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[Today’s K-pop] BTS’ V logs record streak on Billboard 200 with solo album

By Hwang You-mee

Published : Nov. 8, 2023 - 17:58

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(Credit: Big Hit Music) (Credit: Big Hit Music)

The first solo album from V of BTS extended its stay on the Billboard 200 to a seventh consecutive week, a new record for a K-pop solo artist.

EP “Layover” debuted on the main albums chart at No. 2 after being rolled out in September and ranked No. 160 on the chart dated Nov. 4, surpassing the six-week mark set by bandmate RM.

The six-track mini album sold over 1.6 million copies on the day of its release and 2.1 million in the first week, both records for a K-pop solo musician at the time.

He amassed 100 million plays on Spotify within the first week, a first for a K-pop solo album. Side track “Love Me Again” also had surpassed 200 million streams on the platform, as of last week.

 

Ive lays out upcoming world tour

(Credit: Starship Entertainment) (Credit: Starship Entertainment)

Ive shared details for its first international tour through agency Starship Entertainment on Wednesday.

The six members kicked off the tour in Seoul with concerts held in early October and will visit 27 cities across the world starting next week.

The “Show What I Have” tour will resume in Yokohama, Japan on Nov. 15 and then bring the group to seven more cities in Asia until March 2024, before flying over to the US. With plans for the tour already including six cities in the US, five in Europe and three in Latin America, the poster's “And More” hints that it might expand.

Meanwhile, Ive returned from Tokyo on Tuesday after appearing on a live music show on TBS. It has been promoting the group's first EP “I’ve Mine,” which is sweeping the music charts at home.

 

ONF drops single, meets fans in Japan

(Credit: WM Entertainment) (Credit: WM Entertainment)

Boy band ONF is releasing a special single in Japan, according to agency WM Entertainment on Wednesday.

The band sings “Love Effect,” the title track from its seventh EP that came out last month in Korea, in Japanese. The single will be accompanied by a Japanese-language version of the music video.

In the meantime, the six bandmates will also greet fans in Japan -- in Osaka on Nov. 24 and Tokyo on Nov. 26 – for the first time in four years. The band debuted as a septet in 2017 with EP “ON/OFF,” but Laun left in 2019, citing personal reasons.

Before visiting Japan, ONF will join the lineup for K-Expo Thailand 2023 on Saturday

 

SM Entertainment logs record earnings in Q3

(Credit: SM Entertainment) (Credit: SM Entertainment)

SM Entertainment posted record earnings and revenue in the third quarter of this year, the label said Wednesday.

The company recorded 50.5 billion won ($38.5 million) in operating profit and 266.3 billion won in revenue, up 70 percent and 12 percent, respectively, from the same period last year. Net profit leapt 189 percent on-year to 84.2 billion won, according to the disclosure posted on the day.

A rise in the sales of records and music as well as the return of concerts in-person propelled record earnings in the period, led by major artists including NCT Dream, aespa and Riize. NCT Dream sold more than 4.32 million albums, while EXO, NCT and Riize each sold over a million.

The firm seeks to continue the trend well into the coming quarters. NCT127 released its fifth LP last month and Riize dropped a single in late October. This month will see aespa, Red Velvet and Taeyeon return, while aespa will also put out an LP in English in the first quarter next year.