Hybe CEO pledges stability; Ador ex-CEO vows to continue legal fight

Following the Seoul Central District Court's dismissal Tuesday of ousted Ador CEO Min Hee-jin's injunction request for her reinstatement as chief executive of the label home to girl group NewJeans, Hybe CEO Lee Jae-sang sent an email to employees the same day pledging to prioritize stabilizing operations at Ador. In the email, Lee described the court’s ruling as a "turning point" and expressed optimism in the clarity it brings to resolving issues that have emerged over

K-popOct. 30, 2024

Court dismisses injunction by ex-ADOR head Min seeking reinstatement as CEO

A Seoul court on Tuesday dismissed an injunction request by the former CEO of K-pop label ADOR seeking to be reinstated to her position, amid the ongoing dispute with ADOR's parent company, Hybe. Min filed for the injunction last month as she contested the board's decision to remove her from the job over Hybe accusing her of attempting to take control of ADOR and its flagship group, NewJeans. Min has denied the claims. The Seoul Central District Court said it was dismissing the case as

K-popOct. 29, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] NewJeans surpasses 600m Spotify streams with debut single

NewJeans hit the 600-million mark on Spotify with “Hype Boy,” agency Ador said Tuesday citing the platform. “Hype Boy” is one of the focus tracks from its namesake debut album released in August 2022. The single is the group’s fourth song to reach the milestone, after “OMG,” “Ditto” and “Super Shy.” It was the first song from the quintet to generate 100 million plays on the platform, doing so in 98 days. NME magazine picked it fir

K-popOct. 29, 2024

Hybe apologizes over controversial internal documents, reassigns writer

Hybe CEO Lee Jae-sang on Tuesday apologized over the recent disclosure of an internal document that contained controversial remarks about K-pop artists. The document, intended for Hybe executives as part of an industry trends review on a weekly basis, surfaced during a National Assembly audit on Thursday and has since sparked widespread backlash. “I bow my head in apology to the artists, industry colleagues and fans affected by the language used in our monitoring document, which was highli

K-popOct. 29, 2024

Kyuhyun to drop 1st solo LP 'Colors'

Kyuhyun is set to release his first full-length solo album, marking a decade since his solo debut. Kyuhyun’s agency Antenna announced his first LP "Colors" with a teaser image on the agency's official social media channels. The album is scheduled for release on Nov. 27. Known for his warm and steady vocals, Kyuhyun is a member of the veteran boy group Super Junior and a beloved ballad singer. The upcoming album will be Kyuhyun's first full-length album since his solo de

PerformanceOct. 29, 2024

Rose’s ‘APT.’ sets record for women in K-pop

Rose’s single “APT.,” a collaboration with Bruno Mars, debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart dated Nov. 2, marking a new record for female K-pop artists. According to Billboard, “APT.” is the first song by a female K-pop artist to enter the Hot 100’s top 10 chart. Previously, the highest-charting track by a K-pop female act was Blackpink's "Ice Cream," a collaboration with Selena Gomez that peaked at No. 13. Only BTS, its members Jimin

K-popOct. 29, 2024

Seventeen’s Seungkwan releases lengthy message amid Hybe controversy over internal documents

Seventeen’s Seungkwan posted a lengthy message on social media Tuesday complaining about the treatment of pop stars here. The post was considered by some readers to be a criticism of Hybe, following a controversy surrounding an internal document disclosed during a National Assembly audit. The document included derogatory remarks about the physical appearance of K-pop artists. Seventeen is under Pledis Entertainment, a subsidiary of Hybe, and Seungkwan's remarks can be seen as the firs

K-popOct. 29, 2024

J.Y. Park to return with new song, concert

J.Y. Park, the head of K-pop powerhouse JYP Entertainment, is set to close the year with a new song and concert. JYP Entertainment unveiled a teaser image for J.Y. Park's new digital single, "Easy Lover," via social media channels on Monday. This song, celebrating his 30th anniversary in the industry, follows his 1980s-inspired synth-pop single "Changed Man," released in November 2023, and will be his first in about a year. Actors Cha Joo-young, known from the Netflix hi

PerformanceOct. 29, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] BTS’ Jungkook logs record 2 billion Spotify streams

Jungkook of BTS surpassed 2 billion plays on Spotify with single “Seven (feat. Latto),” according to the platform. The solo single reached the milestone in 467 days, which is both a new record for an Asian artist and the fourth shortest time globally. It also dethroned Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers,” the previous holder of the record for a song released last year. Jungkook has been breaking multiple records on the music platform as a solo artist and most recently, became

K-popOct. 28, 2024

When two worlds collab: K-pop flexes power with global stars

Collaborations between K-pop idols and global pop stars have evolved into a mutually beneficial relationship that elevates both sides in unprecedented ways. Once seen primarily as a strategy for K-pop stars to break into Western markets, these partnerships now enable major pop icons to harness the power of K-pop fandoms -- known for their intensity, organization and unwavering dedication. K-pop fans, renowned for their streaming efforts and coordinated promotions, have become a valuable asset fo

K-popOct. 28, 2024

Taeyeon to release new album ‘Letter To Myself’ in November

Taeyeon of the legendary K-pop girl group Girls' Generation will release her sixth EP, “Letter To Myself,” on Nov. 18. She posted a short clip teasing her upcoming release on her official YouTube channel on Monday. The clip shows Tayeon writing a letter in front of a window in a room. The album features six tracks, including title track "Letter To Myself." This album comes approximately a year after her previous release, “To. X,” which continues to enjoy re

K-popOct. 28, 2024

Rose's 'Apt.' redefines K-pop's global appeal

Rose’s hit single “Apt.,” featuring Bruno Mars, may signal a new direction for K-pop’s global reach as it dominates streaming charts worldwide. Music critics describe the song as “intuitive” with a strong hook, appealing to listeners of all ages. According to The Black Label, Rose’s agency, on Friday, the chart-topping single surpassed 100 million streams on Spotify within seven days of its release. This marks the fastest such achievement for a female K-

K-popOct. 27, 2024

SM founder Lee Soo-man is back with A2O Entertainment

K-pop pioneer Lee Soo-man, founder and former chief producer of SM Entertainment, is throwing his hat back in the ring. A2O Entertainment, Lee's newest agency, recently unveiled a one-minute promotional clip on its official YouTube channel, showcasing 15 trainees organized into three distinct groups by age and gender. A2O Entertainment positions itself as a collaborative global artist development platform where trainees are taught in these groups. “Throughout their training, the rooki

K-popOct. 27, 2024

[Herald Interview] K-pop’s 'best years are ahead of us': Spotify’s general manager for Asia Pacific

Countering concerns of many local music critics who believe K-pop has already reached the peak of its growth, Gautam Talwar, Spotify’s general manager for Asia-Pacific, suggests that K-pop’s best years are yet to come. “We’re a data-driven platform and our data suggests that the best years are ahead of us. More Korean artists are being discovered than ever before, more streams are being generated than ever, and more royalties are being generated for the Korean music indus

K-popOct. 26, 2024

Blackpink Rose's 'APT.' hits No. 4 on British singles chart

"APT.," a new song released by Blackpink's Rose in collaboration with global superstar Bruno Mars, ranked No. 4 on Britain's Official Singles Chart this week, hitting the highest-ever spot by a K-pop female musician. The song, a prerelease track for Rose's upcoming solo album, claimed the fourth spot, following "Taste" by Sabrina Carpenter, "Sailor Song" by Gigi Perez, and "Die with a Smile" by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars, according to the ch

K-popOct. 26, 2024

FT Island's Choi Min-hwan under investigation for allegedly soliciting prostitution

FT Island's Choi Min-hwan is under police investigation following allegations of soliciting prostitution, Friday. The Gangnam Police Station confirmed on Friday that it has launched an internal investigation into Choi on charges related to the Act on the Punishment of Arrangement of Commercial Sex Acts. The case began after a complaint was filed through the national petition platform. The allegations first came to light when Choi’s ex-wife, Yulhee, a former member of girl group La Bou

Social AffairsOct. 25, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Ateez will be back on Nov. 15

Ateez will bring out 11th EP “Golden Hour: Part 2” on Nov. 15, said agency KQ Entertainment Friday. It is the second installment for its “Golden Hour” series that began with previous EP, which came out in May and hit Billboard 200 at No. 2 and stayed on it for seven weeks straight, a record for the eight-piece act. The band has set the bar high for the upcoming album, having placed its all four preceding albums among top three on the main albums chart including the second

K-popOct. 25, 2024

Hybe retracts statement after National Assembly audit controversy

After being embroiled in controversy related to internal documents disclosed during a National Assembly audit, Hybe faced additional criticism for issuing a statement before the audit was officially closed. During Thursday’s comprehensive audit of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee, Democratic Party lawmaker Rep. Min Hyung-bae revealed an internal Hybe report titled "Weekly Music Industry Report." This report is issued weekly to C-level executives of Hybe and its affiliate

K-popOct. 25, 2024

Jin of BTS to hold solo fan showcase next month

BTS's eldest member Jin will celebrate the release of his solo album with fans. According to the singer's agency, Big Hit Music, Jin will hold a fan showcase titled "Jin 'Happy' Special Stage" on Nov. 16-17 at the Jangchung Arena in Jung-gu, Seoul. Events will also be live-streamed for international fans. During the showcase, Jin will perform tracks from his solo album "Happy," which is set to be released on Nov. 15. He will also share behind-the-scenes st

K-popOct. 25, 2024

Hybe COO denies Illit plagiarized NewJeans, Hybe chart manipulation allegations

Belift Lab CEO Kim Tae-ho, who also serves as Hybe’s chief operating officer, has refuted allegations that his company's rookie girl group Illit plagiarized NewJeans' concept. "It is not true that Belift Lab plagiarized NewJeans. As the CEO of Belift Lab, I would like to state that we have filed a civil lawsuit and pressed charges against former Ador CEO Min Hee-jin regarding this issue,” Kim said during a National Assembly audit on Thursday. “We are awaiting the

K-popOct. 24, 2024