EXO taps into inner darkness with ‘Obsession’

It’s been one of EXO’s most prolific years, as it has seen both individual and duo projects from its members, some of them promoting as part of S.M. Entertainment’s supergroup SuperM. And the K-pop juggernaut has capped a packed year by putting out its long-awaited “Obsession” album, fronted by new obsession-worthy single of the same title. Thumping with urban synth and bass, “Obsession” is an edgy hip-hop dance track that marks a stylish shift from the

K-popNov. 27, 2019

Blackpink’s eight most defining tracks

Blackpink, a four-piece girl group consisting of Rose, Jennie, Lisa and Jisoo, each with her own charm, is undisputedly one of the biggest girl groups in the world -- if not the biggest.It is the highest-charting female K-pop act in the US, with its self-titled single and EP having peaked at No. 41 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at No. 24 on the Billboard 200.With a huge international following, the group’s music videos are also some of the most watched to date, with four of them among the a

K-popNov. 26, 2019

[INTERVIEW] Ryan Jhun believes embracing new sound bodes well for K-pop’s future

Over the past few years, the K-pop scene has seen a flood of foreign producers and songwriters landing credits on notable hits. Fans are already familiar with names like Teddy Riley, LDN Nosie and Divine Music, who are often credited on songs from big acts like EXO, Girls’ Generation and SHINee. K-pop powerhouses like S.M. Entertainment have also been extending their global reach to push their musical boundaries. And at the forefront of the crossover movement is Ryan Jhun, a K-pop mas

K-popNov. 25, 2019

BTS off to New Zealand on ‘Bon Voyage’

The fourth season of BTS’ travel show “Bon Voyage” was unveiled on Tuesday evening, with the seven bandmates seen preparing for their trip to New Zealand.In the first episode, released exclusively via Weverse, the members got together at a Chinese restaurant in August, to brainstorm and prepare for the trip that took place in September. The members were supposed to do some research on New Zealand before the meeting. They discussed what they wanted to do there while eating

K-popNov. 20, 2019

CIX goes political in “Hello, Strange Place,” raises voice for teenagers

CIX is striking a political tone with the boy band’s second EP, “Hello Chapter 2: Hello, Strange Place,” set for release Tuesday.Having debuted in July, the five-piece act appears to be fairly comfortable in highlighting social issues facing teenagers in South Korea in their music, such as studying too hard, school violence and neglect on the part of adults.Speaking at a press showcase, Yonghee said, “The album talks about many of the issues affecting our generation with

K-popNov. 19, 2019

Mamamoo sings about self-confidence in new single ‘Hip’

Mamamoo has returned with the single “Hip” centering on self-confidence.It is the lead track off the group’s second full-length album, “Reality in Black,” released last week. “Hip” is a rhythmical dance track overflowing with charismatic brass and string sounds. The fierce anthem, co-written by Hwasa, talks about how being true to oneself and confident embody real “hipness,” or coolness. Firing back at naysayers of the group, the four singers

K-popNov. 17, 2019

[INTERVIEW] Eric Nam talks about first English album, hopes of winning over global fans

Although he doesn’t make as many TV appearances as he used to, Eric Nam’s musical career is in full swing -- more than ever, in fact. Over the past few years, the 30-year-old Korean American singer has made himself known both in the K-pop scene and elsewhere with world tours, genre-bending music and high-profile collaborations with world-renowned acts. But he decided to get more intimate with his global fans with his first English album, “Before We Begin.” “I’

K-popNov. 14, 2019

Return of 1st-generation K-pop bands bring old fans back together

The origin of today's globally acclaimed K-pop's allure unquestionably dates back to the late 1990s, when the music scene witnessed the birth of the first batch of K-pop stars and their enthusiastic fans. First-generation bands like H.O.T., Sechs Kies, S.E.S. or Fin.K.L who laid the foundation for today's K-pop symbols such as BTS or BLACKPINK have returned to show business to enjoy a renaissance on the back of a widespread retro trend.  To mark the 30th anniversary of its launch next year,

K-popNov. 13, 2019

Blackpink becomes 1st K-pop group to have music video with over 1b YouTube views

Blackpink has become the first K-pop group to have a music video with more than 1 billion views on YouTube, the group's Seoul-based agency said Monday.YG Entertainment said that the female group's "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du" music video surpassed the threshold in the afternoon, nearly 17 months after it was released last June. Blackpink is the second K-pop artist with the achievement, after singer PSY, whose mega-hit "Gangnam Style" has 3.4 billion views on YouTube.The quartet, who

K-popNov. 11, 2019

[Herald Interview] Zico returns with new reflective album ‘Thinking’

As a musician who used to fiercely jump around the stage spraying a bottle of water over hyped audiences, Zico admitted that showing his vulnerability required quite a lot of courage. The talented rapper, producer and member of K-pop boy band Block B, Zico, whose real name is Woo Ji-ho, explained that his real identity has always been shadowed by his externally confident demeanor and edgy style, or what the public expected from him. As his career progressed, through all the pressure that come wi

K-popNov. 8, 2019

[Kpopherald x Twitter] GOT7 talks about name, fans, comeback and ‘TMI’

Following the release of new EP “Call My Name” on the previous day, GOT7 returned to Twitter’s Blueroom on Tuesday afternoon for a live broadcast to chat with their fans.The seven members, all dressed in black except for JB who wore a brown sweater, were excited to return to the music scene. It’s been six months since it dropped “Spinning Top: Between Security & Insecurity” in May.  Kicking off the broadcast by streaming its latest music video &l

K-popNov. 6, 2019

K-pop power couple HyunA and Dawn release music together, shatter idol stereotypes

In a rare move for K-pop, power couple HyunA and Dawn are releasing new singles simultaneously.HyunA is returning to the music scene Tuesday nearly after two years with “Flower Shower” crossing between Moombahton, pop and dance. Dawn, a former Pentagon member who recently changed his name from E’Dawn, is releasing his self-penned track “Money.”The two made headlines for going public with their relationship last year, defying the industry norm in which idols’ l

K-popNov. 5, 2019

SuperM breaks Twitter Blueroom record with over 2 million viewers

K-pop supergroup SuperM broke a record after appearing at the Twitter Blueroom in Los Angeles earlier this month, drawing over a whopping 2 million viewers -- the highest figure to date.The septet consists of members from various acts -- SHINee, EXO, NCT127 and WayV. It managed to attract the record-breaking global viewership on Oct. 7 as it directly engaged fans and showcased dance moves for nearly 1 1/2 hours. In another sign of the group’s popularity, over 30 million tweets using the #S

K-popOct. 31, 2019

[Newsmaker] BTS bids farewell to ‘Love Yourself’ era with triumphant, emotional homecoming

It ended where it started. BTS on Tuesday staged the grand finale of its “Love Yourself” series in Seoul, wrapping up a yearlong world tour that kicked off in the capital of band’s home country. Tuesday’s show at Seoul’s Olympic Stadium was the last of three sold-out shows of BTS’ “Love Yourself: Speak Yourself” stadium tour, an extension of “Love Yourself,” which kicked off in August on the same stage last year. When BTS

K-popOct. 30, 2019

[Graphic News] 9 in 10 K-pop fans want to visit South Korea: poll

Nine in 10 K-pop fans would like to visit South Korea in the future, a survey showed, highlighting K-pop’s positive impact on the tourism sector.In a survey of 12,663 people from 111 countries who identified themselves as K-pop fans, 89.8 percent of the respondents said they would like to visit the country, according to the Korea Tourism Organization.The survey showed BTS was the most popular group followed by EXO, Super Junior and Big Bang. (Yonhap)

K-popOct. 30, 2019

Monsta X Party: 9 bangers to fire up the dance floor

Monsta X has had a busy year, entering uncharted territory for a K-pop act by appearing on a number of high-profile TV shows as well as collaborating with pop heavy hitters like French Montana and Steve Aoki.And the seven-piece group is back again with its new album “Follow: Find You.”The septet became the first K-pop act to perform at the iHeart Radio Music Festival this year and performed on the “Ellen DeGeneres Show” in September. Behind its growing popularity is its u

K-popOct. 29, 2019

Highlights from BTS’ ‘Love Yourself: Speak Yourself’ stadium tour

BTS’ “Love Yourself: Speak Yourself” world tour has come to an end with the grand finale in Seoul on Tuesday. Starting from sunny California, the colossal stadium tour took the septet to ten cities across the US, Brazil, the UK, France, Japan, Saudi Arabia and finally to the band’s home ground of Korea from May to October. With the latest concert series, BTS broke records at each of the venues, selling out tickets at breakneck pace. It only took 2 1/2 hours

K-popOct. 25, 2019

BTS nominated in 3 categories for 2019 American Music Awards

K-pop boy band BTS was nominated in three categories for the upcoming 2019 American Music Awards next month, poised to clinch a title for the second year in a row.According to the lineup for nominees for the event released Thursday (US time), the superstars will compete in the categories of Favorite Duo or Group -- Pop/Rock, Favorite Social Artist and Tour of the Year. BTS won the Favorite Social Artist prize last year, becoming the first South Korean band to capture an award at the AMAs.In the

K-popOct. 25, 2019

Winner shows artistic and personal growth in ‘Cross’

Winner is showcasing growth both artistically and personally in its third EP “Cross.”The album, released Wednesday, comes only five months after EP “WE,” as the group delivers on the promise to fans that they would release two records within this year.As the title subtly suggests, the group sings together but also separately on the album packed with crossover tracks. “The album mostly consists of crossover tracks with multiple meanings. We wanted to move away from o

K-popOct. 23, 2019

Day6 returns with ‘Sweet Chaos’ amid ongoing world tour

Amid its ongoing world tour, Day6 came out with the fully packed album “The Book of Us: Entropy,” which deals with various aspects of human relations. The prolific act’s third full-length album, which follows the July single “Time of Our Life,” features 11 tracks including lead track “Sweet Chaos.” Looking nervous after their first live performance of “Sweet Chaos” at their first-ever press showcase, held in Seoul on Tuesday, the band members

K-popOct. 23, 2019