Park Jimin and Baek Yerin of K-Pop Star fame — now under JYP Entertainment — hit a very bizarre note last year when they debuted with the overly subdued single “I Dream“. While not a terrible song, its complete lack of energy was a poor musical hook for a rookie group to ride and it didn’t do much to impress. ... Read More »
There’s something about the Rainbow I used to know that didn’t quite make it over to their 2013 album, ‘Rainbow Syndrome‘. As their first full-length album drops this month – which, as on trend as the rest, has been split into two parts – one would have expected a resurgence of old styles and a splash of something new, but ... Read More »
Boy-band DMTN may have changed their stage name(s) – they were formerly known as Dalmatian, each with their own nicknames, which they seemed to have dropped as well – but their original style is all intact just as we remembered it. DMTN’s suave R&B pop blend resurfaces this year in “Safety Zone“, the group’s first comeback single since 2012′s “E.R.”. ... Read More »
I agreed with all of you that I should give JYJ‘s Jaejoong‘s first solo mini-album, ‘I‘, a review, but how I would go about doing that was up to me. Oftentimes the first reactions I have are the first you read in print, but there are many cases where I retreat into my own space, many cases where I hold ... Read More »
K-pop was kind enough to debut trillions of groups for audiences last year, and among those was boy-band VIXX. It hasn’t been long since their entrance into the Korean music industry – they debuted in May 2012 with their first single, “Super Hero” – but they’re already back with their first single of the new year, “On And On“. This ... Read More »
One of the best ways to know you have come to terms with an inherent liking for a K-pop group is when you’re no longer apprehensive or cautious about their comebacks. It’s something I can’t say for many today, but there is one new exception: Korean pop-rock quartet CNBLUE. Having dipped into rounds of redundancy and banality a couple years ... Read More »
The interesting thing about fads in music is how artists, companies, and producers are willing to twist and mold them to their own musical style to achieve a proper sense of belonging; at least before the fads disappear (that is, prior to being resurrected in a later era). Before you know it, trends and fads become a norm in songs, ... Read More »
Sensible comebacks and SM Entertainment are two things that don’t mix very well, and this couldn’t be more true with SNSD‘s 2013 lead single, “I Got A Boy”. A song that sounds more like seven, SNSD’s “I Got A Boy” is dying to be considered edgy, and to an extent it sort of achieves its goal. It explodes four different ... Read More »
If you missed the first installment and want to catch up, click here. ===== Jewelry – “Look At Me” I have to hand it to Jewelry: for a group that’s flipped the script in member line-ups more times than I can remember, they’ve found a very interesting identity in this new era of their career as a girl group. No ... Read More »
Hi, you shits. It’s your boy McRoth clocking in for my annual end-of-year list, which I think came together rather beautifully this time compared to the previous years I’ve done this. I hope it does as well a job of wrapping up a year in Korean music for you as it did for me, because not only do I feel ... Read More »
Musical stability isn’t a part of Girl’s Day‘s vocabulary, as they’ve managed to hit every sour note in arm’s reach throughout their K-pop existence. On and off, we’ve gotten very different extremes to Girl’s Day’s musical identity; from being strong and engaging, to full of gimmicks and juvenile pantomime. Trusting a girl group like this one isn’t an easy task, ... Read More »
It’s been three years since YG Entertainment has pushed forth projects involving new faces in the music industry, but as it’s been made clear this year, they’ve found enough established success with 2NE1 and Big Bang to finally move on to the next generation of YG superstars. The next chapter comes to us in the form of SBS “K-Pop Star” ... Read More »
Breaking records for the amount of comebacks made in a year, B.A.P are at it again. This time with their new single, “Stop It“. Palpable irony aside, the effort to actually spice things up with ‘Stop It’ is more than appreciated, as it gives everybody something fresh to savor from the most ruthlessly persistent rookie group of the year. It’s ... Read More »
If there was a ballad release that really struck a chord with me this year, it’s this one. For years, K.Will‘s been running the gamut as a top-tier balladeer, and his artistry returns in beautiful measure in ‘The Third Album – Part 1’. One of the most important aspects of this album is not so much the heart and soul ... Read More »
2012 powerhouse rookie Ailee has proven time and time and time again that she’s got the chops to pulverize any song with a single belt, for she’s probably the strongest vocalist in K-pop (when it comes to technicality and all out potential) to date. She’s a beacon of hope for idols who pride themselves on their talent more than their ... Read More »
Asian Junkie Asian pop. Without discretion.
