2018 was a fantastic year when it came to album tracks. In fact, many of them were stronger (and more interesting) than their title track counterparts. This makes for a very competitive top 40 list, as well as a host of honorable mentions. Honestly, I could’ve tripled the amount of honorable mentions and still had … Continue reading
Disclaimer: As with my write-ups on the Big Three agencies, this is written from an outsider’s perspective. I’m not privy to any business-related financial information beyond what any other fan would know. The purpose of these articles is to examine how well these agencies are serving their artists and the general k-pop fan-base. Before you … Continue reading
Over the course of their three year career, UP10TION have never developed a signature style. Instead, they pinball from concept to concept, making their comebacks quite unpredictable. Over the past few years, they’ve released some of my favorite K-pop tracks (exhibits A, B). But, just as often, they’ve returned with subpar material that feels too … 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 no secret that K-pop takes much of its influence from … Continue reading
Give me a K or J-pop song with the title “Chaser” and I’ll instantly be triggered. I’ve written at length about how I consider Infinite’s The Chaser to be the best K-pop song of all time. It’s so outstanding that they might as well retire the word “chaser” from the K-pop lexicon entirely. But here … Continue reading
Though they released a great Japanese single last month, Grand Bleu is the first Korean work by boy group 100% since the passing of their leader Minwoo. We’ve been promised more music later in August, but for now Bleu acts as a pre-release to tide fans over. It’s heartening to hear the group back at … Continue reading
It didn’t receive nearly as much media attention, but 100% are currently in a similar situation as SHINee. They’ve also been reduced to a four-member group after the tragic loss of their leader Minwoo earlier this year, even if the exact circumstances may differ. Japanese single Summer Night is their first new music without him, … Continue reading
With so many acts moving away from their usual producers this year, it’s kind of refreshing that Teen Top has stuck with good ol’ Brave Sound for new single Seoul Night (서울밤). Some matches are just meant to be, and this has been a particularly symbiotic relationship throughout the years. The group struck gold with … Continue reading
When I think of the current k-pop climate, UP10TION are an interesting case. I wouldn’t consider them to be one of my personal bias groups, yet they’ve managed to score a place in my year-end top ten songs list for two years straight. They’re also a group who swings from one collaborator to the next … Continue reading
UP10TION are one of those under-the-radar groups that somehow become more successful than any casual k-pop fan might expect. Their comebacks never receive all that much spotlight, but the group still manages to sell boatloads of albums. This trait extends to their Japanese promotions, which have a solid track record commercially, even if few listeners … Continue reading
MBC’s Gayo Daejejun had the best theme of the three end-of-year specials, and as usual it had the most stacked line-up. But I can’t help but feel like it lacked the kind of watercooler moments that make these specials so thrilling. The idea of pairing idol groups with fans resulted in some really endearing performances. … Continue reading
Hundreds (if not thousands) of songs are released each year in Korea, but only a fraction receive full title track promotion. This leaves behind many buried treasures in need of a spotlight. Here are forty of 2017’s best: + Make sure to check out the rest of the year-end countdowns here! 40. TWICE – 24/7 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTWsjLjCsA0 … Continue reading
The end of the year countdowns are here! We’re kicking 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. To be eligible for this top 50 list, songs must have had … Continue reading
The end of the year countdowns are here! We’re kicking 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. To be eligible for this top 50 list, songs must have had … Continue reading
The end of the year countdowns are here! We’re kicking 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. To be eligible for this top 50 list, songs must have had … Continue reading
Disclaimer: As with my write-ups on the Big Three agencies, this is written from an outsider’s perspective. I’m not privy to any business-related financial information beyond what any other fan would know. The purpose of these articles is to examine how well these agencies are serving their artists and the general k-pop fan-base. Read Part … 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 2017 Overall Thoughts October matched February with 2017’s highest cumulative rating thus far, and I’m not … Continue reading
Debuting in 2015, the ten-member UP10TION is the latest (and largest) boy group to carry the torch for TOP Media. They’ve managed to quickly develop a strong fan base, even as they constantly explore different sounds and genres with their title tracks. And though they haven’t yet had ten official comebacks, they’ve released just enough … 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. UP10TION’s latest single album may only be two tracks long, … Continue reading
UP10TION have much to make up for after the disappointingly generic tropical track they returned with last June. For awhile, it felt as they were making a quick ascent to the upper levels of k-pop boy groups, but even though their sales remain impressive, 2017 has seen their buzz begin to stall. Going Crazy (미치게 … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 