In connection with my desire to fully keep up with the J-pop industry, I’m planning to do a weekly round-up of any new releases that have caught my ear. Some of these may have been covered on the blog already, but my hope is that this will become a one-stop shop for anyone interested in … Continue reading
NCT Dream’s new Japanese single Moonlight has been kicking around for a few weeks now. In fact, I first wrote about it as part of my weekly J-pop series. At that point, we were unsure whether it would receive a music video or not, but I’m glad the track has gotten the promotion it deserves. … Continue reading
WayV returned last year with a solid album and an interesting title track. Now that summer fast approaches, their newest comeback promises something brighter and groovier. Given that one of my favorite WayV b-sides is 2020’s buoyant Electric Hearts, this is definitely welcome news. And with the NCT universe not as dominant as it used … Continue reading
In connection with my desire to fully keep up with the J-pop industry, I’m planning to do a weekly round-up of any new releases that have caught my ear. Some of these may have been covered on the blog already, but my hope is that this will become a one-stop shop for anyone interested in … 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
It’s been reported that NCT’s Mark is gearing up for a solo album release in early 2025, which has to be the earliest comeback announcement (rumor) in K-pop history. Before that, he’s dropped digital single 200. It follows the experimental bent of previous track Golden Hour and embraces a new sonic palette. No one in … Continue reading
In connection with my desire to fully keep up with the J-pop industry, I’m planning to do a weekly round-up of any new releases that have caught my ear. Some of these may have been covered on the blog already, but my hope is that this will become a one-stop shop for anyone interested in … Continue reading
Now that the expansion of the NCT project has ended and its first member has enlisted in the military, I predict we’ll see more solo work from the guys. This has been a long time coming. There’s a wealth of talent under the sprawling NCT umbrella. Doyoung’s voice has always been one of my favorite … Continue reading
What to do with a solo Lucas single in 2024? I’ll let others rant about the moral implications of debuting him as a soloist. I’m very good about separating the artist from the art. As a rabid Michael Jackson fan, that’s become a necessity! As always on this blog, I’d like to focus on Renegade … Continue reading
We’ve long since crossed the threshold of having definable NCT units with their own sound and purpose. Instead, the past five or six years have seen the rise of a standard SM Entertainment style, and when the agency does release a song that embraces a different sound it feels almost revelatory. Unfortunately, the only revelatory … 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
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
In connection with my desire to fully keep up with the J-pop industry, I’m planning to do a weekly round-up of any new releases that have caught my ear. Some of these may have been covered on the blog already, but my hope is that this will become a one-stop shop for anyone interested in … 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. February 2024 Overall Thoughts Due to its positioning in the dead of winter and the cancelling … Continue reading
Before NCT’s “infinite” expansion comes to an end, the project has one more debut to unveil. NCT Wish is their first Japanese unit, though their track Wish has been released simultaneously in Korean. The immediate success of RIIZE has proven a hunger for SM Entertainment boy groups unencumbered from the NCT umbrella, but the brand … Continue reading
NCT’s Taeyong has been positioned as the breakout solo star of the group, quickly crafting a quirky hip-hop sound that pulls in elements of many different genres. It’s an uphill battle for me, as I find his hyper-affected performance style a little tricky to get into. New single Tap follows suit, upping the eccentricities at … Continue reading
Seven years after his debut with NCT U, Ten has finally released his first solo album. Talk about delayed gratification! He’s had plenty of solo singles throughout the years, but I can’t believe it took this long for SM Entertainment to give him something more substantial. He follows a lineage of male idol performers gone … Continue reading
For the second year in a row, I’m rounding out my year-end countdowns with a spotlight on my favorite Japanese dramas of the year. Though I don’t write much about them on the blog, I’ve become a huge fan of Japanese series and tend to give pretty much anything a try. This countdown is divided … Continue reading
It’s become a tradition for at least one SM Entertainment artist to release winter-themed material each year. Sometimes, the whole agency gets in on the fun, but this year it’s NCT 127’s turn to deliver the holiday cheer. Be There For Me is broad enough to work as a “normal” single, but its cozy video … Continue reading
One of the unique features of The Bias List is its “buried treasure” write-ups. I try my hardest to comb through every major K-pop album released each year and when a song catches my ear I highlight it on the blog. This countdown is an encapsulation of those write-ups, ranking my top 40 b-sides and … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 