The Bias List launched at the beginning of 2016, making that year’s song countdown the first I published in any meaningful way. I’ve since gone back to look at 2015, 2013 and 2012 (hmmm… I guess I need to fill the holes that are left…). Now that it’s been almost six years, I thought it … 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. May 2022 Overall Thoughts So… we’re almost halfway through 2022 and…. hmmm. Compared to the songs … Continue reading
A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. 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. Though I’m not yet sure how … Continue reading
Astro were one of my first musical obsessions after creating this blog. Their debut year delivered pop classic after pop classic, only to culminate in the brilliantly bright, brilliantly melodic Dream Part One album in 2017. Can you believe there was a time when both they and GFriend were reliably releasing Iggy/Youngbae-produced bangers? I miss … Continue reading
When Astro’s Moonbin and Sanha made their sub-unit debut in 2020, I was smitten by the funky pop of Bad Idea. I didn’t think much of the album itself, but that song seemed to offer a great template for future work. New mini album Refuge was preceded by last month’s Ghost Town — a trendy, … Continue reading
It seems Astro have entered a phase in their career that favors sub-unit and solo releases. This tends to happen after a group has established themselves, and it’s fun to see the individual members showcase their unique charms. Recent months have seen albums from main vocal MJ and dance/hip-hop unit Rocky and JinJin, but sub-unit … 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 2022 Overall Thoughts It’s a new K-pop year! I always feel optimistic in January because … Continue reading
A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. 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. There were a ton of mini … Continue reading
As their industry stature has grown, Astro have begun to promote as units and solos. We had Moonbin and Sanha’s Bad Idea in 2020, MJ’s trot-tastic Get Set Yo last year and a steady stream of Cha Eunwoo dramas. Now it’s time for Jinjin and Rocky to put their own stamp on the ever-evolving Astro … Continue reading
We’re down to the wire now with K-pop’s final year-end festival. MBC’s show is usually my favorite. It feels the most festive, bridging the gap between New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. It also tends to have the most robust artist line-up. Like every festival of the past two years, this one revolved around … Continue reading
After the borefest that was KBS’s Song Festival, I wasn’t really in the mood to see what SBS had to offer. But, the cheesy-fun introductory stage, where all the artists joined together to sing Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas Is You, turned my frown upside down. We haven’t gotten many chances to see … Continue reading
Over the past couple years, KBS has moved their song festival forward to mid-December. I’ve got a bone to pick with them when it comes to this change. I mean, don’t they know I’ve got a Top 50 Countdown to wrap up?? A pre-Winter Break nap to take??? Spare a thought for us bloggers, KBS! … 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. November 2021 Overall Thoughts We may still have December before us, but according to the norms … Continue reading
Trot music doesn’t often pop up on this blog, despite the genre being a huge part of the Korean music industry. Some artists cross over and blend trot with more typically “K-pop” aspects, such as Hong Jinyoung. Others don’t perform on weekly music shows at all. It’s rare for an idol to make a debut … Continue reading
Astro are the latest group to release a song via the Universe app, meaning its full music video is only available to subscribers. So far, this barricade hasn’t been too much of a drawback because few of the Universe songs are any good. Most of the time, these tracks feel like cast-offs, pulled from 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. August 2021 Overall Thoughts When it comes to new music, I often mention the “expectations game.” … Continue reading
K-pop’s title tracks might gain most of listeners’ attention, but many album tracks are worth equal spotlight. I call these “buried treasures.” Beyond this, K-pop’s albums deliver thousands of additional tracks that settle for a more limited audience. It’s these songs that will become a part of my “battle of the b-sides” feature. In this … Continue reading
K-pop’s title tracks might gain most of listeners’ attention, but many album tracks are worth equal spotlight. I call these “buried treasures.” Beyond this, K-pop’s albums deliver thousands of additional tracks that settle for a more limited audience. It’s these songs that will become a part of my “battle of the b-sides” feature. In this … Continue reading
A K-pop group’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. 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. My reaction to Astro’s After Midnight … Continue reading
For years now, I’ve been crossing my fingers for Astro’s return to the bright, carefree pop of their debut era. Those fingers also begged for a reunion with producers Iggy and Youngbae, who crafted a definitive sound for the group. But, the world rarely gives you everything you want, so in place of another Hide … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 