Category: KPOP NEWS

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BB Girls, Formerly Brave Girls, Announce Comeback with New Album

BB Girls

The K-pop scene is buzzing with anticipation as BB Girls, the group formerly known as Brave Girls, announced their return with a new album slated for release on August 3. Warner Music Korea, their new agency, retweeted their announcement on social media, sparking excitement among fans.

The promotional photos released with the announcement showcased the BB Girls members in a new light. They radiated charisma and confidence in the photos, a stark contrast to the refreshing vibe of their fifth mini-album, 2021’s Summer Queen. This change in image marks a significant shift for the group, as this will be their first album release under their new name and agency.

BB Girls, not Brave Girls

The group, consisting of Minyoung, Yujeong, Yuna, and Eunji, rose to fame as Brave Girls in 2021. Their 2017 single “Rollin’” surprised them by climbing back up the charts four years after its initial release, catapulting the group into stardom. However, Brave Girls disbanded earlier this year after the members parted with their label, Brave Entertainment, at the end of their seven-year exclusive contracts.

In a surprising turn of events, all four members signed with Warner Music Korea in late April and rebranded themselves as BB Girls. The group expressed their gratitude for the continued support from their fans during this transition. “We’re grateful to be able to continue our journey with our fans, as we’ve joined a new agency. We hope to make good memories together. We exist because of our fans,” Minyoung shared in an interview with PMK magazine.

The upcoming album from BB Girls is not just a comeback but a new beginning for the girl group. As they enter a new career phase, fans eagerly await BB Girls’ new music and fresh direction. — K-Pop News Writer

Featured Image: The girls didn’t just change agencies; they also changed their look. Will they also change their sound? Let’s see. Source: Twitter/BB Girls’ official Twitter account.

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Look: Yerin to Release “Ready, Set, Love” in August

Mark your calendars because K-pop idol Yerin is gearing up for her highly-anticipated comeback. 

The soloist released on Friday, July 21, an arcade-inspired illustrated teaser that showed the details of her upcoming album. 

Yerin’s second EP will be titled Read, Set, LOVE, and will be released on August 23. 

 

This will serve as Yerin’s first comeback in more than a year, following her debut EP Aria that was released in May 2022. It will also be her first music release under her agency Bill Entertainment. 

Yerin made her debut in 2015 as a member of girl group GFriend under the agency Source Music. The six-piece act was known for their hits “Me Gustas Tu,” “Navillera,” and “Mago.” 

In 2021, all six members of GFriend left Source Music and signed with different agencies, with three members forming the group Viviz. Yerin first joined Sublime Artist Agency after their departure from Source Music. 

She transferred to Bill Entertainment in April. 

 Featured image: Yerin’s Twitter

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Ikon’s Jay Begins Military Service

Kim Jinhwan, or also known as Jay, of K-pop boy group iKON has started his mandatory military service on Thursday, July 20. 

After entering the training center, Jay will undergo basic military training for several weeks, before he can serve as an alternative social worker. 

The vocalist first announced his plans to enlist in early July, taking to Instagram to pen a message to his fans. 

“I will diligently fulfill my duty and return quickly, so let’s find strength while thinking of each other, and please be well,” he promised them, according to a translation by Soompi. 

Days before his enlistment, Jay also shared a photo of him with a shaved head. 

Born in 1994, Jay is the first member of iKON to enlist in the military. 

Prior to his enlistment, Jay also made his debut as a solo artist in June by releasing his album Paradise Pt. 1. Meanwhile, the second part of the album, titled Blue Moon, was released on July 18 — two days before Jay’s enlistment. 

Composed of Bobby, DK, Chan, Ju-ne, Jay, and Song, iKON debuted in September 2015 under YG Entertainment. They left the agency in December 2022 and signed with 143 Entertainment. 

iKON made their group comeback in January with the album TAKE OFF. It’s also the title of their upcoming world tour, which will include shows around Asia, Europe, and the United States. 

Jay was able to take part in the TAKE OFF concert in Osaka, Japan that happened on July 8 and 9, but would be missing the rest of the shows because of military service. 

Featured image: iKON Jay’s Twitter

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Newjean’s “Get Up” Album Is Here!

After weeks of anticipation, K-pop monster rookies NewJeans have finally released their sophomore EP GET UP on Friday, July 21. 

The five-piece rising girl group also released the music video for their track “ETA,” which sees the NewJeans members reaching out to their female friend to tell her that they’ve discovered her boyfriend cheating on her at a pool party. 

 

The “GET UP” EP features a total of six songs, with “ETA,” “Super Shy,” and “Cool With You” as its triple title tracks. 

All six songs have their own music videos, but the earlier released ones already boast impressive collaborations. 

The “New Jeans” music video, for example, saw the group transform into superheroes as it was a collaboration with the 25th anniversary of the hit American cartoon series THE POWERPUFF GIRLS.

Meanwhile, the two music videos for “Cool With You,” meanwhile, featured Asian superstars Tony Leung and Jung Ho Yeon. THE “ETA” music video is also in collaboration with Apple as the whole video was entirely shot on iPhone 14 Pro. 

GET UP is NewJeans’ second EP following their self-titled EP, which was released in July 2022.

Composed of Minji, Hanni, Hyein, Haerin, and Danielle, NewJeans is a group under ADOR, the HYBE sub-label headed by Min Hee-jin, 

Featured image: NewJeans’ Twitter

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Jin of BTS “Saves Fan” from Robbery + Military Updates

BTS member Jin is a beloved figure in the music industry. He’s known for his charming personality, fan dedication, and soulful voice. Recently, Jin’s been in the news for his heroic deeds, both in and out of the military.

In a remarkable incident, Jin reportedly “saved” a Brazilian fan named Natali Vitoria Ramos Reis from a robbery. The 21-year-old ARMY was waiting at a bus stop in São José dos Pinhais, in the Curitiba Metropolitan Region, when a robber approached her. The robber managed to take her phone, which had a photo of Jin in his military uniform as the wallpaper.

When he saw the photo, the robber immediately returned the phone and fled, presumably assuming that the man in the picture was Natali’s boyfriend and a member of the armed forces. This incident sparked a wave of reactions from BTS ARMY worldwide. They praised Jin’s indirect role in Natali’s rescue and joked about changing their phone wallpapers to pictures of Jin in his military uniform for protection.

Jin’s off-stage heroism is commendable, and his military achievements are also impressive. Despite being a world-renowned singer, he has dedicated himself to his mandatory military service in South Korea. Jin enlisted in the recruit training center in Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi Province, on December 13, 2022. His expected discharge date is June 12, 2024.

Jin the “elite soldier”

Recently, Jin was given the rank of Corporal in the military earlier than scheduled. This came after he received the title of “elite soldier,” a prestigious title given to those who excel in various areas of training. These include first aid, Chemical, Biological, and Radiological training, individual combat, shooting, a three-kilometer race, and vigilance. To earn the elite soldier title, one must meet strict conditions like having a 90% shooting hit rate and completing over 72 push-ups in two minutes. This promotion underscores Jin’s dedication, discipline, and hard work.

The title comes with perks. These include extra leaves of up to five days, early promotion, and the privilege of wearing a special emblem on their uniforms. Additionally, outstanding shooting scores can earn them more rewards.

Jin’s military achievements give ARMY immense pride and joy. Despite his absence from the music scene due to his military service, his influence continues to resonate worldwide. This story reminds us that heroes can appear in the most unexpected places, even on a smartphone’s home screen. As fans eagerly await his return to the stage, they continue to celebrate his achievements and the inspiring individual he has proven to be. –K-pop News Writer

Featured Image: Jin posted some selfies on Weverse during a lull in his training. Source: Weverse’s BTS Community.

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BREAKING: Haneul Leaves K-Pop Girl Group Saturday

K-pop idol Haneul has exited the group SATURDAY due to “personal circumstances.”

The group’s manager announced the news on Thursday, July 20, saying that SATURDAY will now continue as a four-member group consisting of Juyeon, Yuki, Ayeon, and Minseo. 

While SATURDAY had gone through a series of member lineup changes since they made their debut in 2018, Haneul was one of the original members, alongside Yuki and Ayeon. 

“We apologize to the fans who feel upset about this disappointing news,” the statement continued. 

The manager also asked fans for their continued love and support to the remaining members as they’re gearing up for a new album. 

On Tuesday, July 18, SATURDAY released a schedule for their upcoming sixth single album “Find Summer,” which will be released on July 25. 

 

This would serve as the group’s first comeback in almost two years, following the release of “D.B.DB. DIB” in August 2020. 

Featured image: SATURDAY’s Twitter

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Legend Tony Leung and SAG Winner Jung Hoyeon Star in Newjeans’ “Cool With You” Music Video

Rising K-pop girl group NewJeans released on Thursday, July 20, two cinematic music videos for their song “Cool With You,” which stars Squid Game actress Jung Ho Yeon (for which she won the SAG Award for best performance by a female actor in a drama series in 2022) and a cameo appearance from veteran actor Tony Leung. 

In the first video for “Cool With You,” dubbed the “A side”, Ho Yeon was introduced as a cupid who appears to be completely invisible in life and prompts couples to fall in love through her glance. The latter part of the video saw the actress becoming interested in a man, with the members of NewJeans acting out as angels who are watching the forbidden love story unfold. 

 

Meanwhile, the “B side” video for “Cool With You” picks up from where the “A side” left off but Ho Yeon is now visible to the world. She’s then seen starting a relationship with her love interest. But as their budding romance starts to pick up, Ho Yeon comes across a mysterious man (played by Tony). From that moment, her lover can no longer see Ho Yeon. 

The “B side” video also saw the NewJeans members dancing to a snippet of their unreleased song “Get Up.” 

 

Aside from “Cool With You,” NewJeans has already released the music videos for “Super Shy” and “New Jeans.”

“Cool With You” and “Super Shy” are two of GET UP’s triple title songs, alongside the yet-to-be-released track “ETA.” 

NewJeans’ sophomore EP GET UP, which will be released on July 21, will have a total of six songs, with each track having accompanying music videos. 

GET UP will serve as the group’s second EP following their self-titled EP,  which was released in July 2022. 

Composed of Minji, Hanni, Hyein, Haerin, and Danielle, NewJeans is a five-member group under ADOR, the HYBE sub-label headed by Min Hee-jin. 

Featured image: HYBE Labels’ YouTube

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K-Pop Album Exports Surge, US Overtakes China as Second-Largest Market

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.

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SM Entertainment Confirms No NCT Members’ Contracts Expire This Year

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.

— K-pop News Writer

Featured Image: This is a screenshot from the official MV of “Beautiful,” NCT’s last single as a full group. Source: YouTube/SM Entertainment’s official YouTube channel.

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Jimin Expresses Concern for Fan “Jibangie” Amidst South Korean Floods

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.”

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’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.

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