With over 4,000 songs on my iPhone’s “K-Pop Singles” playlist, I thought it would be fun to add a bit of unpredictability to my song review posts. So as a result, we have the “Random Shuffle Review” feature. The rules are simple. I fire up my playlist, press “shuffle,” and whatever song plays first gets … Continue reading
Tag Archives: ss501
Looking Back: The Top Three K-Pop Songs of November-December 2008
November-December 2008 Overall Thoughts In addition to my monthly K-pop round-up, I’ve taken a look at my favorite three singles from each month since 2009 and factored them into my ultimate Bias List scorecard, which can be found here. The problem is, prior to 2009 it becomes harder to find reliable sources for K-pop release … Continue reading
Looking Back: The Top Three K-Pop Songs of July-August 2008
July-August 2008 Overall Thoughts In addition to my monthly K-pop round-up, I’ve taken a look at my favorite three singles from each month since 2009 and factored them into my ultimate Bias List scorecard, which can be found here. The problem is, prior to 2009 it becomes harder to find reliable sources for K-pop release … Continue reading
Looking Back: The Top Three K-Pop Songs of March-April 2008
March-April 2008 Overall Thoughts In addition to my monthly K-pop round-up, I’ve taken a look at my favorite three singles from each month since 2009 and factored them into my ultimate Bias List scorecard, which can be found here. The problem is, prior to 2009 it becomes harder to find reliable sources for K-pop release … Continue reading
Battle of the B-Sides: Ha Sungwoon, Kim Hyung Jun, Nine Muses, Agust D, TVXQ
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
Looking Back: The Top Three K-Pop Songs of October 2009
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! October … Continue reading
Looking Back: The Top Three K-Pop Songs of May 2010
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! May … Continue reading
The 100 Best K-Pop Songs of All-Time: Honorable Mentions
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
Looking Back: The Top Three K-Pop Songs of October 2011
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! October … Continue reading
Looking Back: The Top Three K-Pop Songs of January 2011
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! Which … Continue reading
Random Shuffle Review: SS501 – Deja Vu
With over 2,600 songs on my iPhone’s “K-Pop Singles” playlist, I thought it would be fun to add a bit of unpredictability to my song review posts. So as a result, we have the “Random Shuffle Review” feature. The rules are simple. I fire up my playlist, press “shuffle,” and whatever song plays first gets … Continue reading
K-Pop Producer Spotlight: Steven Lee
If there’s anything I’ve learned from covering pop music for over a decade, it’s that songwriters and collaborators are just as important as the artists themselves. Though they often work behind the scenes, this feature is a chance to shine the light on some of k-pop’s most innovative and accomplished producers and composers. Steven Lee … Continue reading
Song Review: Double S 301 (SS301) – Remove
After hitting us with two uptempo Korean comebacks, sub-unit Double S 301 returns yet again with a softer sound suited to the winter months. New single Remove is notable for the fact that it was co-composed by member Heo Young-Saeng, who has previously done some excellent work on his own with producers Sweetune. As a song, … Continue reading
Song Review: Double S 301 (SS301) – Ah Ha!
Now that Double S 301 have gotten their big Korean and Japanese comebacks out of the way, they’re free to release something a little looser and a lot more fun. Ah Ha (아하) arrives on the 11th anniversary of their parent group, SS501, and thankfully is not some drippy ballad. In fact, it’s the best … Continue reading
The Top Ten Best Songs by SS501
SS501 was DSP Media’s juggernaut boy group in the mid to late 00’s. Along with groups like TVXQ, Shinhwa, Super Junior and Bigbang, they’re responsible for writing the template of modern k-pop, but unlike those other groups, I feel like they don’t often get as much recognition as they deserve. Leaving behind a stellar kpop discography, … Continue reading
Song Review: Double S 301 (SS301) – Fraction
As part of their big 2016 comeback, the members of SS501 sub-unit Double S 301 have recently released a Japanese mini album. Its title track is the sorrowful Fraction, which takes a more dramatic, ballad-with-a-beat approach compared to their earlier Korean comeback. I tend to cut English phrases in kpop or jpop a tremendous amount of … Continue reading
Buried Treasure: Double S 301 (SS301) – Saxophone
Most of the time, a kpop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-sides deserve recognition, too. In the singles-oriented world of kpop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. Though SS301 released shortened promo videos for every track off their … Continue reading
Song Review: Double S 301 (SS301) – Pain
Legendary boy group SS501 is back in the form of its sub-unit, SS301, which consists of members Heo Young Saeng, Kyu Jong, and Hyung Jun. Among groups of their age, I feel like SS501 often doesn’t get the credit they deserve from newer fans for writing much of the kpop template that younger groups still adhere … Continue reading