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. Depending on how you look at … Continue reading
DKB have spent much of the year touring around the United States and will be returning to that vigorous schedule soon. I don’t always associate K-pop stardom with a ground-up, meet-the-people approach, but it’s a smart way for smaller groups to form lasting bonds with fans. I know I’m much more eager to support an … Continue reading
If my count is correct, it’s been 370 days since CIX released their first studio album. This makes for a surprisingly lengthy hiatus between comebacks. They’ve returned with a different sound, taking a few cues from their debut era but bringing a newfound sense of maturity. As a fully-realized song, 458 doesn’t always get there. … Continue reading
Compared to earlier eras, it’s been a dry few years for new music from Kis-My-Ft2. Their latest singles have trended toward balladry – often themes to romance-focused dramas. That’s all well and good (frankly, I’ll take whatever they want to give us), but I’ve been hoping for more upbeat material. After all, age and experience … Continue reading
These Universe releases just keep on coming! Once upon a time, I thought this might be some limited series and I’d be able to fudge my way through a handful of fun carnival game-esque “reviews” and call it a day. Almost two years later and I guess the joke’s on me… Anyway… we haven’t done … Continue reading
Rookie group Luminous has compiled an inconsistent discography so far. They debuted with the fantastic hip-hop track Run last year, but followed it with the less-than-fantastic All Eyes Down. Now they’re back with a full album, which is highly unusual from a rookie of their stature. Better yet, they’ve enlisted the great G-High to compose … Continue reading
With the release of their new special album, ONF have rewritten the rules for how boy groups handle military enlistment. I’m no expert, but I thought idol groups weren’t able to release music during enlistment because of laws related to wages and income. However, WM Entertainment had the foresight to record and prepare this material … Continue reading
JUNNY isn’t the type of artist I feature often on The Bias List. His work leans closer to the indie side of the K-pop industry, though the music itself sits comfortably alongside idol group fare. I somehow missed his great duet with Chungha back in June (you can thank Golden Child’s San Jose concert for … Continue reading
It’s ‘Golden Child comeback’ time again, which means a track-by-track review of their new mini album, Aura! Check back each day of the week as I make my way through the five new songs. 1. Aura (Intro) // 2. Replay // 3. Knocking On My Door // 4. 3! 6! 5! // 5. Purpose // … Continue reading
It’s ‘Golden Child comeback’ time again, which means a track-by-track review of their new mini album, Aura! Check back each day of the week as I make my way through the five new songs. 1. Aura (Intro) // 2. Replay // 3. Knocking On My Door // 4. 3! 6! 5! // 5. Purpose // … Continue reading
Late last week, Johnny’s groups SixTONES and Snow Man both surprise-released new music videos on YouTube, fueling rumors they may reunite for another duel-group single. It turns out that Snow Man’s Juicy heralds the release of a new studio album. We’ll need to wait to see where SixTONES’ Party People ends up. Both of these … Continue reading
It’s been fascinating to watch Johnny’s & Associates navigate the digital world and decide how they want to engage with it. Older fans can remember a not-too-distant time when official YouTube uploads were the stuff of wild dreams. We still get plenty of (frustrating) short music video edits, but more and more the agency is … Continue reading
For over a year now, ex-Bigstar member Kim Rae Hwan has been making quality, synth-flavored pop music on the periphery of the K-pop industry under the moniker from20. You’d be forgiven for not knowing who he is. Idol activity tends to swallow up all of K-pop’s media attention – especially for international listeners. In fact, … Continue reading
To anyone not keeping up with their every move, Stray Kids’ mixtape releases seem to arrive out of nowhere. Time Out certainly caught me off guard – so much so that I wasn’t able to cover it on the day of release. The song arrives as a “gift to fans” on the anniversary of their … 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 writing about ATBO’s debut 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. CSR have released one of the … Continue reading
So far, ATEEZ’s work has been divided into series. Their debut-era Treasure series remains unrivaled in scope and quality. Follow-up Zero felt less narratively (and musically) cohesive, though it had its standouts. But, that’s all in the past. We find ourselves at the start of a new chapter with The World Ep.1. For years now, … Continue reading
In their relatively short existence as a group, TO1 has been through the ringer. First debuting as TOO in 2020, they changed companies a year later and were rebranded with their current name. Then, a handful of members left the group and three new guys joined. Whatever the line-up, let’s pour one out for the … Continue reading
I’m digging this sudden surge of second-gen artists making long-awaiting solo comebacks. In Nicole’s case, the situation is even more exciting because it may precede an actual Kara reunion. Though Kara were enormous during their heyday, their legacy isn’t as familiar to this newer generation of K-pop fans. In addition to her group’s epic discography, … Continue reading
I felt a little conflicted when OnlyOneOf’s series of solo singles ‘Underground Idol‘ was first announced. I mean, I’d rather have some full-group comebacks. But so far, the project is shaping up nicely. We have a narrative through-line, engaging music and the kind of sonic world-building the group has always excelled at. Just one month … Continue reading
