Honest to god, I tried to stay out of #DanceGate when it started. No matter how many articles were written about it or how much fandom mess was involved, I …
Read More »Good Day debut with insipid “Rolly”, the worst track on their album
Good Day’s “Rolly” is what happens when you take the worst song from your album and make it the title track. The girls are new to the k-pop landscape, but …
Read More »Henry’s plodding “That One” shows why SME had him in the basement
Late last year, Henry publicly expressed frustration with his label, SM Entertainment, for the lack of opportunities they were providing for the release of new music. Ever since, he’s enjoyed …
Read More »HyunA thankfully switches gears on “Babe”, but gets mixed results
Some may argue to the contrary, but for my money HyunA hasn’t given us a truly great solo single since 2014’s “Red“. Instead, she’s been caught in an unending loop …
Read More »HyunA’s “Babe” is her version of IU’s “Twenty-Three” and it makes quite the statement
HyunA made her 10th anniversary comeback with “Babe“, and while musically it wasn’t the most engaging piece to me, the subject matter was a different story. In many ways it …
Read More »Golden Child debut with energetic, catchy “DamDaDi” that sounds like it’s from a musical
The debut of Woollim Entertainment’s new boy group has been rumored for well over a year, increasing expectations for what Golden Child may sound like. And from a personal perspective, …
Read More »S.I.S take a productive first step with surprisingly anthemic “I’ve Got A Feeling” debut
Beyond the steady stream of debut groups from known agencies, there exists a whole other shadow world of K-pop rookies who spring from agencies too small to offer much promotion. …
Read More »VIXX LR use fantastic instrumental to overcome simplistic hook on “Whisper”
VIXX sub-unit VIXX LR debuted two years ago with the melancholic “Beautiful Liar“, which suited Leo and Ravi well even if it wasn’t exactly the late-summer anthem many of us …
Read More »YMC & MBC respond to Jaehwan controversy, and uh … Koreaboo lays out ideal response
The n-word controversy surrounding WANNA ONE‘s Jaehwan had previously caused an international incident between fans, but now it has made its way to the Korean media as well. As you …
Read More »PRISTIN’s “We Like” does many things wrong but prevails due to its infectious qualities
Pristin’s debut track “Wee Woo“ seemed to grow on many listeners, but my experience was a bit different. The song remains dangerously catchy, but its more grating elements haven’t aged …
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