It’s that time of year again! Over the next few weeks, I’ll be looking at many of K-pop’s biggest agencies and offering my thoughts about how their 2020 went. 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 … Continue reading
NCT is absolutely stuffed with talent and personality. But, that only goes so far without strong songs to harness it. On the whole, both parts of the NCT Resonance album remind me of a b-side collection. They’re not so common anymore, but artists used to cobble together unreleased material and outtakes into a special album … Continue reading
The announcement of NCT’s 23-member Resonance project sparked a lot of excitement, and much of that stemmed from how awesome their 2018 Empathy album was. Songs like Baby Don’t Stop and Boss are still in heavy rotation, and have become pillars of NCT’s discography. In comparison, Resonance hasn’t brought the same level of focus or … 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 2020 Overall Thoughts After a fantastic September, October was another strong month. And, it was … Continue reading
To this day, my absolute favorite NCT track remains 2016’s Without You. That song spotlighted vocalists Doyoung, Taeil and Jaehyun without resorting to the kind of piano ballad usually reserved for vocal-driven tracks. In my mind, there are far more interesting ways to showcase your vocalists than a traditional ballad. Anthemic synth-rock is only one … 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 want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. When listening to NCT’s Resonance Part 1, I’m struck with the … Continue reading
Fans have barely had a chance to breathe between SM Entertainment’s SuperM album and this new, ambitious NCT project. Resonance brings together all twenty-one members, plus two new faces, for part one of a compilation album that mixes and matches the guys into various units. Resonance will be promoted by two title tracks, and the … Continue reading
Like they did back in the winter of 2018, NCT is making full use of their malleable roster for a new 2020 project. Unlike 2018, which saw multiple title tracks unveiled over the course of several weeks, this album’s promotion seems to be occurring in a tighter timeframe. But, NCT has exploded in popularity over … Continue reading
I have a weird sort of respect for SuperM. Sure, the project is about as inorganic as you can imagine, bringing together some of SM Entertainment’s most popular performers for an agency-forged super group. But if you’re going to take this approach, the music had better sound as big and over-the-top as its performers demand. … Continue reading
Of all the tracks I would choose for promotion on WayV’s (very solid) album, Bad Alive would be pretty low on the totem pole. And, I certainly wouldn’t opt for a (mostly) English-language revamp. This isn’t meant to be a knock on the track itself. As a piece of music, it’s solid. But stacked against … Continue reading
In celebration of The Bias List’s fifth year anniversary, I’ve embarked on my most ambitious project yet. After years of hemming and hawing, I’ve finally ranked what I consider to be the best 100 songs in K-pop. There will never be a definitive list of this nature, because it’s impossible to rank something that’s inherently … Continue reading
In celebration of The Bias List’s fifth year anniversary, I’ve embarked on my most ambitious project yet. After years of hemming and hawing, I’ve finally ranked what I consider to be the best 100 songs in K-pop. There will never be a definitive list of this nature, because it’s impossible to rank something that’s inherently … Continue reading
In celebration of The Bias List’s fifth year anniversary, I’ve embarked on my most ambitious project yet. After years of hemming and hawing, I’ve finally ranked what I consider to be the best 100 songs in K-pop. There will never be a definitive list of this nature, because it’s impossible to rank something that’s inherently … Continue reading
There are few things I enjoy more than a great summertime song. They’re bright, they’re exciting, and they remind me of my favorite time of the year. There’s no telling what this summer in K-pop will bring, but over the next few weeks I’ll be flashing back each day, showcasing a highlight from past summers. … Continue reading
After looking at the year’s best singles (so far), it’s time to turn attention to 2020’s albums. I’ll reiterate what I said yesterday: relative to previous years, it’s been slim pickings. Consistently good mini albums have been particularly hard to find this year, at least in my opinion. But even though the overall picture may … 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 2020 Overall Thoughts This may not seem like much within the context of 2020’s continual … 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 want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. Every NCT-related album this year has had its high and low … Continue reading
Despite its many units and incarnations, the NCT universe has remained pretty consistent in sound. This extends to its Chinese vanguard, known as WayV. Their burgeoning discography has been a sampler platter of SM Entertainment influences, tied together by an injection of distorted guitar and tight, layered vocals. New single Turn Back Time (超时空 回) … 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. May 2020 Overall Thoughts Well… I’m officially worried. We’re almost halfway through the year, and at … Continue reading
It seems like just yesterday that NCT Dream unveiled their newest mini album. The “Neo Zone” sure has been prolific lately, with member Haechan participating in a comeback each month since March. Punch arrives as a repackaged title track to NCT 127’s second full-length, and expands on their abrasive hip-hop sound. In doing so, the … Continue reading
