Stray Kids stays on Billboard 200 for fifth week K-pop group Stray Kids / Yonhap K-pop boy band Stray Kids remained on the Billboard's main albums chart for a fifth consecutive week with its latest EP "Oddinary."The EP ranked No. 117 on the Billboard 200 this week, up 16 slots from 131st the previous week.Unveiled March 18, the seven-track album debuted at No. 1 on the chart early this month, making Stray Kids the third K-pop act ever to top the chart, following BTS and SuperM.The EP also surpassed 100 million streams on Spotify, Monday, 37 days after its release, according to the group's agency JYP Entertainment.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 performance and unique music style.All members, led by 3RACHA, the group's own producing unit composed of Bang Chan, Changbin and Han, took part in the album's prApr 27, 2022
INTERVIEW Former Wanna One member Yoon Ji-sung seeks to 'Bloom' in his own way Mini-album 'MIRO' presents feel-good spring songs written, composed by YoonBy Dong Sun-hwaSinger Yoon Ji-sung poses during a recent interview at the headquarters of DG Entertainment in Seoul. Courtesy of DG EntertainmentIt may sound ironic, but K-pop star Yoon Ji-sung's upcoming EP “MIRO,” a collection of feel-good spring songs, was born out of his sorrow. Yoon, a former member of now-defunct project boy band Wanna One, was stuck in an anxiety loop when we was working on the mini-album, feeling like he had nobody who recognizes his hard work. His frustration was so deep that at one point, he suddenly sat down on the ground and shed tears while taking his dog for a walk. “All the tracks included in 'MIRO' have beautiful sounds, but I did not look beautiful at all when I was gearing up for this EP,” Yoon, who spent some time choosing his words, said during a recent media interview at the headquarters of his record label, DG Entertainment, in Gangnam District, southern Seoul. “I was having a busy time preparing for my mini-album and a musical, and I also apApr 27, 2022By Dong Sun-hwa
TXT to hold first world tour in July A promotional poster for Tomorrow X Together's first world tour / Courtesy of Bighit MusicK-pop boy band Tomorrow X Together (TXT) will hold its first world tour since its debut, the group's management agency said Tuesday.The "Act: Love Sick" tour will begin in Seoul, July 2 and 3, and continue in seven U.S. cities, including Chicago, New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles, until July 23, Big Hit Music said.More stops could be added later to the tour, it added.The group composed of five members ― Soobin, Yeonjun, Beomgyu, Taehyun and Hueningkai ― debuted in 2019. It has gained traction with its "The Dream Chapter" and "The Chaos Chapter" series albums. "The Chaos Chapter: Freeze," its second full-length album released last year, was the only K-pop album ever to appear on the Best Album of the Year lists of British music magazine NME and Rolling Stone in the United States.The band is set to release its fourth EP, "minisode 2: Thursday's Child," May 9. (Yonhap)Apr 26, 2022
Entertainment agency to pick up SMTOWN concert tours in August A poster for SMTOWN LIVE 2022: SMCU EXPRESS, set to be held in August in Japan / Courtesy of SM EntertainmentBy Lee Gyu-leeK-pop powerhouse SM Entertainment will be resuming the offline concert tour, SMTOWN LIVE, for the first time in about three years since 2019, starting in Japan.The agency, which houses big K-pop stars like BoA, EXO, and aespa, announced Tuesday that it will be holding “SMTOWN LIVE 2022: SMCU EXPRESS” from Aug. 27 to 28 at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo. The two-day concert will host performances from the agency's various K-pop groups, including TVXQ, Super Junior, Red Velvet, NCT and aespa. Taeyeon and Hyoyeon of Girls' Generation will perform a duet, while Onew, Key and Minho of SHINee and Suho, Chen and Kai of EXO will also perform as a team without the rest of the group members. The agency's concert tour brand, SMTOWN LIVE, has held a number of concerts in different cities around the world, such as New York, Los Angeles, Shanghai, Bangkok and Paris, since 2008.SMCU Express is the brand's concept that falls under the agency's SM Cultural Universe ― a fictiApr 26, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee
Boy group Astro to drop 3rd studio album next month K-pop boy group Astro /Korea Times fileK-pop boy group Astro will return with its third full-length album next month, the group's management agency said Tuesday. The six-member group will drop the album titled "Drive to the Starry Road," May 16, Fantagio said.It will be the band's first studio album since "All Yours" was released almost a year ago.The band, which consists of members MJ, JinJin, Moonbin, Rocky, Sanha and Cha Eun-woo, debuted in 2016 with the EP "Spring Up." It has since released hit songs, such as "Crazy Sexy Cool," "Baby" and "Confession."The group is set to hold back-to-back concerts Thursday and Friday in Seoul. The shows will also be streamed live online, according to the agency. (Yonhap)Apr 26, 2022
INTERVIEW 'My Name': Lee Su-jeong embarks on new journey to explore herself K-pop singer Lee Su-jeong poses during a recent interview at the headquarters of Woollim Entertainment in Mapo District, Seoul. Courtesy of Woollim EntertainmentLovelyz leader to show a different side in solo EPBy Dong Sun-hwaFor the past eight years, Lee Su-jeong has lived a glamorous life as Baby Soul, the leader of popular K-pop act Lovelyz. Nonetheless, at the same time, the 29-year-old could not live as Lee Su-jeong, having no time to muse on who she is and what she likes.However, Lee has recently taken her first baby steps to delve deeper into her inner world. After the seven members of Lovelyz, who had dropped a series of hits like "Ah-Choo" (2015) since their debut in 2014, terminated their contracts last year with their management company, Woollim Entertainment, Lee ― the only member who renewed her contract ― spent most of her time exploring herself and searching for the missing pieces of her puzzle.“I was not aware of this in the past, but in hindsight, I tried so hard to live as Baby Soul instead of Lee Su-jeong,” she said in a recent media interview at the heApr 26, 2022By Dong Sun-hwa
INTERVIEW Former IZ*ONE member Kwon Eun-bi talks about 'Glitch' The teaser for Kwon Eun-bi's new EP, “Color” / Courtesy of Woollim EntertainmentBy Dong Sun-hwaKwon Eun-bi, a former member of now-defunct project girl group IZ*ONE, immediately fell under the spell of her new song, “Glitch,” when she first heard it. Its dreamy sound was a gem, but what also mesmerized her was its lyrics, which seemed to be reflective of herself.“Whenever I have to appear on screen, I always feel I have too many shortcomings,” Kwon told The Korea Times through MJ Tonz Entertainment, a global promotion and marketing agency. “I have too many thoughts and worries, but I still strive to act confidently in front of cameras. This is who I am and my new release, 'Glitch,' shows this.”“Glitch” is the lead single off her second EP, “Color” that hit shelves on April 4. Characterized by the elements of UK garage ― an electronic dance music genre that originated in England ― the track was written by producers TAK and Corbin, who attempted to bring life to Kwon's inner world in their creation. Prior to the reApr 24, 2022By Dong Sun-hwa
BLACKPINK's 'Boombayah' video passes 1.4 billion YouTube views BLACKPINK / Courtesy of YG Entertainment The music video for K-pop act BLACKPINK's "Boombayah" passed 1.4 billion views on YouTube, Saturday, according to its management agency.The video for the lead track off its debut album released in August 2016 reached the milestone at 5:56 a.m., YG Entertainment said.It became the female band's third music video to break the 1.4 billion mark on the global music sharing site, following "Ddu-du Ddu-du" and "Kill This Love."The four-piece group has 32 music videos with more than 100 million YouTube views, including six with more than 1 billion views.The video for "Ddu-du Ddu-du" has reached 1.85 billion views, the highest among K-pop music videos. (Yonhap)Apr 23, 2022
iKON, TXT: K-pop big shots gear up for May releases By Dong Sun-hwaMay is just around the corner and so are new K-pop releases. A bunch of K-pop stars, including iKON, Tomorrow X Together (TXT) and ONEUS, are planning to put out some new songs that people can add to their spring playlists.1. iKON (May 3)K-pop boy group iKON / Courtesy of YG Entertainment“Flashback,” the fourth EP by K-pop act iKON will be released on May 3, according to the group's record label YG Entertainment. It has taken more than a year for the boy group to return with a new offering, since the release of their digital single, “Why Why Why,” last March. Fronted by the lead single, “But You,” “Flashback” will offer a glimpse into iKON's new musical style, YG said. “All six members took a more experimental route this time,” the company said in a statement. YG unveiled a teaser on the group's Twitter account, which features the black-clad members gazing into the camera. iKON, consisting of Jay, Song, Bobby, DK, Ju-ne and Chan, made their debut in 2015 with the tune, “My Type” and rose to stardomApr 22, 2022By Dong Sun-hwa
'Boy With Luv' becomes first BTS video to surpass 1.5 billion YouTube views K-pop boy group BTS / AP-Yonhap The music video for K-pop superstars BTS' 2019 hit song "Boy With Luv" has become the group's first video to exceed 1.5 billion views on YouTube.The song hit the milestone at about 5 p.m. Thursday, five months after surpassing 1.4 billion views in November, according to the group's agency Big Hit Music.The upbeat track, featuring American singer-songwriter Halsey, was released in April 2019 from the band's sixth album "Map of the Soul: Persona." After debuting at No. 8 on Billboard's Hot 100 main singles chart upon its release, the song was on the chart for eight consecutive weeks.Including "Boy With Luv," the K-pop septet now has a total of 36 music videos that have garnered more than 100 million views. (Yonhap)Apr 22, 2022
