That’s one heck of a song title, isn’t it? In my opinion, it needs at least four more exclamation marks. Love, Love, Love Love Love! is the third promoted track from n.SSign’s newest album, originally released all the way back in February. On first listen, it was my favorite of the three but that didn’t last long as Happy & grew more addictive with time. Although this is a fun, fluffy bit of upbeat pop, it’s not particularly eventful. The bubbly, throwaway nature of Love, Love, Love Love Love! recalls K-pop b-sides of the early 2010’s, which is probably what appeals most to me. It’s an unc ..read more

ARTMS are blitzing the market with pre-release songs before dropping their debut album. At its best, this strategy offers multiple jumping on points for new fans. If one track doesn’t hit with you, another is bound to compensate. I’m still hoping this project will deliver a song or two for me, because so far I’m struggling to board the ARTMS train. Candy Crush is unlikely to change that. The previous two ARTMS tracks may have not been for me, but I still found their ideas compelling. Candy Crush swerves into territory that feels a bit dull, taking influence from subdued genres like coffeehouse ..read more

K-pop is getting its summer started early, with a few seasonal releases during a period usually reserved for April showers. First we had RIIZE’s excellent Impossible, and now we’ve got a summery pre-release from ZEROBASEONE. Sweat arrives about three weeks before the group’s newest album and delivers the kind of energetic dance pop perfect for the beach. While Impossible veered much closer to straight-up house music, Sweat feels more indebted to overall K-pop trends and history. It’s got a catchy “rum pum pum” hook and a few minor switch-ups in tempo and energy. This causes the song to feel a ..read more

Kep1er’s future as a group remains unsteady, with activities set to end in early July unless their contract is extended. I’m not sure if we’ll get another Korean comeback before that point, but for now fans can enjoy a new Japanese album from the group. Some of their strongest material has been released in Japan — particularly this excellent b-side. Straight Line gives Kep1er’s sound an interesting makeover. It has its sleek, mature moments, but the overall arrangement is stuffed with so many sonic switch-ups that it’s almost difficult to appreciate its strengths. What opens as a slightly Lati ..read more

I feel compelled to open this song review with an apology to Lee Jinhyuk. I write about his comebacks because I write about any notable K-pop comeback, but he and I seem to exist on separate musical wavelengths. I’m not sure there’s ever been a Lee Jinhyuk solo track I’ve fully enjoyed. I loved him in UP10TION, but the solo stuff just isn’t for me. So, I’ll keep this short. New single Relax sees him in his element. It’s a bit silly and gimmicky, but the beat isn’t bad. The percussion is pitched at a frequency that’s a little grating, though its general vibe reminds me of Missy Elliott’s semina ..read more

I can’t overemphasize the shiver that went down my spine when I pressed play on PICKUS’s debut track Little Prince and was met with the tune from “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” Nursery rhyme interpolations are my kryptonite, and this set expectations quite low. Fortunately, the actual song is a fun blast of upbeat pop — a little rough around the edges but with its heart in the right place. PICKUS is a seven-member project group from MBC’s Fan Pick — a series I’d never heard of until today. Little Prince opens a bit messy, continuing to riff off its nursery rhyme influence before transitionin ..read more

When writing about Yuqi’s pre-release Could It Be several weeks ago, I was hoping we’d hear more edgy rock influences from her title track. After all, 2021’s Bonnie & Clyde remains a high water mark for both her and (G)I-DLE. With the release of Freak, I (sort of) got what I hoped for, though it’s dressed in a package that feels overmarketed and underdeveloped. One reason I love writing about K-pop is that I don’t have to be distracted by lyrics and can fully focus on the music itself. Add too much English and I find myself stumbling on words to the detriment of the song. Freak succumbs to ..read more

Kim Woojin — formerly of Stray Kids — has crafted an enduring solo career, teaming with big name producers like Ryan Jhun to deliver solid grooves that echo the successes of other K-pop soloists. I Like The Way is the latest in this line and it’s as enjoyable as it is generic. There’s nothing here we can’t get elsewhere on a bigger budget, but Woojin performs the material well and the track harnesses its insistent bassline with style. As far as songs of this genre go, I Like The Way is neither great nor bad. It hits all its marks, doesn’t do anything weird or fancy, and leaves traces of its gr ..read more

TIOT made their pre-debut late last summer with a cover of Click-B’s Unbeatable. That was a great teaser, and now the group has returned with a new member and an official debut song. Rock Thang promises more distorted guitar and bad boy energy, but falls into too many current tropes to work. It took all I had to keep Rock Thang playing after the first chorus. Yep, the song is driven by the same obnoxious boy group chanting that hinders so many modern tracks. You all know I can’t stand this sound. It’s like a thousand gnats buzzing in my ear at once, and really prevents Rock Thang from becoming ..read more

Now that the expansion of the NCT project has ended and its first member has enlisted in the military, I predict we’ll see more solo work from the guys. This has been a long time coming. There’s a wealth of talent under the sprawling NCT umbrella. Doyoung’s voice has always been one of my favorite aspects of the various units, going all the way back to 2016’s Without You. But if I have one overriding complaint about solo releases for K-pop vocalists, it’s that agencies rely too heavily on the artists’ skills to elevate boring material. Little Light (반딧불) tether’s Doyoung’s warm tone to a rock ..read more