Following a tradition first established in 2020, I’m celebrating the holidays today with the opening of gifts. These packages come in the form of seasonal K-pop tracks not yet reviewed on the blog. This year, the rules are simple. I’m either keeping the gifts or planning to return them. There’s a pretty fine line between … Continue reading
I spend the whole year plucking “buried treasures” from K-pop’s vast slate of albums, and now it’s time for those b-sides to have their own countdown! As usual, some of 2022’s strongest music was never promoted with a glossy video or music show blitz. Over the next two days, I’ll be counting down my forty … 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
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. November 2022 Overall Thoughts The calendar may show one month left in 2022, but the year … Continue reading
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 these ratings adjustments will be negligible: … Continue reading
VERIVERY are emblematic of a common boy group trajectory. They debuted with a fun New Jack Swing-inspired sound. This set them apart from their peers, even if it didn’t lead to extraordinary sales. Then, they got swept up in Road to Kingdom and re-emerged as one of many boy groups peddling darker, angsty sounds. These … Continue reading
A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. 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. It seems to me that as … Continue reading
VERIVERY are hitting us with rapid-fire comebacks. A few weeks ago they returned with r&b slow-jam ‘O’ – a song I’ve enjoyed more each time I play it. This served as a prelude to the release of their first full album, which also acts as the conclusion of their multi-part ‘O’ series. Sadly, this concept … 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. March 2022 Overall Thoughts I’m eager to write a super effusive, super excited monthly round-up. Unfortunately, … Continue reading
After debuting with a steady (and fun!) sound, VERIVERY’s music became more hit and miss. Fortunately, their last single Trigger was a big hit for me. Alongside an all-killer, no-filler mini album, their edgy electro reinvention had me ready to board the VERIVERY train once more. New single ‘O’ marks another sonic shift, but its … 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
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. August 2021 Overall Thoughts When it comes to new music, I often mention the “expectations game.” … Continue reading
A K-pop group’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. 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. After a string of VERIVERY releases … Continue reading
During VERIVERY’s debut year, their fun new jack swing sound set them apart from other rookies. It may not have built a huge fan base, but those of us who enjoyed it did so with a loyalty and enthusiasm that seems to be missing from their post-2020 work. Their Face It series unfolded as a … Continue reading
Once buoyed by the bright energy of rookiedom, VERIVERY have since taken a darker musical path, abandoning their funky new jack swing roots for edgier concepts. I blame it on that creepy game of hide-and-seek they played during the Tag Tag Tag summer of 2019. Something weird happened in that dusty old house. Tsk tsk … Continue reading
It’s Christmas Day here in the States, so I’ll be taking a one-day break from the end-of-year countdowns to focus on 2020’s K-pop holiday offerings. Every year, the industry delivers a glut of seasonal material, though there haven’t been that many recent classics. I already reviewed The Boyz’ festive Christmassy earlier this month, but now … 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
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
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
VERIVERY’s Face It trilogy has been pitched as a maturation of the group’s sound and image, but all it’s done is chip away at everything I used to enjoy about the guys’ music. Lay Back was a highlight, even if it pointed toward darker directions. This summer’s Thunder ended up growing on me despite sounding … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 