A few years ago, I took a look back at my top K-pop songs of 2016 and did some reshuffling. To be honest, that list still needs a couple slight changes to be totally accurate in my current thinking, but rather than be overly fussy I’d like to move onto the following year. 2017’s K-pop … Continue reading
In between being part of the biggest K-pop group on the planet, the members of Seventeen have found time to slowly but steadily develop side careers as soloists and sub-units. Unit tracks are usually divided between their Dance, Vocal and Hip-Hop teams, but albums have occasionally featured duo recordings as well. This is the first … 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
Alongside their full-group comeback Maestro, Seventeen’s specialized units are also releasing music videos for their new songs. We’ve already heard from the Hip-Hop and Performance Teams, and now it’s time for the Vocal Team to bring this series to a finale. Sub-unit Seventeen BSS found tremendous success with a cheering song last year, and Cheers … Continue reading
Alongside their full-group comeback Maestro, Seventeen’s specialized units are also releasing music videos for their new songs. Following the hip-hop team’s LALALI comes the performance team’s Spell. My favorite unit tracks often emerge from the performance team, but given the nature of their specialty these songs also tend to benefit from an accompanying visual. Spell … Continue reading
Alongside their full group comeback Maestro, Seventeen’s specialized units are also releasing music videos for their new songs. First up is the hip-hop team with LALALI. I’ve become increasingly weary of song titles that are little more than a series of “la las,” but this sub-unit has delivered surprises before. LALALI makes boisterous use of … Continue reading
Best-Of compilation albums are uncommon in K-pop, but if any group deserves to have their singles bundled into an anthology it’s Seventeen. They’ve been releasing bangers since 2015, though I’ve found their more recent work harder to get into. This album features four new songs — each of which will be getting a music video … Continue reading
Seventeen members have made smart use of mixtapes to tiptoe into solo work without all the fuss of full comeback promotions. I’m not sure how a single song can constitute a “mixtape,” but music is music whatever you call it and I’m happy to see Dino stretching his wings with more solo material. As one … 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
Before the end-of-year countdowns next month, I like to take a look at many of K-pop’s biggest agencies and see how their year went. Obviously, 2023 is not over yet so any upcoming changes to an agency’s grade will be reflected next year. Following SM Entertainment, YG Entertainment and JYP Entertainment‘s analysis, it’s time for … Continue reading
Epik High have a long history of notable collaborations, and many of their enduring classics feature vocals from some of K-pop’s most loved artists. But even with this in mind, I would’ve never expected them to pair with Seventeen’s Hoshi. When I see his name, I immediately picture exciting choreography. However, he proves an adept … 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 2023 Overall Thoughts Though it boasted a more exciting line-up of big-name comebacks, October felt … 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’m about to contradict myself… In … Continue reading
Seventeen have yet again broken pre-order records for their new album. It’s astonishing how much of a global juggernaut they’ve become, especially considering Pledis Entertainment’s dire straights when they first debuted. This success calls for a victory lap, and new single God Of Music (음악의 신) is happy to oblige. I love the ambition in … 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
“Best Of” albums are far more common in the Japanese market than any other country I’m aware of, and that extends to K-pop acts. Ima (Even If The World Ends Tomorrow) (今 -明日 世界が終わっても-) is taken from Seventeen’s first “best of,” marking another stage in their successful career. And though the track was composed by … 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
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
There will be no summer barbeques or afternoons at the beach for Jun’s Psycho. This song spends its time in a windowless room, chains and restraints attached to the walls. Summer fare this is not. Jun has recorded solo material before, most recently with last year’s Limbo. Psycho follows a similar vibe, though it’s more … 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 