[Today’s K-pop] (G)I-dle to begin world tour in June

(G)I-dle will launch an international tour in mid-June with concerts in Seoul, said agency Cube Entertainment on Thursday. The group will hold two concerts June 17-18 and from July, tour nine cities in Asia and the US, including Bangkok and Hong Kong, as well as New York, Chicago and San Francisco. More concerts may be added as the concert poster wrote “And More.” In the meantime, the quintet gave fans a taste of its upcoming sixth EP on Thursday. Part of “All Night,” on

K-popApril 27, 2023

Health issues holding back young K-pop stars

The K-pop industry has been witnessing a recent relay of health issues among young K-pop artists. The ailments vary from physical to psychological problems. SM Entertainment announced Wednesday that Joy of girl group Red Velvet will take a temporary break from group activities due to her health condition. “Joy recently paid a visit to doctors after feeling unwell. After diagnosis, she was recommended to take a break and focus on recovery,” the statement said. “Joy will be takin

K-popApril 27, 2023

Epex spells out growing pains of love in new album

K-pop boy band Epex on Wednesday released its new album "Prelude of Love Chapter 2. Growing Pains." The album comes six months after the release of its fourth EP "Prelude of Love Chapter 1. Puppy Love" in October. A few hours ahead of the album’s release on Wednesday, the eight-piece band held a press conference in Seoul. "We've been waiting for this moment for a long time. We're happy to be back," Wish said, to which Yewang added, "All the memb

K-popApril 27, 2023

Brave Girls get back in the ring after signing with Warner Music Korea

Brave Girls are returning to the music scene under a new agency, after the quartet signed with Warner Music Korea. All four members -- Minyoung, Yujeong, Yuna and Eunji -- joined Warner Music Korea, according to the label on Thursday. “We came to a mutual conclusion that we would prioritize the activities as a full unit. We will not hesitate to support their career to the fullest,” Warner Music Korea said. "We are aiming for a comeback this summer. We will be back with a fresh l

K-popApril 27, 2023

[Herald Interview] Hong Isaac and Chin Sooyoung's jazzy conversation over piano in 'Everland'

It was their attitudes, or perhaps personalities, that clicked between singer-songwriter Hong Isaac and jazz pianist Chin Sooyoung at their second encounter in October 2022. Photographer Rie -- well acquainted with both musicians and many others in the local entertainment industry -- connected the two, based on a hunch that Hong and Chin would connect artistically. She was more than right. Through six months of close-knit collaboration, Hong and Chin released their first project album "Ever

K-popApril 27, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] NCT Dream to hold encore concert in Seoul in June

    NCT Dream will go live again in Seoul on June 2-3, announced label SM Entertainment on Wednesday. The band will greet its fans at the encore concert for the first time in seven months after its previous gig in the Korean capital. The last day’s performance will be broadcast live online. The seven-member act returned to Seoul on Sunday after its first US tour came to an end last week in Seattle. The American leg of the tour brought the bandmates to seven cities across the

K-popApril 26, 2023

K-pop girl groups to continue dominating music scene in May

The streak of comebacks by girl groups looks likely to continue in the month of May as some of the biggest female K-pop idols are gearing up for new releases. On the front line is Le Sserafim releasing its first full-length album “Unforgiven” on the first day of May. Le Sserafim will make a grandiose entrance hosting its own show that will be aired worldwide simultaneously through Mnet's and M2’s YouTube channels, as well as in CGV theaters, on the day of its album drop. T

K-popApril 26, 2023

'BTS Forest' created in Seoul's Nanji park

Melon, a local music streaming service, said Wednesday it has created a forest named after the K-pop supergroup BTS as part of its eco-friendly project. Located in Nanji Han River Park in western Seoul, the BTS Forest consists of three fringe trees and 400 sacred bamboo trees, the service said, adding the trees were bought with money donated by its subscribers. According to the service, when subscribers select their favorite singer's name on the project homepage, 2 percent of their monthly

K-popApril 26, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] Seventeen breaks first week sales record with 10th EP

    Seventeen broke the record for sales during the first week with its tenth EP, “FML,” according to agency Pledis Entertainment on Tuesday. The EP sold more than 3.99 million units on its first day, replacing the previous record set by BTS, whose fourth studio album from 2020 logged 3.37 million in the first week. The mini album is the first in K-pop history to sell more than 3 million copies in one day. The new album surpassed 4.64 million in pre-orders, another rec

K-popApril 25, 2023

[Album Review] Seventeen's "FML" encourages youth with message of hope

K-pop boy group Seventeen is ready to face the hardships of life as they returned full of energy with their 10th EP, “FML,” on Monday. The 13-member group dived deep into the difficulties the youth face in their life journey and decoded them into healthy and positive music that embraces a message of hope and encouragement. “F*ck My Life,” shouts the group through the first titular track of the new album. But the track is actually the opposite of how pessimistic the title

K-popApril 25, 2023

BTS' Suga continues successful solo career, heads overseas

Making a successful solo comeback with his new album "D-Day," Suga of sensational K-pop band BTS gears up to extend his reach to overseas. Suga on Wednesday is set to begin his global concert tour, "'Suga | Agust D-Day Tour," in the US. Following the first gig at the UBS Arena in Belmont Park, New York, on Wednesday, the series will continue in Newark, Rosemont, Los Angeles and Oakland until mid-May. Suga will then embark on his Asian leg of the tour, starting off with c

K-popApril 25, 2023

After 6 years, Taeyang rises again with 'Down to Earth'

Keeping the seed of life alive inside him as he waited six prolonged years for his comeback was the sunset, singer Taeyang said ahead of the release of his new solo album. Watching the final burning of the sky before it loses its light, he felt comforted and healed. "Sunset is always followed by the night, and I saw myself in it as I'd felt like being drowned by darkness everyday. The sunset blends into darkness without complaining, and it made me think about what I could do and how I

K-popApril 25, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] Stray Kids to return in June: report

Stray Kids will make a comeback in early June, according to a local media report on Monday. JYP Entertainment confirmed the news following the report. It will be about eight months since its last EP “Maxident,” which notched the top spot on Billboard 200. It was the band’s second EP to claim the No. 1 spot on the main albums chart after its previous EP “Oddinary,” and the eight-piece act became the second K-pop artist to top the chart more than once, after BTS. The

K-popApril 24, 2023

Seventeen shouts 'F--- My Life' in new album

Seventeen returned Monday with its 10th EP, titled "FML," through which the K-pop band treats young ears to cheerful tunes and hopeful messages. "FML" marked the 13-piece group's return with a new album nine months after the release of its fourth LP reissue, "Sector 17," in July. "We've embodied all the music and messages that we had wanted to do and deliver in this album,"the group's leader S.Coups said in an official statement to the local

K-popApril 24, 2023

[Herald Interview] Veteran producer Lil Moshpit rolls out red carpet for rookie rapper Fleeky Bang

Hwimin, from the renowned music-producing duo GroovyRoom, and rookie rapper Fleeky Bang met for the first time as a judge and participant respectively through Mnet’s rap competition TV show “Show Me the Money 11." Although Fleeky Bang didn't advance to the final round of the competition, his unique rapping style caught the eye of the veteran producer, leading them to collaborate for the project album “Fleeky Season” that came out on April 17. The album, the firs

K-popApril 24, 2023

BTS' Suga dominates Japan's Oricon charts with solo album 'D-Day'

BTS' Suga has taken over the Japanese music charts with his latest solo album "D-Day." Dropped under his alias Agust D, "D-Day" and its tracks landed in the top tiers of Japan's Oricon charts. The album soared to No. 1 of Oricon's daily album ranking after its release on Friday, with over 110,000 copies sold inside Japan on its first day. The album's title track, "Haegeum," landed at No. 3 on the daily digital singles ranking, with the album'

K-popApril 23, 2023

BTS' Suga sells over 1m copies of 'D-Day' on 1st day of release

Superstar Suga of boy group BTS has recorded the biggest first-day sales as a K-pop soloist with his official debut solo album, "D-Day," according to sources in the music industry Saturday. The sources said the album sold over 1,070,000 copies in the first day following its release under Suga's other stage name, Agust D, on Friday, citing data from Hanteo Chart, a local album sales tracker. The record was previously set by his bandmate Jimin last month with "Face," whi

K-popApril 22, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] Army officially denies doing favors for BTS’ J-Hope

On Friday, the Korean Army commented on a media report that claimed it gave J-Hope of BTS certain privileges when he entered the boot camp. A local media asserted that six cars were allowed into the camp in Gangwon Province on Tuesday instead of one, as announced by the military. Access passes were given to the artist’s entourage in advance while other people were only given one on the site after confirming notice of enlistment. There have been prior consultations with his label to preven

K-popApril 21, 2023

BTS’ Suga fills 1st solo album 'D-Day' with honest thoughts

BTS’ Suga finally dropped his first official solo album, “D-Day,” on Friday under his soloist name, Agust D. The full-length album comes seven years after Suga began his solo career with his first self-titled mixtape, “Agust D,” in August 2016. His second mixtape, “D-2” was unveiled in 2020, led by chart-topping single “Daechwita.” “D-Day” comprises 10 tracks, including lead track “Haegeum” alongside the prerelease tra

K-popApril 21, 2023

[Graphic News] K-pop generates 8 of world’s 10 most-sold albums in 2022

Eight of the top 10 bestselling albums worldwide last year were K-pop albums, a global album sales chart showed. According to the Global Album Sales Chart 2022 released by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, an organization that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide, albums by K-pop acts swept eight of the top 10 positions on the chart. The IFPI Global Album Sales Chart ranks the biggest albums of the year based on the number of units sold across all

K-popApril 21, 2023