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IU unveils 'Spring Hello Spring' teaser video for upcoming album 'LILAC'

IU's new album, “LILAC,” will hit the shelves March 25. Courtesy of EDAM EntertainmentBy Lee Gyu-leeK-pop star Lee Ji-eun, better known as IU, is gearing up for her upcoming album, “LILAC,” set to be released March 25. The singer uploaded another teaser on social media Tuesday, providing a glimpse of her fifth studio album. In the minute-long video, IU appears in a photoshoot with flowers. The lyrics for one of her upcoming album's 10 tracks, “Spring Hello Spring” ― “Spring, you came to me” ― appear on the screen.Last week, IU unveiled a teaser for another new track, “Flu,” offering a sneak peek of her dance performance.This album is her first studio album in about four years, since the album, "Palette," in 2017. The album made a huge hit with its title song, which features G-Dragon, topping various music charts. The lyrics of all the songs on “LILAC” were written by IU, including the lead single, “Coin,” which was also composed by her. Singer-songwriter Naul, K-pop duo AKMU's Lee Chan-hyuk, and singe

Mar 16, 2021By Lee Gyu-lee
IU unveils 'Spring Hello Spring' teaser video for upcoming album 'LILAC'

BTS, Seventeen among K-pop prize winners at Japan Gold Disc Awards

K-pop boy band BTS / Courtesy of Big Hit EntertainmentBy Dong Sun-hwaK-pop singers are hitting high notes in Japan. Groups including BTS, Seventeen and Stray Kids took home multiple prizes at the 35th Japan Gold Disc Awards, a major music award in the country organized by the Recording Industry Association of Japan. The association on Monday announced the winners who have contributed to the growth of the music industry. BTS, which dropped its mega-hit “Dynamite” last year among others, bagged eight prizes including Best Album of the Year (Asia) and Best Music Video of the Year (Asia), setting a new record as a foreign act. It also won the Best Asian Artist award for the third consecutive year. “We are truly thankful to our fans for giving us so much love and support,” BTS said in an acceptance speech. “We are also grateful to our producer Bang Si-hyuk and the other staff members at Big Hit Entertainment for helping us showcase great music and performances.”Seventeen snapped up one of the Best 3 Albums (Asia) Awards with its second Japanese mini-alb

Mar 16, 2021By Dong Sun-hwa
BTS, Seventeen among K-pop prize winners at Japan Gold Disc Awards

First solo album by BLACKPINK's Rose hits more than half million preorders

BLACKPINK's rose / Courtesy of YG EntertainmentThe first solo album of Rose, K-pop girl group BLACKPINK's main vocalist, has scored over 500,000 global preorders, a record number for a K-pop female singer, the singer's management agency said Tuesday. The album, titled "R," has sold a combined 505,000 units since its online release last Friday, including 404,318 units in CD and 49,058 in KiT, a type of physical album used for digital streaming, according to YG Entertainment.This marks the biggest presales for an album by a K-pop female soloist, it added.The two-track album also topped the digital album sales chart of QQ Music, China's leading music platform, for the third consecutive day Monday, YG Entertainment said.Rose's debut solo album, featuring two songs, "On the Ground" and "Gone," is set to hit shelves later in the day.The main track "On the Ground" debuted at No. 1 on the regional iTunes Top Songs charts in 51 countries last week and ranked eighth on streaming giant Spotify's Global Top 50 Chart.Rose made her K-pop scene debut as a member of the four-piece girl group BLACKPI

Mar 16, 2021
First solo album by BLACKPINK's Rose hits more than half million preorders

K-pop group Pentagon drops mini-album 'LOVE or TAKE

Pentagon members pose for pictures during the online media conference for their new album “LOVE or TAKE,” Monday. Courtesy of Cube EntertainementBy Lee Gyu-leeK-pop boy group Pentagon has returned with its new mini-album “LOVE or TAKE,” which hit streaming sites at 6 p.m., Monday.The nine-piece group, comprised of Hui, Wooseok, Shinwon, Yanan, Yuto, Hongseok, Yeo One, Kino, and Jinho,  is set to kick off the album's promotion minus two members ― Hui and Jinho ― who are currently serving out their mandatory military service.“As we are missing members who were like our backbone figures, the rest of us came to bond and become dependent on each other,” band member Hongseok said during Monday's online media conference for the album.The group's 11th mini-album consists of seven songs, including the lead track “DO or NOT” and “Boy In Time,” a solo feature of the band's leader Hui. The pop-rock “DO or NOT” is written and composed by members Hui and Wooseok, who also came up with most of the songs

Mar 15, 2021By Lee Gyu-lee
K-pop group Pentagon drops mini-album 'LOVE or TAKE

Kim Tae-hee to appear in music video of boy band produced by her husband Rain

Actress Kim Tae-hee / Courtesy of Story J CompanyBy Dong Sun-hwaActress Kim Tae-hee will appear in a music video for Ciipher, a new K-pop boy band produced by her husband Rain. Kim will be featured as an actress in the music video for the group's debut track “I Like You,” according to Rain Company, its management agency. The song and the video are scheduled to be released at 6 p.m., Monday (KST). K-pop boy band Ciipher / Courtesy of Rain CompanyIn the clip, Ciipher members will display their individual charms as they attempt to catch the eye of actress Kim.Kim reportedly made the decision to support her husband, who is producing his company's first boy band project. He established Rain Company in 2015. Kim made her screen debut in 2000 as a TV commercial model and has played a lead role in several hits, including the drama "Stairway to Heaven" (2003) and "Iris" (2009). The two married in January 2017. Ciipher, comprising Tan, Hyunbin, Hwi, Keita, TAG, Dohwan and Won, became known to the public after appearing on a number of popular TV shows with Rain, such as SBS' “

Mar 15, 2021By Dong Sun-hwa
Kim Tae-hee to appear in music video of boy band produced by her husband Rain

No Grammy awards, but BTS still thankful

K-pop boy band BTS staged a solo performance of its hit “Dynamite” at the Grammys. Courtesy of Big Hit EntertainmentBy Dong Sun-hwaBTS, the first K-pop act that earned a Grammy nomination, did not succeed in winning the award, but still expressed appreciation to their fans for the “incredible experience.” The seven-piece boy band was nominated for the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance category with its 2020 English-language single “Dynamite” in the 63rd Grammy Awards, which announced some winners during its livestreamed pre-show ceremony, Sunday (U.S. time). There were high hopes that BTS would nab its first Grammy, given the feats it pulled off with the song. The disco-pop track made BTS the first Korean act to reign over the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart and its music video ― unveiled last August ― recently hit a whopping 900 million views on YouTube.But the award went to pop stars Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande's “Rain On Me” (2020), which also outpaced Taylor Swift's “Exile” featuring Bon Iver and Justin Bieber's “Intent

Mar 15, 2021By Dong Sun-hwa
No Grammy awards, but BTS still thankful

Sponsors quick to ditch TVXQ!'s U-Know Yunho following alleged offenses

TVXQ!'s U-Kwow Yunho / Courtesy of SM Entertainment By Park Ji-wonCorporate sponsors are quickly distancing themselves from TVXQ!'s U-Know Yunho after media reported he was caught violating social distancing rules in an illegal escort bar.Food-delivery app Yogiyo and food maker Ottogi removed the K-pop idol from all advertisements as of Sunday, including YouTube videos and posters. Formerly, when customers launched the food-delivery app, Yunho's image would appear with the company logo.Yunho had been promoting Yogiyo since November last year, appearing in various campaigns including TV commercials and promotional posters. He was also advertising Ottogi's instant rice bowl or “Cup Bap.”The move came after a local report claimed Friday that he not only violated social-distancing requirements that were in place since last month, but also spent time with female escorts in the illegally-registered business' premises.MBC reported Friday that the restaurant where the K-pop

Mar 14, 2021By Park Ji-won
Sponsors quick to ditch TVXQ!'s U-Know Yunho following alleged offenses

BLACKPINK's 'How You Like That' racks up 800 million views

BLACKPINK / Courtesy of YG EntertainmentThe South Korean all-female band BLACKPINK's music video "How You Like That" has garnered 800 million views on YouTube in what its agency said was reached in the shortest time for a female K-pop act.The quartet's music video of the hit song reached the milestone at 9:58 p.m. a day earlier, roughly 260 days after it was released on June 26, according to YG Entertainment.The agency said the band set the record about two months earlier than "Ddu-du Ddu-du," another of its hit songs, which took 329 days to achieve the feat. "How You Like That" took the shortest time to reach 800 million views for any K-pop music video by a female act, according to YG. Reaching 86.3 million YouTube views on the first day of its release, the song has been recorded by Guinness World Records as the most watched YouTube video in a span of 24 hours. "How You Like That" is one of BLACKPINK's previously released songs that was included in its first full-length album, "The Album," which was released in October last year.The song is the band's fifth music video that has topp

Mar 14, 2021
BLACKPINK's 'How You Like That' racks up 800 million views

Rose of BLACKPINK sweeps iTunes charts in 51 nations with latest single

BLACKPINK's Rose / Courtesy of YG EntertainmentRose of K-pop girl band BLACKPINK is dominating iTunes charts in 51 countries, with her new single, her agency said Saturday. According to YG Entertainment, the song, "On The Ground," from her first solo EP release "R," has topped the iTunes Top Songs charts in these countries that include the United States, France and Thailand.The English language song has also landed on top spots on multiple local music streaming charts.Its video has garnered more than 36 million views on YouTube as of Saturday morning and is likely to become the most watched one within 24 hours of its release, YG Entertainment said.The vocalist, the second member of the four-piece act to go solo, released the two-track EP featuring the songs "On the Ground" and "Gone" at 2 p.m. the previous day in South Korea."R," titled after the initial of her stage name "Rose," marked a new step for the singer, who is now in her sixth year since her debut. (Yonhap)

Mar 13, 2021
Rose of BLACKPINK sweeps iTunes charts in 51 nations with latest single

BTS sweeps international recording industry organization's global charts

Members of K-pop monolith BTS / Reuters-YonhapBy Park Han-solK-pop monolith BTS' already long list of musical accolades continues as the boy band sweeps three global charts established by the organization representing the international recording industry.The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) announced Thursday (local time) that the group's fourth studio album “Map of the Soul: 7” has topped the 2020 Global Album Sales chart, which combines the total sales of physical and digital album downloads.With its “BE (Deluxe Edition)” ranked second and Japanese edition “Map of the Soul: 7 ― The Journey” at eighth, this meant that all three 2020 releases by the boy band have been placed on the chart.The latest news comes after the septet broke another record on Wednesday with “Map of the Soul: 7” topping the Global Album All Format chart, which, as the name indicates, includes album sales across all physical and streaming platforms.Last week, BTS also became the first Asian act to win the IFPI Global Recording Artist of

Mar 13, 2021By Park Han-sol
BTS sweeps international recording industry organization's global charts
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