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Watch: B1A4 Makes Comeback After Two Years

CNU, Sanduel, and Gongchan poses for their 2024 Season's Greetings. Credit: Twitter/B1A4

After two long years of inactivity, B1A4 is now back with a new album!

On Monday, January 8, K-pop boy group B1A4 released the music video of “Rewind,” the title track of their eighth mini-album Connect. In particular, the album consists of a total of five tracks. Aside from “Rewind,” other songs included in the album are “Back to You,” “Pause,” “When You Call Me,” and “Still In My Heart.”

Moreover, the said album marks the group’s first comeback after two years. In 2021, B1A4 released the album Adore You before going on a military hiatus. Now, the trio finally returns after all the members have completed their mandatory military service.

Aside from a new album, B1A4 also held a comeback showcase to meet their fans. There, member CNU who composed “Rewind” revealed the story behind the title track. 

“The title song is a song I created with the desire to go into a dream where I can meet my fans even if I turn back time,” the singer said. He also added: “For us, meeting our fans is like a dream.”

It was also revealed that the two other members, Sandeul and Gongchan participated in writing the music of the five songs in the album. In a press release, Sandeul said that they believe it was necessary to produce songs by themselves to properly express B1A4’s unique color.

What made the comeback even more special is the group will be celebrating their 13th anniversary soon. “I hope this album will be like a gift to our fans. I hope you continue to move forward with us in the future,” B1A4 told their fans in the showcase.

More about B1A4

Originally a quintet, B1A4 made their official debut under WM Entertainment in April 2011. In 2018, the group reconstructed into a trio composing CNU, Sandeul, and Gongchan. Such development came after members Jinyoung and Baro decided not to renew their contract with the agency.

Since their debut, the group has made several hit tracks including “What’s Happening?,” “Lonely,” “Beautiful Target,” among many others. However, the group had to temporarily go on a hiatus to fulfill their military duties.

Now back with new music and their 13th anniversary around the corner, the trio expressed their intention to continue for a long time. “We hope to stay together in the future, celebrating our 15th, 20th, 30th, and 40th anniversaries,” the group said.

Featured image: CNU, Sanduel, and Gongchan poses for their 2024 Season’s Greetings. Credit: Twitter/B1A4

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(G)I-DLE to Release Full-Length Album ‘2’ on January 29

(G)I-DLE poses for their English EP 'Heat.' Credit: Facebook/(G)I-DLE

Save the date, Neverland! K-pop girl group (G)I-DLE will soon be back with new music!

On Monday, January 8, (G)I-DLE announced that the quintet are gearing up to release their second full-length album 2.

On their social media pages, the group shared the news with a provocative poster which used intense red lights. According to the group’s agency, CUBE Entertainment, the album will be released on January 29. 

Notably, this will be the group’s return in three months, after the release of their first English EP Heat in October 2023. However, this will be the group’s first comeback for a South Korean release after their sixth mini album I Feel in May 2023.

Moreover, 2 will also serve as the group’s first full-length album in almost two years. Their first full-length album, I Never Die, was released in March 2022. 

As of writing, the “Queencard” hitmakers have already released a teaser for the album inclusions and its pre-order sales information. Other details such as the album’s tracklist, title track, and the official music video release date are yet to be revealed.

Fans can’t wait for (G)I-DLE to be back! 

With a few weeks left until its release, fans  have shared their excitement on social media.

One fan even asked Miyeon for a comeback spoiler on the platform Bubble. To which the singer then daringly answered that the album will be “a little sexy.” Other fans also mentioned that they are excited to see the girl group in a mature concept again.

Meanwhile, others are even more anticipative with the release of 2 as they believe it will be a totally different era. Considering that the group’s I album series has finally come to an end. To recall, all of the quintet’s most recent album titles began with an I. This includes their first studio album I Never Die in 2022, and mini EPs I Do and I Feel released in 2023.

https://twitter.com/dieyacases/status/1744254290833862710

In addition, Neverlands are also excited to see Soyeon, Miyeon, Yuqi, Minnie, and Shuahua perform as a whole group again. In late 2023, both members Minnie and Shuhua had to take a short break from activities due to health concerns. After taking some time to rest, the girls welcomed the new year with restored good health.

With this, (G)I-DLE is set to promote their upcoming album as a full group.

Featured image: (G)I-DLE poses for their English EP ‘Heat.’ Credit: Facebook/(G)I-DLE

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Watch: TWICE Shares Mood Film for ‘With You-Th’ Comeback

TWICE poses for their 'With You-th' album teaser. Credit: YouTube/TWICE

Just wait a little longer, ONCEs! TWICE will soon be back with new music!

On Wednesday, January 3, JYP Entertainment shared an enchanting mood film announcing the girl group’s return for their 13th mini album With YOU-th.

In the teaser, members Jihyo, Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Tzuyu flaunted their ethereal beauty as they roamed around a dreamy forest. “No matter what you got me, I got you. Just like we always do,” the teaser read, backed up with the group’s harmonization.

Based on the mood film, the “Set Me Free” singers will be dropping a pre-release single titled “I Got You” on February 2. Meanwhile, the extended play is slated to be fully released on February 23.

Other details about the album including its tracklist are yet to be revealed.

ONCEs’ excitement for new era of TWICE

To note, With YOU-th marks TWICE’s first Korean comeback in almost a year.  The group released their 12th mini EP Ready To Be in March 2023. Said album proved TWICE’s global influence as it broke Billboard 200’s record for the biggest first-week sales by any K-Pop female act.

Since then, member Jihyo made her solo debut with Killin’ Me Good in August 2023. Meanwhile, Japanese members Mina, Momo, and Sana also made their sub-unit debut through the Japanese album Masterpiece in July. As this is the first time in a while that the group will be releasing new music, anticipation for the upcoming release is evident. 

With the previous album’s massive success, fans, especially ONCEs, are even more looking forward for their February return. Upon the announcement of With YOU-th, the group’s fandom immediately brought their excitement on social media.

“Already sounds like a masterpiece,” one fan wrote. Another fan said: “The blending of their vocals screams SOTY already!”

Other fans also shared their interest with the captivating concept of the mood film. “Twice doing the cottagecore concept for their comeback! We are winning this year,” one fan said.

Aside from the album preparations, TWICE is also booked and busy meeting international fans for their Ready to Be World Tour. Since its kick-off in Seoul last April 2023, the girl group continued performing in several cities across their Europe, Australia, Asia, and North and South America stops.

Featured image: TWICE poses for their ‘With You-th’ album teaser. Credit: Twitter/TWICE

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Look: Yena Drops Teasers for ‘Good Morning’

Yena poses for her EP 'Good Morning.' Credit: Twitter/Yena

Yena is welcoming 2024 with new music! On December 22, Yuehua Entertainment officially announced that the singer will be releasing a new album on January 15.

On her social media platforms, Yena first teased the fans with a mysterious “Coming Soon” poster with only the details of the release date.

https://twitter.com/YENA_OFFICIAL/status/1737850414148767885

During the last week of December, the idol started rolling out teasers for her third mini-album titled Good Morning. In some of the photos, the singer is seen rocking long pink hair while posing in different settings. 

https://twitter.com/YENA_OFFICIAL/status/1740387131217023217

According to a Naver article, a representative from Yuehua Entertainment shared what to look forward to in the upcoming release. “Choi Yena will be active as a new ‘morning angel’ through this album. She will deliver a message of hope and comfort to music fans,” it read. 

Yena to return after controversy

Since participating in MNET’s famed survival program Produce 48, she made her debut as part of the project girl group IZ*ONE, after winning a spot in the show. After disbanding in April 2020, Yena made her solo debut in 2022. As a soloist, she has been known for her popular tracks “Smiley” and “Smartphone,” among many others.

However, things did not go out well for her most recent comeback. In June, the soloist received unfavorable remarks after releasing her second single album Hate XX with the title track “Hate Rodrigo.” Although it was highly-anticipated as the song featured Yuqi of (G)I-DLE, the track was put as the center of a controversy.

Having mixed reactions about the song’s meaning, netizens pointed out that the song directly referenced US pop star Olivia Rodrigo. Moreover, the idol was criticized for her “copycat” portrayal of the “Vampire” singer in the official music video.

In response, Yuehua Entertainment released an apology for causing confusion and concern. “We have discovered that the following music video might contain grounds that may have infringed trademark and portrait rights,” they said. They then put the original video on private, and reuploaded an edited version of the MV.

In addition, Yena explained that the song was intended to pay homage to Rorigo. Moreover, it was meant to express the “cute” jealousy she feels towards the admired singer. 

After the controversy, Yena took a break from her promotions in Korea. Recently, the singer focused on her Japanese debut with the release of the Japanese version of “Smiley” featuring Chanmina.

Now seven months later, she’ll be returning with Good Morning. 

Featured image: Yena poses for her EP ‘Good Morning.’ Credit: Twitter/Yena

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Couple Thunder and Mimi to Debut as a Duo Unit

Celebrity couple Thunder and Mimi share photos from their prenup shoot. Credit: Instagram/Thunder

Who says you have to choose between love and career? Real-life couple Thunder and Mimi are proving that they can manage both! The former MBLAQ member and Gugudan member confirmed that they’re gearing up for their debut as the duo unit Cattriever.

On Wednesday, December 20, the married couple opened up the official Instagram account of Cattriever. There, the couple announced that they are set to drop their debut album on May 26, 2024.

 

According to some of their posts, Thunder and Mimi already began filming for their music video. 

Although additional details about the duo are yet to be announced, fans are excited to see both idols work on their music again.

More about Thunder and Mimi

For those unaware, Thunder, whose real name is Park Sung-Hyun, is a former member of the second-generation idol boy group MBLAQ. He spent five years with the group from its debut in 2009 until his departure in 2014. 

On the other hand, Mimi is a member of the girl group gugudan which debuted in 2016 and disbanded in 2020. After her career as an idol, Mimi became an actress.

In July, the two surprised fans when they revealed their relationship. On top of that, they also shared the exciting news of their marriage, after dating for four years. 

On October 31, the former MBLAQ member shared a few wedding shoot photos on his personal Instagram account. “We had our wedding photoshoot yesterday! It was a happy day. Thanks to everyone who congratulated us,” the singer wrote.

 

Meanwhile, Thunder’s sister, Sandara Park, left a heartwarming message on the said post. “Seeing my younger brother, I realized what it looks like when a man falls in love”, she said. Additionally, the former 2NE1 member also sent well wishes for the couple. “Love Mimi lots in the future and I pray that you both build a happy family,” the singer added.

Amidst the excitement for their marriage preparations, the two confirmed through the program Lovers of Joseon 2 that their wedding will be held sometime in 2024. 

Featured image: Celebrity couple Thunder and Mimi share photos from their prenup shoot. Credit: Instagram/Thunder

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Look: TVXQ Unveils Teasers for Anniversary Album ‘20&2’

Members Yunho and Changmin pose for their anniversary album '20&2. Credit: Twitter/TVXQ

The legendary 2nd-gen idols are back! As confirmed by the artists’ agency, SM Entertainment, TVXQ will be returning with music!  

In celebration of the group’s 20th anniversary since their debut in 2003, the “Mirotic” singers will be releasing their ninth full-length album titled “20&2”. Interestingly, the album name stands for the number of years the group has been active and the remaining members still part of the group.

In the previously released one-minute-and-a-half cinematic trailer, Yunho and Changmin showed off their impressive acting skills as the video follows a thrilling storyline.

Moreover, the act also unveiled captivating solo and duo pictures in different settings. Both members flaunted their timeless visuals, proving that they are the original matinee idols in the K-Pop industry.

 

In particular, 20&2 will feature a total of 10 songs including the title track “Rebel.” Said album will be the group’s first Korean full-length album since 2018, after the release of the New Chapter #2: The Truth of Love.

Now promoting as a duo, the act will officially make its much-awaited comeback on December 26.

More to come for the 20th year of TVXQ

Following the album launch, the artists are also gearing up to greet their loyal fans, starting off with a show in South Korea. The duo will be holding the their (20&2) concert on December 30 and 31 at the Inspire Arena in Incheon.

After that, the singers will also meet their international fans for the Asia leg of the tour. Based on the posters, Yunho and Changmin will visit HongKong, Taipei, Bangkok and Taiwan from January to February 2024.

Furthermore, the duo will also have their 20&2 exhibition rom December 23 to January 26, to complement their concert.

According to SM Entertainment, the event will be in commemoration of the group’ 20th anniversary.

“This exhibition will offer an opportunity for the group and fans to revisit the cherished memories and experiences they shared over the last years,” the agency stated.

Although originally debuting as a quintet with members Kim Jaejoong, Yoochan and Junsu, TVXQ remains to be one of the longest-running and most iconic groups to this day.

Featured image: Members Yunho and Changmin pose for their anniversary album ’20&2. Credit: Twitter/TVXQ

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Watch: NewJeans Drops Teaser for Remix Album ‘NJWMX’

The quintet during their performance at the BBMAs. Credit: Twitter/NewJeans

Don’t miss this out, Bunnies! K-pop girl group NewJeans is about to drop reworked versions of their hit tracks!

On Thursday, December 14, the monster rookies released a 25-second teaser for their upcoming remix album NJWMX.

According to the girl group’s agency ADOR, the quintet is set to make a comeback on December 19. Moreover, the album NJWMX, which stands for “NewJeans Winter Mix”, will consist of a total of 12 tracks. 

Among the tracks are remixes of their hit songs “OMG,” “Attention,” “Hype Boy,” “Ditto,” “Hurt,” and “Cookie.” Meanwhile, the remaining six tracks will be instrumental versions of the reworks.

In addition, the rework of “OMG” has been revealed to be the lead single for NJWMX.

As per reports, the album will take a trip down the memory lane. “Relive your special moments with NewJeans over the past year, with this festive yet nostalgic collection of remixes for the holiday season,” they teased.

Composed of Danielle, Minji, Hyein, Haerin, and Hanni, the group celebrated their first debut anniversary in July. Loved for their exceptional performances and addictive music, NewJeans has been topping the charts and breaking records with only a year and a half in their careers.

More presents from NewJeans

Aside from the remix album, NewJeans and their fandom, Bunnies, have one more thing to celebrate.

In the recently held Asia Artist Awards (AAA) on December 14, the sensational group took home a remarkable double victory having secured the Singer of the Year and Song of the Year Daesangs. Notably, NewJeans won the latter award for their song “Ditto.”

Apart from the grand prizes, the quintet took home four more awards namely: Hot Trend Award, Asia Celebrity Award, Best Choice Award and Fabulous Award.

With NJWMX as the girls’ gift for the Christmas season, NewJeans has one more thing prepared to warmly welcome the New Year. The five-piece act will be having a special performance of “Super Shy” and “ETA” at the Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2024.

Featured image: The quintet during their performance at the BBMAs. Credit: Twitter/NewJeans

 

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Look: ITZY Unveils Teaser for ‘Born to Be’ Album, 2024 Global Tour

ITZY during the recruitment for their fanclub membership. Credit: Facebook/ITZY

The anticipation is building for ITZY’s grand plans in 2024! On Monday, December 4, ITZY made an official announcement detailing their next album, BORN TO BE, and a teaser of their 2024 world tour.

Across ITZY’s official social media platforms, the group shared an announcement video, scheduler images, and the tracklist for their upcoming comeback.

What we know so far about ‘BORN TO BE’ 

Composed of 10 tracks, half of the BORN TO BE album features solo songs by individual members, including Lia’s previously released “Blossom.” Notably, each member also showcased their respective musical prowess as they were directly involved in the lyrics and composition of their solo songs. 

For reference, the titles of the members’ solo songs are; “Crown on My Head” for Yeji, “Run Away” for Ryujin, “Mine” for Chaeryeong, and “Yet, but” for Yuna.

As per the schedule, starting December 11, the group will unveil group concept photos and clips for their upcoming album. Between December 12 to 15, individual teasers for members Yeji, Ryujin, Chaeryeong, and Yuna will then be rolled out. Meanwhile, the music video for the members’ respective solo tracks will be released on  December 20, 22, 25, and 27.

Moreover, they will release a concept photo and music video teaser for the pre-release track “Mr. Vampire” before its full release on January 2, 2024. 

As for the album BORN TO BE and music video of the title track “Untouchable,” they will be released on January 8, 2024. Apart from the members’ solo songs, fans are also anticipating the title track as several big names collaborated for the song. To note, co-composers Maria Marcus and Tobias Naslund have previously worked with Red Velvet and Choi Yena, respectively. 

Lia to sit out ITZY’s 2024 activities

In addition to the comeback announcement, ITZY also disclosed plans for their 2024 world tour. Based on the teaser, it will commence with concerts on February 24 and 25 at the Jamsil Indoor Gymnasium in Seoul, South Korea. Other stops for their world tour have yet to be announced. 

Amidst the anticipation of fans for these upcoming activities, it can be noted that they will only be participated by four ITZY members. In November, JYP Entertainment announced that member Lia will continue her hiatus, making her absent from the group’s upcoming album and world tour. 

Featured image: ITZY during the recruitment for their fanclub membership. Credit: Facebook/ITZY

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BLACKPINK Receives Honorary MBEs From King Charles at Buckingham Palace

BLACKPINK poses with their honorary MBEs. Credit: Twitter/Royal Family

BLACKPINK, the renowned South Korean girl group, has been granted honorary membership in the Order of the British Empire.

In a special investiture ceremony on November 22 at Buckingham Palace, King Charles presented all four members of BLACKPINK with honorary MBEs. Notably, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and First Lady Kim Keon Hee were also present during the investiture ceremony. 

On the Royal Family’s official social media accounts, they also shared clips of the BLACKPINK members receiving their honorary MBEs from King Charles. “The K-pop band have been awarded the honors in recognition of their role as advocates for the COP26 Summit in Glasgow,” they captioned the post. 

For those unfamiliar, the MBEs are part of a series of medals and honors that the King can confer on behalf of the government.

According to reports, Rosé, holding dual New Zealand citizenship and being a national of a British realm, received a “substantive” MBE. This distinguishes her from the purely honorary recognition bestowed upon the three remaining members: Jisoo, Jennie, and Lisa. 

Another historic feat for BLACKPINK 

As recognition stems from their pivotal role as official advocates for the forthcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, the Royal Family further commended BLACKPINK for their vocal support for the campaign to raise awareness about climate change. 

A day prior to the investiture ceremony, King Charles also hosted a banquet at Buckingham Palace for the South Korean president and first lady, with all four BLACKPINK members in attendance. 

In his banquet speech, King Charles commended Jennie, Jisoo, Lisa, and Rosé, for effectively conveying the message of environmental sustainability to a global audience while balancing their roles as international superstars. Based on the clips circulating online, the members were visibly surprised by the acknowledgment of their pivotal role. 

Moreover, BLACKPINK’s contributions for this initiative extended beyond verbal support. As the group also released educational videos aimed at enlightening the younger generation about climate issues. Which led to the group being appointed as global ambassadors for the United Nation Sustainable Development Goals. 

With this, BLACKPINK has now become the first and only non-British musical artist to receive this prestigious honorary award. Furthermore, they’ll be joining notable musical artists such as The Beatles (1965), Adele (2013), and Ed Sheeran (2017) as recipients of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE). 

On social media, fans of the group are overjoyed with BLACKPINK’s latest achievement. On top of that, they’re also delighted to see all four members together again amidst the group’s ongoing contract renewal negotiation with YG Entertainment.

Featured image: BLACKPINK poses with their honorary MBEs. Credit: Twitter/Royal Family

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Stray Kids Charts 4th No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 With ‘Rock-Star’

The group poses for concept photo of 'Rock Star.' Credit: Facebook/STRAY KIDS

Stray Kids continues to dominate the K-pop scene, securing their fourth consecutive No. 1 entry on the prestigious Billboard 200 chart with their latest mini album ROCK-STAR.

On Monday, November 20, Billboard announced that ROCK-STAR joined the ranks of its predecessors, ODDINARY, MAXIDENT, and 5-STAR. All of which had previously claimed the top spot on the chart. 

For those unfamiliar, the Billboard 200 rankings are based on equivalent album units, which consider traditional album sales, track equivalent albums, and streaming equivalent albums. According to Billboard, ROCK-STAR secured its top position with a total of 224,000 equivalent album units earned in the United States, including 213,000 traditional album sales, predominantly from CD sales, and 11,000 streaming equivalent album units.

Additionally, Luminate further detailed that the album’s success was driven by 98% CD sales and 2% digital downloads, totaling 213,000 traditional album sales. The streaming component, contributing 11,000 streaming equivalent album units, equates to an impressive 15.68 million on-demand audio streams during the week ending on November 16.

Stray Kids makes history anew

 With this, Stray Kids have now become the first artist, and notably the first K-pop act, to achieve such a remarkable streak since Alicia Keys in the early 2000s.

“All four of Stray Kids’ chart entries have debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, making them the first act to see their first four chart entries debut at No. 1 since Alicia Keys in 2001 to 2007,” Billboard noted. 

Moreover, this remarkable achievement comes less than two years after their debut at the US charts. Furthermore, it establishes them as the first Korean act to consecutively debut their first four albums at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 – a feat not seen in 16 years.

On top of that, the speed at which Stray Kids achieved this milestone is equally impressive, taking them less than 20 months to accumulate four No. 1 albums. Notably, this rapid success places them in the company of Taylor Swift, as the fastest artist to achieve four No. 1s since August 2020.

Following the achievement, Stray Kids expressed their gratitude towards their fans through a video message. “Thank you to STAY and everyone who has been listening to our music,” they said. 

On November 9, the group released their newest mini-album Rock Star, with the title track “LALALA.”

Featured image: The group poses for concept photo of ‘Rock Star.’ Credit: Facebook/STRAY KIDS

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