Mama Awards stays in Japan for 2nd straight year

Despite its global aspirations, the renewed Mama Awards by Mnet is set to take place in Japan for the second straight year. Although at a more sluggish pace than expected, the world's biggest K-pop festival said it is inching toward its goal of being held outside Asia, with this year's event taking place at the Tokyo Dome, Japan's top concert venue, for the first time. With 20 days left until the festival on Nov. 28-29, producers of organizer CJ ENM, and this year's host, Jeo

K-popNov. 8, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] Zerobaseone’s 2nd EP is another million-seller

    Zerobaseone’s second EP sold over 1.45 million copies on the day of release, becoming the rookie band’s second million-selling album, said agency WakeOne Entertainment on Tuesday. EP “Melting Point” was released Monday and sold over a million on the day, as did its debut album “Youth In The Shade” in July. The first EP sold more than 1.24 million units on the first day, making the nine-member act the first K-pop musician to sell over a milli

K-popNov. 7, 2023

Kard signs with Cardi B, Post Malone's agency

Co-ed K-pop quartet Kard is set to expand its scope in the US after signing with the United Talent Agency, the American company representing global pop star Post Malone. DSP Media and its parent company RBW on Tuesday announced Kard has signed an exclusive contract with the California-based talent agency, whose roster of artists include some of the world's most celebrated musicians, including the likes of Cardi B, Jason Derulo, Rosalia and The Kid Laroi. "Kard is set to extend its glob

K-popNov. 7, 2023

'Justice will prevail': G-Dragon insists no drug use, tests negative

K-pop singer Kwon Ji-yong, more known by his moniker G-Dragon, maintained confidence following the first session of police questioning over alleged illegal drug use on Monday. "Justice will prevail," he posted on his Instagram account through an image on Monday night, following the police questioning session that afternoon. Below the four-letter Korean idiom, he marked in bold, "Everything will go in its right way in the end." The Instagram post came a few hours after Kwon le

K-popNov. 7, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] Seventeen hits Billboard 200 at No. 2 with 11th EP

The 11th EP from Seventeen notched second place on the Billboard 200, according to the preview article published by the American publication on Monday. EP “Seventeenth Heaven” sold over 5 million copies in the first week and rewrote album K-pop sales records. The mini album claimed the top spot on Oricon’s weekly and weekly combined album rankings, cementing its status as the international artist that topped both charts with the most albums at 11. At home, the band picked up f

K-popNov. 6, 2023

Zerobaseone reaches 'Melting Point' with 2nd EP

Million-seller rookie group Zerobaseone is taking the next step in its youthful journey with its second EP, "Melting Point." The new album came out Monday afternoon, marking the group's swift return to the K-pop scene four months after making its debut in July. In their last album, "Youth in the Shade," the boys sang about how the uncertainties in their endeavors made their youth shine. In the new album, the boys overcome ambivalence and gain confidence in themselves.

K-popNov. 6, 2023

Enhypen's new album to be led by 'Sweet Venom'

Enhypen will continue its serenade of love with "Sweet Venom," the track leading the group's new EP, "Orange Blood." The boy band's agency Belift Lab on Monday released the track list for the upcoming album. "Sweet Venom" picks up the story from the band's previous title song, "Bite Me," which fronted the EP, "Dark Blood." The song tells of a boy's promise of love, which is so strong that not even the lethal poison seeping thr

K-popNov. 6, 2023

Jungkook on top: BTS singer racks up more landmark feats with 'Golden'

Jungkook of BTS continues his record-setting streak as a K-pop solo artist with his first album, "Golden." According to Spotify on Saturday, local time, the 11-song album racked up 39,653,740 streams in total with release on Friday, logging the highest first-day stream counts by a K-pop solo artist's album on the platform. Jungkook's songs dominated Spotify's Daily Top Song Global chart, with pre-released "Seven" reclaiming the top spot, while the newly unveile

K-popNov. 5, 2023

Le Sserafim lands on UK, US charts with 'Perfect Night'

K-pop girl group Le Sserafim's English song "Perfect Night" debuted on several music charts in the US and UK. Following its release last Friday, "Perfect Night" entered three charts run by Official Charts, the UK's biggest song data provider. It made its first appearance on the singles download chart at No. 44, and tallied No. 12 on the independent singles breakers chart and No. 52 on the single sales chart, topping its own records on the latter two charts. On Spoti

K-popNov. 5, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] Ive hits 100m views with ‘Kitsch’ music video

Ive amassed 100 million views with the music video for “Kitsch,” according to agency Starship Entertainment on Friday. It is the group’s fifth music video to reach the milestone, following those of “Eleven,” “Love Dive,” “After Like” and “I Am.” “Kitsch” -- along with “I Am” – fronted the six-member act’s first studio album, “I’ve Ive,” which came out in April. The LP sold mor

K-popNov. 3, 2023

Jungkook welcomes 'golden moment' of his life with 1st solo album

Jungkook of BTS presents his journey since debuting on the K-pop scene, showing that he is now living the “golden moment” of his life, in his first official solo album, “Golden” which dropped Friday. "Golden” carries 11 tracks and is led by the title track, “Standing Next to You.” Jungkook’s previously released singles “Seven” and “3D” are also included in this album. “The title track is of the retro funk genre an

K-popNov. 3, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] Seventeen sweeps charts in Japan with 11th EP

Seventeen placed its 11th EP atop four charts listed by Billboard Japan, according to the latest tally published Wednesday. “Seventeenth Heaven” also landed atop Oricon’s weekly albums ranking, becoming the group's seventh consecutive and 11th in total to do so. The band has the most albums achieve the feat on the weekly chart, according to agency Pledis Entertainment. The mini album sold more than 5.09 million copies in the first week, setting the new high mark for first-week

K-popNov. 2, 2023

Jungkook, Red Velvet, Stray Kids, new YG girl group among year-end lineup

The year-end is set to be filled by some of the biggest and most-anticipated names from K-pop, including those from the nation's top powerhouses SM Entertainment, JYP Entertainment, YG Entertainment and Hybe. Topping the list, which is full of over a dozen names, is BTS's Jungkook, who will drop his first solo album, "Golden," on Friday. The album will be fronted by "Standing Next You," another gem produced by Andrew Watt and Cirkut, the producers behind Jungkook&

K-popNov. 2, 2023

Viviz goes all out for 4th EP ‘Versus’

The members of K-pop girl group Viviz poured all their energy and efforts into creating the group's fourth EP “Versus” over the course of their 10-month break. “We used a lot of our time to come up with an album that can show various facets of our group, Viviz. We wanted to show that we are a group with a wide spectrum,” said Viviz in a press release Thursday. The trio’s fourth EP is led by the title track “Maniac” and four sidetracks “Unti

K-popNov. 2, 2023

TVXQ to hold 20th-anniversary concert next month

Legendary K-pop boy group TVXQ is celebrating its 20th debut anniversary by holding a standalone concert on Dec. 30-31 in Seoul. According to SM Entertainment, the concert is titled “20&2” and the venue will be announced soon. TVXQ’s offline standalone concert in South Korea comes for the first time in four years and nine months. The duo is expected to perform the singles comprising its ninth LP, which is set to be released before the concert on Dec. 26, as well as its prev

K-popNov. 2, 2023

J.Y. Park and Kim Wan-sun to collaborate on new song

K-pop legends J.Y. Park and Kim Wan-sun are collaborating on a new song, "Changed Man," set for release on Nov. 20, according to JYP Entertainment on Thursday. The song, which brings back the synth pop sounds of the 1980s -- a perfect fit for Kim, who was one of the era's most celebrated stars. Kim debuted in 1986 and reigned in the 1980s and 1990s with her sensational concept and charismatic performances. Her biggest hit was "Pierrot Smiles at Us," which was released in

K-popNov. 2, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] NewJeans stays strong on Billboard 200

The second EP from NewJeans charted on the Billboard 200 dated Nov. 4, extending the group's streak to its 14th week in a row. The rookie girl group’s EP, “Get Up,” ranked No. 98, down from the No. 84 spot it held last week, but it recorded the second-longest streak for a K-pop girl group, only after Blackpink’s first studio album, “The Album,” that hung on for 26 weeks. The album hit the main albums chart in August at No. 1. Meanwhile, main tracks from the m

K-popNov. 1, 2023

Weeekly invites listeners to enter universe where dreams come true

K-pop girl group Weeekly hopes to reach new heights with its fifth EP, “ColoRise,” which was released Wednesday. The release marks the group's comeback after a year and seven months. “For fans who have waited for us, we wanted to show you that we made use of this time to enhance our talents. This album is proof that we are ready to show that we are capable of taking on new music genres,” said Park So-eun of Weeekly during a press conference in Seoul on Wednesday. W

K-popNov. 1, 2023

Dreamcatcher to present new album 'VillanS' on Nov. 22

Girl group Dreamcatcher is returning. The band's label Dreamcatcher Company on Wednesday announced the septet will drop a new album on Nov. 22. The ninth EP from the group, "VillainS" will be Dreamcatcher's first release since "From Us" in May. The promotions scheduler for the album released by the company showed it would release content ranging from individual teaser videos and images to lyrics spoiler clips and a dance preview in the lead-up to the release. Consis

K-popNov. 1, 2023

Davichi to return with new single next month

K-pop pop-ballad duo Davichi is returning with a new single on Nov. 15, according to WakeOne Entertainment. The duo’s last release was their sixth EP “Season Note” in May last year. Davichi, consisting of Lee Hae-ri and Kang Min-kyung, made its debut in February 2008 with its first studio album “Amaranth.” Since its debut, the duo has made a name for themselves with outstanding vocals that go in harmony with one another. Prior to the upcoming release, Davichi is hol

K-popNov. 1, 2023