Jenyer is the stage name of ex-4minute member Jeon Jiyoon. She made her solo debut back in 2016, but Bad is her first release under agency Arturo Entertainment. It’s great to hear her again, and Bad is a convincing comeback – embracing trends but standing on its own. The song showcases her as a budding … Continue reading
Seventeen’s 24H is already the group’s fourth original Japanese single, continuing to represent their successful push into international markets. It comes on the heels of March’s Fallin’ Flower, and uses that track’s energy as a jumping off point. But, 24H pushes us in even stronger directions. Its willingness to explore is appreciated. Composed by the … Continue reading
Buoyed by several members’ Produce X 101 popularity, CRAVITY debuted earlier this year to much commercial success. Their fan base is already strong. Now, they’ve just got to figure out which direction to take their music. So far, they’ve presented us with two contrasting concepts: the Monsta X-lite Break All The Rules and the flower … 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
ATEEZ often deliver multiple music videos to support their albums, but there’s not usually much space between the two releases. It’s been nearly a month since the group dropped Inception, and this wait makes Thanxx feel like a real single of its own rather than one half of a pair. Like their Wave/Illusion release last … Continue reading
Most of the time, a k-pop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. When writing about ONEUS’s To Be Or Not To Be, I … Continue reading
Most of the time, a k-pop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. I’ve seen quite a few people raving about Break The Wall, … Continue reading
Most of the time, a k-pop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. MCND’s Earth Age mini album has followed in the footsteps of … Continue reading
Debuting on the same day as a new BTS single is an intimidating prospect. With so much of K-pop fans’ attention diverted to Dynamite, many may miss girl group AREAL’s first foray into the industry. The girls hail from JZ Factory Entertainment, which is also home to Right Said Fred-meets-K-pop act N.O.M. In other words, … Continue reading
Dynamite is BTS’s first English-language single, and I’m surprised it took them this long. Western pop markets – America, in particular – are notoriously hesitant toward music recorded in any other language, to their immense detriment. True market penetration requires a push past the industry’s gate-keepers, and that’s a struggle. Social media and streaming has … Continue reading
I’ve got a potentially controversial opinion: it’s time to reduce the amount of rap in idol songs. It’s become such a staple that K-pop’s melodies are beginning to follow suit, losing their robust, artfully-constructed refrains in favor of throwaway sing-talk. I suspect much of this is due to the logistics of idoldom in a rapidly-expanding … Continue reading
Most of the time, a k-pop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. Leave it to anime to help inspire a great 2020 TXT … Continue reading
I first heard Sunmi’s Borderline back in March 2019 on her Warning tour, where she introduced it as a personal, self-penned track performed entirely in English. Back then, I assumed it would be placed on an impending album. But seventeen months later, we’re still only getting a new single here and there. But, she’s been … Continue reading
It’s a K-pop tale as old as time: 1. Bright, funky boy group releases a few great tracks, to middling success. 2. Bright, funky boy group gets swept into the dark embrace of moody trap music. 3. Moody, trap boy group still finds middling success, because 99% of idol sales and charting has absolutely nothing … Continue reading
Hyolyn has cobbled together solo tracks from the past few years and called it a mini album, which is pretty disappointing for fans waiting for more than two new songs. And, the approach has an unintended effect: it only serves to remind me how much better her 2018 material was than the generic pop she’s … Continue reading
ONEUS is the latest Road to Kingdom group to make a comeback, joining the summer rush that’s included Golden Child, TOO, VERIVERY and ONF. Their stint on the series was fraught with frustration, landing near the bottom of the rankings far too often. This belies their talent, as does the dark horror concept they’re currently … Continue reading
Most of the time, a k-pop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. The year of wrong title track choices continues, and ITZY are … Continue reading
Episode One Recap // Episode Two Recap // Episode Three Recap // Episode Four Recap // Episode Five Recap // Episode Six Recap Part One: BTS have entered the compound We open with a recap of the first part of the series, and honestly if you hadn’t watched any of the episodes until now, I … Continue reading
K-pop tends to latch onto certain trends and drive them into the ground, whether they’re applicable to a song or not. But, global music is wide and varied, and the industry is at its best and most creative when it embraces that buffet of choices — both old and new. (* the content of this … Continue reading
I feel like the immense success of IU’s Eight (and moderate success of Into the I-LAND) has opened the door for a new trend in Korean solo artists. I’m going to label it: “wistful vocalist performs uplifting pop melody over mid-tempo, guitar-strumming instrumental.” That’s a pretty specific way of saying “generic pop,” but singles like … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 