Debut songs from Johnny’s groups are a big deal. They’re often tied to a popular drama, performed everywhere to the point of being inescapable, and they quickly become a beloved and oft-referenced part of a group’s history. But ever since Travis Japan set up shop in the States to train and compete in numerous competitions … Continue reading
If you told me a decade ago that a member of the world’s biggest K-pop band would release a track written by Coldplay, I would’ve been shocked. But, global outreach and a popularity boom has resulted in collaborations like this becoming much more common. And with Jin, this team-up makes sense. His solo tracks on … Continue reading
Find a seat and take a deep breath for this one. “Acid Angel from Asia” is a pre-debut sub-unit from the upcoming 24-member girl group tripleS that combines the worlds of NFT and K-pop. These four members were voted to be part of the unit via something called “Grand Gravity,” and tripleS will soon spawn … Continue reading
OnlyOneOf’s Underground Idol project was on track to maintain its once-a-month course until the group took a few weeks to promote their Japanese single. Because of this, Rie’s long-awaited solo became even more long-awaited, pushed back an extra month. Now, it’s finally time to land back in the guys’ BL universe. The rock-tinged Because continues … Continue reading
Pink Fantasy tend to re-emerge right when you need them. In this case, they’ve returned during the week leading up to Halloween. Their spooky sound and image are perfectly suited to the season. And unless I missed something, this is the group’s first release without the creepy bunny-mask girl. Has she finally been revealed? Or, … Continue reading
Monsta X’s Kihyun made his solo debut earlier this year with a rock sound. Voyager showed promise, but it didn’t stick around my playlist for long. Luckily, he’s doubled down on its strengths for follow-up Youth. This time, the melodies are stickier and the overall sound is more upbeat. Kihyun has one of the more … Continue reading
Many times, context plays an important role in how I perceive a song. Take Mamamoo’s recently released Illella, for example. Had it arrived back in 2018 before the group’s music had made a sharp pivot into this style, I’d probably see it as a cool, attitude-first addition to their discography. But, the fact that it … Continue reading
A J-pop act’s single 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 J-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. JO1’s strongest work this year hasn’t been … Continue reading
When it comes to niche corners of the global music market, I tend to go through phases. Right now, I’m in the middle of another phase involving Exile Tribe. Nothing in particular set this off, but each time I revisit the discographies of these groups, I’m reminded how amazing they often are. The Exile “universe” … Continue reading
Concepts are a dime a dozen in K-pop. They’re part of the idol equation, but rarely do we hear an actual concept album. AKMU’s Lee Chanhyuk makes his solo debut with a full-length that takes us through death and rebirth. As part of this “new” Chanhyuk, the music brings in flourishes of 80’s synthpop – … Continue reading
Though Fearless could have used a bit more fleshing out in places, LE SSERAFIM’s mini album stands as one of the year’s strongest debuts. I found myself drawn to their aloof performance style and fashionable sound, and hoped their eventual comeback would build on the sound of b-sides like The Great Mermaid and Blue Flame. … 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. Kwon Eunbi has released her strongest … 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 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
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 