Someone needs to calculate just how many times the schoolboy/schoolgirl concept has been used in J-pop. That would be impossible, of course, as it’s become one of the industry’s leading tropes. It still works, partly because the idols themselves are young enough to sell it but mostly because it’s an experience the vast majority of … Continue reading
1. Head Shoulders Knees Toes // 2. Overdrive // 3. Hot Blue Shoes // 4. Caffeine Rush // 5. Overthinking // 6. Here For You HOT BLUE SHOES I’m not sure what a “hot blue shoe” is, but it definitely paints an image in your head. If you thought TWS got hip-hop out of their … Continue reading
To be honest, I skip past a lot of idol-turned-soloist releases. Every once and awhile you’ll get something that feels artistically different, but nine times out of ten you’re usually in store for a sentimental ballad or a mid-tempo r&b/rock/pop track — especially if a big agency is behind it. Pentagon’s Kino made his solo … Continue reading
Over three years since their debut, NMIXX have finally released their first full album. And with twelve tracks, JYP Entertainment isn’t skimping on the occasion. Pre-release Spinnin’ On It built hype earlier this month and now Blue Valentine is here to remind us just how strange the group’s music can be. “Mixxpop” isn’t something that’s … 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. I’ll confess that I haven’t given … Continue reading
This blog gets a bit confusing when dealing with artists like BamBam. Nothing about new single Wondering is technically “K-pop,” as the song is performed in Thai and English. However, BamBam made his name with popular K-pop group GOT7 so I tend to consider him “part of the family,” if you will. Regardless of where … Continue reading
Twice are no strangers to fan songs. In fact, their career has been one long ode to their fans. I can’t think of another group who has consistently catered to fans’ taste and musical expectations as well as Twice have. That’s not to say they haven’t experimented here and there with sound and style, but … Continue reading
Thus far, BABYMONSTER have followed the tried and true YG Entertainment formula, releasing a bunch of seemingly disparate digital singles eventually cobbled together into a mini or full album. This new comeback feels much more typical of K-pop: a title track and a few new b-sides. They’re not even tacking their summer single Hot Sauce … Continue reading
With over 5,000 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
After breaking into the big leagues last year, QWER have been a reliable fixture on the Korean charts. Korea loves a rock band with a quirky, indie sound and QWER fill a void. As far as chart success is concerned, they feel like the female DAY6 at the moment. In addition to their off-kilter material, … Continue reading
After a slew of singles, newcomers HITGS are finally releasing their first mini album. The Chuseok holiday is a very odd time to do so, but they’re out with new title track Happy today. So far, their music has been pitched to a young audience, at times sounding like something you’d hear on a children’s … 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. One thing’s for sure: the entire … Continue reading
As we enter the pre-Chuseok holiday period, new K-pop releases are bound to slow down. However, that doesn’t affect Japanese releases from K-pop idols since they don’t have to worry about Korean music shows being cancelled. i-dle are taking advantage of this with new J-pop single Where Do We Go (どうしよっかな), which paints a summery … Continue reading
K-pop’s pre-releases are getting out of control. I can barely keep up! Fans are absolutely spoiled with material, and now we have these surprise-release ‘music videos disguised as album promo’ moments. The YouTube video attached to NMIXX’s Spinnin’ On It is technically labeled “Blue Valentine Core: SPINNIN’ ON IT,” but incorporates an entire song from … Continue reading
Like so many other groups of their era, the members of BAE173 have tried to gain traction by participating on survival series. Most notably, that resulted in member Minwook re-debuting as the leader of Close Your Eyes, taking him away from the group. Now, the rest of BAE173 are back with a pre-release for their … 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 have been plenty of debuting … Continue reading
Over the years, from20 has leaned into a sort of “colorful himbo” character and it’s good, campy fun. His spring single Eye Candy replicated early-2000s hip-hop more convincingly that the vast majority of current Y2K-inspired tracks and that’s because it didn’t forget to be silly. A cartoonish streak ran through much of millennial pop music … Continue reading
WOODZ surprise-released an aggressive rock stomper back in July — shortly after returning from his military enlistment. He’s clearly ready to strike while the iron of his career is hot, and I love that approach. Today, he’s returned with a more fully fleshed out visual and a song whose emotive sound is likely to appeal … Continue reading
After a few underwhelming months, it seems as if K-pop’s comeback floodgates will burst open in October. Before that, we’re treated to a few pre-releases from artists slated to return next month. SM Entertainment’s Hearts2Hearts don’t yet have a mini or full album to their name and have presented conflicting sounds so far. The Chase … Continue reading
In 2020, AAA’s SKY-HI formed his company BMSG and since then he’s debuted a constant surge of new acts. The vast majority of this music has not been for me, as it often favors the type of clanging, shout-heavy hip-hop that I dislike in K-pop as well. Still, I appreciate his ambition and most of … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 