To be honest, this year I tended to watch most K-pop music videos one or two times before moving onto the song and leaving the visuals behind. The water mark for music videos has become very high, with the industry churning out cinematic, big-budget works every other day. While many videos could comfortably slot into … Continue reading
2023 was a weird year for K-pop choreography. There didn’t seem to be too many iconic point moves, even as TikTok challenges continue to necessitate catchy, easy-to-replicate routines. As usual, this is not a ranking of the most technically impressive performances of the year. Instead, here are ten routines that caught my eye in 2023. … Continue reading
I wasn’t sure whether to write about Jimin’s Closer Than This or not. These fan songs and nostalgic behind-the-scenes videos skirt the line between “single” and “b-side,” but he seems too big of an artist to ignore. This style of track tends to follow a familiar template, making it hard to have a strong opinion … Continue reading
One of the unique features of The Bias List is its “buried treasure” write-ups. I try my hardest to comb through every major K-pop album released each year and when a song catches my ear I highlight it on the blog. This countdown is an encapsulation of those write-ups, ranking my top 40 b-sides and … Continue reading
Now that I’ve taken a look at the new acts that colored 2023, it’s time to focus on their established counterparts. For me, most K-pop years are defined more by their rookies than older artists, and 2023 was no different. As usual, the criteria is built around these three facets: Quality of work Quantity of … Continue reading
The end of the year countdowns are finally here! As always, we’ll 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 end of the year countdowns are finally here! As always, we’ll 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
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 2023 Overall Thoughts For the purpose of this blog, November marks the end of the … Continue reading
Before the end-of-year countdowns next month, I like to take a look at many of K-pop’s biggest agencies and see how their year went. Obviously, 2023 is not over yet so any upcoming changes to an agency’s grade will be reflected next year. Following SM Entertainment, YG Entertainment and JYP Entertainment‘s analysis, it’s time for … Continue reading
Of all the BTS solo efforts, Jungkook’s music has connected most with me. Both Seven and 3D (minus Jack Harlow’s awful verse) have had unexpected staying power and I appreciate how they wear their influences on their sleeve. Both those songs hearkened back to early-2000’s sounds, but title track Standing Next To You mines earlier … 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. October 2023 Overall Thoughts Though it boasted a more exciting line-up of big-name comebacks, October felt … Continue reading
Rather than contain my “Risers and Fallers” feature to a single post in June, I’m going to share a bite-sized version at the end of each month. This will let me account for more songs and make a nice lead-in to the monthly round-up post. I anticipate most of these ratings adjustments will be negligible: … 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. TXT’s new album has exactly two … Continue reading
TXT continue to push into global markets, building upon their winter smash Sugar Rush Ride with English and Spanish language collaborations featuring Jonas Brothers and Anitta. Both tracks are present on their new album (minus Anitta), offering a taste of different genres. Meanwhile, new single Chasing The Feeling is the latest in a long line … 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. September 2023 Overall Thoughts After a very strong August, it felt like we entered the K-pop … Continue reading
Jungkook has found a winning formula with singles that cater to Y2K pop sounds and feature a popular American rapper. His summer hit Seven proved more durable then expected, offering a breezy take on garage music with a simple — but addictive — hook. If Seven borrowed liberally from Fill Me In era Craig David, … Continue reading
We’re now at the point where I’m writing about these V solo songs out of sheer stubbornness. It’s like Pokémon — you gotta catch them all! Never mind the fact that I have nothing new to add to my existing thoughts. For Us is the fifth (!) music video to spawn from his debut solo … Continue reading
As global K-pop collaborations become more frequent, the pairing of talents matters more and more. Which artists can compliment each other and tease out new dynamics? When it comes to TXT, I found their pairing with Jonas Brothers quite cloying. In that case, the song highlighted a milquetoast, kid’s movie soundtrack vibe that some of … Continue reading
HYBE’s love for releasing multiple music videos from each project really messes with my review system! Do I write about every one of them? For a release as high-profile as V’s solo album, it seems silly not to. Yet, I find myself essentially copying and pasting my thoughts from song to song. I’m not sure … Continue reading
While some BTS members have aimed straight for the top of the charts with their solo work, others have taken a more niche route that compliments their personal taste. In V’s case, that means an album of lo-fi, smooth jazzy sounds. It’s clearly a style he enjoys and it works well with his voice, even … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 