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
When I first launched The Bias List, I hoped to build the kind of K-pop blog that I, as a fan, would want to read. I sought consistency, passion, and… yes… a certain level of bias. I didn’t want to be a glorified press release, automatically loving every piece of music for fear of disappointing … Continue reading
A full summertime Sistar reunion is on my shortlist of “things I’d most like to see in K-pop.” So when it was announced that members Hyolyn and Dasom would pair for a summer track (produced by Duble Sidekick!), I tried to keep my expectations in check. We certainly couldn’t expect something as fantastic as Loving … Continue reading
This week, we’re journeying back half a decade to look at K-pop’s best releases of 2015! 2015 was a prime year for K-pop. It saw the return of industry royalty, as Bigbang blitzed the market with no less than seven singles. It acted as the launchpad for many of today’s top acts (Twice, Seventeen, GFriend, … Continue reading
Congratulations to f(x)’s Hot Summer! The girls trounced their competition last Friday with 71.1% of the vote. Next, it’s on to the semi-finals against SHINee’s View. Before that, we’ve got another big match-up on our hands. I’m very curious about how today’s battle will go. On one hand, we’ve got an immensely popular new-gen group … Continue reading
Congratulations to ATEEZ’s Wave! It was a tough match-up against ITZY, but the song pulled off victory with 57.3% of the vote and moves onto the next round. Kicking off a new week, we’ve got a battle of two summer classics. B1A4’s 2014 track Solo Day squares off against Sistar’s Loving U from 2012. These … Continue reading
Over the years, I’ve ranted about the state of K-pop boy groups more than a few times. But, I’ve rarely given the same focused critique to the industry’s girl groups. 2021 has been a strong year for the boys so far. At the same time, I haven’t been as impressed with many of its girl … Continue reading
Since the start of The Bias List in January 2016, I’ve always looked back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists each month. Now, it’s time to look even further into the past, one month at a time. And, yes, the top three rankings count toward The Bias List’s personal artist scorecard! August … Continue reading
Since the start of The Bias List in January 2016, I’ve always looked back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists each month. Now, it’s time to look even further into the past, one month at a time. And, yes, the top three rankings count toward The Bias List’s personal artist scorecard! June … Continue reading
Since the start of The Bias List in January 2016, I’ve always looked back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists each month. Now, it’s time to look even further into the past, one month at a time. And, yes, the top three rankings count toward The Bias List’s personal artist scorecard! November … Continue reading
Since the start of The Bias List in January 2016, I’ve always looked back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists each month. Now, it’s time to look even further into the past, one month at a time. And, yes, the top three rankings count toward The Bias List’s personal artist scorecard! June … Continue reading
Hyolyn has cobbled together solo tracks from the past few years and called it a mini album, which is pretty disappointing for fans waiting for more than two new songs. And, the approach has an unintended effect: it only serves to remind me how much better her 2018 material was than the generic pop she’s … 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
I never watched Mnet’s Good Girl (too busy recapping frustrating episodes of Road to Kingdom), but I know that some of the series’ songs have gotten a fair amount of hype. And, any venue that gives Hyolyn a chance to shine is okay with me. She has one of my favorite K-pop voices, and I’ve … Continue reading
Since the start of The Bias List in January 2016, I’ve always looked back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists each month. Now, it’s time to look even further into the past, one month at a time. And, yes, the top three rankings count toward The Bias List’s personal artist scorecard! January … Continue reading
Though her voice was a vital part of Sistar’s appeal, I’ve always felt that Soyou was underrated as a performer. It doesn’t help that most of her solo work has been relatively subdued, coasting more on mood than dynamic songwriting. New single Gotta Go (가라고) makes a drastic genre shift, challenging her with attitude-driven, percussive … Continue reading
In celebration of The Bias List’s fifth year anniversary, I’ve embarked on my most ambitious project yet. After years of hemming and hawing, I’ve finally ranked what I consider to be the best 100 songs in K-pop. There will never be a definitive list of this nature, because it’s impossible to rank something that’s inherently … Continue reading
In celebration of The Bias List’s fifth year anniversary, I’ve embarked on my most ambitious project yet. After years of hemming and hawing, I’ve finally ranked what I consider to be the best 100 songs in K-pop. There will never be a definitive list of this nature, because it’s impossible to rank something that’s inherently … Continue reading
Since the start of The Bias List in January 2016, I’ve always looked back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists each month. Now, it’s time to look even further into the past, one month at a time. And, yes, the top three rankings count toward The Bias List’s personal artist scorecard! June … Continue reading
As the K-pop market has become more flooded with acts, it’s not unusual to see days with multiple comebacks. Usually, these are a grab bag of varying quality, but every once in awhile you’ll get a day that unveils multiple classics at once. This feature is dedicated to those epic days – days in which … Continue reading
