Unless I’m forgetting someone, we have our first debut of 2026 with project group Latency. However, this is more like a re-debut for most members. This band consists of familiar faces (Loossemble’s Hyunjin and cignature’s Jeewon, Semi and Haeun), reinventing idols as rockers. Today, we get the first taste of their music via digital single … Continue reading
Boy group Waker impressed me very early in 2024 with their debut Atlantis. Sadly, they haven’t had many more chances to impress, with one follow-up in mid-2024 and not a single title track last year. Those of us who have been around K-pop for long enough know how this story of underfunded rookie groups often … Continue reading
Some veteran K-pop groups take agonizingly long breaks and return with grand comebacks, while others simply chug along year after year. CNBLUE have definitely had their hiatuses, but it’s never felt like they’ve been gone for long. In various configurations, they’ve released music since 2009, making them one of the industry’s longest-running acts. The guys … Continue reading
Several years after debuting as a soloist, former-LOONA member and actress/variety star Chuu has released her first full album. Full albums are meaningful for K-pop artists for a number of reasons, allowing them to craft a larger body of work and usually proving some level of longevity. Title track XO, My Cyberlove gives listeners the … Continue reading
K-pop’s title tracks might gain most of listeners’ attention, but many album tracks are worth equal spotlight. I call these “buried treasures.” Beyond this, K-pop’s albums deliver thousands of additional tracks that settle for a more limited audience. It’s these songs that will become a part of my “battle of the b-sides” feature. In this … Continue reading
H1-KEY quietly released one of my favorite songs and albums of last year with their summery Lovestruck EP. Now, they’re back to celebrate their anniversary with a very different sound. Not Like A Movie (세상은 영화 같지 않더라) takes advantage of their strong vocals but doesn’t do much else that feels notable. Mid-tempo tracks like … Continue reading
Monsta X’s Joohoney has just released his second mini album, though he’s also put out a handful of mixtapes over the years. This follows digital pre-release Push, which failed to capture attention despite a notable team-up with IVE’s Rei. Now, he’s back with an even more notable feature — legendary boxer Muhammad Ali in the … Continue reading
New boy group project idntt got a lot of attention last year, but I struggled to hear anything in their music that set them apart from their peers. Still, they have some notable producers attached to their songs and their large, ever-shifting configuration is interesting. However, I head into any song called “Pretty Boy Swag” … Continue reading
Writing reviews for established, beloved acts has been dicey of late. Very few of them seek to do anything different or groundbreaking, so instead we usually get material that fits within their general sound but feels like a much lesser, more inconsequential version of it. Apink have released anniversary singles every year, but they haven’t … Continue reading
Just like last year, I wanted to share my top twenty most-viewed posts for 2025. I find this list an interesting gauge of which acts are popular or buzzy at the moment (at least among netizens who read reviews). There aren’t many surprises, here. The list is dominated by a couple of the most popular … Continue reading
It feels like it’s been ages since I last wrote a proper song review. In reality, it’s only been a week, but when you’re used to doing this every single day a week can feel like a year. Soon it’ll be January and the K-pop industry will whir back to life, but before that we’ve … Continue reading
Following a tradition first established in 2020, I’m celebrating the holidays today with the opening of gifts. These packages come in the form of seasonal K-pop tracks not yet reviewed on the blog. As much as possible, I’m only focusing on original songs. There are TONS of song covers and “Christmas versions” of existing tracks … Continue reading
Even by K-pop standards, it’s been a barren December. For the first time in forever, I don’t know how I’ll do a “monthly round-up” at the end of the month because there hasn’t been a single song I’ve played much after reviewing it for the blog. In a perfect world, Monsta X’s Joohoney would arrive … Continue reading
Zico has returned with a duet project, which isn’t unusual for him. Most of his recent success has been through pairings with female artists. Duet links him up him with YOASOBI’s Ikura (credited as Lilas) and straddles the line between K-pop, J-pop and global pop. In other words, it should be right within my wheelhouse! … Continue reading
BABYMONSTER tend to wring the most they can from each album, promoting several songs with music videos long after the actual comeback has occurred. Their promotions move into a third month with Supa Dupa Luv, the latest release from their We Go Up mini album. On the plus side, it’s nice to see a variety … Continue reading
Rather than deliver a fleet of notable idol group comebacks, this month has been the realm of solo releases that don’t require much promotion from pre-empted music shows. The latest on the docket is SHINee’s Minho, who last released solo work just over a year ago. Here, he’s promised us dynamic things with the song … Continue reading
Even before EXO make their long-awaited return next month, the comeback has been plagued by controversy. The entire group isn’t participating, with key members sidelined due to contractual issues with SM Entertainment. Because of this, it’s hard to be totally excited about what’s in store, but the promotion machine continues to chug along regardless with … Continue reading
Just yesterday, I wrote about a solo track from Infinite’s Sungyeol but did so mainly out of loyalty. The song itself did very little for me. Flash forward twenty four hours and we’re in the exact same boat. This time, it’s the solo debut (!) from one of Golden Child’s main vocalists, Choi Sungyun — … Continue reading
Sadly, it’s been a long time since I’ve been interested in any Infinite-related music. If you would have shown me that statement a decade ago I would’ve been shocked, but their newer material just hasn’t lived up to the potential we know they have. However, as a longtime fan I still feel loyal to the … Continue reading
It’s a very slow week (month) for K-pop, so while I might not usually cover a “track video” like the one promoting Kang Daniel’s new song Backseat Promises, a dearth of new material has forced my hand. But sometimes, a forced hand can be a gift in disguise. I’m glad I gave this track a … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 