Whether it be in Korean or Japanese, B1A4 know how to deliver a pop song. The group has had a high level of control over their music for quite a number of years, with most of their material composed by either leader Jinyoung or vocalist CNU. That approach has extended to their j-pop releases as … Continue reading
Before the Bias List‘s Top 50 songs countdown in December, it’s time to take a mid-year survey of the k-pop landscape in 2017. Compared to 2016, this year has been somewhat underwhelming. But that doesn’t mean 2017 hasn’t had its share of highlights. Unsurprisingly, my list includes a number of acts that overlap with last … Continue reading
Coming off a very strong 2016, this year in k-pop has felt very middle-of-the-road. That’s not to say that there haven’t been highlights (we’ll get to those tomorrow…), but overall 2017 just hasn’t been that exciting thus far. Traditionally, k-pop revs up in the summer and fall as comebacks are more frequent and acts tend … Continue reading
We don’t usually associate variety shows with grade-A k-pop releases, but Sister’s Slam Dunk surprised by providing one of May’s best singles with Unnies’ Right. And now it’s time for another similarly-pitched series to deliver. Idol Drama Operation Team may be a show centered around creating a Korean drama, but its cast is full of … Continue reading
There’s an old joke that after a nuclear holocaust, all that will be left are cockroaches… and Cher. As far as k-pop goes, I think we can add T-ara to that list. The girls have survived scandals, line-up changes and shifts in sound to become one of the genre’s most enduring girl groups. This makes … Continue reading
SM Entertainment doesn’t always get the credit it deserves when it comes to being a boundary-pushing agency. They’ve been blending genres and playing with song structure since the very beginning. Hits like H.O.T’s I Yah or TVXQ’s Rising Sun still feel miles away from what we think of as “Top 40” radio fare. But these … Continue reading
Amidst everything going on with his band-mate T.O.P, G-Dragon made the right decision in releasing the emotive Untitled, 2014 as the first single from his new mini album. But this being G-Dragon, we knew we’d be getting at least one hip-hop hype track before the album campaign was over. The eye-catchingly titled Bullshit is the … Continue reading
For as long as boy group B.A.P have been around, they haven’t done all that much solo or sub-unit work. But after a 2016 that saw them releasing song after song both in Korea and Japan, they’ve released a double a-side that allows members Daehyun and Jongup a chance to shine on their own. First … Continue reading
Over the course of two mini albums, Pentagon have already shown a lot of promise for a group who only debuted half a year ago. But I have noticed one thing all their albums have in common: they never seem to pick the strongest track as their promotional single. Luckily, they made up for this … Continue reading
Though most of k-pop fandom’s obsession rests on groups and individual artists, I have just as strong a bias toward certain producers as the performers themselves. That’s why I started The Bias List‘s Producer Spotlight feature. There are dozens of amazing individuals and teams working behind the scenes to craft k-pop’s best songs. Here are … Continue reading
Other than the finale, the best part of each year’s Produce 101 is the concept performance battle. This is where the remaining contestants are split into groups and given an original song that fits within a specific genre. Last year, this segment resulted in the gorgeous In The Same Place, which became a bit of a … Continue reading
It’s such a thrill to write about a solo G-Dragon track. Though Bigbang has been active over the past few years, we haven’t heard from G-Dragon on his own since 2013’s brilliant Coup d’Etat album. But on a personal level, he was one of my first ambassadors to k-pop as a whole. I can’t think … Continue reading
Now that Sistar has officially disbanded, Cosmic Girls are Starship Entertainment’s sole remaining girl group. Over their past two releases, the girls have started to develop an intriguing, spacey pop style that has helped give them an identity within an overly crowded market. Rather than strengthen this burgeoning sound, Happy goes the easy route by … Continue reading
As we’ve seen over the past few months, making it to a ten-year anniversary is no small feat when it comes to k-pop. FTIsland join a select few that have outlasted the threat of disbandment and roster changes and failing agencies. For that alone, they deserve immense respect. Even more kudos should be given for … Continue reading
It’s getting a little repetitive to open every DAY6 review with the same sentiments, but I just can’t believe how well their year-long promotional cycle is going. They’ve been punctual each and every month with high quality releases, and now they’ve smartly packaged the first half of their 2017 output into a full-length album that … Continue reading
Solo idol stars are a tricky proposition in k-pop — a genre that thrives on a constantly morphing, assembly line style of dynamic group performance. But Chungha has the weight of Produce 101 and I.O.I behind her, lending an instant hype to her solo work. Rather than branch out and establish herself as a unique … Continue reading
At what point does a “joke” song become a “real” song? The last time comedy duo UV hit it big with a high profile collaboration was in 2011 with Itaewan Freedom featuring Park Jinyoung. That song is obviously intended as a parody of sorts, but it’s a dynamite pop track in its own right and … Continue reading
Top Secret is not a group on many fans’ radar, and they wouldn’t be on mine either if it wasn’t for their connection to producers Sweetune. They debuted this January with the catchy — if slight — She, and are back with another Sweetune track for part two of their “school trilogy.” Mind Control is … Continue reading
From bubblegum pop princess to mature singer-songwriter, IU has grown to become one of k-pop’s most loved and respected artists. Her output has varied quite heavily throughout the years, and each listener is likely to have an IU sound that they prefer most. Looking at my top ten, I think you’ll see where my allegiances … Continue reading
It’s that time of year again! Even if it doesn’t always feel like it here in the Pacific Northwest, summer is on the horizon. This is my favorite season for k-pop, with a strong focus on energetic, upbeat releases. Unlike the Ultimate 80’s Playlist I featured earlier in the year, “summer” is a far more … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 