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
It’s hard to tell what Hearts2Hearts are aiming for during their debut year. Are they the new-gen SNSD redux many of us hoped for? Or, are they a moodier prospect with subdued sounds befitting K-pop’s current landscape? They can be both or course, but I’m craving a strong musical identity from the start. New title … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I compile my top three K-pop title tracks and list a ton of honorable mentions. In 2025, I thought I’d try something new and add a weekly feature to supplement my monthly round-up. Each Sunday, I’ll offer a compendium of the week’s new releases featured on the blog. And … Continue reading
U-Know’s first (!) full album is scheduled for early next month, but prior to that he’s dropped pre-release Body Language to offer a hint of what we might be in for. With over twenty years in the industry, he’s tried his hand at just about every genre you can imagine, but Body Language pairs him … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I compile my top three K-pop title tracks and list a ton of honorable mentions. In 2025, I thought I’d try something new and add a weekly feature to supplement my monthly round-up. Each Sunday, I’ll offer a compendium of the week’s new releases featured on the blog. And … Continue reading
K-pop’s title tracks might gain most of listeners’ attention, but many album tracks are worth equal spotlight. I call these “buried treasures.” Beyond this, K-pop’s albums deliver thousands of additional tracks that settle for a more limited audience. It’s these songs that will become a part of my “battle of the b-sides” feature. In this … Continue reading
Over the years, K-pop agencies have found ways to keep content coming even as male idols serve their mandatory military enlistment. NCT’s Taeyong won’t be discharged until later this year, but he pre-recorded a video for “new” track 501 and surprise-released it for fans eagerly awaiting his return. I can’t say I’ve been a big … 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. September 2025 Overall Thoughts We’ve hit the rare (?) double-header in K-pop with two back-to-back underwhelming … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I compile my top three K-pop title tracks and list a ton of honorable mentions. In 2025, I thought I’d try something new and add a weekly feature to supplement my monthly round-up. Each Sunday, I’ll offer a compendium of the week’s new releases featured on the blog. And … Continue reading
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
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
After a few underwhelming months, it seems as if K-pop’s comeback floodgates will burst open in October. Before that, we’re treated to a few pre-releases from artists slated to return next month. SM Entertainment’s Hearts2Hearts don’t yet have a mini or full album to their name and have presented conflicting sounds so far. The Chase … Continue reading
In a K-pop climate where everyone seems to be harnessing rock touchstones, EXO’s Suho has thrived on the genre for years. It’s been a sweet spot for his solo music and new title track Who Are You continues to paint him in this light. It’s a sprawling mid-tempo seemingly designed for road trip sing-alongs. This … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I compile my top three K-pop title tracks and list a ton of honorable mentions. In 2025, I thought I’d try something new and add a weekly feature to supplement my monthly round-up. Each Sunday, I’ll offer a compendium of the week’s new releases featured on the blog. And … Continue reading
A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. Sometimes, b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. Based on Wendy’s past solo work, … Continue reading
Red Velvet’s Wendy made her solo debut four years ago and most of her work has been some form of ballad (Wish You Hell notwithstanding). I’ve always been a proponent of big-voiced pop stars using that big voice over fast-paced, energetic material. There’s nothing better than power notes anchoring a banging dance track, and I’d … Continue reading
Nine years after debuting as part of NCT 127, Haechan is finally releasing an album of his own. He’s a huge R&B fan and worked with a small team of collaborators to craft a suite of songs that honor that genre. It’s a sign of shifting generations that the template for male soloists has gone … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I compile my top three K-pop title tracks and list a ton of honorable mentions. In 2025, I thought I’d try something new and add a weekly feature to supplement my monthly round-up. Each Sunday, I’ll offer a compendium of the week’s new releases featured on the blog. And … Continue reading
It may simply be my exhaustion with current K-pop trends speaking, but I feel like agencies often learn the wrong lessons from their successes. aespa’s most successful title tracks have hinged on varying levels of repetition, but ever since last year’s Whiplash it feels like SM Entertainment has been on autopilot with the group’s material, … Continue reading
NCT Wish released a late-summer highlight in the form of their buoyant Surf and promptly followed it with a second pre-release (the much more confounding Baby Blue). With the theme of color driving their new album, you’d expect the music to be as vibrant as possible. Title track Color is certainly stuffed with sound, rarely … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 