Slim pickings this year, my friends. In fact, if not for June I’m not sure I could have compiled a mid-year list at all. As it stands, I only have five picks compared to last year’s eight, and the honorable mentions list has been cut in half as well. What does this all mean? It … Continue reading
Well, here I am again… a glutton for MNET’s punishment. After recapping Road to Kingdom, I decided to give I-LAND a try. Most weeks, these recaps will come out Monday or Tuesday after the episode has aired, because that’s when I have the time to finally watch it. OVERALL THOUGHTS ON EPISODE ONE Right from … Continue reading
I often write about musical trends on The Bias List, and it’s rarely in a positive light. But, today I want to zero in on one of my favorite trends to ever sweep pop music. We’re going back decades for this one, as I attempt to compose a love letter of sorts, written to one … 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. HWANG HYUN … Continue reading
I’ve not been shy when it comes to criticizing many aspects of Mnet’s Road to Kingdom, but I’ll be forever in its debt for gifting us ONF’s incredible remix of Rain’s classic mid-00’s track It’s Raining. This particular mix arrives at the perfect time. Its various pieces and approaches perfectly illustrate where I wish the … Continue reading
After the post about my most-played K-Pop and J-Pop artists last weekend, a few of you have requested to see some most-played songs lists as well. I’m certainly not one to disappoint! Before unveiling these, I want to briefly write about how I listen to music. I’m the kind of person who listens to A … Continue reading
I’ve spent the past few weeks poring over the performances of Road to Kingdom’s competing groups. But to be honest, I’ve always been much more infatuated with music – the actual songs – than all the trappings that go along with them. That’s why, even though ONF didn’t rank at the top for me this … Continue reading
Music reviews have their place, but when it really comes down to it, the most important aspect of a song is how many times you actually play it. Well, I’m a total nerd when it comes to statistics, and I keep a detailed eye on my iTunes play counts. Apart from music videos and live … Continue reading
On top of everything else, I’m a voracious consumer of idol variety shows. I love nothing more than a great idol variety concept. As K-pop has grown more popular internationally, most idol variety has moved online. Usually the “episodes” are bite-sized – designed with this meme-happy generation in mind. The longer, TV-based series that still … Continue reading
Are you all sick of my bellyaching yet? This site has a storied history of rants against the K-pop industry – the very same industry that I profess to love. And yes, you can love something and be critical of it at the same time. In fact, I’d argue that the two often go hand … Continue reading
If one thing has been lacking from K-pop’s 2020 boy group landscape, it’s a sense of fun. Now don’t get me wrong, we’re not exactly in “fun” times right now, so to expect anybody to be in a particularly good mood at the moment is asking a lot. But when things are dark, don’t we … Continue reading
Different groups are loved for different reasons, but one of my favorite concepts within pop music is the “imperial phase” — a (usually) brief era when every promoted song an act releases is absolutely superb and iconic. This got me to thinking: what are K-pop’s greatest imperial phases? I combed through my exhaustive playlists and … Continue reading
When I first got into K-pop years ago, I was so bothered by criticisms from people who knew nothing about the industry. I can’t even tell you the amount of times I endured comments like “it’s so manufactured” or “it all sounds the same,” as if the basis of any country’s pop music is all … Continue reading
Like most everyone in the world right now, I’ve suddenly found myself with a surplus of indoor time. Too much indoor time, if I’m being honest. I could be spending that time churning out blog post after blog post, but it’s funny how the upending of a schedule also upends productivity. So instead, I’m mostly … 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! June … 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! May … 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! April … 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
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
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
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 