NewJeans, Seventeen, BTS win top honors at 2023 MAMA Awards

NewJeans, the fourth-generation K-pop girl group, notched Artist of the Year on Wednesday, the last day of the two–day 2023 MAMA Awards. The MAMA Awards, the world’s biggest K-pop festival organized by CJ ENM, took place at the Tokyo Dome, Japan’s top concert venue, Nov. 28-29. Artist of the Year was one of the four top awards presented this year. Three other main awards were the Worldwide Icon of the Year, Song of the Year and Album of the Year. This is the first time in 12 ye

K-popNov. 30, 2023

Remaining BTS members to begin military service next month

RM, Jimin, Jungkook and V of the K-pop sensation BTS are to join the Army next month to fulfill their mandatory military duty. This makes all seven members of the group serve their national defense obligation as Jin, the eldest of the group, began his service in December last year followed by J-Hope in April and Suga in September this year. Jin and J-Hope are currently serving as assistant instructors at a military recruit training center as part of their national service. Suga is fulfilling his

K-popNov. 29, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] BTS’ Jungkook joins forces with Usher for solo remix

    Jungkook of BTS will add Usher to his ever-growing star-studded list of collaborators. Big Hit Music announced Wednesday that the new remix for “Standing Next You,” which fronted Jungkook’s first solo album “Golden,” will feature the R＆B legend. The remix will be released Dec. 1. The original song remains on Billboard’s Hot 100 at No. 73 this week, down 23 rungs from last week. It debuted on the main singles chart at No. 5 two weeks before.

K-popNov. 29, 2023

BTS gets 6th top honor at 2023 MAMA Awards

K-pop sensation BTS notched the title of Worldwide Icon of the Year on Tuesday, the first day of the two-day 2023 MAMA Awards. The MAMA Awards, the world’s biggest K-pop festival organized by CJ ENM, is taking place at the Tokyo Dome, Japan’s top concert venue, this year. Worldwide Icon of the Year is one of the four top honors to be presented this year. Winners of the three other main awards-- artist of the year, song of the year and album of the year -- are to be announced Wednesda

K-popNov. 29, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] DAY6 to host full-group concert next month: report

DAY6 will hold a year-end concert with all four members present, a first in four years, according to a local media report on Tuesday. Label JYP Entertainment confirmed the news uploading a poster for its concert -- dubbed “The Present: You Are My Day” -- that will be held in Seoul from Dec. 22-24. “My Day” is the name of its official fandom community. It will be the first full-group effort since the bandmates completed their respective military duties. Wonpil was the las

K-popNov. 28, 2023

Music industry seeks solution to ticket scalping through public discussion

The Record Label Industry Association of Korea’s petition to revise the ticket scalping law submitted to the government on Nov. 19 has turned into a public petition, according to the association on Tuesday. The move requires the government to gather public opinion for 30 days to deal with the petition and announce the result within 90 days. In the petition, Record Label Industry Association of Korea Chairman Yoon Dong-hwan, argues that “ticket scalping is cancerous to society,”

K-popNov. 28, 2023

[Herald Interview] Nam Woo-hyun returns with solo studio album after rare cancer battle

It's been quite a year for Nam Woo-hyun of the K-pop boy group Infinite. He was diagnosed with a rare cancer for which he underwent hourslong surgery, and then joined the band for comeback concerts and the release of a mini-album. On Tuesday, he dropped his first solo LP and is due to hold concerts next month. “I was diagnosed with a gastrointestinal stromal tumor for which I underwent surgery at a university hospital in April. I was expecting a small surgery at first. But when the su

K-popNov. 28, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] Enhypen enters Billboard 200 at No. 4

Enhypen’s fifth EP charted No. 4 on Billboard 200, according to the chart preview published on Sunday in the US. The EP “Orange Blood” notched the fourth rung on the main albums chart dated Dec. 2, tying the record it set with previous EP “Dark Blood.” It is the band’s sixth entry on the chart. The mini album was released on Nov. 17 and sold over 1.87 million copies in the first week, a new record for the seven-member act, and became its fourth million-sellin

K-popNov. 27, 2023

YG’s new girl group Babymonster debuts with single 'Batter Up'

YG Entertainment’s new girl group Babymonster debuted on Monday with the release of its digital single “Batter Up.” “We are happy to welcome this day that we’ve dreamed of for a long time. We will do our best to show our unique musical colors. We are also preparing diverse content and events for our fans who have waited for our debut, so please look forward to them,” Babymonster said in a press release. The group's debut digital single topped iTunes&rsquo

K-popNov. 27, 2023

'Batter Up': YG rookie Babymonster to debut as six-piece

YG Entertainment's new girl group Babymonster takes to the plate on Nov. 27 with its debut song "Batter Up." The music video teaser was unveiled on Friday, giving the first sneak peek into what sounds like a powerful hip-hop anthem. "Attention!" bellowed out the six girls at the start of the half-minute clip. Lights flash above the members' faces in turn, as siren sounds rang in the backdrop over minimal repetitive beats. The video closes with the group singing, &qu

K-popNov. 26, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] BTS’ V logs 200m Spotify streams with ‘Slow Dancing’

V of BTS hit a milestone 200 million streams on Spotify with “Slow Dancing,” according to Big Hit Music on Friday. The lead single from his first solo album “Layover” became V's fourth solo song to reach the landmark number, following “Love Me Again” from the same album, as well as TV drama theme songs “Sweet Night” and “Christmas Tree.” All six tracks from the solo album made Spotify’s global weekly chart in the first week, a fi

K-popNov. 24, 2023

Fifty Fifty enters Billboard's year-end Hot 100 as 1st K-pop girl group

Fifty Fifty made it onto Billboard's year-end list of most popular songs as the first K-pop girl group in history. The US music publication recently unveiled its 2023 year-end charts, which showed Fifty Fifty's "Cupid" at No. 44 on the annual Hot 100 songs chart. This marked the first time that any K-pop girl group's song has made it onto Billboard's year-end main singles chart. The year-end Hot 100 chart is a rundown of the year's biggest hits in the US compil

K-popNov. 24, 2023

Christmas comes early with aespa's 'Jingle Bell Rock'

Aespa is spreading the Christmas cheer early with its new song "Jingle Bell Rock." The band's agency, SM Entertainment, on Friday announced that the quartet will drop its reinterpretation of the popular Christmas carol at 2 p.m. later that day. Aespa's version of "Jingle Bell Rock" will offer new delights, the agency said, with the four members' voices interlaced over the minimal track peppered with powerful 808 bass and catchy instrumental sounds, The new song

K-popNov. 24, 2023

[Herald Interview] ‘Digital paradigm shift to VR will happen 2026’

It was in 2019 that LA-based tech firm AmazeVR, a comprehensive virtual reality entertainment startup, pivoted its main business to virtual concerts. In just three years, it became the frontrunner in the field and officially launched its service in South Korea this year. Last month, AmazeVR released its first virtual concert here, featuring K-pop girl group aespa. Produced jointly with the quartet's label, SM Entertainment, the show was available offline at the Megabox Coex cinema in southe

K-popNov. 24, 2023

[Herald Interview] Former Treasure member Bang Ye-dam debuts solo

Bang Ye-dam embarked on a new journey as a K-pop solo artist Thursday with his first solo mini album, “Only One.” “I’ve always wanted to take part in bringing up my album by composing and writing lyrics to the songs. I wanted to express what I hope to share with the public through my own songs. For that, I am at my happiest moment debuting as a solo artist,” said Bang Ye-dam in an interview with The Korea Herald. Bang Ye-dam made his first appearance on television i

K-popNov. 23, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] Blackpink receives MBE honors from King Charles

Blackpink was awarded an MBE by the UK's King Charles in recognition for the girl group's support for raising awareness for climate change. The four bandmates accepted their medals for the honorary Members of the Order of the British Empire at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday in London, while President Yoon Suk Yeol and first lady Kim Keon Hee were present. Rose’s title came without the honorary classification, as she holds dual citizenship in New Zealand, which is part of the Commonwealth.

K-popNov. 23, 2023

Dreamcatcher returns as 'villains' with special power

K-pop girl group Dreamcatcher returned as villains for their ninth EP, “VillainS,” which dropped on Wednesday. “We opened a new universe with this album, in which we’ve become villains that move our way forward to accomplish a goal and face many temptations along the way,” explained Jiu, the leader of Dreamcatcher during a press conference in Seoul. The new album carries six tracks led by title track “OOTD” which is of the punk rock genre. “The acr

K-popNov. 23, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] BTS’ Jungkook continues to set records on Billboard charts

Jungkook of BTS extended his own record on the latest Billboard charts. His first solo album, “Golden,” ranked No. 6 on the Billboard 200, down four rungs, while lead single “Standing Next To You” stayed on Hot 100 at No. 50 after hitting it at No. 5. Three more songs from the album – “Too Much (feat. The Kid Laroi, Central Cee)” “3D (feat. Jack Harlow)” and “Seven (feat. Latto)” – also stayed on the main singles chart rank

K-popNov. 22, 2023

G-Dragon to take legal action against malicious commenters

K-pop artist G-Dragon, who had been booked without detention for breaching the Narcotics Control Act after his name came up during a recent drug bust in Gangnam, Seoul, is taking legal action against internet users who have left malicious comments. “We are taking legal action against the creators of malicious posts about Kwon Ji-yong (G-Dragon’s real name), including defamation, sexual harassment and dissemination of false information,” announced the artist’s legal repres

K-popNov. 22, 2023

Will Blackpink renew contract as group?

Blackpink, one of K-pop's top groups, attended Tuesday a banquet at Buckingham Palace in honor of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s state visit to the UK. The appearance of all Blackpink members -- Jisoo, Rose, Jennie and Lisa -- raised the possibility that the members might renew their contract with their label, YG Entertainment. The quartet’s exclusive contract with YG expired in August but it still remains unclear whether or not the group will renew their contract with the agency. Ea

K-popNov. 22, 2023