I’m probably alone in wanting the old kings and queens of K-pop to step side for new groups to rise. Big Bang, Girls’ Generation, Super Junior, and 2NE1 have had their time; I want new blood. 2015 was a great year for offering new groups who were not just talented enough to take the reins, […]
Sitting in the venue’s pub, World’s End in London, a few hours before the show I started to feel vibrations in my chest and feet. Although loud, it was clearly not due to the heavy metal being played in the bar. I realised soon after that it was the soundcheck of the people I was here […]
SM Entertainment have long had an image of a more sweet and safe counterpart to YG Entertainment’s edgy western influenced looks and sounds. SM, however, have built their foundation on truly innovative concepts all based in more palatable (for a Korean audience) pop music. Songs like TVXQ’s “Rising Sun” and Girls’ Generation’s “I Got A […]
Jeon Hyo Sung and Oh My Girl returned with new singles this week touching on similar subjects. That classic idea of first love is something that is easy to fawn at, to claim you’ve heard it all before. That’s the thing about a topic as universal as this is that will always warrant new expressions […]
With all the Got7s, Red Velvets, and Lee His taking over the charts these days, I figured it was a good time to look at some of the lesser known groups who have had recent releases. Then I figured what better way to celebrate them then with a bloody fight to the death? Who needs […]
If any group was poised to be the next breakout superstars, it would be LOEN’s girls, Fiestar. Leader Jei and Chinese member Cao Lu have been gaining followers on variety shows by the day and we all know of the success that rapper Yezi has had following her breakout on the second season of “Unpretty […]
When 4Ten released their first album “Jack of All Trades” earlier this month, the title and tracklist got me thinking about their career so far. The term “Jack of All Trades” when referred to pop groups brings to my mind groups like 4minute, SHINee, and TVXQ. Groups with talent across the board or talent so […]
Neon Bunny has long been a favourite of the Korean art music scene. Her lounging synth pop is unique to the industry and claimed fans internationally. With the release of her new single “Forest of Skyscrapers” she shows she is thinking internationally too. In an interview with The Fader she cited anime “Akira” and Hong […]
Rising from the ashes of forgotten rap crew Daenamhyup and featuring a number of former idol trainees, Rock Bottom Crew have a good base to start off, but some work to do to set themselves apart. Rap crews springing up is no surprise given the mainstream popularity of rap in Korea at the moment . […]
Looking like a schoolyard gang and Posh Spice cosplayers, 4minute return with yet another big track, “Hate”. Produced by Skrillex, it follows “Crazy” into chaotic banger territory but with a certain pristine quality. Again, unfounded comparisons between YG Entertainment artists are bouncing around due to the sound and look of the music video. As we […]