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. February 2021 Overall Thoughts 2021 is off to a roaring start, and February really kicked into … Continue reading
Never trust Google translate, at least out of context (and especially when trying to translate from Japanese). I don’t know how I misconstrued whatever article I “read,” but I had it in my mind that The Boyz’ new Japanese single was going to fall within the future funk genre. Maybe they were talking about a … 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. December 2020 Overall Thoughts It always feels like a bit of a comedown posting one of … Continue reading
Of the three year-end song festivals, I’ve always considered MBC’s to be the most intimate-feeling, as well as the one with the most diverse line-up. Plus, it’s got the added celebratory nature of New Year’s Eve. In 2020, none of these strengths could really be capitalized upon. It’s hard to create that intimate feeling without … Continue reading
I am not a dancer, but I do enjoy some great K-pop choreography. Point dances and exciting formations can really vault a strong song into legendary status, so I think it’s important to take a look at idol dances each year. As usual, this is not a countdown of the most technically impressive or complex … Continue reading
As has been the case with most of the Gayos of the past few years, SBS’s Gayo Daejun was a bit dull tonight. Performing without a live audience has its ups and downs, and the best moments of the show were when the production really embraced the potential of the circumstances it had been dealt. … Continue reading
I’m the type who likes to listen to every major K-pop album at least once. Maybe that’s a bit obsessive, but it guarantees that no buried treasures slip through my fingers. And although much emphasis is put on title tracks, more and more the best K-pop songs are relegated to b-sides. This countdown encompasses any … Continue reading
Compared to last year’s dynamite collection of albums, 2020 didn’t quite live up. But, that doesn’t mean there weren’t a few highlights. As usual, mini albums were generally stronger than fulls, which makes sense given how hard it is to retain a high quality across a dozen or more tracks. Like last year, my top … Continue reading
A day after ranking my favorite rookies of 2020, it’s time to look at K-pop’s more established artists. This year, the criteria is the same as it’s always been: Quality of work Quantity of work Influence of work on the industry As usual, the first criteria far outweighs the next two, and is entirely subjective. … 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, songs … Continue reading
The theme of this year’s MAMA Awards was “New-topia,” which sounds a bit chilling in a weird way. But, things were definitely new here. This was unlike any MAMA yet, lacking a live audience. But even though everything was accomplished on soundstages, I think the producers did a great job making this still feel like … Continue reading
I was beginning to wonder where all the K-pop Christmas songs were this year. Usually, December brings us quite a few. But while I’m waiting for the Woollim Family holiday track I’ve somehow convinced myself will become a reality, The Boyz have snuck up and put their own gift under the tree. Christmassy is light … Continue reading
The Boyz debuted in late 2017, and have rarely had a hiatus lasting more than a couple of months. This has allowed them to quickly cobble together enough title tracks for a top ten countdown. Moving through a variety of sounds and styles with ease, this list is a testament to both their versatility and … 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 2020 Overall Thoughts Back in late winter, my reviews were often besieged with comments stating … Continue reading
Most of the time, a k-pop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, 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 surprised at how much I’m enjoying The Boyz’ The Stealer. … Continue reading
Over the course of their first full-length album, The Boyz succumbed to many moody boy group tropes. This came as a disappointment to me, as I much prefer their funkier, SHINee-esque moments. Right Here and Giddy Up remain defining singles for them, and haven’t been bettered by anything they’ve released since. New track The Stealer … Continue reading
Looking back at this feature from 2019, it seems like I identified quite a few risers and few fallers last year. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for 2020. Most title tracks — even the ones I loved — just haven’t enjoyed the same staying power. I’m not quite sure why this is. Maybe it … Continue reading
I’ve spent the past few weeks poring over the performances of Road to Kingdom’s competing groups. But to be honest, I’ve always been much more infatuated with music – the actual songs – than all the trappings that go along with them. That’s why, even though ONF didn’t rank at the top for me this … Continue reading
Throughout their career, The Boyz’ music has moved between bright, funky pop and darker material. It should surprise no reader of this site which sound I prefer. Like Seventeen, this group is at their best when they embrace big, shiny hooks and unflagging energy. But with international fame knocking on the door, the temptation to … Continue reading
This is always a difficult list to form. After all, there are way more b-sides than singles to choose from each year, and with K-pop’s love of promoting genre trends, the most interesting music is often hidden within albums that not every listener bothers to check out. Following up from yesterday, I’m counting down my … Continue reading
