Six years after it aired its third season, South Korean variety series Crime Scene will be returning – but this time, with a new version!
Crime Scene is a hit role playing game variety show that follows a group of guests who take on different roles as they attempt to solve a murder case. Its first season aired in May 2014, with JBTC launching its second season in April 2015 and third season in April 2017.
On Tuesday, Wednesday 18, TVING announced that a new season will return through a new title: Crime Scene Returns.
2024년, 추리 전쟁이 다시 시작된다! 더 거대해진 스케일과 강렬한 스토리😎🔍 오리지널 멤버에 더해진 화려한 새멤버 라인업까지✨
Original cast members Jang Jin, Park Ji Yoon, and Jang Dong Min are confirmed to return for the new season, while SHINee member Key, Joo Hyun Young, and IVE’s An Yun Jin were casted as the new additional members.
Following the announcement, netizens express their excitement in seeing how the three new additions will aid in solving the cases, especially that Key, Hyun Young, and An Yun Jin are also known for their variety chops. Key has been a mainstay in DoReMi Marketand I Live Alone, Hyun Young gained popularity for her SNL Korea stints, and An Yun Jin was part of Steel Stroops and Earth Arcade.
TVING has yet to expound on how they revamped the show for its new season, but Crime Scene Returns is expected to air in early 2024. A final release date has yet to be announced. Stay tuned here for more updates!
K-pop album exports soared in the first six months of 2023, setting a new record high. Notably, the United States surpassed China to become the second-largest market for K-pop music exports after Japan. This indicates that K-pop has firmly established itself as a genre in North America.
According to the export and import trade statistics released by the Korea Customs Service on July 18, the export value of K-pop albums from January to June this year amounted to $132.934 million. That’s approximately 168.5 billion KRW, a 17.1% increase compared to the same period in 2022. This marks the highest total for the first half of 2023.
When examining the target countries for album exports in the first half of this year, Japan topped the list with $48.523 million (approximately 61.5 billion KRW), followed by the United States with $25.519 million (approximately 32.3 billion KRW), and China with $22.64 million (approximately 28.7 billion KRW). They were followed by Germany, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Canada, the UK, and France.
The fact that the United States, often considered the world’s largest music market, has surpassed China to become the second-largest market for album exports says a lot. On an annual basis, China has been the second largest export target country after Japan since 2012, except for 2020.
K-pop stars’ remarkable achievements
Despite the absence of group activities from BTS, K-pop stars have achieved remarkable results in the United States in the first half of this year. BTS member Jimin made history when he became the first K-pop solo artist to debut at number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 with his debut solo single “Like Crazy.”
Stray Kids and TOMORROW X TOGETHER topped the Billboard 200, the main album chart in the United States, with their recent drops. ATEEZ, BTS’s SUGA, SEVENTEEN, and TWICE also made waves. Lastly, FIFTY FIFTY achieved what others thought was impossible when they charted within the Hot 100 for 16 consecutive weeks with their easy-listening song “CUPID.”
As K-pop achieved these results, the U.S. music market analysis company Luminate announced in its mid-year report that Korean was the third most streamed language in the United States, following English and Spanish (based on the top 10,000 songs).
Room for growth
Choi Kwang-Ho, the Korea Music Content Association’s secretary-general, said, “K-pop, represented by BTS and BLACKPINK, established itself as a genre in the North American market. It takes time for content to hit in a specific region after a certain trigger. It took years for K-pop to settle down after BTS received their first award at the U.S. Billboard Music Awards (BBMA) in 2017.”
He believes K-pop can go even further. “There were concerns about the enlistment of BTS, but the solo activities of BTS members and the performance of junior singers SEVENTEEN and Stray Kids are good. The K-pop physical album market has grown, but as seen in the success of ‘CUPID,’ there’s still a lot of room for growth in the streaming market. The peak of K-pop is not yet here.”
— K-pop News Writer
Featured Image: With their Billboard chart success and performances at KCON USA, Stray Kids is actively leading the growth of K-pop in the US. Source: KCON USA/KCON USA’s official website.
The K-pop industry has been abuzz with speculation regarding the wildly popular boy group NCT and the exclusive contracts its members signed with their longtime agency SM Entertainment. Rumors say those contracts will expire this year, coinciding with the group’s seventh anniversary. However, SM Entertainment recently addressed these rumors, clarifying the situation.
NCT, a 20-member group known for its unique structure of different unit groups, debuted in 2016, around the same time as BLACKPINK, another prominent K-pop act. Since the YG Entertainment girl group signed contracts that expire in August, fans have wondered if NCT’s contracts would follow a similar timeline. This speculation was further fueled by the fact that some of the group’s units also turned seven this year.
SM Entertainment has stated that the contracts of NCT’s members will not expire anytime soon. Unlike the usual seven-year period typical of idol contracts, SM Entertainment took factors such as military enlistment and overseas activities into account when they signed the members. So although no two members’ contracts are the same, none will expire in 2023. All the NCT members’ contracts are valid until the end of 2024 at least.
Rather than calm the fans, SM Entertainment’s statements made them even more concerned. Many expressed surprise over the length of the members’ contracts. After a landmark ruling ended “slave contracts,” seven-year deals became the norm for idols. That’s why they didn’t feel better when SM Entertainment implied that NCT’s contracts are longer than that. They even wondered if somebody had manipulated the members into signing shady deals. But it’s important to note that South Korean courts already ruled that 10-year contracts are legal.
NCT is far from over
NCT is a unique group in the K-pop industry, consisting of different unit groups like NCT 127, NCT DREAM, and WayV, which promote independently. When members from different units collaborate, they do so as NCT U or NCT. The first lineup debuted as NCT U in April 2016. NCT 127 followed suit in July of that same year. Later, additional units were formed, and more members were added. The group was initially intended to be ever-expanding, with new members coming on board every so often. However, SM Entertainment announced that NCT Tokyo, formed in 2023, will be the group’s last unit.
As we look ahead, it’s clear that NCT’s journey is far from over. With their contracts secured for the foreseeable future, fans can look forward to more from this dynamic group.
Idols and their fans have deep connections in the K-pop scene. The bond between BTS‘s Jimin and a fan known as “Jibangie” is a perfect example. This relationship began when they met while filming content for the PIXID YouTube channel. Recently, a concerning situation brought their relationship into the spotlight.
“Jibangie” resides outside South Korea’s metropolitan area, a region currently affected by flooding and landslides. The country is at the peak of its summer monsoon season, and dams, reservoirs, and rivers are overflowing. As of this writing, approximately 40 people have died over the last few days. South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol has vowed to “completely overhaul” his country’s approach to extreme weather caused by climate change.
Meanwhile, the “Like Crazy” hitmaker posted on the fan community platform Weverse to express concern for “Jibangie.”
230714 Jimin on Weverse
🐥suddenly it came to mind/i thought of it, but i wonder if jibangie* is doing well
His doing so is a testament to his character and highlights the connection between fans and their idols. Despite the distance and other things that separate them, idols like Jimin have been known to form unique connections with their fans. Aside from showing concern for someone’s well-being as the BTS member did, some idols even remember individual interactions long after they took place.
ARMY means a lot to Jimin
In the face of the flooding (even though he had flown to New York City with bandmate Jungkook at the time), Jimin‘s thoughts still turned to “Jibangie,” demonstrating how much his fans mean to him.
jimin went to new york and the only update we got is him asking about jibangie and now he already back to seoul again lmao
Jimin’s concern serves as a reminder of the human element in K-pop, where fans and their idols can be affected by the same global events and share the same concerns. As the rains continue, the hope is that “Jibangie” and everyone affected by the foul weather stays safe. –K-pop News Writer
Featured Image: Jimin is fairly active on social media. He posted this photo as part of his work with the luxury jeweler Tiffany & Co. Source: Instagram/Jimin’s personal Instagram account.
The K-pop scene was rocked by a new development in the controversy involving singer MC Mong and his alleged attempt to recruit members of the popular K-pop group EXO. Despite MC Mong‘s initial claim that he simply offered support to his younger colleagues, a recently surfaced recording tells a different story.
why is mc mong always causing trouble for us. can he leave exo alone.
On July 18, media outlet Ten Asia obtained a recording of MC Mong talking about Baekhyun and Kai during a meeting with unidentified entertainment industry officials. In the recording, which reports say was made in January 2022, MC Mong says he’s working on getting them.
A year and five months later, Baekhyun, Chen, and Xiumin of EXO and the sub-unit EXO-CBX filed a petition to terminate their exclusive contracts with their longtime agency SM Entertainment. In a statement, the trio said their main grievances were SM Entertainment’s alleged “refusal to provide settlement reports” and alleged “unjust long-term contracts and attempts to extend them further.”
So MC Mong was actually trying to poach EXO members AND he does work for BPM 👀
— never agrees to wear the rabbit hat (@pls_snow) July 18, 2023
In response to these allegations, SM Entertainment claimed that external forces were approaching their artists with false information and unreasonable offers to encourage contract breaches. Later, they accused fellow agency Big Planet Made (home to artists like Soyou and VIVIZ) of being behind everything. It was then that MC Mong’s name was mentioned in connection with the controversy for the first time.
Big Planet Made denied SM Entertainment’s accusation in their own statement, saying, “We’ve never met with the artists mentioned in the report, and we have never discussed or exchanged opinions on any exclusive contracts.”
Ultimately, Baekhyun, Chen, and Xiumin patched things up with SM Entertainment. In a statement, all four parties announced that they agreed on new terms. In other words, the trio’s contracts were amended to ensure they and the company would be on the same page moving forward. EXO has since released its seventh full-length album EXIST last July 10, led by the title track “Cream Soda.”
EXIST beat EXO’s previous first-week sales record of 902,210 copies in one day. That record had been set by the group’s 2021 special album, DON’T FIGHT THE FEELING. Six days later, on July 16, Hanteo Chart reported that EXIST had sold 1,562,649 copies in one week, nearly doubling their previous record. Just when it looked like things would return to normal, TenAsia dropped a bomb on the K-pop scene by revealing they had irrefutable proof of MC Mong’s plan to get Baekhyun and Kai to leave SM Entertainment.
An SM representative told TenAsia they don’t know what MC Mong’s real intentions are. Regardless, this controversy underscored the industry’s need for fair practices and transparency. As the story unfolds, fans and insiders alike will be watching closely to see how this latest revelation will impact the careers of those involved and the industry as a whole. -K-pop News Writer
Featured Image: Before TenAsia’s explosive revelation, EXO’s Baekhyun took a selfie backstage at a music show. Source: Twitter/Baekhyun’s personal Twitter account.
The popular girl group STAYC is set to make a comeback in the music scene this August. According to reports, the group has confirmed their return on August 16 and is currently in the final stages of preparing their new album.
This comeback comes approximately five months after the release of their hit single “Teddy Bear” in February. Since they debuted on November 12, 2020, STAYC has been adored for their charms and talent. They owe that to the many hits they’ve dropped, including “ASAP,” a delightful fusion of vibrant bubblegum pop and sultry summer vibes.
STAYC set a new personal record with “Teddy Bear.” It sold 186,405 copies on the first day, more than its predecessor did. A week later, it had sold a staggering 341,047 copies, according to Hanteo Chart, marking a new milestone in the group’s first-week sales. In February, Circle Chart’s monthly update reported that “Teddy Bear” sold 350,738 copies, securing the No. 6 spot on the chart. Two months later, the single album received a Platinum certification from the KMCA for selling 250,000 units, as reported by Circle Chart.
The “Teddy Bear” music video earned 10 million views in one day and has since surpassed more than 40 million views, demonstrating the steady love it has received from international fans. It peaked at No. 3 on the Melon Top 100, the highest ranking recorded by STAYC since they debuted.
The success of “Teddy Bear” is attributed to its energetic and lovely feel. The point choreography, known as the “bear dance,” became popular on TikTok. Many artists have filmed the dance challenge alongside the STAYC members, including the top Japanese girl group AKB48, whose current center is IZ*ONE alum Honda Hitomi.
STAYC’s announcement comes five months after their last single exceeded expectations. The girls are doing everything they can to ensure their next release will be as successful. –K-pop News Writer
Featured Image: STAYC posted a groufie after their performance on YES! MUSIC ON earlier this month. Source: Twitter/STAYC’s official Twitter account.
In a recent case that sent shockwaves through the K-pop industry, a 28-year-old male was handed a suspended prison sentence for posing as a member of the globally-renowned K-pop group BTS and leaking unreleased tracks.
The male, referred to as “A,” was found guilty of violating the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection. Last July 17, the Western Branch of the Daegu District Court’s Criminal Division 9 sentenced “A” to a one-year and two-month prison term, suspended for three years. In addition to the suspended sentence, “A” was told to complete 240 hours of community service and 40 hours of psychiatric/mental health education.
This case dates back to February 22, 2022, when “A” contacted a producer from Big Hit Music, the agency managing BTS, from his home in Seo-gu, Daegu. Pretending to be a member of the group, “A” tricked the producer, referred to as “B,” into giving him confidential information on their activities and unreleased tracks.
Over the next three months, “A” posted the unreleased music files on Instagram or passed them to others 47 times via KakaoTalk. Not only did this violate the privacy of BTS and the producer, but it also disrupted BigHit Music’s music production, release, and sales operations.
lmaooo that person who leaked bts songs on instagram is going to jail and apparently he pretended to be a bts member and got the files from bts producer 🤡
Investigations revealed that “A” found “B’s” personal information on the internet and impersonated a successful composer to impress other people. The prosecution initially demanded a 1.5-year prison term for “A.” But the defense argued that “A’s” previous criminal record made it challenging for him to form healthy relationships, leading to an obsession with social media. They further revealed that “A” used to study music but became jealous of his successful peers, which was why they committed this crime.
The court took into consideration the popularity and sales of the artist in question, concluding that the victims must have suffered significant financial and social damage. However, it also noted that most of the leaks were short clips of 10 to 20 seconds, and they had since been officially released. Additionally, Big Hit Music withdrew its complaint.
Run bts was the very first leak. As for my universe it was also leaked by a fan of coldplay (if i remember it right it came from like an advance listening party of stuff)
— g(e)l⁷ | 1 MORE YEAR TIL BTS COMEBACK (@thanosmfstan) July 18, 2023
This case serves as a reminder of the potential risks and violations that can occur in the digital age, where confidential data can be easily misused. It underscores the need for stringent cybersecurity measures and ethical online behavior to protect artists and their creative content. –K-pop News Writer
Featured Image: The leaked songs mentioned in this article reportedly ended up on BTS’s “Proof.” Source: Weverse/Weverse Magazine’s BTS ‘Proof’ release interview.
It seems that this (the 4th) generation’s batch of boy groups are more defined by their looks and dancing skills and not so much by their vocal strength. Whether that is true or not is still up for debate and so while the jury is still out on that one, let’s take a look at three still-active boy groups with vocal lines that has raised the standard of K-pop fans:
EXO’s Chen, Baekhyun, and D.O
When you’re an idol group produced by SM Entertainment, the expectations of your vocal talents are quite high. After all, this is the entertainment company that has produced idols like KangTa, BoA, Changmin, Jaejoong (former TVXQ), and Hyesung (Shinhwa was formed in SM, after all). The company has earned a reputation through the years as the entertainment company that prioritizes vocals over everything, leaving the other companies to get their own specialties – JYP for performance and stage presence and YG for the “swag” and overall expensive aura. Thus, it comes as no surprise that the company’s representative third generation boy group is the renowned for its stellar vocals. For members like Kai and Sehun to be considered as having the weakest vocals in the group is quite fascinating, right? I mean, should the two have not debuted under SM, they could have easily been middling lead vocalists at the least, definitely not in the vocalists bottom rung!
Anyway, I digress because, come on, when you have vocal king Chen and two other main vocalists Baekhyun and D.O, you naturally have to step back. Chen is, after all, considered not only one of the best vocalists of the third generation of idol groups but generally of K-pop. Chen basically doesn’t know what a bad pitch day is. He has the best vocal placement in the group and sings with the least tension in EXO. On the other hand, D.O is well-known not just among members of his group, but in the entire K-pop scene as being the most agile male vocalist. Meaning, listening to him is such a pleasure because he can quickly, easily, and smoothly move through his vocal registers. Finally, Baekhyun beats even the two when it comes to singing in the upper register, with that falsetto that seems so relaxed and effortless. The breath support Baekhyun has when he sings makes it sound like he doesn’t struggle when singing high notes, at all.
Fortunately, for all of us, SM Entertainment has blessed our ears with solo releases from all three EXO main vocalists. Chen has released three EPs, all topping the Korean charts when they were released. Of course, when asked which Chen song is the best, aside from the pun of answering Best Luck, his contribution to the It’s Okay, That’s Love OST, many will definitely answer Beautiful Goodbye, his first single from his first EP April, and a Flower. For D.O, it’s Rose from his first EP Empathy, which has both Korean and English versions, although his Spanish track Si Fueras Mia, also from Empathy has people amazed at his impeccable Spanish singing, which a lot of Latinos think is native-speaker level (although die-hard EXOLs would be quick to point out EXO-K sang Sabor de Miin a Musicbank in Mexico concert). As for Baekhyun, fans readily swoon to Candy, although we are still reeling from Dream, the perfect duet he had with Suzy in 2016.
Super Junior’s KRY – Kyuhyun, Ryeowook, and Yesung
Speaking of SM Entertainment vocalists, basically, Super Junior’s KRY walked so that Chen, Baekhyun, and D.O can run. This vocal line of Super Junior practically cemented SM Entertainment’s reputation as the company that harbors premium vocal talent. I mean, when you have your label (that houses some of the best voices in the industry) give you the stage name Yesung which is derived from the Korean phrase literally meaning vocal cords of an artist and can be translated as an “art-like voice,” that surely is some huge boost in confidence, yes?
That of course, refers to Yesung, who was born Kim Jungwoon (he later had it legally changed to Kim Kanghoon). Yesung has one of the more unique voices in the group, but in the whole of K-pop, with what could only be described as a heady mix of deep, smoky, and airy tones that make it so distinct you can almost always pick out in any given Super Junior song. But then, Yesung does not hold the monopoly for that distinct voice as Ryeowook, the R in KRY is unmistakable in his high notes. Like his voice per se is already high-pitched, so there’s really zero effort when he does runs and ad libs. And the best thing about Ryeowook is that he doesn’t overdo his vocal runs and instead practices total control over his instrument.
Finally, when it comes to Super Junior‘s maknae Kyuhyun, no other description can fit it better than smooth. He just sounds like butter when gliding into even the most powerful ballads but also amazingly great sounding when he has lines that require him to belt. Even Yesung and Ryeowook have said in interviews that singing a song in Kyu’s arrangement is so difficult his voice is so midrange that it can easily go high and low with so little effort while the two have to adjust their voices to reach a satisfying high for Yesung and a legit low register for Ryeowook.
As for their signature songs, Yesung’s textured voice feels like an assuring but happy embrace in Pink Magic, which sounds a tad more upbeat than his usual ballads. The Little Prince, Ryeowook’s solo debut, provided him with the high concept he deserves, although those goosebump-inducing vocal runs in the live performances of Hiding Words (look for the Yoo Heeyeol’s Sketchbook performance) are also an absolute treat to the ears. Finally, Kyuhyun’s iconic At Gwanghwamunproves that his voice can also do power ballads, not just the regular OST-sounding tracks he has until that time been typecasted in.
BtoB BLUE: Eunkwang, Hyunsik, Sungjae and Changsub
For obvious reasons, the vocal line of BtoB has to be on this list. After all, when things went almost nowhere for Cube’s then-upcoming group, they made singing vocal-heavy ballads and mid-tempo songs their bread and butter. At a time when EXO, BTS, WINNER, iKON, and GOT7 were all about singing upbeat dance tracks and songs that need that all-consuming “beat drop”, BtoB took things to a different direction and finally met success.
While the group did find considerable success with the fast-paced Beep Beep more than a couple of years after their debut, Cube decided that BtoB still wasn’t at the level of success they expected them to be, at least not at the fast climb to success the company experienced with their representative group, Beast. So, they suddenly took things slow with more ballad-oriented tracks like The Winter’s Tale, It’s Okay, Way Back Home, Remember That, and Pray (I’ll Be Your Man), one after the other, all power ballads, and all finally putting BtoB in the single digits of K-pop charts. But then, not only did the group finally give them a niche they dominated (and still are dominating) for years, but these songs also shone a spotlight on the group’s very impressive vocal line. Not that Ilhoon, Minhyun, and Peniel didn’t carry their weight in the team; in fact, the strength of their rap members also further brought attention to how fantastic their vocalists are. Eunkwang, Hyunsik, Sungjae and Changsub bring four different vocal flavors and colors that has made BtoB a well-recognized vocal group in K-pop.
As THE main vocalist among rather vocally accomplished members, Eunkwang stands amongst the strongest of the strongest main vocalists in K-pop. Despite being in the industry for already more than 10 years, including his trainee period (when we could only imagine was more tiring and challenging for him), he has been able to keep his voice quality in sterling condition. And with all those power ballads BtotB and BtoB BLUE (the vocal line sub-unit), the fact that he has continued sounding strong all these years is proof that Eunkwang has made it his business to take care of his voice.
On the other hand, Changsub started off as someone with a wider range compared to Eunkwang, but seems to lack discipline and control that the former has. He tends to insert adlibs and vocal lines when they’re not absolutely necessary, not to mention he almost always sounds like he’s “winging” every performance as opposed to the group’s leader. The majority of the time, Changsub ends up sounding glorious, but there are other times when he really sounds all over the place. Well, he has been known to not constantly practice, and it shows with the cracks and strains (and at times, even screaming) in a number of live BtoB performances.
But then, if we’re speaking of range, nothing can beat the group’s constant song composer, Hyunsik. He can match Eunkwang and Changsub when it comes to belting some lines, but there have been instances, more than a couple in fact, when he brings out that husky baritone that can make Melodies swoon at a drop of a note. Have a YouTube visit and look for the song Beautiful Pain where he starts off the song on a rather high pitch and repeats more or less the same lines but in a very low pitch towards the end of the song. Now tell me if those images and sounds won’t live rent-free in your brain for weeks, if not months!
Last but not the least, we have our idol-actor Sungjae, who at one look, will almost always fool anyone into thinking he’s first and foremost an actor than a boy group member. But show them a live performance of Remember That, and those opening lines sung in our maknae‘s baritone will surely send ’em hearts melting. At the start of the group, particularly on the days when they were still singing a lot of fast songs, Sungjae didn’t shine that much and only sounded more confident as they slowed down their repertoire. Maybe because he thought his deeper voice suited the ballads more? Maybe he had less confidence in his dancing skills? Maybe he got more confident as got more recognition as an actor? Whatever the reason may be, his overall sound and stage presence notably improved during BtoB’s ballad era.
INFINITE also brought us Woohyun and Sunggyu; Pentagon has Hui, Junho, and Kino; and the SEVENTEEN vocal powerhouse duo of DK and Seungkwan can never be denied. But today’s list only allows for three and for sure, we’ll be shining a spotlight on other vocal lines in the future, so make sure to stay tuned for that.
K-pop groupTREASURE has announced their much-anticipated comeback with the release of their second full-length album, titled “REBOOT.” On July 4, the group’s agency YG Entertainment posted an announcement film for the upcoming album on YouTube. The album is set to drop on July 28.
Early July 17, YG Entertainment revealed the track list for REBOOT. Based on the track list, fans can expect a wide variety of songs showcasing the group’s charms, musical style, and talent.
#TREASURE 2ND FULL ALBUM 'REBOOT' TRACKLIST POSTER
Later that day, TREASURE released individual concept photos and a visual film, raising anticipation for their comeback. The members are sporting black military-style jackets with red detailing in the concept photos—the exact fit they donned for the visual film. Their fashion style was transformed, which is quite telling. In K-pop, such changes often hint at the theme of the upcoming album.
TREASURE, known for their catchy music and energetic performances, has amassed a large fanbase since their debut. The announcement of their second full-length album follows the smashing success of their previous releases and is expected to be a significant event in the K-pop calendar.
TREASURE’s New Album Reception
The announcement film, concept photos, and visual film for REBOOT have already generated buzz. While specific details about TREASURE’s promotional activities for this comeback have yet to be revealed, the anticipation is building as the release date approaches.
Stay tuned for more updates on TREASURE’s comeback and the release of their second full album, REBOOT. The group’s dedicated fans, popularly known as Teume (“트메”) (short for Treasure Makers), are undoubtedly excited to see what the group has in store for this comeback. -K-pop News Writer
With a majority of K-pop groups fading from the limelight (read: getting disbanded) after only a few years and even the most durable of idols totally shifting their careers into acting or TV hosting, you may wonder if there are personalities who started off their careers as singers and are still going strong mainly as K-pop idols up to now. There are two, actually, and it just so happens they are also still connected to the country’s representative music company – SM Entertainment. Let’s look into the everlasting careers of KangTa and BoA.
KangTa
When we talk about idols who have stood the test of time, nobody pretty much comes close to the level of KangTa. Originally named Ahn Chil Hyun, KangTa is a first-generation idol and has kept at it for decades, and is one of the few, if not the only, “senior” idols who are still active in the music industry as idols. Most of KangTa’s contemporaries have diversified their careers by getting into other ventures such as acting (e.g., Shinhwa’s Eric) or variety show hosting (e.g., KangTa’s groupmate Moon Heejun). But not KangTa. He achieved immense popularity as one of the five members of the legendary boy group H.O.T. and up to now, has continued his career in music close to three decades later.
As an SM Entertainment trainee, KangTa was actually getting side jobs already but as a backup dancer, not as a singer. When he was finally included in a group with Moon Hee Joon, Jang Woo Hyuk, Tony An, and Lee Jae Won, they were called H.O.T, short for Highfive Of Teenagers, which eventually became the blueprint for what we know today as the k-pop boy band.
You know that theory that Koreans adapt trends from other countries and mold them into distinctly Korean (and arguably vastly improved) concepts? That’s what H.O.T practically was. With the group explosion in the ‘90s from New Kids on the Block to N’Sync in the US and E-17 and Boyzone in the British Isles, the Koreans (SM Entertainment to be precise) took this “voal group” idea and ran away with it. Not only did they just copy the Ron Pearlman prototype of gathering 5 to 8 pretty boys and make them sing, they have to put the Korean stamp to it by assigning these boys particular positions to make sure the entirety of the group has something for everyone – Heejun was the leader, Woohyuk was the main rapper, Jaewoon was the youngest member, Tony was the all-arounder, and KangTa was surprisingly the main vocalist of the group, not to mention that he (with Tony) were the most popular members based on their looks.
While the other members decided to leave SM and pursue other careers, KangTa decided to continue as an SM Entertainment talent and as a solo artist, re-debuting with a solo album Polaris in 2001. He continued his career with a couple more albums, Pinetree and Persona, all of which established him as a successful solo act. After completing his mandatory military service, KangTa also released songs in Mandarin, signalling his entry into the Chinese music market.
KangTa’s other ventures in music include being part of a group called called ‘S’ (Supreme) with Shin Hyesung (Shinhwa) and singer-actor Lee Jihoon. Later he became a part of a duo with Taiwanese singer Vanness Wu (of Meteor Garden fame). KangTa has also been featured on other SM artists’ songs, particularly with BoA and Taeyeon and has taken part in the writing of numerous tracks, proving he has also developed top-notch songwriting skills.
But along with his accomplished solo singing career, KangTa also got himself into acting along with the other idols. He has appeared on both Chinese and Korean TV dramas and movies, all of which have been successful.
KangTa has since celebrated his 20th debut anniversary with SM Entertainment and carried out his 25th debut anniversary in 2021. He hosted the SM Congress 2021 where the remastering of about 300 songs was announced. In 2022, he made his return to solo music with a full album Eyes on You, released in September.
BoA
Some regard BoA as “the female KangTa,” alluding to her loyalty to SM Entertainment, while some dub her the “Queen of K-pop,” which refers to her pioneering efforts and staying power in the rather fickle Korean music industry. Both are correct, as BoA has spent her more than two decades with the same company and she remains active in the Korean entertainment industry even after 21 years after her debut. When it comes to K-pop relevance, BoA has things mastered, from releasing new songs to appearing on several TV shows as an emcee, judge or coach.
Kwon Boah, professionally known as BoA, is actually SM Entertainment’s first solo artist. Not only that; she is the youngest idol to enter the K-pop industry during her time, releasing her debut album in South Korea at the age of thirteen. ID; Peace B was released in the year 2000, and that time, KangTa was still in the final stretches of his career in H.O.T, which means that Queen BoA is really SME’s first solo artist and she is actually KangTa’s seonbaenim when it comes to being a solo artist.
A couple of years after her Korean debut, BoA ventured to Japan and debuted in March 2002 via the album Listen to My Heart. And just in case you’re wondering, yes, BoA debuted in Japan on her own at age 15. Things went fast forward for the queen as her debut album shot up to number 1 in Japan, while she still had to return to Korea to prepare for her academic career. But then, she already broke through the Japanese market that it was the Japanese TV and radio stations that had to adjust, going to Seoul to tape BoA’s Japanese performances instead of the artist going to Tokyo to stretch her “15 minutes of fame” (of course, we all now know in hindsight that BoA’s Japanese following was never just 15 minutes).
And mind you, BoA’s successful Japanese debut was not an exaggerated breakthrough overly hyped by the Korean press – Listen to My Heart became an RIAJ-certified million-seller topping the Oricon Chart, the first album by a Korean artist to do so.
The Queen of K-pop went on to launch more Korean and Japanese albums, all of which became successful in their respective markets, reaching millions in terms of album sales. She even became the first non-Japanese and non-English language singer to have two albums selling more than a million copies in Japan. During the late 2000s, when female acts like Girls’ Generation and Wonder Girls tried their luck penetrating the US market, BoA did the same with the American single Eat You Up in October 2008. She followed this with her Hollywood movie debut in the dance film Make Your Move 3D, where she played the character Aya.
When BoA renewed her contract with SM Entertainment in 2006 until 2012, she, along with another loyal talent we already mentioned earlier, was given 100,000 shares (valued at approximately USD 1 million) by the company in appreciation of her loyalty with the company.
As with KangTa, BoA also started venturing into other fields once she already established her career as a K-pop icon. She started participating in music production at SM Entertainment and also started appearing on TV in 2013. Among her most notable TV appearances include her stint as the representative judge of SM Entertainment in the first two seasons of K-pop Star (where AKMU, Lee Hi, and Jamie competed), the MC of the second season of Produce 101 (which saw the birth of WANNA ONE), and a judge of both Street Woman Fighter and Street Man Fighter.
Aside from continuously releasing new singles, BoA finally realized one of the very few missing things in her long and illustrious career – becoming a girl group member. Twenty-two years after debuting as a solo artists, SM Entertainment included her in GOT the Beat, a supergroup formed with members of Girls’ Generation (Taeyeon and Hyoyeon), Red Velvet (Wendy and Seulgi), aespa (LKarin and Winter), and the queen herself. Now, she finally say she has experienced everything there is to experience in the Korean entertainment industry – actress on TV, movies, and the stage, emcee, reality show participant, soloist, and now, girl group member!
If their recent activities are to be considered, it seems these two will be staying strong with their careers, not just in the Korean entertainment industry in general, but in the K-pop scene in particular. And with their annual dividends (amounting to millions of US dollars) as SME stockholders, we can also safely conclude that loyalty and longevity in this rather fickle world of K-pop do pay off handsomely!
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