Ghost9 sets off on second journey with sixth EP ‘Arcade: V’

Having successfully wrapped up their first musical series “Now,” rookie boy band Ghost9 is back to embark on their new journey, “Arcade: Vow.” Ahead of dropping their new album “Arcade: V” on Thursday, the act conducted a joint interview with local press in a cafe in Seoul to talk about the new album and their recent US concert tour, “Into the Live: Now.” In January, Ghost9 traveled to four cities in the US, launching their first overseas conce

K-popApril 7, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] TXT to return in May: report

  Tomorrow X Together will make a comeback early next month, local media reported Wednesday. 　 Label Big Hit Music confirmed the news following the reports. 　 The band’s previous album was “The Chaos Chapter: Fight or Escape,” a repackage of its second full album “The Chaos Chapter: Freeze,” from August last year. The second LP peaked at No. 5 on Billboard 200, a career high, and also made the publication’s year-end charts. It is the only K-pop male musi

K-popApril 6, 2022

Don’t politicize BTS, some fans tell South Korea’s incoming president

Should BTS perform at the inauguration ceremony for South Korea’s incoming President Yoon Suk-yeol? Some fans say just leave the group alone. After a member of Yoon’s transition team said Tuesday that a BTS performance is being discussed for the May 10 event, fans of the K-pop juggernaut flooded the committee’s website with posts opposing it. “Please do not politicize BTS,” one post uploaded on Wednesday read. On the presidential office’s website, a simil

K-popApril 6, 2022

Hybe denies rumors of school bullying surrounding soon-to-debut group Le Sserafim

Hybe has denied school bullying rumors raised against a member of the label‘s soon-to-debut girl group Le Sserafim on Wednesday. “After the online rumors surrounding Kim Ga-ram were raised, we made efforts to confirm the facts. Such allegations were edited with malicious intent to problematize past events,” the K-pop agency said in a press release. After Source Music, an agency under Hybe, introduced Kim as the second member of Le Sserafim on Tuesday, several netizens claimin

K-popApril 6, 2022

Fall headfirst into love with Ive’s ‘Love Dive’

The cherry blossom season has arrived, and rookie girl group Ive has returned with its second digital single, “Love Dive,” released Tuesday evening, to fill in the warm-weather playlist. This marks the sextet’s return in nearly four months since they last released its debut single, “Eleven,” last December. In a press conference Monday, Yujin described the band’s second single as an “album that has a dual meaning.” She said the term “dive&r

K-popApril 5, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] Red Velvet releases 1st Japanese LP

Red Velvet will put out its first full album in Japan on Wednesday, announced label SM Entertainment on Tuesday. 　 The LP is titled “Bloom” and will consist of 11 tracks, including main track “Wildside.” The song contains a message to support those who never give up in reaching their goals. New songs in Japanese, such as “Jackpot,” “Snap Snap” and “Color of Love,” also will be included. 　 The female quintet has released two extended p

K-popApril 5, 2022

Transition committee, K-pop execs discuss support measures

The presidential transition committee for President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol met with executives of the country’s top K-pop agencies and industry experts to discuss a range of support measures for the K-pop industry. Those who attended Monday’s closed-door meeting included Hybe CEO Park Ji-won, S.M. Entertainment co-CEO Tak Young-jun, JYP Entertainment CEO Jung Wook, MNH Entertainment CEO Lee Ju-seop and BarunsonWIP Entertainment Vice President Yun Heung-kwan. The industry stakeholders

K-popApril 5, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] Kwon Eun-bi rolls out 2nd EP ‘Color’

   　 Kwon Eun-bi, formerly of IZ*ONE, held an online showcase Monday to introduce her second solo EP “Color.” 　 “I wish to be remembered as colors of the rainbow,” she said of the new EP. If the first EP “Open” signified the beginning of her solo career like opening a door, the new album is more about showing a broader range of herself, she explained. 　 “I endeavored to show the real Kwon Eun-bi rather than a prepared Kwon Eun-bi,” s

K-popApril 4, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] Le Sserafim to give sneak peek at debut song next week

   　 Soon-to-debut group Le Sserafim will reveal part of its debut song through its debut project. 　 The six-member act will debut next month and fans will be able to create a “digital souvenir” to mark their “first encounter.” 　 It will unveil the song partially on the website for the project, dubbed “The First Moment of Le Sserafim,” and fans can pick and choose from images, messages and voices of the bandmates for a unique combination. 　 Th

K-popApril 1, 2022

Seventeen to drop 1st English single this month

K-pop supergroup Seventeen will release its first English single this month to expand its presence in the global music market, the group's agency said Friday. The digital single will hit online music services at home and abroad at 1 p.m. on April 15, Pledis Entertainment said, adding it is a pre-release song of the band's fourth full-length album set to come out in May. "It marks the first time that Seventeen releases an English song in the form of a digital single. With the release, the gr

K-popApril 1, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] Girls’ Generation may return for 15th anniversary

    Sooyoung of Girls’ Generation hinted that the veteran idol group might make a comeback to mark the 15th anniversary of its debut. 　 On Wednesday during a Q&A session on her Instagram account, upon the request to comment on how she feels about the upcoming anniversary, she simply asked: “Are you ready?” 　 Earlier this month at the online signing event to celebrate the release of her third full album “INVU,” Taeyeon said it might be possible to

K-popMarch 31, 2022

TWICE to hold encore concert in L.A. after sold-out tour of US cities

K-pop girl group TWICE will return for a one-day encore concert in Los Angeles as part of its fourth world tour that took it to five US cities, including L.A., in February, the group's agency said Thursday. The nine-piece group will hold the concert at the 22,000-seat Banc of California stadium on May 14 (US time), becoming the first K-pop girl group to hold an individual show at a stadium in North America, JYP Entertainment said on the band's official social media channels. The band played seve

K-popMarch 31, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] Stray Kids sweeps Billboard charts

Stray Kids topped six Billboard charts including Billboard 200 with its latest EP and main track, according to the publication’s tally that came out on Tuesday in the US. 　 The EP, named “Oddinary,” was No. 1 on Billboard’s top album sales, top current album sales and world albums chart, as was lead track “Maniac” on world digital song sales chart. The band landed atop the artist 100 list. 　 This is the first time the eight-member act made it onto Billboard

K-popMarch 30, 2022

[Herald Interview] Producer Apro: ‘This is my story but also yours’

“Apro is different” is the signature sound that presents singer-producer Apro in his music. But surprisingly, the repeating message of his artworks, whether it be music, paintings or exhibitions, was that “we are all the same people.” And this key message permeates his forthcoming studio album, which he is currently unveiling song by song through a monthly project called “Avenue.” During a recent interview with The Korea Herald conducted following the releas

K-popMarch 30, 2022

Rush of K-pop comebacks to fill in April music craze

As the cherry blossom season is a time of new beginnings, a handful of K-pop acts are vying to control domestic and international music charts with new releases. From heavyweights to up-and-coming bands, many artists are gearing up for a spin next month. Following is a list of musicians ready to showcase their new songs and meet fans at concerts.  1. Exo’s Suho - April 4　 Suho of boy band Exo will come out with his second solo album, “Grey Suit,” Monday evening. The si

K-popMarch 30, 2022

Hybe to turn Las Vegas into ‘BTS city’ in April

With BTS set to hold four live concerts in front of fans in Las Vegas next month, Hybe, the K-pop powerhouse behind the boy band, is turning Sin City into BTS City through its The City project. The event will be held next month as part of the company‘s efforts to improve the fan experience for those traveling to the city for the live shows. BTS City will start welcoming visitors from Tuesday until April 17 and will take place at Allegiant Stadium, where the group will be performing, a

K-popMarch 30, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] Mamamoo’s Moonbyul to mark solo return next month: report

Moonbyul of Mamamoo will release new solo music in April, according to a local media report Tuesday.   　 Agency RBW Entertainment confirmed the news following the report.   　 She put out her third solo EP, “6quence,” in January, marking her first in almost two years. The EP topped iTunes top albums chart in 20 regions and sold over 70,000 copies in the first week.   　 Her first solo EP, “Selfish,” came out in 2018, as the second member of the quintet to

K-popMarch 29, 2022

Stray Kids top Billboard's main albums chart for third time as K-pop artist

South Korean boy group Stray Kids debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's main albums chart with their latest EP "Oddinary," the US music magazine said Tuesday, becoming the third K-pop act ever to top the chart. The seven-track album began atop the Billboard 200 chart dated April 2 with 110,000 equivalent album units earned in the United States in the week ending March 24, Billboard said on its social media channels. It added that the album was not just the first chart-topper for the act but

K-popMarch 29, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] Oh My Girl ready to sing “real love” in 2nd LP

Oh My Girl held a media showcase Monday to introduce its second studio album “Real Love.” 　 “We still have our bright and cheerful sides, but this album also shows us as more mature and solid,” said YooA. 　 It has been about three years since its first LP “The Fifth Season.” The group members hope that this new album would permeate like a subtle and gentle perfume. 　 The focus track “Real Love” highlights the wide range of vocals of the seven me

K-popMarch 28, 2022

NCT Dream switches on love mode through ‘Glitch Mode’

Less than a year since NCT Dream spiced up the summer season with seven different flavors of “Hot Sauce” by releasing its first LP, the boy band dropped its second LP, “Glitch Mode” on Monday evening. This marks the group’s return in nearly nine months since their previous work. In a press conference Monday, Mark described the album as “an album that has upgraded compared to when we released our first LP last year, and the album consists of a total of 11 tr

K-popMarch 28, 2022