Hybe’s global superfan platform Weverse at a crossroads

Weverse, Hybe's global superfan platform, stands at a crossroads as a key player in the K-pop powerhouse’s platform business plan, as it seeks to implement an extensive paid membership system in the third quarter of this year amid falling user numbers. Weverse, launched in 2019, allows users to engage in various fan activities and purchase artists’ physical albums as well as related merchandise. It also provides K-pop artists' content on the platform including concert lives

K-popJune 25, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] 2NE1 members to meet with YG boss: report

All four members of 2NE1 will get together with the founder of YG Entertainment Yang Hyunsuk within days, according to a local media report Tuesday. Label YG Entertainment confirmed they are set to meet following the report but did not offer any specifics. Last month, CL met with the producer, and the members each uploaded a picture of them together in time for their 15th debut anniversary, raising expectations for their reunion. The quartet debuted in 2009 and established itself as one of the m

K-popJune 25, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] NCT 127 to drop 6th LP on July 15

NCT 127 set the release date of its sixth studio album as July 15, according to label SM Entertainment on Monday. The LP “Walk” will consist of 11 tracks, including the main track of the same title, that will fully demonstrate the band’s ever-expanding musical spectrum. The title of the album suggests that it will look back at the journey the group has made so far and at the same time look ahead at the path it is paving. The LP comes about nine months after the fifth LP &ldqu

K-popJune 24, 2024

Can K-pop thrive beyond its Korean identity?

After K-pop's global success in recent years, music moguls have been grappling with the question of how to sustain the momentum. They agree that localization -- by which they mean taking the K-pop style of discovering and training talent and applying it in different overseas market -- is a key strategy. SM Entertainment founder Lee Soo-man introduced the concept in 2016 with a new boy band initiative that sought to expand and open up K-pop. His plans included groups based in cities around t

K-popJune 24, 2024

Red Velvet celebrates 10th anniversary with new EP ‘Cosmic’

K-pop girl group Red Velvet dropped a new mini album “Cosmic” on Monday. "Cosmic" carries six tracks in which the quintet uses celestial metaphors to convey the feelings that come from important values and relationships. The lead track “Cosmic,” was composed by Kenzie, the veteran producer behind dozens of K-pop’s biggest hits, and the Swedish musician duo Moonshine. It’s about meeting a traveler from a remote star who Red Velvet encounters like dest

K-popJune 24, 2024

Twice’s Nayeon lands at No. 7 on Billboard 200

Nayeon of the K-pop girl group Twice achieved a landmark feat on Billboard’s main album chart with her latest mini album, “Na.” According to Billboard, "Na," Nayeon’s second EP, landed at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 dated June 29. The Billboard 200 chart ranks the best-performing albums in the US based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. Nayeon is now the first female K-pop soloist to have two albums in the Bil

K-popJune 24, 2024

NewJeans tops Oricon chart with first Japanese album ‘Supernatural’

K-pop girl group NewJeans notched the No. 1 spot on Oricon’s daily singles ranking Friday, the day its first Japanese single album, “Supernatural,” was released in Japan. NewJeans is also performing well on major Korean and Japanese music charts. The titular track “Supernatural” topped real-time music charts of the Japanese music platforms including Line Music and AWA. It also landed at No. 13 on Melon’s Top 100 dated June 22. NewJeans has 10 songs on Melon&rs

K-popJune 23, 2024

Seventeen’s Jeonghan, Wonwoo unveil director’s cut of ‘Last Night’ MV

Seventeen’s Jeonghan and Wonwoo dropped the director’s cut version of the music video for “Last Night (Guitar by Park Ju-won)” on Sunday. The song is the main track of the duo’s first single, “This Man,” released on June 17. The director’s cut includes a two-minute-and-45-second-long black-and-white comic that begins with “This is the story of a man who turns into a nightmare and another man who lives in fear of being forgotten.” &ldquo

K-popJune 23, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Blackpink to release tour film for 8th debut anniversary

Blackpink’s world tour that ended last year was made into a movie and will come to movie theaters on July 31, in time for the group’s eighth debut anniversary, label YG Entertainment said Friday. Dubbed “Blackpink World Tour Born Pink in Cinemas,” the film will chronicle the quintet’s international tour held in 34 cities from 2022 to 2023. It consisted of 66 concerts and drew about 1.8 million fans, the largest for a K-pop girl group ever. The movie will be shown on

K-popJune 21, 2024

Hybe confirms Illit’s concert in Macau despite China’s restriction on K-pop gigs

Hybe confirmed Friday that Illit, the K-pop girl band under its music label Belift Lab, will be among the K-pop artists to participate in the Tencent Music Entertainment Awards in Macau, China, on July 19. The quintet shared the award poster on their official account on Chinese social media platform Weibo, Wednesday, announcing their first live performance at the music festival in China. “Illit will perform at the Tencent Music Entertainment Award as planned. The post on (Illit’s) We

K-popJune 21, 2024

Ador, Krafton vow to address sexual harassment involving NewJeans

Music label Ador and video game publisher Krafton vowed to take action against the recent misuse of Battlegrounds and NewJeans' collaboration content in a jointly released announcement on the official community page of PUBG: Battlegrounds on Thursday. "Recently, some users have been creating and sharing inappropriate posts using the NewJeans characters. This behavior does not align with our brand image and values and is offensive to all fans," the two companies said as they highli

K-popJune 21, 2024

Red Velvet to kick off Asia fan concert tour

Red Velvet is set to connect with fans across Asia with their upcoming fancon tour “Happiness: My Dear, ReVeluv” which will kick off with a two-day event in Seoul at the Olympic Handball Gymnasium, scheduled for Aug. 3-4. The announcement of the tour was marked by the release of a vibrant poster, shared on Red Velvet’s official fan club community and social media platforms Wednesday. The performance holds significance as they will celebrate their 10th anniversary with fans on A

PerformanceJune 21, 2024

First hearing for lawsuit involving Fifty Fifty scheduled for August

The first hearing in a suit seeking 13 billion won ($9.4 million) in damages filed by Attrakt against three former members of K-pop girl group Fifty Fifty – Saena, Sio and Aran – as well as The Givers CEO Ahn Sung-il has been set for Aug. 29, the agency said Thursday. According to Fifty Fifty's agency Attrakt, the lawsuit also includes the parents of the three former bandmates and an executive of The Givers surnamed Baek. The legal action stems from conflicts that arose after Fi

K-popJune 20, 2024

NewJeans to make Japan debut, collaborate with local art moguls

K-pop girl group NewJeans, under the Ador music label of Hybe, is set to make its debut in Japan on Friday with their first Japanese EP, "Supernatural," the agency announced Thursday. The quintet’s mini-album includes four tracks – the titular track, B-side “Right Now” and instrumental versions of both songs. "Supernatural" is a nostalgic new jack swing-style song, featuring contributions from pop star Pharrell Williams, the agency explained. Teasers f

K-popJune 20, 2024

H1-Key returns with rebellious ‘Let It burn’

K-pop girl group H1-Key has returned as lovely rebels. The quartet's new mini-album “Love or Hate” marks H1-Key’s return after four months and includes four tracks: the title song “Let It Burn,” along with “(heart) Letter,” “Iconic,” and “Rainfalls.” The lead single “Let It Burn” combines a groovy boom-bap hip-hop rhythm with intense rock elements. “The title song’s rebellious, straightforward lyrics a

K-popJune 20, 2024

[Herald Interview] K.Will talks about relationships in new album

It took six years for singer-songwriter K.Will, known for his numerous hit ballads, to release a new album. On Thursday, K.Will will unveil “All the Way,” his seventh EP, talking about his relationships with the people he encounters. “I asked myself what evokes my emotions. For me, it isn’t certain happenings that make me happy or sad. Instead, my feelings revolve around my relationships with people around me. So I wanted this album to talk about feelings such as happines

K-popJune 20, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Stray Kids floats teaser for ninth EP

Stray Kids uploaded a teaser trailer for ninth EP “Ate” Wednesday via label JYP Entertainment. The eight members look around everywhere for a new fortune cookie that breaks the series of unfortunate events apparently brought on by one they opened that said: “Your luck no longer lasts from now on.” The mini album will be rolled out on July 19 about eight months since its previous EP, “Rock-Star.” The album made a hot-shot debut on the Billboard 200 as did its t

K-popJune 19, 2024

Lisa of Blackpink to return with 'Rockstar'

Lisa of Blackpink will return with a new single, "Rockstar," at 9 a.m., June 28, according to a statement from her distributor, Sony Music Entertainment Korea. The previous day, Lisa revealed the artwork for "Rockstar" on the official Instagram of her label, Lloud Company. "Rockstar" is the first song to be released in partnership between Lisa’s newly established Lloud Company and RCA Records, a subsidiary of Sony Music, one of the top three major music distri

K-popJune 19, 2024

[Herald Interview] Blitzers returns with ‘Superpower’ after rocking Britain's Got Talent

Blitzers has made a bold comeback with a new album, returning from appearing on a globally esteemed audition program. Blitzers’ new album “Lunch-box,” released at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, includes six tracks: The title song “Superpower,” “Race Up,” “Ring Ring,” “Fxxking Spring,” and English versions of “Superpower” and “Macarena,” a single dropped last year. "Lunch-box is our fourth travel-themed album. Li

K-popJune 19, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] BTS’ Jungkook hits Billboard’s Hot 100 with fan song

Jungkook of BTS placed his solo digital single on Billboard’s Hot 100 dated June 22, according to the publication’s chart preview released Monday in the US. The track “Never Let Go” entered the Main Songs chart at No. 97 and became his seventh song to do so, cementing his record of having the most on the chart as a K-pop solo artist. The American publication commented “It’s his seventh career solo song to debut on the chart, and first since ‘Standing Nex

K-popJune 18, 2024