For the first time in years, I didn’t cover last month’s MAMA Awards on this blog. Honestly, they were just too boring to write about. But, I did enjoy the Wanna One reunion — even if it was just a medley of their familiar hits. If anything, the members’ post-Wanna One careers have only exemplified … Continue reading
Days after railing against the Produce series’ negative effect on the K-pop industry, it’s time to look at the juggernaut from another angle. Since Wanna One’s disbandment at the start of the year, all of its members have gone on to release music of some sort. I’ve not been shy when it comes to my … Continue reading
I’ll begin this latest Bias List screed by stating that I’m an avid watcher of K-pop’s survival series. From juggernauts like Produce 101 to barely-remembered blips like Under Nineteen, I love a good competition. And yet, I fear that the proliferation of these series is killing K-pop’s creativity. An Old-Fashioned Approach Back in the day … Continue reading
As Wanna One’s first center and a bonafide variety show star, Kang Daniel is easily the most anticipated of the group’s post-disbandment debuts. He’s spent the past few months locked in a legal struggle with his former agency, but has come out victorious with his own label and (presumably) a new sense of artistic control. … Continue reading
It’s that time of year again. The sun comes out, the temperature climbs, and K-pop goes tropical! Well, it wasn’t always this way. A few years ago, summer didn’t instantly mean tropical pop music, and I hope we’re working our way out of this persistent trend. But tropical or not, many of my top K-pop … Continue reading
After the disbandment of Wanna One, many of its members had newly-formed groups to conveniently slide into. But, some of the most popular Wanna One personalities were heading back to an agency without any announced plans. In some cases (Kang Daniel), this resulted in a messy situation. For others (Ong Seungwu), it’s more of a … Continue reading
I’ve been surprised by just how many sound-alike ballads the post-Wanna One K-pop landscape has produced so far, but Kim Jaehwan’s Begin Again (안녕하세요) doesn’t surprise me at all. I never expected that he would debut with anything but a ballad (though his mini album showcases a welcome versatility that should be explored further). As … Continue reading
Another day, another post-Wanna One debut. And like so many of these solo tracks, Bae Jinyoung’s Hard to Say Goodbye (끝을 받아들이기가 어려워) is a ballad. This fact alone makes it difficult to drum up any interest, as you essentially know what you’re going to get before the song even starts. Jinyoung never felt like … Continue reading
After the disbandment of Wanna One, we’ve seen many of the group’s members make solo debuts, but we’ve yet to see what happens when several of them come together under a new moniker. Apart from Nu’est (which is its own special case), AB6IX will likely be the first time we learn how popular this post-Wanna … Continue reading
Yoon Jisung has made a quick turnaround with his second release after the disbandment of Wanna One. Because of his age, Jisung must begin serving his mandatory military conscription next month, which doesn’t leave much time to develop a solo career. It was definitely smart to strike while the iron is hot. I just wish … Continue reading
For me, the post-Wanna One releases we’ve gotten so far have been subpar. It feels like too many of the members are rush-releasing music that lacks any individual spark, designed simply to keep their names in the spotlight. As one of the top two vote getters during season two of Produce 101, Park Jihoon has … Continue reading
Cube Entertainment has a history of successful sub-units. Both Trouble Maker and Triple H brought together artists from different groups and gave them bold material to forge new avenues in their careers. Wooseok x Kuanlin is the latest in the agency’s sub-unit history, pairing Pentagon’s (very tall) rapper and Wanna One’s (very popular) youngest for … Continue reading
Oh, Sungwoon fans. You may as well just save yourself the grief and skip this review altogether. I swear, I’ve got nothing against the guy himself. He cut his teeth as a member of underrated idol group Hotshot, and more than proved himself as a vital part of K-pop sensation Wanna One. But his debut … Continue reading
Like it or not, the post-Wanna One floodgates are about to open. I just hope the slew of upcoming solos aren’t all ballads. I can’t think of any better way to kill momentum than with a paint-by-numbers K-pop ballad, and Yoon Jisung’s In The Rain is pretty much that. In Wanna One, he acted as … 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. GALACTIKA Years … Continue reading
MBC brings us the last end-of-year festival of 2018, and K-pop’s final music show before the new year. Even when it’s not the best of the three gayos, I’ve always enjoyed MBC’s format. It has a more intimate feel to it, with the audience close to the performances and fellow idols looking on in the … Continue reading
Despite debuting with one of 2017’s best dance tracks, Wanna One have slowly succumbed to the same fate as IOI. Their overseers clearly know that the Wanna One brand is more formidable than any actual song they might release, and this has resulted in a series of “that’ll do” singles instead of tracks that live … Continue reading
Another year of KCON LA is behind us, and it was a fantastic experience. Instead of simply recapping the weekend, I thought I’d offer some sage advice from a veteran KCONer. This was my fourth year attending the event, and there’s a lot I’ve discovered since 2015. So strap yourselves in, because this is officially … 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. ESBEE Years … Continue reading
These Produce 101 groups are so frustrating. The program compiles such a talented and likable collection of performers, only to undermine that potential with frustratingly generic material. Wanna One’s outstanding first mini album gave me hope that they’d be able to develop a signature sound, but each release since has been a disappointment. New single … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 