BLACKPINK nominated for 4 MTV VMAs this year K-pop girl group BLACKPINK is seen in this photo provided by YG Entertainment. YonhapK-pop girl group BLACKPINK has been nominated for four categories of the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards, the U.S. music channel has announced.The group will compete for Best Choreography, Best Art Direction, Best Editing and Best K-pop with its hit song "Pink Venom," MTV said Tuesday (U.S. local time) on its homepage. Boy group Tomorrow X Together got nods in two categories ― Push Performance of the Year and Best K-pop. The first category recognizes the best among the artists who have been featured in the "MTV Push" campaign, which selects one artist each month to highlight through interviews and other content.Among others nominated for the Best K-pop category were aespa, Seventeen, Fifty Fifty and Stray Kids.The 2023 MTV Video Music Awards will be held on Sept. 12 at the Prudential Center in New Jersey. (Yonhap) Aug 9, 2023
NCT to make full-group comeback with 4th studio album Promotion for NCT's upcoming fourth full-length album "Golden Age" is seen in this image provided by SM Entertainment. YonhapK-pop boy group NCT will return with all members later this month, dropping its fourth studio album, the group's agency said Wednesday."Golden Age" will hit music services on Aug. 28, SM Entertainment said.It will mark the first LP from the group in the one year and eight months since "Universe," released in December 2021.The upcoming album involves all of the group's 20 members, who had been working in three subunits ― NCT 127, NCT Dream and WayV, according to the agency.The LP has 10 songs, including the title group song, "Golden Age," and "Baggy Jeans," which members Taeyong, Ten, Doyoung, Jaehyun and Mark sung in harmony.Ahead of the album's release, the band will hold a concert titled "NCT Nation: To the World" at Munhak Stadium in Incheon, west of Seoul, on Aug. 26. (Yonhap) Aug 9, 2023
NewJeans, NCT Dream, ITZY among performers in K-pop concert for World Jamboree NCT Dream / Courtesy of SM Entertainment NewJeans, NCT Dream, ITZY, Mamamoo and The Boyz are among the 18 teams of artists who will perform in a K-pop concert for the 2023 World Scout Jamboree, the event's organizer said Wednesday.The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced the lineup for the "K-pop super live" concert slated for Friday in Seoul in a press release.Also included will be Shownu X Hyungwon, fromis_9, Zerobaseone, Kang Daniel, Kwon Eun-bi, Jo Yuri, P1Harmony, KARD, The New Six and ATBO, according to the release.The show will be co-hosted by actor Gong Myoung, ITZY's Yuna and NewJeans' Hyein.The concert was originally scheduled to take place at the campsite in Saemangeum ― a reclaimed tidal land area in Buan, North Jeolla Province ― last Sunday but was postponed due to concerns about accidents and heat-related illnesses.The venue was initially changed to Jeonju World Cup Stadium, about an hour's drive from the campsite, and again to the Seoul WAug 9, 2023
Sunny of Girls' Generation to leave SM Entertainment Sunny, a member of K-pop girl group Girls' Generation / Screenshot from Sunny's social media accountBy Kim Se-jeongSunny, a member of K-pop group Girls' Generation, announced Tuesday her departure from SM Entertainment after 16 years with the company. “I would like to take courage and explore uncharted territory. I thank SM Entertainment for helping me debut as a member of Girls' Generation,” Sunny wrote on her Instagram account. “Also, I extend my thanks to managers and many staffers with whom I went through difficult times.”SM Entertainment also issued a statement: “We were honored to spend many years together with Sunny and thank her for her hard work. We send our support for her future journey.” Since its debut in 2007, Girls' Generation rose to stardom with its songs, such as “Into the New World,” “Gee,” and “Genie.” Last year, the group dropped its 15th anniversary album, “FOREVER 1.” A lead vocal for the group, Sunny is a niece of Lee Soo-man, the founder of SM Entertainment, who left the compaAug 9, 2023By Kim Se-jeong
K-pop concert for Jamboree to take place at Seoul World Cup Stadium Workers set up a stage at Seoul World Cup Stadium, Tuesday, for the K-pop concert and closing ceremony for the World Scout Jamboree slated for Friday. YonhapNew Jeans, other K-pop artists will make finale of global youth eventBy Kwak Yeon-sooThe much-anticipated K-pop concert for the World Scout Jamboree closing ceremony will take place at Seoul World Cup Stadium on Friday, giving participants something to look forward to. The "K-Pop Super Live" show was originally slated for Aug. 6 at the Jamboree campsite's outdoor stage in Saemangeum, a reclaimed tidal flat in North Jeolla Province. However, due to heat safety concerns, it had been rescheduled initially to Aug. 11 at Jeonju World Cup Stadium, about a 50-minute drive away.Yet, the venue was changed again to the Seoul World Cup Stadium after all participants of the 25th World Scout Jamboree moved from the Saemangeum campsite to eight other cities and provinces ― mostly in the Seoul metropolitan area ― ahead of Typhoon Khanun's arrival. The show will begin at 7 p.m., right after the closing ceremony.The majority of the original lineuAug 8, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo
BLACKPINK to celebrate 7th debut anniv. in US, Asia In this photo provided by YG Entertainment, K-pop girl group BLACKPINK performs on the main stage of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, North America's largest music festival, in Indio, California, April 15. YonhapK-pop girl group BLACKPINK is set to hold various events to commemorate its seventh debut anniversary across major cities in the United States and Asia, its agency said Tuesday.YG Entertainment said videos looking back on the quartet's journey will be shown in major U.S. cities, including New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco, and various locations will be colored in its signature pink. A total of 76 screens at Secaucus Junction Station in New Jersey will be adorned with BLACKPINK's imagery and a photo booth commemorating its debut anniversary will be set up at the New York Verdy pop-up from Wednesday to Friday, it said.Starbucks stores in nine Asian countries, including Korea, will provide commemorative stickers for those who purchase BLACKPINK drinks and food on the anniversary. (Yonhap)Aug 8, 2023
EXO member Baekhyun unveils plan to set up his own company Baekhyun, a member of K-pop boy group EXO / Courtesy of SM EntertainmentBaekhyun, a member of K-pop boy band EXO, said Tuesday he plans to establish his own company, although he will remain with the nine-piece group and its current entertainment agency, SM Entertainment. Baekhyun, one of three members who in June resolved an antitrust dispute over their contract with SM, revealed the plan during an Instagram livestream to clear up rumors surrounding his loan and future activities. "I plan to operate my own company, and SM has positively agreed to my plan. While running the company, I will stay with SM and continue activities with other EXO members," Baekhyun said. Baekhyun said he took out 13 billion won ($9.9 million) worth of loans to start a new company but denied rumors that he was preparing to float the company in the stock market. "Creating a listed company with the borrowed funds is not possible and legally infeasible," he said, without providing details of his envisioned entity. During the livestream, Baekhyun said he lodged an antitrust complaint with SM due to his long-heldAug 8, 2023
BTS member V to release debut solo album 'Layover' next month The cover image of BTS member V's upcoming solo album "Layover" is seen in this photo provided by BigHit Music. YonhapK-pop supergroup BTS member V will drop his first solo album "Layover" on Sept. 8, his agency said Tuesday, which would make him the last of the septet to debut as a solo artist. The upcoming album is composed of six songs, including "Slow Dancing," "Rainy Days," "Blue," "Love Me Again," "For Us," and "Slow Dancing (Piano version)," according to BigHit Music. Its title track, "Slow Dancing," is a 1970s romantic soul style song that exudes a laid-back and free-spirited feeling, and five songs, except the piano version bonus track, will have music videos, it said. (Yonhap) Aug 8, 2023
BTS member Suga to join Korean military Suga of BTS / Courtesy of BigHit MusicSuga, a member of K-pop supergroup BTS, has canceled his request to delay enlistment in order to start his mandatory military service, his agency said Monday. BigHit Music did not provide a specific time frame on when he will join the military, saying only it will make an announcement as soon as the notice of enlistment is available.Suga will be the third BTS member to serve in the military, following Jin and J-hope. Jin started the mandatory service in December and J-hope in April. In Korea, all able-bodied men are required to serve in the military for about two years. (Yonhap) Aug 8, 2023
The Boyz returns with refreshing summery songs K-pop boy group The Boyz poses during a press conference for the release of the first part of its second full-length album, titled “Phantasy,” at a movie theater in Seoul, Monday. YonhapK-pop group The Boyz is aiming to break into girl group-dominated local music charts with its second full-length album of refreshing summery songs.The new album, “Phantasy Pt. 1 Christmas in August,” was released Monday at 6 p.m. and features easy-listening songs with a refreshing vibe.“We have released several albums with a concept of refreshingness before, and this album focuses more on easy-listening songs with addictive hooks that make it easy for you to sing along to,” member Sunwoo said during a press conference held at a Seoul theater to promote the release.Named after the hit 1998 Korean romance film directed by Hur Jin-ho, the album is part of the group's trilogy series that depict three different types of fantasy under the common theme of “We all dream of a fantasy.” The remaining two parts will be released within this year, according to the baAug 7, 2023
