NewKidd join a growing list of fresh debuts that have kinda… sorta… already debuted. I get that their 2017-18 sub-unit releases don’t really count, but they even performed last year’s Shooting Star on music shows. Add that to member Hansol’s pre-debut, NCT-training hype and it feels like these guys have been around forever. Nevertheless, it’s … Continue reading
This may be a controversial opinion, but by focusing solely on solos and sub-units these past four months, it feels like SM Entertainment has kind of thrown away a third of the year. This isn’t to say that solos and sub-units are unwelcome, but most of the ones we’ve gotten from the agency in 2019 … Continue reading
For as often as Super Junior’s Kim Heechul is on TV, it’s easy to forget that he first made his name as a singer. His solo work has always been rooted in classic rock to some extent, and he definitely has the voice for it. His sub-unit duo M&D produced some inspired music, drawing on … Continue reading
I adore TXT’s debut mini album, and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if they end 2019 as my favorite rookies of the year. Yet, when I heard that Cat & Dog (of all tracks) was selected to be a follow-up to the brilliant Crown, I wasn’t sure how to feel. In the context of … Continue reading
Idol rock group N.Flying scored a major coup earlier this year, as their digital single Rooftop made an unexpected climb up the charts. As you might expect, I follow the K-pop industry very closely. Yet, this sudden ascent surprised the hell out of me. Even after adding a Produce 101 alum to their roster, the … Continue reading
Immediately after listening to VERIVERY’s new single From Now (딱 잘라서 말해), I could imagine the number one criticism it would garner: It sounds the same as their last song… and the one before that! Fair enough. But for me, this isn’t a problem. In fact, at this stage in their career I’d consider it … Continue reading
Like so many K-pop groups, Lovelyz is perfectly poised to bolster their fan base through the addition of solo and sub-unit promotions. Woollim Entertainment did a great job harnessing this potential with Infinite, but apart from a few digital releases here and there, Lovelyz’s output has been almost entirely group-based. Hopefully that will change soon, … Continue reading
