NCT’s Japan stadium tour ends, satisfies 220,000 fansK-pop sensation NCT wrapped up their 2023 Japan tour with a grand finale at Tokyo's Ajinomoto Stadium on Sept. 16-17. Sep 18, 2023By Pyo Kyung-min
Singer-actor IU donates 300 mil. won to the vulnerable Singer-actor IU poses during a red carpet event for the 59th Baeksang Arts Awards held at a hotel in Incheon, April 28. YonhapSinger-actor IU donated 300 million won ($226,159) to marginalized groups in medical and welfare services on Monday to commemorate the 15th anniversary of her debut, her agency said.IU donated 100 million won each to Asan Medical Center, the Korea National Association of Child Welfare, and the Seoul Metropolitan Children's Hospital, according to Edam Entertainment.The donation was made under the name of "IUaena," which combines IU's stage name and the name of her fanbase, Uaena.The money will be used to treat children, adolescents and female cancer patients in financial difficulties, and to support medical expenses for the vulnerable and those at child welfare facilities, according to the agency."I want to share the love that I received from my fans with those around me, and I believe (this donation) will be the starting point of a small change for someone," she said through the agency.IU is one of the most popular and successful entertainers in Korea. She hasSep 18, 2023
BTS' V debuts No. 2 on Billboard 200 BTS member V is seen in this photo provided by BigHit Music. YonhapV of K-pop supergroup BTS entered the Billboard 200 chart at No. 2 with "Layover," his first solo album, Billboard has said."Layover" came in second behind Olivia Rodrigo's sophomore album, "Guts," in this week's chart, Billboard said in a chart preview released Sunday (U.S. local time).This feat made V tie with his bandmates Jimin and Suga as the highest-charting K-pop soloist.The chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the United States, measured by equivalent album units comprising physical album sales and other digital sales records.Of the 100,000 equivalent album units of "Layover" earned in the week ending Sept. 14, 88,000 came from physical album sales.V has said he tried to depict his natural self by stripping away his flashy elements as a superstar in the album.It has six tracks, including the lead single, "Slow Dancing," as well as the prereleased tracks "Rainy Days" and "Love Me Again." The album has set the biggest first-week sales record for an album by a K-pop soloist with 2.1 million copies sSep 18, 2023
BTS' RM helps restore traditional Korean bridal costume with donation RM of K-pop boy band BTS / Courtesy of HYBEBy Dong Sun-hwaRM of K-pop behemoth BTS has helped restore a “hwarot,” or a traditional Korean bridal costume, by donating 100 million won ($75,000).In 2021-22, the BTS front man donated 200 million won to the state-run Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation to preserve Korean cultural assets abroad. Half of his donation has been used to restore an embroidered bridal costume donned by royal women during the 1392-1910 Joseon Kingdom, which is owned by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). The robe is currently on display at the National Palace Museum in Seoul's Jongno District. A "hwarot,” or traditional Korean bridal costume, from Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) is currently on display at the National Palace Museum in Seoul's Jongno District. Courtesy of LACMA“The preservation efforts sponsored by RM show how an individual and a state-run institute can join hands to conserve and utilize our cultural heritage,” the Korean museum commented. “We should soon return this hwarot to the U.SSep 17, 2023By Dong Sun-hwa
BTS member Suga to begin military service on Friday Suga of K-pop boy group BTS / Courtesy of BigHit MusicSuga, a member of the K-pop sensation BTS, will begin his mandatory military service this week, his agency announced Sunday.BigHit Music said Suga, 30, will fulfill his military duty by doing an alternative service beginning Friday.Suga will be the third member of the group to join the military. Jin enlisted in December 2022, and J-Hope followed suit in April this year.In early August, Suga, rapper and producer for the group, withdrew his request to delay the start of his mandatory service.Unlike Jin and J-Hope, Suga has been ruled unfit for the regular combat duty. While all able-bodied men must serve in the military, those with health issues may be assigned to alternative services, which include working in an office for a municipal government.Though reasons for the decision on Suga have not been disclosed, it is believed to be related to a surgery he had to repair a torn labrum in 2020.Mindful of the public nature of Suga's service, BigHit Music urged the group's fans not to frequent Suga's place of duty.In May, Suga reached No.Sep 17, 2023
CJ ENM gears up for 2nd KCON in Saudi Arabia The poster for KCON Saudi Arabia 2023 / Courtesy of CJ ENMBy Pyo Kyung-minCJ ENM announced that KCON Saudi Arabia 2023 will take place on Oct. 6 and 7 at the Mohammed Abdu Arena in Boulevard Riyadh City.The event is set to feature an impressive lineup of 14 K-pop acts, including Dreamcatcher, EL7Z UP, EVNNE, Everglow, Highlight, Hyolyn, KARD, Oh My Girl, RIIZE, Super Junior, Super Junior D&E, TEMPEST, The New Six and 8TURN.This is going to be the second KCON hosted in Saudi Arabia, following the resounding success of its inaugural edition held from Sept. 30 to Oct. 1 last year, which drew some 20,000 fans.A poster shows 14 K-pop acts participating in KCON Saudi Arabia 2023. Courtesy of CJ ENMBuilding on its 11-year success streak, KCON has hosted KCON Thailand 2023 in March, followed by KCON Japan 2023 in May which brought 123,000 spectators together.The trend continued with KCON LA 2023 in August, spanning three days at Crypto.com Arena and the LA Convention Center, where it shattered its own attendance record with a whopping 140,000 attendees.CJ ENM's music content business heaSep 15, 2023By Pyo Kyung-min
V's 'Layover' achieves biggest debut week sales for K-pop soloist BTS member V is seen in this photo provided by BitHit Music. YonhapThe debut solo album by V, a member of K-pop supergroup BTS, has set the biggest first-week sales record for an album by a K-pop soloist with 2.1 million copies sold, data showed Friday.According to the data from Hanteo Chart, a leading local tracker of physical album sales, "Layover" had sold 2,101,974 copies as of the previous day. This made V the first K-pop solo artist to surpass 2 million copies in the first week of an album's release since Hanteo began filing sales data.The first-week sales number is considered an important standard for measuring an artist's popularity and the size of its fandom.Only five soloists have passed the 1 million threshold in the first week of an album's sales so far, with V's bandmates Jimin and Suga rounding out the top three positions with "Face" (1.45 million copies) and "D-Day" (1.28 million copies), respectively."Layover" is expected to rank highly on the Billboard 200 main albums chart for this week, which will be unveiled as early as Sunday (U.S. local time).The album's title lSep 15, 2023
Stray Kids to hold concerts at Gocheok Sky Dome in October K-pop act Stray Kids / Courtesy of JYP EntertainmentBy Pyo Kyung-minThe official poster for "Stray Kids 5-STAR Dome Tour 2023 Seoul Special (UNVEIL 13)" concert / Courtesy of JYP EntertainmentK-pop boy band Stray Kids will hold their first solo concert at Korea's largest indoor concert venue on Oct. 21-22. The group's agency, JYP Entertainment, revealed on Thursday its plans for "Stray Kids 5-STAR Dome Tour 2023 Seoul Special (UNVEIL 13)" at Gocheok Sky Dome, Guro District, southwestern Seoul. This marks a significant milestone for the octet as it will be their debut performance at the venue, five years after their debut.Tickets for the highly-anticipated event will be available on the YES24 ticketing platform starting Sept. 20 at 8 p.m. An exclusive early purchase option will also be available to subscribers of the group's official fan club, STAY, beginning Sept. 18 at 8 p.m.The announcement comes on the heels of Stray Kids winning the "Best K-pop" award at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., Tuesday (local time).Since their official debut in 20Sep 14, 2023By Pyo Kyung-min
'Toi Toi Toi': KARA's Hur Young-ji kicks off solo venture to spread happiness Nine years after joining K-pop girl group KARA, Hur Young-ji has embarked on her solo journey with the album, "Toi Toi Toi," to become a ray of sunshine for others.Sep 13, 2023By Pyo Kyung-min
BLACKPINK scoops 2 honors at this year's MTV VMAs This Aug. 28, 2022 file photo shows Korean girl group BLACKPINK performing onstage during the MTV Video Music Awards at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. AFP-YonhapKorean girl group BLACKPINK has received two awards at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), one of the biggest annual music awards in the United States.The K-pop quartet won Best Choreography and Group of the Year, according to the list of this year's winners announced by the MTV VMAs on its homepage Tuesday (U.S. local time).The Group of the Year category was created in 2019 to reflect criticisms that the award show does not adequately recognize the achievements of boy bands and girl groups.K-pop giant BTS had since won in the category for four years in a row before BLACKPINK claimed the honor this year.BTS member Jungkook won Song of Summer for his first solo single "Seven (feat. Latto)," beating other big-name contestants, such as Beyonce, Billie Eilish and Dua Lipa. Jungkook was first nominated for the award for "Left and Right," a collaborative single with American singer-songwriter Charlie Puth, last yeSep 13, 2023
