Oh My Girl to drop 1st studio album in three years

K-pop girl group Oh My Girl will release its first full-length album in three years in late March, the group's agency said Monday. "Real Love," the second studio album from the group, will drop at 6 p.m. on March 28, WM Entertainment said. It marks the group's first full album in three years, with the latest one released in 2019. Debuting in April 2015 with the EP "Oh My Girl," the septet has since released hit singles, such as "Secret Garden," "The Fifth Seaso

K-popMarch 7, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] Pentagon to host fan meet next month

    　 Pentagon will meet fans in person at a fan meet event on April 2-3, announced agency Cube Entertainment on Friday. 　 Under the title “Pentagon’s Private Party,” the nine-member act will take to the stage twice. Both will be broadcast live as well. 　 Not all members will be present, however. Yeoone suspended activities last month after suffering a back injury from being hit by a drunk driver. Hui is currently serving his mandatory military duty. 　 The ban

K-popMarch 4, 2022

Tickets for BTS Seoul concerts sold out before public sale

All tickets for K-pop supergroup BTS' upcoming Seoul concerts were sold out on the first day of sales as were those for the group's Las Vegas shows earlier, sources in the music scene said Friday. The sources said tickets for all three "Permission To Dance On Stage - Seoul" concerts were sold out in a few hours after they went on sale exclusively for members of the BTS fan base ARMY at 8 p.m. the previous day, prior to a public sale. The concerts scheduled for March 10, 12 and 13 mark

K-popMarch 4, 2022

[Today’s K-pop ]Highlight to return with new album in March

    Highlight is gearing up for return in March, said agency Around Us Entertainment on Thursday. 　 The quartet finished shooting for a music video and jacket album photo recently and is in the final stage of releasing a new album. Its previous album was its third EP “The Blowing” from May last year. The EP, the first in over 3 1/2 years created by all four bandmates, ranked among the top 10 on the iTunes top albums chart in 15 regions. 　 Members of the band, now in i

K-popMarch 3, 2022

[Herald Interview] Valo dreams of creating ambiance with atmospheric sounds

While many musicians find fame through chart-topping songs, Valo is one of the lucky few who have made it big in the industry taking a less conventional route. The DJ producer, whose name wasn't even listed on music platforms, burst onto the music scene when he started disc jockeying in Cakeshop, a club that is dubbed the home of Itaewon’s music. He earned his stripes by producing the runway soundtrack for fashion brand Xperimnt for Seoul Fashion Week and boy band Mirae’s teaser s

K-popMarch 3, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] NU’EST to release last album before disbandment

   　 NU’EST will release a best-of album on March 15, one day after its disbandment, said agency Pledis Entertainment on Wednesday. 　 The date of the release falls on the tenth anniversary of its debut. The album, called “Needle & Bubble,” will chronicle the band’s decadelong music career. The album will be a parting gift for the band‘s fans, and will be full of messages the bandmates wanted to deliver to them, the company said. 　 On Monday, the

K-popMarch 2, 2022

Red Velvet to drop new EP album this month

South Korean girl group Red Velvet will be back with a new EP this month, the group's agency said Wednesday. The album titled "The ReVe Festival 2022 - Feel My Rhythm" will hit local music stores on March 21, SM Entertainment said, adding the EP consists of six songs, including the title track "Feel My Rhythm." Ahead of the release, Red Velvet will hold live concerts at Olympic Park in Seoul on March 19-20. It will be the group's first in-person concerts in two years and thre

K-popMarch 2, 2022

Seventeen ranks No. 3 on IFPI's 2021 global albums chart

K-pop supergroup Seventeen has reached No. 3 on the Global Album Sales Chart of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) for 2021, becoming the highest-charted K-pop artist. According to the official homepage of the nonprofit body that represents the recording industry worldwide Wednesday, the 13-member group put its name onto the chart with its ninth EP "Attacca," only after Adele's "30" and ABBA's "Voyage." The K-pop group also ranked No. 8

K-popMarch 2, 2022

NMIXX enters into unknown world through debut album ‘Ad Mare’

With more and more groups splashing onto the music scene here in the fourth generation of K-pop, rookie NMIXX is the latest to throw their hats into the ring. Produced by K-pop powerhouse JYP Entertainment, which houses globetrotting acts like boy band Stray Kids, the septet entered the K-pop fray last week with an ambition to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Wonder Girls, MissA, Twice and Itzy. The seven members of the girl group -- Haewon, Sullyoon, Jinni, Bae, Jiwoo and Kyujin, al

K-popMarch 1, 2022

Masterminds behind hip-hop in Korea: Who are they?

The East-meets-street style of beats were once censored and unwelcomed here, but now, the blossoming genre is topping charts and has become a musical staple. Not only are the rapping styles leading trendsetters, but the genre has built its own culture to represent the nation. But unlike other entertainment companies, the hip-hop scene is made up of smaller labels that specialize only in the genre. Following is a look into nine hip-hop heavyweights that are making a splash on the global music

K-popMarch 1, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] Rocket Punch returns with 4th EP

   　 Rocket Punch on Monday released its fourth EP, “Yellow Punch,” at a media showcase in Seoul. 　 The six members were happy to return after nine months and said that they put in a lot of effort to show how they have matured in terms of their music. 　 “This is the first time we’ve come out under a confident and cool concept,” Yeonhee said proudly. On stage, they went for a more mature look as was shown in the teasers. 　 “I thought to myself

K-popFeb. 28, 2022

BLACKPINK's Rose tests positive for COVID-19, cancels part of overseas schedule

Rose, a member of K-pop girl group BLACKPINK, tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday and canceled part of her upcoming overseas schedule, the group's agency said. "Rose tested positive in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) examination ahead of her departure for an overseas trip today," YG Entertainment said, adding the virus infection led her to cancel part of her schedule abroad. The remaining three members of the quartet have all tested negative. "Including Rose, all members pres

K-popFeb. 28, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] EXID’s Solji strikes out on her own

　 Solji of EXID held an online media conference Friday to roll out her first solo EP “First Letter.” 　 She compared the moment to “early summer” in terms of her journey as a musician. It has been 10 years since she debuted as a member of EXID, and 16 years after she entered the music scene as a part of ballad group 2NB. 　 “I believe a singer shines all the more as one matures. And from that point of view, I still consider myself at the beginning of my career as a m

K-popFeb. 25, 2022

BTS crowned IFPI Global Recording Artist for 2nd consecutive year

K-pop phenomenon BTS was recognized as Global Recording Artist of the Year by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, an organization representing the worldwide recording industry, on Thursday in the UK. The seven-member act became the first artists to nab the honor in two consecutive years, after having made history by becoming the first Asian act to win the award last year. The award is given to the bestselling artist of the year globally, based on a number of measuremen

K-popFeb. 25, 2022

Tickets nearly sold out for livestreaming of upcoming BTS concert at movie theaters

Tickets to remotely watch the upcoming BTS concert at movie theaters have nearly sold out, reflecting the high fan interest in the group's first in-person concert in Seoul in two years, officials said Friday. Some 36,000 tickets for "live viewing" of the K-pop superstars' concert on March 12 at the theaters of CJ CGV, Lotte Cinema and Megabox nearly sold out in minutes, according to the multiplex chains Friday. Each ticket costs 49,000 won ($40). CGV opened the sales of 25,000 tickets

K-popFeb. 25, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] (G)I-dle to release 1st LP next month

   　 (G)I-dle uploaded an artwork Thursday to share the news that it will put out its first studio album on March 14. 　 The teaser image themed after a shooting target spelled out “I Never Die.” 　 It has been over a year since the group released its fourth EP “I Burn.” It also is the first new album since it reorganized into a five-member act since Soojin left following a bullying rumor when she was in school. 　 In the meantime, claims were made online tha

K-popFeb. 24, 2022

[Herald Interview] ‘It took 10 years to be called singer Lee So-jung’

Lee So-jung reintroduced herself as a soloist to the public through JTBC’s popular “Sing Again” last year. Stepping outside her long-held comfort zone as part of Ladies’ Code and shrugging aside the burdens that came with the name, she said she “now hopes to become a singer who can smile” during the show. A year has passed since then, and Lee now thinks that she is happy, the artist said in an interview conducted in January at Herald Square in Yongsan, Seoul

K-popFeb. 24, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] TXT collabs again with Salem Ilese

　 Yeonjun and Taehyun of Tomorrow X Together teamed up with American musician Salem Ilese again, announced label Big Hit Music Wednesday. 　 The two were the featured artist for the singer/songwriter’s new single “PS5.” It was produced by DJ Alan Walker and released online on the day. It will be included in her upcoming EP “Unsponsored Content,” due on Feb. 25 in the US. 　 As the title suggests, the song describes how one is torn between playing video games and

K-popFeb. 23, 2022

[Herald Interview] Rapper Kisum talks about coping with COVID-19 with ‘Bare Trees’

Rapper and singer-songwriter Kisum has returned with her first new release in a year and ten months, putting behind a long winter and sharing her stories through the single “Bare Trees.” Penning both the melody and the lyrics, Kisum said the song compares the emotions she felt as she endured the COVID-19 pandemic to the bare trees. “Not just me, but all musicians, we have far fewer opportunities to work during the pandemic. I had to take a long break, and I felt then that I w

K-popFeb. 23, 2022

BTS 'Butter' music video tops 700m views

The music video for BTS' 2021 megahit single "Butter" surpassed 700 million YouTube views Wednesday, becoming the 10th video from the K-pop group to hit the milestone. The video passed the 700 million threshold at 9:31 a.m., about nine months after it was uploaded online on May 21 last year, the group's agency Big Hit Music said. The upbeat summer song became a global hit upon its release, staying on the Billboard's Hot 100 main singles chart for 10 non-consecutive weeks. The song's mu

K-popFeb. 23, 2022