[Herald Interview] Romantic bad boys owning the stage: TO1 on 4th EP ‘UP2U’

2022 has been a roller-coaster ride for K-pop boy band TO1. Several members announced their departure, and three new bandmates -- Daigo and Renta from Japan and Yeojeong, who’s Korean -- joined the group in June. It’s unusual for a rookie band to go through such seismic changes less than two years after its debut because getting its name out to the public is crucial. But for TO1, it was an option to add value to its musical career. And now, as a nine-piece act, the group is ready to

K-popNov. 23, 2022

Gomak Boys are ready to melt ears with debut album

Like a catchy song on the radio, Gomak Boys, a special K-pop project group launched by Kakao Entertainment that introduced themselves to local media on Tuesday evening, hope to get stuck in the ears and hearts of music fans as they make their debut in the K-pop scene. Produced by South Korea’s entertainment giant, the highly-anticipated boy band was featured on Kakao TV’s original series “Gomak Boys,” which aired in September. Gomak Boys, which translates into eardrum boy

K-popNov. 23, 2022

Hanteo Chart to hold first offline music awards in Seoul next Feb.

Leading music sales tracker Hanteo Chart will host its first-ever offline music awards next year to commemorate its 30th anniversary, the chart's operator said Wednesday. The “Hanteo Music Awards 2022” ceremony will take place at the Jamsil Arena of the Seoul Sports Complex in Songpa-gu, Seoul, on Feb. 10-11, according to operator Hanteo Global. Awardees will be selected based on data collected in real time by Hanteo Chart. Starting with next year’s ceremony, it plans to h

K-popNov. 23, 2022

Rookie group Tempest soars high to achieve dreams with ‘On and On’

Rookie boy group Tempest made a speedy comeback with its third EP, “On and On,” on Tuesday. The new release marked the act’s return to the stage just three months after the release of its second EP “Shining Up” in August. The septet aims to show a strong will to achieve its dreams through the latest EP, the band’s leader Lew said at a press showcase event held at Sungshin Women's University in Seoul ahead of the EP’s release at 6 p.m. “Listene

K-popNov. 22, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] BTS’ ‘Dynamite’ music video surpasses 1.6b views

The music video for BTS’ “Dynamite” reached 1.6 billion views on YouTube, label Big Hit Music said Tuesday. It became the band’s second video to reach the milestone, after that of “Boy With Luv (Feat. Halsey).” “Dynamite,” which came out in August 2020 as the septet’s first English-language song, made K-pop history when it topped Billboard’s Hot 100 shortly after its release. The disco pop single stayed atop the chart for three weeks a

K-popNov. 22, 2022

[Exclusive] Monsta X’s Jooheon to make acting debut through global project ‘Lost in America’

Jooheon, the rapper and music producer of boy band Monsta X, will make his acting debut through CJ ENM's global project. An industry insider told The Korea Herald on Monday that the rapper has been cast in CJ ENM's "Lost in America" as a K-pop idol who speaks fluent English and that he’s currently preparing for the role. The film revolves around the story of a Korean boy group that heads to New York for its debut but ends up stranded in Texas with no money and mobile ph

K-popNov. 21, 2022

BTS' Jungkook unveils new song 'Dreamers' at Qatar World Cup

The 2022 Qatar World Cup kicked off Sunday with K-pop super-band BTS' member Jungkook unveiling a new tournament song during the opening ceremony. As the first South Korean singer to release a song for a World Cup soundtrack, Jungkook performed "Dreamers" live during the opening ceremony at Al-Bayt Stadium in Qatar. The song's feature artist Fahad Al Kubaisi performed with Jungkook on Sunday. The seven-act ceremony lasted around half an hour, paying tribute to the 32 partic

K-popNov. 21, 2022

[World Cup] BTS star Jungkook unveils new single to kick off 2022 World Cup

The 2022 FIFA World Cup kicked off on Sunday with BTS star Jungkook performing a new single in an opening ceremony built on a message of inclusion and diversity. Jungkook, a member of the award-winning K-pop group, performed the song "Dreamers" with Qatari singer Fahad Al-Kubaisi at Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, some 50 kilometers north of Doha. "Dreamers," produced by Grammy Award winner RedOne at Katara Studios in Doha, is the latest single off the official World Cup soundtra

K-popNov. 21, 2022

'Sexy but kind': Bibi shrugs off the censors

Bibi is truly a one-of-a-kind musician in K-pop, especially as a young female artist who speaks through her music about raw emotions that are not often publicly discussed. With her debut LP "Lowlife Princess -- Noir," dropped Friday afternoon, Bibi has set herself out as a singer who won't compromise on self expression. On Friday morning, Bibi invited media to a cinema in Cheongdam-dong, Seoul, and premiered the three new music videos from her first full-length album, which were u

K-popNov. 20, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] BTS’ Jin sets record selling 1m copies of 1st solo album

The first solo EP from BTS’ Jin sold more than 1 million units, a first for a single from a solo K-pop musician. “The Astronaut” was rolled out in October and sold over 770,000 copies in its first week, a record for a solo single. It entered Billboard’s Hot 100 at No. 51 and topped its world digital song sales chart. It was No. 1 on the iTunes chart in 103 regions in total, the artist’s third solo song to achieve the feat. In UK, the EP debuted on Official Singles

K-popNov. 18, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] Stray Kids’ 7th EP sells 3m copies

The seventh EP from Stray Kids has sold over 3 million copies, the group's label JYP Entertainment announced on Thursday. “Maxident” reached the milestone one month after its release, and the band became the second K-pop act to ever reach the figure, after BTS. The EP topped the Billboard 200, marking the eight-member act’s second time reaching the top of the chart. It has remained on the chart for five weeks. The band held two concerts in Jakarta, Indonesia, last weekend and

K-popNov. 17, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] BTS’ J-Hope to appear solo at Mama Awards: producer

J-Hope of BTS will take to the stage on his own at 2022 Mama Awards, according to the producer Wednesday. It will be the first time his solo performance is broadcast for public viewing, underlined Yoon Shin-hye, chief producer of this year’s show, during a global media conference. The theme of his performance is “I Am Your Hope.” The artist is the first member of the septet to publish a solo album. His solo debut album “Jack in the Box” from July hit both Billboard

K-popNov. 16, 2022

Just B says equality is for everyone in 3rd EP ‘= (Neun)’

Leaving its powerful and frenzied beats behind, boy group Just B returned with a new batch of songs that shout out equality and the importance of it through its third EP, “= (Neun),” released Wednesday evening. If the group’s previous three records -- the Rage trilogy -- revealed stories of internal and external anger and overcoming their fury by stepping into a new world, this time, the rookie K-pop act took a seismic shift by singing songs that spelled out “equality.&rd

K-popNov. 16, 2022

Omega X sues agency & ex-CEO over yearlong violence, sexual abuse

It was not just a one-time event that the former CEO of Spire Entertainment assaulted members of Omega X during the act's recent global tour. It was a yearlong nightmare of assault -- both physical and verbal -- and sexual harassment, the bandmates say, and they are now taking legal action against the ex-CEO and the agency. Omega X on Wednesday afternoon held a press conference where the group announced the termination of its exclusive contract with Spire Entertainment. The 11 bandmates wer

K-popNov. 16, 2022

BTS' J-Hope to headline 2022 Mama Awards

The Mama Awards, the annual K-pop celebration hosted by CJ ENM, are taking another leap forward in efforts to evolve into a global K-pop festival. Ahead of the 2022 Mama Awards set to take place at the end of the month in Japan, a global press conference about the event took place Wednesday at CJ ENM Studio in Sangam-dong, western Seoul. A lineup of special performers for this year's ceremony, including J-Hope of BTS, was also revealed during the conference. This year marks the first time

K-popNov. 16, 2022

[Feature] Making big waves: How K-pop swelled into cultural superpower

The Washington Post called it a “cultural force” -- from welcoming the US presidential couple to representing the country at the Olympic Games -- K-pop has become pervasive now beyond the realm of the entertainment industry. K-pop idol groups have communicated with the world through song, and their milestones at both local and international levels indicate Korea might have found a new resource for diplomacy. In a recent exclusive interview with The Rolling Stone, RM of BTS opened up

K-popNov. 16, 2022

BTS earns three Grammy nominations

K-pop sensation BTS has been nominated by the Grammy Awards for the third year in a row -- and for the first time the band has been nominated in more than one category. According to the the Recording Academy's list of nominees for next year’s Grammy Awards, the boy band has been nominated for best pop duo/group performance with its mega-hit collaboration with British rock band Coldplay titled “My Universe.” Other nominees for the category are ABBA’s “Don’

K-popNov. 16, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] Monsta X’s I.M signs with Sony Music Korea

I.M of Monsta X joined label Sony Music Korea recently, and confirmed the company Tuesday after uploading via social media his photograph only showing silhouettes the previous day. The musician debuted as the youngest member of the boy band in 2015 with EP “Trespass.” All members except him renewed their contracts with Starship Entertainment in August, even though he will continue to be a part of the group. After dropping mixtapes “Who Am I” and “Fly with Me,&rdquo

K-popNov. 15, 2022

Oh My Girl's YooA takes her second step as soloist with 'Selfish'

It took two years, but YooA of girl group Oh My Girl has returned to her solo career with her second EP "Selfish." YooA's solo comeback was more than anticipated as she had proved herself a one-of-a-kind soloist with the debut EP "Bon Voyage" in 2020. The album and its title song "Bon Voyage," called "Forest Child" in Korean, not only scored chart success, but was also critically acclaimed for its musicality and the artistic way it expressed its natur

K-popNov. 15, 2022

[Exclusive] iKon's Bobby to not renew contract with YG

Bobby, a member of K-pop boy band iKon, will not renew his contract with the act's agency YG Entertainment and the industry and fans are left wondering about the future of the group and what the next steps are for the rapper. According to industry sources on Tuesday, Bobby of iKon will not extend his exclusive contract with YG Entertainment. An industry insider, who claims to be familiar with YG Entertainment and its artists, told the Korea Herald that Bobby has decided not to renew his con

K-popNov. 15, 2022