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
It’s not often that K-pop releases collaborations between its major agencies, but Nobody sees representative artists from SM Entertainment, Cube Entertainment and Starship Entertainment come together to deliver a theme for Busan’s bid to host the World Expo 2030. I didn’t know these things warranted a theme song, but I’m glad to have Nobody regardless … Continue reading
The high points in Red Velvet’s discography are so high, but if I really think about it I haven’t cared for one of their title tracks since 2019. As with most groups approaching their tenth year in the industry, their comebacks have become less frequent, but today they deliver a wealth of new material on … 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’ll always be that person who … Continue reading
As SM Entertainment’s ascendant girl group, aespa have dipped their toes into a variety of musical endeavors. Infrequent Korean comebacks are interspersed with English and Japanese work, guided them on a global pathway to success. However, their sound has been all over the place, as if SM can’t decide whether they want them to be … Continue reading
Before the end-of-year countdowns next month, I like to take a look at many of K-pop’s biggest agencies and see how their year went. Obviously, 2023 is not over yet so any upcoming changes to an agency’s grade will be reflected next year. We’ve got a lot to pick apart over the coming weeks, so … Continue reading
WayV’s first full album released all the way back in 2020, leaving fans with infrequent comebacks prior to their new full-length On My Youth. The guys have remained busy appearing on NCT albums and performing at this year’s KCON LA. But now, they’re back with a track that blends old and new to great success. … 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. October 2023 Overall Thoughts Though it boasted a more exciting line-up of big-name comebacks, October felt … Continue reading
Seeing Taemin at this year’s KCON reconfirmed his utter dominance as a performer. I’ve been lucky enough to watch him with SHINee a couple of times, but few artists can command a stage so completely on their own. He deserves all the hype he gets. With that said, I feel his music is beginning to … Continue reading
Riize’s Get A Guitar has proven to be a huge sleeper hit for me, alongside their very solid pre-debut track Memories. This one-two punch shot anticipation sky high for their follow-up, so when I saw the silly punnery of “Talk Saxy” coupled with the tease of an irritating Jason Derulo style sax loop, I couldn’t … 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
Over the years, it’s become clear that the members of EXO have different musical taste than I do. For a group who has released so many K-pop classics, I haven’t connected to hardly any of their solo work. So often, the music takes a subdued, coffeehouse vibe — whether that be in the form of … Continue reading
I know it’s a placeholder, but “NCT New Team” is still weirdly literal for a group name. These six members form the long-teased Japanese unit of NCT — apparently the project’s final fixed unit. They’re scheduled to debut next year, but Hands Up offers a pre-release tease of what to expect. Fans of the NCT … 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
NCT 127 secured a Bias List first with the only “buried treasure” post published before an album was released. That’s thanks to b-side Angel Eyes, which was pre-released alongside a special performance video. To be honest, that song is much more my speed than most of the group’s recent title tracks. At this point, it’s … 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. In the history of The Bias … 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. September 2023 Overall Thoughts After a very strong August, it felt like we entered the K-pop … Continue reading
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
Years ago, I used to refer to the impending autumn as K-pop’s “ballad season.” That’s changed recently, with many ballads replaced by more upbeat idol tracks on the charts. But with BTS’s V and EXO’s D.O. releasing solo music this month, we’re seeing a resurgence of slower material. Somebody is not a ballad, but its … 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 sure readers are as tired … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 