Not every K-pop group will be for every listener, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Throughout 2022, I’ve listened to all of Kep1er’s music, watched them compete on Queendom and seen them live at KCON. And still, I approach new single We Fresh with tons of trepidation. From the teasers alone, I knew there’d be … Continue reading
It’s been gratifying to watch DKZ’s (formerly Dongkiz) glow-up. Their ascent has nothing to do with the quality of their music and everything to do with member Jaechan’s sudden popularity as an actor. But, that’s just how the K-pop industry works. However they needed to do it, I’m happy DKZ have found success. But, I’d … 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
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 about a year since Mamamoo returned as a full group, but the ladies have been keeping busy with solo projects. Now, they’ve debuted their first sub-unit. Mamamoo+ brings together Solar and Moonbyul. This release comes as a bit of a surprise, announced only days ago. Better is an inauspicious debut, opting for laid-back … Continue reading
With rookie girl groups ruling the charts this year (seriously, have you seen the MelOn top ten lately??), newer boy groups need to pick up the slack. But with so many of these emerging acts harnessing identical sounds, there seems to be a lack of creativity holding them back. BLANK2Y debuted earlier this year with … Continue reading
It feels momentous every time I write the elusive words “BLACKPINK are back.” They return so infrequently. The last time we had an honest-to-goodness comeback, we were still mired in year one of the Covid pandemic. We didn’t even have a vaccine yet! Lovesick Girls was a great return to form for the group, hearkening … Continue reading
Rookie group YOUNITE had my attention early with their pre-release Everybody. They’ve yet to reach the heights of that fun, retro hip-hop track. And judging by the trajectory established with new single Aviator, I’m not sure they ever will. The song’s heart is in the right place, but it tries to do too much at … Continue reading
On this busy day for K-pop, boy group Blitzers emerge as the undeniable underdogs, carrying the esteem of a smaller agency on their backs. They’ve begun to make a name for themselves with a rock-inspired sound, foretelling a musical trend that’s beginning to appear in the work of bigger-name acts. Interestingly, new single Hit The … Continue reading
Back in April, I found myself very impressed by NiziU’s digital single ASOBO. But after reviewing it, I went on to… never play the song again. Weird, huh? I guess I was able to recognize the strengths of the song even if they didn’t match my own musical preferences. But though I never returned to … Continue reading
“Woo! Ah!” is the sound I desperately want to make after listening to a new K-pop track. But more often than not, those exclamation marks have been replaced with angry face emojis this year. Seriously… this is getting old. Just a day after Secret Number’s by-the-numbers boredom of Doomchita, we have another aural assault from … Continue reading
It’s been a dispiriting run of boy group tracks this year. Musical diversity has taken a backseat to cut-and-paste sameness. Same beats. Same attitude. Same bluster. It’s becoming a real challenge to write about these songs in new ways. There’s nothing to analyze or wonder about, and the songs are so stitched together by corporate … Continue reading
I want to be very clear with you, Woollim Entertainment. When I mentally scream into the void about wanting another Golden Child comeback, this is not what I mean. If you’re going to give us another Rata-Tat-Tat, you might as well just keep it. I do not recognize Golcha in this song. None of their … Continue reading
Brave Brothers has enjoyed a resurgence with Brave Girls, fusing his classic dance-pop sound with the momentum spawned by viral popularity. Listening to mini albums Thank You and Summer Queen is like reading a guidebook on how to craft a rock-solid, classic K-pop song. Frustratingly, this Midas touch hasn’t quite made it down to Brave … Continue reading
Someone on Purple Kiss’s team must really want to screw with this comeback’s search engine optimization, huh? Searching for memeM (맴맴) is bound to flood your screen with Purple Kiss memes instead of music. Knowing K-pop, maybe that’s the point! Last we heard from the ladies, they delivered a quirky horror concept. Zombie stood out … Continue reading
Nearly two years since her solo debut, Mamamoo’s Solar has returned with her first mini album. Just like 2020’s Spit It Out, she continues to subvert expectations by embracing upbeat grooves rather than the balladry some might have imagined. For better or worse, Honey (꿀) follows in the footsteps of many recent Mamamoo singles – … Continue reading
Weeekly have made their name on a fresh, youthful sound that’s been a nice counterpoint to the girl crush trends of the moment. True to their name, past singles have felt perfect for Friday night or the weekend. With that in mind, new single Ven Para is that unwelcome Monday morning when you have to … Continue reading
Since her ambitious, sc-fi-themed debut, AleXa’s sound and concepts have swerved all over the place. Last time we heard from her, she let us know what she likes on her burger and fries. As cringy as Xtra’s lyrics could be, they succeeded in giving the track some character. When it comes to new single Tattoo, … Continue reading
We haven’t even passed our first week of 2022 and the year’s crop of rookies are already making themselves known. Following on the heels of Kep1er is new boy group Trendz. They hail from Interpark Music Plus, home to girl group Laboum. New debuts are always exciting, but if TNT (Truth & Trust) is any … Continue reading
With the full YouTube release of every Universe MV a few weeks ago, I thought maybe the app had turned a corner. Unfortunately, Oh My Girl’s Shark brings us right back to where we started, with official “previews” on YouTube alongside an invitation to download Universe for the full experience. I guess this means my … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 