K-Pop
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Jennifer Lopez adds some bite to the bossa nova of her This Is Me… Now track “This Time Around” with a new remix featuring K-pop girl group (G)I-DLE. The refresh that dropped on Friday morning (March 15) features the singer/actress’ original verses about laying all her cards out, not playing around and making a love […]
Although it’s been just under two years since J-Hope launched Jack in the Box, his debut studio album, and the BTS member is already gearing up for two massive new projects. On Wednesday (March 13), the “Chicken Noodle Soup” rapper unveiled the main trailer for his upcoming Hope on the Street docuseries, which will arrive […]
BTS‘ SUGA — aka Agust D — has unveiled the trailer for his upcoming concert film SUGA | Agust D Tour ‘D-Day’ The Movie. In the minute-long clip, shared to YouTube Tuesday (March 12), the 31-year-old K-pop star passionately performs onstage in front of thousands of singing, dancing and jumping fans at KSPO Dome in […]
It’s the evening at the end of a typically packed week for Stray Kids, but the four-time Billboard 200 chart-toppers are unquestionably buzzing to discuss one of their big first projects in 2024, which they’ve deemed “the year of giving.”
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In the seven days ahead of this interview, Stray Kids members Felix, Seungmin and I.N. all attended different Paris Fashion Week shows — with Felix making his runway debut walking for Louis Vuitton in the luxury brand’s ready-to-wear 2024/2025 collection presentation — Han dropped a new song “13” via the group’s YouTube channel, Bang Chan also revealed his English song “Eternity” and its accompanying video on YouTube as Nylon Japan premiered a striking fashion film tied to his new magazine cover, and the entire group continued preparations for their upcoming fan-meeting concert “SKZ’S MAGIC SCHOOL” taking place at the end of March. Even when Bang Chan notes that “the Kids sometimes can be shy” in having all eight members discuss their latest endeavors, what comes through in both their full-group cheering responses is the vibrant assurance that SKZ are aiming to deliver something to touch both their beloved STAY fandom and global audiences at large.
Alongside three fellow superstar acts under their JYP Entertainment label, Stray Kids teamed up with Coca-Cola in late February for its new Coca-Cola K-Wave Zero Sugar drop that not only introduces a new “Fruity Fantasy” flavor but looks to honor the international K-pop fandom. The guys join ITZY, NMIXX, plus JYP Entertainment founder J.Y. Park for the Coca-Cola Creations joint single “Like Magic.” which was produced by Park, has Bang Chan credited as a vocal arranger, and Changbin as co-writer.
In addition to the new flavor and music video, the collab is delivering limited-edition apparel and accessories including a special lightstick, digital photo cards, a mobile “fan music video AI experience” via the Coca-Cola Creations microsite, all capped off with the K-Wave Concert for Inkigayo, scheduled for June 2 that promises to host JYP talent and other top K-pop names including Stray Kids, ITZY, NMIXX and more.
“The experience starts with an amazing Coca-Cola Zero Sugar taste accompanied by a dash of fruity K-pop magic,” adds Oana Vlad, the senior director of Global Strategy at the Coca-Cola Company. “We are excited to celebrate one of the most passionate fan communities in the world and create new experiences that we hope will bring Coca-Cola magic to fans across the globe.”
Looking ahead to the K-Wave Concert and the year that the group already confirmed will include — and you might need to a breath to take it all in — a fan-meeting concert, third world tour, an album, a “special” album, pop-up stores and loads more digital content, Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Han, Hyunjin, Felix, Seungmin and I.N. gave Billboard some additional insight into their first major 2024 project and what else is coming.
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Congratulations on launching this new campaign for the Coca-Cola K-Wave Zero Sugar. I think the first order of business is to know if you’ve tried it and what you think of this new flavor?
All: Yeah, tastes good!!!
Hyunjin: It’s really very nice. The taste was refreshing, a little like bubblegum, and a somewhat cloudy or misty feeling.
Seungmin: One of the best Cokes in the world.
You and several of your JYP Entertainment artists participated in this campaign that honors K-pop fandom. What’s your overall take on it?
Bang Chan: You know how you just mentioned how this campaign “honors K-pop fandom,” right? But it’s really an honor for us to be able to be in the campaign that honors K-pop fandom, you know what I mean? I feel like it’s just really a good opportunity for not only us, but the other artists in JYP to really spread out the word about K-pop and, that itself is just something that we are very honored to do. And hopefully, people out there can really look forward to the K-pop wave.
Changbin: I usually drink one or two Cokes a day—two Zero Cokes a day, that is! I’m so happy to be able to host this campaign with the actual drink and our JYP family; I think it’s very meaningful. I believe that Zero Coke can unite us all—K-pop fans, JYP family, and Stray Kids. I’m looking forward to continuing that love.
You all participated in the song and video for “Like Magic” alongside J.Y. Park, ITZY, and NMIXX. Changbin wrote alongside JYP, and Bang Chan is a vocal arranger. What was the process of working together?
Bang Chan: Vocal arranging is something that I’ve always done, especially with our own music and everything. But JYP himself was like, “Oh, Chan, you can just direct by yourself; you know the members better than I do, so just get all the vocals done.” And then with like the tuning, editing, the arranging — I figured that out myself as well, and it was a pretty cool experience because usually, we work on music on our own, but to do it for someone else like JYP, it was a great honor, and it was overall very, very fun.
Changbin: When I first heard the song, it was quite new and had kind of a fun feeling to me. So, I was really contemplating and thinking a lot about how to reflect and meld my rap style on it. I’m really happy that the results seemed really fine and Mr. JYP also said he’s happy with that. Also, getting to work with him after a long time, I was really thrilled because it’s been a while since I worked with him as the producer.
Moving from the production, how was it to collaborate on a song with so many of your fellow JYP artists?
Bang Chan: Our company is very much a “family-ship,” you know what I mean? We all looked out for each other, and having a chance to work on something together was really, really fun. I mean, we didn’t actually get to see each other at the music video set and everything — because everyone’s schedules are very, very busy and different — but it kind of felt like as if we were doing like JYP Nation [the name for company-wide JYP Entertainment songs or concerts].
Some of the members spent time as kids in different countries. Are there any special Coke flavors you remember loving as kids?
Felix: When I was younger, I remember drinking a lot of Vanilla…
All: Wow!!!
Felix: I remember I was at a party one time, there was a whole crate of Vanilla Coke and I was drinking, like, six at a time. I think that’s my biggest memory and that was with Vanilla Coca-Cola.
Coca-Cola also announced a K-Wave Concert for Inkigayo scheduled for June 2, where you will perform. Is there a chance fans can look forward to new Stray Kids music by then?
Bang Chan: It’s only March and we have so much to do for this year. Look, Jeff, I’m not going to spoil too much, but we have a lot prepared. I’m pretty sure you’re going to be surprised, but I can say we have many things prepared — very different from what we’ve done so far. So, hopefully, people out there can really, I guess, take it all in with our stuff that we’re going to come out with and everything goes well. Hopefully, STAYs really enjoy what we are going to bring out and 2024 can be another great year for Stray Kids.
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To expand slightly, the “2024 STEP OUT” video teased a lot. Is there anything else you can share?
Bang Chan: We’ll let your imagination get you there. [Laughs]
Fair enough. What else do we need to know as you begin 2024 with this first big collaboration?
Bang Chan: We’re always processing everything, but we’re just really confident and feel really great that we have STAYs out there because it’s all because of them that we’re getting all these great results. It’s a gift from STAY, and we just want to create more gifts for STAYs out there — 2024 is “the year of giving.” Hopefully, us Stray Kids can give more to not only STAYs, but to everyone out there. So, thank you Billboard for everything, and thanks to Coca-Cola for giving us this great experience and opportunity to work on a very great campaign.
Felix: And we look forward to the future! Today was very fun having to answer a lot of good questions and talk about the Coca-Cola campaign; it was great to get in-depth with it. We just hope that our messages can very clearly spread to the world and show a lot of positivity. We hope that [everyone] can enjoy this year’s Coca-Cola K-Wave edition — just can’t wait.
V is giving fans a first look at “FRI(END)S.” The BTS member unveiled a preview of the official music video for his new solo single, plus a set of concept photos for the song, on Saturday (March 9). Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The 35-second teaser […]
SM Entertainment’s publishing subsidiary, Kreation Music Rights (KMR), announced it has signed 86 songwriters to its roster since launching in September. The fast-growing music publisher also announced plans to expand into Europe and North America. The company says its “top priority” is to recruit top songwriters around the globe, not just writers within SM Entertainment’s […]
The minds behind acts like BTS and BLACKPINK know a thing or two about minting global stars — and Western companies are starting to take note.
NewJeans brought the fun to Billboard’s Women in Music event on Wednesday night (March 6), where they took the stage to perform a high-energy mash-up of “OMG” and their viral hit, “Super Shy,” before accepting the Group of the Year award. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news […]
Adding to an arsenal of fashion partnerships such as Dior and Cartier, Jisoo is the new face of Self-Portrait, marking several firsts for the BLACKPINK superstar and the London-based fashion house.
Following previous Self-Portrait muses such as Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Gigi Hadid, Emily Ratajkowski, Irina Shayk, Bella Hadid, Kate Moss and Phoebe Dynevor, the news not only marks the brand’s first time having a musician front the accessible line since its 2013 founding, but also serves as Jisoo’s first contemporary fashion campaign following the February announcement of her own label and agency, Blissoo.
Billboard has a look at the Spring/Summer 2024 collection, including an exclusive photo of Jisoo in a blue dress from the campaign. Captured in South Korea by photographer Yoon JiYong (who shot the artwork for Jisoo’s ME solo album, her 2023 ELLE Korea cover, as well as lensed her bandmates Rosé, Lisa and other top K-pop stars), Self-Portrait founder and creative director Han Chong describes Jisoo’s campaign in a press release as showcasing “her beauty, both inside and out, to be front and center of this first series of portraits we shot together in Seoul.”
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BLACKPINK self-portrait
©self-portrait/Yoon JiYong
Chong notes that the collaboration is a natural step after first connecting with Jisoo around BLACKPINK’s debut in 2016.
“We first started dressing Jisoo over seven years ago, sparking a relationship that we hope will continue for many more years to come,” he tells Billboard. “Aside from the pieces she has worn on and off stage, my favorite moment has to be when we were together on set for this shoot — Jisoo gravitated towards her favorite pieces immediately, and so we let her choose what she wanted to wear for the campaign. It needed to feel real and authentic to where Jisoo is in her life right now, and for me, knowing that she felt like the best version of herself brought me such satisfaction and joy.”
Citing Jisoo’s “Flower” and BLACKPINK’s “Pink Venom” and “Shut Down” as favorites, Chong adds that the goal is “wanting to capture Jisoo in an honest and authentic way — it’s our take on modern portraiture. She is evolving into her next chapter as an independent artist, and there is something so empowering about that. I hoped to shine a light on Jisoo on this important moment in her life and career.”
Chong says Jisoo’s indie move — which includes a renewed contract for BLACKPINK under YG Entertainment — influenced the timing to officially team with Jisoo for the accessibly priced fashion line, which has been worn by musicians including Beyoncé, Alicia Keys, Rosalía, Olivia Rodrigo and BLACKPINK.
“When it comes to our campaign casting, I’m always inspired by women who inspire our audience and women who are truly themselves,” says the Penang, Malaysia–born creative. “It’s something which has become a constant thread running through our campaigns. We then look to tailor each campaign or creative to the face of that moment, making it a celebration of the personality which we hope shines through in the images. With Jisoo, I was really interested in where she is on her journey, stepping into solo projects and celebrating her transition into independence. The first set of images captured through a series of portraits bring to life her journey into womanhood.”
The items Jisoo showcases — including the pale-pink sequin minidress with black trim, the orange and pink rhinestone embellished minidress and the blue minidress with the very appropriate flower embellishments — are all available online, in Self-Portrait stores globally and through its international network of retailers as part of the new collection.
See photos from Jisoo’s Self-Portrait campaign below:
Jisoo for self-portrait
©self-portrait/Yoon JiYong
Jisoo for self-portrait
©self-portrait/Yoon JiYong
K-pop giant HYBE purchased 868,948 shares of SM Entertainment, the company behind such acts as aespa and NCT 127, for approximately 104.3 billion won ($78 million) after SM founder Lee Soo-man exercised an option to sell the shares, HYBE announced in a Feb. 28 regulatory filing. The purchase concludes a transaction that briefly created a […]