It wouldn’t be a K-pop summer without some random Pepsi ad song. Over the past few years, Starship Entertainment has collaborated with the brand to release innocuous (sometimes decent) releases that see various idols teaming together. This time, IVE take on the challenge by themselves, delivering the “easy, fizzy” Summer Festa. “Baby, you can drink … Continue reading
In connection with my desire to fully keep up with the J-pop industry, I’m planning to do a weekly round-up of any new releases that have caught my ear. Some of these may have been covered on the blog already, but my hope is that this will become a one-stop shop for anyone interested in … 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. CRAVITY released a new Japanese single … 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. May 2024 Overall Thoughts There were a number of big-name releases in May, yet somehow the … 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
If there’s one overriding trend in K-pop marketing this year, it’s double title tracks and pre-releases. It seems like every major idol group has several promoted tracks from their newest album. IVE released HEYA several weeks ago to great success, but we all knew Accendio was lurking just around the corner to satisfy fans who … 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. IVE will be releasing a music … 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. April 2024 Overall Thoughts K-pop years aren’t always frontloaded, but January was so strong that its … Continue reading
IVE have quickly established themselves as one of this generation’s representative girl groups, unleashing hits that stay on the charts for months (I Am is still in the top 50 more than a year after its release). With their previous EP, they began branching in new musical directions. This had the potential to be exciting, … Continue reading
In connection with my desire to fully keep up with the J-pop industry, I’m planning to do a weekly round-up of any new releases that have caught my ear. Some of these may have been covered on the blog already, but my hope is that this will become a one-stop shop for anyone interested in … Continue reading
K-pop’s title tracks might gain most of listeners’ attention, but many album tracks are worth equal spotlight. I call these “buried treasures.” Beyond this, K-pop’s albums deliver thousands of additional tracks that settle for a more limited audience. It’s these songs that will become a part of my “battle of the b-sides” feature. In this … 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
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 love highlight medleys, and I … 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 2024 Overall Thoughts Due to its positioning in the dead of winter and the cancelling … Continue reading
Someone needs to study how CRAVITY went from the likes of My Turn and Flame to one of the most consistent runs of any current boy group. It’s a big turnaround and a testament to what can happen when an agency invests in great songs. New single Love Or Die continues and expands upon this … Continue reading
I’ve listed my “top tens” for many artists, but it’s time to rummage through entire discographies and rank every single from worst to best. This feature will primarily tackle groups who have disbanded or gone on indefinite hiatus. It’s a way for me to re-evaluate my initial thoughts on their singles run. Don’t be surprised … 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. January 2024 Overall Thoughts Well, what a nice surprise this month has been! After many years … 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
New WJSN music may be a distant memory, but today marks the solo debut of one of its members. Seola has been involved with many sub-unit projects and recorded a couple OSTs on her own. She’s also done a lot of acting, raising her profile. A solo career in music makes sense and with any … Continue reading
Over the years, the length between Jeong Sewoon’s comebacks has grown, making him more of a niche artist in K-pop. There was a time when his groovy pop sound consistently found its way onto my playlist, peaking with 2020’s addictive Say Yes. Since then, I’ve had a harder time connecting with his music. Sewoon’s vocals … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 