The fever for reality TV audition programs featuring K-pop idol singers continues unabated, with South Korean broadcasters launching more, similar programs but with new formats to keep viewers entertained. Local music channel Mnet, which produced the most successful K-pop audition show franchise “Produce,” launched “I-Land2: N/a” earlier this month. It is a sequel to the 2020 reality audition show “I-Land.” Next month, the national broadcaster KBS 2TV is set t

K-pop April 22, 2024

Ateez is returning to the K-pop scene with their 10th EP, “Golden Hour: Part.1,” which will be released on May 31. KQ Entertainment dropped a poster and announced the promotion schedule for the new album on Monday. From this week, more concept photos, a track list poster, an album preview and a music video teaser will be revealed, the agency said. The K-pop group teased their comeback on stage during their performance at the Coachella Valley Music Festival performance on April 19. Th

K-pop April 22, 2024

K-pop girl group aespa is releasing its first studio album, “Armageddon,” on May 27. SM Entertainment said the LP will be led by two title tracks: “Supernova” and “Armageddon.” “Supernova” will be released on May 13 before the official album release. The album carries a total of 10 tracks with diverse genres including hip-hop, dance and ballad music. The agency hinted that the studio album will serve as an introduction to the second chapter of the

K-pop April 22, 2024

진행자: 홍유, Elise Youn Kakao joins AI Alliance, promotes safe, responsible AI 기사요약: 카카오는 인공지능(AI) 연구·개발의 개방형 혁신과 인공지능 생태태 확장 협력을 위해 출범한 글로벌 오픈소스 커뮤니티 ‘인공지능 얼라이언스’(AI Alliance)’에 가입했다. [1] Korean IT giant Kakao joined AI Alliance, the global open-source community dedicated to the responsible development of artificial intelligence, becoming the first Korean firm to do so, the company said Friday. *dedicated to: ~에 전념하는, 헌신하는 [2] “We will work together with the AI

Podcast April 22, 2024

Over the past nine years, Doyoung has built a career as the vocalist of the popular K-pop boy group NCT. But it was just a year ago, as NCT embarked on a world tour and released various albums, when Doyoung realized he was ready to debut as a soloist. “Last year, I released three albums as a member of NCT when one of our vocalists Taeil took a break due to health concerns. I felt pressure in having to fill in his void. But after having overcome such challenges, I thought I had improved my

K-pop April 22, 2024

K-pop boy group Seventeen unveiled the track list for their upcoming album, “17 Is Right Here,” to be released on April 29. The album will not only carry the group's most loved songs, but also four new singles -- “Maestro,” “Lalali,” “Spell” and “Cheers to Youth,” according to Pledis Entertainment. Woozi of Seventeen and K-pop producer Bumzu, who is behind several Seventeen hits, took part in producing "Maestro." The othe

K-pop April 19, 2024

Singer Jay Park is set to release a new single, “Jay Park Season 1,” on April 25, according to More Vision. He announced his comeback by posting a teaser image of the upcoming album on his social media Thursday. The single will be led by the track “Your/My” and carry one B-side, “Like I do.” This is the first among several releases Jay Park plans for this year. “In the past few years, I’ve been occupied with exploring my entrepreneurial side and fo

K-pop April 19, 2024

진행자: 홍유, Elise Youn Korea to cut no. of teachers amid diminishing student numbers 기사 요약: 출생에 따른 학령인구 감소가 본격화하면서 신규교사 채용 규모가 축소된 데 이어 '예비 교사'를 길러내는 교육대학교 정원까지 줄어들게 됐다. [1] Amid administrative efforts to increase the annual enrollment quota for medical schools that sparked the mass walk-out of doctors across the country, the government said it would reduce the number of school teachers going forward, citing a decline in student numbers. *administrative: 관리(행정)상의 *enrollment: 입학; 등록 *

Podcast April 18, 2024

K-pop boy group Highlight will perform in five cities across Asia starting in May, marking the group's 15th debut anniversary, according to an announcement by Around Us. The “Lights Go On, Again” tour will kick off in Seoul with three days of concerts on May 10-12 at the KSPO Dome. All tickets to the group’s Seoul concert have been sold out, the agency said. Highlight is then set to perform in Hong Kong on June 22, Bangkok on June 30, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on July 6 and Tokyo

K-pop April 17, 2024

Stray Kids are set to release a digital single, “Lose My Breath,” featuring global pop star Charlie Puth on May 10. JYP Entertainment, the label housing Stray Kids, announced the release on the group's official social media accounts on Wednesday. Charlie Puth rose to stardom with “See You Again,” the original soundtrack of the film “Furious 7,” released in 2015. He has worked with other K-pop artists in the past. Jungkook of BTS featured on Charlie Puth&r

K-pop April 17, 2024

SM Entertainment and Kakao Games Corp. signed a partnership at SM Entertainment’s headquarters in Seoul on Monday to create a mobile game. The partnership follows South Korean tech giant Kakao Corp.'s acquisition of SM Entertainment in March last year. The K-pop label will use its artist IP to create a mobile game tentatively titled “SM Game Station” to be launched globally in the second half of this year, according to SM. Kakao Games Corp., the gaming unit of Kakao Corp.,

K-pop April 16, 2024

K-pop rookie group Illit made its first showing on Billboard’s Hot 100 dated April 20 with “Magnetic,” the lead track of its debut EP “Super Real Me,” landing at No. 91 on the chart. This makes Illit the first K-pop act to enter Billboard’s main songs chart with a debut single. Billboard’s Hot 100 ranks the week’s most popular current songs across all genres by streaming activity from digital music sources, radio airplay and sales data compiled by

K-pop April 16, 2024

Billboard, an American media company known for its music charts and news, begins a new chapter in South Korea with the launch of Billboard Korea, a subsidiary that will extensively cover the Korean music industry, Billboard CEO Mike Vans announced Monday during a press conference. “At Billboard, we recognize the significance of K-pop and K-music as not just a musical genre, but as a cultural movement that continues to transcend borders and redefine the landscape of the global entertainment

K-pop April 15, 2024

Day6, a South Korean pop-rock band under the label JYP Entertainment, welcomed 34,000 fans to its concerts held at Jamsil Arena in Seoul, April 12-14. The band turned the arena's main stage into a circular stage surrounded 360 degrees by the audience. Dressed in black suits, the group's four members -- guitarists Sungjin and Young K, keyboardist Wonpil and drummer Dowoon -- kicked off the last day of their “Welcome to the Show” concert Sunday with the song of the same title

K-pop April 15, 2024

On Friday, Ateez performed on the Sahara stage of the Coachella Valley Music Festival, becoming the first-ever K-pop boy group to perform at the annual festival held in southern California. The performance was livestreamed on YouTube. “We are touched by how you are enjoying our stage and singing along to our music. Thank you for coming to see us,” Ateez said during the performance. Ateez performed a medley of hit singles, including “Say My Name,” “Hala Hala” a

K-pop April 14, 2024