Writing reviews for established, beloved acts has been dicey of late. Very few of them seek to do anything different or groundbreaking, so instead we usually get material that fits within their general sound but feels like a much lesser, more inconsequential version of it. Apink have released anniversary singles every year, but they haven’t … Continue reading
Rather than deliver a fleet of notable idol group comebacks, this month has been the realm of solo releases that don’t require much promotion from pre-empted music shows. The latest on the docket is SHINee’s Minho, who last released solo work just over a year ago. Here, he’s promised us dynamic things with the song … Continue reading
It’s a very slow week (month) for K-pop, so while I might not usually cover a “track video” like the one promoting Kang Daniel’s new song Backseat Promises, a dearth of new material has forced my hand. But sometimes, a forced hand can be a gift in disguise. I’m glad I gave this track a … Continue reading
We’re knee-deep in wintery releases this month, and SM Entertainment has always been a huge fan of the snow-draped ballad or festive midtempo. WayV are the latest to deliver a winter-themed album, though title track Eternal White (白色定格) is malleable enough to play all year. Rather than throw sleighbells at the song, Eternal White is … Continue reading
Most people know Yim Siwan as one of Korea’s leading actors, but once upon a time he was also in boy group ZE:A. If nothing else, I’d love for this review to be an excuse for readers to go back to ZE:A’s discography, which is truly one of K-pop’s most underrated. We simply don’t get … Continue reading
It’s about time for K-pop to start unveiling its special winter songs. We haven’t had too many yet this year. tripleS released a track video last week and Rainbow18 stealthily dropped an unpromoted, Sweetune-produced (!) carol that even passed me by. Now, fromis_9 have taken the baton with White Memories (하얀 그리움), their soundtrack to … Continue reading
Fresh off the members’ participation in Boys II Planet (none of them made the final group), VERIVERY are hoping to pull a Nu’est and re-emerge with new material and a vaulted level of success. Time will tell if that will happen. K-pop is fickle and the guys have been away since 2023. However, Jellyfish Entertainment … Continue reading
Greatest Hits compilations are rare in K-pop. In fact, I think Japan is the only music market where they’re still commonly released. Nevertheless, SNSD’s Taeyeon has just released a twenty-three track anthology (including a not-as-good 2025 mix of her best song Time Lapse). To celebrate this album, she’s also unveiled new song Panorama (인사). Taeyeon … Continue reading
Stray Kids almost always follow up their title tracks with additional videos, but this time they’ve designated Divine (신선놀음) as a double title track, complimenting the relatively subdued Do It that premiered alongside the mixtape. I’ve seen quite a few fans say they prefer this one, and it certainly leaves more of an impression. Where … Continue reading
There have been a few acts this year who have subverted my expectations in great ways. Leading that pack are NOWZ, who rebranded from “Nowadays” earlier this year and have finally been given great material. Both Fly To The Youth and Everglow were fantastic summer highlights and converted me into a fast fan. Now, they’re … Continue reading
The year in K-pop is slowly winding down and we’re squeezing out the last few releases before eligibility for my year-end countdown closes. Girl group RESCENE found their way onto last year’s countdown with the catchy Love Attack, but I’ve struggled to connect with any of their 2025 work. Earlier this month, they dropped a … Continue reading
In keeping with their enormous group configuration, tripleS have blitzed us with an equally enormous fleet of comebacks today. “msnz” is a “universe” within tripleS (their words, not mine) with four “dimensions,” each of which has released their own song and music video. I rarely have enough stamina to write about four tracks from even … Continue reading
A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. Sometimes, b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. NCT Dream’s Beat It Up grew … Continue reading
I remember a time where male idols went off to serve their mandatory military conscription and didn’t (or weren’t allowed?) to promote during this hiatus. Nowadays, it’s common for these idols to pre-record entire albums and videos to dole out while they’re away. The only thing that’s missing are music show performances! Cha Eunwoo enlisted … Continue reading
One of my biggest pieces of advice for any newly debuted group is: don’t give the public time to forget about you. Starship Entertainment seem to agree when it comes to their promotions for IDID. The group actively promoted and performed their debut track for almost two months and now they’re extending that blitz with … Continue reading
The apostrophe-averse Baby DONT Cry debuted earlier this year with two promoted songs and a fun, upbeat sound in need of development. Several months later, they’re back with the defiant I DONT CARE. Music aside, it’s become clear that the group’s management doesn’t care about the rules of capitalization and punctuation. I’d love to hear … Continue reading
This is a repost of my “buried treasure” write-up for this song since it’s now been given a music video and extra promotion. I don’t always repost these, but given BABYMONSTER’s popularity it makes sense to push this back to the top of the blog. It also gives me a chance to re-evaluate the song, … Continue reading
HYBE’s new Japanese boy group aoen has had an absolutely fine debut year, but so far none of their music has pointed toward a distinct direction for the guys. Both The Blue Sun and Seishun Incredibles felt generic in their own way, with more interesting material slotted in as b-sides. Fortunately, their team has decided … Continue reading
I’ve made quite a swerve with ALLDAY PROJECT’s Famous since its release back in June. The first impression was not favorable, and as the song started to gain purchase on the charts I couldn’t help but wonder why. However, repeated listens (and eventual ubiquity) helped Famous worm its way into my brain until I became … Continue reading
A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. Sometimes, b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. We love a repackaged album that … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 