Full disclosure: leading up to this release I promised myself I would forgo the usual parody review that has become a Bias List tradition when new music is released via the Universe app. After all, this whole venture has lasted much longer than I expected and my creative well has begun to run dry. But … Continue reading
After a three year hiatus, KCON LA returned in 2022 for its ten-year anniversary. The annual K-pop pilgrimage is back, and although none of my absolute favorite, tier one acts were attending, I couldn’t resist making the journey for the sixth time. As usual, I can’t “review” KCON because the experience is multifaceted and – … Continue reading
MNET has their multi-national K-pop formula down to a science. Bring together members from various countries and you have natural inroads for promotion in lucrative markets like Japan. Funnel your acts into agency-sponsored events like KCON and you’ve got a built-in venue with thousands of eager listeners. All K-pop is business, but it’s hard not … 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. June 2022 Overall Thoughts I’ll be publishing my top songs of the first half of 2022 … Continue reading
After debuting at the start of 2022, the MNET-spawned rookie group Kep1er took a detour via the company’s own Queendom competition, further building their fanbase as they competed with senior acts. Now, it’s time to get back to the music with the summer-themed Up. I’m more than ready for a great 2022 summer track, and … Continue reading
Warning: This recap is not spoiler-free. Proceed at your own risk! EPISODE ONE RECAP // EPISODE TWO RECAP // EPISODE THREE RECAP // EPISODE FOUR RECAP // EPISODE FIVE RECAP// EPISODE SIX RECAP // EPISODE SEVEN RECAP // EPISODE EIGHT RECAP // EPISODE NINE RECAP // Ranking Queendom’s Final Singles I always kick off these … Continue reading
As a supplement to my individual episode recaps, I like to take a look at the original songs that make up Queendom‘s finale. These were pre-released ahead of next week’s performances, which means we can judge them on their own merits rather than the effects-heavy stages that will no doubt bring a healthy dose of … Continue reading
Warning: This recap is not spoiler-free. Proceed at your own risk! EPISODE ONE RECAP // EPISODE TWO RECAP // EPISODE THREE RECAP // EPISODE FOUR RECAP // EPISODE FIVE RECAP// EPISODE SIX RECAP // EPISODE SEVEN RECAP // EPISODE EIGHT RECAP This week, we finish up the FANtastic Queendom round, made up of songs chosen … Continue reading
Warning: This recap is not spoiler-free. Proceed at your own risk! EPISODE ONE RECAP // EPISODE TWO RECAP // EPISODE THREE RECAP // EPISODE FOUR RECAP // EPISODE FIVE RECAP// EPISODE SIX RECAP // EPISODE SEVEN RECAP We begin this week with a seven (!) minute recap of the last round. Trust me, MNET, those … Continue reading
Warning: This recap is not spoiler-free. Proceed at your own risk! EPISODE ONE RECAP // EPISODE TWO RECAP // EPISODE THREE RECAP // EPISODE FOUR RECAP // EPISODE FIVE RECAP// EPISODE SIX RECAP We’re at the point in any Queendom/Kingdom series where I check the episode running length before watching and audibly cheer if it’s … Continue reading
Warning: This recap is not spoiler-free. Proceed at your own risk! EPISODE ONE RECAP // EPISODE TWO RECAP // EPISODE THREE RECAP // EPISODE FOUR RECAP // EPISODE FIVE RECAP Before we get into the main content, this episode kicks off with a cute (but completely skippable) vote on popularity categories (ie: best visual, etc). … Continue reading
Warning: This recap is not spoiler-free. Proceed at your own risk! EPISODE ONE RECAP // EPISODE TWO RECAP // EPISODE THREE RECAP // EPISODE FOUR RECAP We’re in between rounds at the start of this episode, which means a lot of behind-the-scenes footage and a fair amount of filler. It’s entertaining to watch, but there’s … Continue reading
Warning: This recap is not spoiler-free. Proceed at your own risk! EPISODE ONE RECAP // EPISODE TWO RECAP // EPISODE THREE RECAP We’re back with the remaining performances of the Cover Song Battle. Apart from one big standout, last week’s stages were a bit underwhelming. Let’s see if this week can turn the tables, or … Continue reading
Warning: This recap is not spoiler-free. Proceed at your own risk! EPISODE ONE RECAP // EPISODE TWO RECAP This week’s episode took quite awhile to get to its performances. First, we had reaction and fallout from last week’s voting results. Then, we moved into a lengthy series of mini games where the groups could win … Continue reading
Warning: This recap is not spoiler-free. Proceed at your own risk! EPISODE ONE RECAP // EPISODE THREE RECAP It’s time to finish the first round of Queendom performances. There’s only four of them this week, but the show still stretched for two uninterrupted hours. That’s a lot of backstage filler, folks. Watching the first few … Continue reading
Warning: This recap is not spoiler-free. Proceed at your own risk! Well, I’m back. I debated whether I wanted to cover season two of Queendom. Honestly, I’ve enjoyed this franchise less and less with each season, and I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to invest the time and energy it takes to watch and … 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 2022 Overall Thoughts It’s a new K-pop year! I always feel optimistic in January because … Continue reading
A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. 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. There are some production teams you … Continue reading
It’s a K-pop tale as old as 2016: group forms through (usually controversial) survival show, group sells a boatload of albums in preorders, group releases a song that fans complain about but stream anyway. Of course, there are exceptions, but it feels like these cobbled-together, made-for-TV acts take awhile to find their bearings. The newly-debuted … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 