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. May 2018 Overall Thoughts All things considered, May was a pretty solid month. It definitely had … Continue reading
With so many acts moving away from their usual producers this year, it’s kind of refreshing that Teen Top has stuck with good ol’ Brave Sound for new single Seoul Night (서울밤). Some matches are just meant to be, and this has been a particularly symbiotic relationship throughout the years. The group struck gold with … Continue reading
MBC’s Gayo Daejejun had the best theme of the three end-of-year specials, and as usual it had the most stacked line-up. But I can’t help but feel like it lacked the kind of watercooler moments that make these specials so thrilling. The idea of pairing idol groups with fans resulted in some really endearing performances. … Continue reading
Hundreds (if not thousands) of songs are released each year in Korea, but only a fraction receive full title track promotion. This leaves behind many buried treasures in need of a spotlight. Here are forty of 2017’s best: + Make sure to check out the rest of the year-end countdowns here! 40. TWICE – 24/7 A … Continue reading
The end of the year countdowns are here! We’re kicking things off with the big one… the 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, songs must have had … Continue reading
With a title like “What’s Good?”, Niel’s latest effort was going to be fighting an uphill battle from the very beginning. American slang just doesn’t translate that well to k-pop, and its injection almost always feels like pandering to trends and the perceived coolness of Western media. But Niel’s solo work has always seemed to … Continue reading
Before the Bias List‘s Top 50 songs countdown in December, it’s time to take a mid-year survey of the k-pop landscape in 2017. Compared to 2016, this year has been somewhat underwhelming. But that doesn’t mean 2017 hasn’t had its share of highlights. Unsurprisingly, my list includes a number of acts that overlap with last … 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. April 2017 Overall Thoughts 2017 continues to fall behind when compared to last year. Though it was easy … Continue reading
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. It’s been weeks since I’ve written one of these buried treasure … Continue reading
It’s been nearly four years since Teen Top has worked with producer Brave Brothers on a title track, even though he was largely responsible for building their trademark sound. But 2017 seems like the perfect time for a reunion. The group has lost a member in rapper L.Joe, and last year’s tepid Warning Sign was … Continue reading
Teen Top‘s Niel has returned with his second solo mini album. His work has always reminded me of a lighter version of what Shinee‘s Taemin releases. They’re both clearly inspired by Michael Jackson, but Niel has an airier tone and seems to prefer a less aggressive r&b sound than Taemin’s go-for-broke dance assault. Love Affair … Continue reading
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. BRAVE BROTHERS … Continue reading
As the weather gets chillier and December approaches, it’s the time of year to dust off the old K-pop Christmas playlist. Korean acts have been giving us special holiday songs for years, but I narrowed my ten picks to tracks released over the past five years. Some have official music videos, and some do not. … Continue reading
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. BLACK EYED … Continue reading
Reviews of any sort represent a snapshot in time. I’d like to think that what I write about a song the day after its release ends up being what I think about it in the long term, and more often than not that’s the case. But certain songs have a way of creeping up on you … Continue reading
In honor of Teen Top’s new single and mini album (which sadly will not feature on this list) I thought it was a good time to look back at their singles run. To give you a bit of background, Teen Top is a group that I like quite a bit, but has never crossed into … Continue reading
Originally debuting in 2010, Teen Top was known for their light, uptempo tracks (usually produced by Brave Brothers) that fit their name and image well. Since 2014, they’ve taken a more mature shift in sound, and though their excellent, underrated Natural Born mini album last summer marked a brief return to that fun vibe, … Continue reading
Okay, okay. When I say kpop, I mean mostly kpop, because there’s going to be some jpop and cpop in this list as well (some of it in very prominent positions), but “Top 50 K-Pop & J-Pop & C-Pop Songs of 2015” just doesn’t have the same ring to it! The only other criteria for … Continue reading
