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SEVENTEEN Soars to New Heights with ‘SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN’

K-pop boy group SEVENTEEN continues to establish themselves as one of the biggest names in the industry. With their 11th mini-album SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN, the group have taken the industry by storm by setting new records and achieving remarkable milestones. 

On Monday, October 23, SEVENTEEN made their highly-anticipated comeback with SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN. The eight-track album served as the group’s return after five months following the release of FML in May.

Although it’s only been months since the group released new music, their latest album still had a meteoric rise to the top of charts, solidifying the group’s status as one of the most influential acts in the industry. 

Records set by ‘SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN’ 

Prior to the album’s official release, SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN amassed an astounding 5.2 million pre-orders, setting a new benchmark for Korean acts. Said number also served as the group’s best personal record as their previous album, FML, only recorded 4.64 million copies in pre-orders. Furthermore, with this final total, SEVENTEEN now holds the record for the highest pre-order volume for an album in the history of K-pop. 

Meanwhile, the first-day album sales of  SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN are equally impressive as it reached 3.288 million units. This places them second only to their previous release, FML, which achieved 3.99 million first-day sales. In doing so, SEVENTEEN now holds the top two positions for the biggest first-day album sales debuts in the history of the Hanteo chart.

 

Additionally, the reach of SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN extended far beyond Korea’s borders. According to a report from Naver, the album achieved an all-kill status as it dominated the Japanese iTunes album chart across all genres. Moreover, it also maintained its reign at the top of Line Music’s real-time album chart. 

In China, the album sold a total of ¥400,000 digital sales revenue in just 18 hours after its release. 

God of Music’ dominates charts

Some of the standout achievements of SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN is also attributed to its title track, God of Music.” Within 24 hours of its release, the track quickly dominated charts such as Genie, and Bugs. What makes this accomplishment even more remarkable is that SEVENTEEN became the first male group to top the Melon Top 100 for 2023, a milestone that speaks volumes about their growing influence and popularity.

Now that “God of Music” debuted at Melon’s Top 100, SEVENTEEN joins NewJeans, IVE, LE SSERAFIM, and G-IDLE as the only idol groups to have a song top the list for 2023. 

 

Outside of the Korean music charts, “God of Music” achieved top rankings on the iTunes “Top Song” chart in an impressive 29 countries and regions. The song’s appeal transcended linguistic and cultural boundaries, finding favor in places like Brazil, the Philippines, and Singapore.

In an interview with Vulture, member Vernon says that the track shows SEVENTEEN’s “true colors.” “We’re just a really fun and bright group in general,” he said. Meanwhile, Joshua added: “It shows our energy, it shows our happiness, it shows our teamwork, it shows our performance skill sets.”  

Other songs included in the album are “SOS,” “Diamond Days,” “Back 2 Back,” “Monster,” “Yawn,” and “Headliner.” 

Featured image: Melon shares photos from SEVENTEEN’s filming for ‘SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN.’ Credit: Twitter/SVT Contents

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OMEGA X Confirms 1st Comeback After Leaving SPIRE Entertainment

K-pop boy group OMEGA X is ready to start anew as they confirmed that they’ll be making a comeback with iykyk. 

On Wednesday, October 18, the group announced that they’re releasing their third mini-album iykyk on November 7. Other details such as the number of songs and name of the title track have yet to be announced. 

Following the news, fans of the group couldn’t help but rejoice as it served as OMEGA X’s first return following their controversial legal battle with former agency SPIRE Entertainment. 

A rundown of OMEGA X’s fallout with SPIRE Entertainment 

Composed of Jaehan, Hwichan, Sebin, Hangyeom, Taedong, Xen, Jehyun, Kevin, Jung-hoon, Hyuk and Yechan, OMEGA X debuted in June 2021 with the mini-album VAMOS. Prior to being part of the project group, some of their members participated in survival shows such as Under 19, The Unit, and Produce 101 season 2. 

In October 2022, speculations that the group is being mistreated by their agency Spire Entertainment started. Several witnesses shared on social media that they saw the OMEGA X members being berated and assaulted in public during the group’s CONNECT: Don’t Give Up world tour. Some reports also claimed that the members weren’t given tickets for their flight back to South Korea when the mistreatment allegations started gaining traction on social media. 

Such events led the group to hold a press conference in November to announce the termination of their contract with SPIRE Entertainment. During the press conference, the members detailed the physical, verbal, and sexual abuses that they went through under the hands of their agency. 

In January 2023, the group was granted an injunction suspending the validity of their contracts with SPIRE Entertainment. 

In May 2023, OMEGA X announced that they reached an “amicable and mutual agreement” with their former agency. Hence, both parties have decided to end all of their disputes. 

OMEGA X forges on

Throughout this ordeal, the members of OMEGA X have expressed their desire to continue their dreams of being an idol. Despite the tough circumstances, they kept assuring their fans that this won’t be the end of their group. 

Amidst their legal battle, the group managed to release a new digital single titled Dream” in April. In June, they also held a mini fan meeting for their debut anniversary. Moreover, the members also actively appeared in radio programs, web dramas, music shows, and television broadcasts. 

 

In July, OMEGA X announced that they signed with a new agency, IPQ. 

Featured image: OMEGA X shares new profile photo. Credit: Twitter/OMEGA X

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Red Velvet to Return With ‘What a Chill Kill’ in November

Mark your calendars, ReveLuvs! K-pop girl group Red Velvet confirmed that they’re making their highly-anticipated comeback with What A Chill Kill. 

On Wednesday, October 18, the quintet dropped the first teaser for their upcoming third full-length album. 

In the poster, a bonsai tree with pink leaves is surrounded by trinkets such as a pair of high heels, a disembodied hand, and more. 

According to a report by Sports Seoul, What a Chill Kill, which will be released on November 13, will feature 10 new songs. Other details such as the theme and title track have yet to be announced. 

Although no other details have been provided yet, fans of the group are already sent into a frenzy as the Psycho” hitmaker is known for their intriguing concepts. And based on the eerie teaser alone, ReveLuvs are already anticipating another interesting concept for What a Chill Kill. 

Moreover, What a Chill Kill will come almost a year after the group last made a comeback. In November 2022, they released the mini-album The ReVe Festival 202 – Birthday. 

Furthermore, it’s also been six years since Red Velvet released a full-length album. To note, their second full-length album was 2017’s Perfect Velvet, which carried the single Peek-a-Boo.” 

The significance of ‘What a Chill Kill’ for Red Velvet fans 

Given the long break between the album releases, it’s unsurprising how fans are eagerly awaiting for Red Velvet’s return. 

But what makes What a Chill Kill even more special for fans is that it’s arriving amidst speculations regarding the members’ status as SM Entertainment artists. 

In August, Seulgi was confirmed to renew her contract with SM Entertainment.  It marked the second time the K-pop idol has re-signed with the K-pop agency. She first renewed her contract in 2021, which she did alongside her fellow Red Velvet members.

However, the agency has yet to reveal the status of the other Red Velvet members, namely Irene, Wendy, Joy, and Yeri. 

Moreover, Irene was even rumored to have left SM Entertainment. Which sparked concerns among fans about the extended hiatus of Red Velvet, as the group didn’t have any activity following the conclusion of their R to V world tour in June. 

But the agency was quick to dispel the rumors, saying that the “Queendom” singers are gearing up for their comeback

And now that details for What a Chill Kill is released, fans see it as a positive sign that Red Velvet will continue their activities as a group. 

Featured image: Red Velvet celebrates their debut anniversary. Credit: Facebook/Red Velvet

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GOT7’s Youngjae Drops Teaser for ‘Do It’

Mark your calendars, AHGASEs! Youngjae of K-pop boy group GOT7 is making a comeback with his first solo full-length album Do It.

On Tuesday, October 17, his agency SUBLIME released the first teaser poster for the upcoming release. In the photo, a football helmet is seen lying on the lawn. 

Do It is slated for a November 6 release. Aside from that, other details about the album such as its title track, theme, and number of songs have yet to be announced. Prior to the official album release, a track list, highlight medley, and concept film will be available to fans. 

Moreover, Do It will serve as Youngjae’s new music offering in eight months following the release of the digital single Errr Day” in March. 

AHGASEs’ reaction

Although no other details were provided yet, fans are already hyped up by the idea that Youngjae will be back with new music. 

On social media, fans are speculating as to how the sports-themed teaser will fit in the concept of the album. Others are also expressing their wishlist on featured collaborations for the album. 

One reaction that particularly stood out following the announcement though was from GOT7’s Bambam. In a tweet, the Thai rapper compiled the recent activities of his members. 

“GOT7 keeps you busy,” he wrote. 

For 2023 alone, the GOT7 members have embarked on their solo international concert tours and released solo albums. Meanwhile, JAY B and Jinyoung are serving in the military. 

Youngjae as a solo artist

In 2014, Youngjae made his debut as a member of GOT7. After the group left JYP Entertainment in 2021, he made his solo debut in October 2021 with the mini-album Colors from Ars. 

Since then, he released the digital singles “Walk With Me” and Errr Day,” and his second EP Sugar. 

Apart from that, Youngjae also ventured into acting in musicals such as Midnight Sun and The Days. 

Additionally, he also sang OSTs for K-dramas like “Pop Star” for the series So I Married the Anti-fan and “On My Way” for The Golden Spoon.

Featured image: GOT7’s Youngjae in a teaser for ‘Errr Day.’ Credit: Twitter/YoungjaeXArs

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SNSD’s Taeyeon Preparing to Drop New Solo Album in November

Girls’ Generation member and soloist, Taeyeon, is gearing up to release a new album this November, as confirmed by SM Entertainment. This announcement was part of the agency’s Q4 schedule for 2023, which also highlighted several other anticipated releases.

Her last album was a hit

Taeyeon is currently preparing for a new album set for release in November,” SM Entertainment shared in a press release, as reported by Korea JoongAng Daily. “It will be her first album release after a while, following her third full-length album INVU which dropped in February last year.”

The INVU album was a commercial and critical success. Time magazine, a renowned American media outlet, included INVU in its list of The Best K-Pop Songs and Albums of 2022. Time praised the album, noting Taeyeon’s “sonorous and affectionate tone” and her ability to seamlessly transition between powerful high notes and soft falsettos. They also highlighted her versatility, calling her an artist who showcases her vocal prowess across various genres.

The title track “INVU” achieved significant chart success. It secured the No. 1 spot on Gaon’s Digital Chart and also made its mark on international charts, including Billboard’s World Digital Song Sales and Global Excl. U.S. charts. Furthermore, “INVU” featured on several Billboard charts worldwide, spanning countries like Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Taiwan, and South Korea. Taeyeon‘s achievements didn’t stop there; she clinched Gaon’s Artist of the Year Award in the music category in February and topped the Gaon Digital Comprehensive Chart in March.

What else is Taeyeon up to?

While fans eagerly await her new material, they can stay updated with Taeyeon‘s activities on social media. Recently, on October 7 KST, the Girls’ Generation leader shared a series of photos on her Instagram from a promotional shoot for Benefit Cosmetics. The vibrant, high school-inspired set showcased Taeyeon‘s radiant charm, leading fans to shower her with compliments such as “You’re so beautiful today too” and “She looks like a fairy!”

In other updates, Taeyeon continues to entertain as a regular cast member on the tvN variety show Amazing Saturday. She has also been representing Benefit Cosmetics as an ambassador since April 2022.

Anticipation is high for Taeyeon‘s upcoming album, and fans are eager to see what the seasoned artist will bring to the table this time around. – K-Pop News Writer

Featured Image: ‘INVU’ rose to No. 179 (+19) on Spotify’s Daily Chart in South Korea after the news broke. Source: X/@ultsootaeng.

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ZEROBASEONE Achieves Double Million-Seller Status with Debut Album

Rookie group ZEROBASEONE has taken the music scene by storm with their record-breaking debut album. As of September 30, their album YOUTH IN THE SHADE has sold an impressive 2,034,594 copies since its release in July. This monumental feat positions them as the first K-pop group to sell over 2 million copies of a debut album.

They’ve also earned a spot on the elite list of artists acknowledged by Circle Chart for selling more than 2 million copies of a single album. Fans have even more to anticipate, as ZEROBASEONE is set to make a comeback with their second mini-album, MELTING POINT, on November 6.

Previously, ZEROBASEONE had already made waves by becoming the first K-pop group to sell over a million copies of their debut album in a single day, as reported by Hanteo Chart. On July 4, the group surpassed 1.08 million stock pre-orders for YOUTH IN THE SHADE. In doing so, they broke a record set by SECHSKIES in 1997, becoming the first K-pop group to record one million pre-orders for a debut album in over two decades. They achieved this feat 13 days after pre-orders began and five days before their official debut.

Congratulations, ZEROBASEONE!

The group’s soaring popularity during their pre-order phase led many to predict they would cross a million sales with their debut album. This prediction came true on July 10 when the album’s sales hit the one million mark in just nine hours on the Hanteo charts. By the end of their debut day, sales had reached 1.2 million.

ZEROBASEONE was formed on Mnet’s Boys Planet, a successor to Girls Planet 999. Although Boys Planet came after Girls Planet 999, it still garnered significant attention. The presence of popular contestants like Kim Jiwoong, known for being an OTT actor, and Chinese music prodigy Zhang Hao helped. Both made it to the final lineup of ZEROBASEONE.

Mnet unveiled the final lineup on April 20 during the Boys Planet finale. It included Sung Hanbin, Seok Matthew, Ricky, Park Gunwook, Kim Taerae, Kim Gyuvin, and Han Yujin. These talented boys went on to break one record after another. Congrats, ZEROBASEONE! – K-Pop News Writer

Featured Image: If any group deserves the ‘monster rookie’ title, it’s this one! Source: X/@GLOBALBASEONE.

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WayV to Release ‘On My Youth’ in November

Mark your calendars, Weyshennies! WayV, NCT’s China-based unit, is about to make their first comeback in almost 11 months. 

On Monday, October 16, SM Entertainment announced that the group is gearing up for their second full length-album On My Youth. 

According to a Naver report, the album will have a total of 10 songs of various genres. Its title track will have the same title as the album. 

Notably, all tracks will be released on digital platforms on November 1. But the physical album will only be available starting November 8. 

To note, On My Youth will serve as the group’s first album since their fourth EP Phantom came out in December 2022. 

Moreover, this will also mark WayV’s first comeback since member Lucas officially confirmed his exit from the group in May.

According to SM Entertainment, Lucas parted ways with NCT and WayV to pursue his individual endeavors. To recall, Lucas had been on hiatus since August 2021 after he was embroiled in cheating and gaslighting controversies. Following the news, he penned a letter to fans, saying that he was sorry to the members. 

With this, WayV has continued activities with the remaining six members: Kun, Hendery, Yangyang, Xiaojun, Ten, and Winwin. 

Also in May, the group released the digital singleWelcome to My Paradise.” 

2023 for WayV

In line with the release of their fourth EP, WayV also held their fan meeting tour Phantom. Between February to August, the group staged shows across several stops in Asia and Europe. 

In August, WayV also participated in the full group comeback of NCT. Aside from the release of their album Golden Age, the SM Entertainment act also held their first concert as a full group titled NCT Nation: To the World. 

WayV debuted in January 2019. The group is known for songs Kick Back,” “Love Talk,” “Turn Back Time,” andMiracle.” 

Featured image: WayV releases the digital single ‘Welcome to my Paradise.’ Credit: Facebook/WayV

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Look: ENHYPEN to Return With ‘Orange Blood’

Save the date, ENGENEs! K-pop boy group ENHYPEN is set to make their highly-anticipated comeback on November 17 with the release of Orange Blood. 

On Monday, October 16, agency BELIFT LAB confirmed that the septet is gearing up for their new extended play. This will serve as ENHYPEN’s return in just five months. 

In line with the announcement, HYBE LABELS also posted a 25-second logo trailer for Orange Blood. To note, HYBE acquired the full rights of BELIFT LAB in August. 

As for the logo trailer, it opens with a scene of a solar eclipse. Then, the phrase “You and I are connected through blood” flashed on the screen. Next, a montage of scenic videos appeared before the “Orange Blood” logo appeared. 

Additionally, ENHYPEN has also released the promotional schedule for Bad Blood. According to the calendar, the group will release a mood film on top of the usual concept trailers, photos, previews, and track list. Moreover, there will also be an activity called “Orange Blood EN-Connect” night set for November 18. Although details about it weren’t provided. 

As of writing, additional details about Orange Blood, such as the number of songs and its title track, have yet to be announced. 

Notably, Orange Blood will serve as a follow-up to the group’s EP Dark Blood. Released in May, the album carried the hit song “Bite Me” for its title track. 

Furthermore, Dark Blood set several personal records for the group. For instance, it’s the first album of the group to sell 1.1 million copies on the first day of its release. On top of that, it also recorded 1.32 million copies for its first tracking week. 

2023 highlights for ENHYPEN aside from ‘Orange Blood’ 

On top of their achievements with their music releases, 2023 is also shaping to be an impressive year for ENHYPEN on other aspects about their career. And what makes these milestones more memorable is that the group achieved them in less than three years into their debut. 

One of which is their recent 10th gold disk certification in Japan. According to the Japan Record Association, the group’s third Japanese single, -YOU-,” was certified Double Platinum.

Moreover, ENHYPEN is also making waves in the fashion industry. 

In June 2023, the “Drunk-Dazed” singers became brand ambassadors for the fashion luxury brand Prada. Then, the group also became ambassadors for the Seoul Fashion Week. 

In line with being brand ambassadors for Prada, ENHYPEN also appeared at the Milan Fashion Week. There, the group reportedly generated a 7 million USD in Media Impact Value.

Currently, ENHYPEN is also embarking on their second world concert tour, FATE. 

Featured image: ENHYPEN shares a behind-the-scene photo from a magazine shoot. Credit: Facebook/ENHYPEN

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BTS’ Jungkook Reveals Star-Studded Track List for ‘Golden’

Attention, ARMYs! The anticipation for the solo debut album of BTS member Jungkook just got higher as the track list for Golden was unveiled on Monday, October 16. 

The 11-track album was earlier confirmed to include Jungkook’s previously released singles “Sevenand “3D.” 

In July, the BTS member released “Seven,” which featured American rapper-singer Latto. Its explicit version achieved two Guinness World Records. First, it’s recognized as the  most streamed track on Spotify in one week by a male artist and the other record is about having the fastest time for a music track by a male artist to reach 100 million Spotify streams.

Meanwhile, “3D,” which featured American rapper Jack Harrow was released in September. 

More collaboration for Jungkook

Based on the track list for Golden, Jungkook will continue his trajectory of collaborating with international stars. 

Among the 11 songs, “Standing Next To You” will serve as a title track. It is co-produced by Andrew Watt and Cirkut. 

Notably, music producer DJ Snake and Jamaican American trio Major Lazer will feature in tracks “Please Don’t Changeand “Closer To You,” respectively. 

For those unfamiliar, DJ Snake has previously worked with the likes of Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Cardi B, and more. Meanwhile, Major Lazer has also previously worked with Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, and Machel Montano. 

As for other production and songwriting credits, English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran is credited in the track “Yes or No,” while Canadian singer Shawn Mendes collaborated in the song “Hate You.” 

Notably, David Stewart, one of the writers of BTS’ hit song “Dynamite,” collaborated with Jungkook anew. For golden, he contributed to two songs: “Shot Glass of Tears” and “Too Sad to Dance.” 

A Golden era awaits! 

Following the release of the track list, ARMYs couldn’t help but express their excitement for the upcoming songs. 

Given the big names of collaborators, many are looking forward to how Jungkook will put his own flavor to each track. 

Some are also amazed at the amount of artists working together for Golden, saying that it’s already shaping to be a huge album even before its release. 

 

Thankfully, fans wouldn’t have to wait for long to get a taste of these tracks. According to his promotional schedule, a new track from Golden will be released daily between October 20 to 30. Then, a teaser for the title track will be released on November 2.  

Meanwhile, the official music video and the album will be available starting November 3. 

BIGHIT Music first confirmed on October 3 that Jungkook will be releasing his solo album Golden. 

“GOLDEN is an album inspired by the golden moments of Jungkook, the golden maknae of BTS and a solo artist,” the agency said in a press release. “Through this album, Jungkook will be able to show his identity and color to the fullest.”

In 2023 alone, Jungkook is the fourth BTS member to release a solo album. To note, Jimin’s Face was released in March, Suga’s D-Day in April, and V’s Layover in September. 

Featured image: BTS’ Jungkook poses for the concept photo of his album ‘Golden.’ Credit: Twitter/BIGHIT Music

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VIVIZ Releases Comeback Schedule for ‘VERSUS’

Save the date, Na.Vs! K-pop girl group VIVIZ is finally returning with new music!

On Wednesday, October 11, the trio announced that they will soon be dropping their highly-anticipated 4th mini album VERSUS.

As per the schedule poster, VIVIZ will unveil various teaser content throughout the rest of the month. These include two versions of the album preview, tracklist, concept photos, and a music video teaser prior to official release. The actual music video and album is slated for a November 2 release.

Moreover, BPM Entertainment, the group’s agency, mentioned that the upcoming album will revolve around two keywords: “Fake” and “Fate.” Although no other explanation was provided, the keywords could possibly be hinting at two different concepts.

On October 7, the group kicked off their promotions by uploading the “Fake” interview on their Youtube account. Meanwhile, the “Fate” counterpart is scheduled for October 30.

Fans excitement for VERSUS

Upon the announcement of VERSUS, the group’s fandom Na.V’s expressed their excitement. Especially since it’s been 10 months since the trio last made a comeback with their third mini-album VarioUS in January 2023. 

Entering a new era, the fandom took their thoughts to social media. Several Na.Vs shared their theories with the puzzling concept of “Fake” and “Fate.” One fan believed that it may relate to a sci-fi genre while another mentioned the possibility of a devil-angel conflict.

Another Na.V even guessed that the album may be about “VIVIZ versus VIVIZ” as they were seen pretending to be each other in the released “Fake” Interview. 

Despite the different theories, Na.Vs remain thrilled about the album nonetheless.

Get to know VIVIZ more

Composed of Eunha, SinB, and Umji, VIVIZ made their debut in February 2022. Prior to being a trio, the girls were first known as former members of the girl group GFriend.

According to their agency, the group name VIVIZ is an abbreviation of the members’ names and stood for “VIVId dayZ”, signifying the group’s desire to express their colors in the world.

Kicking off as a new team, VIVIZ released their first extended play Beam of Prism with the title song Bop Bop!” Within a week after their debut, the group immediately bagged their first ever music show award, making them the fastest girl group to do so, alongside IVE.

Aside from their wide range discography, VIVIZ also participated in the second season of MNet’s reality competition show, Queendom. There, the trio finished third place in the finale.

Featured image: The concept photo for the third album ‘VarioUS.’ Credit: Facebook/VIVIZ

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