[Today’s K-pop] Aespa sets record with first-week sales of EP No. 2

Rookie band aespa set a record with its second EP “Girls.” 　 The EP sold more than 1 million copies in the first week of sales, a first for a girl group in K-pop history. 　 The album consists of nine songs including titular track and its first English-language song “Life’s Too Short” which was dropped in advance to the full release. 　 The quintet “has been surrounded by a lot of buzz since its debut … but the root of it all is the music,” said

K-popJuly 14, 2022

BTS Global Interdisciplinary Conference highlights need for ‘new humanity’ after pandemic

  The third edition of the BTS Global Interdisciplinary Conference was held Thursday, shedding light on how to face new challenges and make new opportunities after the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s event was held under the theme of “The Post-Pandemic Era, Welcome to the New Humanity” at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in Seoul, inviting scholars, experts and BTS fans in and out of Korea. The first conference was held at Kingston University in London, England, in

K-popJuly 14, 2022

SF9 sets off a new wave as a six-piece with ‘Scream’

Returning to the music scene after eight months, boy band SF9 embarked on a new journey as a sextet with the group’s 11th EP, “The Wave Of9,” Wednesday. Ahead of dropping the new album that evening, six members of the originally nine-member group -- Jaeyoon, Zuho, Dawon, Yoo Taeyang, Hwiyoung and Chani -- conducted a media showcase in Seoul. Inseong and Youngbin were absent due to their mandatory military enlistment, while Rwoon could not take part in the activities due to a

K-popJuly 13, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] Twice to drop new EP next month

Twice will return with its 11th EP on Aug. 26, announced label JYP Entertainment on Wednesday. 　 The EP is titled “Between 1&2,” hinting that the group is ready for the second part of its career. All nine members renewed their contracts with the label before their expiration in October. 　 It has been about nine months since its third studio album, “Formula of Love: O+T=<3,” hit the Billboard 200 at No. 3, the band’s career-high. 　 Last month the group cel

K-popJuly 13, 2022

Twice breaks ‘7-year jinx’ by renewing contract with JYP

All nine bandmates of girl group Twice have renewed their contracts with JYP Entertainment, standing the test of time and the “seven-year jinx.” On Tuesday, the company said that the two sides have decided to continue “based on trust” and “renew their contracts early” via a press release. The band members’ exclusive contracts were due to expire in autumn, but all of them chose to stay and signed in advance. “Twice played a crucial role in estab

K-popJuly 13, 2022

BTS' 'Proof' spends fourth week on Billboard albums' chart

K-pop supergroup BTS has ranked high on the US Billboard's main albums chart for the fourth consecutive week with its anthology album "Proof." The album came in 17th, four notches down from the previous week's 13th, on this week's Billboard 200 chart, released Tuesday (US time). "Proof" is a three-CD album that wraps up the first chapter of BTS' nine-year career. Released June 10, the album debuted atop the chart four weeks ago. Besides the albums chart, &

K-popJuly 13, 2022

Super Junior writes page of K-pop history with ‘The Road: Keep on Going’

K-pop guru Super Junior has returned to the stage with new songs, setting a remarkable record as the act with the most full-length albums under SM Entertainment. The nine-member group held an online press event on Tuesday ahead of its new album release at 6 p.m. on the same day. Leeteuk, Eunhyuk, Kyuhyun, Donghae, Siwon, Yesung, Ryeowook and Shindong attended the event, with Heechul absent due to a schedule conflict. “Although there are several artists with long-running music careers un

K-popJuly 12, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] All Twice members renew contract

All nine members of Twice have renewed their contracts, label JYP Entertainment announced Tuesday. 　 Their exclusive contracts were due to expire in October but all of them decided to stay and signed well in advance. 　 The group debuted in 2015 with studio album “Twicetagram.” It has established itself as one of the leading female bands in K-pop, setting a series of records. It put its third full album at No. 3 on Billboard 200 and has 20 music videos with over 100 million views e

K-popJuly 12, 2022

SMTown Live unveils star-studded lineup for Suwon concert

K-pop powerhouse SM Entertainment on Tuesday unveiled a final lineup for its upcoming joint concert that features an array of the label’s artists. Titled “SMTown Live 2022: SMCU Express @Human City_Suwon,” the star-studded event will bring together SM artists under one umbrella, including Kangta, BoA, TVXQ, Super Junior, Girls’ Generation, Taeyeon, Hyoyeon, Shinee‘s Key and Minho, EXO’s Suho, Xiumin, Chen, D.O. and Kai, Red Velvet, NCT, aespa, GOT the beat,

K-popJuly 12, 2022

J-Hope's 'More' debuts at No. 82 on Billboard main singles chart

J-Hope, the first BTS member to launch a solo venture, entered the US Billboard's main singles chart with "More," the chart has said. The song debuted at No. 82 on the Hot 100 chart for this week, Billboard said on social media on Monday (US time). It came out on July 1 as a prereleased track from "Jack in the Box," his solo debut album set to be out Friday. He previously reached 81st on the chart with "Chicken Noodle Soup," a collaborative single with American

K-popJuly 12, 2022

Chungha takes on new challenge with ‘Bare&Rare Pt.1’

K-pop singer Chungha returned to the K-pop scene, hoping to show more of herself on her challenging second full-length album “Bare & Rare Pt.1.” It has been around a year and a half since the release of her first studio album, “Querencia,” in February last year. The soloist participated in producing the music and writing the lyrics for all eight tracks. “I had never been able to share my real stories and memories in my music. Since my fans have been waiting

K-popJuly 11, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] TXT to collaborate with iann dior

   　 Tomorrow X Together will team up with American rapper and songwriter iann dior, according to their label Big Hit Music on Monday. 　 The band will put out the single “Valley of Lies (feat. iann dior)” on July 22. The American artist, whose collaboration with rapper 24kGoldn “Mood” topped Billboard’s Hot 100 in 2020, suggested working together. 　 K-pop columnist Jeff Benjamin touted the collaboration as the boy band’s “next crossover m

K-popJuly 11, 2022

BTS celebrates Army’s anniversary through ‘BTS x Street Galleries’

Google Arts & Culture launched a special collaboration with K-pop juggernaut BTS to celebrate the birthday of the band’s official fandom, known as Army. Dubbed “BTS x Street Galleries,” the exhibition aims to bring viewers and fans on a virtual tour of the iconic pop group’s favorite artworks and to celebrate the Army’s birthday, which falls on July 9. The collaboration project takes fans on a street view tour of locations around the world chosen by the mem

K-popJuly 11, 2022

BTS’ J-Hope to kick off solo venture with ‘Jack in The Box’

J-Hope, the rapper and dancer of boy band BTS, will launch his much-anticipated debut solo studio album “Jack in The Box” on Friday on global music platforms. Days after the K-pop juggernaut released its anthology album “Proof,” the septet’s agency Big Hit Music announced that J-Hope would expand his musical horizons with a new solo project. “Jack in the Box” reflects his “aspirations to break the mold and grow further,” said the agency.

K-popJuly 11, 2022

[Photo News] aespa kicks off Good Morning America’s summer concert series

K-pop girl group aespa on Friday premiered the title track “Girls” of their second EP on the opening stages of the Good Morning America’s summer concert at the Rumsey Playfield in the Central Park in New York. According to the group’s agency S.M. Entertainment, aespa became to the first K-pop girl group to perform at the summer concert series hosted by ABC, a major US television network.   The four-member group also delivered performances of “Black Mamba

K-popJuly 9, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] Enhypen announces 1st world tour dates

Enhypen shared the where it will be performing during its upcoming international tour on Friday. 　 The group will kick off its tour with two concerts in Seoul on Sept. 17 and beginning Oct. 2, will visit six cities in the US, from Chicago and Atlanta to New York. 　 The “Manifesto” tour, named after the boy band’s third EP “Manifesto: Day 1,” will bring the septet to Japan the following month. The group will perform six times in three cities, including Osaka. 　 T

K-popJuly 8, 2022

BTS to hold concert in Busan to promote 2030 World Expo bid

K-pop phenomenon BTS is set to perform in Busan in October to help the city‘s bid to host the 2030 World Expo. The announcement came after entertainment company Hybe, with which the band’s label Big Hit Music is affiliated, held a meeting to discuss ways to promote the bid with Busan city on Thursday. “The bidding committee will officially appoint BTS as the ambassadors of 2030 Busan World Expo, and in order to promote the city‘s bid to host the World Expo, BTS is set

K-popJuly 8, 2022

Girl group aespa's 'Girls' becomes most-preordered album by K-pop girl group

Rising rookie band aespa's upcoming new album has received the most preorders of any album by a K-pop girl group, with more than 1.61 million copies, its agency said Friday. "Girls," the band's second EP set to come out at 1 p.m., has gotten 1,610,517 preorders as of Friday morning, SM Entertainment said. The EP has a total of nine tracks, including the title track "Girls" and the English and Korean versions of "Life's Too Short," the band's firs

K-popJuly 8, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] Twice’s Nayeon sets record on Billboard with solo album

   　 The first solo album from Twice’s Nayeon debuted on the Billboard 200 at No. 7, a record for a K-pop solo artist, according to label JYP Entertainment on Thursday. 　 “Im Nayeon” also topped the top current album sales, top album sales and world albums charts while placing the singer at No. 5 on its Artist 100. She is the first of the girl group’s nine members to release a solo album. 　 This is the third time the singer has made the Billboard 200 -- Tw

K-popJuly 7, 2022

Viviz ready to revel in ‘Summer Vibe’ with second EP

After successfully embarking on a new musical journey as a rookie trio known as Viviz, the girl group is back with its second EP, “Summer Vibe,” which dropped Wednesday evening. This marks the three-piece act’s return following the release of its first EP, “Beam of Prism,” in February after departing their former group GFriend. Asked how it feels to make its way back to music charts, SinB said with a grin, “Since we’re returning after just five mont

K-popJuly 6, 2022