I was not impressed with girl group Matilda’s debut back in March, but I was hoping they’d pull a KNK and blow me away with the follow up. While Summer Again is leagues better as a song, the girls still have some work to do in order to create the pop masterpiece I know they … Continue reading
It’s been a long wait for Infinite fans. I’ve made no excuses for my bias towards them and their music, and I had totally pumped myself up for a July comeback only to hear that it would be postponed to late summer or fall. Luckily, they’ve thrown us a bone in the form of That … Continue reading
It’s been several years since SE7EN has released new material, and a large part of that gap included his mandatory military service. First comebacks after enlistment are always a big deal, but I’m Good also marks his first work since splitting from YG Entertainment. Operating as an independent artist allows SE7EN more musical freedom, but … Continue reading
I was so looking forward to this release. Back in April, NCT U impressed with The 7th Sense and utterly blew me away with Without You. And as I’ve gotten to know more about the guys in the group, they’re a rookie project that I’ve been anticipating more and more. NCT 127 (named for Seoul’s … Continue reading
Most of the time, a kpop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-sides deserve recognition, too. In the singles-oriented world of kpop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. Seventeen’s Very Nice repackage is really a brilliant piece of pop … Continue reading
Few k-pop stars bring the drama the way Shinee’s Taemin does. I’ve been a massive fan of his solo material from the start, so hearing that he would release a Japanese mini album later this month was a very nice surprise. I’d be lying if I said the ballad-meets-dubstep nature of Sayonara Hitori (さよならひとり) is … Continue reading
Wonder Girls’ Reboot was my favorite full length k-pop album of 2015, and this is coming from someone who had never really been a massive fan in the past. I’m delighted that they’re keeping with their new band formation, but I worried when it was announced that Why So Lonely would be primarily reggae-based. I … Continue reading
I’m not gonna lie, I was a little worried when it was announced that Beast would be coming back with not one, but two ballad tracks. For a group that needed a bump after member Hyunseung left, I was really hoping they’d return with a dance track as epic as Good Luck or Shadow. But … Continue reading
Seventeen are back with a repackage of their first studio album. This April’s Pretty U grew on me immensely, becoming more addictive with each play. New single Very Nice (아주 NICE) is the exact opposite, offering an instant burst of funk-inspired pop magic. It’s yet another step in this group’s unstoppable rise to the top. … Continue reading
Four-member girl group Melody Day have returned after last year’s surprisingly solid Speed Up and switched the sound up a bit with Color (깔로). They’re a group searching for their defining moment in order to stand out against the incredibly stiff competition. I’m not sure Color will do much to skyrocket their careers, but it’s a … Continue reading
Though I didn’t rate it quite as high as I should have back in February, Astro’s debut Hide & Seek has quickly become one of my favorite songs of the year. They bring a bright sense of pop melody to k-pop, and for that I’m very grateful. The trend continues with summer single Breathless (숨가빠). And … Continue reading
Though never releasing one as a title track, throughout the years VIXX have recorded some great ballads. I’m thinking especially of songs like Love Letter and this year’s Badbye. So when it was announced that their new Japanese single would be a ballad, I wasn’t overly concerned. But unfortunately, Hana-Kaze (Flower Wind) tends towards the … Continue reading
Of all the newly debuted girl groups, TS Entertainment’s Sonamoo has mostly passed me by. I found their debut underwhelming, but thought Cushion was a step in the right direction, at least melodically. With I Like U Too Much (넘나 좋은 것), they’ve assimilated into the current cutesy trend, losing some of their identity along … Continue reading
By sheer number of releases alone, SM Entertainment has had quite a year. But despite being responsible for a handful of 2016’s best tracks, they’ve also fallen into a bit of a rut when it comes to repeating sounds. Their focus on international house beats worked brilliantly on Shinee’s View last year, but I can’t help … Continue reading
The oddly named Gugudan (Gu9udan) are the first girl group to debut under Jellyfish Entertainment, home to successful boy group VIXX. Given VIXX’s impressive track record and the fact that a few of Gugudan’s members were very successful on variety show Produce 101 earlier this year, many were curious to see what debut single Wonderland would … Continue reading
It’s rare that we get a pre-debut music video that’s not a solo or sub-unit. From what I’ve heard, Pledis Girlz (hopefully not their final name) will debut as a ten-member group. We doesn’t feature all ten members, but feels like a good indication of their color, especially since the girls directly participated in its composition. … Continue reading
One of my biggest annoyances of the past year or so in k-pop has been the lessening influence of classic producers like Brave Brothers, Sweetune, Thomas Troelsen and Yoo Young-Jin. Yes, we have newly popular talent in the form of Black Eyed Pilseung, LDN Noise and the Iggy/Youngbae duo, but my love of k-pop was fostered … Continue reading
Beast has already had quite a year so far. Coming off of a commercially underwhelming 2015 (by their high standards), they lost a member in Hyunseung, turning their reliable 6-member team into a five piece. They’re in desperate need of a shot in the arm, allowing them to remind Korea why they are one of … Continue reading
SM Entertainment keeps their solo comebacks chugging along with Starlight, which is a prerelease for Taeyeon’s second album. Title track Why promises something more informed by dance music, but Starlight takes a laid back approach. It also pairs Taeyeon with up-and-comer DEAN, which feels like a smart business move for both of them. In fact, … Continue reading
Let’s get the super-biased, personal stuff out of the way first. Last year, I found Romeo to be one of the most promising rookie groups based on their work with composing/producing team Sweetune. We don’t get to hear enough from Sweetune anymore, and I was thrilled that this group seemed to be building their sound … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 