The month of SHINee solos concludes with the release of Key’s new mini album Pleasure Shop. He’s consistently been a K-pop artist who knows exactly what he wants from his music, and often those desires point toward the dancefloor. Last year’s Good & Great dabbled in house music and Pleasure Shop is largely a continuation … Continue reading
The line between “promoted single” and “special track” continues to blur in the K-pop market. Yuqi’s Radio (Dum-Dum) is classified as the latter, but comes with a lo-fi music video to give it extra visual punch. Of all the (G)I-DLE members, Yuqi’s solo work has struck me most dramatically. I’d still take her 2021 Bonnie … Continue reading
Nam Woohyun has always been generous to fans, frequently releasing special one-off singles to mark occasions or simply show gratitude to those who follow him. He’s also a composer, with some of his best solo work being co-written by him. And then, of course, there’s that voice. I could listen to that voice sing anything. … 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. Hwasa’s new mini album is a … Continue reading
To me, new Korean/Japanese boy group KJRGL are most memorable because their name looks like someone smashed their head on a keyboard and wrote down the resulting nonsense. In reality, “KJRGL” is an acronym for “Kind (of) Just Right Good Luck”, which is somehow even more endearing. They’re under Sony Music Entertainment Korea, but debut … Continue reading
In the lead-up to their first Korean mini album, NCT Wish have already delivered the SHINee-esque pre-release Dunk Shot. Now, they’ve given us another taste of what’s to come with the lighter pop of 3 Minutes (3분까진 필요 없어). I’m assuming this isn’t the title track since the album doesn’t arrive until next week, but … Continue reading
I chose NINE.i’s Vahn as my second favorite K-pop producer of 2023. Not only was he responsible for his group’s excellent mini album, but he also had a hand in Golden Child’s Feel Me. That second song feels like a roadmap to the similarly-titled Feeling — the title track for his first EP. In a … Continue reading
EDIT: This was previously published as a “buried treasure” review, but now that we’ve got an official video I’m switching it over to a normal Song Review! When writing about xikers’ Witch, I mentioned that there are often enjoyable b-sides on the group’s albums even if their title track doesn’t appeal to me. That’s especially … Continue reading
NCT Wish have pinballed promotions between Japan and Korea, releasing previous single Songbird first in Japanese before unveiling its Korean version. Their new album seems to be taking the opposite approach, starting with pre-release Dunk Shot. No, this is not a cover of the 90’s track that NCT Dream already recorded. This is another Dunk … 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. ONEWE tried their hand at a … 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. MADEIN’s title track Uno is among … 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 were a number of b-sides … Continue reading
After returning from the military, Baekhyun (mostly) parted ways with SM Entertainment and set up his own label INB100. He’s not the first SM artist to do so, and likely won’t be the last. With this newfound freedom, he’s made his long awaited comeback with the synth grooves of Pineapple Slice. Looking at this song … Continue reading
EXO’s Chanyeol made his comeback last week, but he’s already back again with follow-up single… Back Again. While Black Out took a subdued rock approach, Back Again dives into a more boisterous 90’s sound. It’s a much more interesting song, pulling together several distinct segments. Back Again almost feels like a mash-up. The rapped verses … Continue reading
Yerin has been GFriend’s most prolific soloist, dropping an album every year since 2022. Her light pop sound isn’t completely dissimilar from her former group, though the music keeps its ambitions pretty slight. New single Wavy continues her solo evolution, capturing a late-summer burst of energy. Wavy might be the best fit for Yerin yet. … Continue reading
Idol bands are more popular than ever and ONEWE have been part of this wave since their re-debut in 2019. They’re immensely talented, yet I’ve often wished their music would go bigger and bolder. Many past singles favored a soft, melancholic sound. This matches well with frontman Yonghoon’s evocative vocals, but there’s no harm in … Continue reading
Today marks a year since RIIZE’s debut, celebrated with special epilogue single Combo. Rather than making several distinct comebacks, the past twelve months have seen the group gradually build their debut mini album. Their music may not have a distinct genre focus, but they’ve managed to traverse a variety of sounds with panache. It’s hard … Continue reading
Last August, the three-member Limelight released one of 2023’s strongest singles. The shimmering Madeleine offered counterprogramming to current girl group trends, harnessing a full-throated melody over propulsive production. Now, the group has rebranded as MADEIN and added four members (including Mashiro and Yeseo who had previously promoted as Kep1er). This member upgrade demands equally exciting … 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 didn’t have elevated anticipation for … Continue reading
Loossemble have carved out a niche for themselves within the extended post-LOONA universe. Thus far, their music has delivered a blend of slick and trendy, never reinventing the wheel but always making it stylish and cool. New single TTYL fits very strongly as part of this year’s sonic landscape. To me, it sounds like an … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 