2013 was a high-concept, musically diverse year in K-pop. Hip-hop hadn’t yet taken over, and melody was still king. Instrumentals aimed for the rafters of stadiums, bringing in explosive guitar, sledgehammer beats and bombastic electro riffs. Songs played around with structure in artful, unexpected ways, often polarizing opinion before unveiling themselves as future classics. Here … 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! Which … Continue reading
If there’s anything I’ve learned from covering pop music for over a decade, it’s that songwriters and collaborators are just as important as the artists themselves. Though they often work behind the scenes, this feature is a chance to shine the light on some of k-pop’s most innovative and accomplished producers and composers. Collapsedone Years … Continue reading
When I think about 2PM’s Wooyoung as a soloist, I hear bright, funky rhythms and a carefree sort of delivery that feels playful and not overly choreographed. This perception — true or not — makes the acoustic strum of Quit (뚝) feel like quite a surprise. And within the context of his new album, which mostly sticks … Continue reading
Korean comebacks from individual members of 2PM can sometimes seem superfluous. This isn’t because they’re unwelcome, but because they’re often re-releases of already existing Japanese material. The guys are so popular in the j-pop world that their most exciting material tends to be released internationally. Such is the case with Going Going, which was originally … Continue reading
If there’s anything I’ve learned from covering pop music for over a decade, it’s that songwriters and collaborators are just as important as the artists themselves. Though they often work behind the scenes, this feature is a chance to shine the light on some of k-pop’s most innovative and accomplished producers and composers. Bumzu Years … Continue reading
Though the Bias List focuses almost exclusively on k-pop, many Korean artists make a foray into Japan as well. Those releases deserve their own countdown, paired with a number of their Japanese counterparts. Huge disclaimer with this countdown. I am a k-pop blogger, first and foremost. My j-pop exposure is limited, and tends to be … Continue reading
It’s become increasingly difficult for me to review Jun. K’s solo material because, more and more, our musical preferences just don’t match. He’s been at the forefront of experimenting with the future bass genre, which — try as I might — hasn’t been a style I can get into. His more down-tempo material tends to … Continue reading
Earlier this year, 2PM‘s Junho released one of the very best songs of the summer. Unfortunately, Ice Cream was only promoted in Japan so it didn’t receive the full k-pop comeback treatment. Instead, he’s cobbled together some of the b-sides from his past few j-pop albums and re-recorded them in Korean for his first domestic … Continue reading
Some songs just scream summer. And with July approaching, I’m hoping to hear quite a few of them soon. But the first single to really embrace the sunny pop stylings of the season isn’t actually from Korea. Japan beat k-pop to the prize in the form of Junho’s deliriously catchy Ice Cream. Given his stature … Continue reading
If there’s anything I’ve learned from covering pop music for over a decade, it’s that songwriters and collaborators are just as important as the artists themselves. Though they often work behind the scenes, this feature is a chance to shine the light on some of k-pop’s most innovative and accomplished producers and composers. JYP (PARK … Continue reading
2PM‘s Jun. K, along with many of the group’s other members, will be leaving us for the military soon. But before he goes, he’s released a special album to tide fans over. It feels weirdly wrong to critique this type of release, but before you write me off as some Jun. K music hater, know … Continue reading
The Bias List is a k-pop site first and foremost, but I’m always on the lookout for new j-pop as well. And though I can count myself as somewhat of an authority on Korean entertainment and idol groups, my knowledge of their Japanese counterparts is much more limited. Add to that the fact that j-pop … Continue reading
Most of the time, a kpop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-side tracks deserve recognition, too. In the singles-oriented world of kpop, I wanted to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. Though I wasn’t too over-the-moon about 2PM’s latest comeback, … Continue reading
Members of veteran boy group 2PM are soon to enlist in their mandatory military service, but before they take that two-year break from releasing music, they’ve got one more album and title track to give us. Promise (I’ll Be) piggybacks on the sound of main vocal Jun. K’s recent solo Think About You, offering a modern … Continue reading
As well as being the main vocalist for boy group 2PM, Jun. K is responsible for my very favorite 2PM-related song — the utterly magnificent Love & Hate. His solo career has been more hit and miss since then, but I’m always curious what he’ll come up with next. As far as soloists-from-popular-bands go, his … Continue reading
Now that flagship JYP group 2PM is essentially more active in Japan than they are in Korea, it makes sense that their individual members would also pursue solo careers in that country. It’s been a success so far, both commercially and quality-wise. In fact, some of the guys’ best, most adventurous material has been tailored … Continue reading
JYP Entertainment’s 2PM was designed as the uptempo counterpart to the agency’s ballad-heavy 2AM. Their commercial peak was back around 2009-2011, though their music has continued to improve as they’ve gained a foothold in Japan and become senior idols to younger JYP counterparts GOT7. At times they’ve been known as much for their model-like, athletic … Continue reading
The guys of 2PM have been in the kpop scene in one form or another for over seven years, which means that the time is drawing near for their mandatory 2-year military conscription. As such, I fully expect that we’ll be hearing a lot from them for the next year or so, and that starts … Continue reading
I have great respect for Jun. K’s work. In fact, his bonkers 2014 single Love & Hate is probably my favorite 2PM-related release ever, solo or otherwise. He definitely has a unique creative sentiment, which sometimes causes him to veer in all sorts of strange directions. Love Letter was originally a Japanese single and mini-album … Continue reading
