To me, SF9 have always come across as musical chameleons. Their material is reliably polished and well-performed but doesn’t always have a distinct musical character. Instead, they flit between genres and often land on a winner. January’s Bibora was one of those lucky draws, gifting the guys a sleek dancepop confection that went on to … Continue reading
Apart from the status of Golden Child’s contract (by my count, their renewal deadline is in… nine days?), the biggest Woollim Entertainment mystery is which of its artists will be the first to break the agency’s dreaded three-track album curse. The last time a Woollim artist released more than three songs at once was all … Continue reading
I vastly underrated NMIXX’s January title track Dash, which quickly grew on me and just kept growing over the course of the year. When given great material, this group has unlimited potential. However, JYP Entertainment seems intent on throwing the musical encyclopedia at them, trying every angle they can to see what sticks. Pre-release SICKUHH … Continue reading
Fresh off a commanding stint as headliner at this year’s KCON, SHINee’s Taemin is back with his first release under BPM Entertainment. Moving agencies — especially from one as distinct as SM Entertainment — has the potential to alter the sound of an artist. Taemin has always held an idiosyncratic vision and thankfully BPM seems … Continue reading
Beyond the quality of the music, the number one thing that draws me to a newly debuted group is a unique perspective. Many of this new generation’s big names (TWS, BOYNEXTDOOR) have a specific sound and concept that carries even their weaker material. If any agency is poised to replicate this approach, it’s Mystic Story. … Continue reading
Girl group Mimiirose continue their once a year comeback schedule, with The Flowers Swayed (흔들리지 않고 피는 꽃이 어딨어) their first new single since last September’s Flirting. The song sees them towing the line between sparkly synthpop and the more reserved girl group sound that’s been dominating 2024. Choosing between these two influences, my taste … Continue reading
Fresh off the success of her recent single Rockstar, BLACKPINK’s Lisa is back with a big-name collaborator in tow. Spanish singer Rosalía makes for a compelling feature, herself a genre-bending, forward thinking popstar who can certainly match Lisa’s charisma. And as a song, New Woman is infinitely more interesting than its predecessor. However, “interesting” doesn’t … Continue reading
Comparing Fantagio Entertainment’s roll-out of Astro in 2016 and LUN8 in 2023-24 is like measuring a freight train against an old jalopy. Without frequent comebacks, robust promotion or a distinct sound, this group feels nebulous and underappreciated. And to make things worse, the music has rarely been that great. I’m sure LUN8 are very talented … Continue reading
I had the chance to catch Lucy on their recent world tour and they were everything I hoped they’d be: immensely talented, very personable and chock-full of excellent music. But even in that setting, I couldn’t help but notice that their older material hit hardest. Songs like Flare and Snooze have yet to be bettered … Continue reading
Hui showcased his funk flair with January’s Hmm Bop and has now extended that energy to summertime with new single Easy Dance. The song pairs him with fellow soloist Kwon Eunbi and was unveiled via a steamy performance at Daejeon’s Waterbomb festival. Even more than an idol, Hui has become known as an in-demand songwriter/producer, … Continue reading
As one of the earliest purveyors of K-pop’s tropical trend in 2017, KARD quickly developed a signature sound. That’s since shifted as they’ve explored a variety of approaches over the past five years. Hip-hop has been a notable touchstone and their results with the genre have been mixed. New single Tell My Momma takes a … Continue reading
Well, this is unique. Prior to his official solo debut album later this month, NCT’s Jaehyun has pre-released two tracks and filmed a music video that teases each of them. I’m not sure how to review what’s essentially a medley, so I’ll take each song one at a time. Dandelion This is billed as the … Continue reading
I’m sure I’ve mentioned this before, but Hyolyn has one of those K-pop voices that stops me in my tracks. It’s instantly recognizable and carries so much nostalgia and sentiment. Because of this, I tend to hold her music to an almost impossible standard. I mean, the songs must live up to that perfect voice, … Continue reading
Acts within the extended HYBE universe don’t often lack promotion, but fromis_9 are an exception. Perhaps it’s their late move to Pledis Entertainment or that agency’s history of struggles with girl groups, but fromis_9 have fallen into the dreaded “one comeback a year” pattern. Whenever an artist’s discography starts to dwindle, it becomes vital that … Continue reading
I don’t often review trot music, but new unit Atlantis Kitsune may be of interest to more casual K-pop fans. One of its members is Kim Sohee of disbanded girl group Nature. Nature’s most exciting material had a silly, trot-like energy at times, so the move makes sense. Atlantis Kitsune pairs her with Japanese singer … Continue reading
Just a few songs into their career, Catch The Young have displayed a sonic versatility. Their music has a ton of potential, but often feels undercut by limited ambition and hesitant execution. Watching the teasers for Dream It, I hoped the group would return to the 80’s cheese of their debut. Unfortunately, that decade turns … Continue reading
GOT7’s members have gone on to enjoy a variety of solo careers, exploring various fields and markets. Among them, BamBam has had an interesting — if unbalanced — discography. New single Last Parade throws that sense of inconsistency into a single song. It’s at once thrilling and frustrating. Opening with the fanfare of a choir, … Continue reading
“Bang & Jung & Yoo & Moon” is a mouthful of a unit name and balks at K-pop’s love for catchy acronyms, but older fans will likely recognize the (shortened) names as members of boy group B.A.P. They debuted in 2012 and went on to have a rocky relationship with their agency. After defying the … Continue reading
It’s been a busy summer for K-pop acts releasing Japanese music. Xikers is the latest group to venture into this market with the release of their first original J-pop single Tsuki (Lunatic). The song is composed by the usual KQ Entertainment suspects, ensuring continuity with their Korean discography. In fact, it feels like a natural … Continue reading
On top of their hit-filled Korean discography, IVE are quickly establishing a solid string of Japanese singles. Crush is their follow-up to last year’s Wave, a song I enjoyed and one that already seems to be a fan favorite. Now, the group has returned to the grand pop sound of highlights I Am and Love … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 