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
UP10TION have always been an unclassifiable group for me. I tend to either love their title tracks in a top-ten-of-the-year kind of way or feel absolutely nothing. This uncertainty has led me to keep them at a distance despite musical triumphs like Tonight, Going Crazy and Spin Off. This on-again-off-again relationship seems to be stuck … Continue reading
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
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
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
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, … Continue reading
October’s been a pretty lousy month for K-pop so far, and I’m finding myself in a bit of a slump when it comes to new music. This happens from time to time, and always turns around eventually. Sadly, Lee Jinhyuk will not be the idol to unleash that much-needed U-turn. He and I seem to … 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
What a difference a year makes! This time in 2020, I struggled to cobble together a mid-year list worth celebrating. I ended up finding five songs, though one wasn’t technically a single. This year, I’ve got a whopping fourteen tracks! That’s quite a turnaround, and a testament to 2021’s strength. Because of this, I’ve scrapped … 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 2021 Overall Thoughts So far, the rule of 2021 seems to be “expect the unexpected.” … Continue reading
The Bias List Summer Bracket begins here! For our first match-up, we’ve got UP10TION’s 2016 track Tonight versus Red Velvet’s 2017 hit Red Flavor. Though one song was more commercially successful than the other, both drip with summertime sounds and energy. But, one will fall today. The choice is up to all of you. Feel free … Continue reading
While I’ve never counted UP10TION among my personal favorite idol groups, they’ve elbowed their way into my year-end top ten list a couple of times. Their singles tend to be hit or miss — but when they hit, they hit big. Funny enough, Spin Off encapsulates this contrast into one song. It boasts many excellent … Continue reading
As hard as I’ve been on most of Lee Jinhyuk and Kim Wooseok’s solo releases, it might seem like I harbor some vendetta against UP10TION. That couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, I even included one of their singles in my “Top 100 K-pop Songs of All-Time.” I think you can still admire … Continue reading
After his success on Produce X 101, UP10TION’s Kim Wooseok embarked on a solo career. So far, this has resulted in one mini album last May. Given its robust sales, I’m actually surprised that Top Media waited so long to give him a comeback. But better late than never, I suppose. He finally makes his … 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
In the post-X1 landscape, it’s been interesting to see where each of the members have landed. Some have debuted with groups and some have gone solo. In Kim Wooseok and Lee Eunsang’s cases, I’m a little surprised they’ve both released music on their own. Maybe I’m crazy, but it makes more sense for Wooseok to … 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. A few years ago, UP10TION were one of K-pop’s most promising … Continue reading
I know I’ve mentioned this before, but I’m baffled by Top Media’s plans for UP10TION. The group has two members who gained huge popularity through Produce X 101 and could inject some life into this struggling brand, yet the agency has pulled them away for solo work while having the rest of the guys continue … Continue reading
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
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 