NCT Wish are set to release their first full album in a week’s time, and like so many idol groups they’re teasing it with a pre-release. I’ve had a love or hate relationship with Wish’s music so far, with many of their tracks (and the execution of those tracks) leaving me cold. Sticky is certainly … Continue reading
Tag Archives: sm
Song Review: Donghae (Super Junior) – Good Day (ft. Jay Park & 1iL)
Super Junior remains one of the most active groups of their stature, routinely releasing new music as a collective and as soloists. Today, Donghae is back with a new album of his own, collaborating with Jay Park and 1iL for its title track Good Day. As its title suggests, this is an upbeat, sunny stomper … Continue reading
THIS WEEK IN K-POP: Ranking the New Releases from March 29 – April 4
At the end of each month, I compile my top three K-pop title tracks and list a ton of honorable mentions. But each Sunday, I’ll offer a compendium of the week’s new releases featured on the blog. And even more than that, I’ll attempt to rank them from my least-to-most-liked. I invite you to share … Continue reading
Battle of the Title Tracks: BoA’s “Copy & Paste” vs. Chakra’s “ Oh! My Boy” vs. Hello Venus’s “Sticky Sticky”
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
Song Review: Irene (Red Velvet) – Biggest Fan
Red Velvet’s group work may be quite infrequent at this stage in their career, but a full album from member Irene should tide some fans over. She made her solo debut in 2024 and has also been active in a sub-unit with fellow member Seulgi, but a full project like this affords extra opportunity to … Continue reading
New & Noteworthy J-pop of the Week (March 1, 2026)
In connection with my desire to fully keep up with the J-pop industry, I’m planning to do a weekly round-up of any new releases that have caught my ear. Some of these may have been covered on the blog already, but my hope is that this will become a one-stop shop for anyone interested in … Continue reading
Song Review: NCT JNJM – Both Sides
Even as its members begin to enlist, NCT’s enormous universe guarantees there will be plenty of music regardless of how many performers may be on hiatus. As the brand’s youngest group, NCT Dream is still very much active, but even they have joined in on the sub-unit approach with NCT JNJM — a duo consisting … Continue reading
THIS WEEK IN K-POP: Ranking the New Releases from February 15 – 21
At the end of each month, I compile my top three K-pop title tracks and list a ton of honorable mentions. But each Sunday, I’ll offer a compendium of the week’s new releases featured on the blog. And even more than that, I’ll attempt to rank them from my least-to-most-liked. I invite you to share … Continue reading
New & Noteworthy J-pop of the Week (February 22, 2026)
In connection with my desire to fully keep up with the J-pop industry, I’m planning to do a weekly round-up of any new releases that have caught my ear. Some of these may have been covered on the blog already, but my hope is that this will become a one-stop shop for anyone interested in … Continue reading
Song Review: Hearts2Hearts – RUDE!
As SM Entertainment’s bid for fifth-gen girl group domination, Hearts2Hearts had a slow start but have charted progressively better with each comeback. New single RUDE! arrives with plenty of hype, not only because of the group’s potential but also because it finally breaks a late-winter hiatus for the industry. So far, my favorite Hearts2Hearts track … Continue reading
Song Review: RIIZE – All Of You
Of all the K-pop agencies, SM Entertainment boasts the largest legacy in the Japanese market. J-pop discographies from BoA, TVXQ, Girls Generation and SHINee match or eclipse their Korean counterparts, as the company invested in Japan early. However, the past few years have seen a more scattershot approach. New releases are infrequent — especially from … Continue reading
THIS WEEK IN K-POP: Ranking the New Releases from February 8 – 14
At the end of each month, I compile my top three K-pop title tracks and list a ton of honorable mentions. But each Sunday, I’ll offer a compendium of the week’s new releases featured on the blog. And even more than that, I’ll attempt to rank them from my least-to-most-liked. I invite you to share … Continue reading
New & Noteworthy J-pop of the Week (February 15, 2026)
In connection with my desire to fully keep up with the J-pop industry, I’m planning to do a weekly round-up of any new releases that have caught my ear. Some of these may have been covered on the blog already, but my hope is that this will become a one-stop shop for anyone interested in … Continue reading
The Top Three K-Pop Songs of January 2026
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. January 2026 Overall Thoughts January can be quite exciting for new music. After a year has … Continue reading
THIS WEEK IN K-POP: Ranking the New Releases from January 18 – 24
At the end of each month, I compile my top three K-pop title tracks and list a ton of honorable mentions. But each Sunday, I’ll offer a compendium of the week’s new releases featured on the blog. And even more than that, I’ll attempt to rank them from my least-to-most-liked. I invite you to share … Continue reading
EXO REVERXE: In-Depth Album Review – Flatline
EXO have been inaugurated into my “K-Pop A-Z” feature, which means anything they release automatically gets a full review. To be honest, I’ve regretted that rule over the past few years since I haven’t vibed with the group’s albums since 2018. Is there new work REVERXE any different? Read on to find out! 1. Crown … Continue reading
EXO REVERXE: In-Depth Album Review – Touch & Go
EXO have been inaugurated into my “K-Pop A-Z” feature, which means anything they release automatically gets a full review. To be honest, I’ve regretted that rule over the past few years since I haven’t vibed with the group’s albums since 2018. Is there new work REVERXE any different? Read on to find out! 1. Crown … Continue reading
K-Pop Risers & Fallers: January 2026
Rather than contain my “Risers and Fallers” feature to a single post in June, I’m going to share a bite-sized version at the end of each month. This will let me account for more songs and make a nice lead-in to the monthly round-up post. I anticipate most of these ratings adjustments will be negligible: … Continue reading
EXO REVERXE: In-Depth Album Review – Back Pocket
EXO have been inaugurated into my “K-Pop A-Z” feature, which means anything they release automatically gets a full review. To be honest, I’ve regretted that rule over the past few years since I haven’t vibed with the group’s albums since 2018. Is there new work REVERXE any different? Read on to find out! 1. Crown … Continue reading