(G)I-DLE’s Minnie released her solo debut album last week, led by two promoted tracks that did little for me. However, the album grows stronger as it goes on, climaxing with its best song. That song has now been given its own video featuring WayV’s Ten, who duets with Minnie on Obsession. I can’t claim to … Continue reading
Super Junior’s Eunhyuk made his idol debut nearly twenty years ago. Across those decades, he’s been active in sub-units and even released a couple solo tracks. However, he’s never delivered a solo album. With the release of Explorer, he’s finally taken the plunge. And like any artist should, he’s taken this opportunity to develop a … Continue reading
New K-pop releases are usually telegraphed well in advance. Surprise drops are still relatively rare. BLACKPINK’s Jennie recently announced a solo album scheduled for March, but pre-release track ZEN arrives with no warning on a day and time artists don’t often release new music. It’s fun to be caught off balance for once — especially … Continue reading
ZEROBASEONE are having a very busy start to the year. Days after their new Japanese single we have pre-release Doctor! Doctor!, to be followed by two EPs — one J-pop, one K-pop — in the near future. Judging by its exclamation-heavy title, you might expect Doctor! Doctor! to be some campy pop romp (at least, … Continue reading
Intergenerational K-pop collaborations are usually reserved for special events like year-end festivals. But sometimes, these team-ups make their way into a recording studio so we can enjoy the music for longer. Pop legend Kim Wan Sun pre-dates the idea of “K-pop generations,” known as the Korean Madonna even before Seo Taiji & Boys came around … Continue reading
For their first full-length Drip, BABYMONSTER have benefitted from an old-fashioned album campaign. These promotions include a pre-release, a title track and multiple follow-ups. We don’t see this approach very often in K-pop anymore, and the finale of this new music video promises even more to come. Today, we have the mid-tempo Really Like You, … Continue reading
It’s been a long seventeen month wait for us Sweetune aficionados. The production duo helmed NINE.i’s excellent Turn It Off in August 2023 and swiftly disappeared, briefly reappearing for forgettable H1-Key and DKZ b-sides last year. Now, they’re back in title track territory with BBGirls’ new single (and first under their new agency) Love 2. … Continue reading
I feel like I should open this review the exact same way I did the one for ZEROBASEONE’s new Japanese single moments ago. Like ZB1, &TEAM have worked their way into my core five new-gen boy groups, just below the trinity of TWS, RIIZE and BOYNEXTDOOR. Their music has become increasingly strong, harnessing a melodic … Continue reading
I’ve developed this little cadre of fifth-gen boy groups who are making K-pop really fun for me these days. At the top are my big three: TWS, RIIZE and BOYNEXTDOOR. Then, there are ZEROBASEONE and &TEAM, playing the role of the cool cousins who come visit every once and awhile. For me, their music has … Continue reading
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 