Solo debuts from male idols can go a few different ways. On the one hand, the streamlined nature of these songs can make for very propulsive material, freed from the need to accommodate multiple voices and styles. But more often, agencies seem to follow the same template (**cough**Justin Timberlake Justified**cough**) and end up with diminished … 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. Over the past few years, CRAVITY … Continue reading
It’s been great fun to watch CRAVITY grow into their sound. While their first few years were very hit and miss, they’ve recently found a way to mature their output without falling into the traps and tropes that often come with “maturation” in K-pop. To put it bluntly, their music ain’t boring. This statement is … Continue reading
While it may not be that wise to release your new comeback during a week where all music shows are cancelled, you do ensure that all spotlight is on you without having to compete with a ton of other artists. I assume ONEUS will promote Say Yes! after the Chuseok holiday is over, but for … 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. VERIVERY just released an all killer, … Continue reading
I featured Superstar on my J-pop round-up a few days ago, but I know only a sliver of readers regularly check that out and the song has since become a staple on my playlist so I thought I’d give it a longer write-up. PG are a co-ed, very young group from Avex that first hit … Continue reading
Song covers can be tricky. Do too little to change the original and the whole exercise might feel pointless. Do too much and it’s bound to polarize opinion. TRF’s 90s hit Boy Meets Girl has already been covered dozens of times, partly because it’s an Avex standard alongside other oft-covered classics like Get Wild and … 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. Though you wouldn’t guess it from … Continue reading
Plenty of K-pop acts have imperial phases that last a year or two, but very few maintain such a stellar track record as SHINee’s. Apart from the (very) occasional misstep, they’ve been churning out K-pop classics since 2008. Their comebacks are far more infrequent these days, but a new SHINee album is still guaranteed to … 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. The other day, I had a … Continue reading
TWS’s No Tragedy album has replicated the exact promotional strategy as last year’s Try With Us mini, leading with a more bombastic pop track and following up with a mellower highlight. I already wrote about All The Possibilities back in April and you can find that text below. But now that the track has officially … 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. YOUNITE came out of nowhere with … Continue reading
It’s nice to fall in love with a group’s music right off the bat, but I also love when an act wins me over bit by bit until I become a huge fan. Such is the case with NEXZ, whose Beat-Boxer impressed last year but just kept growing more and more addictive as the months … Continue reading
Given K-pop’s less-than-stellar track record over the past few months, I’ve been putting all my eggs in a basket called TWS. That’s way too much pressure to put on one release, but the group has earned the anticipation. Since their debut in 2024, their run has been absolutely impeccable, maintaining a bright, melodic color while … Continue reading
I find it difficult to be a consistent fan of groups formed through the Produce/Planet series of survival shows. No matter how much I might like the members, the music often functions as an expanded version of the series’ concept missions. Groups don’t develop a signature sound, meaning one month they may release the best … Continue reading
It’s been ages since I’ve written about a song from a Chinese artist with no connection to K-pop, but we’re in the doldrums right now on this blog and I think everyone deserves to read a review that’s actually enthusiastic. So, today I want to introduce the new single from Lil Ghost — rapper and … Continue reading
Repackage albums aren’t as common in K-pop as they used to be, but I’ve always liked them. They give artists a chance for an ultra-quick comeback and extend the promotional life of a project. CRAVITY’s Dare To Crave was already a very strong album with a killer title track, but now they’ve extended it with … Continue reading
There’s a large contingent of us (relatively) old K-pop fans who constantly reminisce about the industry’s “good old days.” I’m sure this is very annoying to younger fans who are immersed in K-pop’s present, and it’s natural for any music market to evolve as time goes on. But whatever era you determine to be your … Continue reading
For groups like TWS who debut with a bright, youthful concept, the need to “mature” their sound is always lurking just around the corner. I’ve seen it with pretty much every act I’ve loved over the past decade and the inevitable arc from cute young kids to grown, sexy adults can go two ways. Either … Continue reading
SHINee’s Key has a history of becoming a K-pop savior on this blog, breaking long streaks of “7” and “8” rated songs with music that pushes bolder and further. That certainly occurred in early 2023 with his single Killer, but his follow-ups have been less adventurous. Both Good & Great and Pleasure Shop found him … Continue reading
