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
Exile’s iconic vocalist Atsushi is celebrating his 40th birthday with the impending release of a new album – his first in nearly seven years. Pre-release single Osaka Tokyo (オーサカトーキョー) stands as another milestone, recorded with fellow J-pop veteran Koda Kumi. The duo last collaborated way back in 2006, making this song a long-awaited reunion. As … 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. I was pretty hard on Rocket Punch’s Juicy, and still think … 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
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
YG boy group Treasure are easily the most anticipated debut of 2020 so far. But, let’s be honest. With a few exceptions, YG Entertainment’s post-2017 material has been more successful at building hype than actually delivering on it. It’s hard to remain a dedicated fan of a hype machine when there’s no payoff. After well … 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
Honestly, K-pop could keep serving me these retro 80’s anthems for months and I’d be happy. When a trend is this fun, even the smaller-name indie releases can be total standouts. Such is the case with Tonight (오늘 밤), from The Voice of Korea contestant Yi Saebom. The song embraces nostalgia in the best way … Continue reading
Though I don’t often return to it, ENOi’s Cheeky was a nice Seventeen-lite surprise back in January. It pointed toward a funkier concept than the group’s 2019 deep house debut. Those who hoped that ENOi would continue along these lines will likely be disappointed in new single W.A.Y (Where Are You). The song has its … Continue reading
In preparation for my “Summer of K-pop” series, I’ve been revisiting a lot of girl group summertime songs. This has made me crave the kind of breezy, exciting material delivered by acts like Sistar, BESTie, Red Velvet and Girl’s Day. 2020 has offered its share of summer tracks, but too many have been marred by … 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
With Laughter, Official HIGE DANdism (Official髭男dism) delivered my favorite J-pop single of last month. The song took full advantage of their epic, emotional sound, doling out its powerful climaxes with a deliberate slow burn. But, Higedan have another side to their music as well. They can rock out with the best of them, and Hello … Continue reading
The fact that 1THE9 pulled a song like Bad Guy out of the hat just before disbandment is a surprising feat. It’s not that they guys didn’t deserve it – they’re far more talented than most give them credit for. But, the whole Under 19 project wasn’t the success that MBC was likely looking for. … Continue reading
I first heard (most of) Run during a live performance back in late March, and I knew right away that this was going to be a big pop moment. It’s rare that a song ticks so many of my musical boxes at once. But due to pandemic postponements, it’s been an excruciatingly long wait to … 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
It would be an understatement to say that 1TEAM’s music hasn’t been for me. I’ve been pretty hard on them so far, mainly because the bulk of their sound has hinged upon the kind of swaggy trap-rap I detest. But, last November’s Make This proved to be a grower, and teased unforeseen potential. Like many … Continue reading
Those who have followed The Bias List for any amount of time will know what an enormous fan of Woollim Entertainment I am. From Infinite to Lovelyz to Golden Child, I’m usually enamored with what the agency produces. But, I’m really struggling with Rocket Punch. Thus far, their music seems to lack many of the … Continue reading
After over a year and a half without a Korean comeback, Taemin’s 2 Kids arrives as a “prologue single” for his upcoming full album, to be released in two parts. As such, I’m curious what it means for the sound of that album. Is 2 Kids a peek at what’s to come? Does it provide … 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
Girl group Saturday have struggled to find a large audience, though their quirky, repetitive pop tracks definitely have their supporters. At times, the group feels like natural successors to Crayon Pop’s silly sound. They just never found that ubiquitous novelty hit that would give their career the oomph it needs. The ridiculously-titled D.B.D.B.DIB (디비디비딥) (seriously, … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 