At the end of each month, I compile my top three K-pop title tracks and list a ton of honorable mentions. In 2025, I thought I’d try something new and add a weekly feature to supplement my monthly round-up. Each Sunday, I’ll offer a compendium of the week’s new releases featured on the blog. And … Continue reading
Chart titan IU is back with a special remake album, following up her original work last year. As much as I would have loved it, Never Ending Story is not a cover of the 1984 Limahl hit from the film of the same name. I mean… can you imagine?? Instead, this Never Ending Story was … Continue reading
Just like last year, I wanted to share my top twenty most-viewed posts for 2024. I find this list an interesting gauge of who is popular (at least among netizens who read reviews). The most obvious takeaway from this list is the utter dominance of girl groups. Seriously, there’s only one boy group in the … Continue reading
This is always one of the countdowns I feel least confident about because I tend to listen to K-pop more often than I watch it. It’s also a very subjective category, as my visual/storytelling/conceptual preferences may not match others’. The truth is, K-pop has become so adept at crafting fantastic music videos that I could … 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
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 2024 Overall Thoughts Due to its positioning in the dead of winter and the cancelling … Continue reading
With so many music videos tied to her new project, IU’s The Winning is turning into a veritable visual album. She certainly has the cachet to support such aggressive promotion, and so far her output has run the musical gamut. The bluesy Shh.. continues expanding the variety. Featuring a trio of guest artists from three … Continue reading
The pre-releases for IU’s newest album have run the musical gamut, from theatrical balladry to quirky, hip-hop inflected dance. She’s saved the best for last, unveiling the uplifting pop surge of Shopper. It ticks many of the boxes we’ve come to expect from her music but does so with such gusto that it’s hard to … Continue reading
The release of IU’s new album will be preceded by multiple tracks. We’ve already heard Love Wins All, which has promptly gone on to rule the Korean charts. Now it’s time for something a little more eccentric. Holssi (홀씨) ups the tempo just a bit, giving IU something groovier to play with. For as long … 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 2024 Overall Thoughts Well, what a nice surprise this month has been! After many years … Continue reading
It’s been nearly three years since IU released an album, but comeback season is upon us once again in 2024. This kicks off with pre-release ballad Love Wins All. The song’s video has already received buzz thanks to the participation of BTS’s V. But taken on its own, Love Wins All is the kind of … 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 2023 Overall Thoughts I’ve been complaining about K-pop a lot this year, but April was … Continue reading
The BTS solos continue to arrive at an ever-increasing pace. Mere weeks after Jimin dropped his debut solo album, groupmate Suga has returned with a pre-release for his latest work under the Agust D moniker. People Pt.2 (사람 Pt.2) pairs him with IU for a sonic sequel to his 2020 track People. This song is … Continue reading
September-October 2008 Overall Thoughts In addition to my monthly K-pop round-up, I’ve taken a look at my favorite three singles from each month since 2009 and factored them into my ultimate Bias List scorecard, which can be found here. The problem is, prior to 2009 it becomes harder to find reliable sources for K-pop release … Continue reading
I don’t often write about Jay Park’s music on The Bias List. I guess he could still be considered an “idol,” but I’d classify his work as more straight-up R&B than K-pop. The lines are blurring more and more every year. However, a feature from the ever-popular IU warrants a review. Whenever I click on … 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
IU has bounded from strength to strength this year, holding court on the charts with both Celebrity and Lilac. She remains a constant presence seven months after the release of her album, but it’s time to tie a bow on her 2021 work with a new digital single. Strawberry Moon aims for uplift, and its … 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. July 2021 Overall Thoughts Well, July was… interesting. And by “interesting,” I mean unimaginably dull. Other … Continue reading
AKMU’s newest release is a collaboration album, with each of its tracks featuring a guest artist. None of these guests feel too surprising or left-field, but their presence has inspired the duo to experiment with their sound. NAKKA (낙하) brings together AKMU and IU – a recipe for surefire chart success. But, the track also … 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! November … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 