One of my absolute favorite Mamamoo songs is 2016’s Woo Hoo, which wasn’t promoted as a title track at all. Instead, it was a CF release, tied to the release of LG’s G5 mobile phone. Sometimes, not having to conform to title track expectations frees a song. Composers don’t necessarily have to have choreography or … Continue reading
King & Prince’s singles run has pin-balled between extremes, from the fluffy cutesiness of songs like Cinderella Girl and Koi-Wazurai to the edgier Mazy Night and Naughty Girl. This is largely in response to the needs of the drama projects these songs are tied into, but this “grab bag” sense of concepts tends to be … Continue reading
Most of the time, a k-pop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, 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. Upon my first listen to YooA’s debut solo album, I was … Continue reading
Over the course of the past few years, Apink have settled into their place as elder stateswomen of K-pop. While most of their peers have gone on indefinite hiatus or disbanded, they continue to reinvent themselves to great success. This transformation includes solo releases of varying genres. Jeong Eunji has been releasing her own music … Continue reading
We may want to deny it, but so much of our own personal music taste spawns from formative experiences – the genres and styles you were exposed to as a kid or young adult. For me, a piece of that puzzle comes via The Lion King’s Circle of Life. I will always love a hearty … Continue reading
Though I’ve enjoyed virtually everything Taemin has released, and often hold him up as one of K-pop’s luminary performers, there’s a certain energy I’ve missed from his Korean output since 2016. Perhaps this is just my bias, having grown up with the Jacksons as my musical icons, but Taemin has always struck me as one … Continue reading
Most of the time, a k-pop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, 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. Lovelyz’ albums are largely interchangeable, and I say this as a … Continue reading
Former Monsta X member Wonho released his first solo track last month, the heartfelt Losing You. It was a perfectly pleasant ballad, but felt like more of a message than a peek at the sound he hoped to develop on his own. In that way, classifying Losing You as a pre-release teaser feels very apt. … Continue reading
I feel like 2020 has seen a big influx of under-the-radar girl group debuts. While debuts from major agencies have been relatively scarce, these smaller companies are just cranking out the music. With limited promotional support, it’ll be a struggle for any of these acts to become anything more than a footnote in K-pop history, … Continue reading
When last we heard from Donghae and Eunhyuk, they were trying to convince us how dangerous they were. I wasn’t totally sold on the concept, but now they’re back with B.A.D – another attempt at bad boy posturing. This time, the sentiment feels a little more authentic, thanks to a few musical touches that stray … Continue reading
After a jam-packed 2019, CLC have been absent from the comeback slate this year. It’s not great timing, as they seemed to be building momentum. But, judging from their first-day album sales, fans were willing to wait. New single Helicopter skirts right past the throwback pop of prior single Devil and thrusts the group back … Continue reading
In an alternate reality, A.C.E’s Favorite Boys (도깨비) acted as the follow-up to their excellent 2019 single Under Cover, and I hailed it as an epic one-two punch. Instead, we had to suffer through Savage to get here. But, the journey was worth it. Favorite Boys is the dramatic, bombastic successor I’ve been hoping to … Continue reading
Right now, Lovelyz are in the same spot their agency seniors Infinite were in 2016: about a year from their contract renewal date and plagued by an infrequent release schedule. That’s not to say the individual members haven’t been busy. Kei and Sujeong each released solo albums, and the irresistibly-extra Mijoo has become something of … Continue reading
I know that the very idea of SuperM has more than its share of detractors, but right now they’re one of the few projects consistently delivering the style of big-budget, classic K-pop that forged the history of SM Entertainment. I hadn’t listened to Tiger Inside until today, but I’d seen quite a bit of hype … Continue reading
When we last heard from SoRi, she was collaborating with performance group Folded Dragons for the dramatic EDM of I Am Not Alone. Though that song didn’t stick around my playlist for long, it pointed toward a willingness to experiment that bode well for her future as a pop artist. With new single Initial S … Continue reading
As a K-pop fan, it’s hard not to get caught up in imagined futures. That’s why I always try to urge myself to temper expectations, because as soon as I hear news of a comeback I picture what it could be – what I want it to be. And since I have no telepathic line … Continue reading
Most of the time, a k-pop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, 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. Too many modern K-pop albums feel cobbled together by committee. I … Continue reading
Under-the-radar boy group M.O.N.T have been steadily releasing music these past few months, whether as a trio or soloists. Most of it has drawn more upon hip-hop influences than the funk-pop of last year’s Rock Paper Scissors. But, even the most melodic tracks in M.O.N.T’s discography have always relied strongly on rap. Shadow is no … Continue reading
We’ve entered the second phase of a string of comebacks supporting BLACKPINK’s upcoming album. This is not an unprecedented approach for YG Entertainment. Nearly all of the agency’s acts have been involved in a months-long blitz of singles at some point in their career. But, it’s particularly refreshing to see BLACKPINK get this spotlight, and … Continue reading
OnlyOneOf’s spring single Angel was a sleeper hit for me, thriving on its catchy funk-pop groove and airy vocal delivery. That song came from the first part of a “produced by” project, in which the group has worked with a variety of big-name producers and tagged them as part of their song titles. New single … Continue reading
