After their incredible 2018 success, Momoland are in the process of navigating the tricky business of follow-ups. Their name is known throughout Asia, and they’ve attempted to capitalize on that …
Read More »[Review] Sunmi sacrifices melody for attitude on “LALALAY”
Since debuting as a soloist, Sunmi has been a reliable producer of high-quality, slightly left-of-center K-pop. She had a particularly strong 2018, perfecting a musical style that drew heavily on …
Read More »[Review] X1’s “Flash” debut provides promise even if not a standout
As fraught with disappointment as the ‘Produce 101‘ discographies can be, they can also usually be counted on to deliver a strong debut track. As far as I’m concerned, no …
Read More »[Review] UP10TION almost draws us into their gravity with “Your Gravity”
I was surprised when it was first announced that members of UP10TION would be participating in ‘Produce X 101.’ I knew that the buzz around the group had slowed in …
Read More »[Review] Pink Fantasy makes their mark with the standout “FANTASY”
People have been recommending Pink Fantasy‘s comeback to me since it was released, so now that I’ve had time to listen to it, I can provide my extremely timely thoughts …
Read More »[Review] Viini (Kwon Hyunbin) has himself a disaster of a solo debut with “GENIE”
With YG Entertainment in continual freefall, the company seems unable to release anything but threadbare solo albums from its artists. BLACKPINK’s stuck in a one-per-year promotional schedule, iKON is in …
Read More »[Review] A Pink’s Hayoung has solo debut with “Don’t Make Me Laugh”, which is light and pleasant enough
A Pink have quietly become one of the longest running girl groups still active in today’s idol industry. They rarely make waves (at least internationally), but have sustained their popularity …
Read More »[Review] EVERGLOW invoke obvious comps with “Adios”, continue to commit to high energy
In a year flush with debuts, Everglow’s “Bon Bon Chocolat“ stood out thanks to its edgy sound. I wasn’t as enthralled with the song as others seem to be, but …
Read More »[Review] THE BOYZ’s “D.D.D” has more pluses than minuses, comes with creepy MV
This April, The Boyz explored lighter territory with the bubblegum pop of “Bloom Bloom.” While I will always be leading the charge for more bright boy group material, the incessant …
Read More »[Review] Red Velvet find success with straightforward summer sound for “Umpah Umpah”
Red Velvet’s past three Korean title tracks have split opinion, each becoming more experimental than the last. It’s a wonder, then, that the group have maintained their popularity with music …
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