Whenever writing about boy group KJRGL, it’s my civic duty to remind you that that acronym stands for “Kind (of) Just Right Good Luck”. I just love that nonsense. This group is Japanese but co-managed by Sony Music Entertainment Korea. Because of this, their music tends to have a very K-pop sound and that continues … Continue reading
A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. 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. Every boy group worth their salt … Continue reading
As a spin-off to my Battle of the B-sides feature, I’m pleased to announce the arrive of “Battle of the Title Tracks!” In this feature, I’ll be pitting three K-pop title tracks/singles against each other and choosing a winner. These songs will mostly be from pre-2016 since I’ll try to focus on music I haven’t … Continue reading
(G)I-DLE’s Minnie released her solo debut album last week, led by two promoted tracks that did little for me. However, the album grows stronger as it goes on, climaxing with its best song. That song has now been given its own video featuring WayV’s Ten, who duets with Minnie on Obsession. I can’t claim to … Continue reading
Super Junior’s Eunhyuk made his idol debut nearly twenty years ago. Across those decades, he’s been active in sub-units and even released a couple solo tracks. However, he’s never delivered a solo album. With the release of Explorer, he’s finally taken the plunge. And like any artist should, he’s taken this opportunity to develop a … Continue reading
New K-pop releases are usually telegraphed well in advance. Surprise drops are still relatively rare. BLACKPINK’s Jennie recently announced a solo album scheduled for March, but pre-release track ZEN arrives with no warning on a day and time artists don’t often release new music. It’s fun to be caught off balance for once — especially … Continue reading
K-pop is littered with acts who – for one reason or another – didn’t get the full spotlight they deserved. I’ve spent plenty of time ranking and reviewed the industry’s biggest artists, but these underrated acts should never be forgotten. This feature will take a look at disbanded groups and rank/rate their entire singles run, … Continue reading
Sandwiched between Western and Lunar New Year, January has been pretty dry when it comes to new music. And, most of what’s been released hasn’t felt particularly noteworthy. In many ways, it’s as if we’ve simply kicked the start of 2025 down the road, finally ready to open the floodgates next month. If that’s the … Continue reading
K-pop’s title tracks might gain most of listeners’ attention, but many album tracks are worth equal spotlight. I call these “buried treasures.” Beyond this, K-pop’s albums deliver thousands of additional tracks that settle for a more limited audience. It’s these songs that will become a part of my “battle of the b-sides” feature. In this … Continue reading
(G)I-DLE’s Minnie pre-released a song from her new album earlier this month and now its title track HER has been unveiled as she makes her official solo debut. She’s the fourth member of the group to venture out on her own, and rather than reinvent the wheel HER sounds like something you’d hear on any … Continue reading
Mixed-gender group Genic have been one of my favorite J-pop acts for the past few years, and last year’s N_G album only cemented that. Unfortunately, since then I haven’t connected with any of their singles in the same way, making me worried for their upcoming album If. However, the splashy It’s Showtime gets us right … Continue reading
ZEROBASEONE are having a very busy start to the year. Days after their new Japanese single we have pre-release Doctor! Doctor!, to be followed by two EPs — one J-pop, one K-pop — in the near future. Judging by its exclamation-heavy title, you might expect Doctor! Doctor! to be some campy pop romp (at least, … Continue reading
After years of waiting since their stint on 2021’s competition show LOUD, KickFlip unveiled their frustratingly repetitive pre-release Umm Great earlier this month. And with the release of their mini album today, they become 2025’s first major debut act. As I stated back in Umm Great‘s review, I had hoped this group would balk current … Continue reading
GOT7 has been a good model for how you keep an idol group going even after its members have moved on to solo endeavors. All seven left JYP Entertainment in 2021 but have managed to come back together several times with new music. We haven’t heard from them since 2022, making the release of Python … Continue reading
Rookie boy group ALL(H)OURS has been in the news recently, as K-pop titan JYP Entertainment recently listed their agency as a subsidiary. I’m not sure what this means when it comes to company resources, but it does get their new release plum placement on JYP’s YouTube channel. Given this development, it’s the perfect time for … Continue reading
Intergenerational K-pop collaborations are usually reserved for special events like year-end festivals. But sometimes, these team-ups make their way into a recording studio so we can enjoy the music for longer. Pop legend Kim Wan Sun pre-dates the idea of “K-pop generations,” known as the Korean Madonna even before Seo Taiji & Boys came around … Continue reading
For their first full-length Drip, BABYMONSTER have benefitted from an old-fashioned album campaign. These promotions include a pre-release, a title track and multiple follow-ups. We don’t see this approach very often in K-pop anymore, and the finale of this new music video promises even more to come. Today, we have the mid-tempo Really Like You, … Continue reading
Angsty rock influences seem to be a major driving force in recent boy group material, following in the footsteps of TXT’s successful rock makeover in 2021. The latest group to mope around with guitars is WEi — an act who has changed styles more than once throughout their idol career. Unfortunately, new single Not Enough … Continue reading
It’s been a long seventeen month wait for us Sweetune aficionados. The production duo helmed NINE.i’s excellent Turn It Off in August 2023 and swiftly disappeared, briefly reappearing for forgettable H1-Key and DKZ b-sides last year. Now, they’re back in title track territory with BBGirls’ new single (and first under their new agency) Love 2. … Continue reading
I feel like I should open this review the exact same way I did the one for ZEROBASEONE’s new Japanese single moments ago. Like ZB1, &TEAM have worked their way into my core five new-gen boy groups, just below the trinity of TWS, RIIZE and BOYNEXTDOOR. Their music has become increasingly strong, harnessing a melodic … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 