Okay SM Station season two, are you going to turn out to be nothing more than a bunch of ballads? Apart from Ten’s performance video and the total red herring that was the Stanley Clarke Band, nearly every high profile Station release so far has been slow and — quite frankly — kind of bland. This … Continue reading
The last time we heard from k-pop royalty BoA, it was as part of another SM Station track. One-off singles are all well and good, but it’s surprising that SM hasn’t given one of their most iconic artists a proper comeback since 2015. With the second season of Produce 101 currently reminding viewers what a warm … Continue reading
Rather than a full-fledged comeback, Lonely (종현) is part of the second half of Jonghyun’s Story OP project, which collects songs he’s written based on stories sent in by listeners of his now-completed Blue Night radio program. It’s an interesting conceit for an album, and the work itself couldn’t be more different than the material … Continue reading
With Kyuhyun soon to fulfill his mandatory military conscription, there’s a hole for another solo Super Junior balladeer to fill. Yesung seems to be up to the task, releasing the very OST-sounding Paper Umbrella (봄날의 소나기). This follows his spring-like Here I Am from last April, which I was not a fan of. When it … 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. THE STEREOTYPES … Continue reading
We’re officially in spring overload. And with that, I have to apologize for my continued lack of enthusiasm over many of the “springlike” songs released lately. More than almost any other country, Korea is obsessed with supplying an unending series of inoffensive seasonal tracks so light and unassuming that they just kind of fizzle into … Continue reading
Debuting in 2014, Red Velvet are SM Entertainment’s newest girl group. Their unique concept has them releasing both quirky uptempo pop (“red”) and refined r&b (“velvet”), resulting in a diverse discography that’s sure to please a variety of tastes. Like f(x) before them, their music lies on SM’s more experimental side, ensuring that k-pop remains … Continue reading
Only two weeks in and SM Entertainment‘s “season two” of Station has given us its first non-traditional release. As a kick-off to what promises to be a performance-focused project highlighting some of the agency’s strongest dancers, the hypnotic Dream In A Dream (몽중몽) is almost entirely instrumental. The song acts as a launching pad for … Continue reading
So far in 2017, SM Entertainment has released ten title tracks. About a third of those have belonged to Girls’ Generation leader Taeyeon. The agency has worked hard to foster her solo career, and her sales numbers certainly back that up. But unlike other listeners, I wasn’t 100% sold on this idea until February’s My Voice album release. … Continue reading
March is always a pretty barren month when it comes to big k-pop releases, but it feels like we’re coming off of one of the driest spells in recent memory. That makes it the perfect time for SM Station to debut its “Season 2.” The music platform’s initial run was a mixed bag, but at least … Continue reading
Shinee are one of the big ones. Not only are they a part of my top three k-pop groups of all time, but they’re just one of those groups that instantly come to mind when I think the word “k-pop.” They’ve covered so much ground during their career, and really pushed the genre’s boundaries while … 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. E-TRIBE Years … Continue reading
Every story has a beginning, and k-pop’s idol world starts with first generation groups like H.O.T. Though their music is forever tethered to the 90’s, their experimentation paved the way for many of the genre’s tropes that are still in use today. Here’s a look at my top ten favorites from their singles run (and … 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. RYAN S. … 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. ALBI ALBERTSSON … 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 2017 Overall Thoughts If I could describe February with only one word, it would be “consistent.” … Continue reading
Most of the time, a kpop 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 kpop, I wanted to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. Listening to the preview clips of Taeyeon’s new album, I … Continue reading
Girls’ Generation‘s Taeyeon has been all over the k-pop map this past year. Few artists have embarked on such a sprawling solo career, covering the spectrum from acoustic pop balladry to tropical house-influenced dance. Most recently, she teased us with the hypnotic I Got Love, which seemed to polarize opinion. For me, it was one … 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. ONEPIECE Years … Continue reading
It took them awhile, but SM Entertainment is doing a nice job allowing EXO’s individual members to embark on solo and duet opportunities. Almost all of them have had a chance to shine on their own or in sub-units, even if the focus tends to be on the group’s main vocalists. Though Chanyeol’s official position in EXO … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 