Rather than contain my “Risers and Fallers” feature to a single post in June, I’m going to share a bite-sized version at the end of each month. This will let me account for more songs and make a nice lead-in to the monthly round-up post. I anticipate most of these ratings adjustments will be negligible: … Continue reading
(Note: If you’re unable to view this post on a phone, please try on another device. I believe the number of video embeds is causing trouble on certain browsers.) Yep, I’m back to writing about K-pop’s year-end festivals. They were some of the earliest events I covered on this blog but over the past few … Continue reading
This is always one of the countdowns I feel least confident about because I tend to listen to K-pop more often than I watch it. It’s also a very subjective category, as my visual/storytelling/conceptual preferences may not match others’. The truth is, K-pop has become so adept at crafting fantastic music videos that I could … Continue reading
A few years ago, many of K-pop’s best tracks were buried as b-sides. This year was different, with most of my favorite music promoted as title tracks. I certainly prefer this approach. After all, great songs should be paired with great visuals/choreo whenever possible. However, it made for a slightly less prolific slate of “buried … Continue reading
K-pop has been a singles-driven market for awhile now, but that only seems to be truer with each passing year. Either comebacks don’t have enough songs to be called an “album,” or the b-sides are clearly designed to pad a tracklist rather than stand out on their own. With that said, there were a handful … Continue reading
With each new digital single from NCT’s Mark, we get closer to the release of his long-rumored solo album. That album seems to be slated for next year, but he’s capping off 2024 with a collaboration with popular rapper Lee Youngji. Fraktsiya (프락치) means “fraction” in Russian and sees him experimenting with production for a … Continue reading
Now that I’ve taken a look at the new acts that dominated 2024, it’s time to focus on their established counterparts. Though my favorite group of the year was a rookie, most of my favorite music came from artists who debuted in years prior. As usual, the criteria is built around these three factors: Quality … Continue reading
Before I take a look at K-pop’s established artists, it’s time to spotlight this year’s fresh crop of talent! When I ran my first-ever Bias List survey, I was surprised when the majority of respondents noted that this year’s rookies were not particularly exciting. But when I took a look back at the year as … Continue reading
The end of the year countdowns are finally here! As always, we’ll kick off with the big one: The Bias List’s top 50 songs of the year! Each day this week, I’ll be counting down ten of the year’s best, until number one is revealed on Friday. To be eligible for this top 50 list, … Continue reading
The end of the year countdowns are finally here! As always, we’ll kick off with the big one: The Bias List’s top 50 songs of the year! Each day this week, I’ll be counting down ten of the year’s best, until number one is revealed on Friday. To be eligible for this top 50 list, … Continue reading
The end of the year countdowns are finally here! As always, we’ll kick off with the big one: The Bias List’s top 50 songs of the year! Each day this week, I’ll be counting down ten of the year’s best, until number one is revealed on Friday. To be eligible for this top 50 list, … Continue reading
The end of the year countdowns are finally here! As always, we’ll kick off with the big one: The Bias List’s top 50 songs of the year! Each day this week, I’ll be counting down ten of the year’s best, until number one is revealed on Friday. To be eligible for this top 50 list, … Continue reading
The end of the year countdowns are finally here! As always, we’ll kick off with the big one: The Bias List’s top 50 songs of the year! Each day this week, I’ll be counting down ten of the year’s best, until number one is revealed on Friday. To be eligible for this top 50 list, … Continue reading
The next few weeks on The Bias List will be stuffed with all manner of end-of-year countdowns. From K-pop to J-pop to global pop to dramas, it’ll all be covered. This is a fun way to tie a bow on the year and celebrate all the things I loved in 2024. These countdowns kick off … Continue reading
K-Pop’s first generation is often referenced as the foundation for the industry we enjoy now, but there aren’t enough good English-language sources that give its music the focus it deserves. I’m hoping to change that with a continuing flashback series, spotlighting personal highlights from the era – both iconic and obscure. The era in question … Continue reading
A week after the MAMA Awards, it’s Melon’s turn to throw its annual celebration. Since the ceremony is centered around a digital streaming service, the criteria is more statistics-based than other shows. However, I’m always surprised how many random award categories these events can come up with to make sure everyone goes home with something. … Continue reading
In connection with my desire to fully keep up with the J-pop industry, I’m planning to do a weekly round-up of any new releases that have caught my ear. Some of these may have been covered on the blog already, but my hope is that this will become a one-stop shop for anyone interested in … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I look back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists. I take my own ratings into account, but there’s a bit of wiggle room as certain songs tend to grow or fade. November 2024 Overall Thoughts Well… how are we all doing? Given the news of the past … Continue reading
SM Entertainment’s new trot boy group has not followed the traditional rollout for a rookie, and that’s to be expected given their niche genre. Rather than perform on music shows, they’ve been hanging out on their very own reality series Falling for a Trot-dol: Lovestruck Sisters. Officially, they haven’t made their full debut yet, but … Continue reading
The holiday season is upon us, which means K-Pop (and J-Pop) will soon be unleashing their seasonal efforts on the market. Alongside the release of their first Japanese album, NCT Wish are ready to usher in winter with the festive Wishful Winter. The song makes sense for November/December but feels like a throwaway in the … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 