This is one of those features I’ve been wanting to tackle for years now. In many ways, the singles of 2012 set the standard I measure all future and past K-pop against. Song for song, it was the pinnacle of so much that I love about Korean music. It was a year of gargantuan choruses, … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I look back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists. I take my own ratings into account, but there’s a bit of wiggle room as certain songs tend to grow or fade. January 2019 Overall Thoughts Last year, January bucked expectations and became my favorite musical month of … Continue reading
Debuting in 2016, Pentagon have finally amassed enough title tracks to be eligible for a top ten countdown. Of all the rookies in their generation, it feels like Pentagon have been on a roller coaster of highs and lows, finding both breakout success and frustrating hardships. Through it all, they’ve built a rock-solid discography, equally … Continue reading
MBC brings us the last end-of-year festival of 2018, and K-pop’s final music show before the new year. Even when it’s not the best of the three gayos, I’ve always enjoyed MBC’s format. It has a more intimate feel to it, with the audience close to the performances and fellow idols looking on in the … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I look back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists. I take my own ratings into account, but there’s a bit of wiggle room as certain songs tend to grow or fade. December 2018 Overall Thoughts What is there to say about December, really? This month is basically … Continue reading
This is one of my favorite posts to write each year, because it sets the stage for what I’ll be looking for as we move into 2019. A new year is a great turning point for K-pop, and I always enter January feeling optimistic and excited about where the industry will be headed next. After … Continue reading
It’s that time already! Before unveiling my 2019 K-pop resolutions tomorrow, I wanted to look back at last year’s list and see how many of my hopes came true in 2018. Honestly, the results are… not great. Make sure to read through the original post, first. And check back tomorrow for 2019’s resolutions! 1. No. More. … Continue reading
In the battle of the end-of-year music shows, KBS’s Gayo Daechukje has always felt like the forgotten middle child. SBS boasts the bigger stage and MBC is bolstered by a longer list of performers and the added excitement of New Year’s. In contrast, KBS’s special often feels more like a typical weekly music show. Last … Continue reading
Though I rarely mention them on this site, variety shows are a huge cornerstone of the K-pop experience. I wasn’t able to cobble up a list of ten series like last year, but I still wanted to spotlight my favorite series of 2018. Given that The Bias List is a site focused primarily on idol … Continue reading
Just like last year, my K-pop Christmas present is the kick-off to the year-end music festivals. First up is SBS’s Gayo Daejun, which is typically notable for its star-studded, primarily big-name line-up that includes artists from YG Entertainment. Coming in, I wasn’t all that excited about the year’s Gayo because most of my favorite songs … Continue reading
I may not be a trained dancer, but I do watch music shows each week! In 2018, intricate and catchy choreography continued to play a huge part in K-pop comebacks. Here are the ten routines that caught my eye this year: Honorable Mentions Seungri – 1, 2, 3! NCT U – Boss Seventeen – Oh … Continue reading
I rarely get a chance to talk about K-pop’s music videos, even though they are without a doubt one of the industry’s most important facets. A dynamite video can really make a song stand out, and the following ten clips brought memorable visuals and storylines to the year’s K-pop offerings. + Make sure to check … Continue reading
Each year, I try to delve deeper into the vast world of J-pop. 2018, in particular, rewarded that persistence. J-pop may be difficult to find for international listeners, but it provided a wonderful antidote to some of K-pop’s overused trends. This countdown is usually littered with Japanese title tracks by Korean groups, but this year … Continue reading
2018 was a fantastic year when it came to album tracks. In fact, many of them were stronger (and more interesting) than their title track counterparts. This makes for a very competitive top 40 list. Check out yesterday’s first part of the countdown, and read on for the top twenty of the year! NUMBERS 40-21 … Continue reading
2018 was a fantastic year when it came to album tracks. In fact, many of them were stronger (and more interesting) than their title track counterparts. This makes for a very competitive top 40 list, as well as a host of honorable mentions. Honestly, I could’ve tripled the amount of honorable mentions and still had … Continue reading
You all know how much I love a good producer! Honestly, I almost get more excited by the presence of certain producers’ names on title tracks than the artists themselves. Like last year, my countdown includes ten of 2018’s best composers. You’ll notice a lot of repeats from 2017, shuffled into different places. But, 2018 … Continue reading
I always feel like I need to post a disclaimer before this particular countdown. In most “best artist” categories, the nominees are determined by taking things like sales and popularity into account. My top artists countdown is a bit different. This is a countdown for artists that made waves in 2018. Maybe they’re a newer … Continue reading
Though I’ve had my misgivings about many aspects of K-pop in 2018, it was actually a very strong year for albums. I could have easily expanded my “honorable mentions” list even more than I already did. Surprisingly, many of my top ten have one thing in common: the strongest tracks on them weren’t selected for … Continue reading
Unlike the past few years, no rookie really caught my attention in 2018. There were a few high-profile debuts, but most new acts came from very small agencies. Instead, this was a year where 2017’s rookies really got a chance to shine. In many ways, 2018 felt like the year of the project group — … Continue reading
The end of the year countdowns are finally here! As always, things kick off with the big one… The Bias List’s top 50 songs of the year! Each day this week, I’ll be counting down ten of the year’s best, until number one is revealed on Friday. To be eligible for this top 50 list, … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 