After the disbandment of Wanna One, we’ve seen many of the group’s members make solo debuts, but we’ve yet to see what happens when several of them come together under a new moniker. Apart from Nu’est (which is its own special case), AB6IX will likely be the first time we learn how popular this post-Wanna … Continue reading
Yoon Jisung has made a quick turnaround with his second release after the disbandment of Wanna One. Because of his age, Jisung must begin serving his mandatory military conscription next month, which doesn’t leave much time to develop a solo career. It was definitely smart to strike while the iron is hot. I just wish … Continue reading
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
Compared to this time last year, 2019 has seen a disturbing lack of Sweetune. You can imagine how well this has gone over with me. So unlike everyone else on the planet, salivating for Twice’s new comeback, I was off in a tiny corner of the internet waiting with bated breath for Beautiful (아름다워) — … Continue reading
The month of April has been unusually slow for K-pop releases, punctuated only by new music from some of the industry’s leading acts. BLACKPINK and BTS have already delivered their comebacks (to varying degrees of musical success), and now it’s time for Twice. I’ve always enjoyed Twice’s music, but it rarely finds its way to … 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
For many years, Apink have released a special fan song on the anniversary of their debut. It’s to the group’s credit that these tracks have played around with a variety of genres. It would have been easy to churn out one sentimental ballad after another, but that hasn’t happened. The teaser for new single Everybody … Continue reading
Over the last few years, mixtapes have become an increasingly bigger focus in the development of idol groups. Most of the time, the rapper position in these groups is limited by the needs of a title track. There’s not a whole lot of opportunity to get personal or specific, which explains the generic, swaggy nature … 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
When it comes to new K-pop releases, April has been unusually slow — like… practically barren. The triple punch of BLACKPINK, BTS and Twice seems to have scared everyone else away, leaving only the rookiest of rookies to write about. Usually, girl group Hashtag would be too under-the-radar to warrant a full review on this … Continue reading
With each Great Guys review I write, I feel obligated to repeat how awful I think their group name is. Seriously, it’s gotta be the worst K-pop name out there right now. It felt particularly out of place when coupled with the group’s last single, which took on a darker, theatrical concept similar to acts … Continue reading
Since opening Label SJ (a sub-label supported by SM Entertainment), Super Junior have taken a more active role in the production of their music. This is (understandably) the ultimate goal for many idol artists, but it doesn’t always end up creating the strongest material. In Super Junior’s case, the added input has resulted in an … 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. Song for song, BTS’ Map Of The Soul: Persona is a … Continue reading
