Since debut, ALL(H)OURS have stuck to a bombastic sound, fusing huge beats to catchy chants. This formula has often thrown melody to the curb in favor of other aspects, and that’s been the one missing piece that has prevented me from becoming absolutely obsessed with their singles. I wish I could sit their producers down … 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. There are some idols that you … Continue reading
The K-pop industry is in dire need of some eccentricity. Sure, there’s a subdued quirkiness to many of its recent visuals, but this approach has become so cut-and-paste and rubber stamped by corporations that it feels more mainstream than it seeks to be. There is no act reliably delivering the colorful madness of previous groups … Continue reading
When it comes to HYBE groups, aoen have had a curiously subdued rollout. You never hear much about them and they’ve pretty much stuck to their homebase of Japan rather than attempt to intermix with the K-pop industry. So far, they’ve released a few decent songs but haven’t established anything close to their own sound. … Continue reading
KickFlip were the first group I wrote about in 2025 and my coverage became more and more positive as the year went on. As often happens in this case, I ended up going back to their older songs and enjoying them much more than I did at first. They’re now a group I actively look … 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. To Sung Kyu fans, Answer might … Continue reading
K-Pop debuts can be tricky things. At times, they’re the best song a group delivers. Sometimes, they’re the only song a group delivers! But, debuts can also be huge wtf moments in an artist’s career. In this feature, I’ll be looking back at debut songs through the prism of time, re-evaluating how well they hold … Continue reading
Last year, H1-KEY took a more rock influenced turn with their excellent summer mini album Lovestruck. They’ve stuck with many of the same collaborators for its follow-up, beginning to develop a signature sound that spotlights their strong vocals. I’m always happy to hear consistency like this, even if title track To. My First Love (나의 … Continue reading
Big Ocean debuted back in 2024 as K-pop’s first hard of hearing group. I’ve never covered their music before, but teasers for new single One Man Army caught my eye. I’ll always be up for some good old-fashioned drama in K-pop, and this song seemed to promise a whole theater show. The actual song is … Continue reading
It’s been awhile since we’ve heard from the Way Better agency, whose roster expanded last year. Lim Sejun re-debuted as a soloist with the pleasant Summer last May but hasn’t promoted since. New singer Pray For God is a very different beast, its synth sound feeling much more aligned with agency masterminds from20 and Hello … 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. It’s been over a month since … Continue reading
There are precious few notable songwriters left in K-pop, so when I find one I connect with I tend to latch on tightly. Such is the case with LAVIN, formerly known as “VAHN.” Not only was his work with NINE.i impeccable, but he’s gone on to craft a solid solo career as well. That career … Continue reading
Boy group ASC2NT has been around for almost two years and they’re finally releasing something longer than a single album. They’ve been hit or miss for me, but last year’s Don’t Move was a slinky highlight and its b-sides proved the group’s mettle as vocalists. It’s become more and more rare to hear idols actually … Continue reading
New boy group Chaser know how to get my attention. I’m sure they weren’t actually named after my favorite ever K-pop song, but my eyes still widen whenever I see even a tangetial reference to the Infinite classic. Instead, they’re the newest group from Howling Entertainment — also home to Waker. Waker’s lackluster promotion makes … Continue reading
When it comes to WJSN, the old adage “you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone” seems fitting. They and their musical cohorts (Lovelyz, Oh My Girl, etc.) are part of a bygone girl group era. During their heyday, they reliably released melodic pop music with a sense of sonic drama and fantastical imagery. … Continue reading
Though they’ve started experimenting with their sound more and more, there’s a certain brand of song that feels like it belongs to IVE. Think I Am, Rebel Heart and even Love Dive. It’s a resounding pop style, almost Eurovision-esque in its bigness. It’s also a sound that brought K-pop Demon Hunters‘ Golden to such great … Continue reading
It feels like it’s been ages since I’ve been able to write about a fantastic vocal. It’s not that they don’t exist anymore. It’s just that K-pop songs very rarely spotlight singing these days. Kim Sung Kyu is one of my favorite K-pop vocalists ever. Not only is he incredibly skilled, but no one else … Continue reading
Last time I wrote about a Japanese STAYC single they were saying “Meow.” Now, they’re saying MWUAH. Fair enough. Not everyone speaks Japanese, I guess. These strange utterances match their quirky sound, though sometimes the group’s music feels like one good idea without the development to make it into something fantastic. The titular “MWUAH” appears … Continue reading
MADEIN have had a rough go, at the whim of an agency with serious allegations against it. This has caused them to lose three members already and makes it impossible not to read between the lines when the girls depart for “personal reasons.” But purely from a musical standpoint, their output has been decent. New … Continue reading
THE SSYNDROME made their debut late last year, emerging in an era flush with rock bands. Just this year alone, it feels like I’m writing about a rock act every week — and that’s not even including all the rock-influenced comebacks from idol groups. Korea is really into guitars at the moment. This isn’t a … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 