BTS to perform at Grammy Awards for third consecutive year

K-pop supergroup BTS will take the stage for the annual Grammy Awards for the third consecutive year, organizers have said. The South Korean group was among the artists announced by the US Recording Academy on Tuesday (US time) to perform during the 64th awards ceremony on April 3. Other big names on the list were Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish, Lil Nas X, Brandi Carlile and Brothers Osborne. BTS performed jointly with Lil Nas X at the 62nd Grammy Awards held two years ago and hit the stage alone

K-popMarch 16, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] Astro’s Moonbin, Sanha return with second EP

　 Moonbin and Sanha of Astro held an online showcase Tuesday to introduce their second EP as a unit. 　 The EP comes out about 1 1/2 years since the previous EP “In-Out” and the title “Refuge” signifies how they want to offer shelter for listeners, taking a step further from the message of healing from the first EP. 　 They had high expectations for each other and were pleased that they managed to release the EP on the originally planned date. They tested positive for COVI

K-popMarch 15, 2022

K-pop rookie Ive to drop second single next month

New girl group Ive will release its second single album "Love Dive" on April 5, the group's agency Starship Entertainment said Tuesday. The K-pop agency posted a teaser image about the upcoming record on social media. It will mark the first release from the six-piece group since its debut single "Eleven" last December. "Eleven" became an instant hit with K-pop fans at home and abroad, topping various domestic music charts and made it onto music charts across the wor

K-popMarch 15, 2022

JYP Entertainment sets up US arm to expand access to North American market

JYP Entertainment, the K-pop label behind TWICE and Stray Kids, said Tuesday it has established a US branch to expand its reach to the North American market. "We have set up JYP USA to secure a foothold in the North American market, where the K-pop base continues to expand, and attempt a new strategic evolution," the company said in a release. The local corporation will work to help JYP-managed artists' advance to the US market in the future as well as to discover and nurture new talen

K-popMarch 15, 2022

Hybe's Bang to get honorary doctorate from Seoul Nat'l University

Bang Si-hyuk, founder and chairman of K-pop powerhouse Hybe that manages BTS, will receive an honorary doctorate from Seoul National University (SNU), school officials said Tuesday. Bang will be the first entertainment industry figure to get the SNU degree that is given to a person who has made a special contribution to academic development or improvement of the cultural heritage of mankind, according to officials. The 49-year-old Bang is a music producer best known for launching BTS in 2013 and

K-popMarch 15, 2022

One member down, but (G)I-dle is still alive and kicking

Often in troubled moments, we need to take a step back in order to take two steps forward. Likewise, K-pop girl group (G)I-dle is returning to the music scene after over a year, short a member from their original six, yet stronger and more determined than ever. On Monday, the girl group conducted a media showcase event ahead of the release of the first full-length album, “I Never Die,” later the same day. “As it’s our comeback after a long hiatus, I prepared as if we

K-popMarch 15, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] (G)I-dle returns as quintet

(G)I-dle came out with its first studio album on Monday and held an online showcase to discuss it return. 　 It has been over a year since the band put out new music and is the first time it presents itself as a five-member act. 　 The LP is titled “I Never Die” and the group wanted to show spirit and determination, said leader Soyeon. It focuses on speaking out against prejudices, exuding confidence that “I’m just me,” added Minnie. 　 Main track “Tomboy&rdqu

K-popMarch 14, 2022

Red Velvet's Irene, Joy, Yeri test positive for COVID-19; live concerts canceled

Three members of K-pop girl group Red Velvet -- Irene, Joy and Yeri -- have tested positive for COVID-19, leading to the cancellation of all two concerts scheduled for the weekend, the group's agency said Monday. The members recently tested positive through self-test kits and then underwent polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, which returned positive results, SM Entertainment said. Having completed their vaccination, the three are receiving treatment at home without presenting any special symp

K-popMarch 14, 2022

Seventeen's The 8 to drop individual Chinese single

The 8, a member of K-pop boy group Seventeen, will release his fourth individual single sung in Chinese this week, his agency said Monday. The single, "Hai Cheng," will hit online music services across the world at 11 a.m. Friday, Pledis Entertainment said. It marks the first individual song from the member in about 11 months, after he dropped "Side By Side" in April last year. The title "Hai Cheng" was named after Haicheng, the singer's hometown in China's central

K-popMarch 14, 2022

BTS Seoul concerts attract 2.46 million fans around the world

K-pop supergroup BTS' three live concerts in Seoul have attracted 2.46 million fans both on and offline, the group's agency said Monday. The "BTS Permission To Dance On Stage - Seoul" shows were held at Seoul Olympic Stadium on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday nights, with the first and third-night shows streamed live online and the second-night concert available for "live-viewing" at movie theaters across the world. The shows drew a total audience of 45,000 at Seoul Olympic Sta

K-popMarch 14, 2022

BTS' Seoul concert scores more than $32m at global box office: report

The second of K-pop supergroup BTS's three concerts in Seoul has raked in more than $32 million from movie theaters across the world, where fans in different countries were able to watch it live, according to a report by a US entertainment magazine. "BTS Permission To Dance On Stage - Seoul" was held Saturday as one of the septet's first shows before a live audience in its home country since 2019 and accumulated $32.6 million from 3,711 theaters in 75 countries around the world, Variet

K-popMarch 14, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] Jay Park happy with IU collaboration

    Jay Park discussed his new digital single “Ganadara,” which features IU.   　 This is the first time the two musicians have teamed up, with the single having come out Friday.   　 “She said ‘Let’s work together someday when there’s an opportunity,’ and I instantly started making the song and asked her (to collaborate),” he confided. He said she was the ultimate professional and he loved her vocal tone, describing the re

K-popMarch 11, 2022

[Herald Review] Noiseless yet louder: BTS and fans brought closer through pandemic concert

Masks on at all times, no shouting, no jumping, only clapping -- never before had there been a K-pop concert with such rules, but even with these regulations in place, BTS’ Seoul concert on Thursday rocked Jamsil Olympic Stadium louder than ever. The band on Thursday kicked off the BTS Permission To Dance On Stage – Seoul concert series at the sports complex in southern Seoul, the same venue they had last held a domestic in-person concert in October 2019. Olympic Stadium was where t

K-popMarch 11, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] EXO’s Suho to release solo album next month

Suho of EXO will come out with his second solo album in April, according to a local media report Thursday.   　 Label SM Entertainment confirmed the news, saying he is preparing the album and will return to the scene next month.   　 This is the first official activity for the veteran idol, who completed his mandatory military duty as an alternative social worker last month.   　 “I’m preparing a gift for EXO-L,” he said upon discharge referring to the band's off

K-popMarch 10, 2022

BTS and Korean fans to finally reunite after two years

The ground surrounding Jamsil Olympic Stadium in southern Seoul was still empty Wednesday afternoon, a day before a long-awaited concert for K-pop sensation BTS. Faintly ringing out around the venue was the group’s song “On” as the last day of rehearsals took place beyond the closed doors. Less than 24 hours later, the entire area will be bustling with tens of thousands of fans, as BTS kicks off its three-day entertainment series, “BTS Permission to Dance On Stage &ndash

K-popMarch 9, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] Twice adds concert to Tokyo tour

Twice will perform one more time at Tokyo Dome on April 25, announced label JYP Entertainment on Tuesday. 　 The band was planning to perform live at the dome on April 23-24, as part of its fourth international tour. The nine-member act kicked off its tour with two concerts in Seoul in December last year and performed live in front of a total of 100,000 audience members over seven shows in five US cities last month. 　 Twice hit the Tokyo Dome stage for the first time in March 2019, in the short

K-popMarch 8, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] Stray Kids announces int’l tour schedule

Stray Kids will kick off its international tour on April 30, announced label JYP Entertainment on Monday. 　 Starting with two concerts in Seoul, the band will fly off to Kobe, Japan in June and hop off to Tokyo the following week. On June 29, it will head to the US and visit fans in seven cities and wrap up with final two-day performances in Tokyo on July 27. More concerts may be added as the “And More” phrase from the poster hinted. It has been almost 2 1/2 years since it hosted an

K-popMarch 7, 2022

(G)I-dle to return as five after one-year hiatus

After nearly a year away from music and following a bandmate’s departure, girl group (G)I-dle is returning with its first LP on March 14. The band first floated the news at the end of last month by uploading an artwork on social media of a shooting target with the words, “I Never Die,” the name of its first studio album. Leading the nine-song package is “Tomboy,” and as a self-made group in the K-pop scene, Soyeon was once again listed as a producer for the titu

K-popMarch 7, 2022

Fake K-pop merchandise faces tougher crackdown

The Korea Music Content Association has joined hands with the Korean Intellectual Property Office to crack down on online sellers of counterfeit K-pop merchandise, according to the association on Monday. Amid the global popularity of Hallyu content, an increasing number of items that violate trade marks and other rights of entertainment agencies are being sold online. Frequently pirated items include light sticks, photo cards and clothes. Major entertainment firms such as Hybe, S.M. Entertai

K-popMarch 7, 2022

NCT Dream to throw online concert to mark 2nd full album

South Korean boy group NCT Dream will give an online concert next month with its second full-length record set to drop late this month, the group's agency said Monday. The concert "Dream Stage: Glitch Mode" will be streamed on the Beyond Live platform on April 5, SM Entertainment said. The subunit of the 23-person K-pop mega group NCT will perform tracks in the second full album "Glitch Mode" as well as other hit singles during the show, which will be prerecorded, the agency

K-popMarch 7, 2022