EPEX sends sheep in the midst of wolves through ‘Prelude of Anxiety’

Less than a year since the group’s debut, rookie boy band EPEX welcomed the spring season with the third EP, “Prelude of Anxiety Chapter 1. 21st Century Boys,” released Monday evening. This marks the band‘s return nearly five months after its previous work, “Bipolar Pt. 2 Prelude of Love,” released in October. In a press conference Monday, Wish said it is “an album that aims to talk about the younger generation and youth’s struggle with the oppr

K-popApril 11, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] Ateez to drop 2nd Japanese EP next month

     　 Ateez will release its second EP in Japan on May 25, agency KQ Entertainment announced Monday.   　 The EP, “Beyond: Zero,” consists of seven tracks: “The King,” a new song in Japanese as well as Japanese versions of hit songs such as “I’m the One,” “Take Me Home” and “Deja Vu.”   　 Main track “Rocky” is the work of leader Hongjoong, who was inspired by the classic underdog movie of

K-popApril 11, 2022

SHINee’s Onew hopes to unravel his ‘diversity’ through second solo EP ‘Dice’

K-pop group SHINee’s Onew on Monday put out his second solo album, “Dice,” through which he hopes to show his diversity as a solo musician and spread hopeful messages. Ahead of dropping his new album, Onew conducted a media showcase in Seoul on Monday afternoon. Hosting the show was SHINee bandmate Minho. Onew has been constantly releasing music, but mostly in for the original soundtracks of dramas, as the new album marks his official comeback as a soloist after over three ye

K-popApril 11, 2022

[Herald Review] YG’s rookies Treasure prove they’ve come far with first concert ‘Trace’

Making a star-studded debut in August 2020 as the rookie boy band of K-pop powerhouse YG Entertainment and the winners of K-pop competition “YG Jewel Box,” Treasure has been fast-expanding the envelope ever since. But it was during the two nights of the act’s first stand-alone concerts, “Trace,” over the weekend that the 12 bandmates realized for themselves how far they have come in the past two years. “Tonight, it really hit me that we are singers. The re

K-popApril 11, 2022

[Herald Review] “If BTS and Army are together, the desert becomes the sea.”

LAS VEGAS -- In what would be one of the most memorable nights in the history of Las Vegas, BTS took over Sin City, proving the K-pop phenomenon’s matchless presence once again. Ahead of the four-day sold out show, which kicked off at Allegiant Stadium on Friday, the already festive Las Vegas strip completely transformed for BTS fans visiting from all over the world. With an array of Army -- the group’s fandom -- flooding the busy strip and fancy hotel casinos, the iconic Bellagio

K-popApril 10, 2022

BTS has hands off military issue, hopes to continue competing for Grammys

K-pop phenomenon BTS had a brief meeting with Korean media in Las Vegas ahead of the band’s concert on Saturday. The group‘s seven members -- RM, V, Jin, Jimin, J-Hope, Jungkook and Suga -- greeted the press at Allegiant Stadium, where the concert was taking place, dressed in their white and red stage outfits and offered short responses to questions. “We’re happy to be seeing you guys in person again. We’re holding another in-person concert today,” RM, the b

K-popApril 10, 2022

BTS to begin four live concerts in Las Vegas on Saturday

Las Vegas is going to turn into a city of BTS with the start of the K-pop supergroup's four sold-out concerts this weekend. The septet will hold four "Permission to Dance on Stage - Las Vegas" shows on Friday-Saturday and April 15-16 (US time) at Allegiant Stadium, about a month after it had its first concerts before a live audience in Seoul since 2019. The upcoming concerts will focus on the reunion between the BTS members and their fans as the Seoul shows did, according to the band's

K-popApril 8, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] Twice adds concert to LA show

    Twice will perform one more time in Los Angeles on May 15, label JYP Entertainment announced Thursday. 　 The group is performing at Banc of California Stadium on May 14 and tickets for the live show sold out as soon as they became available. The stadium accommodates 22,000 people. 　 Label JYP Entertainment decided to add another concert on the following day. The nine-member act toured the US -- from Los Angeles to Atlanta and New York -- in February as part of its fourth in

K-popApril 7, 2022

Seventeen to drop first all-English single ‘Darl+ing’ next week

K-pop boy group Seventeen will release its first all-English language single titled “Darl+ing,“ hoping to expand its presence in the global music scene, the band’s agency Pledis Entertainment said Thursday. The 13-member group posted an image of its upcoming digital single’s title poster on its official social media at midnight. The group’s mood teaser, concept photos, voice messages and official teasers are also set to be unveiled in order. “Darl+ing&rdqu

K-popApril 7, 2022

Ghost9 sets off on second journey with sixth EP ‘Arcade: V’

Having successfully wrapped up their first musical series “Now,” rookie boy band Ghost9 is back to embark on their new journey, “Arcade: Vow.” Ahead of dropping their new album “Arcade: V” on Thursday, the act conducted a joint interview with local press in a cafe in Seoul to talk about the new album and their recent US concert tour, “Into the Live: Now.” In January, Ghost9 traveled to four cities in the US, launching their first overseas conce

K-popApril 7, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] TXT to return in May: report

  Tomorrow X Together will make a comeback early next month, local media reported Wednesday. 　 Label Big Hit Music confirmed the news following the reports. 　 The band’s previous album was “The Chaos Chapter: Fight or Escape,” a repackage of its second full album “The Chaos Chapter: Freeze,” from August last year. The second LP peaked at No. 5 on Billboard 200, a career high, and also made the publication’s year-end charts. It is the only K-pop male musi

K-popApril 6, 2022

Don’t politicize BTS, some fans tell South Korea’s incoming president

Should BTS perform at the inauguration ceremony for South Korea’s incoming President Yoon Suk-yeol? Some fans say just leave the group alone. After a member of Yoon’s transition team said Tuesday that a BTS performance is being discussed for the May 10 event, fans of the K-pop juggernaut flooded the committee’s website with posts opposing it. “Please do not politicize BTS,” one post uploaded on Wednesday read. On the presidential office’s website, a simil

K-popApril 6, 2022

Hybe denies rumors of school bullying surrounding soon-to-debut group Le Sserafim

Hybe has denied school bullying rumors raised against a member of the label‘s soon-to-debut girl group Le Sserafim on Wednesday. “After the online rumors surrounding Kim Ga-ram were raised, we made efforts to confirm the facts. Such allegations were edited with malicious intent to problematize past events,” the K-pop agency said in a press release. After Source Music, an agency under Hybe, introduced Kim as the second member of Le Sserafim on Tuesday, several netizens claimin

K-popApril 6, 2022

Fall headfirst into love with Ive’s ‘Love Dive’

The cherry blossom season has arrived, and rookie girl group Ive has returned with its second digital single, “Love Dive,” released Tuesday evening, to fill in the warm-weather playlist. This marks the sextet’s return in nearly four months since they last released its debut single, “Eleven,” last December. In a press conference Monday, Yujin described the band’s second single as an “album that has a dual meaning.” She said the term “dive&r

K-popApril 5, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] Red Velvet releases 1st Japanese LP

Red Velvet will put out its first full album in Japan on Wednesday, announced label SM Entertainment on Tuesday. 　 The LP is titled “Bloom” and will consist of 11 tracks, including main track “Wildside.” The song contains a message to support those who never give up in reaching their goals. New songs in Japanese, such as “Jackpot,” “Snap Snap” and “Color of Love,” also will be included. 　 The female quintet has released two extended p

K-popApril 5, 2022

Transition committee, K-pop execs discuss support measures

The presidential transition committee for President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol met with executives of the country’s top K-pop agencies and industry experts to discuss a range of support measures for the K-pop industry. Those who attended Monday’s closed-door meeting included Hybe CEO Park Ji-won, S.M. Entertainment co-CEO Tak Young-jun, JYP Entertainment CEO Jung Wook, MNH Entertainment CEO Lee Ju-seop and BarunsonWIP Entertainment Vice President Yun Heung-kwan. The industry stakeholders

K-popApril 5, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] Kwon Eun-bi rolls out 2nd EP ‘Color’

   　 Kwon Eun-bi, formerly of IZ*ONE, held an online showcase Monday to introduce her second solo EP “Color.” 　 “I wish to be remembered as colors of the rainbow,” she said of the new EP. If the first EP “Open” signified the beginning of her solo career like opening a door, the new album is more about showing a broader range of herself, she explained. 　 “I endeavored to show the real Kwon Eun-bi rather than a prepared Kwon Eun-bi,” s

K-popApril 4, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] Le Sserafim to give sneak peek at debut song next week

   　 Soon-to-debut group Le Sserafim will reveal part of its debut song through its debut project. 　 The six-member act will debut next month and fans will be able to create a “digital souvenir” to mark their “first encounter.” 　 It will unveil the song partially on the website for the project, dubbed “The First Moment of Le Sserafim,” and fans can pick and choose from images, messages and voices of the bandmates for a unique combination. 　 Th

K-popApril 1, 2022

Seventeen to drop 1st English single this month

K-pop supergroup Seventeen will release its first English single this month to expand its presence in the global music market, the group's agency said Friday. The digital single will hit online music services at home and abroad at 1 p.m. on April 15, Pledis Entertainment said, adding it is a pre-release song of the band's fourth full-length album set to come out in May. "It marks the first time that Seventeen releases an English song in the form of a digital single. With the release, the gr

K-popApril 1, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] Girls’ Generation may return for 15th anniversary

    Sooyoung of Girls’ Generation hinted that the veteran idol group might make a comeback to mark the 15th anniversary of its debut. 　 On Wednesday during a Q&A session on her Instagram account, upon the request to comment on how she feels about the upcoming anniversary, she simply asked: “Are you ready?” 　 Earlier this month at the online signing event to celebrate the release of her third full album “INVU,” Taeyeon said it might be possible to

K-popMarch 31, 2022