K-pop singer Chungha signs with US talent agency

Successful K-pop singer Chungha has signed a contract with ICM Partners, a major American talent agency, as she gears up for a US debut, her local agency said Tuesday. "Chungha recently signed an agreement with ICM Partners, one of the top three global agencies in the US, and is moving to make inroads into the US market," MNH Entertainment said. Headquartered in Los Angeles, ICM Partners is a talent and literary agency and represents or has represented Nicki Minaj, Beyonce, Khalid

K-popMarch 10, 2020

#BillboardRecalculate controversy explained

BTS’ latest single “On” shattered expectations, debuting at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in its first week. Fans were obviously happy to see the latest single become the highest-charting song for not just BTS, but any Korean group ever. But what should have been a celebratory occasion soon spawned controversy, as curious fans took notice of an alleged gap between Billboard’s streaming figure for the song -- 18.3 million streams -- and what could be found publicly: ar

K-popMarch 9, 2020

Why TikTok is becoming go-to platform for K-pop

  Just 12 hours before global sensation BTS released its newest album “Map of the Soul: 7” last month, the group dropped a 30-second preview of lead track “On” -- not on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, but on TikTok. TikTok, a short-form video-sharing app owned by Chinese company ByteDance, is becoming the go-to platform for K-pop. Since its release in 2016, the app has witnessed a meteoric rise. According to app analytics site Sensor Tower, its downloads worldwide

K-popMarch 9, 2020

String of K-pop concerts called off in Japan as entry restrictions go into force

 A string of major K-pop concerts have been called off or postponed in Japan as mutual entry restrictions by South Korea and Japan went into force early Monday. South Korea and Japan's visa waiver programs for nationals from each other were suspended at the start of Monday amid outbreaks of the COVID-19 virus. On Monday, Japan's new quarantine measures also took effect, introducing a two-week quarantine period for travelers coming from South Korea and restricting the landing of flights f

K-popMarch 9, 2020

BTS ranks No. 3 on Billboard 200 in its second week on the chart

"Map of the Soul: 7," the new album by K-pop superstars BTS, ranked No. 3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart for this week following its No. 1 debut a week earlier, the US music magazine said on Monday. "BTS' 'Map of the Soul: 7' falls from No. 1 to No. 3 in its second week, earning 84,000 equivalent album units, down 80 percent from its opening week of 422,000," Billboard said on its website, announcing the result of the albums chart dated March 14. It is the BTS album's

K-popMarch 9, 2020

Three BTS songs hit Billboard Hot 100, while band reclaims Artist 100

Global super band BTS debuted three of its new songs on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for this week on Wednesday while topping a string of other Billboard charts with its new album, "Map of the Soul: 7." According to the weekly Billboard chart updates, "ON," the lead track of "7," ranked 4th on the Hot 100 chart dated March 7, as previously announced by the music magazine. It was BTS' first top 5 hit on the Hot 100. "My Time," a solo song by Jungk

K-popMarch 4, 2020

‘Inner Child’: How the emotional stadium anthem came to life

To much anticipation and buzz around the world, BTS released its fourth studio album, “Map of the Soul: 7,” in late February. One week in, the septet’s latest album has broken multiple records, including the biggest first-week album sales of the year so far. It also helped the group achieve a fourth No. 1 hit in the US, making BTS the fastest band to do so since the Beatles in the late ’60s. While fans celebrate, there is a small group of people for whom this record is

K-popMarch 3, 2020

BTS' 'ON' debuts at career-best 4th on Billboard Hot 100 singles chart

"ON," the lead track of BTS' new album, debuted at 4th on the Hot 100 singles chart this week, the highest rank for any BTS song, Billboard said Monday (US time). "BTS scores its third and highest-peaking Hot 100 top 10, and the highest-charting song ever for a K-pop group, as 'On' roars in at No. 4," Billboard said, announcing the weekly chart dated March 7. It is BTS' first top five hit on the highly competitive singles chart and the band's third top 10 entry. "Boy

K-popMarch 3, 2020

Coronavirus takes heavy toll on K-pop

Mounting fears of the coronavirus outbreak are taking a heavy toll on K-pop overall. High-profile concerts like those of BTS and Twice are getting canceled, while multiple artists back from global events are being tested for possible infections. On Friday, K-pop juggernaut BTS announced it has canceled the Seoul leg of “Map of the Soul” world tour scheduled for April to prioritize the health of artists, fans and staff.  The act’s label Big Hit Entertainment said the

K-popMarch 2, 2020

BTS fans flock to donate for coronavious fight

Donations for Korea’s fight against coronavirus led by BTS fans, collectively known as “Army,” exceeded 400 million won ($334,000) over the weekend, according to the Korea Disaster Relief Association on Monday. As of 10 a.m., 9,230 donations worth a combined 425.3 million won had been given to the organization under names such of “Bulletproof Boy Scouts,” “BTS” and “Army.” “The actual amount is likely much higher than the official co

K-popMarch 2, 2020

BTS' 'Map of the Soul: 7' tops Billboard 200 album chart

"Map of the Soul: 7," the new album from K-pop super band BTS, landed atop the Billboard 200 chart this week in a history-making fourth No. 1 victory for the band on the American album list, Billboard said Monday (Korean time). "'Map of the Soul: 7' storms in atop the chart with 422,000 equivalent album units earned in the US in the week ending Feb. 27," the pop music magazine said on its website, citing data from Nielsen Music/MRC Data. Of the total, 347,000 was in albu

K-popMarch 2, 2020

BTS' 'Map of the Soul: 7' breaks 1st-week sales record in S. Korea

"Map of the Soul: 7," the new album by K-pop boy band BTS, sold more than 3.37 million copies in the first week of its release, the biggest first-week sales volume for any K-pop album, the band's management agency said Friday. The album sold 3,378,633 copies during the period of Feb. 21 till Thursday, breaking the former record high first-week sales of 2,130,480 copies, set by BTS' previous album, "Map of the Soul: Persona." This marks another sales record set by the new,

K-popFeb. 28, 2020

BTS cancels Seoul leg of world tour over coronavirus concerns

BTS has canceled its Seoul concerts amid growing fears over the coronavirus outbreak. On Friday, the act’s agency, Big Hit Entertainment, announced it had canceled the Seoul leg of the band’s “Map of the Soul” world tour scheduled to be held April 11, 12, 18, 19 at Olympic Stadium, prioritizing the health of the artists, fans and staff worldwide. It said in a statement, “The current global coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has made it impossible at this time to pr

K-popFeb. 28, 2020

BTS to release 2nd music video of 'ON'

K-pop boy band BTS will release the second and official music video of "ON," the lead track of its new album, on Friday. The new video, set for release at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, is the second music flick matching the main song of "Map of the Soul: 7," released last Friday. The upcoming video will be a visual and symbolic interpretation of the lead single, according to Big Hit Entertainment, the management agency of BTS. Last Friday, BTS released the first music video, cal

K-popFeb. 27, 2020

IZ*ONE's 'Bloom*Iz' tops Oricon weekly overseas album chart

"Bloom*Iz," the new album by female K-pop band IZ*ONE has topped Japan's latest Oricon weekly overseas album chart, the band's third No. 1 on the chart. The 12-track album's No. 1 victory on the Oricon weekly overseas album chart for the week of Feb. 17-23 follows two more No. 1s on the tally by IZ*ONE's two previous albums -- "Color*Iz" and "Heart*Iz." Since its release on Feb. 17, "Bloom*Iz" has sold 356,313 copies in South Korea, a record-high first

K-popFeb. 26, 2020

TWICE signs partnership with US' Republic Records

In its bid to launch onto the world music scene, K-pop girl band TWICE has forged a partnership with a major American music label. TWICE's management agency said Wednesday that it forged the "strategic partnership" with Republic Records to help the girl band gain a foothold in the global pop market. Republic Records, under the wing of Universal Music Group, is home to such high-profile American artists as Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande and Post Malone, as well as Canadian musician Dra

K-popFeb. 26, 2020

BTS' 'Map of the Soul: 7' tops Japan's Oricon album chart

Having been reported to be on course to take over the top seats on the Billboard 200 and the British Official Albums Chart, BTS has also topped Japan's Oricon album chart with its latest album. According to latest chart results by Oricon on Tuesday, BTS' latest album, "Map of the Soul: 7," came atop the Oricon daily album chart dated Monday after selling 227,204 copies in Japan. The result adds to the BTS album's chart victories on the US and British charts. Earlier this week, Bill

K-popFeb. 26, 2020

Monsta X becomes 3rd K-pop band to make top 5 on Billboard 200

Monsta X, a six-piece K-pop boy band, debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 album chart this week, becoming the third K-pop band ever to make the top five on the album tally. "All About Luv," the band's new album, came in fifth on the album chart dated Feb. 29, Monsta X's first entry on the Billboard 200 that makes the band the third Korean group to break into the chart's top five, according to the latest chart results by Billboard. So far, BTS has had three No. 1s on Billboard 20

K-popFeb. 26, 2020

BTS rocks New York's Grand Central with debut performance of 'ON'

Putting on the debut performance of "ON," the lead track of the new BTS album "Map of the Soul: 7," the South Korean super band has rocked Grand Central Terminal, a symbolic public space in New York City.  The septet unveiled a premiere performance of "ON," pre-filmed in a deserted Grand Central Terminal in Midtown Manhattan, through "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," a US late night show, on Monday (US time). With the performance, the septe

K-popFeb. 25, 2020

BTS' 'Map of the Soul: 7' on way to No. 1 on Billboard 200

"Map of the Soul: 7," the new album of K-pop super band BTS, is bound to debut atop the Billboard 200 next week, the band's historic fourth No. 1 on the chart, Billboard said on its website Monday. "The set, which was released Feb. 21 via Big Hit Entertainment, could earn 300,000 equivalent album units in the US in the week ending Feb. 27, with most of that sum driven by album sales," the US magazine said.  If confirmed as forecast, it marks the band's fourth Billboar

K-popFeb. 25, 2020