BTS rewrites Billboard history with 'Life Goes On'

It was not the first time that sensational K-pop boy band BTS had seen its name at the top of US music publication Billboard’s main singles chart, but this time it was different. Billboard on Monday announced via social media that “Life Goes On,” the lead track of the band’s latest album, “Be,” debuted at No. 1 on this week’s Hot 100, the coveted singles chart, becoming the first song sung predominantly in Korean to top the chart in its 62-year history

K-popDec. 1, 2020

‘My next goal is to celebrate my 30-year anniversary’: BoA

Recognized as one of the most foundational acts in K-pop, BoA is looking back at her 20-year-career with the release of her new album “Better.” “It still feels a bit weird that it’s already been 20 years. So many people have congratulated me, but I feel like people around me are putting more weight on it than I do,” said the K-pop icon with a laugh during an online press conference that was held ahead of the release of “Better” in Seoul on Tuesday. Si

K-popDec. 1, 2020

'MIC Drop' becomes 4th BTS music video to hit 800m views

K-pop megastar BTS set another record on YouTube, with its music video for the song "MIC Drop (Steve Aoki Remix)" racking up 800 million views on YouTube, its agency said. YouTube views for the music video, released in November 2017, reached the milestone at around 6:56 a.m. Tuesday, according to Big Hit Entertainment. "MIC Drop" is a track that was originally included in the BTS album "LOVE YOURSELF: Her" that dropped in September 2017. It was later remixed by Am

K-popDec. 1, 2020

Enhypen makes grand debut with ‘Given-Taken’

Enhypen, a new boy group from the Mnet survival show “I-Land,” made its grand debut with the single “Given-Taken.” Having already caused a sensation prior to its debut, the seven-piece multinational boy band held an online media showcase Monday in Seoul, where it unveiled the single and talked about its solid rookie effort. Pop-hip-hop track “Given-Taken” comes off of the EP “Border: Day 1.” “As much as we were created on a survival progra

K-popNov. 30, 2020

Rookie band ENHYPEN hopes to be remembered as 'global, fan-made group'

ENHYPEN, the seven-piece new boy band consisting of reality audition program "I-Land" winners, said they want to build a legacy as a "global, fan-made group." "It would be an honor to be always remembered as a global, fan-made group since we are a group made together by global fans," member Jay said in the act's first-ever media showcase held Monday. "We feel happy and responsible when we are called a global, fan-made group since it was thanks to the love of

K-popNov. 30, 2020

EXO’s Kai goes solo with R&B pop album

Eight years since making a splash debut as a member of K-pop idol group EXO, Kai is dropping his first solo album, “Kai,” Monday. “The album comprises stories that Kim Jong-in (his real name) wants to reveal to the world through Kai,” the 26-year-old artist said during an online press conference Monday morning. Resembling the stylish yet powerful energy of Kai, the upcoming album will showcase six R&B pop tracks, which the singer said “will make listeners nat

K-popNov. 30, 2020

IZ*ONE to release new EP next month amid vote-rigging controversy

K-pop act IZ*ONE will release a new album next month, its management agency said Monday, amid a lingering controversy over vote-rigging in the audition program that it debuted through. The band will drop its fourth EP, "One-reeler/Act Ⅳ" on Dec. 7, Off the Record said. The album, the first from the group in six months, carries six songs, including the main track "Panorama," "Mise-en-Scene" and "Island," focusing on the 12 members' youth and growth. IZ*O

K-popNov. 30, 2020

BTS again tops Billboard 200 with latest album 'BE'

"BE," the latest album by K-pop megastars BTS, has landed at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, becoming the group's fifth album to top the Billboard's main albums chart. "BTS lands its fifth No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart, as 'Be' bows atop the tally," US music publication Billboard reported Sunday (US time). "The set, which was released via Big Hit Entertainment on Nov. 20, arrives with 242,000 equivalent album units earned in the US in the week ending Nov. 26."

K-popNov. 30, 2020

Gracie Abrams joins fan community Weverse

American singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams has joined Weverse, the fan community and online store for a spate of K-pop musicians like BTS, CL and Seventeen, Big Hit Entertainment said Wednesday.   It marks the first case for a musician from outside of South Korea to join the mobile platform, according to Big Hit.   The company said that more musicians from abroad will be joining the platform, such as US singer-songwriter Alexander 23 and British musician Yungblud.  

K-popNov. 25, 2020

BTS wins two prizes at American Music Awards, performs 'Life Goes On'

K-pop megastar BTS has bagged two prizes at the 2020 American Music Awards (AMA) and put on its first televised performance of "Life Goes On" in a purple-lit stadium. The septet won the favorite duo or group in pop/rock for the second straight year and the favorite social artist for the third year in a row at the 2020 AMA show held at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday night (US time). Other nominees who competed for the favorite duo or group in pop/rock were the Jonas Brothe

K-popNov. 23, 2020

Stray Kids ‘unlock’ pandemic-hit stage with virtual concert

K-pop boy band Stray Kids held their first virtual concert “Unlock: Go Live In Life” on Sunday, connecting with global fans online amid the virus outbreak. Streamed through Beyond Live -- a livestreaming platform on Naver invested by the group’s agency JYP Entertainment -- the online concert picked up from the group’s first world tour “District 9: Unlock” which kicked off last November and had to be halted due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. “Althoug

K-popNov. 23, 2020

BLACKPINK's 'Ddu-du Ddu-du' tops 1.4b YouTube views in new milestone for K-pop group

South Korean all-female group BLACKPINK became the first K-pop act to  top 1.4 billion views on YouTube on Monday with its music video for "Ddu-du Ddu-du." The video hit the milestone at around 3:32 a.m., YG Entertainment said, just about a year after it became the first K-pop music video to surpass the 1 billion mark last November. "Ddu-du Ddu-du," the main track of the four-member band's first EP "Square Up," released in 2018, is one of the group's most po

K-popNov. 23, 2020

‘Life Goes On’ with BTS, as they talk about holding on to hopes

A wave of hope continues with BTS, as the group returned with a highly-anticipated “BE” album that reaches out to those disheartened amid the pandemic. After dominating the top of the Billboard Hot 100 with its previous single “Dynamite,” the global pop sensation held a live-streamed press conference in Seoul on Friday ahead of the release of the new album. Strict disinfection measures took place at the entrance, while reporters were seated with extra distance. Excitem

K-popNov. 20, 2020

BTS returns with simple, strong truth that 'life goes on' in new album 'BE'

The year 2020 has been one of the most dismal years for many around the globe, jolting people to face a harsh new reality where the most mundane things in life have become a luxury. BTS, the K-pop act that has grown into one of the biggest pop groups in the world, is no exception. Carefully planned concerts were indefinitely postponed, and the band's seven members began to question what it means to be musicians when they can't perform in front of fans. The answer to that question is their late

K-popNov. 20, 2020

Defying pandemic, BTS set to drop much-anticipated album 'BE'

K-pop megastar BTS, which has emerged as one of the biggest pop groups in the world, on Friday released its new album, "BE," an intimate record of messages the septet wants to share with the world during the pandemic. The eight-track album, the band's fifth Korean-language studio album, kicks off with the lead track "Life Goes On" and ends with the chart-breaking single "Dynamite," which propelled BTS to become the first K-pop act to top the Billboard Hot 100. If

K-popNov. 20, 2020

BTS' agency Big Hit takes over rapper-producer Zico's agency

Big Hit Entertainment, the agency-label behind K-pop megastars BTS, on Wednesday announced its takeover of KOZ Entertainment. KOZ was launched in 2018 by the popular 28-year-old rapper and producer Zico, who has chart-topping hits like "Any Song." It represents Zico himself as well as Dvwn. Big Hit said the takeover is expected to help the agency-label diversify its business portfolio. "We are happy to join hands with Zico, who is a top-ranking producer and artist," BTS ch

K-popNov. 18, 2020

S.M.’s virtual hybrid girl group aespa makes grand debut

Aespa, a new girl group under S.M. Entertainment, made its highly-anticipated debut with “Black Mamba” on Tuesday. The four-piece band, consisting of Karina, Giselle, Winter and Ningning, unveiled the single via its YouTube and SM Town channels, opting out of any press event and leaning toward a rather online-oriented approach to showcase itself to the world. Inspired by the futuristic “avatar” theme, the group’s name comes from “avatar, experience and asp

K-popNov. 18, 2020

TXT debuts at No. 25 on Billboard 200 with latest EP

K-pop boy band Tomorrow X Together (TXT) ranked No. 25 on Billboard's main albums chart this week with its latest album. Released on Oct. 26, the five-track EP "Minisode1: Blue Hour" landed at 25th on the Billboard 200 chart refreshed Tuesday (US Time), a record high for the group. The US music tracker earlier said in its Twitter post that the band ranked at No. 26 on its main albums chart but confirmed the group's ranking to be a notch higher on its official chart. It is the firs

K-popNov. 18, 2020

BTS drops teaser video for upcoming song 'Life Goes On'

K-pop superstar BTS has unveiled a teaser music video for "Life Goes On," the lead track of its much-anticipated album "BE." The 26-second video, uploaded on its management agency's social media accounts on Wednesday, shows the septet smiling and contemplating in front of a camp fire. It then rotates to a scene where the septet is comfortably sitting around in pajamas. Like the band had hinted about its behind-the-scene production roles, the band's youngest member Jungkook

K-popNov. 18, 2020

Avatar idols take center stage

Large K-pop labels that have almost recovered from their pandemic losses thanks to strong album sales and successful virtual concerts are now turning their eyes to a more futuristic idea – avatar idols. Over the past month, Big Hit Entertainment, JYP Entertainment and YG Entertainment have made separate investments, worth a combined 17 billion won ($15.3 million), in Naver Z, the developer of the avatar app Zepeto. It is rare for the rival firms to have a stake in the same company. Nav

K-popNov. 17, 2020