Editorials

One thing I’ve always loved is how the Korean ballad is the staple of every Korean drama OST. There is no better way to express the ‘feels’ when watching a …

With the Tokyo Olympics coming up this year, I expect the J-pop industry to unveil all sorts of material highlighting Japanese culture and cheering their athletes on. The anthemic sounds …

Even as the Produce 101 monolith crumbled in Korea, the franchise remained alive and well this past fall in Japan. The first season spawned new boy group JO1 – an …

BTS’s new album Map Of The Soul: 7 arrives with the kind of multi-week media roll-out that’s more commonly attached to artists outside the K-pop industry. It’s billed as a momentous release …

Weki Meki didn’t release much music in 2019, but it was their strongest year yet. Picky Picky drew on their quirkier side to great appeal, and Tiki Taka was the …

KARD have publicly talked about their difficulties finding music within the K-pop industry that’s written for a co-ed group. Their mixed configuration has become a distinct calling card, but also …

Mamamoo’s massive success has spawned equally popular solo offerings from its members. This time last year, Hwasa unveiled the addictive Twit, which ended up being one of 2019’s most enduring …

Ballad Weirdo checking in Hello Asian Junkie readers! My friends call me Hojo and I am a weirdo who loves big ol’ sappy ballads.  One of my top K-pop songs …

Dreamcatcher have just released their first album, ‘Dystopia’, along with the title track from it, “Scream”. Interestingly, to mark the occasion, Dreamcatcher have strayed from their usual rock-inspired sound to …

‘Parasite’ gathered awards one after another like Pokemon since its release in 2019. From breaking records to garnering international praise, the movie achieved the highest honor at the notoriously local …