Though ONEWE’s most recent single never made it onto any of my year-end lists, I ended up liking Regulus far more than my initial review let on. I enjoyed it despite its unnecessary, trap-inspired moments because when the song actually embraced ONEWE’s strength as a band, it totally soared. But overall, I don’t understand RBW … 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 2020 Overall Thoughts I don’t know about you all, but my mind wasn’t exactly on … Continue reading
Even in the middle of a global pandemic, Monsta X are reliably churning out new music. Their trilingual career is turning out to be one of modern K-pop’s most prolific. Seriously, hats off to their work ethic. Though to be fair, I’ll bet Wishing On The Same Sky was recorded some time ago. After all, … Continue reading
The scandal and dissolution of MNET’s Produce 101 series has left the guys of X1 in a lurch. While the series’ popular 2017 season buoyed nearly every trainee who was lucky enough to be part of it, the 2019 Produce X aftermath has been far messier. We’ve seen a few winners (Victon, Lee Jinhyuk), but … Continue reading
New boy group TOO has a cool-sounding (and completely ridiculous) name. TOO stands for “Ten Oriented Orchestra,” which makes me imagine some super ambitious, symphonic performance group. In reality, the guys were formed through yet another MNET survival series called World Klass. This show had a heavy presence at last year’s KCON LA, with the … Continue reading
So… the EXO solos haven’t exactly panned out the way I would have hoped. So far, it’s been an unending stream of ballads and mid-tempos, each blending into the other without any real artistic differentiation. It’s not that the music has been bad, but it feels like SM Entertainment have developed a real narrow pathway … 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! August … Continue reading
With over 2,900 songs on my iPhone’s “K-Pop Singles” playlist, I thought it would be fun to add a bit of unpredictability to my song review posts. So as a result, we have the “Random Shuffle Review” feature. The rules are simple. I fire up my playlist, press “shuffle,” and whatever song plays first gets … Continue reading
Debuting a K-pop group is fraught with difficulty even under the best circumstances, but it seems especially ambitious to launch a rookie during a time when promotional opportunities are limited. The industry is rightfully taking a lot of health precautions right now, which means that MY.st’s promos will largely be digital. Still, agencies can’t wait … Continue reading
I fondly remember watching YG’s Who Is Next variety show back in 2013. At the time, I was a supporter of Team B, who would eventually go on to become iKON. But, when Winner debuted in the summer of 2014 I was completely won over. Their first album had a more subdued energy than their … Continue reading
In a double-hitter, two of Wanna One’s most prominent members have released new music this week. Kang Daniel went first yesterday with the slick 2U, and Ong Seong Wu is right behind him with Gravity. So far, Seong Wu’s music has played things down the middle, opting for pleasant, generic fare over more daring material. … Continue reading
Between comebacks, Stray Kids have done a nice job maintaining interest through a series of Mixtape releases. I suppose that’s one of the benefits of self-producing so much of your material. Not all of these tracks have been title track-worthy, and few have felt like actual standouts. But, something is better than nothing, and it’s … Continue reading
After taking an extended break from the K-pop industry, Kang Daniel has returned with the release of his first mini album. Never mind that two-fifths of the EP is a repackage of his November single. It’s good to have him back, and hopefully with a renewed strength in mental health. New title track 2U sees … Continue reading
ONEUS kicked off their K-pop career in stunning fashion, wowing with the dynamic Valkyrie in early 2019. Since then, I’ve felt that their singles run has slowly declined in quality, though the strength of their album tracks remains intact. Even their latest Japanese single was paired with some stunning b-sides. New release A Song Written … Continue reading
After several years of success in Korea, Seventeen made their Japanese debut with 2018’s excellent Call Call Call. Since then, the group has released one J-pop follow-up, which sacrificed Call’s upbeat funk-rock energy for something more in line with their newly “matured” Korean work. New single Fallin’ Flower (舞い落ちる花びら) largely replicates this mood, albeit with … Continue reading
With over 2,900 songs on my iPhone’s “K-Pop Singles” playlist, I thought it would be fun to add a bit of unpredictability to my song review posts. So as a result, we have the “Random Shuffle Review” feature. The rules are simple. I fire up my playlist, press “shuffle,” and whatever song plays first gets … 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! July … Continue reading
Only three releases in, and rookie group PurpleBeck have gone from having Kim Jaejoong guest star in their music video to releasing a self-filmed, ultra-low-budget product like VALENTi. This downward curve is not unique to new groups from small agencies, but it’s always a bit depressing. After debuting last year with the quirky Crystal Ball, … Continue reading
With over 2,900 songs on my iPhone’s “K-Pop Singles” playlist, I thought it would be fun to add a bit of unpredictability to my song review posts. So as a result, we have the “Random Shuffle Review” feature. The rules are simple. I fire up my playlist, press “shuffle,” and whatever song plays first gets … Continue reading
With over 2,900 songs on my iPhone’s “K-Pop Singles” playlist, I thought it would be fun to add a bit of unpredictability to my song review posts. So as a result, we have the “Random Shuffle Review” feature. The rules are simple. I fire up my playlist, press “shuffle,” and whatever song plays first gets … Continue reading
