With the unbalanced Sugar Rush Ride and cloying pop jingle of Do it like that, 2023 has seen me feel more disconnected than ever with TXT’s musical output. I’ve been a pretty staunch admirer of all of the groups work since their debut but with shifting trends and my general disinterest in the Korean musical landscape growing, it seemed as though this year would be the first without the group releasing a personal favourite. But if Back for More is any indication, the groups upcoming album will more than shift those sentiments. Western collaborations can always be a fickle venture, often resulti ..read more

I’ve written many reviews since the conception of this blog and sometimes my thoughts on certain tracks or albums change drastically. Other times, I want to revisit some albums or tracks that I missed reviewing upon their release. Looking back can really change your perspective on projects and with this segment, i will be highlighting some of my favourite songs and/or albums released post Kbopped. To be completely honest, I’ve kind of fallen out of love with modern K-pop as a whole. And while this does explain my lack of activity on the blog, remains at odds with my relation with music as a wh ..read more

The debut of a new SM group, let alone a new SM boy group, is always a monumental event in the K-pop calendar. As the agency’s first new act since Aespa in 2020 and their first boy group since NCT’s landscape defining introduction back in 2016, RIIZE arrive with a bucket load of expectations, destined to carry the agency’s massive legacy. And while Get a Guitar doesn’t really adhere to the “emotional pop” sound advertised prior to their debut, its funky pop sound does much to delight. Though I never wrote about it (this might change), I loved RIIZE’s pre-debut track Memories. Its chorus harnes ..read more

At this point, I honestly cant tell where to draw the line between serious and novelty for these NCT tracks. The boys over at Neo Culture Technology have given us some absolute gems in the sphere of wacky, offbeat title tracks over the past few years, most notably curtsy of subunit 127. Songs like Kick It, Sticker and 2 Baddies all harnessed a chanted cacophony over equally mutilated beats to varying levels of success. New single Baggy Jeans is the latest to join those ranks and peddles a trend that’s honestly well past its welcome. At this point, bar Dream, I don’t think there’s much differen ..read more

With every passing preview of its many album tracks, TREASURE’s ambitious 2nd full album “REBOOT” quietly became one of my most anticipated releases of the year. Each track seemed like a breathe of fresh air and brought a sense of personality that resonated with the kind of energy I had been craving for recently. And while the album no doubt has its fair share of fantastic efforts (G.O.A.T is an utter revelation) title track Bona Bona unfortunately ends up emblematic of YG’s worst instincts. The sad part is that there’s an absolutely outstanding song hidden under here. That opening minute and ..read more

With every passing preview of its many album tracks, TREASURE’s ambitious 2nd full album “REBOOT” quietly became one of my most anticipated releases of the year. Each track seemed like a breathe of fresh air and brought a sense of personality that resonated with the kind of energy I had been craving for recently. And while the album no doubt has its fair share of fantastic efforts (G.O.A.T is an utter revelation) title track Bona Bona unfortunately ends up emblematic of YG’s worst instincts. The sad part is that there’s an absolutely outstanding song hidden under here. That opening minute and ..read more

Despite their music essentially being the equivalent to “vibes”, NewJeans have managed to grow into one of, if not the single most influential K-pop group currently. And like many, I’m not immune to their charms. Sure the tracks are basically designed for internet virality through their short run times and wonderfully catchy melodies but I’m not one to complain when the music itself is strong. Which is exactly the case with Cool With You. At its core, Cool With You is utterly emblematic of NewJeans as a brand. From the reserved and wonderfully atmospheric production and vocal performance to th ..read more

With Jungkook’s Seven harbouring almost instant success upon release both commercially and critically, it surprises me that I never ended up doing a writeup for neither Jimin or Suga’s releases from earlier this year. Well, that changes now because it feels a little wrong to have my two cents out for one of the members solos but not the others. Suga’s Haguem is the most hip hop oriented of the bunch, powering forward on a thrilling instrumentation but doesn’t quite reach the heights it initially sets out to. I very much enjoyed the pompous display of badassery that was 2020’s Daechwita. It was ..read more

Almost 6 months on from the entire fiasco that was the LOONA legal situation, we have one of the first peeks at new music from one of the groups most renowned sub-units. The legendary Odd Eye Circle. A trio that gave rise to some of LOONA’s strongest and most assured work in both pre and post debut era’s. And as expected, big comeback single Air Force One sees the girls tackle the kind of upbeat yet stylish sound we expect and the results are rather satisfying. I adore Odd Eye Circle’s Sweet Crazy Love. It’s one of those ethereal, heavily melodic pop songs that hit the perfect sweet spot betwe ..read more

After much anticipation, MISAMO’s debut as a standalone subunit has finally arrived. As TWICE’s renowned Japanese trio, the girls have garnered a substantial fanbase, both in terms of music and commercial success. With the release of “Do Not Touch,” their popularity and fan devotion finally comes to a head. And while the track does showcase the girls’ attempt at a darker and more mature sound, it ultimately falls short of delivering the expected impact. The main problem with Do not touch is that it just doesn’t have anything memorable going for it. With performers of such stature and innate pe ..read more