NCT Dream drops first studio set: ‘Hot Sauce’

Packed and ready with all kinds of flavors, boy band NCT Dream’s first studio album, “Hot Sauce,” is set for release Monday. The seven-member subunit of S.M. Entertainment’s boy band NCT conducted a livestreamed press conference that day ahead of the album’s release. “This is our first full-length album in six years. While NCT Dream was all about being young until now, we’ve all grown up. We thought it was the most important to portray with the new a

K-popMay 10, 2021

K-pop girl group Loona to promote Korean culture overseas

K-pop girl group Loona will be promoting Korean culture abroad in 2021 as honorary ambassadors for the Korean Culture and Information Service. The 12 band members’ main role as honorary ambassadors is to take part in KOCIS events to promote South Korea’s global image as well as its pop culture content, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. The girl group has already participated in promotional videos for the Talk Talk Korea contest organized by KOCIS. The video

K-popMay 10, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] NCT Dream’s 1st LP full of energy

NCT Dream shared their thoughts about the group’s first studio album “Hot Sauce” at an online media conference on Monday. 　 Before the event started, the group’s label SM Entertainment announced that the LP’s pre-order sales came in at more than 1.7 million units. 　 “We’re flattered by the fact alone that we were able to fill the album as a septet,” said the members. 　 They had initially wanted to focus on creating as many memories as possible w

K-popMay 10, 2021

From BTS to NCT Dream, K-pop acts gear up to return with new music in May

From K-pop dynamo BTS to boy band brand NCT's subunit NCT Dream, some of the scene's biggest acts as well as rookie groups are getting ready to come back with new music this month. At the forefront is BTS. The seven-piece group, which released Japanese single "Film Out" in April, is set to drop new song "Butter" on May 21. The English single, which the group's agency Big Hit Music described as a "fun and upbeat summer song," will first be released globally in a d

K-popMay 9, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] Blackpink’s Rose thanks fans with photobook

  Rose of Blackpink is releasing a special-edition photobook to thank fans for successful launch of her solo career.  To mark her solo debut album selling over 500,000 units, she published a book named “Rose -R- Photobook [Special Edition]” that goes on sale on June 22. The 204-page tome contains candid shots from the songstress’ daily lives she took herself as well as selfies. Scenes from the shootings of album jacket and music video also are included. The artist p

K-popMay 7, 2021

K-pop agency SM teams up with MGM to launch new boy band

SM Entertainment, the K-pop powerhouse behind acts like SuperM and EXO, on Friday unveiled a plan to launch a new K-pop band in the United States through a televised audition program. SM and MGM Worldwide Television will introduce a competition series to pick members of a new boy band named NCT-Hollywood, one of the subunits for SM's NCT boy band brand, the company said in a statement. NCT, short for Neo Culture Technology, is SM Entertainment's international idol group project launched in 201

K-popMay 7, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] EXO’s Baekhyun starts military service

Baekhyun of EXO shared photos of himself with close-shaven hair, bidding a temporary farewell to his fans Thursday. There also was a picture with bandmate Seho, who was touching his hair with a smile. 　 The veteran idol began his training the same day, which was also his birthday. The exact time and location were not announced. After three weeks of training, he will start his alternative duty as a public service worker, as he has hypothyroidism. 　 He first shared the news of his enlisting in A

K-popMay 6, 2021

Rookie girl group aespa to drop new song in May

Rookie K-pop girl group aespa will release new single "Next Level" on May 17, the group's agency said Thursday. The four-piece group, trained and produced by K-pop powerhouse SM Entertainment, made its debut in November with single "Black Mamba." The song made a splash on global music charts, landing on the Billboard Global Excl. US chart and topping streaming on the Korean music chart ran by China's QQ Music. The song's music video also became the fastest debut music video

K-popMay 6, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] Shinee to mark 13th anniversary with livestream

Shinee is hosting an online event to celebrate the 13th anniversary of debut. 　 To spend the anniversary with its fans, the quartet will take to Naver’s V Live for a live fan meeting on May 25. It has been holding the “SHINee Day” event annually, and this year decided to go virtual. The band will perform a series of hit songs, share episodes from their recent promotional activities and play games. 　 The veteran idols put out their seventh studio album, “Don’t Cal

K-popMay 4, 2021

BTS' J-hope donates W100m for children in Africa

J-hope, a member of popular K-pop band BTS, has donated 100 million won (US$89,000) for children in Tanzania, a Seoul-based charity said Tuesday. According to ChildFund Korea, J-Hope expressed hope that his donation will be a helping hand to children in overseas countries on South Korea's Children's Day, which falls on Wednesday. J-hope has contributed 700 million won through the charity since 2018 as a member of Green Noble Club, a group of high-value donors of ChildFund Korea. (Yonhap) 

K-popMay 4, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] Shinee’s Taemin to release EP before enlisting

Taemin of Shinee will put out his third solo EP, “Advice,” May 18, said label S.M. Entertainment on Monday. 　 It has been six months since his second solo LP, “Never Gonna Dance Again: Act 2.” This new album will be the last before he leaves to begin his military service later this month. 　 The EP consists of five tracks, including the title track, which was unveiled in advance at his solo digital concert Sunday. 　 The show, “Taemin: Never Gonna Dance Again,&rdq

K-popMay 3, 2021

Hybe’s growing influence acknowledged in global media

Hybe, the company behind BTS, and its leaders have made it onto the lists of two international media outlets in recognition of their growing influence in the world. Time magazine announced its annual “Time100 Most Influential Companies” on Wednesday. Hybe and Samsung were the only two South Korean companies on the list, which also included Google, Apple and Netflix. This was the first time Hybe made the list, with Time crediting the entertainment company with “creating a BTS-f

K-popMay 1, 2021

[Eye Interview] From BTS to G-Dragon, Kim Ri-eul breaks barriers of hanbok

When global sensation BTS danced to its 2018 hit “Idol” at an ethereally moonlit Gyeongbokgung in Seoul on NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” last September, fans all over the world had their eyes on the seven beloved superstars -- first for their mesmerizing performance and then for their black outfits inspired by Korea’s traditional attire, or hanbok. Those stylish suits, sleekly embellished with Korean elements, immediately created buzz on soc

K-popApril 30, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] TXT to return with 2nd LP on May 31

Tomorrow X Together is coming out with second full-length album on May 31, according to an announcement on Friday.  　 The album is named “The Chaos Chapter: Freeze” and hails the beginning of a new narrative. 　 Since the boy band’s debut, their work has centered on the concept of dreams, starting with their debut EP “The Dream Chapter: Star,” the first studio album “The Dream Chapter: Magic” and then the second EP “The Dream Chapter: Eterni

K-popApril 30, 2021

BTS wins 4 nominations at 2021 Billboard Music Awards

BTS has clinched nominations in four categories -- the most for the K-pop superstars -- in the upcoming 2021 Billboard Music Awards (BBMAs) set for next month. The seven-member act was nominated in the categories of Top Duo/Group, Top Song Sales Artist, Top Social Artist and Top Selling Song at this year's BBMAs, scheduled for May 23 (US time), according to Billboard. It marks the most nominations for BTS since the group was first named a candidate for Top Social Artist in 2017. This year, the

K-popApril 30, 2021

ITZY returns more daring with ‘Guess Who’

Girl group ITZY is returning more powerful and confident with the new album “Guess Who.” Ahead of the album‘s release, the group conducted an online press conference Thursday. The band’s fourth mini album, “Guess Who” is a six-track set led by “M.A.F.I.A. in the Morning.” “‘Guess Who’ refers to an unknown person. In this album, we manifest various visuals and emotions according to different times and places, becoming more wild

K-popApril 30, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] IZ*ONE's Japanese members bid farewell

The bandmates of IZ*ONE from Japan returned to their home boarding an airplane together Thursday.   　 Miyawaki Sakura, Honda Hitomi and Yabuki Nako eagerly greeted fans gathered at the airport, but upon hearing their warm parting words, turned solemn. Hitomi welled up with tears and the other two comforted her.   　 The group was disbanded Wednesday as its contract with CJ ENM expired, wrapping up the 2 1/2 year career. The Korean members will return to their original agencies except

K-popApril 29, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] Hot Issue debuts triumphantly

  Seven-piece girl group Hot Issue debuted with a much-anticipated online showcase Wednesday.   　 The group came out with five-track EP “Issue Maker,” with its lead track “Gratata” that comes after machine gun sounds, as the group ambitiously aims to target the public like skilled snipers.   　 The debut of the new girl group has drawn extra attention, as it is the first band to come from S2 Entertainment, established by Hong Seungseong who has produced co

K-popApril 28, 2021

Streams of BTS hit 'Dynamite' surpass 300m in Japan: Oricon

Combined streaming of the BTS megahit "Dynamite" has reached more than 300 million in Japan, a music chart tracker in the Asian country showed Wednesday. The disco-pop track added 6.69 million streams in the latest weekly streaming chart compiled by Oricon between April 19 and 25, hitting 306.53 million streams in total, said Big Hit Music, the K-pop act's agency, citing the Japanese music chart. "Dynamite," which achieved the feat in 36 weeks, is the third song to break th

K-popApril 28, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] Seventeen sets record with 3rd Japanese single

Seventeen ranked No. 1 on Oricon’s weekly singles chart with hits third Japanese single “Hitorijyanai” last week. 　 The single sold over 314,000 units in the first week of sales, repeating the feat of its second Japanese single from last year that also topped the weekly tally and sold over 300,000 units in seven days. 　 “Hitorijyanai” also made the boy band the first international male musicians to have three consecutive singles with over-200,000-unit sales in th

K-popApril 27, 2021