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[Today’s K-pop] NCT127 drops single in Japan to mark anniversary

By Hwang You-mee

Published : May 23, 2024 - 17:49

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

NCT127 released single “Colors” in Japan on Thursday to celebrate the sixth anniversary of debut in the country, according to label SM Entertainment.

The seven-member subunit put the R&B tune on stage during its first dome tour in Japan “Neo City: Japan – The Link” in 2022 and fans have been asking for it to be published.

The septet officially debuted in Japan with EP “Chain” in May 2018 and wrapped up its second dome tour in the nation, “Neo City: Japan – The Unity,” in March, held across those in Nagoya, Osaka and Tokyo, drawing 260,000 audience members in total.

In the meantime, it is putting together its sixth studio album, which is due out in the third quarter. Its last album, fifth LP “Fact Check,” from October last year, ranked No. 16 on the Billboard 200 and sold over 1.64 million units in the first week.

Illit sets record on Spotify with debut song

(Credit: Belift Lab) (Credit: Belift Lab)

Illit amassed 200 million streams on Spotify with “Magnetic,” said agency Belift Lab on Thursday citing the platform.

The rookie girl group achieved the feat in 56 days, a record for a debut song from a K-pop girl group.

“Magnetic” fronted its first EP, “Super Real Me,” and hit the 100-million milestone in less than a month. It is also on the platform’s weekly top songs global chart for the eighth week in a row.

The debut single entered Billboard’s Hot 100 and UK’s Official singls top 100, debuting at No. 91 and No. 80 respectively, breaking a record for a K-pop artist to enter both charts in the shortest time since debut. The mini album entered Billboard 200 at No. 93 after renewing first-week sales record for a debut album from a K-pop girl group at 380,000 copies.

Twice logs 20m album sales in Japan, Korea

(Credit: JYP Entertainment) (Credit: JYP Entertainment)

Twice has sold more than 20 million albums released in Korea and Japan so far, said label JYP Entertainment on Thursday.

The group of nine debuted in October 2015 with EP “The Story Begins” and has put out 43 albums in total. Its latest album was 13th EP “With YOU-th” that came out in February and adding solo albums of Nayeon and Jihyo, logged over 14.56 million copies with those released in Korea. The group, in its 10th year, notched the No. 1 spot on Billboard 200 for the first time with the 13th EP.

In Japan, its first album was best-of album “#Twice” from June 2017. The nonet dropped tenth single “Hare Hare” in May last year while its first subunit, Misamo, debuted with EP “Masterpiece” two months later.

Meanwhile, the group will resume its world tour in Japan in July.

Boynextdoor teases debut single in Japan

(Credit: KOZ Entertainment) (Credit: KOZ Entertainment)

Boynextdoor floated the teaser video for its upcoming debut single in Japan through agency KOZ Entertainment on Thursday.

As the title of the clip, “Yakou,” suggests, it showed the six members roaming freely in the streets at night, running around a subway station and hanging out at a convenience store.

It is a hint for single “AND,” which is due out on July 10. The single album will consist of four tracks: one new song in Japanese as well as Japanese-language versions of main songs from its three albums published in Korea: “One and Only” from debut single “Who!,” “But Sometimes” from first EP “Why...” and “Earth, Wind & Fire” from second EP “How?”

The boy band’s second EP was rolled out last month and sold over 710,000 copies. It also topped Oricon’s weekly and weekly combined album rankings.