SM founder calls on K-pop stars to plant trees Lee Soo-man, the founder of SM Entertainment, speaks during the 2023 World Cultural Industry Forum (WCIF) at Hotel Susung in the southeastern city of Daegu, Thursday. Korea Times photo by Dong Sun-hwaWorld Cultural Industry Forum brings together cultural leadersBy Dong Sun-hwaDAEGU ― K-pop stars and social media influencers should participate in tree-planting initiatives for the environment and encourage their fans to follow suit, says Lee Soo-man, the founder of K-pop powerhouse SM Entertainment. Lee, the mastermind behind A-list stars like NCT and aespa, made the remark during the 2023 World Cultural Industry Forum (WCIF) at Hotel Susung in the southeastern city of Daegu, Thursday. The forum, which brought together renowned cultural figures from around the world, revolved around the theme "Creator Economy & Sustainability."“I want to believe that K-pop has broken into the global mainstream and that it has begun to have big clout,” Lee said. “K-pop fans are everywhere in the world. So I desperately hope our singers exert their influence and spearhead the movemeJun 16, 2023By Dong Sun-hwa
Police to deploy around 630 personnel for BTS anniversary event Fans photograph a mural of BTS members on the outer wall of the entertainment agency Hybe's office building in central Seoul, June 12. YonhapPolice will deploy about 630 personnel for traffic and safety control at the venue of an event commemorating BTS' 10th debut anniversary this weekend, officials said Friday. The event, part of the two-week BTS' 10th Anniversary Festa, is scheduled to take place in Yeouido Han River Park in Seoul on Saturday. Police expect about 300,000 fans to participate. The Yeongdeungpo Police Station will hold a meeting Friday to discuss traffic control, crowd management and other safety measures for the festival, and conduct an on-site inspection with officials from the Seoul metropolitan government, officials said.Starting at 2 p.m. Saturday, the police plan to block a road adjacent to the venue and implement traffic control measures on some nearby roads. According to the officials, about 630 traffic police officers and safety personnel will be deployed to the area, and around 374 signs and banners will be installed in the vicinity to facilitate the smoothJun 16, 2023
BTS' 10th anniv. book becomes bestseller ahead of official release This photo provided by BigHit Music shows the cover of "Beyond the Story: 10-year Record of BTS," set for release, July 9. YonhapK-pop juggernaut BTS' book commemorating their 10th debut anniversary topped the bestseller list of a major bookstore Friday, even before its release next month, the bookseller said.Yes24, a local online bookstore, said "Beyond the Story: 10-year Record of BTS" shot to the top of its bestseller chart as of Friday, just one day after the book's online preorders began.The book, which marks the first official publication by the band's agency, BigHit Music, includes interviews with its seven members and reflects on the band's efforts, hardships and growth from their first gathering to becoming the pop icons of the 21st century. It will be published in 23 languages, including Korean, English and Japanese, on July 9 to coincide with the founding of the band's passionate fanbase, known as ARMY. (Yonhap)Jun 16, 2023
PM orders safety measures for BTS 10th anniversary event In this July 19, 2022 file photo, members of K-pop group BTS, in the back row, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, front row second from left, pose during a ceremony appointing the BTS members as honorary ambassadors for the World Expo 2030 at HYBE's office in Yongsan, Seoul. Korea Times filePrime Minister Han Duck-soo on Friday ordered thorough safety measures as massive crowds of people are expected to turn out for a weekend event celebrating the 10th anniversary of global superstar BTS.The event is set to take place on Saturday night at a park near the Han River in Seoul's Yeouido and is expected to attract approximately 300,000 dedicated fans from the global fanbase known as "ARMY." The event is part of BTS' 10th Anniversary Festa, a two-week-long festival commemorating the band's decade-long journey.Fans of BTS pose for a souvenir photo with a logo of the K-pop band BTS during an event to celebrate its 10th debut anniversary, in Seoul, Korea, June 14. AP-Yonhap"A large number of people will gather at the same time, and the event will also include fireworks," Han said in a press releaseJun 16, 2023
2NE1's Sandara Park announces solo comeback Sandara Park's new album is being released next month. Courtesy of Abyss CompanyBy Hong Hye-minFormer 2NE1 member Sandara Park is returning to the music industry after a six-year hiatus.According to Park's agency, the Abyss Company, Thursday, the artist is scheduled to release a new mini-album next month.“Sandara Park has been missing her fans and the experience of being on stage for a while now,” the agency said. “She has decided to release a special album and is making thorough preparations in order to repay the patience of her fans who have been waiting for a long time.” The upcoming release will be distributed as a digital mini-album. Anticipation is naturally high as it marks Park's first solo album since the disbanding of 2NE1 six years ago.Park marked the 14th anniversary of her debut in May since first taking to the stage as a member of 2NE1 in 2009. She has made several television appearances in recent months including “Masked Singer” on MBC, where she won over the audience with her easygoing personality.Anticipation is running high over wJun 15, 2023
BTS to publish book recounting its career to mark 10th anniv. This photo, provided by Big Hit Music, shows the cover of "Beyond the Story: 10-year Record of BTS," set for release on July 9, June 15. YonhapA book exploring K-pop megastar BTS' 10-year career will be released next month to commemorate its 10th debut anniversary, the group's agency said Thursday."Beyond the Story: 10-year Record of BTS" is set for release on July 9 to coincide with "ARMY day," which celebrates the anniversary of the formation of the group's loyal fan base ARMY, according to BigHit Music.The book is mainly composed of interviews with the band while demonstrating "their efforts, hardship, and growth starting from the band's first gathering to becoming the 21st century pop icons," the agency said in a statement. The book will be published in 23 languages, including Korean, English and Japanese, it added.The septet is holding the BTS 10th Anniversary Festa for the next two weeks to commemorate the anniversary, which fell on Tuesday, jointly with the Seoul metropolitan government, in various places in the capital. (Yonhap)Jun 15, 2023
INTERVIEW Yale professor's love affair with K-pop Grace Kao, a professor of sociology at Yale University, poses before an interview at a hotel in central Seoul, April 25. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-sukYale professor talks about changes brought by K-popBy Dong Sun-hwaGrace Kao's fascination with K-pop began in 2019 when she became captivated by the boy band BTS. As a sociology professor at Yale University, Kao found herself immediately enchanted by the septet's performance on “Saturday Night Live” (SNL) in the U.S., marking a groundbreaking moment as the first appearance of an Asian act on the show as a musical guest.“(Growing up,) I never had the opportunity to enjoy Asian or Asian American musicians in the U.S.,” Kao recalled during a recent interview with The Korea Times at a hotel in central Seoul. Kao visited Korea to speak at various universities about the significance of K-pop for music and Asian Americans.“Since I became a teenager in the MTV ― an American entertainment channel ― era of the 1980s, my favorite groups were Spandau Ballet, Duran Duran, The English Beat and so forth. They are all Jun 14, 2023By Dong Sun-hwa
Global fans flock to Seoul to commemorate BTS' 10th anniversary Fans take a picture of a graffiti drawing of BTS members on the outer wall of K-pop powerhouse Hybe's office building in central Seoul, June 12. YonhapThrongs of dedicated fans of K-pop giant BTS were busy taking pictures in front of the Hybe building, the entertainment company behind the band, in Seoul, on Monday morning.Many of them were members of ARMY, the band's passionate fandom, who arrived from all corners of the world to participate in BTS' 10th Anniversary Festa, a two-week-long festival to commemorate the band's 10th anniversary.The location in Seoul's central ward of Yongsan has recently become a pilgrimage site for BTS enthusiasts, drawing fans from far and wide.Siena Yates, a 33-year-old journalist from New Zealand, was one of them."It was a bit of a dark time in my life. And then I just had a lot of time to sit and watch them really, and I started watching the content 'In the Soop' and 'Bon Voyage,' and especially the 'Bon Voyage' episode when they came to New Zealand. After that, just sort of down the rabbit hole, and now mildly obsessed," she said when asked how she Jun 12, 2023
BLACKPINK's Jennie walks off stage mid-concert due to poor health Girl group BLACKPINK's Jennie attends the screening of HBO drama 'The Idol' at the 76th Cannes Film Festival, held in Cannes, France, on May 22 (local time). AFP-YonhapBy Woo Da-binBLACKPINK's Jennie was forced to leave the stage during the group's concert in Melbourne on Sunday due to poor health.According to a statement by YG Entertainment shared on a BLACKPINK fan community Sunday, “Jennie was unable to complete her performance for 'BLACKPINK in Melbourne' on June 11 due to her poor health condition.”The agency added, “Although Jennie was determined to finish the concert, she was advised by medical professionals on-site to get immediate rest.” YG Entertainment also conveyed a personal message from Jennie to her fans, apologizing for her early exit and promising to recover quickly.The agency offered an apology of its own to close out the statement, saying “We apologize for the inconvenience caused to all the fans who have supported BLACKPINK and were present at the concert. We ask for your kind understanding and will do our best to support Jennie in heJun 12, 2023
Stray Kids scores third No. 1 on Billboard 200 K-pop boy group Stray Kids / Courtesy of JYP EntertainmentK-pop boy group Stray Kids has claimed No. 1 on U.S. Billboard's main albums chart for the third time in their career with their third studio album "5-Star."The 12-track album debuted atop the Billboard 200 chart for this week with 249,500 equivalent album units earned in the United States, Billboard said in a chart preview Sunday (U.S. time). The latest chart will be released Tuesday.This made the group the second K-pop act to record more than two No. 1 on the chart after BTS. "Stray Kids first entered the chart in March with the EP "Oddinary" and then again in October with the EP "Maxident."The Billboard 200 ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S., measured by equivalent album units comprising physical album sales and other digital sales records.Debuting in 2018, the eight-piece group has been known for its intense stage performances and unique music style.Of the 249,500 equivalent album units earned by "5-Star," album sales comprise 235,000, making it the best-selling album in the U.S. for a week this year, BiJun 12, 2023
