STAYC to return after 7 months with new album K-pop girl group STAYC is seen in this photo provided by Highup Entertainment. YonhapGirl group STAYC will drop a new album for the first time in seven months next month, its management agency said Wednesday."STAYC, composed of members Sumin, Sieun, Isa, Seeun, Yoon and J, is preparing to make a comeback with the goal of releasing a new album in February," Highup Entertainment said in a release.The agency, however, did not disclose the format of the upcoming album.It will mark the band's first release since its seventh single "We Need Love" in July.The six-piece group debuted in November 2020 with the song "So Bad" and has since grown to be one of the leading fourth-generation K-pop girl groups along with NewJeans, Ive, Le Sserafim, aespa and Nmixx, releasing hits such as "ASAP" and "Stereotype." (Yonhap)Jan 18, 2023
K-pop girl group aespa to perform at New York City's mega-festival Korean girl group aespa performs at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in the United States in this April 24, 2022 file photo provided by SM Entertainment. YonhapKorean girl group aespa will perform at The Governors Ball Music Festival 2023, a major annual outdoor music festival in New York City, the group's agency said Wednesday.It will become the first K-pop act to perform at the festival, according to SM Entertainment. This year's event will be held at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens from June 9-11, featuring acts from a wide range of genres, including electronic, indie, rock, rap and hip-hop, with Lizzo, ODESZA and Kendrick Lamar as headliners.The Korean quartet will perform on the main stage on the second day of the festival.This image provided by SM Entertainment shows a promotional poster for K-pop girl group aespa's upcoming performance at The Governors Ball Music Festival 2023, a major annual outdoor music festival in New York City. YonhapIn April, aespa debuted at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, the largest outdoor music festival in the UnitedJan 18, 2023
Rookie K-pop boy bands to look out for in 2023 K-pop juggernaut BTS / Courtesy of Big Hit MusicMore than 15 boy groups to debut this yearBy Dong Sun-hwaThe K-pop scene is likely to be buzzing more than ever this year, as many new boy groups are gearing up for their debut. The competition will be cutthroat, as these singers will strive to become the next kings of K-pop following Grammy-nominated BTS, the members of which have just begun serving their mandatory military service.In 2023, more than 15 boy bands will burst onto the music scene. K-pop powerhouse HYBE is set to launch three male acts this year. Three sub-labels under HYBE ― Big Hit Music, Pledis Entertainment and KOZ Entertainment ― will debut one group each. Big Hit Music represents BTS, while Pledis manages another high-profile act, SEVENTEEN. KOZ was established by rapper-producer Zico in 2019, but was acquired by HYBE in 2020. NCT DREAM, a sub-unit of NCT / Courtesy of SM EntertainmentSM Entertainment ― which gave birth to numerous A-list stars like Super Junior, Girls' Generation, EXO and aespa ― is going to showcase more sub-units of its 23-member boy group, NCT. Jan 17, 2023By Dong Sun-hwa
TXT to begin 2nd world tour in March An English poster for K-pop boy group Tomorrow X Together's upcoming world tour, "Act: Sweet Mirage." / Courtesy of Big Hit MusicK-pop boy group Tomorrow X Together will launch its second world tour in March, the group's management agency said Monday.The "Act: Sweet Mirage" world tour will begin at KSPO Dome in southern Seoul on March 25-26 and continue in a dozen more cities in Singapore, Taiwan, Japan and the United States until May 27, Big Hit Music said.The two concerts in Seoul will be streamed live online for global fans who cannot visit the country to attend.Korean boy group Tomorrow X Together (TXT) / Courtesy of Big Hit EntertainmentLast year, the quintet had its first-ever world tour, titled, "Act: Love Sick," holding 19 concerts in 13 cities around the world.TXT will return Jan. 27 with its fifth EP, "The Name Chapter: temptation," which depicts the youth, who are swayed by the temptation of freedom and entertainment. (Yonhap)Jan 16, 2023
BLACKPINK to perform at French first lady's charity concert K-pop girl group BLACKPINK / Courtesy of YG EntertainmentBy Dong Sun-hwaK-pop girl group BLACKPINK will perform at a concert organized by a charity organization headed by French first lady Brigitte Macron. The quartet will attend the “Le Gala des Pieces Jaunes” concert at the Le Zenith Arena in Paris, Jan. 25 (local time). The event is run by the “Fondation des Hopitaux,” which is dedicated to enhancing the lives of patients and healthcare personnel. Macron took the helm of the foundation in 2019.Also included in the concert lineup are world-renowned stars, such as American producer Pharrell Williams and British singer Mika. Brigitte Macron, wife of French President Emmanuel Macron / Reuters-YonhapAccording to the foundation, tickets will be sold for 15 euros (20,000 won). The proceeds from the event will reportedly be used to improve hospitalization conditions for children and teenagers. The YG Entertainment stars will head to Paris after wrapping up their show in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Jan. 20, which is part of their ongoing world tour that kicked off lastJan 16, 2023By Dong Sun-hwa
Girl group GOT the beat to drop 1st EP A concept photo for GOT the beat's first EP, "Stamp On It," provided by SM Entertainment / YonhapGOT the beat, SM Entertainment's project girl group, will return with a new album Monday, the group's agency said.The septet's first EP, "Stamp On It," consists of six tracks, including the title track of the same name, "Goddess Level" and "Alter Ego," according to SM.The song "Stamp On It" is an RB hip-hop-infused dance song about the fierce competition to rise to the top in the music industry.Made up of seven female artists managed by SM ― BoA, Taeyeon and Hyoyeon of Girls' Generation, Seulgi and Wendy of Red Velvet, and Karina and Winter of aespa ― GOT the beat debuted with the digital single "Step Back" in 2022.The EP will hit various music services at 6 p.m. (Yonhap)Jan 16, 2023
BLACKPINK's 'Playing with Fire' video tops 800 mil. YouTube views This photo provided by YG Entertainment shows a poster marking the music video for BLACKPINK's "Playing With Fire" having surpassed 800 million YouTube views. YonhapThe music video for K-pop girl group BLACKPINK's 2016 single "Playing with Fire" has surpassed 800 million views on YouTube.The video crossed the milestone Monday at about 1:40 a.m., six years and two months after it was uploaded on the global video sharing service, YG Entertainment, the band's agency, said."Playing with Fire" is one of the two lead tracks off the group's second single, "Square Two," released in November 2016.This increased to 10 the number of videos from the quintet that have garnered more than 800 million YouTube views.BLACKPINK is currently on a large-scale world tour that's expected to attract some 1.5 million global fans. The group finished the North American and European legs of the tour last year, and will perform in Asia and Oceania in the first half of this year.In April, it will headline the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, a major music and art festival in North America. (Yonhap)Jan 16, 2023
Korea's exports of K-pop albums hit record high of $233 mil. in 2022 K-pop boy group BTS / YonhapKorea's exports of K-pop albums hit a fresh high last year, data showed Monday, as limitations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic continued to push up demand for physical albums.K-pop album exports hit $233.113 million in 2022, up 5.6 percent from a year ago, according to import and export trade statistics of the Korea Customs Service (KCS).Last year's figure outnumbered the previous high of $220.85 million tallied in 2021.As overseas K-pop fans opted to buy albums in a show of support for their favorite stars, unable to see them in person at concerts and other live events due to the COVID-19 pandemic, K-pop album sales have been on the rise, crossing $100 million in 2020 and $200 million in 2021.Japan imported the most K-pop albums last year, totaling $85.74 million. It was followed by China and the United States, which imported $51.33 million and $38.88 million, respectively. Rounding out the top 10 were Taiwan, the Netherlands, Thailand, Hong Kong, Germany, Indonesia and France.K-pop labels do not usually unveil details of album sales by their artists.But Jan 16, 2023
BTS' Jimin, NewJeans' Minji top brand reputation rankings Jimin of K-pop boy band BTS / Newsis By Dong Sun-hwaJimin of K-pop boy band BTS and Minji of girl group NewJeans were at the top of brand reputation rankings in January, according to the Korean Business Research Institute. Jimin ranked first on the “Reputation Index Ranking,” scoring a total of 5,713,172 points. Trailing behind were Cha Eun-woo ― a member of K-pop act Astro who has also been pursuing an acting career ― and Jungkook of BTS. They received 5,643,772 and 4,804,755 points, respectively.The Korean Business Research Institute collected big data on 703 male K-pop stars from Dec. 14, 2022 to Jan. 14, 2023 and ranked them based on four criteria including media coverage. “'With You,' 'Taeyang,' and 'Vibe' were some of the keywords related to Jimin,” the institute said. On Jan. 13, Taeyang of K-pop boy group BIGBANG and Jimin put out a collaborative single titled, “Vibe,” which has been reigning atop music streaming charts around the world, such as the iTunes' Jan 16, 2023By Dong Sun-hwa
GOT the beat, VIVIZ: female K-pop acts to heat up music scene this month Project girl group GOT the Beat / Courtesy of SM EntertainmentGOT the beat, Choi Ye-na, TWICE and VIVIZ to release new music offeringsBy Dong Sun-hwaSeveral K-pop divas and girl groups took the music scene by storm in 2022. This year, the dominance of female acts is likely to continue, with numerous A-list stars gearing up for their new music offerings.GOT the beat, a project group consisting of seven female singers under K-pop powerhouse SM Entertainment, will put out its first mini-album, “Stamp On It,” Jan. 16. Fronted by the lead single of the same name, “Stamp On It” will carry five other tunes touching on diverse topics. “Alter Ego,” for instance, revolves around the theme of environmental sustainability, while “MALA” stresses the significance of self-love. GOT the BEAT premiered its lead track during the “SM TOWN LIVE 2023: SMCU PALACE@KWANGYA” concert, an online show featuring SM artists that took place on Jan. 1. It is an R&B hip-hop-infused dance song about the fierce competition to rise to the top.GOT the beatJan 15, 2023By Dong Sun-hwa
