K-pop singer Chungha is taking a big leap by teaming up with ICM Partners, one of the biggest talent agencies in the US, which has represented big name stars such as Beyonce and Megan Fox. “I hope to show more various sides of me while working with ICM. ‘Breaking into the US market’ still sounds like a huge title for me, but I’m excited for what’s to come in the future,” Chungha told The Korea Herald on Wednesday. “As much as it’s a hard-won oppo

K-pop March 13, 2020

Mounting fears of the coronavirus outbreak are taking a heavy toll on K-pop overall. High-profile concerts like those of BTS and Twice are getting canceled, while multiple artists back from global events are being tested for possible infections. On Friday, K-pop juggernaut BTS announced it has canceled the Seoul leg of “Map of the Soul” world tour scheduled for April to prioritize the health of artists, fans and staff.  The act’s label Big Hit Entertainment said the

K-pop March 2, 2020

BTS has canceled its Seoul concerts amid growing fears over the coronavirus outbreak. On Friday, the act’s agency, Big Hit Entertainment, announced it had canceled the Seoul leg of the band’s “Map of the Soul” world tour scheduled to be held April 11, 12, 18, 19 at Olympic Stadium, prioritizing the health of the artists, fans and staff worldwide. It said in a statement, “The current global coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has made it impossible at this time to pr

K-pop Feb. 28, 2020

BTS shared a whopping 20-song tracklist on Monday for its new album, “Map of the Soul: 7,” just ahead of its release Feb. 21. The list is the longest ever for a BTS's full-length album and features 15 new tracks -- including “On,” which fronts the new album -- along with five songs previously released as part of last year’s “Map of the Soul: Persona” EP. The new songs include “Filter,” “Louder Than Bombs,” “Zero O&

K-pop Feb. 17, 2020

SAN FRANCISCO/SEOUL -- Speculation is growing about Samsung Electronics possibly teaming up with global sensation BTS for the tech giant’s latest Galaxy devices. At the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2020 event held at the Palace Fine Arts in San Francisco Tuesday, V, a member of the seven-piece group, made a surprise appearance in a presentation video of the latest Galaxy phones, including the flagship Galaxy S20 and the foldable Galaxy Z Flip. The screen flashed a photo of V wearing Samsung

K-pop Feb. 12, 2020

Cherry Bullet has changed tack this year with its charismatic new single “Hands Up.” The rookie’s first release in nine months, “Hands Up” marks a dramatic shift from the act’s past bubbly image, featuring the girls as fierce dancers taking over the stage. The high-energy trap dance track was inspired by “Fur Elise” by Ludwig van Beethoven, with the classic’s iconic main tune running throughout the song.   The song puts forth a mess

K-pop Feb. 12, 2020

Starting from scratch during a time of uncertainty definitely wasn’t easy for rookie act Enoi. The seven-piece act debuted under the newly established Kithewhale Company in April last year with the digital single “Bloom,” but then had to take an unexpected nine-month hiatus -- quite a long time for a rookie band in the fast-changing K-pop field. Now after putting out a new single, “Cheeky,” the bandmates talked about the twists and turns in their blooming career and

K-pop Feb. 10, 2020

GFriend has returned with “Crossroads,” the group’s first single under its new agency Big Hit Entertainment. The lead track off the six-piece act’s eighth EP “Labyrinth,” “Crossroads” was highly anticipated, as it marked GFriend’s first release since its agency Source Music was acquired by Big Hit last year. At a media showcase in Seoul on Monday, the group talked about working with new staff and producers, including Bang Si-hyuk, from B

K-pop Feb. 4, 2020

BTS’ global art project “Connect, BTS” has landed in Seoul, combining music and art with the group’s philosophy. The press event for the Korean leg of the exhibition was held Tuesday at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in downtown Seoul, the fourth destination of the project following London, Berlin and Buenos Aires, Argentina. The exhibition involves 22 artists and curators across five cities around the world who resonate with BTS’ philosophy centering on diversity, lo

K-pop Jan. 29, 2020

Starbucks Korea’s recent collaboration with K-pop sensation BTS has made a brilliant start, with BTS-themed items flying off the shelves. The coffee chain recently teamed up with the K-pop juggernaut to roll out a limited edition of BTS food, drinks and merchandise under a new initiative to support youth in South Korea dubbed “Be the Brightest Stars.” The campaign kicked off Tuesday, and many stores had already sold out of the BTS items within a day. “This morning, w

K-pop Jan. 22, 2020

K-pop stars have always been subject to stalking, and it’s not confined to making non-stop calls or following their every move. More recently, their frequent flights overseas have been targeted by stalker fans who are willing to pay for pricey first-class seats to get closer to favorite stars. V of K-pop juggernaut BTS recently shared that the group flies on a private jet to avoid obsessive fans who follow them on board. “We actually want to fly on a regular plane. But when we travel

K-pop Jan. 22, 2020

Offering a taste of its “Map of the Soul: 7” album, BTS unveiled “Black Swan,” the first single of the group’s upcoming LP. On Friday evening, the seven-piece act released the song on streaming sites at home and abroad, along with an art film performed by Slovenian dance troupe MN Dance Company.  Based on the emo hip-hop genre, the reflective song delves deeply into BTS members’ emotional depth and contemplations as artists. Lyrically, the musicians fear

K-pop Jan. 17, 2020

After entering the K-pop scene shrouded in innocence last year, K-pop rookie group Enoi is making a bold return with the new single “Cheeky.” The seven-piece act, fronted by leader Laon alongside Dojin, Hamin, Avin, Jinwoo, J-Kid and Gun, held a media showcase for its first EP, “Red in the Apple,” in Seoul on Monday. The band debuted in April last year under the newly established Kithewhale Company label. It says the band’s name “Enoi” comes from the las

K-pop Jan. 14, 2020

Just 10 months after setting multiple records with “Boy With Luv,” BTS announced the upcoming release of a new album in February.On Tuesday, the seven-piece K-pop juggernaut told its global fan community Weverse that it would drop a new album, “Map of the Soul: 7,” Feb. 21. The album is the sequel to the act’s Billboard 200 chart-topper EP “Map of the Soul: Persona,” released in April last year. “With ‘Map of the Soul: Persona,’ BTS san

K-pop Jan. 8, 2020

The bandmates of SF9 suited up for new single “Good Guy,” all set to kick off a new era of the group’s career.The nine-piece group held a media debut showcase for its first full-length album “First Collection” in Seoul on Tuesday, where it showcased the album’s lead track “Good Guy” and shared New Year’s ambitions. Clad in clean-cut matching suits, the band explained that the outfits were to portray an image of “good guys.” &ldquo

K-pop Jan. 7, 2020