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
With their return last year, CNBLUE joined the distinguished list of ‘post-enlistment’ idols. Not many K-pop groups last this long, and Korea’s military conscription laws create a natural fork in the road for any male act’s career. At this point, CNBLUE may wish to tweak their sound in search of continued chart relevancy, or simply … 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
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! January … 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! January … Continue reading
Idol band CNBlue have made it through military enlistment and the departure of a member, emerging on the other side with their first new album in three years. Having debuted in 2009, it feels as if this group has been a K-pop staple for as long as I can remember. The hype around their music … 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! February … 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! August … 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! January … 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! March … 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
Though his band CNBLUE has released more than their fair share of great music, the format of a pop/rock group has always seemed to limit Jung Yonghwa’s innate sense of showmanship. The guy knows how to command a stage and pull the audience right into a song. His first solo album in 2015 spawned a … 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. March 2017 Overall Thoughts Oh, March. It’s such a long month, yet gives us so little when it … Continue reading
It’s been eight years since CNBLUE made their debut. After so long, it’s got to be hard to keep new material fresh. I imagine that rock groups find it particularly difficult, as the k-pop world affords them a smaller selection of concepts compared to their more performance-based peers. And as much as I have enjoyed CNBLUE’s … Continue reading
Following in their label-mates FTIsland‘s footsteps, CNBLUE were the second big idol band from FNC Entertainment. They perform in a somewhat lighter, pop and funk influenced style, and have enjoyed incredibly success in both Korea and Japan. And although their biggest digital hit to date, I’m A Loner, didn’t quite make it on my list, … Continue reading
CNBLUE have been around long enough now that their music has settled into a somewhat predictable pattern. Their specific brand of soft rock is always pleasant, but rarely that inventive any more. Such is the case with new Japanese single, Glory Days, which opts for a familiar sound rather than messing with what’s always worked … Continue reading
I get the sense that CNBLUE’s Cinderella from last year wasn’t all that well-received. But, I appreciated the move towards a more synth/dance driven style and it actually got me more interested in the group than I’d been in quite some time. Nevertheless, You’re So Fine offers a sort of return to form, with its funky, … Continue reading
So far, 2016 seems to be the year of the collaborations. This feels like a somewhat odd one, between CNBlue’s frontman Jung Yong-Hwa and Sunwoo Jung Ah, who is primarily known as an in-house songwriter (and occasional singer) with YG Entertainment. I’m not exactly sure what brought these two together, though Yong-Hwa seems to be … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 