Attrakt, the company behind the beleaguered girl group Fifty Fifty, is gearing up to debut a new female team next year through an audition show. "Attrakt is kicking into a new project to nurture a new girl group. All the members of the group will be selected through an audition show, and the whole process will be made public," the company said in a statement, adding it aims to debut the group next year. While not much has been unveiled so far, Attrakt said the main point of its new aud

K-pop Sept. 4, 2023

K-pop boy band Stray Kids has ranked second in the US in terms of album sales so far this year, the band's company, JYP Entertainment said Monday, citing Chart Data, one of the most credible music data sites online. Taylor Swift ranked in the number one position. Stray Kids' latest release, its third full-length album "5-Star," was the most-sold K-pop album this year, JYP Entertainment added. The group's EP, "Maxident," from last year also landed at the tenth s

K-pop Sept. 4, 2023

BTS' rapper and leader RM addressed the issue of Islamophobia building up around him, denying any intention to insult the religion and stating he has no reasons to apologize. The controversy was sparked in August, when RM shared American singer Frank Ocean's "Bad Religion" on his Instagram story. The 2012 song talks about loving without the restraint of religion, but some parts were interpreted by listeners as Islamophobic. Online anger mounted over the next days, with many t

K-pop Sept. 1, 2023

Exo member D.O. is dropping a new solo album, "Anticipation," on Sept. 18. His agency SM Entertainment on Friday made the announcement, heralding D.O.'s comeback as a solo musician after over two years. D.O., whose real name is Do Kyung-soo, debuted solo in July 2021 with his first solo album, "Empathy." With the eight-track EP, D.O. was a smash success, landing atop the iTunes top album chart in 60 countries. According to SM, "Anticipation" will be a seven-tra

K-pop Sept. 1, 2023

SM Entertainment's upcoming rookie boy band Riize's member Seunghan released an apology after photos of him with a presumed former dating partner went viral online. The apology comes a few days after the release online of several pictures showing Seunghan kissing a woman -- including one where they are on a bed. The pictures spread fast, shocking fans, especially as Riize is about to make its long awaited debut on Sept. 4. Riize is the first boy band to debut with SM Entertainment in s

K-pop Aug. 31, 2023

Baekho on Thursday unveiled a new single, "Elevator," marking the start to a new musical journey. “Elevator” is a remake of the eponymous 1995 hit by singer-producer J.Y. Park. With its risque lyrics singing about making love in the elevator and spicy performances with female dancers onstage, the song became an instant sensation back in its day. In opening up a new chapter of his career, Baekho picked this song same in age with him. "The feeling I had when I first hear

K-pop Aug. 31, 2023

Boy band Tomorrow X Together, also known as TXT, is returning with a new studio album in October. The band's agency Big Hit Music on Wednesday announced that the quintet will drop its third full-length album "The Name Chapter: Freefall" on Oct. 13. This will mark the team's return to the music scene in nine months since it released its fifth EP "The Name Chapter: Temptation" in January. TXT, which has been telling a dynamic growth story from boyhood to maturity thro

K-pop Aug. 30, 2023

Hybe, the company behind the global K-pop phenomenon BTS, has embarked on its blockbuster girl group project, "The Debut: Dream Academy." Marking the start of the new project, Hybe and its partner on the journey, Geffen Records, held a press conference on Monday at IGA Studios in Santa Monica, California. Hybe founder and Chairman Bang Si-hyuk and Interscope Geffen A&M Records CEO and Chairman John Janick spoke at the event and addressed the initiative and plans for the project. Al

K-pop Aug. 29, 2023

BTS' V on Monday released a series of songs ahead of his solo debut, scheduled for early September. At 1 p.m. on Monday, the singer put out three self-made songs -- "Scenery," "Winter Bear" and "Snow Flower" -- all of which he had previously unveiled for free streaming. The song releases come as V gears up to drop his first solo EP, "Layover," on Sept. 8. V released "Scenery" in January 2019 for free download on SoundCloud. He composed and p

K-pop Aug. 28, 2023

South Korea's Hybe and Universal Music Group affiliate Geffen Records are embarking on a global girl group project together, Tuesday. Hybe, the company behind global K-pop phenomenon BTS, on Monday in Korea announced it is set to hold a press conference in Los Angeles on Monday afternoon there to unveil its global girl group audition project called "The Debut: Dream Academy." The event will give a first look into the long-awaited female pop group project that the two companies hav

K-pop Aug. 28, 2023

Fantasy Boys, the project group from MBC's namesake idol audition show, will debut without the No. 1 winner Yu Jun-won, as a feud continues between Yu and the group's agency over his contract. The team's management agency PocketDol Studio on Thursday announced that the band is set to debut on Sept. 21, pulled forward from the originally announced Sept. 25. The announcement comes a day after the agency released a statement saying Fantasy Boys will debut as an 11-piece without Yu du

K-pop Aug. 24, 2023

The top seven finalists of "Queendom Puzzle" are aiming to show a never-before-seen girl group chemistry as El7z Up. A total of 26 participans competed in the Mnet girl group reboot program over the past four months for seven spots on the project group El7z Up, to be launched next month. One member each from seven different already existing or inactive groups compose the team: H1Key's Hwiseo, WJSN's Yeoreum, Rocket Punch's Yeonhee, woo!ah!'s Nana, Lovelyz's Kei

K-pop Aug. 24, 2023

K-pop band Seventeen is sweeping Japanese music charts with its new album "Always Yours." The band's agency Pledis Entertainment on Wednesday said Seventeen released its first Japanese best-of album at Tuesday midnight. Titled "Always Yours," the 27-track package includes 25 of Seventeen's hit songs and two new original Japanese songs, "Ima -Even if the world ends tomorrow-" and "Sara Sara." Upon release, "Always Yours" soared to the to

K-pop Aug. 23, 2023

When Takeshi Hosomi, the vocalist and guitarist of Japanese rock band Ellegarden, shouted, "This is one of the best days of my life," during the band's Pentaport Incheon performance earlier this month, it was evident he genuinely meant it. The band's reunion with the Korean audience on Aug. 4 at Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival 2023 was extraordinary. Tens of thousands of rock fans greeted the band with a fervor that lasted through its 80-minute performance. It's last vis

Culture Aug. 23, 2023

K-pop's famed sibling duo AKMU returned Monday with a new single "Love Lee," bringing back the pair's trademark positive, upbeat energy. The co-ed duet, consisting of Lee Chan-hyuk and his younger sister Lee Su-hyun, will drop its fourth single, "Love Lee," Monday evening, marking the first comeback in over two years since releasing its collaboration album, "Next Episode," in July 2021. During a press conference held in Seoul on Monday, the siblings introd

K-pop Aug. 21, 2023