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 a super casual fan … 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. Writing about Dreamcatcher is always a … Continue reading
The moment I read the title of JO1’s new single, I thought: “Oh, great! They’re giving us their take on the west coast, Californian sound. I love California! Maybe it’ll be 90’s hip-hop in the style of California Love. Or, they could go the surfer route and make it breezy and beach worthy.” Imagine my … Continue reading
I have a soft spot for Park Jihoon’s title tracks. He’s had a few missteps, but by and large his promoted work has been pretty solid. The accompanying albums are usually a bit dull for my taste, but his more upbeat titles reveal a performer with tons of star power. New single Nitro veers into … Continue reading
Say what you will about Woollim Entertainment’s dicey promotion, but their team sure knows their way around a good song. The agency’s output this year has ranged from ‘very good’ to ‘excellent,’ with a refreshing independent streak that doesn’t always kowtow to trends. Soloist Kwon Eunbi seemed to find her niche with this spring’s Glitch … Continue reading
We’ve seen quite a few post-IZ*ONE solo debuts over the past two years, and by-and-large they’ve been successful. In fact, former bandmate Kwon Eunbi also has a comeback today! Lee Chaeyeon’s visual teasers promised a Halloween-friendly concept, complete with religious iconography sure to raise the eyebrows of some listeners. But despite all this daring styling, … Continue reading
Since their debut this March, TAN have blitzed the K-pop market with three promoted singles. That’s pretty impressive for a rookie group, and new track Beautiful Lie adds one more comeback to the list. The quality of this music has varied, but I’m glad the guys have been able to keep their name out there. … Continue reading
Dreamcatcher have returned with the second installment of their Apocalypse series — an eye-catching title if ever there was one! Their last comeback Maison wasn’t exactly apocalyptic, but it did seem to polarize listeners. This time, the group have invited June One of dance-rock band Glen Check to work alongside their usual suite of composers. … 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. Seulgi’s debut mini album blossoms as … 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. There are at least three songs … Continue reading
Treasure’s new mini album feels a little looser and livelier than usual. I like this side of them – and of YG artists in general. Immediately following the EDM party-starter Hello, we have a hard left turn into rock-fueled hip-hop. Sub-unit track VolKno is a tour de force of the group’s talents, opening another new … Continue reading
Looking back over the past two years, The Boyz’ strongest material hasn’t been promoted as title tracks. There have been a number of missed opportunities – songs deserving of a bigger audience. Last Man Standing continues this pattern. As a collaboration with the TI League Of Legends team and DJ/producer Raiden, the track might pass … Continue reading
For the past several Kingdom comebacks, I’ve found myself more enamored with the group’s b-sides than their title tracks. Their high-concept series seems to put emphasis on performance pieces rather than songs that stand well on their own. This remains true for new single Long Live The King (백야), but there are enough musical goodies … Continue reading
There was a time in SM Entertainment’s history where solo releases were not common. That’s switched dramatically over the past decade, with so many popular groups launching equally-popular solo projects. The members of Red Velvet have already released sub-unit and solo work, but 28 Reasons marks Seulgi’s official debut after appearing in her fair share … Continue reading
Last time we heard from Treasure, they had re-invented their slow jam Darari into a rollicking pop rock banger. That version appears on their new album, which also sees the members taking greater creative control. Thankfully, this results in a dynamic blend of upbeat sounds that recall standout eras in YG Entertainment’s past. Title track … 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. According to Xiumin, Feedback was considered … 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 pumped for Mirae’s long-awaited … 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. When it comes to September’s K-pop … Continue reading
I picked Mirae as my top rookie of 2021, but so far runners-up IVE have eclipsed them in 2022. This is due to a variety of factors. DSP Media has waited too long between comebacks, and has had difficulty building upon the futuristic theme of Mirae’s debut. But with new album Ourturn the first of … Continue reading
CRAVITY have had a very mixed discography, and that’s putting it mildly. There are some title tracks I find borderline unlistenable, but they’ve also got big highlights like Adrenaline. Luckily, this year has seen them veer toward lighter sounds, embracing the more upbeat side of boygroupdom. Party Rock is their most explosive joy bomb yet, … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 