Girl group RESCENE have gone viral several times in their career, but this latest boom seems to be sticking. Their 2024 highlight Love Attack has been lodged in MelOn‘s top ten for awhile now. In fact, as of writing this review, it just hit number one. Rather than attempt to steal that song’s spotlight with … Continue reading
Since 2024, TRENDZ have occupied a rare space in Bias List history. They’re one of the few acts to earn a top 5 place in a year-end countdown only to never grace those charts again. As is often the case for groups from smaller agencies, their success is entirely dependent on who they collaborate with, … Continue reading
While it’s important for any group to stretch their sound and try new things, there’s a certain point where a sonic shift completely abandons the identity that made that group fantastic to begin with. Such was the case with AHOF’s Sugar High, which repainted them as the kind of badass, chant-happy boy group that already … Continue reading
Golden Child may be no more as a group, but occasionally we still get new music from its members. Sadly, the indie nature of this music comes along with clear budget restrictions and limited promotion. Listeners who weren’t already a fan of the group might easily miss a song like Blue Moon. Blue Moon comes … Continue reading
VAYONN are the second new boy group to emerge from Kin Jaejoong’s iNKODE label, adopting a brighter sound palette than their hip-hop peers KEYVITUP. They teased their debut with the so-so Watta Day last month, and I suspect that song will play better in the context of an album. The bouyant MUAH! is their big … Continue reading
One thing about YG Entertainment is that they’ll always milk a mini album for all it’s worth. More often than not, YG artists film music videos for multiple tracks, extending their promo period. After the off detour that was Sugar Honey Ice Tea, BABYMONSTER are back again with a video for the summery I Like … Continue reading
I have questions about Howling Entertainment. They keep debuting new boy groups but rarely promote them. Waker have a couple mini albums to their name over a stretch of two-and-a-half years, but the newer Chaser hasn’t made a peep since their early-2026 debut. Now, we have Ascender, the agency’s third group in less than three … Continue reading
It’s difficult to know whether to write about a performance video, but the pre-debut of a new group from a major agency feels worth a few words. AEN is Starship Entertainment’s latest boy group, debuting less than a year after IDID. They’re co-managed by a Japanese agency with the idea of actively promoting in both … Continue reading
It’s a quick review today since I don’t usually write new reviews on Saturdays and it’s been ages since I wrote about boy group M.O.N.T. However, I figured some readers would appreciate hearing this song because it has a more classic K-pop sound that’s far from the trends of today. There are certain song titles … Continue reading
Initially, I was pretty nonplussed about NEXZ’s output. But after the double volley of Beat-Boxer and Mmchk, they’ve rocketed up the ranks to become one of my most anticipated acts. They’ve promoted consistently in both Korea and Japan over the past two years and now they’re back with a new Japanese single. Hellmate‘s oddly dark … Continue reading
Stray Kids have a tour and a new album coming up, and to promote both they’ve released a special single that serves as an anthem for this era. Run It arrives with little promo other than an excellent teaser video that made me think it might be the best Stray Kids track since Miroh. That’s … Continue reading
Two weeks after the release of their first full album, BOYNEXTDOOR are back with a surprise follow-up track. Though I enjoyed title track Viral quite a bit, most of the album is on the slower, sleepier side. Adios! was the only b-side that stuck out to me, so I’m glad it’s the one getting a … Continue reading
CLASSy have removed the colon from their group name as a subtle rebranding, and to be honest that’s probably needed. They haven’t released new material since 2024 and even before that struggled to generate memorable output. I wrote reviews for every one of their singles and couldn’t hum any of them back to you today. … Continue reading
If you hang around K-pop fandom long enough, you’ll know that some truths are absolute. For example, when an agency announces that a boy group is showcasing a “new” sound or image, it almost always means they’re doing some form of dark and/or braggadocious hip-hop. It almost never means they’re doubling down on melody or … Continue reading
As Hearts2Hearts’ career has blossomed, their music has taken a lighter turn. It seems that the understated moodiness of The Chase was a red herring and the girls have found much more success with buoyant fare like this winter’s RUDE. It’s no surprise, then, that new summer single Lemon Tang is their must bubbly, upbeat … Continue reading
Consistent artist/producer pairings are not nearly as common as they used to be in K-pop, but fans are so used to see ONF and composer Hwang Hyun work together that there was mass outrage when last November’s mini album didn’t feature him at all. But now that the group has moved to a new agency, … Continue reading
The official start of summer may still be a few days away, but we’ve already entered the summer season of K-pop music. At its best, this means bright, buoyant fare that conjures images of beach days and sunny nights. My number one wish is that this summer somehow brings back the K-pop producers synonymous with … 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. I’m not sure you can call … Continue reading
izna have delivered a fractured discography so far, with some songs hitting harder than others. However, the highlight medley for their newest mini-album hinted at a synth-heavy sound that feels consistent among its tracks. This is a stellar identity for the group to pursue and results in their strongest title track yet. Metronome is pure, … Continue reading
Despite really enjoying BOYNEXTDOOR, their past few comebacks haven’t done much for me. Then, I thought it might all be over with the blustering hip-hop pre-release ddok ddok ddok. However, that song ended up growing on me in a way a track like Hollywood Action never did, and I’m not quite sure why. Regardless, this … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 