Before I share my thoughts about this song, it’s probably wise to address the elephant in the room — or the elephant on Twitter, to be more specific. Being my occasionally cantankerous self, I recently made a comment about the MAMA daesang award-winners of the past eight years. Look, I really don’t care about MAMA … Continue reading
This feature has gradually shifted from a December to a November tradition, leaving more space for next month’s sprawling end-of-year countdowns. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be looking at many of K-pop’s biggest agencies and offering my thoughts about how their 2022 went. Following SM Entertainment, YG Entertainment‘s and JYP Entertainment‘s evaluations, it’s time for … 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 2022 Overall Thoughts First off, I want to recognize Korea’s national period of mourning and … Continue reading
If you told me a decade ago that a member of the world’s biggest K-pop band would release a track written by Coldplay, I would’ve been shocked. But, global outreach and a popularity boom has resulted in collaborations like this becoming much more common. And with Jin, this team-up makes sense. His solo tracks on … Continue reading
An alarming number of artists seem to be jumping ship from PSY’s P Nation label this year, causing the ambitious start-up to face some growing pains just as they’re trying to get their first idol group off the ground. Luckily, they still have the ever-reliable Crush on their roster. Fresh from military service, he’s making … Continue reading
BTS’s J-Hope pre-released More at the start of this month and somehow my even-keeled review spawned quite a discussion in the comments section! (That is, if you define “discussion” as unhinged character attacks with a wicked plot twist.) So, let me humbly begin this review by admitting that I don’t understand art. I’m too thick-headed … Continue reading
Now that BTS are on group hiatus (or whatever HYBE wants to call it), it’s time for the members to further develop their solo pursuits. This kicks off with J-Hope, who already has several singles to his name. Ahead of his headlining performance at this year’s Lollapalooza, he’s set to release his first official album … Continue reading
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
As BTS’s popularity has skyrocketed, the frequency of their output has dwindled – a surprising approach for an act as in-demand as they are. The past nineteen months have seen occasional solos and collaborations, but only a trio of full-group tracks. Now, we can add several more to their catalog. Their multi-disc compilation album Proof … 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
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. April 2022 Overall Thoughts In a paradoxical trend, the average song rating on this blog has … Continue reading
PSY’s ninth album has been teased for so long it began to feel more like an urban legend than an actual release. He’s one of the pillars of K-pop – even more so now that his successful P Nation has signed many of the industry’s buzziest acts. But those who know PSY only for 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. February 2022 Overall Thoughts Oof. I predicted February would be slow, and unfortunately I was right. … Continue reading
It’s been ages since I’ve written about anything BTS-related. Though the group’s name remains omnipresent, the members have taken a well-deserved break to recharge. But even before that, 2021 passed by without an official Korean comeback. Fans were treated to Japanese and English language hits instead. We’ll see what 2022 brings, but for now the … 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
Imagine a big bushy Christmas tree — or replace that with whatever decoration or tradition matches your wintertime festivities. Underneath are packages galore, each containing a winter-themed K-pop track. Some have been unwrapped early (Stray Kids’ Christmas EveL, Billlie’s Snowy Night, ONEUS/ONEWE’s Stay) but there are still plenty to go. After furiously opening each gift, … 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
It’s not quite December yet, but I’m going to kick off this annual feature a little early this year! Over the next few weeks, I’ll be looking at many of K-pop’s biggest agencies and offering my thoughts about how their 2021 went. Next up is HYBE Labels. As usual, the thoughts are my own and … 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
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 