Articles by Hong Yoo
Hong Yoo
yoohong@heraldcorp.com-
NCT Dream to return with new EP, ‘Dream()Scape,’ this month
NCT Dream is set to unveil its first release of the year, “Dream()Scape,” on March 25. Led by the title track “Smoothie,” the new album will carry five side-B tracks: “icantfeelanything,” “Box,” “Carat Cake,” “Unknown” and “Breathing.” Through the EP, NCT Dream hopes to relate with young people and overcome shared difficulties together, according to a statement by SM Entertainment. NCT Dream released a teaser ima
K-pop March 5, 2024
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NCT Wish to approach listeners with easy-listening, bright songs
NCT Wish, a Japan-based K-pop boy group of SM Entertainment, began promoting its debut single, "Wish," in Korea with a press conference in Seoul on Monday. BoA took part in the event, introducing the group as she took part in producing them, from selecting the final members through an audition, to directing the group's singing and dance. SM collaborated with the Japanese entertainment agency Avex Trax to introduce the six members through the “NCT Universe: Lastart” com
K-pop March 4, 2024
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Are virtual idols for real?
From getting good songs and choreographies to holding in-person concerts, things are tough for virtual idols in the highly competitive K-pop scene. “When our virtual idol group Plave was looking for songs, our group members said they felt the composers were not giving them A-level quality songs. That led the group to make their own songs,” said Lee Sung-gu, CEO of Vlast, during a press conference in Seoul last Monday. Vlast is a virtual intellectual property startup that created and
K-pop March 4, 2024
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Twice tops Billboard 200 with 13th EP ‘With YOU-th’
K-pop girl group Twice topped Billboard’s main album chart, the Billboard 200, with its 13th EP, “With YOU-th,” released Feb. 23. This is the group’s first time landing at No.1 on the Billboard 200 chart. 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. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums and streaming equivalent albums. The K-pop act competed a
K-pop March 4, 2024
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V of BTS to release English digital single, ‘Fri(end)s’
V of BTS will release a new English digital single, “Fri(end)s,” at 1 p.m. on March 15. Big Hit Music announced the upcoming release on the global fan community platform Weverse on Monday. The upcoming single is a pop-soul R&B love song with English lyrics, according to the agency. In the run-up to the single’s release, the label released a teaser clip Sunday showing parts of V’s daily life. V’s latest single will be the artist's first release in six months
K-pop March 4, 2024
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[Exclusive] Singaporean businessman David Yong to establish K-pop label in S. Korea this year
David Yong, CEO of the Singapore-based Evergreen Group Holdings and a K-pop artist and producer, plans to establish a K-pop label in Seoul this year. “I’m applying for some licenses this year to establish a full-fledged label in Korea. We are working on getting a management team (and are) looking for the right candidates to join us," Yong said in an interview with The Korea Herald on Feb. 28. "From then, we are definitely (going to get) new talents in, signing established a
K-pop March 3, 2024
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[Well-curated] Learn Hangeul with Pinkfong, get a caricature done and treat yourself to expensive dessert
Learn Hangeul with Pinkfong If you have young children, nephews or nieces who are Pinkfong fans, head to Pinkfong Hangeul Playground at The Hyundai Seoul in Yeongdeungpo-gu, western Seoul with them this weekend. The Pinkfong Hangeul Playground, which opened Monday, is an offline experience area, with photo zone, media zone and study zone teaching visitors Hangeul, the Korean writing system. Children can take selfies with Pinkfong characters at the photo zone and enjoy a special animation at the
Culture March 1, 2024
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Seventeen’s ‘FML’ wins IFPI Global Album Award for 2023
K-pop boy group Seventeen’s 10th EP “FML” was named the winner of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry Global Album Award for being the biggest-selling album worldwide last year. This is the first IFPI Global Charts Award for Seventeen. A nonprofit organization based in London that represents the global recording industry, IFPI presents the award to the artist whose album finishes at No. 1 on the IFPI Global Album Chart. The chart calculates an album’
K-pop Feb. 28, 2024
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Jungkook, Gaeko, Yoon Mi-rae take part in J-Hope’s upcoming album
J-Hope, the main dancer of BTS, has collaborated with Gaeko of the hip-hop duo Dynamic Duo, and legendary hip-hop and R&B singer Yoon Mi-rae for his upcoming street dance-inspired special album. The there worked together on “Neuron,” from the album “Hope on the Street Vol. 1,” according to Big Hit Music. The album will be released March 29. The title of the track, “Neuron,” refers to the scientific team and the dance crew J-Hope belonged to before joining
K-pop Feb. 27, 2024
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Karina of aespa and actor Lee Jae-wook confirmed to be dating
Karina of aespa and actor Lee Jae-wook are confirmed to be in a relationship. SM Entertainment, which houses aespa told The Korea Herald on Tuesday that “the two are getting to know each other.” Lee Jae-wook’s agency CJes Studios also confirmed the relationship, saying, “The two are getting to know each other. As the actor is currently filming a drama and the matter involves his privacy, so please respect (the couple's) privacy.” Earlier on Tuesday, a local rep
K-pop Feb. 27, 2024
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Lucas prepares for solo comeback 2 years after quitting NCT amid controversies
Lucas, a former member of the K-pop boy group NCT, on Saturday uploaded to his official YouTube channel a documentary entitled “Lucas Documentary Part 1 Freeze,” hinting at a possible comeback as a solo artist. “I’m always home. I watch TV, eat and sometimes visit my agency (SM Entertainment). There is nothing special,” he said in the documentary, giving an update on his life after leaving the group in August 2021. “I used to have a strong character back then.
K-pop Feb. 26, 2024
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K-pop hitmaker Shinsadong Tiger dies at 41
Lee Ho-yang, better known as K-pop hitmaker Shinsadong Tiger, died Friday at the age of 41. His agency, AB Entertainment, confirmed Shinsadong Tiger’s demise Friday night and said they are currently gathering information before a formal announcement. The renowned music producer was found dead at his recording studio earlier the same day. According to industry sources, he was found dead by an acquaintance at the studio after he could not be reached by phone. Shinsadong Tiger is known for se
K-pop Feb. 23, 2024
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‘Youth,’ ‘Love’ and ‘Friendship,’ keywords of Twice’s new EP
Twice conveyed their beautiful memories as a K-pop group and the future they hope to make with fans on their new EP, “With YOU-th,” released Friday. The group’s full-unit comeback with a new album release in Korea comes for the first time in a year. “We worked hard on this album as we know many Once (fans) have waited for our new release for a very long time. We hope to have a great time with them to leave no regrets,” Chaeyoung said in a press release issued on the
K-pop Feb. 23, 2024
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Vanner to hold 1st standalone concert in April
K-pop boy band Vanner is gearing up to hold its first standalone concert, “The Flag: A To V,” in Seoul in April. On Friday the group revealed a poster for the upcoming concert show a racing track with a helmet and checkered flag on it. Two concerts are being held at Yes24 Live Hall, on April 27 and 28. Vanner plans to perform a medley of hit singles, according to Klap Entertainment. The group also plans many interactive sessions with fans during the concerts. Vanner debuted in 2019 a
K-pop Feb. 23, 2024
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Seventeen, Stray Kids, TXT and NewJeans claim top 10 of IFPI's Global Artist Chart
K-pop acts conquered the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry’s 2023 Global Artist Chart released Wednesday. According to IFPI, Seventeen placed second on the chart, the highest among K-pop acts this year. This marks the group’s third consecutive year among the top ten artists on the chart. IFPI’s Global Artist Chart captures the popularity of artists by combining global streaming, downloads, and physical album and singles sales. IFPI is a nonprofit organizatio
K-pop Feb. 22, 2024
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