[Today’s K-pop] TXT puts out 2nd LP

Tomorrow X Together hosted an online media showcase to promote its second full-length album, “The Chaos Chapter: Freeze,” Monday. 　 The eight-track album is about “a boy who just freezes up when he encounters an experience that shakes up his peaceful existence,” explained Yeonjun. 　 “The emotions got deeper,” added Soobin. 　 The track “0X1=Lovesong (I Know I Love You) feat. Seori” is a trendy hybrid pop rock number, and Beomgyu confessed that he&r

K-popMay 31, 2021

[Herald Interview] K-pop artist AleXa says single with Arab singer shows ‘mix of culture’

With a distinctive reggaeton beat, K-pop artist AleXa and Kuwaiti-Saudi-based singer Bader AlShuaibi sing back and forth about their affection for each other in three different languages in their new collaborative single “Is It On.” “It is a mix of culture. We have Arab side from Bader, then we have me singing in Korean and English,” AleXa said during her interview with The Korea Herald. “I tried multiple times to figure out what my interpretation of the song is.

K-popMay 29, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] BTS wins 2 iHeartRadio awards

BTS received two awards from the 2021 iHeartRadio Music Awards held in Los Angeles on Thursday, local time. 　 The artists’ digital single “Dynamite” was given the best music video award and their fandom Army was named as the best fan army. This is the second time they won best music video after last year’s “Boy With Luv” and the fourth time since 2018 they won best fan army. 　 Big Hit Music’s performance director Son Sung-deuk won the favorite music vid

K-popMay 28, 2021

BTS to drop 'Hotter' version of new single 'Butter'

BTS is set to release what its label called a "Hotter" remix of its latest single "Butter" that has been making a splash around the globe. The new version leans more toward electro dance, offering a different charm from the upbeat and vibrant original track, according to Big Hit Music. The release is scheduled for 1 p.m. Friday, exactly a week after the seven-piece act rolled out "Butter" globally on May 21. A music video for the remix is also set for release at 1

K-popMay 28, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] BTS makes appearance on “Friends: The Reunion” special

BTS made a 13-second guest appearance in the special episode of “Friends: The Reunion,” as the much-anticipated sitcom returned on Thursday, local time. 　 The bandmates appeared sitting on and around a sofa with subtitles that introduced them as “BTS: Biggest Boy Band on the Planet” complete with a Korean national flag. 　 “My mom bought me the DVDs of the whole series when I was in elementary school. ‘Friends’ really had a big hand in teaching me Englis

K-popMay 27, 2021

BTS adds 5 Guinness World Records with new song 'Butter'

BTS has set five new Guinness World Records (GWR) titles with its latest release "Butter." Most of the records came from YouTube, where the group outdid its own records achieved with the 2020 megahit "Dynamite." On YouTube, the music video for the septet's new single was certified for achieving the most views in 24 hours with 108.2 million views and as the most-viewed video by a K-pop group in 24 hours, according to the website of GWR. It also garnered the most views for t

K-popMay 27, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] NCT Dream’s 1st LP surpasses 2 million in sales

The first studio album of NCT Dream sold over 2 million units, according to label SM Entertainment on Wednesday. 　 The album, titled “Hot Sauce,” surpassed the 1 million-sales mark in a week since it came out on May 10 and reached 2 million in 16 days, and about 300,000 units more than the pre-orders. 　 The LP hit the No. 1 spot on the iTunes top albums chart in 37 regions, Oricon’s weekly album chart and Billboard Japan’s top sales album chart a well. With the same-tit

K-popMay 26, 2021

New BTS song 'Butter' makes splash on Billboard, Oricon charts

K-pop supergroup BTS' new single "Butter" has stormed major music charts in the United States and Japan following its release last week, the band's agency said Wednesday. The English-language single debuted at No. 26 on the Billboard's pop airplay chart, which measures airplay of pop songs at some 160 key US radio stations from every Monday to Sunday. The song's debut ranking is higher than the band's 2020 smash hit "Dynamite," which debuted at No. 30 on the same chart. &q

K-popMay 26, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] BTS’ RM writes song for TXT

RM of BTS participated in writing the lyrics for a song on Tomorrow X Together’s upcoming album, according to a song list that Bit Hit Music shared Tuesday. 　 TXT’s second studio album, “The Chaos Chapter: Freeze,” goes on sale May 31. RM co-authored the words for lead track “0X1=Lovesong,” about a boy who firmly believes in his love despite the chaos he has tumbled into. 　 It is a collaborative effort by a score of songwriters, including Hybe Chairman Bang

K-popMay 25, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] EXO floats teasers for special album

EXO shared teaser photos of Xiumin and Dio for its forthcoming special album on Monday. 　 The band is rolling out “Don’t Fight the Feeling” on June 7 and its label, S.M. Entertainment, dropped the first batch of photographs of the two since they returned to the music scene after serving their military duty. It is the first album the two performers have taken part in since 2018.  　 Although Baekhyun, Chanyeol, Suho and Chen would not be able to join the promotional

K-popMay 24, 2021

BTS pop-up stores to additionally open in Asian cities

K-pop superstar BTS has opened or will open additional offline pop-up stores in four Asian cities to meet rising demands for merchandise among the group's fans in the populous continent, its management agency said Monday. A BTS Pop-up: Map of the Soul store, which offers products themed around the seven-piece band's 2020 hit album "Map of the Soul: 7," already opened in Bangkok on May 1 to run through July 25, according to Hybe IP, an intellectual property arm of K-pop powerhouse Hybe

K-popMay 24, 2021

BTS scoops up four Billboard Awards

K-pop boy band BTS has won four prizes, including the major title of Top Selling Song, at this year's Billboard Music Awards (BBMA), the most for the group at the event ever. The septet was awarded Top Selling Song, Top Duo/Group, Top Song Sales Artist and the fan-voted Top Social Artist during the BBMA ceremony that was aired live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday (US time). It is the first time the band has won more than two titles at the BBMA. In 2019, it took home the Top

K-popMay 24, 2021

New BTS song 'Butter' sweeps iTunes charts in 101 regions

K-pop dynamo BTS has topped more than 100 regional iTunes chart with its latest single "Butter," its management agency said Saturday. The vibrant pop-dance number, released at 1 p.m. on Friday here, debuted at No. 1 on iTunes Top Songs chart in 101 regions, including the United States, Canada, Britain and Germany, according to Big Hit Music. The music video for the song has also made a splash around the world. It broke 10 million views on the septet's official YouTube channel in just

K-popMay 22, 2021

Back with ‘Butter,’ BTS talks new English single, power of music and eighth anniversary

After breaking record after record with “Dynamite” last year, BTS is ready make another big splash with the brand-new summer bop “Butter.” The group’s second English-language single, “Butter” is an upbeat dance pop anthem with a seasonal vibe, peppered with dazzling synths and an infectious hook. The seven-piece act held an offline global press conference in Seoul on Friday evening, right after the song’s release, where the musicians talked about

K-popMay 21, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] BTS’ ‘Butter’ video storms past 10m views in 13 minutes

The video for BTS’ newest single, “Butter,” drew 10 million views on YouTube within 13 minutes of its release on Friday. 　 This tops the record set by the band’s megahit from last summer, “Dynamite,” which reached that number in 20 minutes. “Dynamite” also garnered 101.1 million views in 24 hours, the highest figure in YouTube’s history. 　 The septet rolled out the digital single with a showcase in southern Seoul on Friday and will put out

K-popMay 21, 2021

Members of BTS fan group Army react to new single, ‘Butter’

K-pop powerhouse BTS’ new single landed well with fans Friday. Fans are brimming with excitement and pride as the song melts into their hearts. Here is a little sneak peek into how members of the BTS fandom community, Army, are reacting to the globe-trotting group’s digital single. One fan wrote, “BTS’ music video clip has our hearts!” The tweet garnered more than 680 likes and around 2,000 retweets in 30 minutes. Another fan tweeted, “BTS is insane for t

K-popMay 21, 2021

[Photo News] BTS holds global press conference for new single ‘Butter’

K-pop supergroup BTS holds a global press conference for its much-awaited digital single “Butter” in Seoul, Friday. (Photos: Yonhap) By Yoon Chae-won (choenayoon@heraldcorp.com)

K-popMay 21, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] 2AM to reunite after seven years: report

The four bandmates of 2AM are considering reuniting after seven years, media reports said Thursday. 　 The quartet debuted in 2008 with “This Song” and gained a huge fandom with a series of hits including “Never Let You Go,” “One Spring Day,” “You Wouldn’t Answer My Calls,” “What Should I Do?” and “I Was Wrong.” 　 The band released its third studio album, “Let’s Talk,” in 2014, but three of its member

K-popMay 20, 2021

K-pop act GFriend bids farewell to fans after 6 years

Gfriend, known for its powerful performances and formerly school girl concept, bid farewell to fans after its longtime agency announced the termination of its contract. Source Music, which had represented the six-piece group since its debut in 2015, on Tuesday announced their contract will end Saturday. While the label, which was acquired by K-pop powerhouse Hybe in 2019, did not officially use the term "disbandment," it said in a statement that the group has agreed to walk "sep

K-popMay 20, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] Shinee’s Taemin hopes new EP will comfort fans

Taemin of Shinee and SuperM said he hoped his third solo EP, “Advice,” would console his fans during his absence for military service. 　 The new EP reflects how he tackled new challenges, such as singing rap for the title track. 　 “I’ve tried many things I haven’t done before,” said the veteran idol, adding that the title track would show a different side of him. He also collaborated with Taeyeon, a senior colleague from S.M. Entertainment, on a duet called

K-popMay 18, 2021