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 can’t overstate how much I adore JO1’s Born To Be Wild. I loved it from the start, but it’s grown into the kind of pop behemoth that spawns entire essays on this blog. From build to chorus to breakdown, the track is perfection and still gives me goosebumps every time it pops up on … 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. 13 (SCORE … 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 2021 Overall Thoughts I’ve heard whispers around social media lamenting that 2021 has been a … Continue reading
JO1 were borne from the Japanese iteration of the Produce 101 franchise, and like most groups under that umbrella, they’ve dabbled in all sorts of sounds. This has made their discography uneven, though each singles released after their debut has been charming in its own way. However, new track Born To Be Wild harnesses the … Continue reading
I’ve compiled a “Best of J-pop” list every year since The Bias List started, but it always came from a very narrow point of view. In 2020, one of my personal resolutions was to follow the J-pop industry more broadly and (hopefully) expand my palette in the process. So while those past lists definitely included … Continue reading
The theme of this year’s MAMA Awards was “New-topia,” which sounds a bit chilling in a weird way. But, things were definitely new here. This was unlike any MAMA yet, lacking a live audience. But even though everything was accomplished on soundstages, I think the producers did a great job making this still feel like … 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 2020 Overall Thoughts November was absolutely packed with releases, and though only one title track … Continue reading
Less than a year after debut, Japan’s Produce 101-spawned JO1 is releasing their first full album. Of course, the Japanese market works differently than K-pop, usually cobbling together a run of already-released singles and b-sides into an album. But, this still seems like a quick accomplishment for the rookie group. After the generic Infinity, August’s … 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. August 2020 Overall Thoughts At the beginning of the year, one of my wishes for 2020 … Continue reading
Japan’s first season of Produce 101 spawned boy group JO1, who made their debut this March with their single Infinity. For me, that song amounted to little more than a checklist of boy group tropes, but it did quite well for the guys. Now, they’re back with the bigger, ballsier Oh-Eh-Oh. Co-produced by Pentagon’s Hui, … Continue reading
Even as the Produce 101 monolith crumbled in Korea, the franchise remained alive and well this past fall in Japan. The first season spawned new boy group JO1 – an eleven-member unit who might as well be interchangeable with any other winner from the series. Still, the idol corner of the J-pop market has shown … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 