BLACKPINK's 'Ice Cream' stays on Billboard Hot 100 for 2nd week

SEOUL -- K-pop girl group BLACKPINK's single "Ice Cream" remained on Billboard's main singles Hot 100 chart for the second week since its release. "Ice Cream," featuring American pop singer Selena Gomez, finished at 49th on the latest Hot 100 chart after debuting at No. 13 last week, according to Billboard on Tuesday (US time). The Hot 100 debut of "Ice Cream" last week marked the highest position ever by a K-pop girl group on Billboard's main chart. The quartet'

K-popSept. 16, 2020

Seventeen earns fourth-consecutive Oricon album chart win with '24H'

K-pop boy band Seventeen scored its fourth-straight win on Japan's Oricon weekly album chart with its latest Japanese record "24H," the group's management agency said Tuesday. "24H," the 13-member boy group's second Japanese EP record, ranked at No. 1 on Oricon's weekly album chart for the week of Sept. 7-15, according to Pledis Entertainment. The album was released on Sept. 9. Seventeen took the top spot on the Oricon weekly album chart with all of its previous releases

K-popSept. 15, 2020

BTS' 'Dynamite' ranks 2nd on Billboard Hot 100 for third week

WASHINGTON-- K-pop boy band BTS' single "Dynamite" finished second on Billboard's main singles chart after spending two weeks at the top, Billboard reported Monday (U.S. time). BTS' "Dynamite" dipped to No. 2 on the latest Billboard Hot 100 chart for the week ending Sept. 19, the American music publication said. Cardi B's "WAP," featuring Megan Thee Stallion, regained the top spot after being dethroned by "Dynamite" two weeks ago. BTS made history last

K-popSept. 15, 2020

BTS says new album will touch on pending global issues

The themes and messages on the upcoming new album by BTS will revolve around major issues faced by the global community, the group hinted Monday. "(The album) will include various genres of songs, so it's hard to generalize the album as being of such and such genre," BTS leader RM said during an interview on MBC Radio's "Bae Chul-soo's Music Camp." "The message will include topics that are deemed most necessary (for discussion) nowadays." he added. The seven-memb

K-popSept. 14, 2020

‘Our sincerity has overcome language and race’

With the gigantic success of “Dynamite” under their belt, BTS took to KBS News 9, one of the most-watched news shows in Korea, on Thursday evening. Throughout the 20-minute interview, the seven bandmates shared their thoughts on the recent No. 1 debut on Billboard Hot 100, looked back on their seven-year career and talked about their Grammy ambitions. “We are still overwhelmed with the Billboard Hot 100 success, and feel wistful for not being able to share this joy with our

K-popSept. 11, 2020

BTS says its years of efforts have exploded with 'Dynamite'

K-pop superstar BTS said Thursday that their years of efforts to overcome linguistic and racial barriers have appealed to the musical mainstream in the United States and exploded with their latest hit "Dynamite." The boy band debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart with the English-language song last week, becoming the first-ever South Korean singer or group to conquer the highly coveted chart. "Dynamite" retained the top position for a second consecutive week. It is

K-popSept. 11, 2020

Seoul city to unveil promotional tourism video featuring BTS

A promotional video of K-pop superstars BTS introducing travel spots in the South Korean capital will go live this week, the Seoul city government said Thursday. While the new coronavirus has put a brake on the global tourism industry, the city government said the video was aimed at "continuously inducing affection for Seoul and 'hallyu," while "positioning the city as a bucket list destination for fans" when the pandemic fades. The video was produced to allow viewers to f

K-popSept. 10, 2020

BTS tops Billboard's Artist 100 and Social 50 charts

K-pop superstar BTS topped the Billboard Artist 100 and Social 50 charts as its new single "Dynamite" scored its second week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Billboard said Wednesday (US local time) that BTS ranked No. 1 for the second consecutive week on this week's Artist 100 chart for measuring artist popularity. The boy band rose to the top of the chart last week when "Dynamite" debuted on top of the Billboard Hot 100 main singles chart. It is the band's eighth time

K-popSept. 10, 2020

Netflix documentary on BLACKPINK to premier Oct. 14

Netflix plans to next month release a documentary chronicling BLACKPINK's four-year journey from talented trainees to K-pop superstars. The streaming giant and YG Entertainment, the band's agency, said Wednesday "BLACKPINK: Light Up the Sky," the first Netflix film about a South Korean music band, will premiere Oct. 14. It is the fourth Netflix original documentary featuring female artists, after "Gaga: Five Foot Two" on Lady Gaga, "Homecoming" on Beyonce and &qu

K-popSept. 9, 2020

Everything you need to know about Big Hit IPO

Next month, Big Hit Entertainment will begin its long-awaited initial public offering process. There has been plenty of excitement among investors and fans, as the label is home to global sensation BTS and boasts a valuation higher than the combined value of S.M. Entertainment, JYP Entertainment and YG Entertainment, the country’s three major entertainment companies. Going public is not an easy step for a company to take, and difficult for many who don’t follow the stock market c

K-popSept. 8, 2020

BLACKPINK's 'How You Like That' tops 500m YouTube views at record speed

The music video of South Korean girl group BLACKPINK's hit song "How You Like That" exceeded 500 million YouTube views in the shortest time in K-pop history, the band's agency said Tuesday. The music video surpassed the 500 million mark around 3:50 a.m. Tuesday, 73 days after its release in June, according to BLACKPINK's management agency, YG Entertainment. The feat was achieved some 40 days earlier than the previous record of 111 days held by the quartet's 2019 megahit song "K

K-popSept. 8, 2020

BTS' Billboard win expected to create economic effect worth 1.7tr won: report

An estimated 1.7 trillion won ($1.43 billion) worth of economic effect is expected to be created by K-pop sensation BTS' conquest of the Billboard Hot 100 chart last week, government data showed Monday. Last week, BTS debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's main singles chart with its latest English-language single "Dynamite," becoming the first South Korean singer or group to achieve the feat. According to a report co-published by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and its affilia

K-popSept. 7, 2020

[Herald Interview] Meet Big Hit’s creatives behind BTS-inspired TinyTAN

Ever since Big Hit Entertainment launched the BTS-inspired animated characters called TinyTAN about a month ago, the characters seem like they haven’t had a day of rest. With their looks, behaviors and good-hearted influence modeled after the septet, the characters were recently featured in an advertisement for the fabric softener product Downy. They also released a music video called “Magic Door,” where they sang and danced to “Mic Drop,” as well as launched an

K-popSept. 4, 2020

[Newsmaker] Discussion over BTS members' military service reignited

K-pop sensation BTS becoming the first Korean act to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart with its recently released single has reignited a debate over the seven members’ military service. Under the current law, all able-bodied South Korean men are obliged to serve in the military for 18 to 22 months. The band’s eldest member Jin, whose legal name is Kim Seok-jin, has to start military service before the end of next year, according to Big Hit Entertainment. Jin was set to begin his m

K-popSept. 4, 2020

Pre-orders for BLACKPINK's upcoming album top 800,000 units

BLACKPINK is poised to potentially make the biggest South Korean girl group album debut next month, with retail pre-orders for its inaugural studio record reaching 800,000 units worldwide, according to the band's agency Friday. The number of pre-orders for the record titled "The Album" reached over 530,000 copies in South Korea, according to YG Entertainment. Combined pre-orders from the United States and Europe amounted to around 270,000 units, YG added. YG began accepting global

K-popSept. 4, 2020

K-pop artists hop online to meet their fans

As the pandemic continues to persist, K-pop artists are increasingly going online to meet and communicate with their fans. Most recently, boy band Seventeen hosted their fourth annual fan meeting “Seventeen in Carat Land” on Sunday via fan community platform Weverse. It was a tightly-packed four-hour show that offered a variety of entertainment, from stage performances of the band’s iconic songs to themed acts where members pretended they were newscasters or athletes compet

K-popSept. 4, 2020

[FULL TRANSCRIPT] BTS shares thoughts on Billboard victory

Global sensation BTS broke another record Tuesday by becoming the first South Korean act to land at No. 1 on Billboard’s main singles chart with its newest track, “Dynamite.”  Only one other Asian musician, Japanese singer Kyu Sakamoto, has ever made it to the top of the Billboard Hot 100, and that was back in 1963. Korean soloist Psy got close in 2012 with “Gangnam Style,” peaking at No. 2.  To celebrate the historic win, the septet hosted a surprise me

K-popSept. 2, 2020

BTS talks topping Billboard Hot 100 win, thanks fans and sets eyes on Grammys

The moment it was announed that BTS’ stellar smash “Dynamite” reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100, during the wee hours in Korea, the bandmates were wide awake, pinching themselves to make sure that they weren’t dreaming. Tuesday marked a big day for both BTS and their fans worldwide, as the seven-piece group became the first Korean act to top the chart with its recently released single. It was the culmination of seven years of hard work and continual growth in the

K-popSept. 2, 2020

Release of new BTS movie postponed indefinitely due to COVID-19

The release of a documentary film on K-pop group BTS has been postponed in South Korea amid a surge in new coronavirus cases across the country since mid-August, the band's agency announced Wednesday. Big Hit Entertainment said the opening date for "Break The Silence: The Movie," originally planned for Sept. 10, has been postponed indefinitely, citing the rise in virus transmissions nationwide. The company said that overseas openings will be held according to schedules previously a

K-popSept. 2, 2020

[News Focus] BTS rewrites K-pop history with song that wasn't even supposed to happen

It's hard to fathom, but for global K-pop super group BTS, the band's biggest goal once was to enter not the top 10 or top 40 but just land on the Hot 100, the main singles chart of Billboard for the top 100 popular songs in the United States, period. "My personal goal this year is making it to the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Making it onto that chart is every artists' dream," member V of the South Korean septet said during a press conference in Seoul on Feb. 18, 2017 before its "W

K-popSept. 1, 2020