Police question TVXQ's U-Know Yunho for allegedly violating social distancing rules

Police said Tuesday they questioned TVXQ's U-Know Yunho for allegedly violating the nighttime curfew designed to stop the spread of the coronavirus.    The singer, whose legal name is Jung Yun-ho, is suspected of staying at a restaurant in southern Seoul after 10 p.m., according to the Seoul Metropolitan Police.    Under the current social distancing rule that took effect on Feb. 15, all restaurants and coffee shops in the greater Seoul area must close at 10 p.m.  &nb

K-popMarch 9, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] NU’EST to return with 2nd LP

NU’EST will come out with the group’s seventh studio album, according to local media on Tuesday.   　 It will celebrate the ninth anniversary of its debut next week and announced that it will return with new music. It has been seven years since it released its first full-length album “Re:BIRTH” and about a year since the eighth EP “Nocturne.”   　 Baekho will show novel sounds, taking the lead in producing the album while the rest of the bandmates

K-popMarch 9, 2021

Preorders for BLACKPINK member Rose's debut solo album tops 400,000

K-pop girl group BLACKPINK member Rose's upcoming solo album has sold 400,000 units in global preorders, the singer's management agency said Tuesday. The number comes in just four days since the company started taking preorders, according to YG Entertainment. It claimed that the figure is a record for a K-pop solo female act. Rose, known as the four-piece act's main vocalist, is set to release her first-ever solo material on Friday. The album is titled "R," after the singer's initial

K-popMarch 9, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] Twice to release 8th Japanese single

Twice surprised fans with a clip that announced that it will unveil its eighth Japanese single in May. 　 At the end of its online live show “Twice in Wonderland” that was broadcast on Saturday, Nayeon said: “The concert may be over and we look forward to meeting you again. We’ll drop a huge spoiler.” Then the band sent their audience abuzz at the end with the snippet that said it will come out with new single named “Kura Kura” on May 12. 　 Head produ

K-popMarch 8, 2021

TWICE to drop new Japanese single album in May

K-pop girl group TWICE will drop a new single in Japan in May, according to its label-management company Monday. The group's eighth Japanese single, titled "Kura Kura," will be released on May 12, according to JYP Entertainment. Written by Park Jin-young, producer and founder of JYP Entertainment, the new song features the enchanted emotion of two lovers, according to the company. It is a follow-up announcement on the upcoming release after the group surprisingly disclosed the plan

K-popMarch 8, 2021

BTS to become 1st Korean nominee to perform at upcoming Grammy Awards

K-pop sensation BTS, which earned a nomination from this year's Grammy Awards, is set to perform at music's biggest night in the United States next week, the event's organizers have said. The Recording Academy on Sunday (US time) announced the full performers lineup for the 63rd Grammys. BTS is among 22 listed musicians, including Dua Lipa, Roddy Ricch, Taylor Swift, Cardi B, Billie Eilish, Megan Thee Stallion and Post Malone, that will perform at the event this coming Sunday. It is the first

K-popMarch 8, 2021

Indie rock band HYUKOH to hold online concert in Gyeongju this month

HYUKOH, one of the most popular indie rock bands here, will hold its first online concert in the southeastern historical city of Gyeongju later this month, its management agency said Saturday. "HYUKOH 2021 Online World Tour: through love" will air twice for fans here and outside of Korea, according to DooRooDooRoo Artist Company. Local fans can tune in via Korean ticketing website Interpark at 7 p.m. on March 27, while fans outside of the country can watch on livestream platform Dice

K-popMarch 6, 2021

BTS says 'Love Myself' initiative helped them embrace themselves more

Global superstar BTS said taking part in the United Nations Children's Fund's (UNICEF) campaign aimed at ending violence and sharing hope among children and young people has actually helped them love themselves more. "I thought we're doing this for people around us but I realized as time passed that many changes also happened within myself," Jimin said in a video marking the renewal of the group's support for the global initiative. Jin agreed, noting how the campaign that kicked off

K-popMarch 5, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] Monsta X’s I.M sweeps Billboard’s global chart with solo EP

I.M of Monsta X saw all of the tracks from his first solo digital EP rank on Billboard’s World Digital Song Sales Chart, according to the music media outlet’s tally for next week. 　 Title track “God Damn” ranked No. 9, and “Howlin,” “Happy to Die,” “Flower-ed” and “Burn” settled at No. 17, 18, 20 and 21, respectively. The EP, called “Duality,” rose to the top of iTunes worldwide albums chart upon its release i

K-popMarch 5, 2021

BTS named Global Recording Artist of 2020

After spending a phenomenal year with megahits "Dynamite" and "Life Goes On" in 2020, BTS has been crowned Global Recording Artist of the Year by an organization representing the worldwide recording industry. The win on Wednesday (US local time) marks a first for an act that performs primarily in a non-English language. It also is the first time for an artist who mostly sings in a language other than English to be included on the Global Artist Chart for a third consecutive

K-popMarch 5, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] EXO’s Baekhyun to return as solo

Baekhyun of EXO is preparing a new solo album that is slated to be released at the end of March, according to a local news report Thursday. SM Entertainment confirmed that it will be unveiled on March 30 following the report.  It has been 10 months since he put out second solo EP “Delight” but he has kept himself busy rolling out digital single “Amusement Park” in December 2020 and first Japanese solo EP “Baekhyun” in January. His solo debut EP &ldqu

K-popMarch 4, 2021

K-pop songstress IU to release new album on March 25

IU, one of the K-pop scene's most prominent female solo acts, is set to drop her fifth full album later this month, her agency confirmed Thursday. Titled "Lilac," the singer-songwriter's studio album will be released March 25, according to EDAM Entertainment. It did not elaborate on the details of the upcoming album. A teaser image uploaded on IU's official social media channel shows the singer gazing into the camera in a simple shirt with lilac flowers falling in the background. Th

K-popMarch 4, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] iKON returns to sing of broken heart

IKON was ready to come out with new music for the first time in 13 months Wednesday.   　 The band is releasing a digital single titled “Why Why Why” that sings about love that blooms beautifully before withering away. The song blends poetic guitar riffs and heavy bass sounds with the lyrics, including the rap by Bobby, and portrays being unable to accept a breakup, asking both himself and her before slowly coming to acknowledge it.   　 In addition to promoting the new si

K-popMarch 3, 2021

BTS to appear on Korean TV shows this month

For fans who are looking forward to seeing more of BTS, March is expected to be an exciting month, with the global superstars scheduled to appear on two local TV programs. A 100-minute episode of the popular tvN show "You Quiz on the Block" featuring the seven-piece act is first set to air at 8:40 p.m. on March 24. The show, hosted by the comedian duo Yoo Jae-suk and Jo Se-ho, usually invites a number of guests, but the BTS episode will be solely dedicated to the band. BTS and Yoo ha

K-popMarch 3, 2021

BTS again tops Billboard's Artist 100 chart, sets record as group act

Global superstar BTS has set another record, this time by claiming No. 1 on the Billboard's Artist 100 chart for a 16th week, the most for a group act. The seven-piece act ranked No. 1, up four notches from the previous week, on the metric that measures artists' popularity across album and track sales, radio airplay and streaming as well as social media performance. It marks a record for a duo or group act. Overall, BTS has now topped the chart the most after Taylor Swift, Drake and The Weeknd

K-popMarch 3, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] BTS’ J-hope drops solo single

J-hope of BTS surprised fans with a new solo song called “Blue Side” on Tuesday.  The artist worked on what was originally an outro track from his 2018 solo mixtape “Hope World” into a full song adding lyrics and elongating the melody with the help of songwriters Hiss Noise and Adora.  “It’s been three years since ‘Hope World’ came out today,” he said in a posting on the blog.  “There are times when I miss those inno

K-popMarch 2, 2021

BLACKPINK's Rose to drop solo album next week

BLACKPINK member Rose, known as the main vocalist of the four-piece K-pop girl group, will be releasing her debut solo album next week, her agency said Tuesday. YG Entertainment shared two teaser images for her upcoming album, showing the date "March 12, 2021." It did not elaborate on the title and tracks of the album. The album release comes more than one month after the BLACKPINK member first performed one of the songs for the album, "Gone," in the act's first online conc

K-popMarch 2, 2021

BTS ranks 7th on Billboard albums chart with release of 'BE' new edition

Global superstar BTS' EP album "BE" has reentered the top 10 of the Billboard 200 chart, boosted by the release of the album's new edition last month, the magazine has said. On Sunday (US local time), it said in an article on the preview of the upcoming chart that "BE" jumped to seventh on the Billboard main albums chart for this week from last week's 74th. The surge follows the recent release of the album's new edition called the "Essential Edition." The "B

K-popMarch 1, 2021

BTS, Leenalchi, Jeongmilla sweep prizes at Korean Music Awards

Global sensation BTS, alternative pop band Leenalchi and folk singer-songwriter Jeongmilla scooped up multiple awards, including top prizes, at the Korean Music Awards held late Sunday. The Korean Music Awards, now in its 18th year, is an annual music award ceremony that awards musicians on the basis of artistic achievement rather than popularity or commercial success. The ceremony was held without an audience for the second straight year due to the pandemic. BTS received two trophies -- Best

K-popFeb. 28, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] BTS’ V drops hint for mixtape

V of BTS gave out hints for his mixtape in a video clip uploaded on the band’s YouTube channel on Thursday.  In the teaser clip for the makings of the band’s “BE” album, the artist said that about 13 tracks will be included in his solo mixtape to the delight of his fans who have been awaiting the release.  At the global media conference held for the “BE” album in November last year, he said that he is interested in classic and Jazz music and altho

K-popFeb. 26, 2021