I’ve had a rough journey with Jinhyuk’s solo music. I try not to be overly negative, but so far very little of it has been to my personal taste. And, the title of his new song “Crack” doesn’t engender a sense of optimism. Might this finally be the Jinhyuk song that wins me over? Or, … Continue reading
I’ve decided to try something new! 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 … Continue reading
Are you kidding me? Another Universe release? This app needs to stop doing this to me! Worse yet, this is the second Monsta X song to be released via Universe. Groups. are. double. dipping. Will the madness ever end?? Well, there’s not much to say about If With U. It’s pleasant but dull, somewhere between … Continue reading
Fresh off their solid pre-release W.A.T.1, MCND have returned with a new mini album – the sequel to last year’s Secret Mission Chapter 1. Over the years, this group has had a knack for making music I dismiss at first, yet come to love over repeated plays. This happened with Ice Age, Not Over 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. June 2022 Overall Thoughts I’ll be publishing my top songs of the first half of 2022 … Continue reading
The Bias List launched at the beginning of 2016, making that year’s song countdown the first I published in any meaningful way. I’ve since gone back to look at 2015, 2013 and 2012 (hmmm… I guess I need to fill the holes that are left…). Now that it’s been almost six years, I thought it … Continue reading
I’m not sure what it says about the state of the industry, but some of the best K-pop tracks of the past few weeks have been given “dance” or “performance” videos rather than the full comeback treatment. Take Treasure’s rocky remix of Darari, for example. The guys didn’t really promote it, but the accompanying video … Continue reading
In preparation for Kim Wooseok’s new single, I looked back at his previous solo comebacks and realized that none of them have made any impression on me. Yes, I reviewed the songs. But, they came and went so quickly that I hardly remember them. Beyond the bubble of Produce 101 hype, I’ll never understand Top … Continue reading
UP10TION’s music has a way of sneaking up on me. I’ve never considered them a favorite group, yet their songs have placed inside my year-end top ten on two separate occasions. Last year’s dynamic Spin Off nearly made that three. However, I find their output to be very inconsistent. Like so many K-pop groups, they’re … Continue reading
Disclaimer: As with my write-ups on K-Pop’s biggest agencies, this is written from an outsider’s perspective. I’m not privy to any business-related financial information beyond what any other fan would know. The purpose of these articles is to examine how well these agencies are serving their artists and the general K-pop fan-base. Make sure to … Continue reading
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
K-pop history is stuffed with great albums, and there’s only so many Buried Treasures and Battle of the B-sides features available to cover all these noteworthy tracks. The album format has always been special to me. Whether it’s a full-length or mini, albums have the opportunity to tell stories and develop an act’s personal style. … Continue reading
K-pop history is stuffed with great albums, and there’s only so many Buried Treasures and Battle of the B-sides features available to cover all these noteworthy tracks. The album format has always been special to me. Whether it’s a full-length or mini, albums have the opportunity to tell stories and develop an act’s personal style. … Continue reading
K-pop history is stuffed with great albums, and there’s only so many Buried Treasures and Battle of the B-sides features available to cover all these noteworthy tracks. The album format has always been special to me. Whether it’s a full-length or mini, albums have the opportunity to tell stories and develop an act’s personal style. … Continue reading
K-pop history is stuffed with great albums, and there’s only so many Buried Treasures and Battle of the B-sides features available to cover all these noteworthy tracks. The album format has always been special to me. Whether it’s a full-length or mini, albums have the opportunity to tell stories and develop an act’s personal style. … Continue reading
K-pop history is stuffed with great albums, and there’s only so many Buried Treasures and Battle of the B-sides features available to cover all these noteworthy tracks. The album format has always been special to me. Whether it’s a full-length or mini, albums have the opportunity to tell stories and develop an act’s personal style. … Continue reading
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
Nearly all of MCND’s title tracks follow the same path for me. For the first few days, I’m largely unimpressed and craving choruses that are more melodic and less shouty. Then, I watch the live stages and the guys’ energy brings the song to life. As the weeks wear on, those shouty hooks become total … Continue reading
This week, we’re journeying back half a decade to look at K-pop’s best releases of 2015! 2015 was a prime year for K-pop. It saw the return of industry royalty, as Bigbang blitzed the market with no less than seven singles. It acted as the launchpad for many of today’s top acts (Twice, Seventeen, GFriend, … Continue reading
A review is just a snapshot in time, and sometimes I end up regretting the way I rated a song. There are so many factors that influence the longevity of K-pop. Familiarity, album context, live performances and cultural saturation can all boost or sink a song’s fortune. I run this feature during the mid-point of … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 