Ivana E. Morales is a GRAMMY.com contributor.
When K-pop group ZEROBASEONE debuted in the summer of 2023, anticipation grew over how far they could go. Yet their survival show origins on "Boys Planet" imposed a ticking clock: Would they exceed their temporary contract? Would the hype extend beyond just a few releases? More than two years later, ZB1 continues to exceed expectations and surpass limits. Like many…
Widely known as the "Queen of K-pop," BoA's music and the influence has transcended generations and cultural barriers. Her presence marks a clear before and after in the K-pop industry. Throughout her 25-year career — a milestone she will be commemorating on Aug. 25 — BoA has been recognized for her ability to reinvent herself. On acclaimed albums like Hurricane…
With their bold presence, INI cuts through like a blade through the crowded J-pop ecosystem. The 11-member ensemble executes every release and concert with control, yet they are bursting with an energy that grows more pronounced with every performance. "I believe that someone who is a true artist can perform at their best regardless of the location," Yudai Sano tells…
Finding "a sense of lightness" in his music has been a personal catharsis for Kenshi Yonezu. After decades in the industry, the Japanese star has come into his own by releasing pent-up emotions and beginning again through his creative process. Despite (or perhaps because of) his emotional peaks and valleys, Yonezu has risen to the top of Japan's musical echelon.…
Filipino pop group SB19 are characterized by their daring spirit — no challenge is too big or too arduous for the quintet to endure. Since debuting in 2018, the group have earned both international and local accolades, achieved historic firsts, and have helped bring P-pop beyond its borders. SB19's journey began when members Pablo, Josh, Stell, Ken and Justin were…
The Japanese pop industry is a multilayered sphere where a vast array of genres and subcultures coexist. However, for many years, this world remained largely inaccessible due to its limited availability outside Japan. But with the onset of the pandemic and the dawn of the Reiwa era, Japan's traditionally CD-based industry has begun to embrace the digital landscape, allowing music…
Behind the glitz and glamour of the K-pop industry, its female idols walk a path fraught with heavy expectations and systemic barriers. Even after navigating the rigorous trainee system, K-pop's women are subjected to impossibly high standards and, often, little creative control. Yet throughout K-pop's multiple generations, artists have used their music to give visibility to their experiences. Whether it's…
The world of K-pop — thriving and as busy as ever — had bid farewell to a year that will be remembered as a period of transition and, to some extent, establishment for rising groups that opened the so-called fifth generation. Acts such as RIIZE, ZEROBASEONE and BOYNEXTDOOR, who appeared in the dynamic wave of 2023, began to reap the…
K-pop group ITZY doubled down on their ethos in the concept trailer for their latest release, GOLD. The phrase "Our World Is Still Different" appears in the final moments as the camera zooms out and inverts, capturing Yeji, Lia, Ryujin, Chaeryeong, and Yuna standing together — fearless and resolute. For the quintet, the notion of "being different" doesn't rely on…
When J-pop group ME:I debuted their balmy anthem "Hi-Five" at KCON L.A. 2024, their contagious energy captivated a stadium of fans and soon-to-be devotees. The song's euphoric vocal climax electrified the audience, asserting that "it's going to be a special season." The 11-member group harnessed the spark of "Hi-Five" as they segued into "Click," the lead single off their debut…
In the K-pop industry, the Neo Culture Technology juggernaut stands out as a cosmopolitan universe. The project is characterized by its highly experimental approach, where each of NCT's subgroups contribute a unique twist. This is especially true of NCT 127. Comprised of Taeyong, Taeil, Jaehyun, Johnny, Yuta, Doyoung, Jungwoo, Mark, and Haechan, NCT 127's identity was forged via innovative arrangements…
Immersed in a sea of lights and basking in the clamor of tens of thousands of fans at the Kyocera Dome in Osaka, one of Japan's largest venues, JO1 felt a profound fulfillment. The 11-member J-pop group brimmed with gratitude at the realization that the road to their shared dream had stretched wide open.\ Over a video call from Tokyo,…
In the music video for her 2018 single "Woman," BoA, the "Queen of K-pop," enters the scene walking upside down. Poised and commanding, BoA's posture conveys a majestic confidence — she's dauntless and defying gravity. "No comparing, I shine just as I am/ I'm beautiful enough/To be a woman," she sings in the opening verse. "In a stylish and modern…
Rising K-pop stars ZEROBASEONE have experienced a rapid transition from boy group hopefuls to full-blown idols. While they're full speed ahead promoting their latest EP, Melting Point, it's necessary to turn back the clock and go into the very beginning to fully grasp how their growth has been unfolding. Last fall, Zhang Hao, Kim Taerae, Sung Hanbin, Seok Matthew, Ricky,…
The ability to transmit the most genuine emotions and make the audience truly feel the lyrical meaning of a composition is what sets apart the best singers. It’s an earnest gift that furthers the linkage between artist and audience, endowing any performance. In the competitive K-pop industry, few are the vocalists who boast this virtue, and one of them is…
When NCT released their debut album, NCT 2018 Empathy, an accompanying documentary video mapped out what connects all of its pieces. "NCT shares dreams," utters a voice in English, with another adding in Mandarin, "The tones become one and become music." This comprehensive scope — where "openness" and "expandability" are the main principles — began developing in January 2016. Then,…
The complexity of Korean pop music is akin to an ocean of changing tides. Every year brings a stream of new elements that, in due course, become part of the fabric of the genre. That’s the part of the magic of K-pop: a guaranteed churning of trends and influences that continue to mesmerize millions. While last year saw an awakening…
