Category: KPOP NEWS

Lotte Well Food, the confectionary arm of the renowned South Korean conglomerate Lotte, unveiled a new version of Crunky. The new edition of this popular chocolate treat comes with special covers featuring images of BTS. The Crunky x BTS collaboration seamlessly merges the image of Crunky with the personalities of all seven BTS members.

Crunky is immensely popular in Japan and Korea. Lotte, a major player in the chocolate industry, considers Crunky Crunch Chocolate one of its flagship products. Its widespread appeal is due to its contrasting textures of hearty rice puffs and smooth milk chocolate. Crunky made its Japanese debut in 1974 and began its South Korean journey a decade later, in 1984. Over the years, Lotte has collaborated with various K-pop acts to promote this snack. In 2014, the brand joined forces with boyband EXO, and in 2018, they partnered with MAMAMOO’s Hwasa.

The BTS x Crunky collaboration offers a total of eight unique designs: seven featuring individual BTS members and one featuring the whole group. The packaging’s design is a visual treat, with the product’s name superimposed on a backdrop resembling a dazzling stage. Each BTS member’s photo is at the center. Collecting and stacking all eight varieties in order will reveal a hidden image featuring the BTS logo. But that’s not all. Lotte Well Food has big plans for this collaboration. Later this month, they intend to launch the Crunky Double Crunch Bar featuring BTS.

Lotte has worked with BTS before

This collaboration marks Lotte Well Food’s first chocolate product partnership with BTS. However, their association with the group isn’t new. Since 2021, Lotte Well Food has been running a global brand campaign with BTS using Xylitol gum. Its goal was to spread joy in tough times, with its theme song being BTS‘ hit track “Butter.” 

In July 2021, Lotte Xylitol released a commercial for the Smile to Smile Project campaign starring BTS. They released a special movie on their YouTube channel the day after. Fast forward to July 3, 2023, when Lotte unveiled their latest Xylitol commercials featuring BTS, where they shared insights about the filming.

In other news, the septet is currently on hiatus and plans to resume group activities in 2025 after completing their mandatory military service. So far, three members—Jin, SUGA, and j-hope—have enlisted. Stay tuned for more updates on this collaboration and BTS’ future. – K-Pop News Writer

Featured Image: This is one of BTS’ most delicious collabs yet! Source: Instagram/@a.rm.y_ot7bts.

In 2019, contemporary dancer Kim Seon-hee gained attention when she shared her analysis of BTS’ Jimin‘s dancing on her blog, expressing deep admiration for his skills. With Jimin’s recent dance videos circulating on social media, her post has resurfaced and is gaining traction once more.

Kim Seon-hee achieved international fame in 2000. She graced the covers of France’s Le Monde and the esteemed dance magazine DANSE. She was celebrated as the “genius contemporary dancer from the East.” Interestingly, Kim Seon-hee admitted that she wasn’t initially familiar with BTS‘ Jimin.  It wasn’t until she used some of their hits in her work that she learned more about the group and its main dancer.

“I wasn’t familiar with Jimin due to my habit of not watching TV,” she confessed in her post. “I first learned about BTS’ songs in 2014, when I choreographed a scene for acting students using the song ‘Spine Breaker.’ My interest in them grew in 2018 when I directed a duet to ‘Serendipity’ for a specialized program. At first, seeing Jimin’s dance, I thought of him as an idol star with delicate movements and expressiveness. However, my student found his style too delicate and feminine. This led me to analyze his movements in greater detail.”

Kim Seon-hee praised Jimin

She delved into the intricacies of the choreography, stating, “The duet aimed to compress the delicate original dance into a faster beat, blending with the improvised movements of the female and the original choreography of the male.” Replicating Jimin‘s style proved difficult, as his movements “dissect the song’s beat and melody, expressing its intricacies with his entire body.” She believes he didn’t develop this finesse through practice but from his ability to create a rhythm that flows from fingertips to toes.

Kim Seon-hee underscored the significance of the body in dance. According to her, a dancer’s true skill might lie in their individuality, with the best dancers effectively communicating a piece’s meaning through their body language. She believes Jimin does this effectively.

She wrote, “Jimin‘s body is multifaceted. His movements, even the smallest ones, use abundant trajectories to encompass space with an inexplicable delicacy.” She was particularly moved by his performances in tracks like ‘Lie’ and ‘Serendipity,’ noting that “his movements, using extra breath to cut through the air, gave me chills.” For her, Jimin fully immerses himself in the song’s story, making him a standout performer.

Jimin stands out

“Different dance genres use different muscle groups. Transitioning from b-boying or street dance to contemporary dance requires physical and mental effort. Training the body is intense, almost like physical labor. Jimin‘s ambition to master various dance genres is commendable,” she wrote.

She also highlighted the uniqueness of BTS‘ group dance. “Compared to other idol groups, BTS‘ dance stands out with its unique choreography, but each member’s energy is special. While group dances typically involve synchronized movements, BTS expresses them with individual energy while performing the same moves, making their group dance visually rich and captivating. Jimin, in particular, stands out with his movements, instinctively knowing how to use effort (force, time, space, flow) to eliminate unnecessary tension in the upper body, grounding the lower body, making him a clever dancer.”

Kim Seon-hee’s thorough analysis of Jimin‘s dance has resonated with many netizens. While Jimin has been keeping a low profile lately, her analysis of his skills has reignited fans’ interest in seeing Jimin back on stage. They await his return to the stage, hoping to witness his talent again. – K-Pop News Writer

Featured Image: Jimin impressed Kim Seon-hee because he spends a lot of time in practice rooms, honing his craft. Source: Naver.

BTS‘ Jimin recently showcased his impeccable dance skills in two videos he shared on Instagram. The first, released on September 23, saw the star grooving to his song “Face-off.” Accompanied by the hashtag #ThisIsJimin, the video is a testament to Jimin‘s talent in contemporary dance.

However, Jimin’s dancing wasn’t the only thing on full display in the video. Dressed in indigo cargo pants—with one leg stylishly rolled up—and a loose white shirt with full sleeves and a blue print on the front, his sense of style was hard to miss. 

The video began with the “Like Crazy” singer stepping out from the shadows into a dimly lit room, setting an intense ambiance for his performance. He executed every move precisely, reminiscent of his iconic performance in BTS‘ hit “Black Swan.” Fans eagerly anticipated Jimin‘s return to this type of dancing, and he didn’t disappoint. This video highlighted his exceptional skills and renewed fans’ appreciation for “Face-off,” a track that had previously gone under the radar. 

On October 1, Jimin took the internet by storm again by posting another dance video on Instagram. This time, he danced to “Phone Number” by Dominic Fike and Kenny Beats. The video quickly went viral, amassing over five million likes. Fans took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to express their admiration, making #ThisIsJimin trend. His profound ability to convey emotions through dance and interpret music left them spellbound.

Jimin is a standout performer

Jimin has consistently been a standout performer during BTS‘ dance breaks. His precise execution, fluid movements, and emotional delivery have earned him widespread recognition. His rendition of buchaechum, a traditional Korean dance, at the 2018 Melon Music Awards (MMA) was so impactful that the Cultural Society honored him with a plaque. The following year, he returned to the MMA stage with a riveting dance set to a remix of “I Need U.”

While the 27-year-old artist often collaborates with other talents for dance challenges, it’s his solo performances that truly mesmerize. And fans have even more to look forward to with his birthday and solo documentary coming up later this month. 

BTS Jimin Solo Performance – I NEED U (@2019 MMA)

Earlier this year, fans rejoiced when Jimin released his solo album, FACE, on March 24. It features tracks like “Like Crazy” (in Korean and English), “Interlude: Dive,” “Alone,” “Set Me Free,” and a hidden track, “Letter.” On April 3, Jimin made history by becoming the first K-pop soloist to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with “Like Crazy.” By October 2, he hit two billion streams on Spotify.

Jimin is expected to enlist in the military around June 2024 and will return by December 2025. HYBE, the entertainment company behind BTS, hopes the septet can resume group activities by then. – K-Pop News Writer

Featured Image: Jimin comes alive when he dances. Source: Naver.