Return of A-list bands to heat up K-pop scene this spring

The return of a group of A-list K-pop bands will heat up the music scene here this spring. After setting a record for most album sales with "Map of the Soul: Persona" last year, K-pop super band BTS will drop "Map of the Soul: 7" on Feb. 21, the second issue in the "Map of the Soul" album series. The upcoming album is likely to rewrite some K-pop records after BTS made K-pop history by winning three No. 1s on the Billboard 200 in a span of one year last year.

K-popJan. 27, 2020

BTS to dazzle fans with series of US shows next week

K-pop super band BTS will dazzle the world music scene with a series of high-profile performances in the United Sates next week ahead of its official release of a new album. American broadcaster iHeartRadio recently announced an upcoming live show featuring the septet, heralding the band‘s full-swing return to the public eye in the run-up to the official release of a new album, “Map of the Soul: 7,” on Feb. 21.“Although fans have a lot of upcoming dates to look forwa

K-popJan. 25, 2020

[Herald Interview] After first meeting as fans, this couple got married to BTS music

Tweets about BTS are easy to come by, but now a story about a same-sex ARMY couple who got married this month has gone viral.“From meeting on Twitter because of @BTS_twt to meeting in real life at the BTS concert to getting married yesterday to BTS’ instrumentals, it has been one hell of a journey,” the couple tweeted on Jan 6, which has received over 25,000 likes since.“Thank u BTS for bringing us together,” they wrote.Amber Rodriguez, 25, originally from Charlesto

K-popJan. 23, 2020

Starbucks’ BTS items selling out fast in Korea

Starbucks Korea’s recent collaboration with K-pop sensation BTS has made a brilliant start, with BTS-themed items flying off the shelves. The coffee chain recently teamed up with the K-pop juggernaut to roll out a limited edition of BTS food, drinks and merchandise under a new initiative to support youth in South Korea dubbed “Be the Brightest Stars.” The campaign kicked off Tuesday, and many stores had already sold out of the BTS items within a day. “This morning, w

K-popJan. 22, 2020

How airports become battleground for K-pop idols, photographers, fans

About 50 kilometers from central Seoul, Incheon Airport is one of the busiest air gateways anywhere in the world. While most people go to travel abroad, some have a different purpose: to see their favorite idols up close.Celebrities in Korea, especially K-pop idols, often arrive fully styled from head to toe, emerging from a van when embarking on a tour or doing promotions in another country. And as soon as they get out, the airport shoot begins as photographers hurriedly take out the cameras.So

K-popJan. 22, 2020

X1 fans take to street to call for another shot

Hundreds of X1 fans staged a protest outside CJ ENM’s headquarters in western Seoul on Wednesday demanding the entertainment giant bring back the disbanded pop group.“CJ ENM stop evading responsibility,” one placard read, while another said, “Create a new X1 group and fulfill your responsibility of compensation.”On Twitter, hashtags like “#BringBackNewX1” and “#CJTakeTheResponsibility” trended worldwide as part of an organized effort to creat

K-popJan. 22, 2020

K-pop in battle with sasaeng

K-pop stars have always been subject to stalking, and it’s not confined to making non-stop calls or following their every move. More recently, their frequent flights overseas have been targeted by stalker fans who are willing to pay for pricey first-class seats to get closer to favorite stars. V of K-pop juggernaut BTS recently shared that the group flies on a private jet to avoid obsessive fans who follow them on board. “We actually want to fly on a regular plane. But when we travel

K-popJan. 22, 2020

Why Chen’s engagement is dividing EXO fans

A score of protesters took to the street in Gangnam on Sunday afternoon demanding that K-pop singer Chen leave EXO, the band he’s been part of for over eight years.One female protester said she feels betrayed by the 27-year-old singer for announcing his engagement and his fiancee’s pregnancy without even a “sorry” in a letter last week.“He’s pursuing his happiness at the expense of other people’s dreams, youth and passion,” she said while protestin

K-popJan. 21, 2020

BTS unveils ‘Black Swan’ ahead of February return

Offering a taste of its “Map of the Soul: 7” album, BTS unveiled “Black Swan,” the first single of the group’s upcoming LP. On Friday evening, the seven-piece act released the song on streaming sites at home and abroad, along with an art film performed by Slovenian dance troupe MN Dance Company.  Based on the emo hip-hop genre, the reflective song delves deeply into BTS members’ emotional depth and contemplations as artists. Lyrically, the musicians fear

K-popJan. 17, 2020

K-pop generates over 6 billion tweets in 2019

K-pop remained a dominant topic on Twitter in 2019, as the platform’s internal data shows 6.1 billion tweets about the Korean music industry.The number is up nearly 15 percent from the year prior, an indication that K-pop is more popular than ever on the platform.And according to Kim Yeon-jeong, Twitter’s head of global K-pop partnerships, the tweet service plans to keep the upward trend going. “To make the K-pop community more lively on Twitter, we plan to provide quality

K-popJan. 14, 2020

Enoi makes bold return with ‘Cheeky’

After entering the K-pop scene shrouded in innocence last year, K-pop rookie group Enoi is making a bold return with the new single “Cheeky.” The seven-piece act, fronted by leader Laon alongside Dojin, Hamin, Avin, Jinwoo, J-Kid and Gun, held a media showcase for its first EP, “Red in the Apple,” in Seoul on Monday. The band debuted in April last year under the newly established Kithewhale Company label. It says the band’s name “Enoi” comes from the las

K-popJan. 14, 2020

EXO's Chen to get married

EXO’s Chen announced Monday afternoon that he will be getting married, hinting that his wife-to-be is also pregnant with his child. In a handwritten letter sent through his agency SM Entertainment, the singer said he has a “girlfriend who he would like to spend the rest of his life with.”He also said a “blessing has arrived” to him, hinting that his soon-to-be-wife is pregnant. “I don’t know where to begin and I’m so nervous and shaky. But I d

K-popJan. 13, 2020

After terrible year, YG hopes to turn things around in 2020

Less than two weeks into 2020, YG Entertainment has revealed that new boy band Treasure is on the way and Big Bang will perform at this year’s Coachella music festival in April.Treasure is set to become the first new all-boy group from YG in over four years, as Big Bang’s performance will mark the group’s first as a four-piece act.YG has also been hinting that Blackpink is aiming to release new music sometime early this year, having said the group is recording multiple tracks i

K-popJan. 9, 2020

BTS to release new album, ‘Map of the Soul: 7,’ Feb. 21

Just 10 months after setting multiple records with “Boy With Luv,” BTS announced the upcoming release of a new album in February.On Tuesday, the seven-piece K-pop juggernaut told its global fan community Weverse that it would drop a new album, “Map of the Soul: 7,” Feb. 21. The album is the sequel to the act’s Billboard 200 chart-topper EP “Map of the Soul: Persona,” released in April last year. “With ‘Map of the Soul: Persona,’ BTS san

K-popJan. 8, 2020

SF9 returns as gentlemen with ‘Good Guy’

The bandmates of SF9 suited up for new single “Good Guy,” all set to kick off a new era of the group’s career.The nine-piece group held a media debut showcase for its first full-length album “First Collection” in Seoul on Tuesday, where it showcased the album’s lead track “Good Guy” and shared New Year’s ambitions. Clad in clean-cut matching suits, the band explained that the outfits were to portray an image of “good guys.” &ldquo

K-popJan. 7, 2020

Ateez kicks off new year with ‘Answer’

Rising K-pop act Ateez is already out with a new single -- “Answer” -- continuing its bombastic sonic style into the new year. The brand new single fronts the act’s “Treasure Epilogue: Action to Answer EP,” the last segment to Ateez’s “Treasure” album series that began with its October 2018 debut. Blending powerful hip-hop elements and melodious electronic dance music sounds, “Answer” is reminiscent of the band’s previous releases

K-popJan. 7, 2020

How X1's promising career came to an abrupt end

Fans were shocked Monday night to learn that project boy band X1 was disbanding."We negotiated with the agencies representing each member of X1 on terms of unanimous agreement but failed to reach an agreement and decided to disband (the group),” the agencies said in a joint statement after the talks fell through.The decision came months after the vote-rigging scandal surrounding the “Produce” series forced the musicians from X1 and Iz*One to put their careers on hold, leav

K-popJan. 7, 2020

Treasure to debut as first new boy band from YG in over 4 years

YG says the official debut of the revamped 12-piece boy band Treasure is on the way, marking the first boy band to debut from YG in over four years, since iKON in 2015.In a blog post on Monday, YG said the company is thankful for fans who have been waiting a long time, and added that new content is coming this month through multiple channels. Treasure consists of a dozen members who were put together after appearing on YG’s K-pop competition “Treasure Box,” which aired around a

K-popJan. 6, 2020

CJ ENM CEO apologizes for vote rigging on Mnet’s ‘Produce’ series

CJ ENM, the company behind Mnet, has officially responded to the vote-rigging scandal surrounding the cable channel’s flagship audition show. “I’m extremely sorry for the hurt it caused to many trainees who passionately followed their dreams of debuting,” CEO Heo Min-heoi said at a press conference at the company’s headquarters in Seoul on Monday.The apology comes after the show’s key producers were found to have fixed the votes for some contestants in return

K-popDec. 30, 2019

Year in review: The biggest K-pop news of the year

To say the least, the year 2019 was a tumultuous one. Ups and downs, tears of joy and sorrow dominated the headlines. 　Here are some of the major stories that dominated K-pop news. 　1. Plight of YG Entertainment　At the beginning of the year, it seemed like K-pop powerhouse YG Entertainment would have a solid 2019. YG’s girl group Blackpink was enjoying growing popularity around the world, while the label’s crown jewel Big Bang was gearing up for a possible comeback when all the

K-popDec. 22, 2019