U-Kiss has had a career arc that feels somehow unfulfilled. Despite being a veteran idol group (they debuted all the way back in 2008), their prominence in Korea has really plummeted as they’ve focused their attention on Japan instead. Because of this, they’re a group that many forget actually still exists. This isn’t fair, but it just … Continue reading
Well, good luck focusing on the song when you have that music video. Borrowing a page from most k-dramas, the nearly seven minute video for Already Winter doesn’t opt for subtlety when it can instead bludgeon its characters’ emotions (and in this case, bodies as well). I’m not sure I’ve seen a kpop music video so dark and … Continue reading
As a former member of girl group Kara, it’s ironic that Nicole has been giving us more Kara-esque releases over the past few years than Kara itself. This is due, in part, to her continuing work with Sweetune, whose bright, poppy style is ideally suited for the Japanese market. As I’ve mentioned before, Sweetune are my absolute … Continue reading
I’ve been a massive fan of pretty much everything GOT7 has released in Korea. Given this, I’m continually baffled with how utterly terrible their Japanese singles have been in comparison. Other than one or two tracks, their jpop persona might as well be that of a completely different band. Yo Moriagatte Yo is the lead track from … Continue reading
I was one of the (very) few who didn’t care for Taeyeon’s solo debut, I. I understand why it was such a big hit, and why so many loved it. My qualms came down to personal taste more than anything. Still, the fact that I was less enamored than most led me to approach Rain without … Continue reading
Yoo Seungwoo rose to fame as part of Korea’s Superstar K audition program. Like many singer-songwriter types, the show afforded him the kind of break usually reserved for more traditional idol groups. Last year, he signed with Starship Entertainment, which is better known for its hip-hop and r&b-oriented artists, as well as being home to … Continue reading
I have a slight confession to make. Of all the major kpop girl groups, I’ve just never been able to get into 4minute’s music, and I find that baffling. I did love their entire Crazy mini album last year and Hyuna’s Red was one of my favorite tracks of 2014. They have so many of … Continue reading
Alongside their two group title tracks (Baby Baby and Sentimental), Winner has also released a solo from youngest member Nam Taehyun. Taehyun previously gave us the sweet, brittle Confession from the group’s debut album. But I’m Young does it one better, taking on darker, more nuanced territory. When writing about a song, I try not to … Continue reading
Winner has come back with no less than three title tracks, and the promise of more to come throughout the year. Of the three, Baby Baby probably makes the most impact, while Sentimental is happy being a looser, more fun addition to their discography. The track plays with Winner’s image and essentially turns them into an … Continue reading
When it became clear that both Winner and iKON were going to be active under YG at the same time, many were concerned how each group would differentiate themselves from the other. Now that we’ve had multiple comebacks from both, I think it’s safe to say that Winner has carved out its own specific niche … Continue reading
Mamamoo can sing. They’ve shown us that over and over again. They can also perform the hell out of a song. In this way, they’re a very different idol group than most. In fact, they have more in common with the golden age of Motown than with the kpop world. And just like Motown, their … Continue reading
R&B singer Dean (often stylized DΞΔN) is the new kid of the block who seems poised to gain a lot of traction this year. He’s written great tracks for EXO and Vixx, among others, and has been steadily collaborating with other artists over the past year or so. But, when it comes to his solo … Continue reading
Unpretty Rapstar has become the variety show that keeps on churning out hits over the past year or so. It’s rare to find a series so young, yet so able to create (or reconfigure) stars. To be honest, I never finished season two, though I have watched enough to know that Fiestar’s Yezi, with her breathless … Continue reading
After the massive solo success Super Junior’s Kyuhyun has received, it only made sense that another of the group’s vocal line should release a solo. As a vocalist, Ryeowook has a completely different style than Kyuhyun, which heightened interest in how The Little Prince would sound. Fortunately, the song gives Ryeowook’s light tenor plenty of … Continue reading
SUS4 debuted last year without much fanfare, and have since lost two members to become a three-piece. None of this is particularly encouraging news, but they’re back with their second digital single Pick Me Up. This time around, the girls have gone for a lighter version of the upbeat, girly pop that’s made groups like … Continue reading
IMFACT is a new boy group from the infamous Star Empire agency, also home to acts like ZE:A and Nine Muses. I’m a big fan of both of those groups, though I realize that their debut songs were less than amazing. IMFACT continues this pattern, making a bizarre debut with Lollipop. The song attempts to … 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 wanted to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. Airplane is a song from f(x)’s 2013 album Pink Tape. It’s … Continue reading
As stylish and charismatic a figure as Kim Jaejoong is within the Korean entertainment industry, I’ve always found his solo music to be melodically lightweight. Other than the heavy goth concept of Mine, none of his past singles felt particularly impactful. That’s not to say that they’re bad. It’s more an admission that, to me at … Continue reading
Road Boyz impressed me with their debut track Show Me Bang Bang last November, and now they’re back with follow-up single Be My Love. Despite being from a small agency without many resources for promotion, they’ve managed, at least, to secure the most important aspect: good songs. Be My Love won’t win any awards for … Continue reading
VIXX has recently embarked on a push into Japan, and Depend On Me is their second original Japanese single. I thought the first, Can’t Say, was a catchy piece of pop and was happy with the general direction they were going, but Depend On Me does it one step better. VIXX is well known for … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 