Given the pedigree of JYP Entertainment, ITZY were never going to be anything but an instant smash. Still, the girls have exceeded already-high expectations, delivering one of 2019’s only bonafide idol group blockbusters in Dalla Dalla. While much of the Korean charts have been clogged with ballads and r&b this year, ITZY’s unabashedly ballsy K-pop … Continue reading
Most of the time, a k-pop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, 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. After the shellacking I gave Kang Daniel’s debut title track, you … Continue reading
Since venturing out into solo territory, SHINee’s Taemin has split his discography equally between Korea and Japan, maintaining a consistent level of quality regardless of the language he performs in. This is good news for fans, as it means we get new Taemin music regularly. His effortless charisma draws attention no matter what sound he … Continue reading
I’ve spent too much energy this month complaining about songs produced by Devine Channel. Between 1Team’s Rolling Rolling, Kang Daniel’s What Are You Up To and EXO-SC’s very own What A Life, this production team has played a big part in this July being one of the worst K-pop months I can remember. So, I … Continue reading
It’s been almost a year since the last proper NCT Dream comeback, though with the way the ever-rotating NCT system works these long hiatuses never feel quite as endless. New single BOOM also acts as the first promoted song under the group’s six-member configuration. With Mark graduating from Dream at the end of 2018, the … Continue reading
Hyoyeon’s transformation into an EDM DJ initially felt like a gimmick, but last year’s addictive Punk Right Now proved that she was willing to have fun with the genre. With Badster, she delves deeper into the scene, offering a convincing dose of psytrance that throws much of its focus on crafting a high tempo instrumental. … Continue reading
TVXQ have been busy in both Korea and Japan since both members were discharged from the military in mid-2017. But so far, nothing they’ve released has quite matched their pre-enlistment material in my opinion. Yunho’s recent solo album brought back some of those old-school TVXQ vibes to great success, and will hopefully act as a … Continue reading
KNK made a long-awaited return this January with new member Lee Dongwon. And although title track Lonely Night didn’t exactly set the world on fire, it was a good first step towards reestablishing the group’s standing after a nearly 18-month hiatus. Now that they’re back, the guys can move on to more interesting sounds. New … Continue reading
In a July that has seen an unprecedented amount of downbeat, forgettable comebacks so far, DAY6 have returned to inject some life into the month. We last heard from the band in December, when they released the excellent Days Gone By. December releases tend to fade from memory this time of year, but Days still … Continue reading
With over 2,600 songs on my iPhone’s “K-Pop Singles” playlist, I thought it would be fun to add a bit of unpredictability to my song review posts. So as a result, we have the “Random Shuffle Review” feature. The rules are simple. I fire up my playlist, press “shuffle,” and whatever song plays first gets … Continue reading
Whatever your opinion on Sori’s solo music may be, everyone can agree that she’s paid her dues within the K-pop industry. Her career thus far has been a constant series of starts and stops. Her quirky duo CocoSori disbanded earlier this year. A potential MIXNINE-spawned girl group was never given the opportunity to debut at … Continue reading
Rookie girl group Nature have mostly flown under the radar so far, but they’re slowly developing a fun, bubblegum pop discography that points toward even better things to come. Looking back, last year’s Allegro Cantabile and You’ll Be Mine were both working out the kinks in preparation for a song like I’m So Pretty (내가 … Continue reading
With over 2,600 songs on my iPhone’s “K-Pop Singles” playlist, I thought it would be fun to add a bit of unpredictability to my song review posts. So as a result, we have the “Random Shuffle Review” feature. The rules are simple. I fire up my playlist, press “shuffle,” and whatever song plays first gets … Continue reading
Ha Sungwoon was one of the first out of the gate with a post-Wanna One solo debut, and was handsomely rewarded for it. I wasn’t a fan of Bird at all, but the Korean public seemed to eat it up. As his new summer comeback began to loom on the horizon, I couldn’t imagine the … Continue reading
Most of the time, a k-pop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, 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. Perhaps unfairly, I imagined that a 2019 full-length album from Ailee … Continue reading
It’s been three long years since the release of Ailee’s last album, and even longer since she’s given us something relentlessly uptempo. My favorite Ailee song will always be the mighty U&I, which positioned her as a Beyonce-like superstar fusing undeniable attitude with unmistakable vocal talent. Just because you’ve got an amazing voice doesn’t mean … Continue reading
One of K-pop’s most coveted holy grails is the long-rumored f(x) comeback. Or, maybe it’s more of an urban legend — often discussed, but never actually coming to fruition. Like many agencies, SM Entertainment seems to have a hard time managing more than one girl group at once, so rather than continue f(x)’s powerful legacy, … Continue reading
Only a group of BTS’s stature could elevate the OST for a mobile game into an event release. The guys have been releasing collaboration tracks for the past few weeks for their new BTS World soundtrack, but none have clicked with me in the way their music usually does. Heartbeat, though, features no guest artist … Continue reading
(G)I-DLE have quickly jumped to the forefront of this generation’s girl group landscape, but that kind of meteoric rise is not without its growing pains. February’s Senorita wasn’t as universally admired as their 2018 work, raising the stakes for its follow-up. New single Uh-Oh rights the ship to some extent, even if its retro hip-hop … Continue reading
With over 2,600 songs on my iPhone’s “K-Pop Singles” playlist, I thought it would be fun to add a bit of unpredictability to my song review posts. So as a result, we have the “Random Shuffle Review” feature. The rules are simple. I fire up my playlist, press “shuffle,” and whatever song plays first gets … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 