Lim Young Woong is a chart behemoth in Korea, but I’ve never featured his music on the blog before. His beginnings in trot music marked him as someone just outside the idol landscape, but as soon as the first teaser dropped for new single Do Or Die my interest was piqued. He’s made a complete … 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. Though ONF’s new album is reliably … Continue reading
A few months ago, (G)I-DLE previewed their first English-language EP with I Do — a synthy, atmospheric slow burn that worked well for the group. That sound didn’t turn out to be an indication of where the EP would go, as (G)I-DLE explores a multitude of genres. The dancefloor drive of I Want That is … Continue reading
NCT 127 secured a Bias List first with the only “buried treasure” post published before an album was released. That’s thanks to b-side Angel Eyes, which was pre-released alongside a special performance video. To be honest, that song is much more my speed than most of the group’s recent title tracks. At this point, it’s … Continue reading
Combing through my archives, I was shocked to find the last time I wrote about a Jennie song was way back in 2018 with Solo. That’s pre-pandemic, folks! You & Me marks a welcome return for the BLACKPINK member, though the song has been kicking around for a few months after being performed live. You … Continue reading
IVE’s I Am remains a triumphant 2023 highlight, raising expectations for how the group’s music will evolve. Their new EP will be out in a matter days, and we’ve now heard two of its tracks. Pre-release Either Way wasn’t designed to be a knock-your-socks-off showpiece, but even within its genre I found the song pretty … Continue reading
2023 has already seen a ton of boy group debuts, and the stream keeps on coming. Many of these acts have introduced themselves with a pre-release, building anticipation before unveiling their title track. 82MAJOR has a few familiar faces, including participants from Fantasy Boys and Show Me The Money. Sure Thing follows what I’d like … Continue reading
Boy group POW’s pre-release Favorite has been a grower for me, and judging by their album’s highlight medley it may end up being the strongest track the guys have to offer. But before they make their official debut, POW have delivered another pre-release in the form of Amazing. Like Favorite, Amazing is built upon rock … Continue reading
Looking back at EPEX’s discography, I’ve rarely clicked with their music. They pinball between ultra-bright and ultra-aggressive sounds, making it difficult to get a foothold on their concept. New single Full Metal Jacket is a complete 180 from this spring’s buoyant Sunshower, stuffed to the brim with distorted guitar and combative chants. I’m largely on … Continue reading
It was incredibly smart for ONF to enlist in their mandatory military service together, assuring they would return as a full group within two years. So many boy groups choose a staggered approach, which is fine if you actually release music during these configuration changes. But too often, this simply results in diminished returns. If … Continue reading
K-pop artists have a history with League Of Legends‘ themes and I don’t usually write about these songs on the blog. However, everything NewJeans touches seems to become a colossal smash so I feel a certain obligation to cover as much of their music as possible. And refreshingly, the anthemic Gods is a big sidestep … Continue reading
K-Pop debuts can be tricky things. At times, they’re the best song a group delivers. Sometimes, they’re the only song a group delivers! But, debuts can also be huge wtf moments in an artist’s career. In this feature, I’ll be looking back at debut songs through the prism of time, re-evaluating how well they hold … 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. In the history of The Bias … 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. September 2023 Overall Thoughts After a very strong August, it felt like we entered the K-pop … Continue reading
K-Pop debuts can be tricky things. At times, they’re the best song a group delivers. Sometimes, they’re the only song a group delivers! But, debuts can also be huge wtf moments in an artist’s career. In this feature, I’ll be looking back at debut songs through the prism of time, re-evaluating how well they hold … Continue reading
Jungkook has found a winning formula with singles that cater to Y2K pop sounds and feature a popular American rapper. His summer hit Seven proved more durable then expected, offering a breezy take on garage music with a simple — but addictive — hook. If Seven borrowed liberally from Fill Me In era Craig David, … Continue reading
Given that this week is Chuseok, there have been way more K-pop (and K-pop adjacent) releases than I’d expected. Even so, today is empty until a trio of soloists return at midnight. Luckily, I missed a song from yesterday. Kwangmin is a member of Boyfriend (now known as BF) — one of K-pop’s most underrated … Continue reading
Oh, come on now! That song title is so cheesy it’s got me physically cringing. Yet, its earnestness is also disarming in a way, and this perfectly illustrates the duality of K-pop. BYOB is the first of two tracks from Billlie, the second of which will be released next month. It’s a breezy trifle of … Continue reading
ITZY have been releasing Japanese material for some time now, leading up to the release of their first J-pop album next month. Prior to this, they’ve dropped the music video for the album’s promotional single. Ringo (or “Apple,” if you want an English translation) feels like their K-pop sound transcoded onto Japan, which should please … Continue reading
When looking back at their discography, I released it’s been a couple of years since a ONEUS title track really grabbed me. Their music is always solid and they come back frequently, but their sound has been stuck in this nebulous zone since 2021, borrowing from various trends rather than developing their own perspective. Baila … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 