I don’t know if there’s actual correlation between the two, but ever since Johnny’s Entertainment rebranded into Starto Entertainment, I’ve had a hard time falling in love with their music. Maybe it’s an A&R thing, or maybe it’s simply a symptom of a changing industry environment. Whatever it is, recent songs by some of my … Continue reading
I may be showing my age here, but when I hear the phrase “Earth, Wind & Fire” I only think of one thing. BOYNEXTDOOR don’t strike me as the funk disco type, but they did begin to win me over with last year’s addictive But Sometimes. They’ve got a swaggering energy that feels more natural … Continue reading
The music video for Kis-My-Ft2’s newest single has been out for a few days, but I’ve been holding off on writing about it because I honestly couldn’t decide how I felt about the song. For those who have never heard of this group, they boast my favorite J-pop discography, largely due to songs like this … 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 so nice to have ONF … Continue reading
Despite making their debut in 2020, I’ve never written about a Rolling Quartz song on the blog before. Korean rock bands like this fall into a unique category. They often perform on weekly music shows alongside idols, but their music and promotion has an approach that feels more indie. Whatever you want to call it, … Continue reading
EPEX’s material has been pretty hit or miss for me, but digging deeper into their song credits the group has worked frequently with (most of) the team that’s crafted The Wind’s discography. I’ve got my eyes on these producers, and for new single Youth2Youth (청춘에게) they seem to have brought a bit of that soaring, … Continue reading
If we imagine the K-pop industry as a shopping street, ONF’s music is that quirky little boutique sandwiched between big box stores. Their continued pairing with producer Hwang Hyun has resulted in a discography that — while varied in sound — boasts a consistent character and perspective. This has made them the only K-pop act … 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 was probably a little hard … 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. Tomorrow is TXT’s most consistent album … Continue reading
ILY:1’s past few comebacks have traded in the kind of post-GFriend/Lovelyz “innocent” sound not found often in today’s girl groups. The song have been facsimiles, but nostalgic ones. Now, the group has taken an edgier swerve with the funky dance pop of new single IMMM. And for the first minute or so I was convinced … Continue reading
Kiss Of Life made a notable debut last summer with multiple solo releases leading up to a full group track. It was a mixed bag musically, but offered glimpses of how exciting they might sound in the future. So far, their material hasn’t quite lived up to that promise, but new single Midas Touch rekindles … Continue reading
One huge difference between the K-pop and J-pop markets is the presence of rock music in idol culture. Obviously, there are rock groups in Korea that perform on weekly idol music shows, but the genre is far less present in the mainstream. Because of this, project group QWER’s sound feels much more Japanese. They even … Continue reading
As is common these days, VVUP made a “pre-debut” last month with the inert Doo Doom Chit. Presumably, they’ve saved their strongest material for their actual debut and title track Locked On is definitely an improvement upon its predecessor. That probably won’t be enough to distinguish themselves from the girl group crowd, but there’s potential … Continue reading
TXT’s comebacks have been divided between series of albums and special “minisodes” that offer brief breaks from the lore. This branding doesn’t really affect the music. There have been highlights from both formats. The group found especially solid footing in 2021 when their title tracks embraced angsty pop/rock. The teasers for new single Deja Vu … Continue reading
Upon hearing Chungha’s new single album, many commented that opener I’m Ready felt more like a title track than the playful sing-talk of Eenie Meanie. I agree, and judging by the virality of I’m Ready‘s newly-released promo video, it may end up having the last laugh after all. I’m Ready finds Chungha firmly back on … Continue reading
With over 4,000 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
Just weeks after V released his own post-enlistment single, bandmate J-Hope is back with a full-on hiatus era album. Not only that, but his Hope On The Street is billed as a “volume one,” meaning we likely have much more coming. For the album’s single Neuron, he’s enlisted (pun totally intended) some of K-hip-hop’s big … Continue reading
As covered in my review of pre-release Rose, Super Junior-D&E’s GGB has been mired in controversy over the implications of its title. As a foreign listener without the cultural context to be offended, it’s easier for me to ignore this and focus on the merits of the song itself, though I don’t understand why the … Continue reading
Newly-debuting girl group Rescene are apparently fans of the two-syllable onomatopoeia song title. After delivering pre-release YoYo late last month, they’re back with their official debut UhUh. Neither of these titles inspire much confidence, but the songs have been stronger than those sound effects suggest. Though UhUh is a mixed bag, its highlights outweigh its … Continue reading
HYBE’s empire continues to grow with the debut of new girl group ILLIT. They’re under subsidiary Belift Lab and formed through the series R U Next?. They’re the first of a few new girl groups emerging this week, and their debut single Magnetic feels perfectly in line with current trends. HYBE (and specifically, NewJeans) have … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 