We still have some time to go for another EXO comeback, but in the meantime its members are keeping busy with solo work. Next up is Xiumin, who makes his official solo debut with a mini album (though he did release a fun duet with NCT’s Mark a few years ago and an SM Station … Continue reading
Rather than contain my “Risers and Fallers” feature to a single post in June, I’m going to share a bite-sized version at the end of each month. This will let me account for more songs and make a nice lead-in to the monthly round-up post. I anticipate most of these ratings adjustments will be negligible: … Continue reading
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
For a group with so many members, Seventeen have done a nice job getting their individual voices into the spotlight. Many of the guys have already made solo debuts, though few of these have been paired with the relentless promo typically tied to K-pop comebacks. The seemingly free-spirited nature of these releases makes them feel … Continue reading
With K-pop, it’s gotten to the point where I can almost predict how I’ll feel about a song from its title alone. The exclamation “Gratata” sends shivers down my spine, conjuring images of lame finger-gun dance moves and clanging beat drops that hit with all the nuance of a toilet tumbling down a staircase. This … Continue reading
An alarming number of artists seem to be jumping ship from PSY’s P Nation label this year, causing the ambitious start-up to face some growing pains just as they’re trying to get their first idol group off the ground. Luckily, they still have the ever-reliable Crush on their roster. Fresh from military service, he’s making … Continue reading
Which benevolent K-pop god did I appease to get new music from Sweetune and Thomas Troelsen on the same day?? These are two of my all-time favorite producers, and neither churns out all that much material these days. In Troelsen’s case, his work has been paired with an unlikely star: GOT7’s Jay B. When I … Continue reading
RoaD-B have had an outsize presence on The Bias List relative to their lack of recognition elsewhere. I’m pretty confident that 99.9% of K-pop fans who don’t read this blog have yet to even hear their name. After all, they’ve only had one televised performance. Still, their debut single Nonstop was a huge highlight of … Continue reading
I wonder if an intern at JYP Entertainment has been reading my reviews and predicting their content before releasing new music. Naming a new banger-clanger ITZY track “Blah Blah Blah” is just giving me too much to work with! Look, this is an ITZY song through and through. It’s fair to say I’ve made my … 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. I wasn’t originally going to feature … Continue reading
Though they won’t get nearly as much coverage today as NMIXX, girl group Maka Maka have also made a return with their new track I Am (아이엠). The two songs couldn’t be more different. While NMIXX’s Dice attempts to create new industry trends with its structural diversity, I Am leans comfortably in a more timeless … Continue reading
Rookie group NMIXX are attempting to craft a new K-pop sub-genre with songs that mix various sounds and structures together. Imagine if K-pop’s highlight medleys turned into songs themselves and you have an inkling of their style. I admire anyone trying to push things forward, but NMIXX need to find some new collaborators immediately. This … Continue reading
The Rose have been mostly absent from the K-pop industry for a few years now, completing their military service and moving to a new label after filing a lawsuit against their former agency. They managed to release a couple one-off singles during that time and frontman Woosung continued to grow his solo discography. But in … Continue reading
Most of the recent news surrounding LOONA has been about its poor members falling ill or becoming injured on their world tour. At this point, the tour feels more like a survival game than a series of concerts! I hope the girls get the rest they deserve and have been able to enjoy their travels … Continue reading
Mimiirose chose a daring time to make their debut, right on the heels of much-hyped releases from BLACKPINK and NCT 127. Complicating things even further, they’ve opted for a “half video,” which cuts off after the first chorus. Who knew the Universe app would have such influence? Seriously, I don’t get this tactic at all. … Continue reading
My initial thoughts on BLACKPINK’s Pink Venom included words like “predictable,” “catchphrasey” and “severely underwhelming.” Those thoughts still stand, but I can’t deny how catchy that big, dumb hook has become. Pink Venom isn’t particularly “good,” but its ridiculousness is fun in an awkward way. And as a pre-release, expectations must be set accordingly. BLACKPINK … Continue reading
About a year ago, NCT 127 dusted off their screechy flute for the polarizing Sticker. I’m still not a huge fan of that song, but I admire its chutzpah. For me, the most concerning thing about the NCT project is how predictable their music has become. More than almost any male SM group, their title … Continue reading
It’s been almost a year since we heard from Weki Meki, but before we get a full group comeback we have the solo debut of member Choi Yoojung. Yoojung has long been one of the group’s most well-known members, beginning her career in IOI before moving on to become the “face” of Weki Meki. She … Continue reading
Gosh, it’s been ages since I wrote about a Kim Jaejoong track! He’s spent most of his recent music career in the Japanese market, but now he’s back with a full Korean album. To put it in perspective, the last time this happened The Bias List had only been around for about a month! It’s … Continue reading
K-pop’s title tracks might gain most of listeners’ attention, but many album tracks are worth equal spotlight. I call these “buried treasures.” Beyond this, K-pop’s albums deliver thousands of additional tracks that settle for a more limited audience. It’s these songs that will become a part of my “battle of the b-sides” feature. In this … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 