The end of the year countdowns are here! We’re starting things off with the big one… the top 50 songs of the year! Each day this week, I’ll be counting down ten of the year’s best, until number one is revealed on Friday. Unlike last year, j-pop releases will be placed in their own countdown, … Continue reading
The end of the year countdowns are here! We’re starting things off with the big one… the top 50 songs of the year! Each day this week, I’ll be counting down ten of the year’s best, until number one is revealed on Friday. Unlike last year, j-pop releases will be placed in their own countdown, … Continue reading
Although EXO debuted in Japan last year with a reworking of Korean track Love Me Right, Coming Over marks their first original single recorded in Japanese. In general, SM groups have a strong track record when it comes to their j-pop releases, and given that EXO is currently the agency’s most successful act, one would expect … Continue reading
After receiving a boost of much-deserved spotlight for her dancing on summer series Hit The Stage, Hyoyeon is the latest Girls’ Generation member to get a crack at a solo single. And while distributing it digitally through the SM Station platform is a bit of a cop-out to those waiting for an accompanying mini album, … Continue reading
With just a passing glance at the title of Shinee’s new Japanese single, it’s hard not to imagine the guys traipsing around a faux-snow set while belting out the Christmas classic. And as horribly cheesy as that sounds, I’ll admit that part of me would have actually looked forward to it. In reality, Winter Wonderland … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I’ll look back at my three favorite title tracks by k-pop artists. Unlike my end-of-year countdowns, jpop and Japanese releases by kpop artists are ineligible, though I will give the great ones a spotlight. For my top three tracks, I’ll take my own ratings into account, but there is a … Continue reading
Repackages of albums are pretty common in k-pop, especially when you’re dealing with SM Entertainment. But Shinee’s new one has got to be a record, arriving only five weeks after October’s 1of1. Not that I’m complaining. The hypnotic Tell Me What To Do pairs the group with prolific producer/composer Yoo Young-Jin for the first time since … Continue reading
For the past several years, Super Junior’s Kyuhyun has been a reliable deliverer of autumn ballads. Now that he’s set to transition into his military enlistment soon, he’s overcompensated for his upcoming absence with a full album of them. For me, a Kyuhyun ballad is a Kyuhyun ballad — really just the same thing repeated … Continue reading
A day after YG’s BLACKPINK released the minimalist acoustic ballad Stay, SM Entertainment counter punches with its own version in the form of Taeyeon’s 11:11. But unlike the former’s flirtation with tempo change and folk elements, 11:11 plays it straight down the middle. Surprisingly, this no-nonsense approach actually pays off. More than any other … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I’ll look back at my three favorite title tracks by k-pop artists. Unlike my end-of-year countdowns, jpop and Japanese releases by kpop artists are ineligible, though I will give the great ones a spotlight. For my top three tracks, I’ll take my own ratings into account, but there is a … Continue reading
As a group heading into its fifth year, the first official EXO sub-unit seems almost overdue, especially given their large number of members and initial unit configuration of EXO-M and EXO-K. When it was announced that CBX would comprise of Chen, Baekhyun and Xiumin, it was hard to guess exactly what sound they’d be paired with. … Continue reading
A couple of weeks after pre-releasing the upbeat r&b funk of What You Need, EXO member Lay is back with his debut solo EP. To herald its release, Lose Control slows things down and sexes things up, giving his sound yet another layer. From the very beginning, Lose Control screams late 90’s/early 00’s radio r&b. Almost … Continue reading
K-Pop is an agency-driven genre, meaning that what gets put into the market is often expertly crafted by a team of individuals and hoisted upon a group/artist who then takes it to the next level with their talent and charisma. This doesn’t necessarily take art out of the equation, but it does create an environment … Continue reading
When SM Station first started, it felt primarily like a delivery method for ballads. But as the months have gone on, it’s become much more focused on EDM tracks, inviting some of the agency’s biggest artists to collaborate with DJs and dance producers. This time around, in-house collective BeatBurger is paired with k-pop royalty BoA. … Continue reading
I was beginning to think that SM’s Henry was never going to release solo music again. It’s been over two years since his last mini album, and his presence has been missed. While I hope that we get something more substantial from him soon, this duet with Sistar’s Soyou is a welcome surprise in the … 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. I’m sad to admit that much of Shinee’s latest album … Continue reading
Though several former EXO members have struck out on solo careers in China, Lay’s What You Need is the first major push from a current member of the group. Though he’s been less visible in more recent EXO tracks, SM Entertainment seems content to give Lay some freedom when it comes to his home country. What … Continue reading
Shinee had an outstanding 2015, releasing two of their very best title tracks in the space of a few months. Because of this, anything they followed up with in 2016 would arrive amidst sky high expectations. So instead of going big, they go specific… with the early 90’s new jack swing throwback of 1 Of 1. Immediately, this move doesn’t … Continue reading
With Heartbeat, SM Entertainment has completed their f(x)-driven EDM trilogy that started with Wave in May and continued with July’s All Mine. Given the strict adherence to genre structure, all three tracks feel somewhat interchangeable, but this helps create a welcome sense of continuity when they’re taken together, one right after another. Heartbeat was released as … Continue reading
October is officially here, which means the countdown to Halloween has started. Whether you’re cobbling together a mix for a Halloween party or carnival, or just looking for some seasonal selections to soundtrack your pumpkin carving, K-Pop has a lot to offer. Here are some of the best tracks. If your favorite Halloween K-Pop song … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 