Hybe COO denies Illit plagiarized NewJeans, Hybe chart manipulation allegations

Belift Lab CEO Kim Tae-ho, who also serves as Hybe’s chief operating officer, has refuted allegations that his company's rookie girl group Illit plagiarized NewJeans' concept. "It is not true that Belift Lab plagiarized NewJeans. As the CEO of Belift Lab, I would like to state that we have filed a civil lawsuit and pressed charges against former Ador CEO Min Hee-jin regarding this issue,” Kim said during a National Assembly audit on Thursday. “We are awaiting the

K-popOct. 24, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Blackpink’s Rose logs 100m views with solo music video

Rose of Blackpink garnered 100 million views on YouTube with the music video for her Bruno Mars collaboration “Apt.,” her agency The Black Label said Thursday. The artist expressed gratitude via the agency, saying the song came out naturally while hanging out at a studio playing the game -- originally a drinking game in Korea -- and is “really touched and grateful that so many are listening to and enjoying it.” "Apt." achieved the feat in five days, the shortest

K-popOct. 24, 2024

[Herald Interview] Lee Seung-yoon presents his defiant world with ‘Yeok Seong’

Singer-songwriter Lee Seung-yoon, known for profound messages and intense sound, has returned with his third full-length album, "Yeok Seong," pouring out his stories into the music. “With this album, I feel like I’ve achieved everything I’ve wanted as a musician," Lee said in a group interview in Gangnam, southern Seoul, Monday. "There’s a sense of pride in realizing the songs and albums I’ve dreamed of creating since the moment I started music.&

CultureOct. 24, 2024

BTS member J-Hope throws out ceremonial pitch in Korean Series

J-Hope, a member of the global K-pop sensation BTS, threw out the ceremonial first pitch before Game 2 of the Korean Series in his hometown Wednesday. Wearing a cap and a jacket bearing the Korean Series logo, J-Hope tossed the pitch prior to the second game of the South Korean baseball championship round between the home team Kia Tigers and the Samsung Lions at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju, 270 kilometers south of Seoul. J-Hope is from Gwangju. J-Hope was discharged from mandatory mil

K-popOct. 23, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] NCT Wish’s Riku to miss tour for health reasons

Riku of NCT Wish suspended activities for health reasons, announced SM Entertainment Tuesday. He has been feeling under the weather and will focus on treatment and recovery as per doctor’s advice, and will therefore miss the NCT subunit’s upcoming tour in Japan, added the company. The idol debuted in February as part of the six-member team which is set to host two concerts each in six regions in his native country -- Ishikawa, Kyoto, Kanagawa, Hyogo, Fukuoka and Aichi -- from Nov.

K-popOct. 23, 2024

[Behind the K-pop Scene] 'I hope to inspire many people in my country who share similar dreams'

Debuting in a K-pop group is often likened to searching for a needle in a haystack, and for aspiring idols who aren’t Korean nationals, the odds are even slimmer. Nguyen Trung Kien, who goes by the stage name Kien, is one of the rare few to have made his dream come true. The 19-year-old Vietnamese idol has undergone a long and challenging journey to reach the K-pop stage as a member of the newly debuted boy group ARrC. Although ARrC’s future is yet to be determined -- they debuted on

K-popOct. 23, 2024

Gangbuk office apologizes for video parodying NewJeans' Hanni

The Gangbuk-gu office has apologized after coming under fire for releasing a video parodying K-pop group NewJeans’ Vietnamese-Australian member Hanni, who recently appeared at a parliamentary audit. The video, which was released last Thursday, was taken down on Sunday, following backlash from viewers criticizing the video of discrimination against foreign nationals. “We humbly accept the concerns and criticisms that the video’s content could be seen as discriminatory toward for

K-popOct. 23, 2024

Age can't stop Cho Yong-pil: K-pop legend's triumphant return with 20th LP

South Korean music legend Cho Yong-pil proves that age is not a barrier to pursuing a career in music. The 74-year-old singer made a monumental return Tuesday with the release of his 20th full-length album, aptly titled "20," marking his first studio album in 11 years. "Releasing new songs at over 70 is challenging, but I worked really, really hard," he said during a press conference in Seoul to promote the album. Although he suggested "20" might be his last, he add

K-popOct. 22, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Blackpink’s Jennie, Rose set career-highs

Jennie of Blackpink hit Billboard’s Hot 100 at No. 98 with the solo single “Mantra,” according to the chart preview published online on Monday in the US. It is the highest spot on the main singles chart she has acheived as a solo singer. The single ranked No. 2 and No. 3 on its Global excl. the US and Global 200, respectively. It was No. 1 on the iTunes Top Songs Chart in 47 regions and sat at No. 37 on the UK’s Official Singles Chart Top 100. Rose also marked a career-

K-popOct. 22, 2024

[Behind the K-pop Scene] 'K-pop is all about money'

Behind the glitz and glamour of K-pop lies a business reality driven by fierce competition and substantial financial investment. While K-pop idols shine on stage, producers navigate challenges behind the scenes, especially when securing the funds to sustain their artists' careers. "K-pop is all about money," said Shin Jong-oh, 48, a director at the World K-pop Center and executive producer of the girl group project BlingOne, during an interview with The Korea Herald, on Oct. 10. &

K-popOct. 22, 2024

G-Dragon to perform at 2024 MAMA

K-pop icon G-Dragon will perform at the 2024 MAMA, the world’s largest K-pop awards ceremony, held this year in Los Angeles and Osaka, Japan. According to the event’s organizer CJ ENM, G-Dragon will take the stage on the event's last day in Osaka. As this is his first MAMA appearance in nine years, he is expected to unveil new releases during his performance. Other artists performing at this year's MAMA revealed on Tuesday include BoyNextDoor, (G)I-dle, Plave and Bibi. The

K-popOct. 22, 2024

Illit releases new EP amid accusations of plagiarizing NewJeans

K-pop girl group Illit has released their second EP, "I’ll Like You," while facing ongoing allegations of copying NewJeans' concept. The group maintained a non-confrontational stance, emphasizing their focus on their own creative path. “We’ve worked hard to show our fans our best, no matter the situation,” member Yunah said during a showcase in Seoul on Monday. “We reflect on all the people who have helped Illit grow and those who have supported and c

K-popOct. 21, 2024

[Behind the K-pop scene] Vocal trainer So Su-lyn reveals making of future K-pop idols

Vocal trainer So Su-lyn, 32, stands at the forefront of where K-pop begins -- preparing young aspiring stars at her music schools in Incheon and Ilsan, Gyeonggi Province. Her goal is to equip these hopefuls with the skills they need to become trainees at major K-pop agencies and, ultimately, debut as idols. “I’ve been working as a vocal trainer for nearly 10 years now. I teach students who want to become trainees at major companies like SM Entertainment, YG Entertainment and JYP Ente

K-popOct. 21, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] NCT Dream to roll out LP No. 4 next month

NCT Dream will be back with its fourth studio album on Nov. 11, label SM Entertainment announced Monday. The LP “Dreamscape” will consist of 11 tracks including the main track “When I’m With You” as well as “Rains in Heaven,” an English-language single dropped in August. As the album title suggests, it will continue the narrative from its fifth EP “Dream()scape,” which came out in March. The mini album sold more than 2.46 million copies in th

K-popOct. 21, 2024

Kim Woo-sung of The Rose makes waves on Billboard charts

Singer Kim Woo-sung's second full-length album, "4444," released Oct, has ranked sixth on the Billboard Dance/Electronic Albums chart, the highest-ever ranking for a Korean male artist. The album by the member of the band The Rose also ranked on multiple Billboard charts, including eighth on the Heatseekers Albums chart and 15th on the Current Album Sales chart. “4444” showcases Kim's musical evolution, featuring a diverse collection of eight tracks spanning vario

PerformanceOct. 21, 2024

Twice to drop new EP ‘Strategy’ in December

K-pop sensation Twice will release its new EP “Strategy” on Dec. 6. JYP Entertainment announced the news via the group’s official social media channels, sharing an image of a "coming soon" poster. The upcoming release is Twice’s 14th EP and comes approximately 10 months after the previous mini album, "With YOU-th," launched in February. The EP "With YOU-th" debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, Billboard’s main album chart, on March 9,

K-popOct. 21, 2024

[Behind the K-pop scene] Norwegian K-pop songwriter Eline Noelia Myreng

Norwegian singer-songwriter Eline Noelia Myreng was working part-time as a bartender in Oslo, Norway, when she co-wrote K-pop girl group Ive’s hit single, “I Am,” for their 2023 studio album, "I’ve Ive." That success transformed her dream of becoming a full-time music producer into reality -- at just 25 years old. “I co-produced this track (‘I Am’) with Audun (Agnar Guldbrandsen) and Kristin (Marie Skolem). We wrote it in a basement under an oy

K-popOct. 20, 2024

Super Junior's Yesung to return as solo artist with new album

Super Junior’s Yesung is set to return with a new solo album. According to his agency, SM Entertainment, Yesung will release his sixth EP, “It’s Complicated,” on Nov. 5. The album will feature a total of five tracks, including the title track. This EP marks Yesung’s first solo release in over a year, following his fifth EP, “Unfading Sense,” which dropped in October last year. His previous album highlighted the musician’s prowess as a solo artist,

K-popOct. 20, 2024

NCT’s Jaehyun to drop new single ‘Unconditional’ on Oct. 24

NCT’s Jaehyun is releasing a new single “Unconditional” on Oct. 24 before beginning his mandatory military service. According to SM Entertainment, the single “Unconditional” will be available on various music platforms, including Melon, Flo, Genie, iTunes, Apple Music, Spotify, QQ Music, Kugou Music and Kowo Music. Jaehyun's first solo album, "J," released in August, showcased a diverse range of R&B tracks that highlighted his artistic sensibility

K-popOct. 18, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Le Sserafim to release 3rd Japanese single in December

Le Sserafim will put out the single “Crazy” in Japan on Dec. 11, agency Source Music said Friday. It is the group’s third physical single to be released in the country and will consist of three songs: the Japanese-language versions of “Crazy” and “Easy,” focus tracks from its fourth and third mini albums, as well as a new song. The original song “Crazy” hit Billboard’s Hot 100 at No. 88 and climbed to No. 76, the highest rung for the

K-popOct. 18, 2024