[Today’s K-pop] Mamamoo brings out ballad-filled "WAW"

Mamamoo talked about the group’s new EP “WAW,” which came out Wednesday. 　 This is the first time the band is releasing an album that consists exclusively of ballads in its seven-year career. 　 “Since it is an all-ballad album, we paid extra attention to the vocals. So that each of the voices would complement each other, harmonize better,” they said. They are excited that the album would better show how they have grown, into better harmony and stronger chemistry,

K-popJune 2, 2021

With 'Butter,' BTS makes 3rd debut atop Billboard Hot 100

K-pop supergroup BTS has achieved another historic milestone, landing at No. 1 on the Billboard's main singles chart with its latest single, "Butter." "BTS' "Butter" bounds in at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart," Billboard said Tuesday (US time), citing figures from MRC Data showing how the song drew 32.2 million streams and sold 242,800 downloads in the week ending May 27. These figures put the new single fourth on the Streaming Songs chart and No. 1 o

K-popJune 2, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] Monsta X returns with 9th EP

The bandmates of Monsta X talked about their ninth EP “One of A Kind” on Tuesday. 　 “This album is a handiwork that shows the pure essence of Monsta X,” said Jooheon. He produced the title track “Gambler,” a first for the musician since he debuted six years ago. He wanted to make a song that would clearly show off the group, he added. 　 Calling himself a “witness” to how Jooheon poured himself into the song, Kihyun proudly declared it “per

K-popJune 1, 2021

Red Velvet's Joy goes retro in debut solo album

For her first solo album, Joy of K-pop girl group Red Velvet decided to travel back in time to the 1990s and 2000s, when K-pop was far from the glitzy empire it has become. The 24-year-old singer, who picked six songs, including one that was released in the year she was born, said singing these oldies but goodies was natural for her. "I really like the retro sentiment to the extent that I think I want to be born in that era," Joy said in a livestream news conference marking her debut

K-popJune 1, 2021

BTS megahit 'Dynamite' breaks 1.1b views on YouTube

The BTS megahit "Dynamite" has racked up 1.1 billion views on YouTube, becoming the band's third music video to reach the milestone. The seven-piece act's first English-language single hit the milestone at 3:46 a.m. on Tuesday, according to Big Hit Music. The feat comes roughly 10 months after the group released the upbeat disco-pop track on Aug. 21. The song earned BTS its first No. 1 debut on the Billboard's main singles chart as well as its first Grammy nomination. BTS now has th

K-popJune 1, 2021

TXT starts on new journey with 'The Chaos Chapter: Freeze'

Moving on from the first stage of their story, “The Dream Chapter,” boy band Tomorrow X Together, also known as TXT in short, turned the page to the next part with their second full-length album “The Chaos Chapter: Freeze.” Ahead of the release of their new album Monday, the five-piece act conducted a media showcase. Originally set to take place in person, the event was moved online after it was discovered the members may have come in contact with a COVID-19 patient. Al

K-popMay 31, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] TXT puts out 2nd LP

Tomorrow X Together hosted an online media showcase to promote its second full-length album, “The Chaos Chapter: Freeze,” Monday. 　 The eight-track album is about “a boy who just freezes up when he encounters an experience that shakes up his peaceful existence,” explained Yeonjun. 　 “The emotions got deeper,” added Soobin. 　 The track “0X1=Lovesong (I Know I Love You) feat. Seori” is a trendy hybrid pop rock number, and Beomgyu confessed that he&r

K-popMay 31, 2021

[Herald Interview] K-pop artist AleXa says single with Arab singer shows ‘mix of culture’

With a distinctive reggaeton beat, K-pop artist AleXa and Kuwaiti-Saudi-based singer Bader AlShuaibi sing back and forth about their affection for each other in three different languages in their new collaborative single “Is It On.” “It is a mix of culture. We have Arab side from Bader, then we have me singing in Korean and English,” AleXa said during her interview with The Korea Herald. “I tried multiple times to figure out what my interpretation of the song is.

K-popMay 29, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] BTS wins 2 iHeartRadio awards

BTS received two awards from the 2021 iHeartRadio Music Awards held in Los Angeles on Thursday, local time. 　 The artists’ digital single “Dynamite” was given the best music video award and their fandom Army was named as the best fan army. This is the second time they won best music video after last year’s “Boy With Luv” and the fourth time since 2018 they won best fan army. 　 Big Hit Music’s performance director Son Sung-deuk won the favorite music vid

K-popMay 28, 2021

BTS to drop 'Hotter' version of new single 'Butter'

BTS is set to release what its label called a "Hotter" remix of its latest single "Butter" that has been making a splash around the globe. The new version leans more toward electro dance, offering a different charm from the upbeat and vibrant original track, according to Big Hit Music. The release is scheduled for 1 p.m. Friday, exactly a week after the seven-piece act rolled out "Butter" globally on May 21. A music video for the remix is also set for release at 1

K-popMay 28, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] BTS makes appearance on “Friends: The Reunion” special

BTS made a 13-second guest appearance in the special episode of “Friends: The Reunion,” as the much-anticipated sitcom returned on Thursday, local time. 　 The bandmates appeared sitting on and around a sofa with subtitles that introduced them as “BTS: Biggest Boy Band on the Planet” complete with a Korean national flag. 　 “My mom bought me the DVDs of the whole series when I was in elementary school. ‘Friends’ really had a big hand in teaching me Englis

K-popMay 27, 2021

BTS adds 5 Guinness World Records with new song 'Butter'

BTS has set five new Guinness World Records (GWR) titles with its latest release "Butter." Most of the records came from YouTube, where the group outdid its own records achieved with the 2020 megahit "Dynamite." On YouTube, the music video for the septet's new single was certified for achieving the most views in 24 hours with 108.2 million views and as the most-viewed video by a K-pop group in 24 hours, according to the website of GWR. It also garnered the most views for t

K-popMay 27, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] NCT Dream’s 1st LP surpasses 2 million in sales

The first studio album of NCT Dream sold over 2 million units, according to label SM Entertainment on Wednesday. 　 The album, titled “Hot Sauce,” surpassed the 1 million-sales mark in a week since it came out on May 10 and reached 2 million in 16 days, and about 300,000 units more than the pre-orders. 　 The LP hit the No. 1 spot on the iTunes top albums chart in 37 regions, Oricon’s weekly album chart and Billboard Japan’s top sales album chart a well. With the same-tit

K-popMay 26, 2021

New BTS song 'Butter' makes splash on Billboard, Oricon charts

K-pop supergroup BTS' new single "Butter" has stormed major music charts in the United States and Japan following its release last week, the band's agency said Wednesday. The English-language single debuted at No. 26 on the Billboard's pop airplay chart, which measures airplay of pop songs at some 160 key US radio stations from every Monday to Sunday. The song's debut ranking is higher than the band's 2020 smash hit "Dynamite," which debuted at No. 30 on the same chart. &q

K-popMay 26, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] BTS’ RM writes song for TXT

RM of BTS participated in writing the lyrics for a song on Tomorrow X Together’s upcoming album, according to a song list that Bit Hit Music shared Tuesday. 　 TXT’s second studio album, “The Chaos Chapter: Freeze,” goes on sale May 31. RM co-authored the words for lead track “0X1=Lovesong,” about a boy who firmly believes in his love despite the chaos he has tumbled into. 　 It is a collaborative effort by a score of songwriters, including Hybe Chairman Bang

K-popMay 25, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] EXO floats teasers for special album

EXO shared teaser photos of Xiumin and Dio for its forthcoming special album on Monday. 　 The band is rolling out “Don’t Fight the Feeling” on June 7 and its label, S.M. Entertainment, dropped the first batch of photographs of the two since they returned to the music scene after serving their military duty. It is the first album the two performers have taken part in since 2018.  　 Although Baekhyun, Chanyeol, Suho and Chen would not be able to join the promotional

K-popMay 24, 2021

BTS pop-up stores to additionally open in Asian cities

K-pop superstar BTS has opened or will open additional offline pop-up stores in four Asian cities to meet rising demands for merchandise among the group's fans in the populous continent, its management agency said Monday. A BTS Pop-up: Map of the Soul store, which offers products themed around the seven-piece band's 2020 hit album "Map of the Soul: 7," already opened in Bangkok on May 1 to run through July 25, according to Hybe IP, an intellectual property arm of K-pop powerhouse Hybe

K-popMay 24, 2021

BTS scoops up four Billboard Awards

K-pop boy band BTS has won four prizes, including the major title of Top Selling Song, at this year's Billboard Music Awards (BBMA), the most for the group at the event ever. The septet was awarded Top Selling Song, Top Duo/Group, Top Song Sales Artist and the fan-voted Top Social Artist during the BBMA ceremony that was aired live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday (US time). It is the first time the band has won more than two titles at the BBMA. In 2019, it took home the Top

K-popMay 24, 2021

New BTS song 'Butter' sweeps iTunes charts in 101 regions

K-pop dynamo BTS has topped more than 100 regional iTunes chart with its latest single "Butter," its management agency said Saturday. The vibrant pop-dance number, released at 1 p.m. on Friday here, debuted at No. 1 on iTunes Top Songs chart in 101 regions, including the United States, Canada, Britain and Germany, according to Big Hit Music. The music video for the song has also made a splash around the world. It broke 10 million views on the septet's official YouTube channel in just

K-popMay 22, 2021

Back with ‘Butter,’ BTS talks new English single, power of music and eighth anniversary

After breaking record after record with “Dynamite” last year, BTS is ready make another big splash with the brand-new summer bop “Butter.” The group’s second English-language single, “Butter” is an upbeat dance pop anthem with a seasonal vibe, peppered with dazzling synths and an infectious hook. The seven-piece act held an offline global press conference in Seoul on Friday evening, right after the song’s release, where the musicians talked about

K-popMay 21, 2021