[Herald Interview] Xdinary Heroes shoot for the next level with 'Troubleshooting'

Xdinary Heroes dropped their first studio album “Troubleshooting” comprising 10 songs, including the title track “Little Things,” for which the band members took part in composing and writing lyrics. “This album aims to convey inner stories that are often left unsaid, focusing on honest and perhaps even trivial emotions that people may find difficult to express to others,” said Gaon, the band's guitarist. Bassist Joo-yeon recalled that preparing the first

K-popApril 30, 2024

Seventeen shows who is the ‘Maestro’ of K-pop in greatest hits album

Seventeen unveiled its greatest hits album, “17 Is Right Here,” on Monday to celebrate its ninth debut anniversary and promise forever with its fans. “We tried to go over our experience as Seventeen from the day of our debut to this day. This album wraps up our past chapters and announces a new beginning for Seventeen,” Dino of Seventeen said when introducing the group’s new album during a press conference in Seoul on Monday. The 33-track album includes some of the

K-popApril 29, 2024

What is Hybe’s next move?

In the increasingly vicious brawl between K-pop powerhouse Hybe and the CEO of its sublabel Ador, Min Hee-jin, public sentiment seems to have turned favorable towards Min following her emotional press conference Thursday, during which she claimed that all she wants is the best for NewJeans, the popular K-pop girl group she produced. Her counterattack against Hybe’s claim that she attempted a takeover of Ador, one of Hybe's sublabels, certainly attracted the public’s interest in

K-popApril 29, 2024

NewJeans pops out ‘Bubble Gum’ video amid troubles at agency

NewJeans kicked off promotion for the group's upcoming album by releasing the music video for “Bubble Gum” on Saturday, amid a spiraling dispute and corporate intrigue involving Min Hee-jin, CEO of Ador, and Hybe Entertainment, the K-pop powerhouse that holds an 80 percent stake in the label. “Bubble Gum” is an easy-listening song with a simple drum pattern and synthesizer sounds. It is the B-side to “How Sweet,” which is to be released May 24. The new si

K-popApril 28, 2024

Zico hits the right 'Spot!'

Rapper Zico's collaboration with Blackpink's Jennie on "Spot!" has marked a successful return for the rapper, achieving favorable results on domestic and international music charts. The digital single, released Friday, is Zico's first release in nearly two years, after "Grown Ass Kid" in July 2022. Blending addictive melodies and a simple rhythm with Zico's powerful raps and Jennie's intense vocals, the new song captures the story of two friends who r

K-popApril 28, 2024

Hybe refutes Ador CEO Min's denial of breach of trust

Hybe Entertainment said Friday the company is confident that Ador CEO Min Hee-jin was formulating deliberate plans for the subsidiary to break free from its umbrella company, amid continued mudslinging between Hybe and Min over allegations of the CEO committing breach of trust. On Thursday, Hybe released personal messages between Min and Ador’s vice president, which contained a conversation concerning plans to separate from the parent company. During a press conference later in the day,

K-popApril 26, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] NewJeans' single teasers release amid intrigue

NewJeans uploaded teaser photographs for its upcoming single album Friday, via agency Ador. The five bandmates went for a hip and sporty look with the single “How Sweet,” with each showing off their charms in different styles. The double single will be available in two versions. For one of them, the group has collaborated again with American animation "The Powerpuff Girls," after having previously teamed up with the cartoon heroes for second EP “Get Up.” The a

K-popApril 26, 2024

Hybe-Ador feud should have limited effect on Hybe's overall performance: analysts

Analysts say that while the recent feud between Hybe Entertainment and its sublabel Ador could result in short-term fluctuations in Hybe's stock prices, any long-term effects on Hybe's performance will be limited due to Ador's limited contribution to Hybe's overall performance. On Friday, shares of Hybe started at 206,000 won ($149) per share, a 11.7 percent drop compared to when the main bourse, Kospi, opened Monday, when they were 233,500 won per share, before the Hybe-Ador

K-popApril 26, 2024

NewJeans' singles, Japanese debut to proceed as planned, despite Hybe-Ador feud

NewJeans' next release, slated for the end of May, and the girl group's Japanese debut in June will proceed as planned, regardless of the ongoing corporate conflict between Ador and Hybe. Ador is a sublabel of Hybe. According to a Hybe official, there is no change in the plan regarding NewJeans' upcoming engagements. She stated that all of the officially announced events for NewJeans in 2024 and 2025 will proceed as scheduled. The girl group is on track to release the new double s

K-popApril 26, 2024

Ador CEO denies allegations, accuses Hybe of mistreating NewJeans

At a hastily called press conference at the Korea Conference Center in southern Seoul on Thursday afternoon, Min Hee-jin, CEO of Hybe sublabel Ador, said she was innocent of all allegations raised against her by Hybe and accused the K-pop powerhouse of mismanaging Ador. Min dismissed Hybe's accusation that Min had tried to take over the management of Ador, in which she holds an 18 percent stake, by attracting outside investors and pressuring Hybe. Earlier in the day, Hybe posted Min’s

K-popApril 25, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Kep1er to disband after 2 1/2 years: report

Project girl group Kep1er will not extend its term beyond July, when it is due to end, according to a local media report on Thursday. The nine members will go separate ways when the group project ends but not before releasing an album and hosting a concert, it added. Management companies of the members – WakeOne and Swing -- gathered once last year to discuss continuing on as Kep1er but did not reach a decision. WakeOne Entertainment said that it is still in talks with the other agency as

K-popApril 25, 2024

Hybe to file complaint against Ador executives

K-pop powerhouse Hybe announced that it will file a complaint against sublabel Ador CEO Min Hee-jin and other executives on the charge of breach of trust on Thursday. In a statement, Hybe said that through the audit of Ador that began Monday, it has obtained concrete evidence of a plan led by Min to seize control of the sublabel, which manages popular girl group NewJeans. Hybe said one of the people subject to the audit has submitted evidence proving the alleged attempts of Ador executives to ta

K-popApril 25, 2024

NewJeans fans send protest truck against agency chief in conflict with Hybe

Some fans of girl group NewJeans staged a protest outside the building of K-pop giant Hybe in Seoul on Wednesday, deploying a "protest truck" to voice their grievances against the chief of its sub-label in an escalating conflict with the parent company. "Min Hee-jin should no longer use NewJeans and its family," blared an electronic billboard mounted on the truck sent by the members of Bunnies, the group's fandom. Min is the CEO of ADOR. Other messages repeatedly flashed

K-popApril 24, 2024

Hybe's multilabel system tested amid conflict with Ador

K-pop powerhouse Hybe’s multilabel system is being tested as it has locked horns with one of its sublabels, Ador. Executives of Ador, the agency housing popular K-pop girl group NewJeans, began sending complaint emails to their parent company on April 3, about a week after the launch of Illit, a new girl group, by another Hybe sublabel, Belift Lab. Shin Dong-hoon, vice president of Ador, demanded that Hybe CEO Park Ji-won and Belift Lab CEO Kim Tae-ho address the conflict of interest surro

K-popApril 24, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Stray Kids float teaser for Charlie Puth collaboration

Stray Kids uploaded a teaser photograph for upcoming digital single Wednesday. The band of eight gazed into the camera exuding calm energy for much-hyped single “Lose My Breath,” a collaboration with Charlie Puth. The producing trio within the band – of Bangchan, Changbin and Han – participated in writing the song as it has for all lead singles since its debut in 2018. The digital single will be unveiled on May 10. Separately, the band’s “Why?,” its firs

K-popApril 24, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Ateez confirms US tour details

Ateez announced plans for its North American tour Tuesday via agency KQ Entertainment. The band will resume the American leg of tour “Towards the Light: Will to Power” that began with a concert in Seoul in January, starting with a live show in Tacoma, US on July 14. It will then visit nine cities in the US and Canada, including: Los Angeles, Washington DC, New York and Toronto. The eight-member act hinted at visiting the region, telling the audience that it will be back in the US thi

K-popApril 23, 2024

Hybe and Min Hee-jin, CEO of Hybe sublabel Ador, lock horns

K-pop giant Hybe has initiated an audit of its subsidiary Ador, home to NewJeans, claiming that Ador CEO Min Hee-jin attempted a takeover of the sublabel. This is the first time that Hybe, the parent company for multiple smaller K-pop labels, has taken such a move against a subsidiary. Min, who is also the producer of popular K-pop girl group NewJeans, has denied the allegation, arguing that Hybe took action against her after she pointed out that the entertainment monolith's new K-pop girl

K-popApril 23, 2024

Virtual K-pop idol group Plave to go global this year

Plave, the virtual K-pop boy group launched by Vlast, aims to expand its reach overseas this year. “Our goal for Plave this year is to go global. We are currently in negotiations with an agency abroad for the group’s launch in foreign music markets. We are close to inking the deal,” said Lee Sung-gu, CEO of Vlast, during a press conference in Seoul on Monday. Vlast is a virtual intellectual property startup that created and manages Plave. “We are creating a whole new genr

K-popApril 23, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Illit logs 100m Spotify streams with debut song

Rookie girl group Illit generated 100 million streams on Spotify with its debut single “Magnetic,” said agency Belift Lab on Monday citing the platform’s data. It reached the milestone in 26 days and set a record for a K-pop girl group’s debut song. The single fronted the EP “Super Real Me” and made Billboard’s Hot 100 and the UK’s Official Singles Top 100 charts, at No. 91 and No. 87 respectively, becoming the first debut song from a K-pop artist

K-popApril 22, 2024

K-pop reality audition shows transform, strive to appeal to fandom culture

The fever for reality TV audition programs featuring K-pop idol singers continues unabated, with South Korean broadcasters launching more, similar programs but with new formats to keep viewers entertained. Local music channel Mnet, which produced the most successful K-pop audition show franchise “Produce,” launched “I-Land2: N/a” earlier this month. It is a sequel to the 2020 reality audition show “I-Land.” Next month, the national broadcaster KBS 2TV is set t

K-popApril 22, 2024