BLACKPINK becomes 1st K-pop girl group to top Britain's Official Albums Chart The photo, provided by YG Entertainment on Sept. 24, shows K-pop girl group BLACKPINK. YonhapBLACKPINK has topped the album section of Britain's Official Chart with its latest work, "Born Pink," becoming the first K-pop girl group to claim the belt on the most celebrated music chart in the country, its agency said Saturday. The group's second full-length album, released on Sept. 16, beat works by Suede, Rina Sawayama and other global pop stars on the Official Albums Chart on Friday (British time), YG Entertainment said.The album's lead song, "Shut Down," and the track, "Pink Venom," placed 24th and 38th, respectively, on the Official Singles Chart.Before BLACKPINK, boy band BTS was the only K-pop artist to top the Official Albums Chart. In 2020, BLACKPINK's first full-length album, "The Album," placed No. 2 on the same chart. Among K-pop singles, "Gangnam Style" by K-pop solo artist Psy claimed the top spot on the Official Singles Chart in 2012. (Yonhap)Sep 24, 2022
Heo Chan of K-pop group Victon halts activities after DUI Singer Heo Chan of Victon was caught drunk driving, Tuesday. Korea Times fileBy Lee Gyu-leeSinger Heo Chan, a member of K-pop boy band Victon, has temporarily been removed from the group's future activities after being investigated for drunk driving, the group's agency IST Entertainment said, Thursday.“Heo Chan was caught drunk driving by police while he was returning home on Tuesday morning after meeting his friend,” it said.The agency added that the 27-year-old singer is currently under investigation and is expected to face punishment, including his license getting revoked.“Heo is deeply regretting his action which should never have happened. He will halt both the group's and his solo activities from today on,” it said. The seven-piece group ― which consists of Han Seung-woo, Kang Seung-sik, Lim Se-jun, Do Han-se, Choi Byung-chan, Jung Su-bin and Heo ― will pick up their activities, including a fan concert scheduled next month, with five members. Han is currently on hiatus to serve his mandatory military service. Heo also apologized on social media Thursday Sep 23, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee
BLACKPINK's 'Born Pink' sets 1st-week sales record for girl group album Korean girl group BLACKPINK / Courtesy of YG Entertainment"Born Pink," the second studio album from BLACKPINK, has broken the record for the biggest first week sales by a K-pop girl group in history, its agency said Friday.The album set the record by selling more than 1.54 million copies in the first week of its release last Friday, YG Entertainment said, citing data from Hanteo Chart, a local market tracker.The figure is more than twice the number of first week sales of 690,000 copies for the band's first studio album, "The Album," in 2020.Since the Hanteo Chart tally does not include some of the overseas album sales, actual first-week sales for "Born Pink" are expected to be bigger, considering the band's large following abroad.The new album has become the first album from any K-pop girl group to sell more than 2 million copies, according to Circle Chart, Korea's benchmark music chart that reflects overseas sales."Born Pink" has topped iTunes albums charts of 60 countries, including the United States and Britain, upon its release with its main track, "Shut Down," staying atop the wSep 23, 2022
BLACKPINK's 'Born Pink' sold more than 2 mil. copies K-pop girl group BLACKPINK / Courtesy of YG Entertainment "Born Pink," BLACKPINK's second full-length album, has sold more than 2 million copies for the first time as a K-pop girl group album, the group's agency said Thursday.The album had sold a total of 2,141,281 copies in only two days after its release last Friday, YG Entertainment said, citing data from Circle Chart."This is the sum of exports to North America and Europe, and domestic sales," the company said. It added the number will continue to increase, considering the sales for the first week have not been reflected and the band will begin a large-scale world tour next month.But the tally from Hanteo Chart, another local albums sales tracker, was smaller than that of Circle Chart, as Hanteo said the album had sold about 1.34 million copies in the first six days in the market. The album's main track, "Shut Down," has retained the top position on the world's largest music streaming service, Spotify, for five Sep 22, 2022
Hybe says costs not top priority in hosting BTS' Busan concert K-pop supergroup BTS poses for the camera after being appointed as the public relations ambassador to host the 2030 World Expo in the southern port city of Busan during a ceremony at Hybe in Seoul, July 19. YonhapHybe, the entertainment company behind K-pop giant BTS, said Thursday costs have not been a top priority in its participation in nationally important events, breaking a long silence on the controversy surrounding the costs for hosting a free BTS concert in Busan.The septet is scheduled to hold a free concert in front of about 50,000 fans at Asiad Main Stadium in Busan, 390 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Oct. 15 to support the city's bid to host the 2030 World Expo as a public relations ambassador for the bid.The controversy began early this month when it was reported BTS' label Big Hit Music and its parent company Hybe will likely have to seek a way to solely fund about 7 billion won (US$4.9 million) needed to host the concert without any monetary support from the Busan city government or the 2030 World Expo hosting committee.Fans claim that the local government is exploiSep 22, 2022
Gangnam K-pop concert to be held Oct. 2 Singer Psy, who will perform at the Yeongdong-daero K-Pop Concert in Gangnam, southern Seoul, Oct. 2 / Courtesy of P Nation By Kim RahnA large-scale K-pop concert will be held on one of the major boulevards in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, in October, returning with in-person performances after two years of online-only events due to COVID-19 pandemic. The organizers of the Yeongdong-daero (Yeongdong Boulevard) K-Pop Concert said Wednesday that the annual concert will take place on the boulevard in front of COEX at 7 p.m. on Oct. 2. The concert is a part of the 2022 Gangnam Festival, which the district office has been hosting since 2012 by taking advantage of hallyu-related businesses there, such as entertainment agencies, medical tourism clinics, cosmetics and clothing shops, and gourmet restaurants.The concert used to be the highlight of the festival, but it was held only online for the last two years due to pandemic-induced social distancing measures. This yeaSep 21, 2022By Kim Rahn
NMIXX plays dice game in new release 'ENTWURF' The teaser for K-pop girl group NMIXX's second EP, “ENTWURF” / Courtesy of JYP EntertainmentK-pop girl group puts out 2nd EP seven months after debutBy Dong Sun-hwaNMIXX became a talk of the town immediately after making its debut in February, not only because it was a new group launched by K-pop powerhouse JYP Entertainment, but also because its debut track, “O.O,” was unlike most other K-pop songs. “O.O” blended music genres like trap and Baile funk, sounding like a combination of two or three different songs. According to JYP, such a combination is the main characteristic of NMIXX's music style, “MIXX POP.” Although some people were critical of the tune for being too “convoluted and confusing,” the singers, who dropped their second EP, “ENTWURF,” on Monday, believe listeners will find their songs addictive once they play them. “I think MIXX POP is very addictive,” member Sullyoon said during a press conference at YES24 Live Hall in Gwangjin District, eastern Seoul, Monday. The conference, which tooSep 20, 2022By Dong Sun-hwa
Lawmaker tables bill on alternative military duty for decorated pop celebrities like BTS Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, second from left, front row, poses for a photo with K-pop sensation BTS, back row, during a ceremony to appoint the septet as the promotional ambassador to host the 2030 World Expo in the southern port city of Busan at Hybe in Seoul, July 19. Korea Times fileA lawmaker of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea on Monday proposed a revision bill aimed at allowing decorated pop celebrities, such as K-pop superband BTS, to replace their military duties with alternative service.The bill, the fourth of its kind, mandates pop celebrities, who have received an order of merit from the government, should be given a chance to apply for alternative military service.Under the current Military Service Act, military service exemptions are given only to international award-winning athletes and classical musicians for their roles in elevating the country's reputation overseas.All able-bodied South Korean men between the ages of 18 and 28 must carry out compulsory military service for about two years in a country that faces North Korea across a heavily fortified boSep 19, 2022
K-pop in Middle East: formerly uncharted territory turns into new realm for artists In this 2019 file photo, BTS fans in Saudi Arabia wait for the group's concert at King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh. YonhapK-pop agencies drawn by Middle Eastern countries' young population, economic powerBy Dong Sun-hwaThe Middle East was unchartered territory for K-pop until recently. K-pop stars frequently performed in Asia, America and Europe, but rarely visited the Islamic world mainly because of its conservative culture that did not welcome undue foreign influence. But this is a story of the past. A series of K-pop concerts and festivals have taken place in the Middle East over the last couple of years. On Sept. 10, more than 10 K-pop acts including P1Harmony took the stage at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi ― one of the most iconic music and entertainment venues in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) ― as part of the HYPEROUND K-FEST. From Sept. 30 to Oct. 1, the annual Korean culture convention “KCON,” organized by entertainment behemoth CJ ENM, will be held at Boulevard Riyadh City in Saudi Arabia for the first time, inviting big-name groups like New Jeans, ATEESep 19, 2022By Dong Sun-hwa
BLACKPINK's 'Shut Down' tops Spotify's global chart for 2nd consecutive day Korean girl group BLACKPINK performs onstage during the MTV Video Music Awards at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, Aug. 28. AFP-YonhapK-pop girl group BLACKPINK has topped world's largest music streaming service Spotify's Global Top 50 chart with its latest single, "Shut Down," for two days in a row, the group's agency said Monday.The main track off the group's second full-length album, "Born Pink," bagged its second consecutive No. 1 on the global chart, garnering 6.26 million streams the previous day, YG Entertainment said. Previously, "Pink Venom," a track unveiled about a month prior to the album's release, stayed atop the chart for three days straight, making BLACKPINK the only K-pop group or singer to chart for more than a day.Aside from the main track, all of the album's songs, including "Pink Venom," "Typa Girl," "Hard to Love" and "Yeah Yeah Yeah," were in the top 40.The eight-track album surpassed 1 million copies in sales on the day of its release Friday for the first time as a K-pop girl group album.In October, the quartet will begin a world tour that will draSep 19, 2022
