Somehow, early-00’s Craig David has emerged as the biggest influence on this week’s K-pop (and K-pop adjacent) releases. We’re hearing a ton of garage-inspired tracks, but none have managed to pair those addictive beats with songs compelling enough to transcend the homage. To call Seven a much-anticipated release would be putting it lightly. Many of … Continue reading
(G)I-DLE are the latest in a long line of K-pop acts recording English-language material with with the aim of further global expansion. Given the… interesting… nature of this group’s English-language lyrics so far, a full song may not seem like the most exciting prospect. However, paired with influential music company 88rising, (G)I-DLE have leaned into … Continue reading
Look, it’s been a rough year for K-pop tunes. I’ll take a banger wherever I can find one, and if that means approaching some glorified Pepsi jingle with great anticipation, so be it. Of course, I Want is no ordinary Pepsi jingle. We have IVE onboard for this one, and their upbeat, melodic music has … Continue reading
Debuting in 2019, Exile Tribe’s Battle Of Tokyo is one of the coolest projects developed by any entertainment company. It brings together the agency’s Jr.Exile groups under fictional guises in a futuristic battle royale. It’s a multimedia project, including videos, books and — of course — music. This week, the third chapter in the series … Continue reading
Co-ed dance group Koyote are holding it down for K-pop’s 90’s class, continuing to deliver comebacks decades into their career. Their music knows exactly what it wants to accomplish, and new single Wish (바람) is another fun burst of energy. I can’t say I’m always in the mood for a Koyote banger, but the group … Continue reading
Three out of four members of Sistar are making comebacks this summer, leading fans like me to long for the summer bops of yore. Nobody did summer better than Sistar, and it’s impossible for solo releases to fully recapture this magic. With This Love (이게 사랑이지 뭐야), Hyolyn takes a slightly more subdued path toward … Continue reading
EXO are one of my “K-pop A-Z” artists, and that means I’ve committed to write about anything they release in perpetuity. So, here are my thoughts about every track from their new Exist album! 1. Cream Soda // 2. Regret It // 3. Hear Me Out // 4. Private Party // 5. Cinderella // 6. … Continue reading
EXO are one of my “K-pop A-Z” artists, and that means I’ve committed to write about anything they release in perpetuity. So, here are my thoughts about every track from their new Exist album! 1. Cream Soda // 2. Regret It // 3. Hear Me Out // 4. Private Party // 5. Cinderella // 6. … Continue reading
Debuting in 2019, Exile Tribe’s Battle Of Tokyo is one of the coolest projects developed by any entertainment company. It brings together the agency’s Jr.Exile groups under fictional guises in a futuristic battle royale. It’s a multimedia project, including videos, books and — of course — music. This week, the third chapter in the series … Continue reading
It feels like &TEAM have promoted recent single Firework more frequently on Korean broadcasts than in their native Japan, making the whole ‘Korean-agency-debuts-Jpop-act’ approach even more nebulous. Thus far, &TEAM’s output has basically been K-pop performed in Japanese — a trend many agencies are attempting to replicate. My thoughts on this aside, Firework is a … Continue reading
ENHYPEN’s One And Only is a collaboration with Pokémon, though the song’s line distribution ensures we never get to hear Pikachu’s beautiful falsetto. Instead, the colorful pocket monsters appear in the music video. Without those added visuals, One And Only is a pleasant summer bop — airy and mid-tempo. ENHYPEN have a few tracks like … Continue reading
I can hardly keep up with all the twists and turns in the LOONA story, but I know one thing for sure: after nearly six years’ hiatus, Odd Eye Circle are back with new Korean music. Their work represented some of LOONA’s early peaks, offering an edgier take on K-pop’s girl group fare. After signing … Continue reading
Debuting in 2019, Exile Tribe’s Battle Of Tokyo is one of the coolest projects developed by any entertainment company. It brings together the agency’s Jr.Exile groups under fictional guises in a futuristic battle royale. It’s a multimedia project, including videos, books and — of course — music. This week, the third chapter in the series … Continue reading
It’s a big day for K-pop boy groups, with one veteran act returning after a long hiatus and the year’s most anticipate rookie making their debut. ZEROBASEONE were brought together through MNET’s audition program Boys Planet, which I chronicled on this blog back when it aired. Though I was pleased with the final line-up for … Continue reading
I’ll always have a soft spot for EXO. They were one of my gateways into K-pop, way back when they made their debut eleven years ago. It’s been a rocky ride the past few years, with member enlistments and other roadblocks preventing the group from making their yearly comeback. Instead, fans have waited two years … 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. Starship Entertainment’s current A&R team is … 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. Teen Top’s HWEEK is a certified … Continue reading
NewJeans kicked off the day with the release of an eponymous introduction track for their upcoming album. That Powerpuff Girls collab was mood-setting but ephemeral. It fully embraced the group’s stylized worldview. NewJeans are nothing if not cool. Sometimes, I think “cool” is put at a higher premium than anything else. I understand why this … Continue reading
Mere days after SHINee and U-KISS released new material, Teen Top are the latest second-gen group to join K-pop’s summer line-up. I’m not sure what a “hweek” is, but I’ll gladly take any kind of hweek that results in all my old favorites returning to the industry! HWEEK (휙) feels like a companion to U-KISS’s … Continue reading
There will be no summer barbeques or afternoons at the beach for Jun’s Psycho. This song spends its time in a windowless room, chains and restraints attached to the walls. Summer fare this is not. Jun has recorded solo material before, most recently with last year’s Limbo. Psycho follows a similar vibe, though it’s more … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 