Golden Child had a busy 2021, and 2022 kicks off with their official Japanese debut. When this was first announced, I was both surprised and excited. Their charms feel well-matched to the J-pop market, and with fantastic producer Funk Uchino onboard, the possibilities seemed bright. Then, A Woo‘s teaser premiered and my expectations tempered. Would … Continue reading
I’m always in the mood for Johnny’s music, but I’ve been on a particular kick these past few months. This was further emboldened by the first annual Johnny’s Festival a couple weeks ago. The agency has been slow to announce new releases for 2022, which has me taking a deep dive into groups I’m less … Continue reading
After years of releasing excellent material, The Rampage’s 2021 work swerved in directions that weren’t for me. In fact, they missed out entirely on my Top 50 J-pop countdown last month – a rare omission for one of my favorite groups. Leading up to their latest full-length album (basically a compilation of those 2021 singles), … Continue reading
When SixTONES and Snow Man debuted in January 2020, I was pretty convinced SixTONES would be my group of choice. After all, Imitation Rain was a downright legendary debut. Two years later and I’m a Snow Man mega-fan, while SixTONES’ output feels much more hit and miss. It’s a personal taste thing, but I’m also … 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. December 2021 Overall Thoughts After spending the past few weeks counting down everything under the sun … Continue reading
My Top J-Pop Songs countdown continues in its expanded format! We’ve got fifty of the best (mostly idol) tracks Japan had to offer, with many great choices relegated to the honorable mentions. Because I don’t write about all of these songs the way I do for K-pop, this is always a fun countdown to compile. … Continue reading
My Top J-Pop Songs countdown continues in its expanded format! We’ve got fifty of the best (mostly idol) tracks Japan had to offer, with many great choices relegated to the honorable mentions. Because I don’t write about all of these songs the way I do for K-pop, this is always a fun countdown to compile. … Continue reading
My Top J-Pop Songs countdown continues in its expanded format! We’ve got fifty of the best (mostly idol) tracks Japan had to offer, with many great choices relegated to the honorable mentions. Because I don’t write about all of these songs the way I do for K-pop, this is always a fun countdown to compile. … Continue reading
This post is your one-stop shop for all my end-of-year countdowns. It will be stickied to the top of the blog for the remainder of the year. Check back often for new links to new countdowns, and make sure you check out past years’ masterposts if you’re interested! Top 50 K-Pop Songs >> 50-41, 40-31, … Continue reading
Dramas weren’t a big part of my K-pop/J-pop consumption until last year, so I was mostly immune to OST hits. That’s still the case for Korean soundtracks, which don’t often double as promoted title tracks. But in Japan, nearly every single is a tie-in with a drama, anime or commercial. It’s a wonderfully symbiotic relationship, … Continue reading
TVXQ have been relatively quiet this year, both in Korea and Japan. That’s about to change, as each member is set to release solo Japanese work. Both Changmin and Yunho already have a J-pop mini album under their name – music that can be hard to find but well-worth searching out (Rock With U and … Continue reading
“Doughnut” is an odd title for a pop track – -especially a ballad. Apart from the fact that I prefer the spelling “donut” (because it somehow sounds slightly healthier), the metaphor itself is strange. Twice play with the idea of a doughnut hole referring to emptiness (my mind races toward the delicious spherical treat instead) … 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 2021 Overall Thoughts We may still have December before us, but according to the norms … Continue reading
As one of K-pop’s leading acts, Seventeen never slow down. Fresh off the heels of last month’s Rock With You, they’re back with new Japanese single Power Of Love (あいのちから (사랑의 힘)). As expected of late November/early December, the track is a sentimental, seasonal ballad. Seventeen can rattle off this kind of song in their … Continue reading
It’s been interesting to watch Korea’s changing approach to the Japanese market. There was a time when the biggest K-pop idols boasted equally huge J-pop careers. Acts like Girls’ Generation, SHINee and Kara released a ton of original Japanese music, often embracing local tastes rather than copying the exact sounds that made them popular in … Continue reading
I’m sure many Bias List readers are like, “Johnny what?!?”, but I’ve decided to branch out this year and offer my thoughts on one of J-pop’s biggest agencies. I mostly want to do this because I think they’ve had a great year worth writing about. As usual, the thoughts are my own and aren’t privy … Continue reading
The emergence of a new Johnny’s group will always be exciting. It was exciting in January 2020, when Snow Man and SixTONES made a dual debut, and it’s been even more exciting watching these groups go on to dominate the idol industry and usher in a new era for Johnny’s. When Naniwa Danshi’s debut was … Continue reading
I enthusiastically watched the entire NiziU project last year, happy to see many of my favorite personalities and talents make the final group. However, none of their post-show music has appealed to me. They’re one of those J-pop groups who pull a lot from K-pop tropes (JO1 and INI being other prominent examples), and 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. October 2021 Overall Thoughts When I averaged all my song ratings of October, I was surprised … Continue reading
Boy group INI (pronounced “eye en eye”) was formed through the second season of Produce 101 Japan. After watching the series, I’ve found myself rooting for the guys. The group has so much potential in nearly every aspect. They just need the material to match. Unfortunately, the songs for Produce groups tend to be hit … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 