Profiles in Music
Meet WAKER, the K-pop Group Given a Second Shot at Success
Before joining the team, many of the group’s members had given up on their dream of becoming an idol. Now promoting their third album, the members look back at the long road to debuting as WAKER.
Profiles in Music
8TURN Wants You To Find Your Power
The members of 8TURN reflect on their new single and what “bruises” they’ve had to accept about themselves.
Q&A
In a new interview done in collaboration with KOHAI, the singer-songwriter considers why he’s drawn to superheroes and how a determination to succeed has fueled him since he was a teenager.
Listening Booth
On ‘TYPHOON,’ Luke Chiang Knows Good Things Take Time
The singer’s debut album comes nearly six years after a health issue nearly torpedoed his career. It’s worth the wait.
Profiles in Music
In K-pop, Few Groups Shatter Stereotypes Like 1VERSE
The boy group has become one of fifth gen’s most promising rookie groups without changing much about themselves. With their new single “WABIF” and an upcoming world tour, 1VERSE is proving that idols can be remarkably relatable, too.
In-depth profiles about leading independent Asian musicians.
the roookies
Minh Is Just Beginning to Find His Potential
For the past four months, Minh’s music has made gains on streaming services. In his first interview, he reflects on his new EP’s momentum and why he became a self-made musician.
Meet West of Eden, A Giant Group Much Larger Than It’s Four Artists
The Seattle-based group succeeds because of their strong friendship and an extremely creative team of designers, producers, videographers, photographers and artists.
Yel Is Turning Her Best Memories Into Works of Art
The California-based singer-songwriter makes dreamy, romantic music that is becoming a smash hit on streaming services.
Profiles in Music
KANG YUCHAN and from20 Enter a New Era With WAY BETTER
When KANG YUCHAN joined HELLO GLOOM and from20’s company WAY BETTER, the friends saw a possibility to chart a new path for idols. “Maybe,” from20 theorizes, “we could flip the whole culture.”
Hikaru Utada’s Science Fiction retrospective, reviewed
Profiles in Music
After more than 25 years in the industry, Crystal Kay is regarded as a pioneer of J-R&B and J-Pop. Now, about to embark on her first North American tour, she is just beginning to grapple with the meaning of her legacy.
Essays from the frontlines of K-Pop and beyond.
critically speaking
From Rain to Kai, San and from20: How Male Sexuality Has Evolved in K-Pop
A new generation of male idols are embracing a fluid view of sexuality. It’s a major course correction from years’ past.
With ‘One in a Million’, The Women of TWICE Finally Share Their Stories
In a revealing new documentary, the members share why a decade of TWICE was never guaranteed.
BoA in Japan: Soft Powers and Teenage Dreams
In 2001, BoA was the first of her kind: a K-Pop star landing number one’s in Japan. Her success transformed K-Pop into a global super power.
Essential reading from the API music scene
and all the rest….
How Soobin and Arin Raised the Bar at ‘Music Bank’
Soobin and Arin were only MCs at Music Bank for a year and a half. But they remade the show in their image.
Call Her Jin-ri
For many of us, Sulli is an enigma. But her last EP “Goblin” provide clues to wha a deep-thinking, introspective pop star she was.
Kim Woojin’s Dream Is Meeting CUBS
Kim Woojin reflects on his first European tour and how special it was to meet CUBS for the first time.
What OMEGA X Teach Us About Never Giving Up
OMEGA X pulls together eleven veteran idols from disbanded groups for a new kind of supergroup: one built on second chances. This fall you can meet them on their first US tour.
Sunmi Leans Into the Wild and the Weird
WIth “Heart Burn”, SUNMI explores a woman driven to madness by the summer heat — and love.
With ‘blanc’, JUNNY Wants To Show You His Artistic Colors
In an exclusive interview with Bias Wrecker, JUNNY talks his inspirations, new music, and what gives him hope.
Girls Generation Is Forever
Girls Generation returns fifteen years after their debut for an album that honors and furthers their legacy as the leaders of K-Pop.
ATEEZ Will Lead You to the Light
ATEEZ’s latest album offers an encouragement to Atiny to embrace who they are and to be loud about it.
Tomorrow x Together Write Their Own History at Lollapalooza
Tomorrow x Together’s triumphant set at Lollapalooza writes them into the cannon of K-Pop history.
JUNNY, In Full Color
JUNNY moved to Korea at 21 to pursue a career in music. Now he’s touring North America for the first time.
“We Lit Up the Stage”: Brave Girls meet FEARLESS on first US Tour
Only one year ago Brave Girls were close to disbanding. Now they are touring the United States in a career renaissance.
Wendy, In the Eye of Her Storm
In 2019 Wendy suffered several injuries after a fall. Two years later she returned with an album that transformed her pain into a hope for laughter.
Golden Child Burn the Stage in ATL
Golcha visit ATL for the first time with their Meet & Live tour.
Woojin Is Still Dreaming
Woojin’s Still Dream tour opens this week. Learn about the story that inspired it.
Jay B Wants to Become the Wind
In one year, Jay B worked to secure the rights to GOT7 ‘s trademark name and released three unique bodies of work. Now he prefers to be in nature.
DKB Brings the Heat to ATL’s Center stage
DKB reminds us why sometimes the best concerts can occur in hot concert halls.
The Year We Were “Jopping”: The Wild Story of SuperM
In 2019, SuperM was hailed as “The Avengers of K-Pop” but their debut single “Jopping” suggested something far from the mainstream.
The Reverse Engineered Success of Eric Nam
Ten years ago, Eric Nam traveled to South Korea for a shot at making it in music. But to find himself, he had to return home. This year, he released an album that declares a pop-star fully in control of his future.
How “FEVER EPILOGUE” Made ATEEZ a Force to be Reckoned With
Six months after competing on Kingdom, ATEEZ released an album that showed their interior world and spoke honestly about mental health.
What (G)I-DLE’s “TOMBOY” Tells Us About K-Pop’s Globalization
(G)I-DLE’s hit single “TOMBOY” represents a unique crossroads the K-Pop industry finds itself in as it races towards global domination.