A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. Sometimes, b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. BOYNEXTDOOR don’t necessarily have a big enough discography to pluck many buried treasures from, and their specific performance style can get stretched a bit thin over the course of an album. At its worst, the vocal inflections come across as hyper-affected and grating. But then we have a song like So Let’s Go Se ..read more

When compared to the length of Queen Bee’s history as a band, I’m quite a latecomer to their fandom. Super Memorial (超メモリアル) celebrates fifteen years of music, but it feels as if they’re just getting started. The band released my favorite song of last year and vocalist Avu-chan produces my favorite group of the moment (Ryugujo, who just celebrated their own anniversary). If this new track is any indication, there’s no need to worry about future output. Often, artists fall back on obvious tropes when it comes time for a celebratory anniversary single. We either get the drippy, fan-service balla ..read more

Looking back at the blog, I realize I haven’t written a full song review for a Bullet Train single since the group reconfigured with four new members. More than a decade after their debut, they’re now a nine-member act — including a new vocalist. I’ve been mixed on their more recent output, though last year’s Call My Name was an early-summer standout. The moment I heard teasers for Steal A Kiss, I knew this would be a song that matched my interests. I’m a sucker for these speedy electro dance tracks, buoyed by big melodic choruses and layered vocals. The full song mostly lives up to the previe ..read more

I have this odd trend of under-rated RIIZE’s title tracks when they’re released, only to end up loving them in a few week’s time. This was especially true with January’s Love 119 — a 2024 highlight whose chanted chorus put me off big-time when it first came out. New single Impossible will not have the same problem. Its sleek house/club sound is right within my wheelhouse and fits the group like a glove. Back in 2015-16, SM Entertainment enlisted producers LDN Noise to usher in a new house-influenced sound for the agency. This kicked off with SHINee’s View — still the high-water mark for the ge ..read more

I haven’t been keeping up with idol band ONEWE and didn’t realize two of its members had been discharged from the military earlier this year. Yonghoon and Kanghyun are back for the group’s new track and they’ve certainly been missed. Beautiful Ashes (추억의 소각장) sees the guys continuing where they left off, though it’s a somewhat muted return. Apart from a dramatic guitar solo two thirds of the way through, Beautiful Ashes keeps things pretty safe and straightforward. The group’s strongest music utilizes gripping melody to accentuate the emotion of the vocalists. That’s the main ingredient missin ..read more

In what’s becoming a clear pattern, ILLIT are the latest HYBE-associated K-pop act to see record-breaking success on the charts with their debut Magnetic. Many fans have become upset about their persistent comparisons to NewJeans, but although the details may be unique for each act, I think the observation is apt. We need a name for this new sub-genre of K-pop: airy, two-minute earworm tracks that feel more like calorie-free appetizers than the main course. To be clear, there’s nothing wrong or bad about these songs. They certainly succeed at what they’ve set out to do, and there’s often great ..read more

I don’t know if there’s actual correlation between the two, but ever since Johnny’s Entertainment rebranded into Starto Entertainment, I’ve had a hard time falling in love with their music. Maybe it’s an A&R thing, or maybe it’s simply a symptom of a changing industry environment. Whatever it is, recent songs by some of my long-time favorites just aren’t hitting the way they used to. Now, we have the debut of a new group and an opportunity to truly turn the page. As with any Starto act, Ae! group have been kicking around as juniors for years before making their official cd debut. This come ..read more

With the new LOONA-adjacent act ARTMS steadily releasing music, the renamed Loossemble are here to offer their own addition to the ever-expanding LOONAverse. Last year’s re-debut Sensitive showed promise, and new single Girl’s Night builds on that with a blast of feel-good fun. The song is still firmly within their wheelhouse, powered by muted synth textures and many shifts in energy. I’m not so thrilled with those aspects of the track, but its bounding chorus is strong and stylish and Girls’ Night builds to a standout climax that sends it out on a high. In another world, this would be a bumpi ..read more

I may be showing my age here, but when I hear the phrase “Earth, Wind & Fire” I only think of one thing. BOYNEXTDOOR don’t strike me as the funk disco type, but they did begin to win me over with last year’s addictive But Sometimes. They’ve got a swaggering energy that feels more natural with each comeback. This new single continues that development with a gimmicky twist. Even as pop music has slowed and subdued overall, “sped-up” versions of songs have become all the rage this decade. Earth, Wind & Fire injects that trend within the song itself. In a move sure to polarize, part of its ..read more

K-pop’s title tracks might gain most of listeners’ attention, but many album tracks are worth equal spotlight. I call these “buried treasures.” Beyond this, K-pop’s albums deliver thousands of additional tracks that settle for a more limited audience. It’s these songs that will become a part of my “battle of the b-sides” feature. In this feature, I’ll be putting on my A&R hat and taking a listen to five randomly-selected K-pop b-sides. I’ll write a mini review for each, including a Bias List rating, and rank them from least to most favorite. The winner will join a special Bias List B-side ..read more