Though Mamamoo have always been a vocal-centered group, their secret weapon is rapper Moon Byul. With her ultra-cool, gender-bending performance style, she’s brought fans of all persuasions into the group’s fold — even if her voice is often relegated to a short verse or two within bigger pop songs. She seems like the perfect candidate … Continue reading
Watching (and obsessing over) Avengers: Infinity War last week has got me thinking. If I wielded the Infinity Gauntlet and had the power to shape the universe, how would I control K-Pop? Infinite comebacks every month! New Sweetune songs every week! Just kidding. I’m not going to be that biased. Instead, I thought it would … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I look back at my three favorite title tracks by k-pop artists. I take my own ratings into account, but there’s a bit of wiggle room as certain songs tend to grow or fade. January 2018 Overall Thoughts It’s a brand new year, which means all possibilities are on the … Continue reading
Calling your album “The Perfect Red Velvet” sure sets expectations sky high, but Red Velvet have gradually been blending their quirky pop and r&b sides for the past year or so. It’s surprising, then, that new single Bad Boy borrows almost exclusively from their “velvet” persona, spotlighting the girls’ voices over a minimalist trap/r&b beat. … Continue reading
More often than not the KBS Gayo feels like the most intimate of the three end-of-year festivals, held in a theater rather than a stadium. This has its pluses and minuses, but the idea to structure this year’s special more like a traditional concert was an interesting choice. It was one made out of necessity, … Continue reading
Given the tragic passing of SHINee’s Jonghyun last week, this year’s annual Gayos carry an undeniable cloud of sadness around them. I’m actually surprised that SM artists have decided to perform at all, but I suppose the distraction might be needed. This year’s SBS Gayo Daejun had the theme of “Number 1” (as hosts … Continue reading
Hundreds (if not thousands) of songs are released each year in Korea, but only a fraction receive full title track promotion. This leaves behind many buried treasures in need of a spotlight. Here are forty of 2017’s best: NUMBERS 40-21 HERE + Make sure to check out the rest of the year-end countdowns here! 20. LOONA … Continue reading
Hundreds (if not thousands) of songs are released each year in Korea, but only a fraction receive full title track promotion. This leaves behind many buried treasures in need of a spotlight. Here are forty of 2017’s best: + Make sure to check out the rest of the year-end countdowns here! 40. TWICE – 24/7 A … Continue reading
Artist of the year countdowns are controversial by nature, and if I was re-creating this list based solely on commercial success and impact on the k-pop industry, it would look very different. But there are enough of those countdowns floating around (and the consensus is usually pretty even across-the-board). This is a countdown for the … Continue reading
As I was looking back in preparation for this countdown, I realized that it’s actually been quite a strong year for mini and full albums, even if 2017 as a whole seemed to lack impact compared to past years. Quite a few solid albums failed to make the cut due to this heavy competition, but … Continue reading
The end of the year countdowns are here! We’re kicking things off with the big one… the top 50 songs of the year! Each day this week, I’ll be counting down ten of the year’s best, until number one is revealed on Friday. To be eligible for this top 50 list, songs must have had … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I look back at my three favorite title tracks by k-pop artists. I take my own ratings into account, but there’s a bit of wiggle room as certain songs tend to grow or fade. November 2017 Overall Thoughts Just like last November, this month saw a quality stream of new releases. … Continue reading
Most of the time, a kpop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-side tracks deserve recognition, too. In the singles-oriented world of kpop, I wanted to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. I’ve always preferred Red Velvet‘s upbeat “red” material over their … Continue reading
Red Velvet have had an incredible year so far, dominating (to varying degrees) both the winter and summer with mega-hits Rookie and Red Flavor. The latter felt like a true watershed moment, made even more impressive by its killer selection of b-sides. With Peek-A-Boo (피카부), the group has teased a combination of their “red” and … Continue reading
If there’s anything I’ve learned from covering pop music for over a decade, it’s that songwriters and collaborators are just as important as the artists themselves. Though they often work behind the scenes, this feature is a chance to shine the light on some of k-pop’s most innovative and accomplished producers and composers. Daniel Caesar … Continue reading
Last year, I marked the halfway point of 2016 by looking at some tracks that had either grown better or worse with time. This year, I’m a little late — but better late than never! As with 2016, the vast majority of my reviews still reflect my thoughts about a song, but sometimes it’s impossible … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I look back at my three favorite title tracks by k-pop artists. I take my own ratings into account, but there’s a bit of wiggle room as certain songs tend to grow or fade. July 2017 Overall Thoughts July is always the month I look most forward to when it comes … Continue reading
Most of the time, a kpop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-side tracks deserve recognition, too. In the singles-oriented world of kpop, I wanted to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. Red Velvet‘s Red Summer mini album is so strong that … Continue reading
I’m a big fan of most material released by SM Entertainment, but it’s been awhile since the agency promoted a track that wasn’t trying to be anything else but a chart-conquering, energy-building pop hit. Even Red Velvet‘s last single, which seemed to grow on almost everyone, initially split opinion with with its chirpy, repetitive chorus. … Continue reading
Debuting in 2014, Red Velvet are SM Entertainment’s newest girl group. Their unique concept has them releasing both quirky uptempo pop (“red”) and refined r&b (“velvet”), resulting in a diverse discography that’s sure to please a variety of tastes. Like f(x) before them, their music lies on SM’s more experimental side, ensuring that k-pop remains … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 