aespa listed as one of 'next generation leaders' by TIME

South Korean girl group aespa has been chosen as one of the Next Generation Leaders by the US news magazine TIME. Since 2014, the magazine has annually announced the list featuring trendsetters and trailblazers who are guiding the way to a brighter future. "aespa is an experiment, but it may also be the inevitable next step for the music industry: a fresh way to bridge the virtual and the real," it commented of the rookie group, unveiling the list Wednesday (US time). Debuting in Novem

K-popMay 13, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] Stray Kids’ “Thunderous” music video tops 200m views

   The music video for Stray Kids’ 2021 hit “Thunderous” surpassed 200 million views on YouTube, according to label JYP Entertainment on Thursday. 　 It became the third music video from the eight-member act to reach the milestone following those of “God’s Menu” and “Back Door.” 　 The song is the main track from its second full album “Noeasy” and topped iTunes top songs chart in 52 regions when it came out in August last year.

K-popMay 12, 2022

(G)I-dle to hold first world tour

South Korean girl group (G)I-dle will hold a world concert tour for the first time since its debut four years ago, its agency said Thursday. The tour will kick off in Seoul on June 18 and 19, and make stops in 15 major cities in the United States, Chile, Mexico, Indonesia, the Philippines, Japan and Singapore until Oct. 1, Cube Entertainment said. Debuting in May 2018, the quintet has released many popular songs, such as "Latata" (2018), "Senorita" (2019), "Oh My God&quo

K-popMay 12, 2022

Jeong Sewoon invites people to stop by his ‘musical garden’ and gain comfort through ‘Where is my Garden!’

As the season has changed from the springtime blooms to bright summer, singer-songwriter Jeong Sewoon has welcomed the transition with his fifth EP, “Where is my Garden!” released Wednesday evening. This is the soloist’s first release since “24 Part 2,” which was put out in January 2021. In a press conference Wednesday, the singer described his latest album as “an album that sings the hopes that the youth carry.” The titular garden is Jeong’

K-popMay 11, 2022

Ciipher ready to crack ‘The Code’ with third EP

Singer Rain’s boy band Ciipher on Wednesday dropped its third EP “The Code,” making a return in eight months since their last album. The seven-piece band -- comprising members Tan, Hyunbin, Hwi, Keita, Tag, Dohwan and Won -- conducted a press conference in Seoul on Wednesday afternoon ahead of the album’s release that day. Spruced up in chic black suits, the boys performed the new title song “Fame” leading “The Code,” along with the sub-title tra

K-popMay 11, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] TXT’s new album becomes million-seller in record time

　 Tomorrow X Together’s fourth EP “minisode 2: Thursday’s Child” sold more than 1.07 million copies in two days, according to label Big Hit Music on Wednesday. 　 The EP came out Monday and became the boy band’s first million-selling album, only three years since its debut, a record in K-pop history. It sold more than 1.46 million units in preorders. 　 The five-track EP topped iTunes top albums chart in 43 regions upon release as did focus track “Good Boy Gon

K-popMay 11, 2022

BLACKPINK's 'How You Like That' choreography video tops 1.1b views

The choreography video for "How You Like That," a 2020 hit single by K-pop girl group BLACKPINK, has surpassed 1.1 billion views on YouTube. The group's agency YG Entertainment said Wednesday the video hit the milestone slightly after midnight, one year and 10 months after it was uploaded on the global video streaming service. The number 1.1 billion is the largest for a K-pop choreography video. The song's official music video has garnered 1.09 billion streams as of 9 a.m. Including th

K-popMay 11, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] TXT tops iTunes chart in 43 regions with 4th EP

Tomorrow X Together landed atop the iTunes top albums chart in 43 regions with its fourth EP “minisode 2: Thursday’s Child,” said label Big Hit Music on Tuesday. 　 The EP was released on Monday and sold over 910,000 copies on the day. The band is the second K-pop band to sell more than 900,000 units on the first day of sales, second only to BTS. 　 The main track “Good Boy Gone Bad” was No. 1 on the iTunes top songs chart in 19 regions, and the music video amassed 5

K-popMay 10, 2022

Psy returns to Billboard Hot 100 after 7 years with 'That That'

South Korean singer-rapper Psy has put his name onto Billboard's main singles chart for "That That," his collaborative tune with Suga of K-pop supergroup BTS, the US music magazine said Tuesday. The main track from Psy's ninth full-length album "Psy 9th" debuted at No. 80 on this week's Hot 100 songs chart, Billboard said on Twitter. All charts will be updated on the company's website a day later. The album was the first release from the singer in five years. The Hot 100 rank

K-popMay 10, 2022

Tomorrow X Together talks about heartbreaks and growth from first breakup in new album

No one finds their first breakup easy, but it does not have to be all tears and anger. That’s the message from K-pop boy band Tomorrow X Together on their new album “minisode 2: Thursday’s Child.” Before dropping the album, Tomorrow X Together, also known as TXT in short, held an in-person media showcase in Seoul on Monday. Leading the album is “Good Boy Gone Bad,” a hardcore hip-hop track infused with a rock sound that depicts an innocent boy engulfed in

K-popMay 9, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] GOT7 to reunite for new EP

All seven members of GOT7 will make a comeback in an eponymous EP on May 23, according to Warner Music Korea on Monday. 　 The last time the group created new music was for the digital single “Encore” from February last year. The previous physical album, its fourth, was “Breath of Love: Last Piece,” which came out in November 2020. 　 “The album is for those who have waited for us, and everyone who is there for us,” the bandmates said in a statement, describi

K-popMay 9, 2022

Le Sserafim sets first-week sales record with debut album

Le Sserafim, the first girl group from K-pop powerhouse Hybe, has recorded the most first-week sales of any debut album by girl groups in South Korea ever, the group's management agency said Monday. "Fearless," the group's first EP released last Monday, sold 307,450 copies in the first week of its release, Source Music said, citing data from Hanteo, a local album sales tracker. The opening-week figure is the highest among all debut albums by South Korean girl groups and ninth highest f

K-popMay 9, 2022

NCT Dream to drop repackage album this month

Boy group NCT Dream will release "Beatbox," a repackage of its second full-length album, this month, the group's management agency said Monday. The new album will come out on May 30 and has a total of 15 tracks, including four new songs, SM Entertainment said. NCT Dream's second LP "Glitch Mode" was released on March 28 and sold 2.1 million copies in the first week of its release. The group debuted in 2016 as the third subunit of K-pop supergroup NCT with its song "Chewi

K-popMay 9, 2022

’KCON Premiere 2022’ opens doors in Seoul to cheers of K-pop fans

Cheers rose to deafening levels as a fully masked crowd of about 200 K-pop fans invited to “KCON 2022 Premier” packed into the CJ ENM Center in Sangam-dong, western Seoul, on Saturday celebrated the return of fan chants and screaming out loud. The first edition of the premiere shows leading up to the main event, “KCON 2022,” was significant as it not only marked the return of the annual global K-pop festival, but also the lifting of a noise ban imposed on audiences at co

K-popMay 8, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] WJSN to host concert in June

   　 WJSN will host a standalone concert in June for the first time in over three years, said agency Starship Entertainment on Friday. 　 The concert will be held in Seoul on June 11-12 and is titled “Wonderland.” 　 The 10-member act debuted in 2016 with “MoMoMo.” It originally planned to hold the concert “Obliviate” in 2020, but it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Its previous concert was “Secret Box” from 2019. 　 “

K-popMay 6, 2022

[Herald Interview] An old soul with a new style: 16-year-old Park Hyeon-jin draws on his youth to deliver kaleidoscope of emotions

Wearing black from head to toe, Park Hyeon-jin’s first impression was different from that of the energizing songs he’s known for. But in person, his chic, aloof appearance gives way, becoming bright and animated as he speaks about his music and trying to touch people’s emotions with his tunes, where words alone can’t. The 16-year-old is a new face on hip-hop label H1ghr Music’s roster, but despite his age he has been in and out of the public eye since winning s

K-popMay 6, 2022

BTS to release compilation album in June

K-pop sensation BTS will release a new compilation album that includes three new tracks next month, its agency said Thursday. "Proof" is set to be released June 10, Big Hit Entertainment said in a statement through the group's Weverse page. The three-CD album will be BTS' first official release since "Butter," its second English single, in July last year, which sold nearly 2 million copies in its first week of release. The new album will celebrate the septet's ninth anniversa

K-popMay 5, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] Stray Kids extends stay on Billboard 200 to 6th week

Stray Kids added another week to its streak on Billboard 200 as EP “Oddinary” ranked No. 126 on the chart for the week of May 7. 　 The EP from March debuted on the chart as No. 1, and the eight-piece act became the third K-pop artist to top it following BTS and SuperM. The EP has reigned on the publication’s world albums chart for six consecutive weeks. The album generated 100 million streams on Spotify as of last month and the music video for main track “Maniac”

K-popMay 4, 2022

iKON’s new album a ‘Flashback’ of its past, present and future

K-pop boy band iKON returned in over a year with its fourth EP “Flashback” on Tuesday, setting forth on their post-COVID-19 journey to meet fans in person. The six-piece act from K-pop powerhouse YG Entertainment is comprised of members Song, Jay, Ju-ne, Chan, Bobby and DK. The band conducted a press showcase on Tuesday morning ahead of the album’s release at 6 p.m. that day. “I think it’s our first time holding a press conference since 2018, and we feel sort of

K-popMay 3, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] Le Sserafim tops iTunes chart in 13 regions with debut album

Le Sserafim landed atop the iTunes top albums chart in 13 regions with its debut EP “Fearless,” according to agency Source Music on Monday. 　 The EP was among the top 10 on the chart in five countries. 　 The titular track was No. 1 on the iTunes top songs chart in two regions, as was the track “Blue Flame” in Peru. Members Chaewon and Yoonjin participated in writing the lyrics for the latter. 　 All tracks from the EP entered LINE Music’s real-time chart in Japan o

K-popMay 3, 2022