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
Tag Archives: woollim
Year-End List Recap: The Best Overall K-Pop Comebacks of 2022
There are still two more countdowns to come (Top 40 pop songs and Top Dramas), but now that the K-pop-specific lists are complete it’s time to add up the categories and find out which comebacks ranked strongest overall. From a pure numbers standpoint, I guess this is the most important list I’ll publish! Just like … Continue reading
The Top 50 J-Pop Songs of 2022: Honorable Mentions
Before I count down my top 50 J-pop songs of the year, I thought I’d blast you with a bunch of honorable mentions. J-pop can be notoriously difficult to find if you’re not already an active fan, and I figured readers who share my particular taste in music might appreciate having some extra recommendations. These … Continue reading
The Top 10 K-Pop Choreography of 2022
When it comes to K-pop choreography, I tend to focus on routines that feel iconic or eye-catching. The industry is stuffed with strong dancers, and I’m certainly not qualified to offer a technical breakdown. So with that in mind, here are the ten K-pop choreos that lingered in my mind throughout 2022. 2022 END-OF-YEAR MASTERPOST … Continue reading
The Top 10 K-Pop Music Videos of 2022
While I don’t incorporate a song’s video into the reviews on this blog, I’m definitely not immune to a striking visual. Music videos are a vital part of the industry, and it’s time to celebrate my favorites of 2022. 2022 YEAR-END MASTERPOST Honorable Mentions: ENHYPEN – Blessed-Cursed Onew – Dice IVE – After Like PSY … Continue reading
The Top 40 K-Pop Album Tracks & B-Sides of 2022 (20-1)
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 Top 40 K-Pop Album Tracks & B-Sides of 2022 (40-21)
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 Top 10 K-Pop Albums of 2022
Compared to 2021, this year definitely felt weaker when it comes to albums. Mini albums faired better than full-lengths, but apart from a few mega-standouts, most K-pop releases took a piecemeal approach to their music — too often stuffing tracklists with a horde of different producers rather than settling on one unique vision. Like usual, … Continue reading
The Top 10 K-Pop Artists of 2022
This year, I’m going to flip things around and honor my top ten K-pop artists before turning to the rookies tomorrow. While 2022 offered many strong debuts, I just wasn’t as thrilled by many of the industry’s established artists. That makes today’s countdown a bit easier to compile. As usual, the criteria is built around … Continue reading
The Top 50 K-Pop Songs of 2022 (Day Five: 10-1)
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
The Top 50 K-Pop Songs of 2022 (Day Four: 20-11)
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
The Top 50 K-Pop Songs of 2022 (Day Two: 40-31)
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
The Top Three K-Pop Songs of November 2022
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
K-Pop Risers & Fallers: November 2022
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
Grading the K-Pop Agencies 2022: WOOLLIM ENTERTAINMENT
Before I take a brief look at many of K-pop’s smaller agencies, there are a few that I have more to say about. Consider these “bonus” write-ups — shorter than the “big four” but longer than a paragraph or two could cover. As usual, the thoughts are my own and aren’t privy to any insider … Continue reading
Buried Treasure: DRIPPIN – Silence
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. DRIPPIN’s first full album is very … Continue reading
Song Review: DRIPPIN – The One
Unless I’m missing something, DRIPPIN’s The One is the final big postponed K-pop release to arrive. Of course, it also happens to be the comeback I was most looking forward to. With The One, DRIPPIN have concluded their Villain series (until the inevitable repackage, that is!). Both Villain and Zero were highlights of the year, … Continue reading
The Top Three K-Pop Songs of October 2022
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. October 2022 Overall Thoughts First off, I want to recognize Korea’s national period of mourning and … Continue reading
Buried Treasure: Kwon Eunbi – Simulation
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. Kwon Eunbi has released her strongest … Continue reading
Song Review: Kwon Eunbi – Underwater
Say what you will about Woollim Entertainment’s dicey promotion, but their team sure knows their way around a good song. The agency’s output this year has ranged from ‘very good’ to ‘excellent,’ with a refreshing independent streak that doesn’t always kowtow to trends. Soloist Kwon Eunbi seemed to find her niche with this spring’s Glitch … Continue reading