One of my wishes for 2019 was to see more bright concepts from boy groups. Newly debuted VERIVERY are the first to wholeheartedly jump into that sound this year, building on 2018’s retro-leaning Super Special with the cheerful Ring Ring Ring. As the younger brother group to Jellyfish Entertainment’s VIXX, you might have expected them … Continue reading
Apink have never been out of the spotlight for long in Korea, but they enjoyed an unexpected bump last summer with the ear-catching I’m So Sick. Heading in an edgier dance direction turned out to be a boon for the girls, so it’s no surprise that new single %% (응응) once again enlists production team Black … Continue reading
Japanese releases are often telegraphed weeks (and sometimes months) ahead of a time, but SM Entertainment artists seem to drop their J-pop music videos whenever they like. Sappy was only teased yesterday, and here it is today. That sense of spontaneity is kind of fun, and matches the adventurous structure of the song itself. Red … Continue reading
It’s a testament to Korea’s love affair with generic Western musical trends that Shaun’s Way Back Home became one of 2018’s biggest sleeper hits, despite the fact that it came from a virtually unknown artist and wasn’t even meant to be a title track. I could debate the actual quality of that song, but in … Continue reading
They say you’re hardest on the things you love the most, and I feel like I’ve been especially hard on TVXQ this year. At the outset of 2018, I would’ve predicted them having a huge presence on my end-of-year lists, but unfortunately they ended up being a no-show. This is mostly due to the direction … Continue reading
Seventeen’s special digital track Getting Closer (숨이 차) is a tricky one for me to review, because it’s not at all the musical direction I hope to see the guys take. Yet at the same time, I kind of dig the song itself. One of my biggest pet peeves with K-pop fandom is the constant … Continue reading
In the spring of 2017, Winner pulled themselves out of a slump (and added fuel to an already burning trend) with the tropical pop of Really Really. Despite an island-themed comeback later that summer, it was a sound they never completely followed up on. Instead, this April saw the arrival of Everyday — a polarizing … Continue reading
I debated whether or not to review Hair In The Air. It’s essentially a Korean-language cover of an American song, taken from the soundtrack of Trolls: The Beat Goes On Netflix series. And that original version is as insipid as it gets — an overly upbeat theme song that would instantly have me reaching for the … Continue reading
When writing about EXO’s excellent album track Gravity, I mentioned that I never judge their albums before hearing the repackage. After all, some of the group’s most iconic singles (Growl, Love Me Right) were the products of repackages. Even last year’s high-energy Power improved The War album by giving it an extra shot of anthemic … Continue reading
Almost six months after their title track Shoot Me, the second part of DAY6’s Youth series is upon us. Beyond the sequential numbering of the mini-albums, there doesn’t seem to be a huge musical thread running between the two projects. But, as strong as the material has been, I’m not too concerned with continuity. On … Continue reading
The much-dreaded (but inevitable) SHINee hiatus begins next week when leader Onew will begin to serve his mandatory military conscription. Before that, he’s gifted fans with his very first solo album — a collection of ballads appropriately titled Voice. His rich tone has been an anchor for so many SHINee songs, but I don’t think … 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 wanted to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. Now that the dust has settled on Red Velvet’s Really Bad … Continue reading
When it comes to the increased presence of English releases in the K-pop industry, it can be hard for me to decide which songs to review on this site. I very rarely write about English-only songs, whether released by a K-pop group or as a cross-cultural collaboration. I’m extremely picky when it comes to English … Continue reading
Mamamoo’s highly successful 2018 has been filled with mini albums that follow a “four seasons,” color-specific concept. March’s Starry Night was painted with yellow, while summer hit Egotistic burned with red. As we move closer to winter, new single Wind Flower takes on a blue hue, as well as a more pensive tone. When put … Continue reading
K-pop debuts are getting all kinds of complicated this year. Flavor are not technically a newly debuted group, but a sub-unit of yet-to-debut girl group Fanatics. The fact that both of these names start with the letter “f” makes them easy to mix-up, but I hope the synth-driven Milkshake is a sign of the sound Fanatics … Continue reading
As unfortunate as the disbandment of Wonder Girls continues to be, it’s freed up the group’s members to deliver some truly fantastic solo work. Sunmi has been on a hot streak since last year, and Yubin is right on her heals. Her city pop single Lady earned many admirers back in June. I continue to … Continue reading
Song Review: Key (SHINee) – One of Those Nights (ft. Crush)Now that Key has unleashed his first full-length album upon the world, the SHINee pentagram of solo releases is nearly complete. Leader Onew’s material is set for release next month, so that just leaves rapper/vocalist Minho. He’s got to come out with solo work sometime, … Continue reading
The quality I most appreciate in Lovelyz’ music is the very same one that may turn some listeners off. Since debut, the girls have pursued a specific synth-pop sound – fizzy and light with complex instrumentals. They’ve pushed outside the lines here and there (the effervescent That Day and For You), but have more or … Continue reading
Many of the Produce 101-spawned project groups have thrilled in fits and starts, but the series’ most enduring legacy will likely be Nu’est W (and eventually Nu’est as a whole). Before their stint on season two of Produce 101, the group was in a precarious position, destined to fade from memory the way so many … Continue reading
Pre-debuts seem to be all the rage nowadays, and the latest group to tease music before officially debuting is Dongkiz. Named after their agency (Dongyo Entertainment), they’re definitively in need of a cooler moniker. “Dongkiz” is pretty lame and unfortunately sounds too much like “donkeys.” But, K-pop has never been averse to awkward group names. … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 