Upon joining Pledis Entertainment (and therefore, HYBE), interest in fromis_9 has surged. Thankfully, this occurs as the group are enjoying a musical resurgence as purveyors of frothy disco pop. On a personal note, I have a newfound appreciation for member Nagyung, who took a very dark turn in the recent Shadow Beauty web series. It’s … Continue reading
I didn’t follow IZ*ONE to the extent where I’d know specific details about each member, but as they embark upon the next stage of their careers it’s fun seeing which direction their music takes. If judging purely by post-IZ*ONE debuts, I’d put Choi Yena in first place so far. Smiley is a ton of fluffy … Continue reading
When we last experienced a DRIPPIN comeback, the boys were cavorting around a camping site spouting some nonsense about a “free pass.” Their debut year hasn’t exactly been consistent, but they’ve released a few excellent tracks. Sometimes you just have to dig a bit to find them. After a lengthy hiatus, the group returns with … Continue reading
Ahead of a full album next month, Taeyeon is back with pre-release single Can’t Control Myself. Pre-releases have been a longtime tradition in her solo career, with many of them standing as discography highlights. If Can’t Control Myself is any indication, we’re in for another set of emotional pop tracks. Taeyeon has one of the … Continue reading
As their industry stature has grown, Astro have begun to promote as units and solos. We had Moonbin and Sanha’s Bad Idea in 2020, MJ’s trot-tastic Get Set Yo last year and a steady stream of Cha Eunwoo dramas. Now it’s time for Jinjin and Rocky to put their own stamp on the ever-evolving Astro … 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. None of the b-sides on OnlyOneOf’s … Continue reading
This should be a good week for Mamamoo fans, as two of its members are releasing solo albums. First up is Wheein, working under her new agency The L1ve. So far, her solo material has trended toward more subdued sounds, though last year’s Water Color found a satisfying groove. New single Make Me Happy (오묘해) … 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. Changmin led the campaign for new … 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. Nothing about Mirae’s new album cements … Continue reading
If you followed The Bias List throughout 2021, you’ll know how much I adore OnlyOneOf’s libidO. The track felt like a confident shot across the bow, melding experimental artistry with taut songcraft. Unfortunately, the group faced a tumultuous year that prevented them from capitalizing on this momentum. The second part of their Instinct series was … Continue reading
Last time I wrote about a Momoland song, the girls were collaborating with DJ/producer Chromance. Surprisingly, their newest single sees them paired with another global artist. This time, it’s Dominican singer Natti Natasha. I think these collaborations are a cool idea, but they make me question how much faith MLD Entertainment has in Momoland themselves. … Continue reading
For his newest mini album, TVXQ’s Max Changmin has tackled a variety of genres. So far, that’s resulted in the incredible pomp-rock of Maniac. Meanwhile, title track Devil has been described as a “slow-tempo R&B song.” But rather than mine 90’s sounds (as SM Entertainment often does), Devil moves back to earlier roots of the … Continue reading
Since going solo, Hyolyn has proven herself adept at a variety of genres. Nostalgia will always lure me toward her upbeat, Sistar-esque summer pop, but her R&B-influenced work has also been great. Nothing quite beats 2018’s Dally in this regard, but new single Layin’ Low certainly puts up a fight. When it comes to Hyolyn, … Continue reading
I chose Mirae as my favorite rookie of 2021 due to the strength of their single Killa as well as their entertaining presence in variety. But, follow-up track Splash revealed a weakness in their armor. Like so many K-pop acts, their sound seems dictated by a “throw everything at the wall” approach rather than an … Continue reading
The album cover for Swan’s digital single Road In The Light proudly declares “Mortals born by “GAIA.” But with the abandonment” …as if we’re supposed to understand what the heck any of that means. This pseudo-mythology pretty much sums up girl group CRAXY – along with much of the K-pop industry! Like so many of … Continue reading
After years of releasing excellent material, The Rampage’s 2021 work swerved in directions that weren’t for me. In fact, they missed out entirely on my Top 50 J-pop countdown last month – a rare omission for one of my favorite groups. Leading up to their latest full-length album (basically a compilation of those 2021 singles), … Continue reading
Despite boasting several big-name Produce 101 players among its roster, boy group WEi is still searching for their breakout moment. Solo releases might just be the fuel they need, taking advantage of individual members’ popularity. Solos don’t usually spawn from newly-debuted groups, but WEi is a special case. Kim Yohan has proven an in-demand actor … Continue reading
TVXQ’s Max Changmin has been taking teasers to a whole new level for his upcoming album. First, he gave us a taste of b-side Fever through a live performance. Now, we get a proper music video for Maniac. Title track Devil has a lot to live up to because this new track is fantastic. Maniac … Continue reading
I hadn’t given ENHYPEN’s music much love until last year’s Dimension: Dilemma album, which finally began to carve out a musical niche that didn’t just rehash other HYBE groups. This was most apparent on the album’s rock-influenced tracks like Attention, Please. Given that song’s success, I’m happy to see the guys continue to explore an … 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
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 