Generic, chorus-less EDM pop like Hyoyeon’s Sober is becoming the most difficult material for me to review. First of all, there are thousands of these songs out there. What else is there to say that I haven’t said over and over already? But more than that, it’s getting harder to feign interest in a song … Continue reading
In many corners of the online k-pop community, “Latin” has been a buzzword when considering the industry’s next possible trend. This makes sense, as it would be a natural progression from the tropical house we’ve been inundated with over the past couple of years. It would also converge nicely with k-pop’s growing popularity in Central … Continue reading
The sub-unit of CBX is one of the most exciting EXO-related developments of the past few years. The group as a whole has often drawn from funk influences, but CBX offers an outlet to fully explore this side of the EXO sound. Their debut mini album was one of 2016’s best, filled to the brim … Continue reading
NCT’s Ten has developed quite a loyal fan base despite only appearing in a handful of the group’s comebacks. Perhaps this is because he shines so brightly as a soloist. It’s difficult to fully utilize his insane dance skills within a huge group configuration, so other members with bigger personalities tend to take precedence. But … Continue reading
NCT’s ambitious 2018 project rolls into its third month with the fifth music video released from the group’s album. Like many fans, I was supremely disappointed when the tracklist for Empathy was revealed to be a cobbled together greatest hits of sorts, presenting many songs we’d already heard rather than a completely new collection. This … Continue reading
Though lacking the kind of power I was craving from a TVXQ comeback, the duo’s new album is filled with reliably top-shelf material. SM Entertainment seems to think so too, giving the guys a second music video in the form of opening track Love Line (평행선). If the electro-swing of The Chance Of Love wasn’t … 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. March 2018 Overall Thoughts Well, March certainly didn’t pan out the way I had expected. If … Continue reading
It would be hard to overstate just how much I was looking forward to this comeback from TVXQ. To be honest, it was in contention for my “top song of 2018” before I even heard a teaser or description. After all, it’s been almost three years since their last album — four years since their … Continue reading
Sometimes, songs aren’t designed to be experienced in traditional ways. Super Junior’s Super Duper first reared its head during the group’s tour, where spirits were high and adrenaline was pumping. Had I been there in the audience, I’m sure I would have been enthralled by its goofy energy. But, I was not there. And taken … Continue reading
If there’s anything I’ve learned from covering pop music for over a decade, it’s that songwriters and collaborators are just as important as the artists themselves. Though they often work behind the scenes, this feature is a chance to shine the light on some of k-pop’s most innovative and accomplished producers and composers. Joombas Music … Continue reading
Thus far, NCT’s 2018 Empathy project has followed a somewhat uniform sound, with even the usual bright styling of NCT Dream swept up in a trap-driven badass concept. Once it was announced that NCT 127 would be the next unit to release a single, all signs pointed to a continuation of this sound. But SM … Continue reading
SM and Mystic Entertainment have collaborated frequently since 2016’s Dream, and the digital Station platform has proven to be the perfect avenue for them to do so. The agencies have teamed up once again for Dinner, performed by EXO’s leader Suho and quirky singer-songwriter Jane Jang. Hearing of this pairing, I went in fully expecting … Continue reading
There are two ways to approach NCT Dream’s Go, and each will color your perception of the song in vastly different ways. Up until now, Dream has acted as the pop-oriented unit of NCT, and the delivery method for the music most closely aligned with my personal taste. Their 2017 My First And Last remains … Continue reading
When Super Junior made their long-awaited comeback late last year, member Sungmin did not participate. You may assume this was due to some terrible crime or clash of personalities, but this self-imposed exile really came down to one factor — and it’s one of the stupidest “controversies” in recent k-pop memory. The guy got married … 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 2018 Overall Thoughts When it comes to k-pop, I was dreading February. Between the Pyeongchang … Continue reading
As we continue to build towards the unveiling of NCT‘s first full-length album, Baby Don’t Stop is the second volley in a series of pre-releases by sub-units of the group. Last week’s Boss set the bar pretty high, but to be honest I didn’t expect much from Stop. Taeyong and Ten are two of NCT’s most … Continue reading
Just over two weeks ago, BoA pre-released single Nega Dola. I was a bit hesitant with the song, but it’s since grown on me quite a bit. That’s one of the frustrating things about end-of-the-month releases. I never really get to reflect their growth in my “top 3 k-pop songs of the month” round-ups. One … Continue reading
This year, NCT have finally embarked on a promotional cycle as ambitious as their unique configuration. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be treated to new releases by various units within the now 18-member group — all leading up to their first full album. To kick things off, NCT U (a rotational unit free from genre … Continue reading
Most of the time, a k-pop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-side tracks 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. Fans of BoA are quite spoiled this February, with both … Continue reading
Most of the time, a k-pop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-side tracks 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. EXO’s new Japanese album is absolutely fantastic from start to … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 