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!
May 2012 Overall Thoughts
On May 15th, 2012, K-pop unleashed its apex moment — and the world got to experience the majesty that is The Chaser. Also on May 15th (decades earlier), I was born into this world. Yes, May 15th birthed two legends. Please, hold your applause.
Seriously, though, you already knew what was going to be my top pick in May, right? The fact that its release just happened to fall on my birthday is the universe telling us we were fated to be.
But as dominating as The Chaser is, May 2012 had plenty of other fruit to bear. It gave us the debuts of VIXX, Hello Venus, JJ Project and She’z (though most probably don’t remember that last one), each bounding out of the gate with solid songs. Xia Junsu’s incredible Tarantallegra very nearly made my top three, and probably would have been a number one pick in any month of 2020. Boy groups BTOB and DMTM each released their best singles yet.
Following The Chaser, my top three also consists of two groups who would blossom into long-term successes. Both delivered fun pop tracks with major earworms. What an incredible time for K-pop!
Honorable Mentions
BTOB – Irresistible Lips (video)
DMTN – E.R. (video)
G.Na – 2Hot (video)
Hello Venus – Venus (video)
IU – Every End Of The Day (video)
JJ Project – Bounce (video)
She’z – My Way (video)
Sunny Hill – Do It (video)
VIXX – Super Hero (video)
Xia Junsu – Tarantallegra (ft. Flowsik) (video)
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
I’m starting to hate the “looking back” lists more and more with each month… cause comparing May 2020 to May 2012 feels almost like blasphemy. Depending on one’s musical preferences and current mood the whole list could completely different back in 2012. Pretty much all of the honorable mentions deserve to be in the top 3 while now we have to “dig deeper” to find anything worth puting on the list.
2012 was a great year for kpop. Period.
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oh mygod… i totally forgot hush was also released this month LOL hush still remains my favorite apink song
also i think it’s so funny your birthday is the same day that the chaser was released it was truly meant to be
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Oh My Gosh , You and The Chaser were birthed during May 15!! Guess you gotta add May 15 to The Most Epic Days in K-pop feature Cause it got two legends!!
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“On May 15th, 2012, K-pop unleashed its apex moment — and the world got to experience the majesty that is The Chaser. Also on May 15th (decades earlier), I was born into this world. Yes, May 15th birthed two legends. Please, hold your applause.”
Never change, Nick.
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Did he shake it shake it shake it like it’s on his birthday?
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Baby Good Night was CNU’s area! He really suits the concept and the choreo !
I didn’t see a lot of Kpop concerts, but I’m really happy to have the chance to see Infinite in live in Paris 🙂
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I count my blessings every day that I was able to see Infinite, front row, in 2016 before Hoya left.
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I feel like 2012 is ignored as being one of the best years in kpop but The Chaser alone makes 2012 one of the greatest years in kpop. In 2012 there were some really great dramatic releases like This is War, Tarantallegra, and The Grasshopper song. Also my personal peak year for Big Bang.
Man, all this list did was make me ache for old kpop.
I was also absolutely obsessed with B1A4 after this release too. They really should be the blueprint for new up-and-coming groups.
Also happy belated birthday? Thanks for doing these look back lists. They really make me nostalgic.
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I have The Chaser.
That is almost all.
Except f(x) Electric Shock is listed in my itunes as released on May 10, 2012. The video seems to have been released on June 11, 2012. So I am going to count it for =both months!=
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