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The Bias List | K-Pop Reviews & Discussion - Music
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Song Review: BLACKPINK – Jump | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
Over the past few months, the members of BLACKPINK have blitzed the market with a variety of solo work, making greater inroads to international markets than ever before. However, it's been a whopping thirty four months since their last group title track. In K-pop's fast-moving ecosystem, that's enough time for a literal change in generations.…
Song Review: Twice – This Is For | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
Through popularity and persistence, Twice have amassed one of the largest K-pop girl group discographies out there, and that's set to balloon even further with the release of a new album and solo tracks from each member. The album may boast a robust track list, but most of the songs' running times take their cue…
Song Review: ATEEZ – In Your Fantasy | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
ATEEZ have had a busy few weeks. Fresh off their latest comeback, the group has embarked on another big world tour and re-signed with their agency for an unprecedented seven (!) more years. Now, they've released a special edition of their latest album with new English-language track In Your Fantasy and a solo song from…
Song Review: CrazAngel – I’m Just Me | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
I enjoy learning about the meaning behind the names of new K-pop acts -- especially the stranger ones. As expected, "CrazAngel" is a combination of "crazy" and "angel," which is quite funny on its own when taken literally. It also means "Craze on Stage, Angel in Life," which feels like the PG version of a…
Song Review: Kang Yuchan (A.C.E) – Champagne Poppin | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
A.C.E's Kang Yuchan signed with from20 and Hello Gloom's Way Better agency, joining a boutique line-up of solo male artists. It's been fun watching this agency grow, though they have not been without their missteps. A set of ill-advised teaser photos for this very track had to be yanked off the internet as fans complained…
Song Review: Close Your Eyes – Snowy Summer | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
One of the most surprising (and welcome) developments of the year has been the strong musical identities of a trio of survival series spawned boy groups. Close Your Eyes, AHOF and NouerA have all debuted with great material that feels unique to them. In Close Your Eyes' case, the guys bucked expectations by emerging with…
Song Review: NOWZ – Everglow | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
Cube Entertainment's NOWZ (formerly Nowadays) are in the middle of a reinvention. And while I initially dismissed last month's pre-release Fly To The Youth as too lightweight, that song has dug its talons into my brain and emerged as a stealth summer highlight. The group's new title track Everglow continues the rock soundscape from Fly…
Song Review: VIVIZ – La La Love Me | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
Though VIVIZ's music has never been able to reach the heights of their work with GFriend, my favorite single and album were released during the summer. The trio's sweet vocal tones fit the season well. Another team who match summer perfectly is the dynamic duo of producers Daniel Caesar and Ludwig Lindell. They've given us…
Song Review: One Love One Heart – Anone, Zutto Suki Deshita | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
I've been riding hard for One Love One Heart ever since their debut in 2022. I truly think their first album LOVE1 is one of the best J-pop albums... ever? It's been more of a mixed bag since then, but even their most generic J-pop sounds have been buoyed by the natural charm of the…
Song Review: LE SSERAFIM – Kawaii | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
Following up their promotions for Japanese single Different, LE SSERAFIM have released a music video for its b-side Kawaii. As they clearly want you to know from the producer tag attached to its title, this song was composed by popular Japanese musician Gen Hoshino. This is quite a coup for the group, instantly lending Kawaii…
Song Review: NCT Dream – BTTF | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
NCT Dream's new album is right around the corner and they're promoting it with double title tracks. We'll have to wait to hear Chiller on Monday alongside the album release, but the guys have pre-released opening track BTTF today. The song blends the old with the new, much like the retro-futurism of the music video.…
Song Review: Super Junior – Express Mode | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
With some exceptions, SM Entertainment has become known for keeping its roster of artists around for the long haul. Super Junior are currently their second-longest running group and celebrate their twentieth (!) anniversary today with a new album. SM's anniversary projects tend to be great (SNSD's Forever 1, SHINee's The Story Of Light series, SuJu's…
Song Review: Lee Changsub (BTOB) – Vroom Vroom | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
Thus far, BTOB members have experimented here and there with their solo work but never strayed too far from the balladry that's made them so popular. On past efforts, Lee Changsub has embraced nostalgia, offering his takes on older genres and even newer iterations of older genres. New single Vroom Vroom (부릉부릉) is not a…
Song Review: Doh Kyung Soo (EXO’s D.O.) – Sing Along! | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
Doh Kyung Soo has one of the richest tones in K-pop, but as with so many great voices his solo music has usually steered toward ballads and coffeehouse-ready midtempos. There's nothing wrong with that, but the style doesn't exactly inspire excitement. Teasers of his first full album seemed to promise a more diverse set of…
Song Review: HITGS – Charizzma | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
To be honest, the title "Charizzma" sends a shiver down my spine. Naming your song "Charisma" would be cheesy enough since this is a quality you should be showing rather than telling, but adding the "Z's" (a la the cringey slang "rizz") practically makes the song collapse in on itself before even starting. HITGS already…
Song Review: Jeon Somi – Extra | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
Jeon Somi has returned with what will likely be her only new music this year. Talk about a discography doled out in crumbs! Despite debuting as a soloist all the way back in 2019, she's never been given more than one single or mini album per year, making it even more important that each and…
Song Review: Xdinary Heroes – FiRE (My Sweet Misery) | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
Xdinary Heroes fans are regularly fed by the band, who must be one of the most prolific acts working at the moment. It feels like new music is always just around the corner, whether that's in the form of fully-promoted comebacks or drips and drabs of digital singles. New single FiRE (My Sweet Misery) falls…
The Obligatory BIAS LIST K-Pop Demon Hunters Post | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
Over the past few weeks, I've been asked at least a dozen times whether I'm going to review the songs from the popular Netflix movie K-Pop Demon Hunters. The answer is still "no," though with this post I guess it's kind of a semi-"yes." I want to apologize to anyone who received an increasingly dismissive…
Song Review: ILLIT – Jellyous | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
When deciding which song off ILLIT's newest album to feature as a "buried treasure," I waffled between Oops and Jellyous. I'm glad I chose the former because now I get to write about the newly-promoted Jellyous as well. This is also another chance to wax poetic about how much Do The Dance has grown on…
THIS WEEK IN K-POP: Ranking the New Releases from June 29 – July 5 | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
At the end of each month, I compile my top three K-pop title tracks and list a ton of honorable mentions. In 2025, I thought I’d try something new and add a weekly feature to supplement my monthly round-up. Each Sunday, I’ll offer a compendium of the week’s new releases featured on the blog. And…
New & Noteworthy J-pop of the Week (July 6, 2025) | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
In connection with my desire to fully keep up with the J-pop industry, I'm planning to do a weekly round-up of any new releases that have caught my ear. Some of these may have been covered on the blog already, but my hope is that this will become a one-stop shop for anyone interested in…
Song Review: One Pact – Passout (Jong Woo solo ft. Tag) | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
Prior to their comeback at the end of the month, One Pact released an EP of solo songs from each of the members. I won't be writing about most of them since I don't have much to say, but Jong Woo's solo Passout instantly caught my ear and now it has a special video to…
Top Pop Songs of 2025 (So Far) | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
To round out my mid-year countdowns, I've got a spotlight on some of my favorite songs from music markets that aren't Korea or Japan. To simplify things, I just call this category "pop." It's been a very strong year for pop music so far, though you might not know it if you're only looking at…
Buried Treasure: H1-KEY – Good For U | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
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. H1-KEY remain one of K-pop's most…
Song Review: 1VERSE – Multiverse | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
In the space of two weeks, I've gone from not knowing who or what 1VERSE was to being just about ready to sign up as captain of their fan club. You can thank their YouTube channel for that. This is the first act from new agency Singing Beetle, brainchild of former SM Entertainment A&R Michelle…
Top J-Pop Songs of 2025 (So Far) | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
It's a bit bleak over here, ladies and gentlemen. Over the years there have been many times where I've been more enamored with the quality of J-pop's output than K-pop, but 2025 is not one of those years. In fact, there are fewer highlights than I can ever remember at this time of the year…
Buried Treasure: NouerA – Myself | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
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's been awhile since I've featured…
How to Ruin a Classic K-pop Song: 5th Gen Takes on KARA’s MISTER | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
I'm not going to review this song because I don't want to be unnecessarily mean, but listening to rookie group BLINGONE's re-creation of KARA's immortal Mister makes for a fascinating case study and comparison between K-pop generations. It answers the question nobody had but everybody wants to know: What if a classic second-gen song had…
Top K-Pop Albums of 2025 (So Far) | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
Similar to last year, 2025 so far has been a singles game rather than a series of excellent albums. I have even fewer on my list than I did this time last year, and only one of them is a full album -- though that classification is getting murkier as time goes on. There are…
Song Review: RESCENE – Deja Vu | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
Girl group RESCENE enjoyed a bit of momentum with last year's single Love Attack, but their agency has been unable to capitalize on this so far. Title track Glow Up came and went with little fanfare earlier this year, and the buzz around new single Deja Vu also seems to be muted. The public clearly…
Song Review: KARD – Touch | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
With ALLDAY PROJECT's breakout success, co-ed K-pop groups may be having a moment. What better time for KARD to reheat the nachos they created and show the industry how it's done? However, it's been a very long time since those nachos felt fresh, as the group has moved from their refreshing tropical sound to a…
Song Review: AHOF – Rendezvous | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
2025 has seen a number of boy group debuts spawned from survival series, and so far they've been killing it. NouerA and Close Your Eyes led charge and now it's AHOF's turn. This global group was formed on SBS series Universe League and their awkward acronym stands for "All-Time Hall Of Famer." Time will tell…
Song Review: BABYMONSTER – Hot Sauce | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
As 2025 kicked off, BABYMONSTER were still promoting their first album with a series of follow-up tracks. A second album has been promised for this fall (though take that with a grain of salt given YG Entertainment's track record) and the summer-themed Hot Sauce acts as its opening salvo, released digitally to kick off the…
Top K-Pop Songs of 2025 (So Far) | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
This is a strange era for K-pop... at least when it comes to my own experience. On one hand, there are a handful of acts I feel more invested in than ever, which is the feeling everyone wants as a fan. In some ways, I'm more interested in K-pop than I have been in awhile,…
Song Review: Han Seungwoo (Victon) – Stop It | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
I keep putting "(Victon)" after Han Seungwoo's name whenever writing about his music, but it may be time to let that tag go. Given the state of the group's contract renewals, it seems unlikely that they'd be coming back any time soon. Instead, it's time to focus on solo projects and Seungwoo already has a…
Song Review: ONEUS – X | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
Debuting in early 2019, ONEUS are inching toward that all-important seven year mark when contracts will be up for renewal. Their presence in the industry has felt more muted these past few comebacks, churning out solid but inessential material that hasn't quite lived up to their most enduring work. Now, after a series of solo…
Song Review: NouerA – N (Number Of Cases) | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
Earlier this year, NouerA released my favorite debut of 2025 so far. Their N.I.N (New Is Now) was the rare track that fully referenced an old-school K-pop sound -- modern global trends be damned! In an era where so many new K-pop songs simply sound like western pop tracks performed in Korean, it was refreshing…
The Top Three K-Pop Songs of June 2025 | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
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 2025 Overall Thoughts We're now at the midpoint of 2025, which means I'll be publishing…
Song Review: TWS – Hajimemashite (Nice To See You Again) | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
Thus far, TWS have stuck with a signature sound for their title tracks and utilized follow-up promotions to showcase a wider spectrum of styles. I like this approach, especially since we all know their particular brand of “boyhood pop” won’t remain the same forever. Their debut Japanese single further teases on the Plot Twist template,…
New & Noteworthy J-pop of the Week (June 29, 2025) | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
In connection with my desire to fully keep up with the J-pop industry, I'm planning to do a weekly round-up of any new releases that have caught my ear. Some of these may have been covered on the blog already, but my hope is that this will become a one-stop shop for anyone interested in…