I’ve wanted to introduce a reader survey for the longest time, and 2024 is finally the year to do it! This is a short ten-question survey that should not take longer than a minute or two. If all goes as planned (I’m new to google forms), I’ll be collecting responses for the next nine days and sharing the results alongside my 2024 recap just before the year-end countdowns kick off! So, take a minute to let your feedback be heard. There are a few blog-specific questions along with some general K-pop topics.
Thank you in advance!
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
Sorry a bit unrelated to this article,
But Hey Say Jump has released their entire discography on Spotify! This is the best news ever!!!!!!!!!
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Ooh, reader participation!
Also, Robin’s album is out and this song is my favourite track on it by miles. Reminds me a little of Hoida mut by Benjamin.
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Yay! Amen is massive. I also love Punasel, Hitaasti and Puuhapete (that beat!). I swear, he does Weeknd-style synthpop better than The Weeknd at the moment.
And as someone who’s followed his career since he was a literal child way back in 2012, it’s so rewarding to see how his sound has matured and deepened.
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I was honestly underwhelmed by Punasel at first, but I suspect it’ll grow on me with a few more listens. Hitaasti is my second favourite after Amen (of the new songs anyway – Kuumila hiililä remains undefeated as my favourite Robin track). I love the beat on Puuhapete as well! The other songs I like too, but none has really stood out to me yet.
It’s funny that you mention The Weeknd, because I’ve never enjoyed his music! Maybe Robin’s take on the genre feels less dark and that’s why I like it more?
So cool to hear you followed his career all the way from the beginning! I came on board a little later around 2016, but Robin and I are the same age and across these 10(!) years it’s given me this strange feeling as if we grew up “together”, also because my musical taste has now matured in the same direction as his music has.
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Apparently I am living in 2026 – that should be 8* years.
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It’s funny, but I was thinking about 2024 in K-pop the other day as I worked on sorting my own favorites list and concluded that it’s been a solid year but not a standout. Artists have delivered, but even my top songs aren’t ones that make me really want to extol their virtues from the rooftops, y’know? Comparing it to, say, the year my top 3 was Apple/I Can’t Stop Me/Criminal there is no comparison.
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Buried Treasure was missing from the options! But aside from that, I’m a big fan of the Global Roundup feature and have added a number of songs to my playlist thanks to that compilation, and other features highlighting Japanese releases. Thanks for all your hard work!
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I was looking for that too! Went with A-Z instead since it was my second pick.
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Buried Treasure is not in the drop down, that is one of my favourite segments. I have found quite some gems from there
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Nothing quite like a survey to bring out my overthinking tendencies 😆.
1. How long have you been a reader?
I had to think on this one…As far as I recall, I became somewhat of a regular reader in 2022, but I knew of the blog since around the beginning of 2021 and visited occasionally back then, so I’m going with 3-4 years.
2. How long have you been a K-pop fan?
Easiest question on here. Since 2018, so 6 going on 7 years.
3. Favorite feature?
…it would probably be Back to K-pop’s First Generation except I haven’t had time to read that one yet 😆.
I appreciate the existence of New & Noteworthy J-pop but honestly don’t get around to checking it out that often. It’s pretty much my only link to the J-pop world though.
I have also discovered a few good things from Global roundup, but I’m an inconsistent visitor of that one as well.
My favorite features on here other than title track reviews would be buried treasure, top three songs of the month, all the year end lists, legendary songs, top 100 of all time, top 10 lists for specific artists, and in-depth album reviews (specifically the SHINee ones).
Since none of these are an option (and I get why they’re not), the ones that jump out to me the most are:
Bite-sized album reviews
Breaking down the song
Concert Recaps
Random shuffle
Underrated K-pop
So for my answer, I’m choosing the one I would most like to see come around more often: Bite-sized album reviews. Underrated K-pop is a close second due to its potential of providing new discoveries. But in conclusion, I think you do a good job with all your various features, Nick. Carry on 😂.
4. Overall, I find the reviews on The Bias List:
Well, that depends on the individual song haha. Sometimes our tastes are right on, often times my favorite tracks of the year are the ones in your B tier, and other times they don’t catch your attention at all. But objectively, I think you do a fair job with your reviews. They aren’t groveling (thank you), not overly harsh unless they deserve it, so…just right.
5. Overall, this year in K-pop was:
Uhh..in comparison to the last few years: average
In comparison to all time: way below average
In comparison to the years since I’ve been a fan: maybe slightly below average?
Final answer: below average. But there are still enjoyable things to be had if I take the time to dig for them.
6. What made 2024 most exciting?
You’re killing me. I hate answering “other” on a survey, but it’s really been a mixture of most of these things.
For debuts: TWS & ARTMS.
Reunions: does Home Sweet Home count? The little partial B.A.P reunion was also lovely to see even if the music didn’t particularly jump out.
Everything else falls under established groups.
And a side of variety. In particular, watching BND’s Fun Next Door which endeared them to me a lot. Also of note: Jaefriends, Lee Young Ji’s show which I finally got around to checking out, snippets from Zico’s The Seasons, snippets of Kstarnextdoor, bts content from ZB1, TWS, RIIZE, & BND, 1VERSE pre-debut content.
7. What made 2024 least exciting?
Uhh…tours and events since I didn’t go to any? heh.
Objectively, idk. I could always use the quality of songwriting, producing, and vocals to go up a notch, but that’s not what you’re asking. I could essentially answer this one the same way I answered the previous one in that while the points of excitement came from a mixture of these, so did the disappointments. A lot of the debuts were meh. A lot of the comebacks from established artists were meh…
8. In general, would you consider yourself a bigger fan of:
Uh well during my first few years, the answer was definitely boy groups. But in more recent times, girl groups and I have come a looong way and now I wouldn’t do without them. For soloists, it just depends on who’s delivering the quality music. Therefore, no preference.
9. What I would most like to see in 2025:
Hmm. Less drama and nonsense. But also, let’s be honest, kpop wouldn’t be kpop without all the nonsense.
Would also take a SHINee and Block B comeback. And a SPEED comeback 😆. Would kill for a full group B1A4 reunion. Another one from SNSD would also be fun. Infinite but this time with Sweetune. Hopefully GFriend reunion is more substantial than just a fan song. Maybe we’ll get a post-military Winner comeback! SuJu. EXO but actually good this time. Etc.
I’m hoping for the continuation of the strength of the so-called 5th gen boys and their brighter music trends.
But I also desperately miss my angst boys. What happened to all my circa 2012-2016 dramatic angst boys?? You know, B.A.P mvs, hyyh BTS and the like. Time to bring back 2nd & 3rd gen’s brand of dark concept.
For the girls, I’m torn between liking some of the current trends and wanting to change it up a bit.
10. Additional feedback.
I tried to think of something constructive to put here, but I was too worn out from the previous 9 questions.
“should not take longer than a minute or two” lol. You have not met me.
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I already forgot about the “1-2 minutes” thing. Apparently I’ve been sitting here for 20 minutes already..
I absolutely agree to the points on Infinite and Gfriend. A Sweetune song in the old style for Infinite would be fantastic, and for Gfriend I also really hope for something impactful. I already fear that I have too high hopes and am set up to be disappointed.. let’s see.
And thanks for the ARTMS shout-out, I really enjoyed their album as well. Even managed to see them live on their tour which was a highlight on its own.
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Oh I forgot to say: part of what made 2024 the MOST exciting was kpop blogs like this one, and also the shows I got to go to (IU, Billlie.)
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Considering I haven’t been a k-pop fan for so long (bit over 4 years now), I can’t properly judge it, but in general there were a few groups this year that really delivered for me so I’m content. I also continued my journey into the past, and this year I listened to a lot more Infinite, dived freshly into TRI.BE, PIXY, and Lovelyz, and generally had a lot of “new” music to listen to. All in all I added over 200 albums/singles/EPs to my collection, which seems decent. Looking forward to a similarly successful 2025.
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