When NCT Dream announced that they would be returning with bright, throwback single titled Beatbox, I was over the moon. I had longed for the return of the bright, poppy sound that the sub-unit had debuted with and though last years Hello Future helped reignite some of that through its gorgeous, jubilant chorus, its harsher … Continue reading SONG REVIEW: NCT DREAM – Beatbox
As someone who loves K-pop and has literally spent the last 2 years writing about it, I've been quite bored with the current slate of releases that 2022 has given us. Sure there have been some highlights and the average quality of tracks hasn't been the worse, an entire sense of mundanity has fallen over … Continue reading Arpydarpy’s 2022 Pop Highlights (Q1)
Though perfectly serviceable and quite pleasant, Seventeen's Darl+ing didn't last as long as would have expected on my playlist. It's promising instrumental shifts excited initially but became more and more tiresome as the listens added up. As such, I didn't quite know what to expect from new single HOT. SEVENTEEN's music has become much more … Continue reading SONG REVIEW: SEVENTEEN – HOT
When JYP announced that all 7 members of GOT7 had chosen to leave the company back in January of 2021, many including myself saw it as a soft disbandment. Sure the boys vowed to come back together as a group in the future to meet fans but as history has told us time and time … Continue reading SONG REVIEW: GOT7 – NANANA
With a career spanning more than 20 years and immense levels of success in both Korea and Japan, BoA has become a kind of nexus figure within both the K and J pop industries. Her voice and music have become incredibly iconic, acting as landmark moments that have done everything from soundtrack anime to top … Continue reading SONG REVIEW: BoA – The Greatest
Gfriend's sudden disbandment came as a shock to many fans and casual listeners alike, sending shockwaves through the industry and fracturing one of my all time favourite girl groups. But despite that, 2022 has been kind to girls, enriching their individual ventures alongside heralding the debut and rise of VIVZ. Yerin follows follows Yuju as … Continue reading SONG REVIEW: Yerin – Aria
Although I’ll primarily be reviewing singles, there are some albums that are too influential, notable or strong to not cover. In this segment, I will be spotlighting those albums and giving my thoughts on each and every track. As my current favourite boy group, I approach every TXT release with a sense of optimism and curiosity. … Continue reading Album Review: TXT – minisode 2: Thursday’s Child
I can't take it anymore. How many of these songs are we going to get before groups finally branch off into more exciting and creative ventures that actually have a melody? Back in the day Japan used to be the outlet for creativity. A musical market for groups to experiment with their sound and try … Continue reading SONG REVIEW: The Boyz – She’s The Boss
P-Nation have been one of those agencies that have drawn me in through the sheer personality of their artists over their musical output. Artists like Jessi, HyunA and PSY himself all have such magnetic charm that they can make almost anything, music or not worth seeking out. And though I didn't watch LOUD, it seemed … Continue reading SONG REVIEW: TNX – Move
When I consider groups that have been incredibly hit or miss for me, AB6IX are right up there with the likes of NCT and Monsta X. Groups a record of releasing tracks that I absolutely adore but most of the time return with solid if rather forgettable material. Their 2021 material largely sidestepped this issue … Continue reading SONG REVIEW: AB6IX – Savior
KBopped 