One of the things that first drew me to K-pop was SM Entertainment’s SMP style. Characterized by its hybrid, genre-bashing nature, this musical philosophy was fueled by bombastic instrumentation and outrageous vocal arrangements. There wasn’t anything else like it at the time, and there still isn’t. As K-pop continues to blow up internationally, SM has … Continue reading
Years after its debut, my favorite NCT-related track is still Without You. I get that hip-hop is much trendier and globally popular, but I will always be a proponent of big pop melodies and powerful vocalists. This style used to be a stalwart of SM Entertainment, but now that the NCT brand seems to be … Continue reading
This time last year, NCT had already delivered an exciting yearbook project that saw the release of no less than four singles (with more to come). In comparison, 2019 has been downright barren. In fact, SM Entertainment’s 2019 schedule has been exceedingly light, relegating to a pair of SHINee-related solos and a few other ballads. … Continue reading
2018 was a fantastic year when it came to album tracks. In fact, many of them were stronger (and more interesting) than their title track counterparts. This makes for a very competitive top 40 list, as well as a host of honorable mentions. Honestly, I could’ve tripled the amount of honorable mentions and still had … Continue reading
The end of the year countdowns are finally here! As always, things kick off with the big one… The Bias List’s top 50 songs of the year! Each day this week, I’ll be counting down ten of the year’s best, until number one is revealed on Friday. To be eligible for this top 50 list, … 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. November 2018 Overall Thoughts November is always packed with comebacks, but rarely have we seen one … Continue reading
In what has become an annual tradition, it’s time to take a look at K-pop’s biggest agencies and offer my 2018 verdict. First up is SM Entertainment. As usual, the thoughts are my own and aren’t privy to any insider information. I’m not taking into account things like profits and stock value. The purpose of … Continue reading
When it comes to NCT 127 title tracks, I’ve learned never to let my first impression color my final thoughts. I’m almost always underwhelmed the first time through, and that’s probably because I’m not a huge fan of the modern, minimalist hip-hop that has become the group’s focus. Most of their title tracks have taken … 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. October 2018 Overall Thoughts October was like one of those Halloween horror movies with a twist … 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 wanted to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. It’s only been three days, but I’ve already gone on quite … Continue reading
When I heard that NCT 127’s Regular was going to be a hybrid of trap and Latin, I let out an audible groan. Trap is one of the few genres I absolutely detest, and K-pop’s Latin trend already feels overplayed just as it’s getting started. Add to that the fact that SM Entertainment seems eager … Continue reading
Now that I’ve had a chance to spotlight the year’s best singles, it’s time to look at the standout albums of 2018’s first six months. As usual, I split the categories between full and mini, with three strong contenders from each. What are your picks? FULL LENGTH ALBUMS Infinite – Top Seed While their first comeback … Continue reading
I’ve long believed that the NCT concept is not half as confusing as many make it out to be, but even I’m a bit stymied by this new Japanese release. Wasn’t a large selling point of NCT the idea that the brand could encompass multi-national units that each operated in different countries? If that’s so, … 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 2018 Overall Thoughts Well, March certainly didn’t pan out the way I had expected. If … Continue reading
Thus far, NCT’s 2018 Empathy project has followed a somewhat uniform sound, with even the usual bright styling of NCT Dream swept up in a trap-driven badass concept. Once it was announced that NCT 127 would be the next unit to release a single, all signs pointed to a continuation of this sound. But SM … Continue reading
As important as any other k-pop ingredient, 2017’s choreography deserves spotlight. From catchy point dances to complex formations, this year had plenty of striking performances to offer. Here are the very best: + Make sure to check out the rest of the year-end countdowns here! 10. BTS – NOT TODAY The army of back-up dancers … Continue reading
Hundreds (if not thousands) of songs are released each year in Korea, but only a fraction receive full title track promotion. This leaves behind many buried treasures in need of a spotlight. Here are forty of 2017’s best: NUMBERS 40-21 HERE + Make sure to check out the rest of the year-end countdowns here! 20. LOONA … Continue reading
Hundreds (if not thousands) of songs are released each year in Korea, but only a fraction receive full title track promotion. This leaves behind many buried treasures in need of a spotlight. Here are forty of 2017’s best: + Make sure to check out the rest of the year-end countdowns here! 40. TWICE – 24/7 A … Continue reading
As I was looking back in preparation for this countdown, I realized that it’s actually been quite a strong year for mini and full albums, even if 2017 as a whole seemed to lack impact compared to past years. Quite a few solid albums failed to make the cut due to this heavy competition, but … Continue reading
The end of the year countdowns are here! We’re kicking things off with the big one… the top 50 songs of the year! Each day this week, I’ll be counting down ten of the year’s best, until number one is revealed on Friday. To be eligible for this top 50 list, songs must have had … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 