Is K-pop's popularity waning after reaching its peak? K-pop juggernaut BTS / Courtesy of HYBEBTS' temporary absence fuels worries of K-pop's declineBy Dong Sun-hwa“I am afraid that one day, people will not listen to K-pop anymore,” Park Ji-won, CEO of K-pop powerhouse HYBE, said during an interview with Bloomberg News last week. He added that some people are already concerned about the possible downfall of K-pop, which achieved exponential growth during the COVID-19 pandemic.HYBE CEO Park Ji-won / Courtesy of HYBEAs Park said, K-pop certainly has boosted its global presence over the past couple of years. According to the Korea Customs Service, the total amount of K-pop album exports stood at $231.4 million ($305.3 billion won) in 2022 ― the highest figure ever. It has more than tripled since 2019, before the pandemic, when the total amount of exports was $74.6 million. Numerous people are known to have fallen under K-pop's spell during the global health crisis, as they came across a tsunami of Korean entertainment content on social media platforms like Twitter and YouTube while staying at home due to social distancing.But whMar 2, 2023By Dong Sun-hwa
ASTRO member Rocky leaves K-pop group Rocky, a member of K-pop boy group ASTRO / Courtesy of FantagioBy Dong Sun-hwaRocky has left K-pop boy group ASTRO and terminated his contract with the group's agency, Fantagio. On Tuesday, Fantagio announced Rocky's departure from the group and company without citing specific reasons.“After a long discussion with ASTRO's member Rocky, we have agreed that it's best to part ways at this time. We want to thank Rocky for having done his best as a member of ASTRO for seven years,” Fantagio said. “From now on, ASTRO will perform its musical activity as a quintet (consisting of MJ, JinJin, Cha Eun-woo, Moonbin and Sanha). The members who will continue their partnership with us will focus on their solo and sub-unit activities for the time being,” it added. According to the company, the four members ― JinJin, Cha Eun-woo, Moonbin and Sanha ― have renewed their contracts. MJ, one of the group members who is currently fulfilling his mandatory military service, will have a discussion about his contract being renewed once he is discharged from the army. The 24-year-old siMar 1, 2023By Dong Sun-hwa
REVIEW 'Metaverse group' aespa takes stage with digital avatars, electrifies 5,000 fans Members of K-pop girl group aespa perform with their digital avatars during their “SYNK: HYPER LINE” concert at Jamsil Indoor Stadium in eastern Seoul, Sunday. Courtesy of SM EntertainmentAespa premieres 7 new songs in first solo concertBy Dong Sun-hwaReputed as the first metaverse group in the K-pop universe, aespa consists of four human members ― Karina, Winter, Giselle and Ningning ― and four digital avatars representing each one of them. To make use of this unique characteristic, its management company SM Entertainment pulled out a trump card for its first-ever solo concert last weekend: bringing virtual avatars to the center stage and having them dance in sync with their human counterparts. The digital entities stole the scene from the very beginning of the 120-minute show, Sunday. Before the four human members burst onto stage, the hyper-realistic virtual characters performed “Girls” ― the lead single off the group's second EP that dropped last July ― on the transparent LED screen, welcoming some 5,000 spectators at Jamsil Indoor Stadium in eastern SeoulFeb 28, 2023By Dong Sun-hwa
Former Wanna One member Hwang Min-hyun debuts as soloist Hwang Min-hyun, a member of now-disbanded project boy groups Wanna One and NU'EST, poses during a media showcase to promote his new solo album “Truth or Lie” at a music hall in eastern Seoul, Monday. Courtesy of PLEDIS EntertainmentHwang Min-hyun, a member of now-disbanded project boy groups Wanna One and NU'EST, made his debut as a solo artist Monday, 11 years after he began his musical career.In "Truth or Lie," his first EP and first release as a soloist, the singer exposes his various sides that have not been shown to anyone before and asks a question: What do you think is my true self?He then answers, "You can believe what you want," because there is no clear answer to the question, and this is the message that penetrates the album."Since this is my first solo album, I wanted to tell about myself," Hwang said during a media showcase to promote the EP at a music hall in eastern Seoul. "I have so many different sides, but people don't seem to know them yet. I also wanted to show those sides through an album."The EP has a total of six tracks ― the main single "Hidden SidFeb 27, 2023
'Ditto' by NewJeans hits 200 mil. Spotify streams This photo provided by ADOR celebrates "Ditto," a hit single from K-pop girl group NewJeans, surpassing 200 million streams on Spotify. Yonhap"Ditto," a hit song from rookie girl group NewJeans, has garnered 200 million streams on Spotify, the group's agency said Monday.The song had recorded 200,839,307 streams on the world's largest music streaming platform as of Saturday, 68 days after its release on Dec. 19, ADOR said.This brought to two the number of the band's songs that have garnered more than 2 million streams along with "Hybe Boy," one of its debut singles. (Yonhap)Feb 27, 2023
BTS' J-Hope to drop solo single this week A notice announces that BTS member J-Hope will release an individual single, "on the street," on March 3, in this photo provided by BigHit Music. YonhapJ-Hope, a member of the K-pop supergroup BTS, said Monday he will release an individual single and its music video this week.The dancer-rapper said on social media that "on the street" will hit music services Friday.It is a lo-fi hip-hop song with a comfortable melody and warm lyrics, where J-Hope participated in composing and writing the lyrics, according to the group's agency, BigHit Music.He formally debuted as a soloist with his first solo album, "Jack in the Box," in July.The announcement came one day after the agency said he is undergoing steps to become the second BTS member to enlist in the military after the oldest member Jin.The agency said he has recently canceled a permission to delay his enlistment as a step to fulfill his military duty, without providing a specific time frame on when he will enlist.The singer, born in 1994, had delayed his conscription until the end of 2024, when he will be 30, under the Military ServiceFeb 27, 2023
K-pop releases for March include BTS' Jimin, SHINee's Onew, EXO's KaiSeveral K-pop bigwigs to release new music in MarchBy Dong Sun-hwaMarch is going to be a big month for K-pop lovers around the world, with a host of A-list stars releasing new albums. Included in the star-studded lineup are Onew of K-pop boy band SHINee, girl group TWICE, Kai of boy group EXO and Jimin of BTS. The teaser for Onew's upcoming full-length album, “Circle” / Courtesy of SM Entertainment Onew, the front man of SHINee, will roll out his first solo studio album “Circle” on March 6. Fronted by the lead single, “O (Circle),” the upcoming album will offer nine additional tracks of different vibes, according to his record label, SM Entertainment. “Onew's new album will highlight his unique voice and sentiment,” SM said in a statement.“O (Circle)” is a dreamy and groovy R&B song that likens people's lives to nature. Through its lyrics, it tells listeners that they all experience good and bad things throughout life. Acclaimed lyricist Kim Ea-na, who previously peFeb 26, 2023By Dong Sun-hwa
BTS' J-Hope to join Korean military J-Hope, a member of K-pop sensation BTS / Courtesy of Big Hit MusicJ-Hope, a member of K-pop supergroup BTS, has canceled his request to delay enlistment, the group's agency said Sunday, in a move to join the country's mandatory military service.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.The move came two months after Jin, the oldest BTS member, first joined the Army, and is in line with an announcement that all seven members of the K-pop boy band plan to fulfill their military duties.In July 2022, J-Hope dropped his first solo album, "Jack in the Box," and performed at "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve," an annual New Year's Eve special show by ABC TV.In Korea, all able-bodied men are required to serve in the military for about two years. (Yonhap)Feb 26, 2023
(G)I-dle's Minnie to drop collaborative single with British pop star Anne-Marie This image captured from K-pop group (G)I-dle's official Twitter page is a promotional poster for "Expectations," a collaboration single between Minnie, the group's Thai member, and British pop star Anne-Marie. YonhapMinnie, a Thai member of K-pop girl group (G)I-dle, will release a collaboration single with British pop star Anne-Marie, next month, the group said Thursday.It tweeted that the song, titled "Expectations," will hit music services around the world on March 9, without giving further details.Minnie debuted as a vocalist of (G)I-dle in May 2018 and has since released many popular songs, such as "Latata," "Oh My God," "Dumdi Dumdi," "Hwaa," "Tomboy" and "Nxde."The quintet was nominated in four categories of the Korean Music Awards this year, which distinguishes itself by placing more importance on musicality rather than popularity and album sales. The winners will be announced on March 5 without an awards ceremony. (Yonhap)Feb 23, 2023
BTS ranks 2nd on IFPI's 2022 chart for top global artists K-pop superstar BTS is seen in this photo provided by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. The group ranked second on the federation's Global Artist Chart 2022 released, Feb. 23. YonhapK-pop giant BTS ranked second on the 2022 chart for top global artists released Thursday by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), an organization that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide.It marks the Korean group's third consecutive year in the top three on the Global Artist Chart following back-to-back wins in 2020 and 2021.The septet first put its name on the list at No. 2 in 2018 and ranked seventh the following year. It topped the chart for two consecutive years in 2020 and 2021."BTS became the first act from a non-English-speaking country to rank in the top 10 of the Global Artist Chart for five consecutive years and was the highest-charted Korean act during the period, which proves its status as a '21st-century pop icon'," the group's agency, BigHit Music, said.Elsewhere in the Global Artist Chart, K-pop acts Seventeen andFeb 23, 2023
