During this lull in new K-pop releases, I decided to go back and watch 2012’s MBC Gayo Daejun – the end-of-year extravaganza that ushered in 2013. Not only was it a euphoric time capsule of excellent music and stunning performances, but it brought to mind many thoughts after twelve years of K-pop fandom. Here were … Continue reading
Xdinary Heroes continue their blitz of 2024 digital singles with a real coup. They’ve managed to get Yoon Do Hyun from venerated rock group YB as a duet partner for iNSTEAD!. I was delighted to see this, as I love Do Hyun’s voice and A Flying Butterfly is one of my all-time favorite K-rock songs. … Continue reading
As the Twice members slowly begin to develop solo careers, it’s interesting to see which girls release music first. Nayeon has become the most prolific, delivering two solo albums. Leader Jihyo also made a solo debut last summer. Now, Tzuyu is the next to follow in their footsteps. As a casual fan, I’m not familiar … Continue reading
Nine years into their career, it’s amazing how immensely popular DAY6 have become. Their 2019 title track Time Of Our Life has (rightfully) become a sleeper hit on the charts, while newest single Welcome To The Show has also experienced a boomerang over the past few months. The group boasts a robust back catalog, and … 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
New JYP Entertainment J-pop group NEXZ made their debut in Korea earlier this year with the unremarkable Ride The Vibe. Now they’re back with a quick follow-up (and their official Japanese debut) in the form of jubilant pop track Keep On Moving. NEXZ are clearly tackling a lighter sound than many of JYP’s male acts, … Continue reading
I vastly underrated NMIXX’s January title track Dash, which quickly grew on me and just kept growing over the course of the year. When given great material, this group has unlimited potential. However, JYP Entertainment seems intent on throwing the musical encyclopedia at them, trying every angle they can to see what sticks. Pre-release SICKUHH … 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. July 2024 Overall Thoughts After a stellar June, July was always going to have a hard … Continue reading
I don’t always write about Stray Kids’ follow-up singles because they tend to release so many music videos for songs that otherwise go un-promoted. However, this is very slow period for K-pop due to the Paris Olympics pre-empting music shows, so I might as well make an exception for Mountains. Mountains opens the group’s newest album … 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
Stray Kids seem poised to dominate the second half of July with the release of new album Ate alongside a track on the sure-to-be-blockbuster Deadpool & Wolverine movie. That corporate synergy even extends to the music video for title track Chk Chk Boom. Of K-pop’s many global successes, Stray Kids are at the tip top … 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
Though JYP Entertainment has been active in Japan for many years, girl group NiziU was an early experiment in “J-pop group produced by Korean agency.” With companies like HYBE, SM and Lapone following suit, this strategy has become more common as time has gone on. It’s changing the J-pop idol landscape and blurring the lines … Continue reading
Nine years into their career, Twice continue to straddle the line between various music markets, frequently releasing work in Korea, Japan and internationally. New single Dive heralds their latest J-pop album, hinting at a more mature summer sound. Twice have released their share of bangers in Japan, often mirroring the soundscapes present in their Korean … Continue reading
Xdinary Heroes are having a busy year. Fresh off the release of their first full album, they’ve embarked on a series of digital singles. Last month, we heard the rollicking Boy Comics. July’s treat comes in the form of LOVE and FEAR — a more aggressive blast of cathartic rock. LOVE and FEAR plays like … 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
While 2024 has delivered quite a few standout singles so far, I haven’t been as blown over by the albums. Still, I was surprised how many I was able to cobble together. Unlike in the past, I’m not distinguishing between mini and full albums, though albums must have at least four full songs to be … Continue reading
Wow, what a change a year can make! At this point in 2023, I was only able to pick a small handful of tracks to feature in my mid-year countdown, but 2024 has me spoiled for choice. My list is unusually long this time and probably won’t be all that surprising (barring one or two … 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 2024 Overall Thoughts It’s been awhile since I’ve said this, but K-pop is in a … 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
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 