6 K-pop albums among top 10-selling CD albums in US in 1st half

K-pop albums have accounted for six of the 10 most-sold CD albums in the United States in the first half of this year The six albums were from boy groups Tomorrow X Together, Ateez, Stray Kids, Enhypen, and Seventeen, plus girl group TWICE, according to the 2024 Midyear Music Report released Tuesday by Luminate, an American music and entertainment industry data research firm. Tomorrow X Together's sixth EP, "minisode 3: Tomorrow," was the second most-sold CD album, with 190,000 un

July 18, 2024

KTO under fire for using NewJeans product created with Japanese artist Takashi Murakami

The Korea Tourism Organization has come under fire for offering a promotional product created by NewJeans, its honorary ambassadors, in collaboration with Japanese pop artist Takashi Murakami as part of its tourism event that launched July 11. Although the merchandise itself is not tied to any political issue, critics contend that the organization should promote products related to Korean culture, given its role in representing the country’s tourism interests. The controversy involves the

July 17, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Ateez to drop 4th single in Japan

Ateez will release its fourth single in Japan “Birthday” on Oct. 2, agency KQ Entertainment announced Wednesday. It will consist of six tracks including the lead track of the same title. The upcoming single album comes about seven months after the previous Japanese single “Not Okay,” which topped Oricon’s daily single and weekly combined single rankings before earning platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of Japan in February. The band also

July 17, 2024

National Theater Company’s new director outlines vision for global and domestic expansion

National Theater Company of Korea’s newly appointed director and artistic director Park Jeong-hee has an ambitious vision to create a Korean repertoire for performances overseas. Park began her three-year term in April. She held her first press conference Tuesday at the Myeongdong Theater in Seoul, where she talked about her vision and blueprint for the state theater company. “While foreign directors have often worked with NTCK, our company has rarely showcased its own productions ab

July 17, 2024

Price of stardom?

Behind K-pop's rapid growth and immense popularity, there is a persistent, chronic problem that follows fame: Stalkers, often called "sasaeng" in Korea. "I am not sasaeng. I am just a genuine fan who really loves NCT," said an 18-year-old girl who wished to remain anonymous. She claims that all her actions are out of sincere support and love -- taking taxis to follow her favorite singer as he goes about his day and waiting for hours at the airport to take photos of the g

July 17, 2024

Byeon Woo-seok embroiled in controversy for overzealous security team

South Korean actor Byeon Woo-seok has become embroiled in controversy over excessive measures taken by his security team against fans and other travelers at Incheon Airport. Police have said they are considering an investigation into whether the measures undertaken by the actor’s private security were violent or constituted obstruction of business. The incident surfaced online following Byeon’s departure for Hong Kong on Friday for his final Asian fan meeting slated for Sunday. A lar

July 17, 2024

Nile Rodgers to hold first Seoul concert

Legendary guitarist and singer-songwriter Nile Rodgers will be performing his first solo concert in Korea this September. Concert organizer Live Nation Korea announced that Nile Rodgers & CHIC will hold a concert on Sept. 24 at the Olympic Hall in Olympic Park, Seoul. CHIC, formed by Nile Rodgers and bassist Bernard Edwards, is an iconic 1970s funk and disco band. The band has released numerous hits including "Dance, Dance, Dance," "Everybody Dance" and "I Want Your

July 17, 2024

Jannabi to hold concerts in Seoul, Busan

Jannabi, known for its emotional, lyrical songs, will be back on stage with standalone concerts. Jannabi announced through its official social media that it will hold four performances of “Fantastic Old Fashioned 2024: Movie Star Rising” at the Jamsil Indoor Stadium in Seoul Aug. 31, Sept. 1, Sept. 7 and Sept. 8. The band will then travel to Busan where it will perform at the Bexco Auditorium on Sept. 14 and Sept. 15. This is Jannabi’s first concert series since its nationwide

July 17, 2024

Lee Hye-ri of ‘Victory’ receives Rising Star Award at NY Asian Film Festival

Singer-actor Lee Hye-ri won the Rising Star Award with the coming-of-age film “Victory” at the 2024 New York Asian Film Festival which kicked off Friday. The festival runs until July 28. “Victory” had its world premiere at the 23rd NYAFF by opening the festival held at New York Lincoln Center. In the movie set in 1999, Lee plays a high-school student Pil-sun who creates a cheerleading group to gain access to the school's dance room. The film marks Lee’s first r

July 16, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] BTS’ Jimin crowns band with iTunes record

Jimin of BTS swept the iTunes Top Songs chart in all 119 regions with the solo track “Filter.” The track is off the band’s fourth studio album “Map of the Soul: 7” which was rolled out in February 2020, making BTS the first group to top the chart in all regions. The artist already has three more songs of his own that did so – “Like Crazy,” “Closer Than This” and “With You.” “Like Crazy” is the main track from hi

July 16, 2024

K-pop boy bands losing allure as career choice

Becoming a K-pop star was once among the top dreams for boys and girls in Korea. While many girls still aspire to this dream, however, boys are increasingly turning away from the aspiration, as they become more aware of the hard reality of becoming a K-pop star. Trainees often undergo three to five years of rigorous training and must compete fiercely for a slim chance to debut. Even if they achieve stardom, they often lose their personal lives in the process. K-pop agencies report difficulties i

July 16, 2024

Kara unveils new song ‘Hello’ featuring all six members

Legendary K-pop girl group Kara dropped a new song, “Hello,” on Tuesday. The song is a Side-B track from its upcoming digital single album, “I Do I Do,” set for release on July 24. “Hello” is a ballad number that sings about the happiness people experience when meeting new someone new and the sadness of bidding farewell. “This song was supposed to be included in the group’s fourth LP, ‘Full Bloom,’ released in September 2013. But we are

July 16, 2024

[Herald Review] Infinite hints at new album at fan meeting

Veteran boy band Infinite held emotionally charged fan meetings Saturday and Sunday, the first in seven years. "Infinite Rally 4," two standalone fan meetings, took place over the weekend at the Jamsil Indoor Stadium in Seoul. Fan meetings are similar to regular concerts but include more interaction between the artists and the audience. The meetings were the first in which all six members of the group took part in seven years. Across two days, about 20,000 seats were sold out. The perf

July 16, 2024

Taeyang to hold first concert in 7 years

Singer Taeyang will be holding his first solo concerts in seven years in August. The singer's agency, The Black Label, revealed the poster for Taeyang's solo concert, "Taeyang 2024 Tour The Light Year in Seoul," through its official social media channels. The upcoming concert will be held Aug. 31 and Sept. 1 at the Olympic Hall in Olympic Park. The solo concert marks Taeyang's first concert in about seven years since his second world tour, "White Night," in 201

July 16, 2024

Viral short-form videos help Hallyu-related brands expand overseas: TikTok white paper

The Hallyu market formed with Korean Wave-influenced products and services is forecast to grow to $143 billion in the US, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam by 2030 with additional unrealized headroom of $55 billion, according to TikTok. The forecast represents an 87 percent growth from the current $76 billion spent on Korean products and services in those four countries. TikTok Korea held a press conference Monday in Seoul to review its white paper entitled “Hallyu in the Digital Age: Short

July 15, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Taeyang to host solo concert after 7 years

Taeyang announced Monday that he will hold a solo concert in Seoul on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1 via agency The Black Label. It will be his first standalone gig in seven years and the Seoul show will be followed by a tour in Asia. The veteran musician brought out his second solo EP “Down to Earth” last year which included “Vibe,” “Shoong!” and “Seed.” “Vibe” was a collaboration with Jimin of BTS and hit Billboard’s Hot 100 at No. 76 and

July 15, 2024

Former Japanese K-pop idol apologizes for working at cabaret

Haru, a Japanese performer formerly of K-pop girl group Nature, apologized Sunday for causing worry among her fans. The apology came after news broke in April that she was working as a "kyabajo," or a host at a cabaret in Japan. In a handwritten letter posted on her social media account, Haru expressed mixed feelings, acknowledging the heartbreak the news might have caused for Nature’s fan club, known as Leaf. "At 18, I came to Korea alone without knowing the language and de

July 15, 2024

Ador rejected Grammy Museum's offer of 'prime spot' for NewJeans: report

The uneasy relationship between Hybe and Min Hee-jin, the CEO of its subsidiary Ador, continues with the agency behind popular K-pop group NewJeans reported to have rejected the Grammy Museum’s offer of the "best spot" at the upcoming Hybe exhibition in Los Angeles running from Aug. 2 to Sept. 15. The Grammy Museum, an institution devoted to the history and winners of the Grammy Awards, offered Ador a prime spot for NewJeans in March, according to local media Monday. The organize

July 15, 2024

[Herald Review] 'The Whirlwind' is heavy watch, yet fast-paced, cathartic

Netflix's original political drama series "The Whirlwind" starts strong with the sitting prime minister, Park Dong-ho (played by Sul Kyung-gu), killing the president by lacing the president's e-cigarette with poison. The plot quickly accelerates as Park, aiming to consolidate power in the president's absence, encounters opposition from Finance Minister Jung Soo-jin (played by Kim Hee-ae), who endeavors to dismantle his authority and ascend to the presidency herself. As

July 15, 2024

‘The Last Stop in Yuma County’ and ‘Esper’s Light’ given top awards at 28th BIFAN

The 28th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, Asia’s largest genre film festival that showcases an array of films, including thrillers and fantasy movies, officially concluded Friday, announcing “The Last Stop in Yuma County” and “Esper’s Light” as the best films at the closing ceremony. The closing ceremony followed the screening of the festival’s closing film “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In” by Hong Kong martial arts master S

July 14, 2024