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. Key’s title track One Of Those Nights is totally solid, but … 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. November 2018 Overall Thoughts November is always packed with comebacks, but rarely have we seen one … Continue reading
When it comes to the increased presence of English releases in the K-pop industry, it can be hard for me to decide which songs to review on this site. I very rarely write about English-only songs, whether released by a K-pop group or as a cross-cultural collaboration. I’m extremely picky when it comes to English … Continue reading
The first time I heard Red Velvet’s Dumb Dumb back in 2015, I thought it was a complete mess. The song has since gone on to become one of my favorite tracks in the group’s discography. I mention this because new single RBB (Really Bad Boy) gave me the exact same impression upon first listen. … Continue reading
Song Review: Key (SHINee) – One of Those Nights (ft. Crush)Now that Key has unleashed his first full-length album upon the world, the SHINee pentagram of solo releases is nearly complete. Leader Onew’s material is set for release next month, so that just leaves rapper/vocalist Minho. He’s got to come out with solo work sometime, … Continue reading
In what has become an annual tradition, it’s time to take a look at K-pop’s biggest agencies and offer my 2018 verdict. First up is SM Entertainment. As usual, the thoughts are my own and aren’t privy to any insider information. I’m not taking into account things like profits and stock value. The purpose of … Continue reading
When it comes to NCT 127 title tracks, I’ve learned never to let my first impression color my final thoughts. I’m almost always underwhelmed the first time through, and that’s probably because I’m not a huge fan of the modern, minimalist hip-hop that has become the group’s focus. Most of their title tracks have taken … Continue reading
With over 2,300 songs on my iPhone’s “K-Pop Singles” playlist, I thought it would be fun to add a bit of unpredictability to my song review posts. So as a result, we have the “Random Shuffle Review” feature. The rules are simple. I fire up my playlist, press “shuffle,” and whatever song plays first gets the … Continue reading
Earlier this year, I spent much of my review of Hyoyeon’s first DJ HYO track bemoaning its lack of structural risk-taking. It slavishly followed the standard EDM, beat-drop archetype. And the thing is… new single Punk Right Now kind of does the same thing. Yet, the song takes this formula and makes it memorable with hard-hitting, percussive … Continue reading
In addition to a fantastic full album, SHINee’s 2018 has seen new Japanese work from Taemin and a posthumous release from Jonghyun. One member we don’t hear from as often when it comes to solo music is Key. Four years ago, he formed the project duo Toheart with Infinite’s Woohyun, but beyond that he’s only … 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. Sandwiched between NCT and EXO, BoA’s new album release received far … 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. SM Entertainment spent a lot of time hailing EXO’s new album … Continue reading
Nearly every 2018 TVXQ release has felt underwhelming in some regard, and I only have myself to blame. They are my second-most-listened-to K-pop artist after Infinite, and as the years have gone on I’ve positioned them as untouchable legends within the industry. An over two-year hiatus only cemented this status, as I watched K-pop move … Continue reading
Though members of EXO have kept busy with solo projects and sub-units, it feels like forever since we’ve been treated to a full comeback from the group. Their new album, Don’t Mess Up My Tempo, has a wonderful title, promising a playground of shifting percussion and dynamic energy. This tone contrasts with the subdued Ko … 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 2018 Overall Thoughts October was like one of those Halloween horror movies with a twist … Continue reading
After a long drought of Korean material, K-pop legend BoA is now gracing us with her third title track of the year. Woman, her ninth album, was unexpected announced only a few days ago, but as soon as teasers of the title track were released it became clear we were in for something iconic. I’m … Continue reading
As much as I love anything EXO-related, I’ve always found Lay’s solo music to be oddly hookless. His songs have mood and texture, and I enjoy his vocal tone and undeniable charisma. Yet even now I can’t recall a single melody from his discography. There have been highlights, for sure, and notable WTF moments (mostly … Continue reading
The third iteration of SM’s Station project is living up to its promise of providing momentous — and often unexpected — duets. So far, this has mainly consisted of collaborations between various Korean acts from differing agencies. But with Written in the Stars, SM has cast its sights globally. American notoriety seems to have become … 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. It’s only been three days, but I’ve already gone on quite … Continue reading
When I heard that NCT 127’s Regular was going to be a hybrid of trap and Latin, I let out an audible groan. Trap is one of the few genres I absolutely detest, and K-pop’s Latin trend already feels overplayed just as it’s getting started. Add to that the fact that SM Entertainment seems eager … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 