Big Ocean debuted back in 2024 as K-pop’s first hard of hearing group. I’ve never covered their music before, but teasers for new single One Man Army caught my eye. I’ll always be up for some good old-fashioned drama in K-pop, and this song seemed to promise a whole theater show. The actual song is … Continue reading
It’s been awhile since we’ve heard from the Way Better agency, whose roster expanded last year. Lim Sejun re-debuted as a soloist with the pleasant Summer last May but hasn’t promoted since. New singer Pray For God is a very different beast, its synth sound feeling much more aligned with agency masterminds from20 and Hello … 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 been over a month since … Continue reading
There are precious few notable songwriters left in K-pop, so when I find one I connect with I tend to latch on tightly. Such is the case with LAVIN, formerly known as “VAHN.” Not only was his work with NINE.i impeccable, but he’s gone on to craft a solid solo career as well. That career … Continue reading
Boy group ASC2NT has been around for almost two years and they’re finally releasing something longer than a single album. They’ve been hit or miss for me, but last year’s Don’t Move was a slinky highlight and its b-sides proved the group’s mettle as vocalists. It’s become more and more rare to hear idols actually … Continue reading
New boy group Chaser know how to get my attention. I’m sure they weren’t actually named after my favorite ever K-pop song, but my eyes still widen whenever I see even a tangetial reference to the Infinite classic. Instead, they’re the newest group from Howling Entertainment — also home to Waker. Waker’s lackluster promotion makes … Continue reading
When it comes to WJSN, the old adage “you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone” seems fitting. They and their musical cohorts (Lovelyz, Oh My Girl, etc.) are part of a bygone girl group era. During their heyday, they reliably released melodic pop music with a sense of sonic drama and fantastical imagery. … Continue reading
Though they’ve started experimenting with their sound more and more, there’s a certain brand of song that feels like it belongs to IVE. Think I Am, Rebel Heart and even Love Dive. It’s a resounding pop style, almost Eurovision-esque in its bigness. It’s also a sound that brought K-pop Demon Hunters‘ Golden to such great … Continue reading
It feels like it’s been ages since I’ve been able to write about a fantastic vocal. It’s not that they don’t exist anymore. It’s just that K-pop songs very rarely spotlight singing these days. Kim Sung Kyu is one of my favorite K-pop vocalists ever. Not only is he incredibly skilled, but no one else … Continue reading
Last time I wrote about a Japanese STAYC single they were saying “Meow.” Now, they’re saying MWUAH. Fair enough. Not everyone speaks Japanese, I guess. These strange utterances match their quirky sound, though sometimes the group’s music feels like one good idea without the development to make it into something fantastic. The titular “MWUAH” appears … Continue reading
MADEIN have had a rough go, at the whim of an agency with serious allegations against it. This has caused them to lose three members already and makes it impossible not to read between the lines when the girls depart for “personal reasons.” But purely from a musical standpoint, their output has been decent. New … Continue reading
THE SSYNDROME made their debut late last year, emerging in an era flush with rock bands. Just this year alone, it feels like I’m writing about a rock act every week — and that’s not even including all the rock-influenced comebacks from idol groups. Korea is really into guitars at the moment. This isn’t a … Continue reading
One strange aspect of the K-pop industry is that it doesn’t really care about endings. Once their cash cow has been fully milked, it’s usually put our to pasture unceremoniously. Often, the only time we get a decent disbandment song is when that disbandment comes unexpectedly and a group’s final comeback ends up being their … Continue reading
With over 5,000 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
I have not been shy about expressing how completely underwhelming this month (and last month) of K-pop has been. In fact, when January’s average rating is calculated, we’ll probably be looking at a historically low number. Because of this, I’m grabbing onto anything halfway decent I can find. Hell, at this point I’m clinging onto … Continue reading
KiiiKiii’s debut year had a somewhat confused sonic landscape, pivoting between quirky sub-genres and meme culture to broad pop brushstrokes that felt more generic. Judging by pre-release Delulu and new title track 404 (New Era), they seem to have regained their focus in 2026 by pivoting toward the dancefloor. 404 (New Era) arrives bolstered by … Continue reading
New J-pop group STARGLOW made their pre-debut last year with the excellent EDM banger Moonchaser. That song became one of my favorites of they year and made me hope for an official debut that followed a similar soundscape. With Star Wish, the guys have moved in a different direction but proven themselves just as adept … Continue reading
Though XG are technically a global group based in Japan, their music has necessitated full song reviews on this blog because it’s so beloved by K-pop fans. I’ve found their output to be a mixed bag and generally prefer when they take a dancier approach. That happened last year with their excellent single GALA and … Continue reading
dodree are a female duo debuting under INNIT Entertainment, which probably means very little until you realize that INNIT is a JYP subsidiary. This means their music video for Just Like A Dream (꿈만 같았다) benefits from JYP’s strong distribution and gets a lot of eyes and ears on the track. And for a unique … Continue reading
idntt’s Pretty Boy Swag has grown on me a bit, yet still feels like a missed opportunity to do something more melodically ambitious. The rest of the album is quite strong as well. I already featured b-side Rage Problem as a buried treasure and now the guys are promoting Yes We Are with a music … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 