Though they’re still early in their career, Pristin have quickly become known for their bright, light-hearted pop style. Most groups don’t venture out to sub-unit activities until several years into promotion, but it seems that these girls are already hungry to display their versatility. Place Pristin V’s Get It (네 멋대로) next to the full … Continue reading
So many veteran idol groups have gone through changes these past few years — some of them losing members and some disbanding altogether. Seventeen months after their last comeback, AOA are still kicking, but without their former main vocal Choa. So while Bingle Bangle (빙글뱅글) retains the fun, upbeat style the group has pursued for … Continue reading
Bolbbalgan4 have been an absolute force in the Korean music scene ever since their 2016 breakout hit Galaxy. Yet even as their music has become ubiquitous, I’ve continued to consider them too indie/acoustic to compare to the usual acts I write about on The Bias List. New title track Travel (여행) changes that. It’s their … Continue reading
The East Light’s January release Real Man was one of that month’s biggest growers, and its disco pulse proved to be a perfect match for the young band. With new single Love Flutters (설레임), the guys have reverted to the tropical pop they dabbled in last year, this time with an acoustic edge. Love Flutters’ … Continue reading
TST (formerly Top Secret) are one of a handful of boy groups who’ve enlisted production team Sweetune to craft their discography. But compared to the top shelf material recorded by Snuper and Golden Child, I feel like TST continue to get saddled with the bargain basement dregs. New single Love Story follows this trend. Sweetune ensure a … Continue reading
Comparing the debuts of UNI.T and UNB encapsulates the k-pop scene as a whole. Both groups hail from KBS’s survival series The Unit, but there’s clearly been a stronger promotional focus on the boys. Not only did UNI.T debut second, but they’ve been given less original tracks and a cheaper music video (compared to UNB’s … Continue reading
To be honest, BTS’ explosive international fame has coincided with my growing ambivalence towards their music. Though I enjoyed last year’s Love Yourself: Her album, I can’t say that either DNA or Mic Drop held a candle to their peak run of 2015-2016 singles. This has resulted in an awkward mix of feelings surrounding the … Continue reading
If any group might have been spared the effects of k-pop’s prolonged tropical love affair, I assumed it would be one like N.Flying. Since reemerging with new member Hweseung last summer, they’ve consistently delivered a rollicking brand of punchy power pop, as joyously silly as it is addictive. Tropical house doesn’t usually play well with … Continue reading
Despite not being your typical idol, rapper Kanto was one of the many acts to compete in KBS’s The Unit rebooting series. Though he failed to make the show’s debuting group, he quickly became a standout character. With his gruff voice and commanding stage presence, his performances felt refreshingly edgy. In this way, Salty (시큰둥) bucks … Continue reading
Most of the time, a k-pop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-side tracks 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. EXO-CBX’s new Japanese album is pretty much a party from … Continue reading
I wouldn’t normally review a special live version of a b-side, but I wanted to post something today about Sungkyu’s enlistment. Infinite have been my bias group almost as long as I’ve been into k-pop, and I’ve often considered Sungkyu my favorite k-pop personality. The fact that he’s successfully delivered solo work that differs from … Continue reading
In the short time since it’s been on the air, Produce 101 has spawned its own mini-genre of hyperactive, multitracked pop anthem. Whether it’s Midas-T, Ryan S. Jhun, or now Flow Blow in charge of production, the end product sounds roughly the same. Last year’s Season 2 theme set the bar incredibly high, so it’s … Continue reading
To their credit, Dreamcatcher have settled on a unique concept and stuck with it. Their hybrid of hard rock and dance pop may not be for everyone, but their commitment to the sound has resulted in a remarkably consistent discography. Stacked against their past work, new single You And I lands somewhere in the middle … Continue reading
With so many acts moving away from their usual producers this year, it’s kind of refreshing that Teen Top has stuck with good ol’ Brave Sound for new single Seoul Night (서울밤). Some matches are just meant to be, and this has been a particularly symbiotic relationship throughout the years. The group struck gold with … Continue reading
Try as they might, Cube Entertainment just hasn’t been able to push girl group CLC over the finish line. This makes the decision to debut (G)I-DLE a little surprising — especially since these girls are peddling quite a similar sound. But business decisions aside, I’m always here for new female acts that opt for an … Continue reading
So far, 2018 has the unfortunate distinction of being the year where almost all of my favorite acts return with underwhelming title tracks. This trend has made it difficult to keep excitement up over the past couple of months. So many groups are abandoning the producers who crafted their winning sound in favor of ones … Continue reading
As with too many groups of their underrated stature, Berry Good has been pretty inactive of late. After carving a path of mature, melodic pop with 2016’s Angel and Don’t Believe, last year’s juvenile Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo marked a jarring tonal change that seems to have derailed their momentum. Perhaps this is a reason behind … Continue reading
Out of more than 120 song reviews this year, only eleven singles have earned a nine or higher from my ratings system — and five of those were Japanese releases. Japan’s stalled Hallyu wave is beginning to make a rebound in an exciting way. While much of this year’s k-pop remains mired in certain trends, … Continue reading
Since Sistar disbanded last spring, Hyolyn has been busy with a number of digital singles and duets. Having dabbled in quite a few genres, it feels as if she’s still finding her place outside of her former girl group. But the thing about Hyolyn is that she’s always been a jack-of-all-trades. Her airy vocal sounds … Continue reading
After months of working through the exhaustive BOYS24 roll-out process, IN2IT debuted last fall with an incredibly generic, tropical house inspired single. It felt like a missed opportunity, but the newly released SnapShot rights the ship by balking the very trends its predecessor embraced. As a pure song, SnapShot is really nothing special. But, it … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 