You’ll never see me advocating for K-pop trends. Longtime readers will know that cut-and-paste trendiness (often of the tropical variety) has been one of my biggest criticisms of the industry as a whole. That extends to this burgeoning Latin trend, which may easily sink its teeth into the next few years of K-pop’s future. I … 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 wanted to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. It’s confounding when the best singles are unleashed upon the world … Continue reading
It may seem like DAY6 have cornered the market on emotive idol rock, but The Rose are slowly building a passionate fan base that positions them well for future releases. However, I still need more convincing before I jump on the bandwagon. April’s Baby offered a flash of potential, undercut by its affected vocals and … Continue reading
Sistar’s Hyolyn released two of this summer’s highlights, which shouldn’t come as a surprise. Her performance style is perfectly suited to the season. But as we transition to fall, it’s Soyou’s turn to shine. Her music has always carried a more relaxed vibe, and her breathy tone acts as an ideal autumnal soundtrack. With All … Continue reading
Though Girls’ Generation don’t often promote as a full group anymore, SM Entertainment has leveraged their success for a variety of solos and sub-units. This has mostly consisted of albums by leader Taeyeon, but now it’s time for Yuri to take a shot at solo stardom. Apart from her work with the group, she’s found … Continue reading
It hasn’t even been a week since the release of SM Station’s Red Velvet-meets-GFriend-meets-(G)I-DLE-meets-Chungha supergroup, and we already have another unlikely collaboration on our hands. S.O.U.L is a little different, combining actors and idols for the soundtrack of upcoming Youtube Red drama Top Management. The biggest name here is probably Astro’s Cha Eunwoo, with actor … Continue reading
I didn’t review Noir’s debut track — mostly because it felt more like noise than an actual song — but I’m always up for a new rookie group. And by making it to a second mini album, Noir have already released more material than many of their newly-debuted peers. From its title alone, it’s hard … Continue reading
Nu’est W’s Dejavu has become one of the year’s biggest growers for me. The same thing happened with last October’s Where You At. Initially, I found the group’s reinvented sound to be a bit too trendy, but the songwriting has held up. If any qualms still remain, it’s that their material always seems to veer … Continue reading
The tried-and-true melancholic hip-hop ballad has been a staple of YG Entertainment’s discography for many years, but it feels like it’s been a while since we’ve heard a new one. Goodbye Road (이별길) fits neatly within this template, and is the first real ballad iKON has promoted since 2015’s Apology. Road makes a nice bookend … Continue reading
With new Korean enlistment laws going into effect, VIXX are approaching that precarious moment when some of its members will have to take an extended leave from the group. Whether the guys enlist one at a time or all together, Reincarnation will likely be their final 6-member Japanese comeback for awhile. It’s no surprise that … Continue reading
In a wonderfully K-popian move, RBW Entertainment is embarking on a year-long project to debut two new groups — a dance act (ONEUS) and a band (ONEWE). To kick off this ambitious roll-out, the guys have combined for an anthemic duet. Last Song plays more strongly to the band side of things, but presents a promising … Continue reading
“Seulgi X SinB X Chungha X Soyeon” is quite a mouthful of a name for a project group! Honestly, though, I can see why SM Entertainment would want to highlight each and every performer in this temporary supergroup. It’s not every day that this level of star power is harnessed for one track. It almost … 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 wanted to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. WM Entertainment’s debut-year plan for ONF has been kind of frustrating. … Continue reading
Despite not having a monthly release schedule like they did last year, DAY6 has still been plenty busy in 2018. They may have only made one Korean comeback, but Breaking Down is now their third Japanese single in seven months, unveiled ahead of their first full J-rock album to be released next month. Breaking Down follows … 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 wanted to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. When I see the title “I-Yah,” I instantly think of Boyfriend’s … Continue reading
Girl group S.I.S debuted over a year ago with the underrated I’ve Got A Feeling, but quickly got sucked into the orbit of KBS’ idol rebooting show The Unit. I’m not sure how a newly debuted group would need “rebooting,” but it doesn’t seem like the show did much for the girls except delay their … Continue reading
Thinking back to K-pop’s most successful debuts, one factor remains the same. If you’re supported by a big agency, your chances of breaking through skyrocket. Everyone else has to fight for scraps, with the odd act making a name for themselves via a combination of perfect timing and luck. New boy group Lucente faces an … Continue reading
2018 has been pretty light on debuts from K-pop’s bigger agencies, making me wonder if the industry’s rapid proliferation has started to slow. This is advantageous for rookies currently seeking to prove themselves, but there are few things more exciting than a knockout debut. I’m cautiously optimistic that Jellyfish Entertainment’s new boy group VERIVERY will … Continue reading
Ever since GFriend’s 2015 debut, fans have eagerly awaited their inevitable push into Japan. After all, their Korean material already borrows heavily from J-pop tropes, so much so that early hit Me Gustas Tu functioned just as well as a Japanese release. But until Memoria, the girls had yet to deliver an original J-pop track. … Continue reading
Over the past few years, K-pop has become fascinated with trilogies and conceptual series. So many groups have debuted under this release schedule, building a cohesive sound through interconnected albums before venturing out to new horizons. Dreamcatcher used their Nightmare series to cement an aggressive, rock-fueled style, and this has resulted in a passionate (if … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 