Kwon Eun-bi eyes chart dominance with new single A scene from the music video for Kwon's new single “The Flash” / Courtesy of Woollim EntertainmentBy Hong Hye-minSinger Kwon Eun-bi is in prime position to be considered the hottest solo artist in Korea with her recent comeback.Kwon dropped her new single “The Flash” on Wednesday, eight months after the release of her third EP “Lethality” last October. “The Flash” is a dance track featuring an upbeat tempo and a smooth melody, telling the story of Persephone, a goddess from Greek mythology being told in a modern way. Kwon's bold and energetic vocals shine through to create a complete and satisfying track. Kwon sent fans into a frenzy with a teaser for her music video prior to its release, where she revealed some of her sizzling choreography using a ribbon. News of the singer's comeback has been met with frenzied reaction, with the track “Underwater” from her previous EP re-entering the charts twice as Kwon continues to earn growing recognition as a successful solo artist. Her recent appearance at the Waterbomb Festival in SeAug 3, 2023
INTERVIEW MAMAMOO+ seeks to catch two rabbits with new release Moonbyul, left, and Solar of MAMAMOO+, a sub-unit of K-pop girl group MAMAMOO / Courtesy of RBWMAMAMOO+ returns with bright new song 'dangdang'By Dong Sun-hwaThe new mini-album by MAMAMOO+, a sub-unit of K-pop girl group MAMAMOO, revolves around two animals: the rabbit and dog. Titled “Two Rabbits,” the EP is fronted by the lead single, “dangdang,” a Korean neologism referring to a dog. According to the two MAMAMOO+ members ― Solar and Moonbyul ― the mini-album's title reveals their ambition to chase two rabbits by captivating both their fans and the general public.“When I was musing on its title, the term 'two rabbits' suddenly popped in my head,” the blond-haired Solar said during a media interview at a cafe in Gwangjin District, Seoul, Monday. “The CEO of our management company, RBW, suggested it as the name of our sub-unit at first, saying both of us have bright energy comparable to that of rabbits. We did not accept the offer back then, but I thought we could use this name this time.” Clad in a bright green outfit, the 32-year-old Aug 3, 2023By Dong Sun-hwa
NewJeans becomes 2nd K-pop girl group to top Billboard 200 K-pop girl group NewJeans / Courtesy of ADORKorean girl group NewJeans has achieved a significant milestone by topping the Billboard 200 main albums chart for the first time since its debut a year ago.According to the latest chart revealed Wednesday (U.S. time), the quintet's second EP titled "Get Up" debuted atop the list. This remarkable achievement makes them only the second K-pop girl group to accomplish such a feat, following BLACKPINK.It also marks the rookie group's first entry on the Billboard 200.The Billboard 200 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."Get Up" earned 126,500 equivalent album units in the U.S., Billboard said, mostly driven by CD sales.The K-pop group also achieved three entries on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart this week. It marks the first time that a K-pop girl group has placed more than two songs on the chart simultaneously. Boy group BTS is currently the only K-pop artist to have achieved this milestone.The NewJeans album's preAug 3, 2023
TXT to headline Lollapalooza 2023 Boy group Tomorrow X Together (TXT) / Courtesy of Big Hit EntertainmentBy Hong Hye-minK-pop idol group Tomorrow X Together (TXT) is set to become the first Korean idol group to headline Lollapalooza, one of the largest music festivals in the U.S. held every year in Chicago.TXT will take to the main stage at Lollapalooza 2023 on Aug. 5 at 8:30 p.m. local time, marking the first time a K-pop band has ever headlined the event and being only the second Korean act to have done so after BTS' J-Hope at last year's event.Lollapalooza is a four-day festival that draws an estimated 400,000 people each year, and has featured many prominent global artists over the years including Paul McCartney, Metallica and Coldplay.After making its North American festival debut at Lollapalooza 2022, TXT is returning to the event as a headliner just one year later, reflecting its meteoric rise on the global music scene. The five members' polished, riveting performance left a strong impression on the festival attendees last year, and they are expected to mesmerize the audience once again this time around with tAug 2, 2023
BTS' V to be last member to debut as soloist BTS member V / Courtesy of BigHit MusicV will become the last member of the globally popular K-pop septet BTS to debut as a solo artist, his agency said Wednesday."V is stepping up work to make his first solo album," BigHit Music said in a release. It said Min Hee-jin, CEO of ADOR, also a label under Hybe, will orchestrate the album's production ranging from music and choreography to design and promotion. Min's label is behind the success of the rookie girl group NewJeans.Further details of the album, including its release date, will be announced later, according to the agency."I received the offer (to produce V's solo album) at the end of last year," Min was quoted as saying in the release. "I hesitated at first because of my tight schedule, but I found his attitude, passion, and vocal tones that I didn't know well before interesting."She asked K-pop fans to pay attention to the music, saying the album will consist of music that both reflects the artist's personal taste and what she wants to present. "We focused on the kind of music that we want to do and can do well, rather than puAug 2, 2023
INFINITE kicks off new chapter in career with '13egin' Members of K-pop boy group INFINITE pose during a press conference at a hotel in Seocho District, southern Seoul, Monday. Courtesy of INFINITE CompanyINFINITE celebrates 13th anniversary of debutBy Dong Sun-hwaK-pop boy group INFINITE has started a new chapter in its career with the seventh mini-album, “13egin” ― the sextet's first release in five years. It is the first EP released under INFINITE Company, a record label set up in January by the six members ― Sungkyu, Dongwoo, Woohyun, Sungyeol, L and Sungjong. During a press conference at a hotel in Seocho District, southern Seoul, Monday, INFINITE Company CEO Sungkyu revealed that it was not a piece of cake to produce the group's much-awaited EP. “INFINITE's musical career spans 13 years, but it was our first time to make an album on our own,” the 34-year-old said. “It was not easy for us to make decisions about our concept and choreography. All of us were busy as well, but we listened to nearly 100 songs to decide which ones to feature in our mini-album. We poured a lot of effort into it, so we are proAug 1, 2023By Dong Sun-hwa
Jeon Somi drops music video teaser ahead of new EP release Teaser footage of Jeon Somi's new single “Fast Forward” / Courtesy of The Black LabelBy Hong Hye-minK-pop fans have been given a glimpse of singer Jeon Somi's new music video ahead of her highly-anticipated new release later this month.A new teaser video for the title track “Fast Forward” from her new EP “Game Plan” has been shared on her agency's official social media channel, The Black Label.In the video, Jeon is seen riding alone on a bicycle to school, with a hint of innocence and sadness in the air. In the next frame, however, her expression suddenly changes into one displaying her swagger and confidence as she grabs hold of the viewer's attention.She makes use of different outfits and visuals to create a sequence of mysterious, yet engrossing scenes that unfold like a fantasy novel. The title track “Fast Forward” features an intense pre-chorus and an energetic hook, and is a love song about finding your true soulmate.The full version of Jeon's music video for “Fast Forward” from her upcoming EP will drop alongside the Aug 1, 2023
TWICE leader Jihyo to release 1st solo album next month Singer Jihyo of TWICE / Courtesy of JYP EntertainmentBy Hong Hye-minJihyo, vocalist and leader of girl group TWICE, is set to release her first solo album next month. JYP Entertainment unveiled the tracklist of Jihyo's upcoming first mini-album “Zone” at midnight on Sunday.Track list for Jihyo's “ZONE” mini-album / Courtesy of JYP EntertainmentJihyo's first solo album will comprise seven tracks, including the opening “Killin' Me Good,” with the tracklist posted by JYP Entertainment also containing phrases that provide a hint about the message of each track.Jihyo showcased her talents as a producer by taking part in the composition and songwriting for all seven tracks of her upcoming album. It will feature collaborations with world-renowned artists, including number one Billboard rapper 24kGoldn and Heize for the tracks “Talkin' About It” and “Don't Wanna Go Back.” The track “Nightmare” was unveiled during Jihyo's solo stage performance at TWICE's “READY TO BE” world tour earlier this year, and her fanJul 31, 2023
TREND REPORT Danielle of NewJeans and her 'baby hair' Danielle's “baby hair” look / Captured from NewJeans' SNSBy Hong Hye-minNewJeans is the hottest girl group in town once again with their recent comeback following a sensational debut that completely changed the K-pop landscape with their retro-style music and girl-next-door image.They successfully built on the image of their group while allowing each of the members to retain their unique individual identities. Again, they eschewed excessive styling and flashy makeup for a more natural look, which proved to be a hit once again among the K-pop audience. Danielle's hairstyle is perhaps the best example of the group's unpretentious, no-frills image. Even before her debut with NewJeans, Danielle had a lot of baby hair growing around her forehead. Instead of trimming them, however, Danielle has made use of them to create a truly unique hairstyle that only brings out her natural beauty.Danielle's “baby hair” styled in different ways. Captured from NewJeans' SNSBaby hairs around the hairline are also known as “IU baby hairs” and they've been popular way ofJul 31, 2023
Singer Psy invites soldiers to concert Singer Psy performs during his Summer Swag concert in Seoul on June 30. NewsisBy Kim Se-jeongSinger Psy, known for his ultra-popular song “Gangnam Style” and its signature horse dance, is good at firing up his concert-going fans from the stage.Last weekend, he cheered on soldiers and improved their morale by inviting hundreds of them to one of his Summer Swag concerts in Boryeong, South Chungcheong Province, on Saturday, for free.This was made public on Sunday after one of the soldiers, whose name was not disclosed, wrote about it on his Facebook. He said the soldiers had been deployed for civilian recovery work in regions that were devastated in recent torrential rain and resultant flooding.“The concert was scheduled in Boryeong on July 29, which initially was just a pie in the sky for us. But Psy donated the tickets to the military units (in the region). Hundreds of servicemen and other military personnel had the opportunity to enjoy the concert and take some time off,” the soldier wrote.“I heard that Psy has a big heart for military personnel and I coJul 31, 2023By Kim Se-jeong
