Hybe Labels Japan's first boy band &Team to debut on Dec. 7

Hybe Labels Japan, the indie label affiliated to the K-pop powerhouse Hybe, is set to launch its first global group in December. The Japan-based company on Monday said through a press statement that its first idol group, &Team, will make its Japan debut on Dec. 7. The statement came two days after the band conducted a press event on Saturday in Japan to announce their debut and thank its fans who have waited long for them. "We wanted to share this joyful news first with our family and

K-popSept. 5, 2022

BTS' Busan concert venue changed to Asiad Main Stadium

The venue of K-pop giant BTS' upcoming concert in the southern port city of Busan has been changed to Asiad Main Stadium for the convenience of fans coming to see their favorite artists, the band's agency said Friday. The septet had planned to hold a one-day concert at a makeshift stage in Gijang, northeastern Busan, for free on Oct. 15 to support the city's bid to host the 2030 World Expo. The "Yet To Come in Busan" concert was expected to accommodate 100,000 spectators

K-popSept. 2, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] NCT 127 to host showcase to mark return

    NCT 127 will mark the release of fourth full album with a showcase in Ilsan, Gyeonggi Province on Sept. 16, announced label SM Entertainment on Friday. At the event “Faster,” the band will put on a series of performances including those for “2 Baddies,” titular track from the upcoming LP, and “Kick It,” one of its hits. It will be broadcast live as well via Beyond Live. The LP comes about 11 months since “Favorite,” reissue of th

K-popSept. 2, 2022

‘K-pop artist-driven content contributes to further spread of Hallyu’: Hybe’s content business lead

Hallyu, or the Korean Wave, has long been a global phenomenon around the globe. Amid the continued success of Korean content and the never-ending growing popularity of K-pop, the local entertainment industry has offered an exciting content strategy to meet the Hallyu fans' demand. The content business lead of Hybe, the K-pop powerhouse behind boy band BTS, believes that producing K-pop artist-driven content has largely contributed to enlarging global fandoms, as well as the spread of Korean cult

K-popSept. 2, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] Le Sserafim gears up for return as quintet: report

Le Sserafim is preparing for a new album due in the fall, according to a local media report Thursday. Agency Source Music confirmed the group is getting ready to for a return to the scene following the report, but did not provide any specifics. It will be the first album since the group reorganized into a quintet. Kim Garam left in July after her school bullying rumors stirred up controversy. The group debuted amid much hype in May and largely lived up to the anticipation. The band’s debu

K-popSept. 1, 2022

Free BTS concert in Busan faces snowballing concerns

Voices of concern are mounting over a megasized BTS concert in Busan, as problems stemming from an influx of concertgoers remain unresolved ahead of the event’s launch in October. On Oct. 15, under the title "BTS ‘Yet to Come’ in Busan," the K-pop septet will hold a concert in Gijang-gun of Busan as part of an effort to support the coastal city in its bid to host the 2030 World Expo. The seven members of BTS are honorary ambassadors of the 2030 Busan World Expo. Th

K-popSept. 1, 2022

Spotify’s Korean hip-hop playlist rebranded as ‘KrOWN’

Spotify, the world’s largest music streaming platform, has rebranded its flagship Korean hip-hop playlist “K-Hip-Hop+82” to “KrOWN,” the company said Wednesday. K-Hip-Hop +82 was first launched in April 2017 as Spotify’s first-ever editorial playlist focusing on South Korea’s East-meets-West music. The playlist on the platform presents the latest and most famous Korean hip-hop tracks on the playlist. The word is a coined term combining “Korea,&r

K-popSept. 1, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] SHINee’s Key tops iTunes chart in 23 regions with 2nd solo LP

    Key of SHINee landed atop the iTunes top albums chart in 23 regions with his second solo studio album. The LP “Gasoline” consists of 11 tracks including the titular track, which compares the explosive power of fuel to Key making his own way without hesitation, to an addictive hip-hop beat. The veteran idol wrote the words himself. The LP is his first solo work since first EP “Bad Love” that ranked No. 1 on iTunes top albums chart in 32 regions. His firs

K-popAug. 31, 2022

[Herald Review] SM Town Live in Tokyo: SM Entertainment’s yearslong milestone

TOKYO -- Under the starry, lofty dome of Japan’s largest concert venue, it was made crystal clear during a concert that ran over four hours with a whopping 41-song setlist: SM Entertainment, one of Korea’s largest entertainment agencies, has not only successfully recaptured the spirit of its early heydays, but also embodied the pinnacle of collective power made possible by bringing together various music genres. The label’s joint label concert, dubbed "SMTown Live 2022 :

K-popAug. 31, 2022

Making irregular the regular: NCT 127 on crafting own sonic identity

  In the cutthroat K-pop industry, many bands throw their glitzy hats into the ring with elements that make up the so-called “idol sound,” high production value with catchy hooks sung by camera-ready idols. But NCT 127 did it in a way nobody has ever done before. Short for Neo Culture Technology, NCT was formed under SM Entertainment in 2016 in a bid to produce an endless number of international boy bands under the NCT umbrella. It’s currently the biggest group in the mu

K-popAug. 31, 2022

Super rookie group Ive gains ground in cutthroat K-pop industry

Surviving the cutthroat K-pop industry is a daunting challenge for any group. It has been about nine months since rookie girl group Ive began its musical career, and the six-piece act not only surviving, but thriving in the K-pop scene. According to Aug. 22-28 data from local album sales tracker Hanteo Chart published Monday, Ive sold 924,363 copies of its third single "After Like" in the first week of its release. While first-week sales tallies usually indicate the size and loyalty

K-popAug. 31, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] Blackpink’s “Pink Venom” debuts on Billboard’s Hot 100 at No. 22

Blackpink’s single “Pink Venom” hit Billboard’s Hot 100 at No. 22, according to the publication on Monday in the US.  This is the highest spot for a K-pop female act, although the group’s collaboration with Selena Gomez, “Ice Cream,” ranked No. 13 on the chart in 2020. The previous record holder was Blackpink’s “How You Like That” at No. 33. “Pink Venom” is the pre-release from the quartet’s upcoming second stu

K-popAug. 30, 2022

150,000 flock to 'SMTown Live' in Tokyo

K-pop giant SM Entertainment on Monday closed the curtains to its joint label concert "SMTown Live 2022 : SMCU Express @Tokyo" in a huge success, with the three-day show attracting 150,000 live fans in Tokyo. Held as part of the K-pop label's world concert tour, "SMTown Live 2022," the event took place at Tokyo Dome in the Japanese capital between Saturday-Monday. This marks the return of the K-pop concert series to Tokyo in three years since it was last held in 2019, prior

K-popAug. 30, 2022

Mamamoo’s first subunit to release single ‘Better’

Mamamoo+, K-pop quartet Mamamoo’s first subunit, will release its first single, “Better” at 6 p.m. on Tuesday via online streaming sites. The duo consists of Solar and Moonbyul. According to the duo’s label RBW, “Better” is a romantic song about the comfort of being with a loved one. It features the bandmates’ refreshing vocals. as well as rapper Big Naughty as a featured artist. The subunit’s name is meant to denote that the members will continue

K-popAug. 30, 2022

Rocket Punch hopes to become ‘rising stars’ with 2nd single ‘Flash’

K-pop girl group Rocket Punch on Monday returned with the new single “Flash.” Ahead of dropping “Flash,” Rocket Punch conducted an online media press conference Monday afternoon. The second single from Rocket Punch, “Flash” marks a return for the group just six months since the act dropped its fourth EP, “Yellow Punch,” in February. Rocket Punch is a six-piece group consisting of Yeonhee, Juri, Yunkyung, Sohee, Suyun and Dahyun. “We&rsqu

K-popAug. 30, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] NCT127 announces world tour plans

NCT127 will extend its second world tour to North America and South America, as well as to more cities in Asia, announced label SM Entertainment on Monday. 　 The band kicked off its tour “Neo City – The Link” in Seoul in December. It performed in Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya in Japan, as well as in Singapore. In September, it will head to Manila, the Philippines, and in October, begin the US leg of the tour, landing in Los Angeles first. More destinations in Latin America and Asia

K-popAug. 29, 2022

‘Min Hee-jin Effect’: How the K-pop mastermind and NewJeans are doing things differently

Min Hee-jin, CEO of label Ador (All Doors One Room), in 2010 said in an interview with a local media outlet that “physical CDs are no longer something to be heard but seen,” because “it’s through the CD covers that the consumer meets new music.” Then the manager of SM Entertainment’s visual directing team, Min shared her strategy to overcome the drop in physical album sales. As visual director, Min not only designed the album cover and styles, but she turned

K-popAug. 29, 2022

Up10tion’s Lee Jin-hyuk hopes to flaunt seductive, charismatic charms with 5th solo EP ‘5ight’

Lee Jin-hyuk of boy band Up10tion returned to the K-pop scene on Monday, hoping to show his fatal charms through his fifth solo EP, “5ight.” It has been about nine months since the singer and actor released his fourth EP, “Ctrl+V,” in October last year. Since the artist made his solo debut with “S.O.L” in 2019, he has released four solo albums, including “Splash!” and “Scene26.” He had shown fresh and energetic charms through the pr

K-popAug. 29, 2022

BTS, Blackpink, Seventeen win big at MTV Video Music Awards

BTS, Blackpink and Seventeen took home a bag of trophies from the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards, extending a winning streak for K-pop in the global music scene. BTS, the most-nominated group of this year’s awards ceremony, won for group of the year for the fourth consecutive year. The MTV VMAs are one of the four major annual US music shows, along with the Billboard Music Awards, Grammy Awards and American Music Awards. The K-pop phenomenon’s win was announced at the award ceremony

K-popAug. 29, 2022

[Video] How a Filipino-Argentinian star broke into the Kpop scene

Starting out as a commercial model, to a big star in the Philippines, Chanty Videla put a stop to her successful career back home to become a K-pop idol @Lapillus | From what made her love Kpop so much to her goals as a Kpop star, check out the video for more! By Kim Min-jung (minjung.kim@heraldcorp.com) Choi Jeong-yoon (jychoi@heraldcorp.com)   By Korea Herald (khnews@heraldcorp.com)

K-popAug. 26, 2022