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. March 2019 Overall Thoughts After a slow start to 2019, March finally seemed to kick things … Continue reading
Though he has yet to release a mini album, the holy quintet of SHINee solos is now complete with the arrival of Minho’s I’m Home (그래). The track comes only days before his enlistment, which will leave Taemin as the group’s only actively promoting member. It’s crazy how time flies. Even five years ago, it … 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. When looking at an album, one of the first things I … Continue reading
For fans of second-generation idol acts like myself, it seems like all we hear these days is farewell/going-on-hiatus tracks. Most are wistful ballads or “please don’t forget me” dirges, so it’s always refreshing to hear something more upbeat. As more and more SM Entertainment artists begin their mandatory military enlistment, the agency has done 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. February 2019 Overall Thoughts We’re deep in the winter doldrums, and that’s exactly what February’s K-pop … Continue reading
Many idol group members have gone solo, but few boast a singles run big enough for a top ten countdown. SHINee’s Taemin is one of those few, starting with his solo debut in 2014. His music borrows elements from SHINee’s repertoire, but draws on a different type of artistry. It’s at turns powerful, sexy, smooth … Continue reading
SHINee’s Key is slated for his mandatory military enlistment soon, but before going on hiatus he’s teased a repackage of his excellent debut album. Cold is a prelude to that, digitally released as part of SM Entertainment’s Station project. But unlike the retro-pop and EDM found on his album, the song is downbeat and emotional. … Continue reading
