After cutting loose and having fun with 2020’s underrated Got That Boom and 2021’s party-starting Fire Saturday, Secret Number retreated to played-out girl group tropes with this year’s disappointing Doomchita. They can only improve with new single Tap, and upbeat teasers seemed to hint at an energy that takes better advantage of the group’s strengths. … Continue reading
The odds are stacked against Secret Number’s Doomchita (둠치타) based on its title alone. Tracks with these weird onomatopoeia names tend to be as irritating as their sound effect suggests. Flash back to 2020 and this group had my attention with the effusive Got That Boom. Even earlier than that, their debut suggested a vocal-heavy … Continue reading
I never paid much attention to Secret Number until last year’s Got That Boom, which firmly planted itself on my playlist for over a month. That track was a great example of set-up and pay-off, with an explosive climax that made me want to hit ‘replay’ immediately after it had ended. For new single Fire … Continue reading
Well… 2020 was certainly different, wasn’t it? It was a year where the industry couldn’t function as usual, but that didn’t stop K-pop from churning out more music than ever. It was a year of unprecedented international success and rising album sales — just as most other music markets struggled to move physical product. It … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I look back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists. I take my own ratings into account, but there’s a bit of wiggle room as certain songs tend to grow or fade. November 2020 Overall Thoughts November was absolutely packed with releases, and though only one title track … Continue reading
Though they debuted with little hype, Secret Number caught my attention with strong vocals and a song that took advantage of that skill. I haven’t played Who Dis? all that often since its release in May, but I still have a soft spot for its straightforward arrangement and hearty delivery. New single Got That Boom … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I look back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists. I take my own ratings into account, but there’s a bit of wiggle room as certain songs tend to grow or fade. May 2020 Overall Thoughts Well… I’m officially worried. We’re almost halfway through the year, and at … Continue reading
This has been quite the week for girl group debuts, hasn’t it? REDSQUARE is the third new act to emerge in the space of forty-eight hours. And like Woo!ah! and Secret Number, they come from a relatively small agency without the kind of clout that would render them instant successes. But of the three groups, … Continue reading
Originally scheduled for debut in March, COVID-19 pushed back Secret Number’s first single album to May. And, as any new act is wont to do, they’re confidently asking us: Who Dis? Extra points for the intentionally bad spelling and grammar. But though that title might conjure images of cringe-inducing “hip-hop hands” and misguided hair styles, … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 