LA-based songwriter Melanie Fontana and producer Michel “Lindgren” Schulz have long produced hit tracks for leading groups such as Girls’ Generation and f(x). With their recent work with Big Hit Entertainment’s beloved bands BTS and TXT, the couple is further cementing their presence in K-pop and becoming a formidable duo. Their history with the label started when Fontana wrote “Euphoria” with her friends DJ Swivel and Candace Sosa, without knowing it woul

K-pop June 15, 2020

Natty is a super rookie in the K-pop world who debuted only a month ago with the single “Nineteen.” Among fans of the genre, however, her name is not unfamiliar. Having been an idol trainee for six years, Natty was a contestant on a JYP Entertainment and Mnet girl group competition in 2015 called “Sixteen” that created Twice. She was also on Mnet’s “Idol School” in 2017. While not able to make the final cut in the groups then, causing her to doubt he

K-pop June 8, 2020

Genie Music, the music streaming platform owned by Korean telecom giant KT, said Wednesday it has recently signed a deal with Tencent Music to supply K-pop for streaming services in the Chinese market. Genie has distributed K-pop in over 50 countries through diverse global platforms, including Apple Music, Google Music and Spotify. The latest deal paves the way for it to enter the soaring Chinese music streaming market. “Investors have responded optimistically, and our stocks reached

K-pop May 28, 2020

Yubin may be having the busiest year of her career, establishing her label rrr Entertaiment in February and now putting out a new digital single “Me Time.” Its release date, May 21 (521), read backward is the date she left JYP Entertainment, January 25 (125), 13 years after debuting as a member of Wonder Girls. The track has already garnered a buzz for mentioning JYP in the lyrics: “I’m freaky freakin’ happy / I feel free / THX JYP but Free now.” “

K-pop May 21, 2020

Sujeong of girl group Lovelyz returned to the music scene but on her own. It is the first time she is going solo since debuting in 2014 as the lead vocalist of the eight-piece band. Her first solo EP “Tiger Eyes” released Wednesday is packed with seven songs of various genres, from the pop-based EDM title, also called “Tiger Eyes,” to an R&B “Call Back” and acoustics “Your Name” and “zz.” “My voice is husky but isn’t

K-pop May 20, 2020

The long-awaited “Beyond Live” concert of NCT 127 finally happened Sunday, and they certainly didn’t disappoint. Facing the release of their repackaged second full-length album on Tuesday, the nine-piece group performed the lead tracks “Punch” and “Make Your Day,” two days before their official release. They also sang “Boom,” a track from their second full-length album for the first time on stage. In keeping with the band’s full nam

K-pop May 18, 2020

The National Hangeul Museum in Seoul has recently reopened with a special exhibition titled “Korean Pop Lyrics -- Melodies of Life.” The exhibition that opened Friday celebrates the beauty of the Korean language through the lyrics of about 190 beloved Korean pop songs since the 1920s. Consisting of two parts, its first section called “Power of Lyrics” examines the changing themes and messages of songs’ lyrics depending on the era. The second section, “Fla

K-pop May 15, 2020

When the coronavirus epidemic first struck South Korea, many expected the K-pop scene to take a major financial blow. Tours worldwide got postponed, long-awaited new music releases were delayed, showcases canceled. According to the Record Label Industry Association of Korea, a total of 211 concerts were canceled from February to April, accruing losses of almost 63.32 billion won ($51.6 million). But as in any crisis, artists and their labels found ways to adjust and not only came up with innov

K-pop May 14, 2020

Five-piece boy band DAY6 will suspend all upcoming team activities, its label, JYP Entertainment, announced late last night via social media. “Recently, several members acknowledged suffering symptoms of psychological anxiety. We immediately conducted a medical examination and received professional medical advice that sufficient rest and psychological stability were essential,” read the statement. “For this reason, after an extensive discussion with the DAY6 members, we hav

K-pop May 11, 2020

Last year, Twice embarked on the girl group’s most monumental journey since debuting -- their first world tour: “Twicelights.” It was their longest tour yet, spanning almost a whole year, kicking off in Seoul on May 25, 2019, going around Southeast Asia and North America and closing in Japan just a couple of months ago. Their finale shows initially scheduled to be held in March at Tokyo Dome and KSPO Dome in Seoul were canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. This isn&rsquo

K-pop May 7, 2020

Global sensation boy band BTS has recently been named the new faces of Bodyfriend, the Seoul-based global wellness company that produces luxury massage chairs. Customers who rent or purchase massage chairs until May 20 will receive a poster of the band and seven signed photo cards of the individual members. The promotion is only available for domestic orders. Since the announcement of the partnership last week, the firm saw a twofold increase in sales over the weekend from the weekend before

K-pop April 21, 2020

Starship Entertainment’s new boy band Cravity made its grand debut Tuesday. The nine-piece act released the debut album “Hideout: Remember Who We Are” and held an online showcase that was livestreamed on Naver’s V Live. The debut album includes seven tracks, with “Break All the Rules” as the lead single. The hip-hop tune depicts the band’s bold aspirations and encourages us to break the limits and rules that we have locked ourselves under. The song w

K-pop April 16, 2020

K-pop girl group (G)I-dle has partnered with Republic Records to officially enter the North American market, the band’s agency said Thursday. Republic Records is a major US music label under Universal Music Group, home to high-profile artists including Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande. It is making a big push into K-pop more recently, having established partnerships with K-pop groups Twice and TXT. “We are excited to be teaming up with the multi-talented girl group (G)I-DLE as they

K-pop April 9, 2020

Hip-hop label AOMG will host online streaming show “AOMG Quarantine Nonstop Live” on Sunday, with an aim to promote social distancing and help curb the spread of COVID-19. All profits collected during the show will be donated to support underprivileged families struggling from the outbreak. The label’s artists, as well as their friends, plan to perform on the donation-based show, which will air on AOMG’s official YouTube and Twitch channels. Previously, the label&rs

K-pop April 8, 2020

K-pop duo TVXQ’s Changmin released his solo album “Chocolate” on Monday. It is the singer’s very first album as a solo artist since debuting as a part of TVXQ back in 2003. The album, featuring a total of six tracks, shows off the artist’s wide vocal range. Changmin participated in writing the lyrics for the title track “Chocolate” and “No Tomorrow.” “Chocolate” is an addictive dance-pop that attempts to portray an intense de

K-pop April 6, 2020