I’ve not been shy when it comes to criticizing many aspects of Mnet’s Road to Kingdom, but I’ll be forever in its debt for gifting us ONF’s incredible remix of Rain’s classic mid-00’s track It’s Raining. This particular mix arrives at the perfect time. Its various pieces and approaches perfectly illustrate where I wish the … Continue reading
Since the start of The Bias List in January 2016, I’ve always looked back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists each month. Now, it’s time to look even further into the past, one month at a time. And, yes, the top three rankings count toward The Bias List’s personal artist scorecard! June … Continue reading
Most of the time, a k-pop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. Every NCT-related album this year has had its high and low … Continue reading
After the post about my most-played K-Pop and J-Pop artists last weekend, a few of you have requested to see some most-played songs lists as well. I’m certainly not one to disappoint! Before unveiling these, I want to briefly write about how I listen to music. I’m the kind of person who listens to A … Continue reading
I’ve spent the past few weeks poring over the performances of Road to Kingdom’s competing groups. But to be honest, I’ve always been much more infatuated with music – the actual songs – than all the trappings that go along with them. That’s why, even though ONF didn’t rank at the top for me this … Continue reading
Warning: This recap is not spoiler-free. Proceed at your own risk! Past Recaps: Episode Two / Episode Three / Episode Four / Episode Five / Episode Six This episode opened with Pentagon’s Hui recounting advice he heard from an elder — that you can tell if an idol group will be successful or not within … Continue reading
Most of the time, a k-pop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. I think that Cosmic Girls’ Neverland is my favorite girl group … Continue reading
It’s hard to believe there was a time when Brown Eyed Girls were gifting K-pop with mainstream blockbusters like Abracadabra and ambitious opuses like Sixth Sense. The group – and its members – has since moved on to more niche material, including a genre-hopping covers album late last year. Solo releases have been infrequent, and … Continue reading
With Starry Night, Momoland has released one of those K-pop “special albums.” This always makes me crack up because “special” should mean something exciting. In the case of idol releases, it just means: “we ain’t promoting this.” That’s too bad, because although Starry Night is a mediocre pop song, it offers a refreshing departure from … Continue reading
Apart from the behind-the-scenes teasers unveiled throughout the week, I’m not sure if the release of My My was officially announced. But, its pre-comeback music video certainly took me surprise. It’s about time that K-pop delivered a welcome surprise, and I’m always up for a good pre-release. At least, I’m assuming that’s what this is? … Continue reading
DIA are back with their annual comeback, but this time they’re down two members. Apparently, this release operated on a volunteer basis, where willing participants chose to join promotions, and other members (Chaeyeon and Somyi) opted out. It’s a novel approach, and I’m all for artists have more control over their own career. But, this … Continue reading
Leading up to the release of her long-fabled full album, Chungha has catered to various markets. We had the energetic Stay Tonight for the dance clubs, the dull My Friend for the coffee shops, and now the upbeat Be Yourself for the… Sprite drinkers. Yes, this song is not only part of MNH’s ongoing New.wav … Continue reading
Despite its many units and incarnations, the NCT universe has remained pretty consistent in sound. This extends to its Chinese vanguard, known as WayV. Their burgeoning discography has been a sampler platter of SM Entertainment influences, tied together by an injection of distorted guitar and tight, layered vocals. New single Turn Back Time (超时空 回) … Continue reading
So far, 2020 has been pretty forgettable when it comes to new debuts. Most of the higher-profile ones have underwhelmed to some degree, and there have been a lot of solid-but-unspectacular, under-the-radar rookies who opt for trendiness rather than innovation. But, every once and awhile we get a CRAXY – with a song so bonkers … Continue reading
Since their 2016 debut, Cosmic Girls have gone a long way towards established a signature sound. Much of this has been possible by keeping their stable of songwriters tight. I think this is important for an idol group, as it fosters a sense of incremental growth without jarring transitions in style. New single Butterfly continues … Continue reading
K.R.Y. was Super Junior’s first official subgroup, formed almost fourteen (!) years ago. Yet, in all this time, they’ve never had a Korean album to call their own. It seems silly to use the word “debut” when talking about veterans of the industry. But in a way, When We Were Us (푸르게 빛나던 우리의 계절) … Continue reading
It’s been almost a year since Ha Sungwoon’s last comeback. That summer album showed a lot of promise, foregoing the tepid r&b of his solo debut for more adventurous sounds. Now, he’s back with the kind of funk-pop track I’d like to see K-pop’s moody boy groups tackle again. Get Ready isn’t perfect, but its … Continue reading
Music reviews have their place, but when it really comes down to it, the most important aspect of a song is how many times you actually play it. Well, I’m a total nerd when it comes to statistics, and I keep a detailed eye on my iTunes play counts. Apart from music videos and live … Continue reading
Since the start of The Bias List in January 2016, I’ve always looked back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists each month. Now, it’s time to look even further into the past, one month at a time. And, yes, the top three rankings count toward The Bias List’s personal artist scorecard! May … Continue reading
Idol rock group N.Flying have been absent since last October, when they released the groovy, understated Good Bam. Personally, I’ve been waiting for them to return to a more raucous sound. For me, the one-two punch of The Real and Hot Potato remains their defining era, even though the more straightforward Rooftop was the song … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 