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BTS singer J-Hope became the second member of BTS to be discharged from mandatory South Korean military service on Thursday (Oct. 17) after serving 18 months on duty. According to Reuters, Hope, 30, smiled and greeted his bandmate Jin and about 100 cheering fans and reporters when he walked out in uniform at a military base in Wonju, Gangwon province.
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Jin, who finished his service in June, was seen in videos hugging his pal while holding a giant bouquet of flowers. “Thanks to the fans, I was able to finish it [military service] safely, with good health,” Hope (born Jung Ho-seok) said. “What I’ve felt for the past year-and-a-half is that a lot of soldiers are working hard, dedicating themselves, and doing so much to protect the country.”
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According to the Korea Times, the dancer/rapper also thanked the citizens of Wonju for their support, saying, “During my 18 months of military service, I performed duties as an instructor and marched a lot, so I saw many Wonju citizens. I want to thank the citizens who greeted and cheered for the soldiers. It was very touching…
BTS went on hiatus in 2022 to allow the members time to pursue solo projects and complete their military hitches, with plans for them to regroup in 2025 once all seven men are discharged from duty.
ARMY shared a number of videos of J-Hope and Jin’s sweet reunion, commenting on how excited the two men seemed to be, as well as laughing at Jin’s impromptu gag of bending down to hold a phalanx of press microphones during his bandmate’s brief statement on Thursday.
The exciting reunion came a day after Jin announced the details of his upcoming debut solo album, Happy, which is due out on Nov. 15. The six-song mini-album will feature the focus track, “Running Wild,” as well as the upcoming pre-release single, “I’ll Be There,” as well as “Another Level,” “Falling,” “Heart on the Window” (feat. WENDY) and “I will come to you.”
BTS member Jin‘s long-awaited debut solo album finally has a release date and track list. The K-pop superstar’s first full-length venture outside the on-hiatus group’s orbit is called Happy and it is due out on Nov. 15.
The announcement was accompanied by a brightly colored, playful tracklist poster with the mini-LP’s title up top in big cartoony letters and the six tracks displayed in a variety of bright red, green and blue typefaces.
“Reflecting the title of the album, the tracklist poster exudes a lighthearted, joyful mood with colorful confetti-like dots and stars against a bright red backdrop,” read a statement. “It evokes the feeling of receiving a specially-adorned gift along with the phrase ‘TRUE HAPPINESS TRUE LOVE’ at the bottom of the poster, adding a heartfelt touch.”
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In addition to the focus track, “Running Wild,” the collection will include the pre-release single, “I’ll Be There,” which is due out on Oct. 25. The album will also feature “Another Level,” “Falling,” “Heart on the Window” (feat. WENDY)” and “I will come to you.” Jin collaborated with a number of other acts on the album, including Take That’s Gary Barlow, who co-produced and co-wrote “Running Wild.”
He also roped in Take and Toru from the Japanese rock band ONE OK ROCK to co-produce “Falling” (along with GHSTLOOP). “Happy reflects Jin’s honest contemplation on happiness, which holds significant importance to him,” according to a press release. “Embarking on a journey to find the true meaning of happiness, Jin aims to share a sense of warmth and comfort through a true, authentic expression of himself as a solo artist.”
To date, Jin, 31, has released the solo tracks “Super Tuna,” “Yours,” “Abyss,” “Awake,” “Tonight,” “Epiphany” and “Moon,” as well as contributing to the soundtracks of a number of Korean TV shows and collaborating with Coldplay on his debut solo single, 2022’s “The Astronaut.”
The oldest member of BTS, Jin was discharged from his mandatory South Korean military duty in June and his solo debut comes as ARMY eagerly await the rest of the band members finishing their required hitches in anticipation of BTS’ expected 2025 return.
Check out the tracklist poster for Happy below.
Fresh off releasing new album Spill the Feels led by the DJ Khaled-featuring single “LOVE, MONEY, FAME,” SEVENTEEN’s ongoing global takeover steps into the Big Apple as the K-pop powerhouses partner with Spotify for an exclusive pop-up experience made for their most loyal fans, affectionately known as Carats.
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Billboard can exclusively reveal details for Spotify x SEVENTEEN Present: Carat Station NYC, for Oct. 26 in Manhattan’s Soho neighborhood offering fans an in-person experience through their own whimsical, SEVENTEEN-themed world.
Like the band’s recent pop-up with Spotify in Seoul, the immersive experience will let local Carats explore a fantastical train station in the clouds with special, fan-centric details inside. Attendees can explore interactive kiosks and photo ops, including personalizing your light stick at the Charms Customization Station, indulging in Korean delicacies at the Dining Concourse, and exploring the Carat Street Flower Market that will be exclusive to the NY location.
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“K-pop is now a major global and growing genre on Spotify and our Carat Station pop-ups represent that,” Lucy Davidson, Lead Label Partnerships at Spotify, tells Billboard. “By bringing the activation to New York City, we’re showing SEVENTEEN’s fans around the world that we see them too…Spotify’s Music teams in Korea, the U.S. and Japan worked in lockstep to create unique events in each city that feel both authentic to that particular place and connected to the larger Carat fandom. That’s why you’ll see common threads throughout each experience, but unique elements as well — like the Flower Market kiosk in New York City.”
Spotify will send personal invitations to SEVENTEEN’s top listeners in the NYC area starting today (Oct. 16), and the event will be open to the public at a soon-to-be announced location. Fans can also make reservations which will be honored on a first-come, first-served basis. RSVP at this link here.
SEVENTEEN also shared an exclusive message with their fans reading on Billboard, saying, “Hi Carats! Thanks for stopping by Carat Station in Seoul this past week. We hope you had so much fun! New York, don’t worry! We have a surprise coming your way too. October 26. See you soon!”
“The Carat Station concept was inspired by the idea that the fan journey starts long before the concert begins,” Davidson adds. “Fandoms are built in the hours leading up to the ‘big moment,’ whether through streaming the music, exploring the artist’s stories, watching videos, or connecting with other fans. Every genre has a unique fandom and K-pop is no different. We know New York’s Carats will be looking for insider details in every corner and so we’ve done our best to deliver SEVENTEEN-specific references for them to discover throughout the experience.”
Carat Station NYC runs parallel to the upcoming U.S. leg of SEVENTEEN’s RIGHT HERE world tour that kicks off its U.S. leg with two shows at Chicago’s Allstate Arena on Oct. 22 before two dates at the UBS Arena in New York.
Get ready for Spotify x SEVENTEEN Present: Carat Station NYC with images from the recent Seoul experience below and check out Spotify’s SEVENTEEN WORLD TOUR [RIGHT HERE] playlist.
SEVENTEEN x Spotify Seoul
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SEVENTEEN x Spotify Seoul
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SEVENTEEN x Spotify Seoul
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SEVENTEEN x Spotify Seoul
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SEVENTEEN x Spotify NYC
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In a rare moment of emotional candidness for the K-pop industry, NewJeans member Hanni took to the floor of South Korea’s National Assembly on Tuesday (Oct. 15) to address the issue of workplace harassment and bullying. Testifying before the Labour Committee of South Korea’s National Assembly, the 20-year-old spoke about her and NewJeans’ experiences working under ADOR, the group’s sub-label that’s part of HYBE that also houses the labels supporting BTS, SEVENTEEN, LE SSERAFIM and more.
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Arriving at the Seoul court midday on Tuesday to a media frenzy of eager reporters and photographers, Hanni, who is Vietnamese-Australian, shared in her testimony that she felt undermined and ignored by her company’s management. Recalling the incident she had previously shared during NewJeans’ guerrilla livestream last month, Hanni described how a manager overseeing another K-pop act had instructed the artists to “ignore” the NewJeans singer.
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“We have a floor in our building where we do hair and makeup and, at that time, I was waiting in the hallway because my hair and makeup was done first,” Hanni shared, per the BBC, during the televised parliamentary audit. “I said hello to all of them, and then they came back about five or 10 minutes later. On her way out, [the manager] made eye contact with me, turned to the rest of the group, and said, ‘Ignore her like you didn’t see her.’ I don’t understand why she would say something like that in the work environment.”
Hanni says these incidents were not isolated but part of a broader pattern that left her and her bandmates feeling disrespected. She detailed additional instances where senior HYBE executives failed to acknowledge her.
“Since my debut, we ran into a person in a high-up position many times, but they never greeted me when I greeted them,” she said, sometimes through tears, in her testimony. “I understood from living in Korea that I have to be polite to older people and that’s part of the culture — but I think it’s just disrespectful as a human being to not greet us, regardless of our professional status. There was a certain vibe [of disrespect] that I felt within the company.” Adding that the incidents had her come “to the realization that this wasn’t just a feeling. I was honestly convinced that the company hated us.”
Representing HYBE during the hour-long hearing, current ADOR CEO Ju Young Kim (who replaced NewJeans creator Min Hee-jin as CEO after HYBE’s multiple requests to step down) said she would “listen more closely” to the artists. “I believe I did everything I could,” Kim responded. “But seeing that Hanni felt this way and that the situation escalated to this point, I wonder if there was more I could have done.”
“I was told that because there wasn’t any evidence, there was nothing that could be done,” Hanni explained, per The New York Times. The outlet added that Kim cited her decision based on differing accounts of what happened.
With the K-pop industry infamous for tightly controlled and high-pressure narratives between artists, companies and the media, Hanni’s direct testimony is a unique insight into an artist’s daily experiences beyond the spotlight that can signal hope toward more open conversations about accountability. South Korea’s Environment and Labor Committee of the National Assembly is currently investigating working conditions in the entertainment sector, where labor laws do not cover many performers. During the hearing, An Ho-young, the head of the panel, emphasized the need for lawmakers to safeguard the rights of entertainers.
According to the Korea JooAng Daily, Ju Young Kim, previously in a leadership position in HYBE’s human resources department, expanded on the complexity of handling artists and employees.
“My understanding is that artists are not defined as employees by the law,” she said when asked about anti-harassment regulations for company employees and artists, per Korea JooAng Daily. “We have an internal guidance policy where we explain how constituents, regardless of whether they are employees or not, should respect each other. We are holding regular training programs and using a lot of effort to form our corporate culture.” Kim added that artists cannot use HYBE’s company hotline to report workplace harassment but instead adhere to “an internal guidance policy where we explain how constituents, regardless of whether they are employees or not, should respect each other.”
While NewJeans have actively sided with Min Hee-jin in the executive’s ongoing power struggle with HYBE, Hanni expressed a more universal hope regarding the future of working in K-pop.
“I hope trainees don’t suffer these incidents and that’s why I decided to appear,” Hanni said, according to Reuters. “I know it’s not going to solve all the problems in the world, but if we just respect each other, at least there will be no problems with bullying and harassment in the workplace.”
K-pop boy band ENHYPEN will look to keep their chart winning streak going next month when they drop their second studio repackage album, ROMANCE : UNTOLD -daydream-. The collection due out on Nov. 11 from singers Jake, Jay, Heeseung, Jungown, Sunghoon, Sunoo and Ni-ki is the follow-up to July’s ROMANCE: UNTOLD, the group’s second full-length […]
K-pop boy band TOMORROW X TOGETHER are gearing up to release their seventh mini-album, The Star Chapter: SANCTUARY. The latest release from Soobin, Yeonjun, Beomgyu, Taehyun, and HueningKai is due out on Nov. 4, seven months after the group’s previous mini, minisode 3: TOMORROW. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, […]
LISA‘s “Moonlit Floor” has topped this week’s new music poll that features artists in various genres of music.
Music fans voted in a poll published Friday (Oct. 4) on Billboard, choosing the BLACKPINK singer’s new solo single as their favorite new music release of the past week.
“Moonlit Floor” brought in 96% of the vote on the poll, securing a very notable edge ahead of new releases from Coldplay (Moon Music), Finneas (For Cryin’ Out Loud!), the Joker: Folie à Deux soundtrack, James Bay (Changes All the Time), and others.
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LISA dropped “Moonlit Floor” after she debuted it live at Global Citizen Fest in September. The swoon-worthy song interpolates Sixpence None the Richer‘s hit “Kiss Me,” which reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1998. The single was on the group’s self-titled album, released in 1997.
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“Kiss me under the Paris twilight/ Kiss me out on the moonlit floor” the K-pop superstar sings in the ethereal chorus, replacing Sixpence None the Richer’s original lyric, “Kiss me beneath the milky twilight/ Lead me out on the moonlit floor.”
“Moonlit Floor” comes amid an exciting year for LISA, as the singer stepped into a new phase of her solo career outside of BLACKPINK with “Rockstar,” which debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard Global 200 and became her first-ever No. 1 hit on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. She also teamed up with Rosalía for a collaboration, “New Woman.”
Trailing far behind LISA on this week’s poll is Coldplay’s Moon Music, which brought in nearly 2% of the vote. The British band’s Max Martin-produced 10th album features a variety of collaborations, including including Jon Hopkins, Little Simz, Burna Boy, Ayra Starr, Elyanna and TINI. Coldplay’s latest album is a continuation of the group’s 2021 effort, Music of the Spheres, which opened at No. 4 on the Billboard 200.
See the final results of this week’s poll below. Check out Billboard‘s Friday Music Guide to catch up with more must-hear releases from this week.
How you like that! BLACKPINK‘s ROSÉ announced that her solo studio album, titled rosie, is set to arrive just in time for the holidays.
“I cannot believe I am finally announcing my first album release to you all,” wrote the K-pop star in an Instagram post featuring the album cover, a closeup of the singer that shows her lying down, blonde curls cascading around her face in waves as she looks at the viewer. In her caption, she goes on to explain that as BLACKPINK wrapped up its yearlong Born Pink World Tour, she found herself at a studio session in L.A., and spent the next year working on music with songwriters and producers, trying to figure out what was next for her.
“I fell asleep many nights feeling confused and lost. But with the support of my dear friends and family, my team, and of course my number ones, I am sat here today excited to announce the date of my album release,” shared the global star, revealing that her album will arrive on Dec. 6 via Atlantic Records. “I have poured my blood and tears into this album. I cannot wait for you to listen to this little journal of mine. Rosie – is the name I allow my friends and family to call me. With this album, I hope you all feel that much closer to me.”
Before signing off, she confirmed one big piece of information for BLINKs: “And yes, it’s a full length album.”
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According to the press release, ROSÉ coproduced and cowrote the album, which includes 12 tracks and is her “most personal and candid” project yet.
Aside from the K-pop supergroup’s world tour and working on her own music, ROSÉ has been busy the past year. Last September, she inspired a Tiffany’s capsule collection that included a locket, earrings and more; attended Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in February and sang along to all 10 minutes of “All Too Well”; partnered with Puma for a campaign in July and more.
ROSÉ isn’t the only member of BLACKPINK with new music. Bandmate LISA has been releasing new music in the past few weeks, including a collab with Rosalia called “New Woman,” as well as a new track titled “Moonlit Floor,” which she debuted at the Global Citizen Festival in NYC and arrives Oct. 3.
See ROSÉ’s album announcement and message below:
In one of the many unprecedented turn of events in K-pop this decade, the beloved girl group LOONA experienced an emotional split after terminating contracts with their label before each of the 12 members landed safely to pursue new K-pop paths. Alongside Chuu and Yves‘ new starts as soloists, to five members reconfiguring as Loossemble, the final step of these re-debuts came in ARTMS, consisting of LOONA stars HaSeul, HeeJin, Kim Lip, Choerry, and JinSoul coming together to rebrand themselves, reimagine their artistry and remember their roots as a new quintet.
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After releasing a series of solo and unit singles, the group launched their debut full-length album, DALL, to return the girls to the Billboard charts (main single “Virtual Angel” cracked the Top 10 on the World Digital Song Sales chart, while DALL itself landed in the Top 10 of World Albums), and to the delight of fans and critics alike (even earning a spot on Billboard critics’ Best K-Pop Albums of 2024 So Far list).
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Riding the exciting comeback success, the group is embarking on their ARTMS World Tour ‘Moonshot,’ which has already wrapped its North and South American legs. As they prepare to conquer Europe, Australia, and Asia this fall and winter, ARTMS is eager to reflect on their journey from LOONA to their current iteration.
Sitting down with Billboard at the New York office of The Orchard, ARTMS shine with a sense of unity, growth, and playfulness. HaSeul, more confident than ever in English, jokes about accidentally spoiling upcoming tour surprises, while HeeJin candidly confesses her hair is mostly extensions, JinSoul speaks about immersing herself into the A&R process, Choerry balances the group’s past with an exciting future, as Kim Lip looks ahead to what’s next for the group’s personal and professional lives.
Despite the challenges faced, ARTMS beam with a sense of pride over their collective growth and how they’ve taken control of their music and artistic direction. Here, the five idols discuss their creative evolution, navigating the K-pop industry post-LOONA, and their deep connection to the fans who have supported them every step of the way. Read on for more below alongside exclusive photos provided for Billboard.
I’m so proud to see ARTMS here in New York. Kim Lip, JinSoul, and Choerry toured as ODD EYE CIRCLE, but all five of you are here now. How do you feel about ARMTS’ first shows outside Asia?
HaSeul: I’m so excited and a little nervous too because it’s ARTMS’ first concert and tour.
HeeJin: Of course it feels great, and we have lots of thoughts on starting off strong as New York, a big city, is our first stop for this tour.
Congratulations on your first album, DALL, which got such great reactions. Was it a relief to get such a positive response?
Kim Lip: Since we’re releasing an album as ARTMS instead of LOONA, I was worried yet excited about how the public would react to our music. But we’re getting on the charts and receiving lots of attention, so we felt at ease, and I’m so happy to go on tour and meet with our fans.
HaSeul
Lauren Nakao Winn
How did you five come together and decide to move forward as ARTMS?
HaSeul: I was the last member to join ARTMS, but all five of us are very passionate about music. I think the members who came together and gathered [here] had the biggest will to bring ARTMS to life. When producing this album, I felt how sincere we all were about music…we had many solo and unit albums when we were promoting as LOONA, and you can see it as us continuing that identity. In a way, [ARTMS] can be seen as us taking back our identity. And since our skills are outstanding, we released solo, unit, and group albums.
It seems like you have more ownership and responsibility this time. There must have been pressure, but did it feel like you could share something more personal under ARTMS?
HeeJin: Usually, the company tells us what to do, but now, since we’re active players and debuting again, we wanted to work on the identity of ARTMS. We gave a lot of input in the songs and concepts. Our company took them positively and reflected them in our work, so I’d say it’s an album we produced all together.
I imagine reuniting with LOONA’s original producer, Jaden Jeong, must have been special. Was it fun to return to this production style?
JinSoul: We have had a storyline in our group [LOONA] and the fans like this aspect. We further developed the storyline by working again with Jaden Jeong, who [first] created this storyline — and it’s great to add ARTMS to it as well. While adding ARTMS’ colors, everything became more diverse. We maintained a bit of tradition for the fans, and it’s great to show more sides of us and go deeper.
HeeJin: I think fans love it the most that we’re going with the storylines and expanding onto it.
JinSoul
Lauren Nakao Winn
While we know about LOONA’s contract story, I’m more interested in how all 12 of you found strength and came out of it together?
JinSoul: The members share lots of conversations together. But during that time, we looked into what we could do and thought of methods to use to go through with it.
Kim Lip: The members cooperate well together, so we tend to respect each other’s opinions since we’re like a family. I think that’s how we came to a conclusion.
HeeJin: It’s also meaningless if we don’t do it together. So, we did it all together.
HaSeul: We are a family.
Putting the past to rest, if there are fans — whether they’re Orbits or OURII — who are still worried about you or want to check in, what words would you share with them?
HeeJin: We’re always simultaneously thankful and sorry to the fans. It took a lot of time for ARTMS to debut. Despite that, I’d like to thank the fans for waiting for us. There are also fans who became our fans as ARTMS debuted. We’ll promote more from now on, so please be at ease and keep an eye on us. Don’t worry…
Looking ahead, what are some of the special aspects of the Moonshot tour?
HaSeul: During our concerts in South Korea and Japan, we performed TWS’ “Plot Twist.” But for the USA, we prepared a different song to perform — “Cruel Summer” by Taylor Swift. I look forward to performing that song the most.
JinSoul: When we performed in Korea and Japan, we changed the choreography of “Sparkle” and “Flower Rhythm” for the concert version. Many fans looked forward to it after seeing the choreography video. We also do different ad-libs at different times, so I’m always looking forward to the various ad-libs we’ll do.
HeeJin: The setlists will be similar, but there are always impromptu changes during our concerts, so the fans can really look forward to it. In Japan, there was a moment we performed the same song twice and a time we’d suddenly go off-stage. I look forward to those kinds of impromptu moments. And, of course, I brought my guitar.
Kim Lip
Lauren Nakao Winn
How has it been reuniting with fans in the States?
Kim Lip: We just had a fansigning today. It was fascinating to hold new events like this fansign during this tour. There was one moment that I remember when one fan started to sing in front of us — the fans are very, how do I say this, open when it comes to expressing their feelings. They’re different from the fans in Korea. I really felt the way they so enthusiastically express their feelings this morning, and it makes me really look forward to our concerts.
HeeJin: That’s why I love it. Even if the fans in Korea really want to express themselves, they are very reserved. But on the other hand, fans in the U.S. openly show their support, so it excites us and gives us lots of strength.
Whether it’s your concerts or album production, what is ARTMS’ creative process nowadays?
HeeJin: We’ve been deeply participating in the process, but shall we start off with an answer from the main A&R member?
JinSoul: Jaden Jeong usually brings forward a lot of the music, but we look into the smallest details of the production. For example, we direct the vocals for each other or select the photos to be included in the album. We also selected the album cover design, hair colors, and styling. We participated in lyric writing this time, too. The company works on big tasks and we give our detailed inputs to showcase the best of us.
HeeJin
Lauren Nakao Winn
What are you really proud of to say you’ve worked on?
Kim Lip: We can proudly say that we wrote the lyrics for “Sparkle.” And the light stick!
HeeJin: We got ideas for the light stick and sent over drafts. The final design was our idea. And personally, during the “Virtual Angel” promotions, I wanted to dye my hair white because I thought an angel had a very white, bright image. So, even though I had to sacrifice my hair, I wanted to do it. I discussed it with my company and went on with it.
You’ve never been blonde; your hair looks great!
HeeJin: This is not my hair. [All Laugh] It’s extensions, my hair looks bad.
I’m sure your hair looks great. But from watching K-pop, it feels like the fans can give artists new chances today. Do you think the industry has changed from when you debuted to today?
Choerry: I definitely wouldn’t have expected this back then. We were very young. The situation the 12 of us went through was saddening, but I’m very satisfied with ARTMS right now. I’m happy to have released great songs with the members, my sisters. I also believe we have lots of time to spend with fans, so I hope we can have fun and come to them with better sides.
HaSeul: I’d say we were able to stand on stage again 100% because the fans were waiting for us. And it was made possible because we have fans. The reason why we look forward to the concerts on tour as the time went by is because we want to show a great performance to the fans who’ve been waiting for two years. We’re really looking forward to this tour.
Choerry
Lauren Nakao Winn
I loved HeeJin’s interview with InternetsNathan when she ranked every LOONA song. To give everyone the opportunity, I’d love for you to choose your “favOriTe” song released from LOONA solo days to ARTMS today.
HaSeul: I think “Virtual Angel.” Since the title song [single] is the song you listen to the most due to promotions, there are times you can get sick of it, but I like the song so much that I can listen to it in the car every day.
Kim Lip: “Hi High”? We had lots of solo and unit songs, but we went a long way to release the “Hi High” album. I think it was a relieving album for the members, staff, and fans who were waiting for a long time. I think it’s the most meaningful album; fans still love this song. I can call this my favorite.
HeeJin: I’m going to choose “Butterfly Effect” because ARTMS is starting anew with Jaden Jeong and he told us the story behind this song. It was one of the songs he wanted to release when we were LOONA. He held onto this song for six years and finally got it on the tracklist for DALL. The song feels like a continuation of LOONA to ARTMS. Some lyrics make you think of the past, so it became a song I love.
Choerry: I choose “Singing in the Rain.“ It’s my favorite song because, during concerts, it has a bursting beat and the sound is full and harmonious. And JinSoul’s vocals suit the song so it’s a song that I always wanted. It’s so good that I want to do a collab stage.
HeeJin: I want to do a collab stage for it too!
JinSoul: I choose “Butterfly.” I think this song really shows LOONA’s identity. When I look at past performances, there were times I looked shy, but I think this song was one I was most proud of. The choreography was amazing. It’ll be difficult for me to perform it again, but I think it was a synergy only we could show during that time.
Others: We can do it again! We can do it!
What can we look forward to from ARTMS from here, the tour, what’s next?
Kim Lip: ARTMS is…
All: Vacation! After tour…
Kim Lip: This is a secret, but I think we’ll prepare for the next ARTMS album after the tour. We don’t know the details, but I think it’ll be an album to really look forward to. But it’s not confirmed…
Both of those are important! Any last messages to fans if they couldn’t see you on tour this time?
HeeJin: Thank you so so much for waiting for us. Fans who attended our concerts will know, but even though we’re fewer members as ARTMS, you’ll be able to see perfect performances. We’ve become very experienced performers. Thank you so much for loving us and coming to see us. I hope the members stay healthy throughout the tour because we wish to promote the group to many people.
HeeJin, Kim Lip, HaSeul, JinSoul and Choerry of ARTMS
Lauren Nakao Winn
A trailblazer in fan communication, Dear U has officially begun the expansion of its messaging platform, Bubble, into the Western market with J Balvin and Peso Pluma.
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Billboard can exclusively share that starting Sept. 30, the Latin music powerhouses will be the “first of many artists outside of Asia” to engage with fans through Dear U’s newly launched U.S. version of the platform. The duo joins a large number of K-pop artists using the Bubble platform (also known as “the bubble”) to share private messages, voice notes, video content, and behind-the-scenes moments with subscribers including chart-toppin acts like Stray Kids, (G)I-DLE, BLACKPINK‘s Jisoo and Lisa, as well as a handful of Korean actors, athletes and content creators.
Since launching its artist-to-fan messaging service in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic era of social distancing, Dear U’s various Bubble apps have become a top marketing and social tool in the K-pop and Asian entertainment industries, currently connecting more than 600 artists to communicate directly with some of their most dedicated fans. With the company reporting over 73 percent of its two million paid subscribers living outside of Korea, introducing these two chart-toppers mark a significant shift to expand its offerings to the Western landscape successfully.
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“While the entertainment market continues growing, the service industry leveraging fandoms has not received as much attention,” Chong-oh An, the CEO of Dear U, tells Billboard. “In Korea, where fandom culture is fully established, Dear U has built a business model to harness this culture. Our aim is to introduce a fresh perspective to the global entertainment landscape and bring new excitement to fans around the world.”
While platforms like HYBE’s Weverse launched services like Weverse DM as a paid messaging service in 2023, Bubble was first to market in 2020 in launching the service for a slate of artists under the SM Entertainment roster. Dear U’s major shareholders are SM Entertainment (home to groups and Bubble users like NCT, aespa and Lucas) and JYP Entertainment (J.Y. Park, TWICE and ITZY), with the companies also featuring some of their international acts like SM’s China-focused boy band WayV and JYP’s Japan-based girl group NiziU partaking in the platform.
With a combined 13 No. 1s on the Hot Latin Songs chart, 50 Billboard Hot 100 entries between them, as well as highly dedicated fan engagement across their social media accounts, J Balvin and Peso Pluma are seen as ideal partners for Dear U’s next phase with Bubble.
“For me, it has always been important to be connected to my fans, La Familia,” says current Billboard cover star, J Balvin, in a statement. “I love reading comments and conversations so it’s exciting to communicate with fans no matter what their first language might be. This is why the Bubble is the perfect platform to keep in touch.”
“Peso Pluma wouldn’t exist without our dedicated fans who have supported us since the very beginning,” the 25-year-old Mexican rapper-singer adds. “Even though we don’t speak the same language, our music is crossing borders and I’m always excited to find new ways, such as through this partnership with Bubble, to connect with them.”
Teasing that Bubble’s services will “continue expanding into different genres across Western markets with major superstars,” the international, U.S. app can be downloaded here or for Android here. Fans can subscribe to an artist’s Bubble platform, which costs $4.99 per month per artist. Read on for more insight into Bubble’s big moment from Dear U’s CEO Chong-oh An.
Billboard: Congratulations on the latest news about the expansion and new offerings with Dear U. What does this moment signify for the company?
Chong-oh An: This moment signifies Dear U’s global expansion to the Western market. While the entertainment market continues growing, the service industry leveraging fandoms has not received as much attention. In Korea, where fandom culture is fully established, Dear U has built a business model to harness this culture. Our aim is to introduce a fresh perspective to the global entertainment landscape and bring new excitement to fans around the world.
Why were J Balvin and Peso Pluma the right partners to kick off the expansion?
Both of these artists are extremely popular, beloved, and influential. But they also bring unique cultural significance and strong fan engagement to the table. J Balvin and Peso Pluma frequently interact with their followers on social media, creating a sense of community and loyalty that aligns perfectly with Dear U’s mission to enhance artist-fan communication.
J Balvin and Peso Pluma are huge names in the Latin market and community. Was there a specific reason you wanted to team with Latin artists after primarily focusing on Asian and K-pop talent?
Our goal is to help connect artists with their loyal fans around the world, regardless of genre or market. Latin music has truly gone global over the past few years, and we are providing a platform to connect these passionate fanbases. J Balvin’s contributions to the global reggaeton movement and Peso Pluma’s fresh influence in regional Mexican music will help the platform cater to not only a large number of fans, but also a wide array of music tastes, languages, and cultural backgrounds. They will help us break barriers with fan connection.
Dear U’s story is interesting because it launched Bubble in 2020 when the digital conversation was so prevalent, yet the company continues to expand today. What did the pandemic teach you?
The pandemic required us to create innovative ways to connect artists and fans that we’ve continued to use today. Because artists have fans across the world and can’t always be physically present to engage with them, we’re proud to help bridge that gap and create connection.
In your opinion, what’s a very special or highly engaging moment an artist can have on their Bubble compared to traditional social media platforms?
Artists see their bubble subscribers as true superfans. With bubble, they can share intimate moments – from behind-the-scenes photos, selfies, and audio messages to polls about dinner or outfit choices. Even during [professional] breaks, artists can maintain this closeness by sharing personal snapshots, like photos from family trips. More than public social media, this exclusive content fosters a more personal and intimate connection, allowing fans to feel included in their favorite artist’s life.