'NewJeans is the biggest victim in Hybe-Ador feud,' music critic

NewJeans, the popular K-pop girl band of Hybe’s music subsidiary Ador, is turning out to be the biggest victim in the ongoing feud between Hybe and Ador CEO Min Hee-jin, sparked by Min's alleged breach of trust, an industry source said Monday. It was all about NewJeans from the start, when Min sent an email to the executives of Hybe on April 3 arguing that new girl group Illit, which debuted under Belift Lab, another Hybe subsidiary, had plagiarized NewJeans’ style and concept.

K-popMay 20, 2024

Babymonster to drop 1st LP in October

New releases by girl group Babymonster and boy group Treasure were among YG Entertainment's projects for the second half of the year announced by Yang Hyun-suk, YG founder and executive producer, in a three-minute video on YouTube Monday. Earlier this year, YG revealed that it had increased the number of music producers to 50 from 10 in an effort to introduce new projects more quickly. Babymonster will release its first regular studio album in October. “Ahead of the full album release

K-popMay 20, 2024

Blitzers reach semifinal of 'Britain's Got Talent'

K-pop boy band Blitzers have reached the semifinal of the British audition program "Britain's Got Talent." Blitzers appeared on the British show Saturday, delivering a passionate performance that secured their spot in the semifinals. The first season of the show, which aims to discover top talent across various fields, including singers, dancers, and comedians, kicked off in 2007. Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and Bruno Tonioli are appearing as judges for the current s

K-popMay 19, 2024

‘Malice should not undermine the system, social order,’ says Hybe's Bang

In a petition filed with the court Friday, Hybe Chairman Bang Si-hyuk made public for the first time his stance on the ongoing feud over Ador CEO Min Hee-jin’s alleged breach of trust. The Seoul Central District Court on Friday convened a hearing on the preliminary injunction filed by Min against Hybe to prohibit the parent company from exercising voting rights in favor of a proposal to dismiss her at an extraordinary shareholders’ meeting scheduled for May 31. “The only way

CultureMay 17, 2024

Jimin of BTS, actor Song Da-eun suspected to be dating, again

BTS' Jimin and actor Song Da-eun are embroiled in yet another romance scandal after Song on Thursday shared videos and photos on her social media that some have interpreted to mean the two are in a relationship. The actor posted a video of a man, covered by a big emoji, walking by the sea to her Instagram. Netizens argue that the seaside spot is the same location that Jimin visited in the “(Bangtan Bomb) A Boisterous Shooting of ‘3J -- BTS’" content released on BTS&rs

CultureMay 17, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] NewJeans hits 600m Spotify streams with ‘Ditto’

NewJeans logged 600 million plays on Spotify with “Ditto,” agency Ador said Friday, citing the platform’s data. It is the group’s second song to achieve the feat after “OMG.” “Ditto” is the pre-release song from the single “OMG” and the five-member group's first song to land on Billboard’s Hot 100. It debuted on the main songs chart at No. 96 about only six months after the group’s debut, setting a record for a K-pop ac

K-popMay 17, 2024

Infinite to hold fan meeting, release new single

Veteran K-pop boy group Infinite is celebrating its 14th anniversary as a full unit with a fan meeting event on July 13 and 14. It will be the group's first meeting with fans in seven years. Infinite announced the event by posting its schedule for May, June and July on Friday. The band is also due to release a new digital single on June 9. The band will also hold a live-streaming event on the same day to celebrate its 14th anniversary with fans and talk about the latest release. Infinite es

K-popMay 17, 2024

Stray Kids perform new single, ‘Lose My Breath,’ on GMA

K-pop boy group Stray Kids performed its new English digital single, “Lose My Breath,” on stage for the first time on “Good Morning America” on Wednesday. “We do have some good news. We are preparing a tour. It’s big news because it’s been so long since we’ve prepared for something so big,” group member Felix said during a talk session with local fans in the studio before the special performance. When asked by a fan about the creative process

K-popMay 17, 2024

Mark of NCT unveils first solo single, ‘200’

Mark of the K-pop boy group NCT released his first solo single, “200,” on Thursday. The single “200” is a rock number with trendy, fast-tempo bass and drum sounds. Mark took part in writing the lyrics and composing the single, which is about a fateful meeting with someone that leads to a perfect relationship in which together the couple shines even brighter. Mark used cartoons and a vintage-style video filter to give the song's music video an early 2000s look. Mark a

K-popMay 16, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Kep1er extends life as septet: report

Kep1er will begin a new chapter as a seven-member group, according to a local media report Thursday. The group debuted in January 2022 with survivors of the audition show “Girls Planet 999: Girls Saga” and was supposed to disband in July. Seven members, however, decided to renew their contracts to continue as Kep1er, a first for an idol group launched through such a program in Korea. Kang Yeseo and Mashiro will return to their original agency and join another girl group Limelight, ad

K-popMay 16, 2024

Treasure to release new single ‘King Kong’

K-pop boy group Treasure is releasing a new single on May 28, according to YG Entertainment. This comeback comes after nine months. Treasure unveiled a 14-second teaser clip on Wednesday that has “My love is like” written on a typewriter, hinting that the new single will be about love. Choi Hyun-suk and Yoshi of Treasure took part in writing the lyrics to the single, and renowned K-pop producers including Airplay, Jared Lee and Choice37 took part in composing. “The single bring

K-popMay 16, 2024

Is NewJeans headed for a long 'break'?

If NewJeans, the popular K-pop girl band under the music label Ador, were "given" a year and a half "break" after their Tokyo Dome concerts in Japan next month as Hybe CEO Park Ji-won promised the parents of NewJeans members, the still-new band could be critically impacted, music critics said Thursday. Three parents of NewJeans members met with Park on April 25 -- the day Ador CEO Min Hee-jin held a press conference to refute an alleged attempt to usurp the management rights

CultureMay 16, 2024

NewJeans to headline palace show

K-pop girl group NewJeans will perform Tuesday for the first time since a dispute started between the group’s label Ador and Hybe, the label’s parent company, on April 22. The two-hour show, which starts at 7 p.m. on May 21, will mark the occasion of the official renaming of the Cultural Heritage Administration as the Korea Heritage Service. The five-member girl group is one of 12 K-pop singers and groups that will perform in front of Heungnyemun, one of the gates of Gyeongbokgung, a

K-popMay 15, 2024

Jennie, Stray Kids's Met Gala attendance puts them on 'digital guillotine' blacklist

K-pop celebrities' attendance at the 2024 Met Gala last week has landed them in hot water, along with other celebrities who attended the event, for their silence on the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Since Jennie of Blackpink and the boy group Stray Kids attended the gala on May 6, some fans have been calling on the celebrities to speak publicly about the war. The names of celebrities at the fashion event were shared on social media platforms, alongside calls to boycott them by unfollowing or bl

CultureMay 14, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Zerobaseone sells 1 million albums in 1 day for 3rd time

Zerobaseone’s third EP sold over 1 million copies on the day of its release, as did its two previous albums, said agency WakeOne Entertainment on Tuesday, citing a local tally. The rookie band is the first in K-pop history to achieve the feat. Its first and second EPs have both sold over 2 million units so far. The EP “You Had Me at HELLO” was released Monday and topped the iTunes Top Albums Chart in 22 regions while the title track “Feel the POP” landed atop its

K-popMay 14, 2024

YG to release first Blackpink digital collectibles

YG Entertainment will release digital collectibles using its girl group Blackpink's intellectual property. Blackpink’s first-ever digital collectibles will be released through VeVe, a New Zealand-based company specializing in licensed digital collectibles, from May 22-26, says the agency. A digital collectible is a unique or limited-edition copy of a virtual item. Blackpink’s digital collectibles are inspired by “Pink Venom,” the group’s hip-hop single released

K-popMay 14, 2024

(G)I-dle to embark on third world tour

K-pop girl group (G)I-dle will kick off its third world tour in August. Cube Entertainment, the band's agency, revealed the poster of the world tour "iDOL" through the group's official social media channels Tuesday. The five-member group will kick off the world tour in Seoul with two days of concerts on Aug. 3-4, according to the unveiled poster. The group will then meet fans in a total of 14 cities, including Hong Kong; Tokyo; Tacoma, Washington; Oakland and Anaheim, Califor

K-popMay 14, 2024

Zerobaseone dreams big with third EP in 'Youth' trilogy

K-pop rookies Zerobaseone wrapped up their “Youth” trilogy with a third EP, “You had me at HELLO,” released Monday. This album comes after the band’s two million-selling EPs: “Youth In The Shade,” which kicked off its “Youth” trilogy about how the hardships youth face make them shine even brighter, and “Melting Point,” about becoming a thorn to protect their fans who have made their dreams of becoming K-pop artists come true. Zero

K-popMay 14, 2024

NewJeans' members' parents complained to Hybe, email shows

Embattled Ador CEO Min Hee-jin has drawn NewJeans’ members' parents into the ongoing dispute between Hybe and herself in an bid to strengthen public sentiment against the parent company, Hybe said Monday. A local media outlet, Monday, disclosed an email from the parents of NewJeans’ members sent to Hybe through Ador on April 3. Ador, one of the 11 subsidiaries of Hybe, is the music label behind NewJeans. In the email, the parents expressed their regret towards Hybe CEO Park Ji-w

CultureMay 13, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Seventeen hits Billboard 200 at No. 5 with best-of album

Seventeen claimed the No. 5 spot on the Billboard 200 with its best-of album, according to the chart preview posted Sunday in the US. Expectations were high for the album “17 Is Right Here” as the main track “Maestro” debuted on its Global 200 and Global excl. the US charts at No. 91 and No. 40, respectively, in less than four days after release. The lead single topped the iTunes Top Songs chart in 32 regions and the album landed atop Oricon’s weekly and weekly comb

K-popMay 13, 2024