October’s Hallelujah seemed to be on the cusp of trends by incorporating a Latin touch, but Hey reverts to a bratty sound that Jimin has become known for. After all, she is the undisputed queen of … Continue reading
