There’s no shame in seeking to replicate the success of a hit single. MOMOLAND did it earlier this year when “BAAM“ all but plagiarized their own “Bboom Bboom“, and now …
Read More »[Review] GWSN start off on the right track with polished, calculated “Puzzle Moon”
As Kiwi Pop’s first idol group, GWSN feel as if they’ve materialized out of nowhere. Their name is an acronym for a Korean phrase translating to ‘Girls In The Park,’ …
Read More »[Review] The Boyz’s “Right Here” has a lot going on, but its unrelenting energy wins out
I wasn’t as sold on The Boyz’ 2017 debut as most seemed to be, but this spring’s ebullient “Giddy Up“ hinted at incredible promise for the rookie group. They seemed …
Read More »[Review] SNSD’s Oh!GG unit gets a refined, addictive debut in “Lil’ Touch”
When last year’s contract negotiations ended with three of its members leaving SM Entertainment to pursue other endeavors, the future of SNSD seemed to be in flux. The group could …
Read More »[Review] Park Jimin’s assured vocals take center stage on “April Fools”
JYP Entertainment’s halfhearted management of Park Jimin the recording artist has resulted in her becoming better known as Park Jimin the ‘After School Club‘ host. It’s understandable for the agency …
Read More »[Review] Sunmi strikes gold with driving beat and retro sound on “Siren”
Following the disbandment of the Wonder Girls, Sunmi looked to re-establish herself as a soloist with her ‘Warning‘ trilogy, consisting of “Gashina“, “Heroine“, and now “Siren“. Well, mission accomplished. One …
Read More »[Review] 100% regurgitate a tired trend in a generic way on “Heart”
It always cracks me up when a group’s press release proudly declares that they’ll be venturing into a new sound, only to have that sound turn out to be something …
Read More »[Review] Baekhyun & Loco deliver on “Young”, which eschews trends but is limited by its melody
As the third season of the ‘SM Station‘ platform continues to shine light on unexpected collaborations, the pairing of EXO’s Baekhyun and rapper Loco arrives with much expectation. It’s been …
Read More »[Review] NCT Dream make “We Go Up” work despite lacking a fleshed out chorus
2017 set the bar incredibly high for NCT’s youngest unit with the February release of NCT Dream’s buoyant “My First And Last“. In fact, I’d argue that SM Entertainment hasn’t …
Read More »[Review] Shinhwa go subdued instead of celebratory for 20th anniversary single, “Kiss Me Like That”
There really isn’t a precedent for the kind of music an act like Shinhwa should be releasing. It’s been an astonishing 20 years since their debut, making them K-pop’s longest-running …
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