[Herald Review] Doyoung of NCT portrays youth in his first standalone concert

Inside one of the many semi-transparent cubicles representing city skyscrapers, Doyoung of NCT appeared in a glittering white jacket and pants singing “Beginning,” a B-side track from his first solo album “Youth.” His mellow voice quickly mesmerized around 3,500 people gathered at Kyung Hee University’s Grand Peace Palace on Monday for the final performance of Doyoung’s three-day concert, “Dear Youth.” Doyoung’s first-ever standalone concert

K-popMay 28, 2024

RM drops new MV full of natural, honest vibes

RM of BTS has released the music video for "Groin" off the album "Right Place, Wrong Person," which came out Friday. The album marks RM's first release since his solo debut album "Indigo" in December 2022. RM completed the work on this album before beginning his mandatory military service in December last year. In the alternative hip-hop song, RM candidly expresses his thoughts on people who dislike him. In the music video, RM, sporting a short haircut, appears

K-popMay 28, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Blackpink hits record 2.2b views with ‘Ddu-du Ddu-du’ music video

Blackpink reached the 2.2 billion views milestone on YouTube with the music video for “Ddu-du Ddu-du,” label YG Entertainment said Monday. This cements the record Blackpink holds as the most-viewed music video from a K-pop artist. “Ddu-du Ddu-du” is the lead single from the group’s first EP “Square Up” which was released in June 2018. It not only dominated every domestic music chart but also claimed No. 50 on Billboard’s Hot 100 while the mini al

K-popMay 27, 2024

Aespa breaks silence on Hybe chairman’s remark to ‘crush’ them

SM Entertainment girl group aespa broke its silence about Hybe Chairman Bang Si-hyuk’s recent controversial remark targeting them, saying they were not taking it seriously. “We know about the issue and people around us have been telling us about it. But because we had our first full-length studio album coming up, we were so focused on preparing for the album only,” Karina, one of the aespa members, said during a press conference held in Seoul on Monday. Last month, Ador CEO M

K-popMay 27, 2024

[Herald Review] Shinee wraps up 6th world tour with Onew back from hiatus

As K-pop veteran Shinee's final encore concert began Sunday at the Inspire Arena in Incheon, the giant LED screens showed video art of the boy band's silhouette. When the mid-section of the LED screens lowered, they revealed the main stage with Onew, Minho, Key and Taemin. The members kicked off the final performance of their three-day encore concert, "Perfect Illumination: Shinee’s Back," with their mega-hit singles “Clue” and "Sherlock." The enco

K-popMay 27, 2024

[Herald Interview] SM subsidiary KMR aims to broaden K-pop spectrum

Even as K-pop giant Hybe’s multilabel system is being tested by the ongoing feud with the CEO of one of its subsidiaries, Ador’s Min Hee-jin, the longest-standing K-pop agency, SM Entertainment is forging ahead with establishing its own multilabel system, dubbed “SM 3.0.” SM 3.0 focuses on broadening the spectrum of K-pop, according to Choi Jin-suk, global A&R executive of Kreation Music Rights (KMR), a music publishing subsidiary of SM Entertainment. “Within KM

K-popMay 26, 2024

Battle of petitions is latest in Hybe-Ador dispute

Ahead of Ador’s extraordinary shareholders’ meeting Friday to decide on the dismissal of CEO Min Hee-jin, NewJeans fans and Hybe staffers are showing their respective support by submitting petitions to the Seoul court. In a petition submitted to the Seoul Central District Court on May 24, NewJeans fans wrote, “Until it is legally concluded that Min acted unlawfully, the contract terms signed between Min and Hybe should be respected and we hope she remains the CEO of Ador. We kn

K-popMay 26, 2024

NewJeans' new album sells over 800,000 on release day

The two-lead single album "How Sweet" by popular girl group NewJeans sold over 800,000 on its release day, Hanteo Chart, a local market tracker, said Saturday. The album, dropped Friday, marks the girl group's first release in 10 months. The album carries the title track "How Sweet" and the prereleased song "Bubble Gum," along with instrumental versions of both songs. "How Sweet" was described as a bouncy hip-hop style song based on Miami bass, allowi

K-popMay 25, 2024

BTS leader RM's new song "Lost!" tops iTunes charts in 73 countries

"Lost!," a new song by RM, the leader of K-pop superband BTS, has debuted atop iTunes Top Songs charts in 73 countries around the world, his agency said Saturday. The title song of his second solo album, titled "Right Place, Wrong Person," topped the iTunes charts in Italy, France, Japan and Mexico. On Friday, RM dropped his first solo album since "Indigo," his first official solo album, in December 2022. Including the main track, "Lost!," the album has a

K-popMay 25, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Le Sserafim garners 100m views with ‘Eve’ music video

Le Sserafim received 100 million views on YouTube for the music video of “Eve, Psyche & The Bluebeard’s Wife,” agency Source Music said Friday. It is the group’s fourth video to reach the milestone, following those of “Fearless,” “Antifragile” and “Unforgiven (feat. Nile Rodgers),” and is its first music video for a B-side track to do so. “Eve, Psyche & The Bluebeard’s Wife” is from the quintet’s first fu

K-popMay 24, 2024

NewJeans drops new album amid Hybe-Ador dispute

Girl group NewJeans is releasing a new single amid their label's dispute with its parent company. “How Sweet” was released at 1 p.m. on Friday. It was their first release in 10 months and the single includes the title track “How Sweet,” the pre-released track “Bubble Gum,” and instrumental versions of both songs. The title track is a lively song based on Miami Bass, according to their agency Ador. Miami Bass is a hip-hop subgenre characterized by its fast

K-popMay 24, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] NCT127 drops single in Japan to mark anniversary

NCT127 released single “Colors” in Japan on Thursday to celebrate the sixth anniversary of debut in the country, according to label SM Entertainment. The seven-member subunit put the R&B tune on stage during its first dome tour in Japan “Neo City: Japan – The Link” in 2022 and fans have been asking for it to be published. The septet officially debuted in Japan with EP “Chain” in May 2018 and wrapped up its second dome tour in the nation, “Neo C

K-popMay 23, 2024

SM, YG Entertainment’s K-pop groups benefit from troubles at Hybe

SM Entertainment and YG Entertainment are benefiting from Hybe’s momentary breakdown, as the rival companies’ K-pop groups are successfully wresting the spotlight from Hybe artists. In a private mobile message between Hybe Chairman Bang Si-hyuk and Ador CEO Min Hee-jin, which was disclosed by Min following their fallout last month, Bang demanded that Min “crush” SM Entertainment’s popular girl band aespa. Exactly the opposite has unfolded since the message was made

K-popMay 23, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Blackpink cinches gold certification in UK

Blackpink earned a gold certification from the British Phonographic Industry with its first studio album, the organization announced Tuesday. LP “The Album” logged 100,000 in sales in the country, and the quartet became the first K-pop female artist to do so. The album from May 2020 ranked No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and stayed on the main albums chart for 26 weeks straight, a record for a K-pop female act at the time. It also was No. 2 on the UK’s Official Top Albums chart. The

K-popMay 22, 2024

Illit’s agency sues Ador CEO Min Hee-jin for defamation

Belift Lab, a K-pop agency home to a rookie girl band Illit and a sister subsidiary to Ador under Hybe, sued Ador CEO Min Hee-jin for obstruction of business and defamation, the company said Wednesday in a statement. Min has been arguing that Illit had plagiarized NewJean’s style shortly after Illit's debut in March. It is the first time Belift Lab spoke out regarding the ongoing feud. Hybe had been speaking in place of Belift Lab when addressing Min’s allegations until now. Bel

CultureMay 22, 2024

[Herald Interview] MCND aims to show teamwork with ‘X10’

MCND returned with its 6th mini album, “X10,” with the ambition to continue music as long as possible. MCND, debuted in 2020, proved their international popularity earlier this year by successfully holding their “Odd-Venture” concert tour in seven European countries and six cities in the US. The quintet is also gaining popularity in regions where K-pop stars have not frequently ventured, such as the Middle East and South America. They appeared at the K-Expo in the United

K-popMay 22, 2024

SM Entertainment contributes to urban biodiversity

SM Entertainment signed a memorandum of understanding with the Seoul Metropolitan Government on Tuesday to enhance its contribution to conserving urban biodiversity by expanding Kwangya Forest. Kwangya Forest was established on 400 square meters of land in Seoul Forest located at Seongdong-gu, Seoul in May 2023. This partnership involves SM’s financial support in expanding Kwangya Forest and its maintenance for the next five years, and the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s provision of

K-popMay 22, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Stray Kids hit Billboard’s Hot 100 with Charlie Puth collab

Stray Kids entered Billboard’s Hot 100 for the second time with “Lose My Breath,” a Charlie Puth collaboration, according to the publication on Monday. The band of eight teamed up with the American singer and songwriter who co-authored the song with the songwriting trio of Bang Chan, Changbin and Han. The digital single was dropped on May 10 and tied the record the group set on the main singles chart with “Lalalala” last year. “Lalalala” was the focus tr

K-popMay 21, 2024

JYP introduces first Japanese boy group Nexz

JYP Entertainment launched its first Japanese boy group, Nexz, Monday -- the agency's first boy group in six years. Nexz consists of six Japanese nationals and one South Korean national born and raised in Japan, selected through the K-pop agency’s “Nizi Project Season 2” audition program which aired on YouTube and Hulu Japan last year. The audition program is part of JYP Entertainment’s “Globalization by Localization” project aimed at localizing K-pop in

K-popMay 21, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Seventeen to launch new subunit duo

Junghan and Wonwoo of Seventeen will form a new subunit and roll out the single “This Man-The City” on June 17, agency Pledis Entertainment announced Monday. The news came through a video of nighttime in a city that goes black after lightning strikes. Expectations are high for the two, especially since they are an unlikely pair, Junghan from its “vocal team” and Wonwoo from “hip-hop team.” The latter sang with Mingyu for the digital single “Bittersweet (

K-popMay 20, 2024