BTS leader RM said, “It is a huge honor, both as an individual and a citizen, to be able to hold the title of special presidential envoy for future generations and culture. We’re always thinking about how we could give more and return the love we have received, and we’re just thankful that the president has presented us with such a big opportunity. We will do our best as special envoys.” The upc...

“As artists, it’s great to be able to make music in our language that people could empathize with. Moreover, we take it as an opportunity to prove that South Korea also has talents capable of making quality music,” DPR Live said. Through music, DPR Live and his crewmates found each other, and through music, he hopes to find more people to share his special experience in life. “I feel most grate...

Lucy, the storytellers The latest to join the band, taking the place of Lucy’s initial vocalist from the competition, Sang-yeop now plays an irreplaceable role in making Lucy’s music. Other than singing and playing the guitar, Sang-yeop is also one of the main lyricists for the group. Along with the band’s mastermind Won-sang, he co-wrote lyrics for recent single “Irrelevant Answer.” “Won-sang ...

His cover of girl group Aespa’s “Next Level” was also quite a shock to many of his fans, but to him, just another exciting attempt. But while he talks of resistance and fighting back, he says a message of love lies behind it. “I think what the world needs the most right now is love, and the people who could really make the value resonate in people’s hearts are pop-culture artists, whether it be...

Having debuted in January 2019 with their first EP “Veri-Us,” the group has made a name for itself as a creative idol group, writing songs and composing them from the very start, choreographing performances, producing music videos and taking part in the entire album-making process. Member Kang-min said, “I think we’ve really advanced in diverse aspects. The biggest part will be our ability to ta...

While it may have been disappointing for some fans to hear that Jeon is not coming back with an EP after a yearlong wait, Jeon said she has several new songs coming in the near future. “I’ve been steadily preparing new songs over the past year. Some of them are done recording,” she said. In closing the video, Jeon said, “Rather than defining myself with a certain style, I’m trying out new conce...

Finding his voice Brown jumped into music hoping to produce, not sing. But back when he started, there were not many vocalists in Korea who he thought would match his particular style of music -- a delicate mix of contemporary R&B and Western pop. In the end, he started recording with his own voice. Along with his debut single “She Lovin’ It,” Brown released three consecutive singles -- “Ride,”...

Kim Tae-ho, chief operations officer of Hybe Hybe’s newly appointed chief operations officer is Kim Tae-ho, the company’s former chief growth officer. Kim is an expert in marketing for IT businesses, having been affiliated with the nation’s major tech companies, Naver and Daum (now Kakao), before he co-founded a carpool startup called Poolus in 2016. He joined Hybe in 2019 as chief executive of...

K-pop is the most popular topic engaged by users on Twitter Spaces, live audio chat sessions streamed through the social media platform, with three of the five most-listened to Spaces being hosted by K-pop artists. According a survey done by Twitter, boy band GOT7’s member BamBam had the most-listened to Space with his chat on June 9, while girl group Twice ranked fifth with their Space hosted t...

However, with the industry achieving global status and spreading over an unfathomably diverse spectrum, it is impossible for a single contract to decide the life and death of a K-pop band. “The K-pop industry is like an organism that cannot be predicted or planned for perfectly. It moves according to changing situations resulting from so many different elements, from the members, the company, th...

Boy band 2PM made a bit of K-pop history on Monday, when it staged the first return by a second-generation idol group after a five-year hiatus. It’s only been 100 days since Junho, the last of the members to serve the armed forces, was discharged from his compulsory military service. Dropping their seventh studio set “Must,” the group conducted an online press conference, first time in five yea...

Having debuted in 2012 as part of duo &15 with Park Ji-min under JYP Entertainment, Baek came solo in 2015 with her first EP “Frank,” produced by Koh, who then took on the name Cloud as a producer. Baek went onto release hits such as “Bye Bye My Blue” and “Square,“ quickly rising to stardom. Originally unfamiliar with rock, Baek explained it was Jonny and Koh, previously part of an indie rock ba...

An all-English song comprising a list of vegetables and fruits and phrases related to health and diet, its lyrics are simple and its melody addictive. “I feel we consume so many heavy foods these days, and the music video shows me trying to escape that unhealthy diet, find my own natural and unique beauty and become more comfortable with myself near the end.” Minsu, whose full name is Kim Min-s...

Excited ahead of releasing their second studio set, the rookie band said they were fully supported by Hybe’s executive producer Bang Si-hyuk. “We have a group chat, the five of us and producer Bang, and it was our first time that he directly complimented us on our dance practice video. He said we’re really ‘in some trouble’ this time, and that really helped us stay confident throughout the work,...

The multinational group, comprising one Japanese member and five Korean members, made its debut in August 2019 with EP “Pink Punch” led by “Bim Bam Bum.” The group had a busy year in 2020, dropping two EPs, “Red Punch” and “Blue Punch” -- which, together with the debut album, form a color-themed trilogy. “Ring Ring” marks the end of an eight-month hiatus, the longest break the musicians have tak...