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 2011 Overall Thoughts
May is often the month where K-pop really kicks into gear in anticipation of the upcoming summer. With this in mind, May of 2011 was relatively sparse when it came to major releases. It delivered a few bonafide classics, but little else.
But, what classics! My top two picks, in particular, might as well be K-pop standards at this point. Each of them is so quintessential to the K-pop experience, and if for some reason you haven’t heard them before, consider this a lucky day. My third choice isn’t usually the kind of track I go for, but its longevity and ubiquity have easily earned it a place in the top three songs of the month.
Elsewhere, we have an English-language release that’s better than it had any right to be (miss A), a reliable piece of Sweetune-penned dance pop (Heo Young Saeng) and a couple more solid comebacks. The month also offered a big debut in the form of Boyfriend. They’d go on to craft some incredible music in the next few years, but I’ve always thought that their self-titled debut was an odd little misfire.
Honorable Mentions
F-ve Dolls – This And That (video)
FTIsland – Hello Hello (video)
Heo Young Saeng – Let It Go (ft. HyunA) (video)
Miss A – Love Alone (video)
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
Apparently, I went off and bought a handful of Heo Young Saeng after your post earlier this year about 2013 in review. I have “Rainy Heart” on my very short list of 2 songs, rather than “Let It Go”, entirely because I do not like HyunA’s rap part in the latter.
I have BEAST “Fiction” at top, as if there is any contest there. Nice melody with a well done less-is-more production. The dance is also memorable for its effective simplicity.
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UGH Fiction will absolutely never be topped in my opinion it’s one of those songs that I never get tired of and still find something new in with every listen
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Fiction, and BEAST in general, deserve way more respect/recognition in kpop fans’ memory of 2nd gen than they’ll ever get. Of course they were always a tad more popular domestically than the rest of the world, but still….they really were huge, and their discography is so varied and largely timeless.
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If I had compiled this list…
NOTE: It’s still not fair for me to list the boy groups. I’m too green in that area.
Top 3 for May, 2011:
3. SISTAR 19 – “Ma Boy” * **
2. 5Dolls – “Like This or That”
1. 2NE1 – “Lonely”
* – I discovered this song before I knew SISTAR existed. I then did a little digging and found SISTAR’s “Push Push”, but wasn’t instantly thrilled with it. They made up for that in spades when they released “So Cool” a few months after seeing “Ma Boy”.
** – Prior to listening to it, I thought “Ma Boy” was a cover of Secret’s “My Boy” (I know, different spelling), which was released in 13 months prior and is still a fave of mine.
Reference #1 (5Dolls): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YN04xEbHdsQ
Reference #2 (Secret – My Boy): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Mp-tNph2d4
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If you don’t feel chills when CL starts Lonely, we can’t be friends. 2NE1 mini album is the icon of 2011.
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