News
Entertainment
Science & Technology
Life
Culture & Art
Hobbies
News
Entertainment
Science & Technology
Culture & Art
Hobbies
The Bias List | K-Pop Reviews & Discussion - Music
7 | Follower
Random Shuffle Review: B1A4 – Baby Good Night | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
With over 5,000 songs on my iPhone's “K-Pop Singles” playlist, I thought it would be fun to add a bit of unpredictability to my song review posts. So as a result, we have the “Random Shuffle Review” feature. The rules are simple. I fire up my playlist, press “shuffle,” and whatever song plays first gets…
Song Review: ablume – Echo | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
The sprawling Fifty Fifty saga continues with two distinct acts. The re-formatted Fifty Fifty continue to promote with label Attrakt, most recently releasing title track Pookie. Meanwhile, the three former members who left the agency amidst legal issues have re-formed and re-debuted as ablume. To be completely honest, I've never cared about the music enough…
Song Review: VVS – Purrfect | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
Girl group VVS terrorized us with their stale Tea a few weeks ago and now they're back with another gimmicky track. Purrfect strains to be camp (sorry, nobody can unfurl a campier purr better than Eartha Kitt) but as usual this style of humor is at odds with K-pop's highly-polished, systematic style. Trying to be…
Song Review: P1Harmony – DUH! | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
P1Harmony have developed a big global following, particularly in the States. However, I've had a hard time connecting to their music in any reliable way. It's funny -- from music to personality to variety content -- some idols are just an instant match with my personal taste while I struggle to get into others no…
Song Review: i-dle – Girlfriend | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
In a major rebrand, (G)I-DLE have renamed themselves "i-dle." This comes on the heels of their contract renewal with Cube Entertainment and promises to usher in a new era for their music. The group has been remarkably popular since their debut in 2018, with their singles often defining trends of the era. Their discography tends…
Song Review: Rosé (BLACKPINK) – Messy | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
The upcoming soundtrack to F1® The Movie (which is completely outside my wheelhouse - pun intended) promises to be a star-studded affair. And in 2025, that means a bit of K-pop representation -- even if it's tangential. Rosé has certainly leapfrogged over the classification of "K-pop," and songs like Messy push her further into the…
Song Review: E’Last – Crazy Train | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
It's been over a year since E'Last made their most recent comeback, and looking back I can't recall anything about that song except the fact that I didn't really care for it at the time. The group debuted with a theatrical, strings-heavy sound that set them apart from most of their peers. Over the years,…
Song Review: Chuu – Back In Town | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
When writing about Chuu's title track Only Cry In The Rain last month, I was overly dismissive of its subdued sound. In my defense, it's hard to muster excitement when you hear so many songs of this same energy day after day. Sometimes, it takes a while for the highlights to reveal themselves. Only Cry…
Song Review: Kiss Of Life – Live, Love, Laugh | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
It's hard to come into Kiss Of Life's new digital single Live, Love, Laugh without the impact of their severely misguided livestream rattling around in your head. That event, filmed and released a few weeks ago, left a bad taste in my mouth and makes even the title "Live, Love, Laugh" feel patronizing and tone…
Song Review: DAY6 – Maybe Tomorrow | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
The revitalization of DAY6's chart success continues with the release of digital single Maybe Tomorrow, which has instantly found a place in the top ten of Melon's streaming chart. The demand for their music seems truly insatiable at this moment. This can be a tricky time in an artist's career, trying to balance the need…
Song Review: EPEX & Joan – So Nice | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
Collaborations between K-pop acts and western artists are nothing new, but occasionally a track will be released and I'll have no idea who the western artist is. American duo Joan are new to me, and I'd consider myself very in-the-know when it comes to global pop music. This makes me wonder how exactly EPEX's agency…
Song Review: Chenle (NCT Dream) – Lucid | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
It's a slow day (week? year??) in K-pop, so I'm going to sidestep over to the Chinese market for a moment with the debut solo single from NCT Dream's Chenle. The song is part of a "special EP," and given the way Chinese music is usually promoted I assume this album will be released in…
THIS WEEK IN K-POP: Ranking the New Releases from April 27 – May 3 | 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 (May 4, 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…
K-POP Time Machine: Ranking Six Random Songs from 2015 | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
Sometimes, it's fun to take a trip back in time and immerse yourself in a specific K-pop year. Similar to my Battle of the B-sides, this feature sees me shuffling a huge playlist of songs from a certain era, picking out six at random and sharing my thoughts about each. All songs are eligible: Title…
Buried Treasure: NEXZ – Want More? One More! | 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 amazing what happens when boy…
Song Review: TXT – Love Language | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
Whenever an act releases a digital single with little lead-up time and no official comeback attached, I always assume one of two things. Either the song is too good and has too much chart potential to wait for an accompanying album, or it's just a stop gap to get something new into the market between…
Song Review: Tablo (Epik High) x RM (BTS) – Stop The Rain | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
Well, this is a surprise! I somehow missed the announcement about this song, so hearing a collaboration between two of K-pop's most influential rappers comes as a pleasant little shock tonight. Stop The Rain pairs Epik High's Tablo with BTS's RM, crafting a multi-generational shot of emotional catharsis. I'm always hesitant to write about songs…
Song Review: RIIZE – Bag Bad Back | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
After a lengthy hiatus, RIIZE are gearing up for their first full album in a few weeks' time. Teasers have promised a strong visual component and that kicks off with today's pre-release single Bag Bad Back. Though RIIZE's music has been high-quality across the board so far, their sound hasn't embraced just one style. This…
Song Review: Lisa (BLACKPINK) x Maroon 5 – Priceless | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
BLACKPINK's Lisa has been working the global press as late with a star turn on the recent season of White Lotus, performances at Coachella and The Oscars and a number of big-name collaborations. It feels like she's really broken through, which means offers must be flying in. Now is the time to pick and choose.…
Song Review: TRENDZ – Chameleon | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
TRENDZ have become one of my biggest frustrations in K-pop. They had such a good thing going with last year's mega-banger Go Up, but a piecemeal approach to collaborators has resulted in music that feels haphazard and incongruous. New single Chameleon (카멜레온) might as well have come from a totally different group than Go Up…
Song Review: Park Woojin (AB6IX) – Cool & Hot (ft. Ha Sungwoon) | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
It's a mini Wanna One reunion as AB6IX's Park Woojin pairs with former bandmate Ha Sungwoon for his new title track Cool & Hot. This song aside, I've always felt a full Wanna One reunion would be a big moment on the Korean charts. Too often, the members of Produce 101/Girls/Boys Planet groups suffer a…
The Top Three K-Pop Songs of April 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. April 2025 Overall Thoughts Oof. What a month. K-pop in 2025 hasn't been overwhelmingly awesome so…
Song Review: HyunA – Mrs. Nail | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
It's been an unexpected "Cube Entertainment circa 2011" flashback this week, with Highlight/Beast, Jang Hyunseung and now HyunA all releasing new music. The actual songs haven't been nearly as fun or memorable as this flashback suggests, but it's still nice to see familiar faces back in the fray. HyunA's music career remains quite active, reliably…
Song Review: Fifty Fifty – Pookie | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
This has little to do with Fifty Fifty's actual comeback, but the word "pookie" annoys me to no end. Over the years, it's gone from cute little novelty nickname to a term used to show a dismissive attitude toward someone else. That connotation is absent in Fifty Fifty's own Pookie, but the word is still…
Song Review: Katseye – Gnarly | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
Of all of K-pop's forays into non-Korean markets, Katseye have had the biggest push and have the most potential to become stars outside the industry. Though they've only released one EP since their debut last summer, they've done a fair amount of promotions and seem to have found a natural place within the overall pop…
Song Review: UDTT – Really Really | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
Another day, another girl group debuting with a confusing acronym. When I read "UDTT," my mind goes immediately to "UTI," which is probably not the reaction the agency is looking for. In reality, the acronym stands for "Uddang Tangtang Girls," which... doesn't make things any more clear. At any rate, their debut single Really Really…
Song Review: NEXZ – O-RLY? | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
I've been searching for my entry point with NEXZ's music. They've released material in both Korean and Japanese, befitting their status as a "global" group, but too much of it has fallen into the kind of chant-heavy swaggery peddled by so many current boy groups. Pre-release Simmer did not point a promising way forward and…
Song Review: Highlight – Chains | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
After a long-fought battle, Highlight have finally reclaimed their original name (Beast/B2ST) from their former agency. Even so, it seems like they're hanging onto the Highlight moniker for promotions. They've promoted that way for over seven years now, which is longer than many entire idol careers. With this in mind, I guess it doesn't make…
Song Review: MEOVV – Hands Up | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
Last year, The Black Label's rookie girl group MEOVV released a pair of singles. Neither Meow nor Toxic did anything for me, with the first being oddly inscrutable and the second quite boring. But as they say, "the third time's the charm," and MEOVV are back for another try with pre-release Hands Up. Once again…
Song Review: HITGS – Sourpatch | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
Whenever I see a newly-debuted group with a long acronym for a name, I'm instantly curious what the letters stand for. The answer is usually entertaining, but "HITGS" is almost perfunctory in its meaning. "Hip, Innocent, Teenager, Girls, Story." Yeah, that's like a mad lib for the typical K-pop vision board. At any rate, HITGS…
New & Noteworthy J-pop of the Week (April 27, 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…
THIS WEEK IN K-POP: Ranking the New Releases from April 20 – 26 | 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…
TWS TRY WITH US: In-Depth Album Review – Go Back | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
1. Lucky To Be Loved // 2. Countdown! // 3. Random Play // 4. Freestyle // 5. Now Playing // 6. Go Back GO BACK After my first listen of the album, Go Back was immediately my favorite b-side. After a few days and more listens, songs like Lucky To Be Loved and Random Play…
K-Pop Risers & Fallers: April 2025 | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
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:…
TWS TRY WITH US: In-Depth Album Review – Now Playing | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
1. Lucky To Be Loved // 2. Countdown! // 3. Random Play // 4. Freestyle // 5. Now Playing // 6. Go Back NOW PLAYING Try With Us concludes with two of its stronger tracks. Now Playing (심야 영화) has much in common with K-pop's current sound: bouncy and upbeat but still a bit subdued.…
Song Review: LOVEONE – Drama Queen | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
Girl group LOVEONE debuted late last year but I haven't yet written about them on this blog. In fact, dig just under the surface and there are many under-the-radar acts that have never received a write-up. Most of these have great intentions but are hamstrung by a limited budget and agencies that are too risk-averse…
Buried Treasure: Baek Chung Kang – Dot Dot Dot | 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. There's a reason I still watch…
Buried Treasure: Kai (EXO) – Off And Away | 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. The K-pop industry loves to harness…
Song Review: KiiiKiii – Groundwork | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
Rookie group KiiiKiii have launched their fourth music video from their debut mini album, milking the project far more than most acts would. I appreciate this "visual album" approach, though it would have been more satisfying if I also loved the music behind it. Of all the songs on the EP, Groundwork points toward the…