V and Park Hyo-shin‘s ’Winter Ahead‘ gets jazzier

A new version of the “Winter Ahead” duet by BTS’ V and ballad singer Park Hyo-shin was released Friday at 2 p.m., featuring a jazzy twist. The official BTS YouTube channel also released a video of V dancing to the smooth jazz track, offering fans an additional treat. Renowned Korean jazz ensemble Yoon Seok-cheol Trio contributed to the new track, enriching the original arrangement with fresh rhythmic elements, bass and piano for a distinctly jazzy sound. Formed in 2009, the Yoon Seok-cheol Trio

Dec. 20, 2024

GOT7 to return as full group after 3 years

GOT7 is gearing up for a comeback under a new agency. The 7-member K-pop group will make a long-awaited return as a full group with the release of its new mini-album "Winter Heptagon" on Jan. 20, 2025. This marks its first group activity in nearly three years after the release of its 12th mini-album "GOT7" in May 2022. Although GOT7’s exclusive contracts with JYP Entertainment, the group's original agency, ended in 2021, the group retained the trademark rights to t

Dec. 20, 2024

Le Sserafim tops 100m views with ‘Crazy’ music video

Le Sserafim has achieved 100 million views on YouTube on the music video for “Crazy,” agency Source Music said Thursday. It is the eighth music video from the group to reach the milestone. American magazine Teen Vogue picked it as one of 15 Best K-Pop Music Videos of 2024 earlier this month, writing

Dec. 19, 2024

Wrap up 2024 with annual year-end K-pop festivals

K-pop fans worldwide are gearing up for the grand spectacle of Korea's major year-end music shows — "KBS Song Festival," "SBS Gayo Daejeon" and "MBC Gayo Daejejeon." Each festival has a unique concept and star-studded lineup, offering a glimpse into the past, present and future of K-pop. From legendary reunions to first-time collaborations, these year-end stages promise unforgettable moments to close out 2024 and welcome 2025 in style. Cross-generatio

Dec. 19, 2024

BTS’ Jimin logs 1.2b streams on Spotify in record time

Jimin of BTS surpassed 1.2 billion plays on Spotify with solo “Who” on Monday. He achieved the feat in just 151 days -- the shortest time for both a K-pop artist and a male solo artist, beating the record previously set by Harry Styles‘ with “As It Was.” “Who” fronted Jimin‘s second solo album “Muse

Dec. 18, 2024

2NE1 to celebrate 15th anniversary with limited-edition LP of hits

Legendary girl group 2NE1 is releasing a limited-edition LP in commemoration of the 15th anniversary of its debut. The 2NE1 "15th Anniversary Best LP" will feature some of the group’s most iconic tracks, starting with the debut song “Fire,” as well as hits like “I Don’t Care,” “Can’t Nobody,” “Go Away,” “Slow,” “I Am The Best,” “Ugly,” “Lonely” and “Missing You.&rdquo

Dec. 18, 2024

'Report IU to the CIA': Bizarre online trolling of celebs who support Yoon impeachment

Users of local websites with politically conservative inclinations are encouraging each other to file online reports to the US Central Intelligence Agency against K-pop star IU and other celebrities who publicly supported protests calling for President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment. The anonymous users have posted screenshots of their reports to the US federal agency that collects and analyzes foreign intelligence. "IU can't go to America now," read the title of an anonymous po

Dec. 17, 2024

BTS’ V enters Billboard’s Hot 100 with Bing Crosby ‘collab’

V of BTS made Billboard’s Hot 100 for the third time this year as a solo act. His collaborative remix of Bing Crosby’s winter classic “White Christmas” debuted on the main songs chart at No. 93. He ranked No. 99 on the chart a week earlier with another winter solo single, “Winter Ahead,” featuring P

Dec. 17, 2024

K-pop stars to broaden spectrum with world tours in 2025

As 2025 approaches, K-pop artists are setting their sights on global stages. SHINee’s Taemin will continue the momentum of his first solo world tour, “Ephemeral Gaze,” which began on Dec. 15 with sold-out shows, into early next year. According to his agency Big Planet Made Entertainment tickets for the US leg of the “Ephemeral Gaze” tour — covering New York, Chicago, Houston, Oakland and Los Angeles — sold out immediately. This follows previous sellouts

Dec. 17, 2024

Blackpink’s Rose hits Billboard 200 at record No. 3

Rose of Blackpink entered the Billboard 200 at No. 3 with her first solo full album, according to the chart preview published Sunday in the US. It is the highest spot for a K-pop solo female singer on the main albums chart. She rolled out her LP “Rosie” on Dec. 6, and the album debuted on the UK’s O

Dec. 16, 2024

K-pop stars shine on stage but miss major awards at 2024 Billboard Music Awards

At the 2024 Billboard Music Awards held Thursday in Las Vegas, artists like Stray Kids, Jungkook and Seventeen highlighted K-pop’s global popularity through performances but fell short of winning outside of K-pop categories. This year marked the second edition of K-pop-specific awards introduced by the BMAs, including Top Global K-pop Artist, Top K-pop Album and Top Global K-pop Song. Stray Kids, a boy group under JYP Entertainment, won the Top Global K-pop Artist award, adding to their tr

Dec. 16, 2024

[Herald Review] BoyNextDoor launches first tour with refreshing energy

BoyNextDoor held the group's first stand-alone concert “Knock On Vol.1” and announced a January comeback. The two shows at Inspire Arena in Incheon on Dec. 14-15 mark the group’s first solo concert since debuting in May 2023. The six members, dressed in blue jeans and black jackets, made a dramatic entrance by leaping up from the stage floor amid fireworks. They kicked off the show with “Earth, Wind and Fire,” followed by “Dangerous,” where the stag

Dec. 16, 2024

K-pop artists stand strong in Billboard Year-End Charts

Several K-pop artists, including Jungkook of BTS and boy group Stray Kids, showcased their global popularity by securing spots on Billboard’s Year-End charts. According to Billboard’s Year-End Chart, Jungkook ranked 60th on the Top Artists Chart, while Stray Kids secured No. 73. Billboard’s annual Year-End Charts highlight the trends and artists that defined the year in music, offering a retrospective look at the industry's biggest hits. The rankings of the Year-End Top Ar

Dec. 15, 2024

K-pop star IU supplies hot food for fans attending anti-Yoon rallies

K-pop superstar IU has arranged for hot food and drinks, as well as hot packs, to be provided to people attending a rally calling for the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol, her agency said Friday. Edam Entertainment, in an official fan cafe post, said the singer wanted to provide warmth to "Uena," or IU fans, who would be attending the protests in the cold weather. "We hope that the hands of Uaena, who brighten the surroundings, will be a little warmer,” the post re

Dec. 14, 2024

NewJeans logs 700m streams with ‘Ditto’

NewJeans has accumulated 700 million plays on Spotify with “Ditto,” according to agency Ador, citing the platform on Friday. The group repeated the feat it previously achieved with “OMG,” which reached the milestone in August. “Ditto” came out in December 2022 as a prerelease from single album “OMG,

Dec. 13, 2024