Hybe taps Lee Jae-sang as new CEO

Hybe has appointed its current Chief Strategy Officer Lee Jae-sang to be the new CEO, the company said Wednesday. According to the K-pop powerhouse, Lee's appointment is to be finalized following approval at the upcoming shareholders and board of directors meetings. Lee has been selected to lead the forthcoming "Hybe 2.0" strategy, with a leadership transition project underway since the beginning of the year. Lee graduated from Yonsei University and previously worked at global man

K-popJuly 24, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] SHINee’s Minho heads to Paris Olympics

Minho of SHINee will join the Paris 2024 Olympics as one of the “Olympic Friends,” said label SM Entertainment Wednesday. He and actor Lee Dong-wook were selected as the first “friends” of the sporting event and promoted the Winter Youth Olympic Games Gangwon 2024 earlier this year. The veteran idol will attend the 33rd Olympic Games which open Friday and will root for the national team and promote the event. Separately, the singer and actor will return to TV screens as t

K-popJuly 24, 2024

Source Music, Ador CEO Min locked in legal battle

Hybe subsidiary Source Music and Ador CEO Min Hee-jin are taking legal action against each other for purportedly spreading false information regarding the launch of K-pop girl group NewJeans. Source Music took to social media platform X on Tuesday to post: “Min Hee-jin’s claim that Source Music copied her (girl group) launching strategy is false.” “We did not copy the launching strategy she presented when she was the then-chief business officer at Source Music,” Sou

K-popJuly 24, 2024

Why are K-pop powerhouses advancing into Latin America?

JYP Entertainment announced last Thursday that it will establish a Latin America subsidiary in the third quarter of this year. The move is aimed at expanding its local business and better communicating with fans from the region. Ahead of JYP, the agency behind popular K-pop bands Twice, Stray Kids and Itzy, was Hybe, the powerhouse behind BTS, Seventeen and NewJeans. Hybe established a foothold in the Latin market with the opening of a Mexico-based business unit in November last year. The compan

K-popJuly 24, 2024

Jungkook's solo exhibition to open in Seoul

An exhibition showcasing Jungkook, who debuted as the youngest member of BTS and has shown his capabilities as a solo artist, is set to open in Seoul at the end of August. Hybe's exhibition brand Hybe Insight announced that it will host "Golden: The Moments" from Aug. 30 to Sept. 22 at Le Meridien & Moxy in Myeongdong, Seoul. The exhibition is inspired by Jungkook's first solo album "Golden," released in November 2023. The music videos for "Seven" and

K-popJuly 23, 2024

Will YG's bets on 2NE1, Blackpink pay off?

Legendary girl group 2NE1 will reunite for concerts and Blackpink will set off on a much-anticipated world tour next year. Yang Hyun-suk, founder and chief producer of YG Entertainment, revealed the company’s short-term plan Monday via its YouTube channel, announcing 2NE1 concerts in the second half of this year and Blackpink concerts next year. He also hinted that YG Entertainment is preparing a new K-pop band to debut in the near future. The most eye-catching announcement is the comeback

K-popJuly 23, 2024

K-pop agency Starship apologizes for security assault on fan

South Korean label Starship Entertainment apologized for the excessive security actions taken against a fan of its boy group Cravity at an airport last month. The K-pop agency posted an official statement to the boy band's fan community on Monday in response to a fan’s post on X. The fan alleged that Cravity’s security guard physically assaulted and mocked them at Gimpo International Airport on June 23 as the band returned to Korea from promotional events in Japan. The fan, id

K-popJuly 23, 2024

Ador's Min refutes allegations she stole NewJeans from Source Music

K-pop label Ador’s CEO Min Hee-jin denied allegations that she "stole" some of the bandmates who would form NewJeans from Source Music. On Tuesday, local entertainment media outlet Dispatch reported that Min took Minji, Hanni, Danielle and Haerin of NewJeans from Source Music, where they were being trained to become K-pop artists. According to the report, these four of the five-member group were part of a project group being called “N team” training under Source Music

K-popJuly 23, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Exhibit on BTS’ Jungkook to run next month

The solo career of BTS’ Jungkook will be highlighted with a new exhibition, Big Hit Music said Tuesday. As the show title “Golden: The Moments” indicates, it will focus on the artist’s first solo album which came out in November last year, and give visitors a glimpse into the making of the album. Costumes and equipment he used on stage for live performances and the trophies he earned will be on display along with a series of unpublished photographs. The LP hit the Billboa

K-popJuly 23, 2024

Stray Kids featured on 'Deadpool and Wolverine' soundtrack

Taking part in the soundtrack of “Deadpool and Wolverine,” Stray Kids became the first K-pop group to release a song for Marvel's Deadpool series. The new song "Slash" is a collaboration between the group's in-house producing team 3Racha, composed of Bang Chan, Changbin, and Han, and K-pop songwriter Versachoi. "Slash" will be available on music streaming platforms starting at 6 p.m., Tuesday. Stray Kids has had a special connection with "Deadpool&q

K-popJuly 23, 2024

Riize to debut in Japan in September

K-pop rookie group Riize is making its official debut in Japan. The six-member boy group is releasing its first-ever Japanese single album “Lucky” on Sept. 5, according to SM Entertainment. Riize is promoting its upcoming Japanese single album by unveiling the B-side track in advance on July 29. The group is also embarking on a fan concert tour in Japan titled “Riizing Day” which kicks off July 30 in Kanagawa, Japan. The tour consists of 15 shows in nine cities in Japan i

K-popJuly 23, 2024

(G)I-dle's agency apologizes for use of Red Cross emblem on group's costume

Cube Entertainment, the agency behind K-pop girl group (G)I-dle, has apologized for using the Red Cross emblem on the group members' stage costumes. “We recognize that the stage costume had an issue. We contacted the Korean Red Cross to apologize and to actively discuss follow-up measures to prevent reoccurrences. We apologize once again to those concerned,” said Cube Entertainment on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday. (G)I-dle wore a lifeguard-themed stage costume that included a

K-popJuly 23, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] BTS’ Jimin to release solo single remix album

Jimin of BTS will release a retake on “Who,” the main track from his second solo EP, on Tuesday, said label Big Hit Music on Monday. The remix album will consist of seven tracks – six different versions of the song as well as the original hip-hop R&B tune. “Who” fronted his solo album “Muse” that came out on Friday and topped iTunes Top Songs chart in 112 regions. It debuted on Spotify’s Daily Top Songs Global at No. 3 with over 7.9 million pla

K-popJuly 22, 2024

NewJeans says Tokyo Dome fan meet highlight of career

K-pop sensation NewJeans chose its recent fan meeting at Tokyo Dome in Japan as its favorite moment in the past two years. "There have been many memorable moments, but the Tokyo Dome fan meeting stands out the most. It felt like a dream spending time with the Bunnies who love our music," said Minji in a publicity material released by Ador, the group's agency, Monday, marking the group's two-year anniversary. Hanni who covered popular Japanese singer Seiko Matsuda's "

K-popJuly 22, 2024

[Herald Interview] Russian K-pop soloist Lana returns with first English single

With her unique looks and charismatic stage presence, Lana may seem like just another foreign-born K-pop singer. However, she is the first Russian K-pop singer without any Korean heritage, having embarked on an adventurous journey in a foreign land from a young age to pursue her dreams. Lana, who debuted in June 2019, celebrated her 5th debut anniversary this year with a new single. Released on July 12, her single "Circus" talks about the glamorous facade of a pop star and the loneline

K-popJuly 22, 2024

BTS’ Jimin takes global music charts by storm

Jimin of the K-pop group BTS is thriving with his second solo album “Muse” released on Friday. “Who,” the lead track of Jimin’s second solo album, landed at No. 3 on Spotify’s Daily Top Song Global chart dated July 19 after accumulating a staggering 7,901,507 streams. All of the seven tracks in his new album made it to Spotify’s Daily Top Song Global chart, with the Side-B tracks “Smeraldo Garden Marching Band (feat. Loco)” and “Closer

K-popJuly 21, 2024

Shakatak says it has hired musicologist to analyze NewJeans’ ‘Bubble Gum’ for plagiarism

The plagiarism dispute between K-pop girl group NewJeans and British band Shakatak looks likely to become drawn out. Shakatak posted to its official account on social platform X on Friday that it has hired a musicologist to analyze the similarities between its song “Easier Said Than Done,” released in 1981, and NewJeans’ latest hit, “Bubble Gum.” “To all our fans and friends in Korea, thank you for all your comments about the usage of ‘Easier Said Than D

K-popJuly 21, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Blackpink to host autograph session

Blackpink announced Thursday that it will have an autograph session on Aug. 8 in time to celebrate the eighth anniversary of its debut. The supergroup will invite 88 fans selected through a lucky draw. The event is the first full-group activity since the four members were awarded honorary medals from Britain’s King Charles in November last year. Since then, they renewed their contract with YG Entertainment to handle their group activities but took their individual careers elsewhere. Rose s

K-popJuly 19, 2024

Plagiarism concerns rise among K-pop bands

Concerns are growing over an increasing number of K-pop bands facing plagiarism accusations, with recent cases involving popular groups like NewJeans and Lisa of Blackpink. Recently, English jazz-funk band Shakatak reportedly appointed a domestic law firm in Korea to represent the group's interests and issued a formal notice demanding that NewJeans cease using its latest hit “Bubble Gum” and compensate for damages. In a letter of claim sent to Ador, the music label for NewJeans,

K-popJuly 19, 2024

JYP to establish Latin America subsidiary, create global girl group

JYP Entertainment announced Thursday that it will establish a local subsidiary in Latin America and launch an audition program under the title "L2K" to create a new Latin girl group, marking its first major foray into the Latin American music market. JYP Entertainment said it plans to launch its subsidiary within the current quarter, expanding its artists' tour regions and new business ventures, while also building communication channels with local fans. JYP Entertainment also unv

K-popJuly 19, 2024