NCT Dream put out its first single in Japan, “Best Friends Ever,” on Wednesday, said label SM Entertainment.

The NCT subunit of seven members dropped the single that consists of two tracks: a main track of the same title and the Japanese-language version of “Glitch Mode,” the titular track from its second studio album.

The band will perform the new song for the first time at its upcoming concert in Osaka. It is set to go live at Kyocera Dome next week as part of its second international tour "In A Dream."

NCT Dream topped a score of music charts at home and abroad with its winter special album “Candy,” which includes its retake on H.O.T.’s 1996 hit song. The band sold a total of over 5.61 million units last year with three albums -- the second LP “Glitch Mode,” repack “Beatbox” and “Candy.”

Seventeen’s unit album tops Oricon daily chart

Seventeen’s special unit BSS landed atop Oricon’s daily single ranking with its first single “Second Wind.”

The single album sold close to 480,000 copies on the first day of release, breaking the first-week sales record from albums of a K-pop unit in a single day.

This is the first time the trio -- Seungkwan, Dogyeom and Hoshi -- put out an album since it was formed five years ago and dropped the digital single “Just Do It.” The group placed all three tracks on Melon’s daily chart, and the focus track ranked No. 10, beating Seventeen’s high at No. 14 achieved with “A-Teen” in 2018.

On Thursday, BSS will appear in a television music chart show with featuring artists Lee Youngji and Peder Elias and perform “Fighting” and “7PM,” respectively.

Ex-IZ*ONE Yabuki Nako to switch to acting

Yabuki Nako, a former member of project group IZ*ONE, will turn to acting after 10 years in music.

She “graduated” from HKT48 as the group released its 16th single album, “You Can Do More,” on Wednesday. A final concert will be held in Yokohama on April 1.

“This is not the end but a new beginning,” she said in an interview with a Japanese magazine. She debuted in 2013 as a member of the group and joined IZ*ONE through an audition program in 2018.

“I’ve achieved all goals I set as an idol,” she said, “From now on, I will make it forward as an actor.”

Last month, she shared the news that her contract with agency Vernalossom came to an end. There are speculations that she may move to Korea and join Hybe, as did her former bandmate Miyawaki Sakura of Le Sserafim.

Ex-AOA Jimin goes solo

Shin Ji-min, formerly of AOA, will resume her music career as a solo performer and will release her first EP on Feb. 22, announced agency AloMalo Entertainment on Tuesday.

A teaser poster for her first solo EP, “Boxes,” shows her, sporting long blonde locks, looking into the camera. It has been about two years since she quit the team after she was accused of bullying bandmate Kwon Mina for almost 10 years.

Shin suspended all activities thereafter while Kwon continued to make accusations against her. In July last year, Shin signed with her current agency and announced that she will restart her career. She appeared in reality show “The Second World,” a competition among female musicians.

By Hwang You-mee
(glamazon@heraldcorp.com)