Look at me introducing a feature in February 2023 and then not following up on it until fifteen months later. Oops! As a spin-off to my Battle of the B-sides feature, I’m pleased to announce the arrive of “Battle of the Title Tracks!” In this feature, I’ll be pitting three K-pop title tracks/singles against each … Continue reading
I don’t really take music videos or imagery into account when writing reviews on The Bias List, but when all is said and done I’ll likely remember this era of RM’s career more for the videos than the music. The one for new single LOST! is particularly evocative — quirky, surreal and suitably claustrophobic. Whether … Continue reading
It’s been a fraught month for HYBE, with NewJeans unwittingly stuck at the center of their controversies. Very little of this drama has anything to do with the group themselves and everything to do with the chaos swirling around them, but with a seeming cold war brewing between the NewJeans and ILLIT camps regarding plagiarism … Continue reading
Alongside their full-group comeback Maestro, Seventeen’s specialized units are also releasing music videos for their new songs. We’ve already heard from the Hip-Hop and Performance Teams, and now it’s time for the Vocal Team to bring this series to a finale. Sub-unit Seventeen BSS found tremendous success with a cheering song last year, and Cheers … Continue reading
When JD1 made his debut as a K-pop idol in January, I never realized how young he was. It wasn’t until I watched him on the TVXQ episode of Immortal Songs that I learned this guy is only seventeen years old (sixteen at the time!). Perhaps this would have been more obvious if he had … Continue reading
Ex-(G)I-DLE member Soojin made her solo debut late last year with AGASSY — a song high on atmosphere and low on substance. That description could match many K-pop tracks of the last two years or so, and new single Mona Lisa also fits within this realm. Everything about this song feels like a means to … Continue reading
The best thing a rookie K-pop group can do is develop their own sound that establishes them as a vital part of the industry. Just B have slowly been doing that, moving to rock influences to give their music an identifiable style. New English-language single Daddy’s Girl capitalizes on that approach. The first time I … Continue reading
While other groups are turning to Y2K influences for sound and aesthetic, ONEUS have gone right back to the source with a cover of Fin.K.L’s 2000 track Now. Straight-up covers are unusual in K-pop — especially as title tracks — and rather than bend the song to their own will ONEUS have delivered a pretty … Continue reading
Debuting in 2020, MCND have developed a consistently playful sound. But without a breakout hit, the group has struggled to sell as well as many of their peers. It’s important to forge a signature style, but I wonder if it’s time to try something different. New single X10 echoes many of the same elements of … Continue reading
The J-pop industry is slowly beginning to reach out to international markets, most often with the assistance of K-pop agencies and corporations. XG are one of the most notable avatars of this approach. Yes, they’re an Avex-managed group, but they’re based in South Korea and have been part of global events like KCON. Like many … Continue reading
The members of EXO are busy this month, as leader Suho follows D.O. with his own solo release. As has become common lately, he’s kicking off promotions with a pre-release track. Cheese keeps things in the SM family, enlisting Red Velvet’s Wendy for guest vocals. This frothy pop-rock track feels as if it would be … Continue reading
I don’t watch many audition series anymore, but I did catch the latest season of JYP’s Nizi Project last year. I chose to watch it because I find J.Y. Park a fascinating and highly entertaining TV personality, but of course I grew to like the guys of NEXZ as well. Following in NiziU’s footsteps, they’re … Continue reading
One of the most enjoyable effects of K-pop’s current Y2K trend has been the return to hip-hop beats of that era. Angsty trap hi-hats seem to be on their way out in favor of bouncier, more playful grooves. This is the hip-hop sound I grew up on, so it’s bound to offer its fair share … Continue reading
In connection with my desire to fully keep up with the J-pop industry, I’m planning to do a weekly round-up of any new releases that have caught my ear. Some of these may have been covered on the blog already, but my hope is that this will become a one-stop shop for anyone interested in … Continue reading
The Bias List is a K-pop blog that also covers a fair amount of J-pop. But just like most music fans, I enjoy tracks from all around the world. So, I thought I’d start a monthly round-up of some of the non-K-pop songs that have caught my ear. No ratings — just highlights! February 2022 … Continue reading
Similar to its effect in Korea, the Japanese version of Produce 101 spreads its tentacles far and wide throughout the industry. Not only do participants end up in a variety of unaffiliated groups, but the show itself spawns multiple acts. Months after the debut of winning group ME:I, the runners up have made their debut … Continue reading
Alongside their full-group comeback Maestro, Seventeen’s specialized units are also releasing music videos for their new songs. Following the hip-hop team’s LALALI comes the performance team’s Spell. My favorite unit tracks often emerge from the performance team, but given the nature of their specialty these songs also tend to benefit from an accompanying visual. Spell … Continue reading
It’s been reported that NCT’s Mark is gearing up for a solo album release in early 2025, which has to be the earliest comeback announcement (rumor) in K-pop history. Before that, he’s dropped digital single 200. It follows the experimental bent of previous track Golden Hour and embraces a new sonic palette. No one in … Continue reading
Fun K-pop stuff tends to happen on my birthday. I share the day with my all-time favorite K-pop song The Chaser, as it was released exactly twelve years ago. Then last year, rookie group The Wind made their debut on May 15th. I still question why I didn’t feature any of the b-sides from that … Continue reading
If there’s one overriding trend in K-pop marketing this year, it’s double title tracks and pre-releases. It seems like every major idol group has several promoted tracks from their newest album. IVE released HEYA several weeks ago to great success, but we all knew Accendio was lurking just around the corner to satisfy fans who … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 