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 the full Bias List treatment!
Year Released: 2012
Yesterday, I wrote about Boyfriend’s mega-classic I Yah and lamented that this type of song simply doesn’t exist in K-pop anymore. My shuffle button seems to think it’s time for “part two,” because I could say the exact same thing about U-KISS’s DoraDora.
It’s worth taking a trip back to April of 2012. If DoraDora were released this year, it would surely be one of my top songs of 2025. However, it didn’t even crack the top three of that single month. That’s how often the industry was cranking out classics.
To me, a song like DoraDora is the sound of K-pop. It feels unique to this musical culture, blending genre elements into a brand new mix that can’t be found anywhere else. From the funky verses with their staccato hooks to that robust, rock-influenced chorus, the song unfolds in unexpected ways. The sound of the Korean language has a natural rhythm within tracks like these and DoraDora takes full advantage of that asset. I love how the listener has no idea how the song will unfold based on its first verse alone. It weaves and builds until it’s transformed into something new, but all the while its momentum and excitement continue to grow. There are no jarring transitions or blustery shouting or tinny percussion. DoraDora is a bold musical statement from start to finish and that ambition has stood the test of time. This is legitimately fascinating pop music — the kind that K-pop used to deliver on the regular.
Hooks
10
Production
9
Longevity
9
Bias
10
RATING
9.5