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. Key never delivers a bad album. … 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. August 2022 Overall Thoughts Too often this year, my monthly round-ups have been… kind of a … Continue reading
After nearly a year’s hiatus, Key has returned with a new album. He pre-released the fantastic Another Life next week, which harnessed the synth-powered style that made Bad Love such a triumph. Title track Gasoline opts for a different sound, raiding the SM vaults to craft the kind of maximalist stomper artists like TVXQ used … 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
Key’s Another Life was first revealed almost a year ago during the live stream of his Groks in the Keyland concert. Now it’s finally found a home on his upcoming album, and although the video is taken straight from the concert interstitial, I’m going to call it a pre-release because I want to write about … Continue reading
With so many members and diverse talents as part of the NCT universe, I’m surprised we haven’t seen solo releases every other week. “NCT Lab” – a spin-off of the long-running SM Station project – was established for this exact reason. But after two releases back in February and March, the lab took a hiatus … Continue reading
It just occurred to me that it’s been nearly four (!) years since TVXQ had a proper Korean comeback. Yes, they’ve been active as soloists and have released multiple albums in Japan during this time, but that’s still a long gap for a veteran act with an enormous, enduring fanbase. For now, those of us … 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. I’m still processing the fact that, … Continue reading
Kick around this K-pop blogospere for long enough and you’ll eventually get to write about the return of a true legend. Forever 1 celebrates Girls’ Generation’s fifteenth anniversary – a huge milestone for any idol act. I know I’m not alone in counting the group among the most foundational forces that cemented my love for … 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 2022 Overall Thoughts Counting up all of July’s releases, I’m not sure we’ve ever had … Continue reading
I’ve decided to try something new! 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 … Continue reading
It’s been a while since we had a song from SM’s NCT Lab project. So far, this showcase has given us a Mark Lee solo and a dance unit. Now, it’s time to focus on the group’s vocalists. Rain Day brings together Taeil, Kun and Yangyang for a mid-tempo designed for laid-back summer days. NCT’s … 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. I don’t want to jinx it, … Continue reading
Only a fraction of K-pop groups last beyond their initial seven-year contract, but Super Junior are still going strong after seventeen (!) years. I’d wager that’s longer than the age of many K-pop fans, and it’s a legacy that should be respected. The group is currently in a phase where they just release what they … Continue reading
Based on agency clout alone, aespa were always going to be successful. However, I recall their AI, lore-heavy concept raising many eyebrows pre-debut. And although it was a hit for me right away, the addictive Next Level took time to seep into public consciousness. But quicker than you can say “Kwangya,” we’ve arrived at the … Continue reading
I’ve been wanting to write this post for awhile because I think it’s really fun to look back at old reviews and re-evaluate them with fresh eyes. Opinions on music change over time, and that’s just as true for songs I despised when they were first released. Here, you’ll find the nine lowest-rated songs in … Continue reading
We’ll take a brief hiatus from the usual Sunday Open Discussion post today because my annual “Risers and Fallers” feature always spurs conversation. Every July, I like to take a look at which songs have either grown or sunk on my own playlist. With years of reviewing under my belt and a pretty solid understanding … Continue reading
Yesterday, I struck a disappointed note when rounding up this year’s strongest singles, and this albums list is going to be quite similar. 2022 has delivered some decent albums so far, but nothing close to a My Name/City Of ONF, Don’t Call Me/Atlantis, YES, Summer Queen, Gatcha or The Chaos Chapter: Freeze. In fact, I’m … Continue reading
K-pop royalty Super Junior are returning with their eleventh full-length album (twelfth if you count 2015’s “special album” Devil). It’s set to be released in two parts, and new song Don’t Wait serves as a pre-release for the first half. New Super Junior material is always welcome, and I’m thankful for how frequently they deliver … Continue reading
Though HYBE has made the BTS brand synonymous with K-pop around the world (at least to casual listeners), I still think SM Entertainment is the agency others are most seeking to emulate. Even during times their industry cachet has lulled, SM has remained an inexorable through-line when thinking about K-pop on a macro scale. Aespa … Continue reading
