My life switching between continents as a third-culture kid gave me a crystal-clear music taste. I was an avid fan of Justin Bieber, Boys Like Girls and Cody Simpson a decade ago, when Girls’ Generation, Big Bang and Super Junior were major drivers of the Korean Wave. None of these singers would make it onto my iPod playlist. Please allow me to be candid. I never knew I would be interested in K-pop, nor would I have ever expected myself to listen to idols’ songs. While Shinee w

K-pop July 18, 2022

J-Hope’s first-ever solo studio album “Jack In The Box” comes with a desire to make changes: It reflects his aspirations to break the mold and grow further. The singer-turned-soloist is having fun with his solo venture, and his 10-song package describes how he is in the spring of his life. But unlike hopeful messages and bright tunes the boy band is known for, this time, J-Hope showed a new less-sunny side of himself. Stepping away from the glitz and the glamour of BTS, he

K-pop July 15, 2022

  The third edition of the BTS Global Interdisciplinary Conference was held Thursday, shedding light on how to face new challenges and make new opportunities after the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s event was held under the theme of “The Post-Pandemic Era, Welcome to the New Humanity” at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in Seoul, inviting scholars, experts and BTS fans in and out of Korea. The first conference was held at Kingston University in London, England, in

K-pop July 14, 2022

K-pop sensation BTS’ discographies are being presented as artworks at the Total Museum of Contemporary Art in Jongno-gu, Seoul, until July 30. The special exhibition, titled “Beyond the Scene” is being held to coincide with the third BTS Global Interdisciplinary Conference, which is set to kick off on Thursday, bringing the septet’s songs and messages to life. The exhibition’s title comes from the K-pop act’s English initials and the idea of using art to &

Arts & Design July 13, 2022

All nine bandmates of girl group Twice have renewed their contracts with JYP Entertainment, standing the test of time and the “seven-year jinx.” On Tuesday, the company said that the two sides have decided to continue “based on trust” and “renew their contracts early” via a press release. The band members’ exclusive contracts were due to expire in autumn, but all of them chose to stay and signed in advance. “Twice played a crucial role in estab

K-pop July 13, 2022

Original content featuring BTS will arrive on Disney+ following a global content collaboration between Hybe Corporation and The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific. On Tuesday, Hybe, the media conglomerate behind BTS, announced that it is set to provide a total of five major content projects to the US-based content giant’s platform. The package includes two exclusive series featuring BTS. Among the content coming to Disney’s streaming platform is the 4K Ultra High Definition versio

Television July 12, 2022

Google Arts & Culture launched a special collaboration with K-pop juggernaut BTS to celebrate the birthday of the band’s official fandom, known as Army. Dubbed “BTS x Street Galleries,” the exhibition aims to bring viewers and fans on a virtual tour of the iconic pop group’s favorite artworks and to celebrate the Army’s birthday, which falls on July 9. The collaboration project takes fans on a street view tour of locations around the world chosen by the mem

K-pop July 11, 2022

J-Hope, the rapper and dancer of boy band BTS, will launch his much-anticipated debut solo studio album “Jack in The Box” on Friday on global music platforms. Days after the K-pop juggernaut released its anthology album “Proof,” the septet’s agency Big Hit Music announced that J-Hope would expand his musical horizons with a new solo project. “Jack in the Box” reflects his “aspirations to break the mold and grow further,” said the agency.

K-pop July 11, 2022

After successfully embarking on a new musical journey as a rookie trio known as Viviz, the girl group is back with its second EP, “Summer Vibe,” which dropped Wednesday evening. This marks the three-piece act’s return following the release of its first EP, “Beam of Prism,” in February after departing their former group GFriend. Asked how it feels to make its way back to music charts, SinB said with a grin, “Since we’re returning after just five mont

K-pop July 6, 2022

In the cutthroat K-pop industry, making one‘s mark is no easy feat. But rookie girl group Irris believes they can achieve success. Produced by Justice Records, a subsidiary of film company Taewon Entertainment, and Mellow Entertainment, Irris threw their glitzy hats into the ring Wednesday evening with dreams to leave bold marks on the industry. The four bandmates -- I.L, Liv and Yun-seul from Korea, and Nina from Australia -- boldly stepped into the industry with their three-track rel

K-pop July 6, 2022

The name Kasper may sound familiar to many K-pop fans. His demo videos of popular choreography have made him a hit among lovers of Korean music. Kasper, whose real name is Kim Tae-woo, is a choreographer with 15 years of experience working with elite groups from S.M. Entertainment. He received praise for composing the moves for Exo’s “Ko Ko Bop” and Shinee’s “Don’t Call Me.” Wearing in his signature look of sneakers and earrings, and with his right a

People July 6, 2022

Boy band CIX met fans in Saudi Arabia through “Saranghae KSA - Jeddah K-Pop Festival 2022,” held at Jeddah Superdome on Friday. The three-day Korean music and culture event was Saudi Arabia’s first K-pop festival, introducing fans to a range of Korean favorites. The group closed the last day of the jam-packed live session with mega-hits “What You Wanted,” “Bad Dream,” “Lost,” “Change Me,” “Everything,” “Cine

K-pop July 5, 2022

With the ambition to canvass the summer music charts with its new album, boy band Enhypen dropped its third EP, “Manifesto: Day 1,” Monday evening. This marks the K-pop act’s return nearly six months after it released “Dimension: Answer” in January. “Manifesto: Day 1” tells the story of the seven bandmates with doubts about the meaning of “success.” The EP is aptly named -- Enhypen marches forward to find the word’s true definition

K-pop July 4, 2022

Vying to create this year‘s summer anthem, singer Sunmi dropped a new digital single titled “Heart Burn” on Wednesday evening. This mark’s the songstress‘ first release since her 3rd EP, “1/6,” dropped last August. The singer’s digital single is a two-song release that includes the title track and the side track “Childhood.” Gushing about her new songs, the singer described “Heart Burn” as “a song about summer l

K-pop June 29, 2022

Just like his famous catchphrase “Boom Shaka Laka,” Min-hyuk of boy band BTOB has returned, making his way back to the music charts with his second self-produced LP, “Boom,” released Monday evening. This marks the group member-turned-soloist's return in less than a year, having dropped a digital single titled “Good Night” in November. “It’s an album that best shows who Huta is as a soloist,” the singer said, referring to his solo alias.

K-pop June 27, 2022