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. H1-KEY remain one of K-pop’s most … Continue reading
In the space of two weeks, I’ve gone from not knowing who or what 1VERSE was to being just about ready to sign up as captain of their fan club. You can thank their YouTube channel for that. This is the first act from new agency Singing Beetle, brainchild of former SM Entertainment A&R Michelle … Continue reading
2025 has seen a number of boy group debuts spawned from survival series, and so far they’ve been killing it. NouerA and Close Your Eyes led charge and now it’s AHOF’s turn. This global group was formed on SBS series Universe League and their awkward acronym stands for “All-Time Hall Of Famer.” Time will tell … Continue reading
Debuting in early 2019, ONEUS are inching toward that all-important seven year mark when contracts will be up for renewal. Their presence in the industry has felt more muted these past few comebacks, churning out solid but inessential material that hasn’t quite lived up to their most enduring work. Now, after a series of solo … Continue reading
Earlier this year, NouerA released my favorite debut of 2025 so far. Their N.I.N (New Is Now) was the rare track that fully referenced an old-school K-pop sound — modern global trends be damned! In an era where so many new K-pop songs simply sound like western pop tracks performed in Korean, it was refreshing … Continue reading
Thus far, TWS have stuck with a signature sound for their title tracks and utilized follow-up promotions to showcase a wider spectrum of styles. I like this approach, especially since we all know their particular brand of “boyhood pop” won’t remain the same forever. Their debut Japanese single further teases on the Plot Twist template, … 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. CRAVITY deserve praise for releasing a … Continue reading
Sometimes summer highlights emerge from the most unexpected places. Over the past few days, we’ve had a flurry of strong seasonal offerings from some of K-pop’s girl groups, but with My Summer Manual (나의 여름 설명서), the variety show spawned co-ed group JAESSBEE confidently throw their hat in the ring. They’ve got some major firepower … Continue reading
When it comes to K-idol bands, it takes a lot to capture my attention. I’d consider myself a fan of rock music, but it’s not what I flock to the Korean music scene for because I can get my rock fix pretty much anywhere. With that said, Catch The Young have had my attention since … Continue reading
In my corner of the world, the first few days of this summer have been mired in showers and a cool breeze, but in K-pop we’re witnessing the beginning of a battle between girl group summer tracks. From where I stand now, Hearts2Hearts’ Style has only grown in stature while I’m worried I might have … 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. It’s summertime OST season, with TWS … 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. ZEROBASEONE have been racking up OSTs … Continue reading
Five years since their debut, CRAVITY are in a rebirth phase. They’ve changed leaders and teased their new album with images of the members emerging from giant eggs covered in amniotic fluid. Yes, you read that correctly. And yes, it’s kind of awesome in its sheer nerve. Rebirths in K-pop don’t always mean drastic shifts … Continue reading
Boy group Omega X has had a tough go of it, wrangling free from an abusive agency before briefly trying their hands at self-management. Now, they’re with new agency IPQ and seem to be stuck in a hiatus of sorts. You is the first new music we’ve heard in awhile and comes courtesy of sub-unit … 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. When listening to ILLIT’s new mini … Continue reading
Prior to Hearts2Hearts’ debut earlier this year, many K-pop fans were hoping they’d be branded as a new generation’s answer to SNSD. This has less to do with the girls themselves than fans’ longing for the high quality pop music and monocultural reach of SM Entertainment’s earlier generations. However, Hearts2Hearts went more niche with the … Continue reading
If NewJeans first popularized the subdued style of girl group pop/R&B that currently has a stranglehold on K-pop, ILLIT took that baton and added a chirpy, ‘beep beep boop’ type of chorus that has now become just as ubiquitous. Taken together, these trends have delivered a lethal blow to my own personal taste. To put … Continue reading
Since their debut in 2023, n.SSign have struggled to forge their own sound, shifting genres and energy with each comeback. For me, they’ve yet to better the stunning ballad Higher, which displayed a vocal ambition we don’t often hear in K-pop these days. New single Itty Bitty introduces a bit of bombastic funk but ultimately … Continue reading
XLOV debuted earlier this year with a concept that boldly challenges gender norms. This is an exciting development for K-pop and has potential to spawn equally exciting music. So far, the presentation has been more interesting than the songs, and that continues with the pleasant but slight 1&Only. Afrobeats has become a huge genre touchstone … Continue reading
I know that most (all?) fans would likely disagree with me, but my most enduring ATEEZ song remains 2019’s Wave. That track is not at all indicative of their overall sound — especially post-2020 — but has such a great build and glide that targets all my pop music pleasure centers. Because of this, a … Continue reading
