One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Always (from Season Of Memories – 2025) Just one day after concluding, the GFriend A-Z feature briefly stirs to life once more because the group has made its reunion today and released a new b-side. And… surprise, surprise… Always is not a … Continue reading
Tag Archives: rating 8
Song Review: GFriend – Season Of Memories
EDIT: Clearly, the original review below misunderstood this song as a b-side rather than the title track. One week later, Season Of Memories has been performed on music shows and has a music video (added below). My initial thoughts haven’t changed much. I think the song is perfectly fine but doesn’t give me the sense … Continue reading
Song Review: IVE – Rebel Heart
From their late-2021 debut to 2023’s I Am, IVE unveiled one of the most bulletproof singles runs we’ve seen in the past few years in K-pop. Song quality became more hit-or-miss as we moved into 2024 and the group expanded their sound. I firmly believe they’re at their best when delivering mini pop epics. Pre-release … Continue reading
K-Pop A-Z Review: GFriend – ZZAN
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! ZZAN (from Just One Bite Season 2 OST – 2019) My GFriend A-Z feature comes to a close in an unlikely way — with an OST offering that doesn’t even have an official audio upload on YouTube! Fortunately, this is a very … Continue reading
K-Pop A-Z Review: GFriend – You Are Not Alone
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! You Are Not Alone (from Time For Us – 2019) Judging from its title, you might expect You Are Not Alone to be some drippy, lighters-in-the-air ballad. But while the song is sentimental, it’s buoyed by hearty percussion that transforms it into … Continue reading
Song Review: 2Z – Great Force / Something Special
2Z debuted in 2020 but still remain relatively unknown to most K-pop fans. However, I always check out their latest comebacks because the music tends to be consistently good. For me, the band peaked with 2021’s Stupid, which married a great melody to upbeat, synth-kissed production. Now, 2Z is back with two title tracks for … Continue reading
K-Pop A-Z Review: GFriend – Wish
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Wish (from Fever Season – 2019) We’re back in the group’s tropical phase with this b-side from Fever Season. This is definitely not my favorite era of GFriend, but I think this song is pretty solid. From its light EDM beat to … Continue reading
Song Review: Seventeen BSS – CBZ (Primetime)
Seventeen sub-unit BSS conquered 2023 with their megahit Fighting. Across that year, its catchy chorus and memorable choreo became the kind of popular touchstone you see everywhere — from dance challenges to variety shows. That level of success can be difficult to follow, and it was probably smart of BSS to wait nearly two years … Continue reading
K-Pop A-Z Review: GFriend – Windy Windy
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Windy Windy (from Sunny Summer – 2018) It’s amazing how, through sound alone, music can conjure a specific setting in your imagination. Ambient noise is often used to accentuate this quality, and Windy Windy opens with the sounds of the beach, perfectly … Continue reading
Song Review: BOYNEXTDOOR – If I Say, I Love You
Releasing a digital single to kick off the new year has been a successful gambit for many idol acts, and it also makes sense given BOYNEXTDOOR’s busy touring schedule during the first few months of 2025. The group has steadily climbed to the upper echelons of my own bias list, but compared to other favorite … Continue reading
K-Pop A-Z Review: GFriend – Wheel Of The Year
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Wheel Of The Year (from Walpurgis Night – 2020) Prior to their upcoming reunion, Wheel Of The Year was the final song in GFriend’s discography – at least if we’re going by track order. It’s a fitting denouement, offering sentimental melodies over … Continue reading
K-Pop A-Z Review: GFriend – Time For The Moon Night
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Time For The Moon Night (from Time For The Moon Night – 2018) Previous Thoughts: “The track pulls in those lush orchestral elements we’ve been missing since 2016’s superior Rough, drenching the instrumental in layers of strings. I just wish that much … Continue reading
K-Pop A-Z Review: GFriend – Tik Tik
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Tik Tik (from Time For The Moon Night – 2018) This is just a bright, uncomplicated pop song that works extremely well. The chorus is the best part, capturing some of the propulsive energy that made GFriend’s debut era so rewarding. The … Continue reading
K-Pop A-Z Review: GFriend – Three Of Cups
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Three Of Cups (from Walpurgis Night – 2020) Three Of Cups is the kind of frothy post-disco pop track GFriend could cast off in their sleep. By the time we got to 2020, they had become quite skilled at imbuing this style … Continue reading
K-Pop A-Z Review: GFriend – The Beginning Of Love
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! The Beginning Of Love (from Fallin’ Light – 2019) I was surprised to see that I’ve barely played this b-side at all, yet I gave it a high rating in my own personal music library. Listening to it again, I can see … Continue reading
K-Pop A-Z Review: GFriend – Tarot Cards
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Tarot Cards (from Song Of The Sirens – 2020) Previous Thoughts: “In some ways, it doesn’t feel like Tarot Cards has a chorus at all. It plays more like an extension of the verses, but it works thanks to the breathless arrangement. … Continue reading
Song Review: fromis_9 – From
I don’t usually write a song review unless there’s an accompanying music video, but a disbandment (?) single warrants at least a brief mention. I put a big question mark in that last sentence because it’s unclear whether fromis_9 will remain together after leaving Pledis Entertainment, though history doesn’t set a rosy precedent. This departure … Continue reading
K-Pop A-Z Review: GFriend – Sunrise
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Sunrise (from Time For Us – 2019) Previous Thoughts: “Sunrise ups the tempo after a brief piano opening, giving the song some kick as we build toward the chorus. The verses veer from languid to sprightly with a balletic finesse, though the … Continue reading
K-Pop A-Z Review: GFriend – Sunny Summer
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Sunny Summer (from Sunny Summer – 2018) Previous Thoughts: “The synths shimmer with breezy lightness, the brass-kissed chorus feels propulsive without ever challenging expectations, and the instrumental pulses with a nimble stream of funk percussion. As derivative as this all may be, … Continue reading
K-Pop A-Z Review: GFriend – Summer Rain
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with GFriend’s A-Z reviews here! Summer Rain (from Rainbow – 2017) Previous Thoughts: “So, we’re at a point where disappointment becomes frustration. Summer Rain includes many of the group’s hallmarks, from its retro 90’s beat to the classical sample that bolsters its instrumental. I’ve even seen some … Continue reading