Unlike many music markets around the world, K-pop rarely promotes follow-up singles beyond a special performance or two. That’s why I was surprised to see teasers for Dongkiz’s All I Need Is You. I neglected to feature this song as a buried treasure back in November, but now I don’t have to because it joins … Continue reading
In a K-pop world where Sweetune productions are becoming more and more of a rarity, the last bastion of reliably good Sweetune jams has fallen. Yes, boy group TST have moved on to new producers. And, like most groups who make this transition, their material has suffered. I appreciate what they’re trying to do with … 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 2019 Overall Thoughts December always feels like a throwaway month for K-pop, and this was … Continue reading
Honestly, I came into tonight’s festival feeling pretty pessimistic. KBS’s Gayo was largely forgettable, and tonight’s line-up was missing some of my favorite acts. But, MBC ended up balking expectations and being the most enjoyable of the three gayos overall. When I think about it, this isn’t too surprising. I’ve always loved MBC’s more intimate … Continue reading
2020 has a nice ring to it, and I’m optimistic about what the new year will bring when it comes to K-pop. It feels like we’re finally crawling out of some of the trends and approaches that I’ve been complaining about for years, leaving the future open for new ideas. With that in mind, I’ve … Continue reading
As is Bias List tradition, it’s time to take a look back at last year’s K-pop resolutions and see how many of them came true. As always, the results are a mixed bag, but on the whole I’m reasonably satisfied. Make sure to read through my 2019 hopes and wishes, first. And check back tomorrow … Continue reading
I often write about how important it is for a K-pop group to develop a signature style. But, there comes a point when repetition becomes self-plagiarism. This is where Momoland exists now. Ever since the viral success of 2018’s Bboom Bboom, each title track they’ve released has sought to replicate that exact sound. This was … Continue reading
You can’t have a K-pop comeback without choreography! However, this is not a list of 2019’s most difficult or technically impressive dance routines. I’m nowhere near qualified to judge that. Instead, these are the top ten performances that really stood out to me this year. Honorable Mentions Cosmic Girls – La La Love Dongkiz – … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! 3.6.5 (from XOXO / Growl – 2013) 3.6.5 feels like a good track to end this (seemingly endless) K-Pop A-Z segment. It’s not a complicated or groundbreaking song, but it’s an unusually potent burst of pop energy within EXO’s discography. The track … Continue reading
This is always one of my favorite end-of-year posts, as if gives me the chance to write about a vital facet of K-pop that I rarely touch on throughout the year. Visuals can make or break a song’s legacy, and these ten videos helped to improve and expand their already-strong soundtracks. + Make sure to … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! 24/7 (from Don’t Mess Up My Tempo / Love Shot – 2018) 24/7 rest largely on its titular hook. Even the instrumental revolves around the same melody. Because of this, the song is a little repetitive for my taste, without enough variation … Continue reading
For me, any end-of-year K-pop festival isn’t complete without a bit of trot. And though none of tonight’s trot performances made my list, I was happy to hear them sprinkled throughout the show. The opening artist intro was particularly fun. I’m also glad that KBS moved out of their usual performance hall for this event. … Continue reading
Dear Bias List readers: this is the kind of beat that makes me deliriously happy. Growing up, Michael and Janet Jackson’s discographies were my definition of pop perfection, and that really hasn’t changed. Give me a bright, funky instrumental and I’m happy. Add a powerful kick and layers upon layers of rhythm and I’ve reached … Continue reading
This is always a difficult list to form. After all, there are way more b-sides than singles to choose from each year, and with K-pop’s love of promoting genre trends, the most interesting music is often hidden within albums that not every listener bothers to check out. Following up from yesterday, I’m counting down my … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! XOXO (from Growl – 2013) XOXO lays out a solid groove and sticks with it for three minutes. It has an appealing, throwback charm even if its ambition is generally low. The percussive piano is a nice touch, but like so many … Continue reading
This is always a difficult list to form. After all, there are way more b-sides than singles to choose from each year, and with K-pop’s love of promoting genre trends, the most interesting music is often hidden within albums that not every listener bothers to check out. Today and tomorrow, I’ll be counting down my … Continue reading
Though I never had a chance to cover it, EXID’s Japanese debut album bore some interesting fruit this spring. I especially enjoyed their willingness to explore a variety of retro beats, which has always been one of my favorite aspects of their music. With the group on indefinite hiatus, new J-pop single Bad Girl For … Continue reading
Even as the year comes to a close, Stray Kids keep churning out new material. Less than a month after their most recent comeback, the group has unveiled a mixtape project. Since debut, they’ve included a special mixtape track on the physical version of each of their albums, with some even being paired with music … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Wolf (from XOXO / Growl – 2013) I think it’s accurate to call Wolf EXO’s most polarizing title track. The song gets a lot of guff, labeled cheesy or cringey. And yeah, the wolf howls are a bit much. But, when you … Continue reading
The end-of-year festivals officially kicked off this Christmas, with SBS’s Gayo Daejun once again opening the three-night festivities inside the immense Gocheok Sky Dome. Unfortunately, this year’s proceedings were marred before they even started, with Red Velvet’s Wendy suffering a horrible accident during rehearsals. I’m sure that idols were (understandably) concerned about the safety of … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 