K-Pop
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V may be about to embark on his solo career, but that doesn’t mean he can’t bring a buddy with him. In a couple dozen new concept photos previewing his upcoming debut album Layover, the BTS band member costars alongside his pet dog, Yeontan. In some of the snaps, V — real name Kim Tae-hyung […]
Jung Kook is showing off his sensual side with Calvin Klein. The BTS star appears in the brand’s Fall 2023 campaign focused on confidence, playfulness and, of course, feeling sexy. In the 30-second clip shot by fashion-photographer duo Inez & Vinoodh and soundtracked by Gary Numan‘s 1980 Hot 100 top 10 hit “Cars,” the 25-year-old […]
V‘s solo song “Love Me Again” has topped this week’s new music poll. Music fans voted in a poll published Friday (Aug. 11) on Billboard, choosing the BTS member’s soothing R&B track as their favorite new music release of the past week. “Love Me Again” brought in 97% of the vote, beating out new music […]
08/13/2023
The history-making girl group leveled up the next leg of their Born Pink tour and honored their seventh anniversary from earlier this week.
08/13/2023
Dior has found its latest brand ambassadors in the boys of TOMORROW X TOGETHER. The luxury fashion house announced its partnership with the K-pop group on Thursday (Aug. 10), with each member slated to work with the brand. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “Dior is pleased […]
Another BTS solo single is in the books! V, who previously announced that he will release his debut solo album at the end of the summer, released the project’s first track “Love Me Again” in tandem with a music video on Wednesday (Aug. 9). The intimate visual for the song never strays too far away […]
BTS‘ V is the latest member of the superstar K-pop group to announce a solo album. BIGHIT Music announced on Tuesday (Aug. 8) that V’s debut solo effort, Layover, will drop on Sept. 8. The collection will feature six tracks: “Rainy Days,” “Blue,” “Love Me Again,” “Slow Dancing,” For Us” and a bonus track piano version of “Slow Dancing.”
In a release announcing the collection, BIGHIT suggested that ARMY listen to the album’s tracks in order, from 1-5, noting that “Slow Dancing” is the focus track of the collection, describing it as a “1970s romantic soul style track [that] exudes a laid-back and free-spirited feeling.”
The announcement was accompanied by a 15-second visualizer in which a series of packages featuring the album float onto the balcony of an apartment building, ending with the album title in all-cap white letters — with the V rendered in purple — filling the screen.
“Love Me Again” is described as a “captivating R&B track that highlights V’s low pitch voice,” while “For Us,” is a “pop R&B track that serves as an epilogue, stirring up deep emotions with V’s vocals and unique lyrics.” All five album tracks will have official videos.
V worked with NewJeans creative director/ADOR president Hee Jin Min on the album, with BIGHIT revealing that Min oversaw the entire production of the collection, including music, choreography, design and promotion. V’s previous solo efforts include “Stigma,” “Singularity,” “Winter Bear” and “Inner Child”; his most recent original solo songs are 2021’s “Christmas Tree,” which was on the soundtrack of the Netflix K-drama Our Beloved Summer and last year’s version of the holiday classic “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas.”
The announcement about V’s album comes just after BIGHIT confirmed that Suga has begun his military enlistment process, becoming the third member to enlist in South Korea’s mandatory military service, following Jin and J-Hope.
Check out the Layover teaser below.
HYBE’s growing roster of K-pop groups and a heavy touring schedule helped revenue improve 21.2% to 621 billion won ($472 million) in the second quarter of 2023, the South Korea company announced on Tuesday (Aug. 8). Revenue for the six-month period surpassed 1 trillion won ($760 million) for the first time in the company’s history.
Strong album sales by Seventeen and Tomorrow X Together led HYBE to 22.7 million albums in the first half of 2023 and put the entertainment business on pace to far surpass sales of 22.2 million and 15 million in calendar 2022 and 2021, respectively.
Seventeen’s 10th Mini Album ‘FML’ sold 3.99 million units globally on its first day of release and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart dated May 13. Nine years after Seventeen’s debut, the group’s fandom “is growing significantly, which is leading to selling out and reprinting of older albums as the group is attracting much attention,” CEO Ji-won Park said during the earnings call.
Tomorrow X Together sold 3.54 million albums in the quarter. NewJeans accounted for 2.1 million units and nabbed its first No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with the Get Up EP. Le Sserafim sold 1.9 million units and Enhypen moved 1.8 million units. HYBE’s sixth- and seventh-best-selling artists were solo members of BTS: Jimin sold 1.6 million units and Agust D sold 1.3 million units.
A revitalized global concert business and more artists on tour helped HYBE’s concert revenue improve 85.4% to 157.5 billion won ($120 million). Suga attracted 290,000 fans to 28 concerts in 10 cities across South Korea, the United States, Southeast Asia and Japan. HYBE plans to have 111 concerts by seven artists in 2023, almost double the 59 concerts by four artists in 2022.
Merchandise and licensing revenue improved 13.3% to 111.9 billion won ($85 million). Contents revenue dropped 28.1% to 50.8 billion won ($39 million) while fan clubs and other indirect revenue grew 29.4% to 21.8 billion won ($17 million).
Despite the strong demand for its artists’ albums and concerts, HYBE’s operating profit declined 7.9% to 88.3 billion won ($67 million), however, and operating margin as a percent of revenue dropped to 13.1% from 17.2% in the prior-year period. CFO Kyung-Jun Lee attributed the decline to expenses related to BTS’s Festa concert in June to celebrate the group’s tenth anniversary and “substantial investment” in Weverse Con festival, also in June. Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization declined 1.2% to 106.4 billion won ($81 million).
Weverse, HYBE’s in-house social media platform, finished the second quarter with a record 9.5 million monthly active users, up 200,000 MAUs from 9.3 million in the first quarter and more than 50% greater than the 6 million MAUs in the second quarter of 2022. In the second quarter, Weverse launched a payment method called Jelly; Weverse DM, a subscription-based private chat service that allows fans to exchange messages with artists; and Fan Letter, a feature that allows fans to write and decorate messages to artists.
Shares of HYBE rose as much as 4.6% to 287,000 won ($218.03) on the South Korea Stock Exchange Tuesday morning. As of Monday’s closing price, HYBE’s share price had gained 58.2% year to date.
BLACKPINK is celebrating seven years as a group, and Rosé took to Instagram on Monday (Aug. 7) to honor the exciting anniversary. “Thank you, Blackpink for being such a blessing in my life. I have really been able to experience everything and more than what I have ever dreamed of growing up as an aspiring […]
BTS‘ Suga is about to become a military man. BigHit announced on Monday (Aug. 7) that Suga has begun the process initiate his mandatory military service in South Korea.
“We would like to inform our fans that SUGA has initiated the military enlistment process by applying for the termination of his enlistment postponement,” BigHit said in a statement posted to Weverse, promising to keep ARMY informed with any updates.
“We ask you for your continued love and support for SUGA until he completes his military service and safely returns,” the statement concluded. “Our company will spare no effort in providing support for our artist.”
South Korea had initially passed a bill in 2020 that allowed the members of BTS to postpone their mandatory service until they reached age 30. The country’s laws state that citizens are required to enlist between the ages of 18 and 28.
The announcement comes just one day after the K-pop star wrapped up the Asian leg of his Agust D-DAY tour in support of his solo album, D-DAY, which he released under his stage name Agust D. The trek ended with three shows — from Aug. 4 to 6 — at Seoul’s KSPO Dome.
After his performance, Suga appeared on Weverse live to chat with fans. “I came to say hi after my last concert,” he said. After showing off his tattoo at a fan’s request, the artist become a bit emotional when talking about the end of his trek.
“I think I had a fun tour the last couple of months. I really don’t cry,” he said before reflecting on the last decade. “Those past 10 years went by like a film. I started crying from then.”
As his live chat came to an end, he seemed to hint at his upcoming enlistment, though he did not specifically talk about it. “I think it’s a lie if I say ‘soon,’” he told viewers. “Let’s see each other in 2025, OK? Please wait a little bit,” he concluded in his message to ARMY. “2025. See you then!”
BigHit initially announced in October 2022 that the members of BTS — which also includes RM, V, Jin, Jung Kook, J-Hope and Jimin — would be unable to perform together as a whole group until 2025 as the individual members complete their mandated military service. Jin was first to enlist, followed by J-Hope.