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 »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 »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 …
Read More »Sunmi shines when given the chance on “Gashina”, but Teddy too often takes the reins
Now that Wonder Girls are officially disbanded, many have been curious what each member will release as a soloist. Sunmi hasn’t necessarily been a stranger to solo work, but it’s …
Read More »DIA refurbish retread concepts to great success on addicting “Can’t Stop”
DIA have returned with “Can’t Stop” by taking a concept that’s been done over and over again and somehow making it feel interesting again. “Can’t Stop” definitely brings a public-friendly …
Read More »SNSD justify their status on multi-faceted ‘Holiday Night’
SNSD is back with another album for their 10th anniversary, and given how much I enjoyed their upgraded sound on their ‘Lion Heart‘ album, I was looking forward to ‘Holiday Night‘ in …
Read More »NCT Dream deliver summertime bliss on buoyant, catchy “We Young”
Though they’ve only released two singles so far, NCT Dream has quickly become my favorite NCT unit. While 127 has been focused more and more on a hip-hop driven sound, …
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