The release of a group’s first full-length album is a big deal, but the roll-out for SF9’s First Collection has felt simultaneously rushed and muted. Today was an especially confusing landmark, as we received the track list, highlight medley and music video all within hours of each other. And, the album’s not even out until … Continue reading
With another year of KCON behind me, I’m feeling recharged. This is something I needed after a lackluster K-pop summer. Though KCON seemed a bit cursed at the beginning (both ONEUS and Chungha had to cancel, following Everglow who pulled out weeks earlier), it turned out to be a great year. It’s my fifth KCON … Continue reading
SF9 have always struck me as the quintessential, generic boy group. Talented, yes, but without a defining style or concept that would make them memorable. Their singles tend to feel like the kind of grab bag fare doled out on survival shows like Produce 101. You get the sense that any K-pop group could tackle … Continue reading
While it’s certainly not the only factor in making a successful idol group, I’ve always thought that a distinct sound and concept is important. As solid as SF9’s singles run has been, I struggle with the haphazard nature of their discography. On one hand, they should be applauded for attempting a diverse spectrum of styles. … Continue reading
Most of the time, a k-pop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of k-pop, I wanted to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. For a group that I don’t follow all that closely, I … 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. July 2018 Overall Thoughts I’ve always seen the month of July as the pinnacle of each … Continue reading
Over the course of their young career, SF9 have tackled a number of concepts. This constant shift in sounds may make it difficult for casual listeners to get into their music, but it’s proven the group’s impressive versatility. With new single Now Or Never (질렀어), the guys are tackling a genre they call “dark pop,” … Continue reading
Most of the time, a k-pop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-side tracks deserve recognition, too. In the singles-oriented world of k-pop, I wanted to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. I’ve gone back and forth in my opinion about SF9’s … Continue reading
Since their debut in 2016, SF9 have flirted with a variety of genres and sounds. With October’s O Sole Mio they seemed poised for a breakout, exploring the kind of Latin influences that had been conquering the global music scene for months. Because of this, it’s surprising to hear that they’ve pulled a one eighty … Continue reading
Hundreds (if not thousands) of songs are released each year in Korea, but only a fraction receive full title track promotion. This leaves behind many buried treasures in need of a spotlight. Here are forty of 2017’s best: + Make sure to check out the rest of the year-end countdowns here! 40. TWICE – 24/7 A … 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. October 2017 Overall Thoughts October matched February with 2017’s highest cumulative rating thus far, and I’m not … Continue reading
Most of the time, a kpop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-side tracks 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. So far, I’ve found SF9’s album releases to be of … Continue reading
SF9 only debuted a year ago and have already experimented with a number of styles. Switching things up again, their new single finds them trading hip-hop and EDM for Spanish guitars. Latin music has long been a familiar excursion for boy bands of the West, but its influence is far more unusual when it comes to … Continue reading
Last year, I marked the halfway point of 2016 by looking at some tracks that had either grown better or worse with time. This year, I’m a little late — but better late than never! As with 2016, the vast majority of my reviews still reflect my thoughts about a song, but sometimes it’s impossible … Continue reading
If there’s anything I’ve learned from covering pop music for over a decade, it’s that songwriters and collaborators are just as important as the artists themselves. Though they often work behind the scenes, this feature is a chance to shine the light on some of k-pop’s most innovative and accomplished producers and composers. ERIK LIDBOM … Continue reading
Breakout rookies SF9 are wasting no time establishing themselves, releasing a new mini album just two months after the last one. Thus far, the group has adopted an aggressive hip-hop style with mixed results, but for Easy Love (쉽다) they’ve switched it up quite a bit. This is SF9 as melodic as we’ve ever heard … 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. February 2017 Overall Thoughts If I could describe February with only one word, it would be “consistent.” … Continue reading
Most of the time, a kpop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-side tracks 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. When SF9 secured the path to their eventual debut on … Continue reading
Though it grew on me a bit as time went on, I’m still not a big fan of SF9’s debut single. Regardless of that, the group has already cultivated a nice fan base out of the gate and are clearly on the track to become a big player in this new generation of k-pop. New … Continue reading
Thus far, FNC Entertainment has been known primarily for its rock groups FTIsland and CNBLUE, as well as girl group AOA (who technically started with a band concept). Much… erm… “fanfare” has been made around the debut of the agency’s first male dance act, SF9. Debuts are a tricky thing, and often end up being … Continue reading
