Since their debut in 2022, YOUNITE has been one of those groups with little consistency across their discography. I’ll love a song, then I’ll hate a song, then I’ll love a song again. But when they hit the mark, their music can be fantastic. Fortunately, we’re in one of those eras today with new single … Continue reading
Fresh out of the military, NCT’s Taeyong is gearing up for the release of his new album next week. He’s one to offer many different pre and post releases, filming content for a number of tracks. Storm gets a “classy performance video” today, meaning it gets a truncated review on this blog as well. I’m … Continue reading
JYP boy group NEXZ are on the ascendance, and it feels good to write that. Though I enjoyed watching the group form on season two of Nizi Project, it took until last year’s Beat-Boxer for the music to fully win me over. That feeling extended to last month’s excellent title track Mmchk (one of the … Continue reading
Debuting boy group YUHZ come to us from survival series B:MY BOYZ. Like many new series-spawned groups, their contract is slightly longer (five years), which hopefully gives their agency motivation to promote them with longevity in mind. A song like Rush Rush could be considered low-hanging fruit for me. Even at its worst, a bright, … 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. Lucy’s new album is a bit … 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 hate when I look at … 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. XngHan&Xoul’s new mini album feels like … Continue reading
1. All The Possibilities // 2. You, You // 3. Why You So Bad? // 4. Get It Now // 5. Fire Escape // 6. Back To Strangers BACK TO STRANGERS Back To Strangers is the shortest song on the album, but its brevity actually works. I’m not mad at an album ending on a … Continue reading
1. All The Possibilities // 2. You, You // 3. Why You So Bad? // 4. Get It Now // 5. Fire Escape // 6. Back To Strangers FIRE ESCAPE As No Tragedy plays on, I realize that after the first couple of tracks I more-or-less enjoy the rest of the music at about the … Continue reading
1. All The Possibilities // 2. You, You // 3. Why You So Bad? // 4. Get It Now // 5. Fire Escape // 6. Back To Strangers GET IT NOW I expect this to be the most divisive track on the new album because it plays with sounds and textures we haven’t heard from … Continue reading
1. All The Possibilities // 2. You, You // 3. Why You So Bad? // 4. Get It Now // 5. Fire Escape // 6. Back To Strangers WHY YOU SO BAD? Why You So Bad is the third English-language track from TWS, following Unplugged Boy on their debut mini and the awesome anime theme … Continue reading
After some time as a trio, Lucy have returned as the four-piece they’re meant to be. The group is celebrating with their second full album, which includes new tracks as well as updated versions of songs released over the past few years. Title track All Ages (전체관람가) sums up their appeal nicely. Opening with Gwang … Continue reading
As part of my “A Career in Song Ratings” feature, I’ve been looking at trendlines for idol releases. When it comes to song quality, most groups start strong and taper off as they go on. This makes sense, as those early years are vital for gaining a foothold in the industry. In this way, CRAVITY … Continue reading
1. All The Possibilities // 2. You, You // 3. Why You So Bad? // 4. Get It Now // 5. Fire Escape // 6. Back To Strangers ALL THE POSSIBILITIES All The Possibilities was revealed a month earlier than the rest of the album at TWS’s most recent fancon, leading many fans (myself included) … Continue reading
The phrase “crying on the dancefloor” connotes a certain type of dance record — propulsive and sleek but driven by a sentimental (often melancholic) melody. It’s a contrast many of us love and even though the title of Lee Chaeyeon’s new single promises the exact opposite, its melding of emotion with club aesthetics is very … Continue reading
It didn’t take long for QWER to go from little-known girl band to chart mainstays. 2024’s T.B.H shot them to instant stardom and they’ve been successful ever since. Bands have enjoyed a resurgence overall in K-pop, but I love when QWER function less as a band than a poppy idol group who just happen to … Continue reading
Since leaving RIIZE, Seunghan has re-debuted as the XngHan&Xoul project, releasing the upbeat Waste No Time last summer. That song showed a ton of potential but didn’t quite fulfill on its ambitions. Now, with new mini album Glow, he takes a deeper dive into club music and the sound feels more assured and exciting. House … 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. This will be a weird “buried … Continue reading
Over five years since STAYC’s debut, High Up Entertainment has debuted a new girl group. UNCHILD have one of those K-pop names that sounds ridiculous at first but will likely become common parlance as the group establishes themselves. However, it’s not a name built to last. Can you imagine a bunch of forty or fifty … Continue reading
Close Your Eyes had a banner 2025, though I didn’t connect with their most recent album as strongly as their first two. This is despite their movement into a more dance-oriented style, which would usually appeal to me. I guess I prefer when a group takes time to establish a signature sound before experimenting with … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 