In a July that has seen an unprecedented amount of downbeat, forgettable comebacks so far, DAY6 have returned to inject some life into the month. We last heard from the band in December, when they released the excellent Days Gone By. December releases tend to fade from memory this time of year, but Days still … Continue reading
With over 2,600 songs on my iPhone’s “K-Pop Singles” playlist, I thought it would be fun to add a bit of unpredictability to my song review posts. So as a result, we have the “Random Shuffle Review” feature. The rules are simple. I fire up my playlist, press “shuffle,” and whatever song plays first gets … Continue reading
With over 2,600 songs on my iPhone’s “K-Pop Singles” playlist, I thought it would be fun to add a bit of unpredictability to my song review posts. So as a result, we have the “Random Shuffle Review” feature. The rules are simple. I fire up my playlist, press “shuffle,” and whatever song plays first gets … Continue reading
With over 2,600 songs on my iPhone’s “K-Pop Singles” playlist, I thought it would be fun to add a bit of unpredictability to my song review posts. So as a result, we have the “Random Shuffle Review” feature. The rules are simple. I fire up my playlist, press “shuffle,” and whatever song plays first gets … Continue reading
Rookie boy group 1TEAM debuted this March with a laid-back hip-hop sound that left me thoroughly underwhelmed. Judging from their new single and all of the b-sides they’ve released so far, this chill, heavily Western-influenced vibe will become the group’s signature style. If that’s the case, I’m afraid 1TEAM’s music will not be for me. … Continue reading
Whatever your opinion on Sori’s solo music may be, everyone can agree that she’s paid her dues within the K-pop industry. Her career thus far has been a constant series of starts and stops. Her quirky duo CocoSori disbanded earlier this year. A potential MIXNINE-spawned girl group was never given the opportunity to debut at … Continue reading
Pepsi certainly has some sway over the K-pop market, don’t they? Last month, they gave Ong Seungwoo a solo (semi) debut with the Energetic rip-off Heart Sign, and now they’ve gathered two popular idols from different agencies for a performance-focused duet. Cool Love brings together Hongbin from VIXX and Hyungwon from Monsta X. Neither idols … Continue reading
Rookie girl group Nature have mostly flown under the radar so far, but they’re slowly developing a fun, bubblegum pop discography that points toward even better things to come. Looking back, last year’s Allegro Cantabile and You’ll Be Mine were both working out the kinks in preparation for a song like I’m So Pretty (내가 … Continue reading
As EXO starts to transition into a military enlistment-driven era that will undoubtedly see less group comebacks, the members have been branching out with solo projects and sub-units. As expected, this music has been tailored to each members’ personal taste and skill set. This meant way too many ballads for Chen. And now, it means … Continue reading
Whether they like it or not, the debut of new boy group Limitless will instantly be overpowered by the presence of Jang Moonbok’s presence in its line-up. Moonbok became a lightning rod for media attention throughout the first few episodes of Produce 101 Season Two, but the novelty quickly faded and he was eliminated mid-way … Continue reading
With over 2,600 songs on my iPhone’s “K-Pop Singles” playlist, I thought it would be fun to add a bit of unpredictability to my song review posts. So as a result, we have the “Random Shuffle Review” feature. The rules are simple. I fire up my playlist, press “shuffle,” and whatever song plays first gets … Continue reading
Ha Sungwoon was one of the first out of the gate with a post-Wanna One solo debut, and was handsomely rewarded for it. I wasn’t a fan of Bird at all, but the Korean public seemed to eat it up. As his new summer comeback began to loom on the horizon, I couldn’t imagine the … Continue reading
Such is the selling power of BTS that they don’t even have to rap or sing on a track to make waves. Heize’s new single was co-written/produced by Suga, and her agency wants you to know it. This isn’t to say that Heize needs much help in the promotion department. Her idiosyncratic voice and smooth … 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. Perhaps unfairly, I imagined that a 2019 full-length album from Ailee … Continue reading
So, the million dollar question is: what is a De-aeseohsta? Yes, it’s a Romanization of the Korean title (디에세오스타) of Honey Popcorn’s new single, but that doesn’t shed much light on the meaning. From what I can tell, it’s a word (phrase?) that doesn’t naturally translate to English. So… I’ve got nothing. Yes, I just … Continue reading
As popular as BTS are around the world, I’m surprised that their Japanese-language material hasn’t felt more essential. For me, the best thing to come out of their J-pop discography isn’t Japanese at all. Instead, it’s the galvanizing ‘Stadium Remix’ of Korean single IDOL (ie: my now-definitive version of the track). Barring a couple of … Continue reading
It’s been three long years since the release of Ailee’s last album, and even longer since she’s given us something relentlessly uptempo. My favorite Ailee song will always be the mighty U&I, which positioned her as a Beyonce-like superstar fusing undeniable attitude with unmistakable vocal talent. Just because you’ve got an amazing voice doesn’t mean … Continue reading
I’m tired of writing about farewell singles. It feels like we’ve had an inordinate amount of idols enlisting in the military this year, and most of them have ushered in their hiatus with a sentimental goodbye track for the fans. I don’t enjoy being critical of these songs. I know how much it stings to … Continue reading
Over the past few years, GFriend have started to branch out when it comes to their sound. Gone are the days of Iggy/Youngbae-produced title tracks, replaced with a rotating list of composers intent on pulling new elements into the core GFriend style. This mix-and-match strategy has largely been successful, though it threatens to steer the … Continue reading
One of K-pop’s most coveted holy grails is the long-rumored f(x) comeback. Or, maybe it’s more of an urban legend — often discussed, but never actually coming to fruition. Like many agencies, SM Entertainment seems to have a hard time managing more than one girl group at once, so rather than continue f(x)’s powerful legacy, … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 