As part of my “Top 100 K-pop Songs of All-Time” countdown, I took the effort to dive deeply into my top ten picks and break them down moment by moment. But, there are plenty of other songs that deserve this same treatment. So, The Bias List proudly presents an in-depth feature: “Breaking Down the K-pop … 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. February 2021 Overall Thoughts 2021 is off to a roaring start, and February really kicked into … 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. ONF’s new album is really strong, … Continue reading
I kind of feel like I willed this song into existence. Between my constant mentions of ONF’s electro-funk mix of It’s Raining last year, to The Bias List’s latest endeavor involving 90’s techno J-pop, I’ve all-but erected an imaginary shrine in honor of songs like this. And when even SHINee refused to bring the funk … Continue reading
We don’t get proper album pre-releases nearly enough these days – especially sneak attacks that arrive with little warning. In the lead up to their first full-length album, ONF have unveiled a fun music video for its second track. Essentially, My Name Is plays like an ONF theme song, introducing each member in a playful … 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. What’s up with WM Entertainment continued … 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
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
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
A couple weeks after the MAMA Awards showed the potential of an audience-less, pre-recorded stage show, KBS went far less ambitious. Now, it could be argued whether this broadcast should have happened at all given K-pop’s surging Covid cases, but the producers opted to cobble together what they could. I’m curious why this year’s Gayo … 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
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
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
Since the start of The Bias List in January 2016, I’ve always looked back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists each month. Now, it’s time to look even further into the past, one month at a time. And, yes, the top three rankings count toward The Bias List’s personal artist scorecard! January … Continue reading
2020 has defied expectations at every turn, but one thing I never expected to see is a B1A4 comeback. For me, B1A4 are one of K-pop’s definitive groups, with an incredible catalog of music. But, it’s been over three years since they’ve graced K-pop with a new album. The release of Origine follows a reconfiguration … 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. Upon my first listen to YooA’s debut solo album, I was … Continue reading
