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 2022 Overall Thoughts First off, I want to recognize Korea’s national period of mourning and … 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. Kwon Eunbi has released her strongest … Continue reading
Say what you will about Woollim Entertainment’s dicey promotion, but their team sure knows their way around a good song. The agency’s output this year has ranged from ‘very good’ to ‘excellent,’ with a refreshing independent streak that doesn’t always kowtow to trends. Soloist Kwon Eunbi seemed to find her niche with this spring’s Glitch … 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
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. August 2022 Overall Thoughts Too often this year, my monthly round-ups have been… kind of a … Continue reading
When it comes to their music, Woollim Entertainment has been on a roll this year. Many of my favorite 2022 tracks have come from their artists. But, the agency tosses comebacks around haphazardly without much teasing or hype-building. If I had to choose, I’ll always favor song quality over robust promotions. But, it’s a bit … Continue reading
It’s ‘Golden Child comeback’ time again, which means a track-by-track review of their new mini album, Aura! Check back each day of the week as I make my way through the five new songs. 1. Aura (Intro) // 2. Replay // 3. Knocking On My Door // 4. 3! 6! 5! // 5. Purpose // … Continue reading
It’s ‘Golden Child comeback’ time again, which means a track-by-track review of their new mini album, Aura! Check back each day of the week as I make my way through the five new songs. 1. Aura (Intro) // 2. Replay // 3. Knocking On My Door // 4. 3! 6! 5! // 5. Purpose // … Continue reading
It’s ‘Golden Child comeback’ time again, which means a track-by-track review of their new mini album, Aura! Check back each day of the week as I make my way through the five new songs. 1. Aura (Intro) // 2. Replay // 3. Knocking On My Door // 4. 3! 6! 5! // 5. Purpose // … Continue reading
It’s ‘Golden Child comeback’ time again, which means a track-by-track review of their new mini album, Aura! Check back each day of the week as I make my way through the five new songs. 1. Aura (Intro) // 2. Replay // 3. Knocking On My Door // 4. 3! 6! 5! // 5. Purpose // … Continue reading
One of the most frustrating things about this era of K-pop is that — with all its sonic and producer shifts — there aren’t many groups I can count on to consistently release music I’ll love. It can feel like a total grab bag, and after Golden Child’s regrettable Japanese discography earlier this year I … Continue reading
We’ll take a brief hiatus from the usual Sunday Open Discussion post today because my annual “Risers and Fallers” feature always spurs conversation. Every July, I like to take a look at which songs have either grown or sunk on my own playlist. With years of reviewing under my belt and a pretty solid understanding … Continue reading
So… here’s the thing. This mid-year singles list is usually reserved for songs that are all-but certain to end up in my top ten at the end of the year. If judging by the quality of past years, the songs below would most likely fall in the teens or twenties, meaning we’re either going to … 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. June 2022 Overall Thoughts I’ll be publishing my top songs of the first half of 2022 … Continue reading
Rocket Punch’s Chiquita may not have enjoyed the staying power I’d hoped, but its super-powered synth remains an early-2022 highlight. It’s a sound I’d like to see the group pursue further, and new Japanese single Fiore moves them in a similar direction. It’s not as overtly-80’s in execution, but the song is at its best … Continue reading
It’s been a loooong while since I’ve published a concert recap, but that’s because it’s been a long while since I’ve been to a concert! My last one was SuperM in February 2020 – mere days before Covid upended the world. So… who would be the group to coax me out of this long lull? … 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. Back in 2020, I was super … Continue reading
Like most new K-pop groups, DRIPPIN debuted without a signature sound or concept. Their career has been a revolving door of styles as Woollim searches for the one that will stick. The group is now lodged in a multi-part series of albums under the title Villain. Like 99% of their peers, this has painted them … Continue reading
I want to be very clear with you, Woollim Entertainment. When I mentally scream into the void about wanting another Golden Child comeback, this is not what I mean. If you’re going to give us another Rata-Tat-Tat, you might as well just keep it. I do not recognize Golcha in this song. None of their … Continue reading
When Lovelyz went on indefinite hiatus last year, all members except leader Babysoul went their separate ways. She – now going by her given name Lee Sujeong – elected to stay with Woollim Entertainment as a soloist. Never mind the agency’s uneven reputation when it comes to their senior artists. But, just months after splitting … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 