Every year around this time, a handful of idol groups release summer-themed albums. I look forward to these projects, as their bright, upbeat sounds tend to match my taste. WEi are the latest to embrace the season, unveiling the buoyant Overdrive (질주) to promote their sixth mini album. I should absolutely love this track. It … Continue reading
1. Hard // 2. Juice // 3. 10X // 4. Satellite // 5. Identity // 6. The Feeling // 7. Like It // 8. Sweet Misery // 9. Insomnia // 10. Gravity IDENTITY Five tracks into Hard, and Identity is where the album feels like it finally kicks in. Up until now, we’ve had a … Continue reading
1. Hard // 2. Juice // 3. 10X // 4. Satellite // 5. Identity // 6. The Feeling // 7. Like It // 8. Sweet Misery // 9. Insomnia // 10. Gravity SATELLITE At this point, the album is slowly gaining steam. Similar to 10X, Satellite would have benefitted from a later placement in the … Continue reading
I’m following the reunion of Infinite with the eyes of a hawk. They’re my all-time favorite K-pop group, after all. It doesn’t seem that we’ll be getting any new music for the next few months, but I hold out hope the guys will make their looooong awaited comeback before the year’s end. Until then, leader … Continue reading
Ahead of a promised full-group comeback, Treasure have unveiled their first sub-unit. T5 is apparently composed of the five members who claimed themselves the most handsome in the group. Hey, at least they’re being honest about their intentions! Whatever the case, Move throws down a great groove that raises expectations for how Treasure’s upcoming “Reboot” … Continue reading
1. Hard // 2. Juice // 3. 10X // 4. Satellite // 5. Identity // 6. The Feeling // 7. Like It // 8. Sweet Misery // 9. Insomnia // 10. Gravity JUICE Apparently, this is the song SM fought for as the album’s title track. And if we’re purely deciding between Juice and Hard … Continue reading
With Kings of K-pop SHINee making their long-awaited return today, rookie group 8TURN’s new title track may fly under the radar. But against all odds, they’ve actually released the stronger of today’s singles. I wasn’t completely sold on their debut, but the rock crunch of Excel is a lot of fun. I’m not sure there’s … Continue reading
“Hi-Fi Un!corn” is now my favorite group name of 2023. Coupled with the Lisa Frank-esque visuals of this music video, I feel like I’ve entered a retro fantasy land of Care Bears and My Little Pony. It’s definitely not what I would’ve expected from a new FNC Entertainment band. Visuals aside, Hi-Fi Un!corn debuts within … 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. As I feared, ATEEZ’s Bouncy is … Continue reading
It’s day three of Kiss Of Life’s pre-debut advent calendar of solo videos, and today we’re introduced to the group’s leader and rapper Julie. Kitty Cat offers a more hip-hop flavored taste of their sound while sitting comfortably alongside the past two tracks. It’s becoming very clear that Kiss Of Life’s work will be well-produced. … Continue reading
Kim Jaehwan’s finally gone and done it. He’s promoting a funk song! Ever since 2019’s excellent Designer, I’ve been on his case about releasing more upbeat material. Yes, big voices are well-suited to ballads — but there is nothing better than a skilled, powerful singer flexing their skills over an equally powerful dance beat. Lucky! … Continue reading
New girl group Kiss Of Life are pulling a Loona-style rollout, revealing solo tracks from each member before the group’s title track emerges. However, they seem to be stuffing this rollout into a single week. I’ll try to write about each song, though the reviews will likely be on the shorter side. Yesterday, Natty impressed … Continue reading
While fans wait impatiently for a Korean comeback (it’s going on four-and-a-half years, now…), TVXQ are back with another Japanese single. Lime & Lemon adds to their summertime playlist, offering a shot of uptempo dance music well-suited for the season. This will always be a style that appeals to me, but it’s become its own … Continue reading
Kang Daniel’s newest album comes paired with striking Mad Max-esque visuals. SOS‘s music video is very cool, delivering high octane action even as the song trudges away underneath. Its sound continues in the vein of past singles — an alt rock/trap hybrid that feels emotional and gritty. This has become a preferred style for Kang … Continue reading
SM Entertainment has been into their pre-releases lately, teasing anticipated albums with a full song weeks before the rest of the tracks are set to drop. Following SHINee and EXO, NCT Dream are the next group to give us a taste of their new sound. And though Broken Melodies may not reinvent any wheel, it’s … Continue reading
Girl group Kiss Of Life has yet to debut, but we’re already familiar with Natty from her solo work. She released a couple of solid singles back in 2020 before cutting her solo career short. It seems fitting, then, that this new group’s rollout begins with another solo track. Sugarcoat captures my 90’s r&b heart. … 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. Nothing on Ren’s debut mini album … Continue reading
My trajectory with ATEEZ has been a bit of a mystery. Back in 2019, I found them to be one of the most exciting acts in K-pop. But as the years have gone on, it’s been harder to retain the same level of excitement around their music. I’m not sure why this is. Their core … Continue reading
LUN8 are Fantagio Entertainment’s first new group since Weki Meki in 2017, succeeding Astro as the agency’s second boy band. Astro’s debut year will always be a sterling example of a new group debuting with their own sound and musical perspective. LUN8 have a big legacy to live up to, and Wild Heart shows potential. … Continue reading
It seems I’m writing about a HYBE act or a HYBE-adjacent act every other day on this blog. The monolithic company has taken over K-pop and has its sights set on J-pop as well. The resulting music is of mixed quality, but HYBE’s ever-expanding roster of artists have all found success so far. Love them … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 