BTS' 'Map of the Soul: 7' tops Billboard 200 album chart

"Map of the Soul: 7," the new album from K-pop super band BTS, landed atop the Billboard 200 chart this week in a history-making fourth No. 1 victory for the band on the American album list, Billboard said Monday (Korean time). "'Map of the Soul: 7' storms in atop the chart with 422,000 equivalent album units earned in the US in the week ending Feb. 27," the pop music magazine said on its website, citing data from Nielsen Music/MRC Data. Of the total, 347,000 was in albu

K-popMarch 2, 2020

BTS' 'Map of the Soul: 7' breaks 1st-week sales record in S. Korea

"Map of the Soul: 7," the new album by K-pop boy band BTS, sold more than 3.37 million copies in the first week of its release, the biggest first-week sales volume for any K-pop album, the band's management agency said Friday. The album sold 3,378,633 copies during the period of Feb. 21 till Thursday, breaking the former record high first-week sales of 2,130,480 copies, set by BTS' previous album, "Map of the Soul: Persona." This marks another sales record set by the new,

K-popFeb. 28, 2020

BTS cancels Seoul leg of world tour over coronavirus concerns

BTS has canceled its Seoul concerts amid growing fears over the coronavirus outbreak. On Friday, the act’s agency, Big Hit Entertainment, announced it had canceled the Seoul leg of the band’s “Map of the Soul” world tour scheduled to be held April 11, 12, 18, 19 at Olympic Stadium, prioritizing the health of the artists, fans and staff worldwide. It said in a statement, “The current global coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has made it impossible at this time to pr

K-popFeb. 28, 2020

BTS to release 2nd music video of 'ON'

K-pop boy band BTS will release the second and official music video of "ON," the lead track of its new album, on Friday. The new video, set for release at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, is the second music flick matching the main song of "Map of the Soul: 7," released last Friday. The upcoming video will be a visual and symbolic interpretation of the lead single, according to Big Hit Entertainment, the management agency of BTS. Last Friday, BTS released the first music video, cal

K-popFeb. 27, 2020

IZ*ONE's 'Bloom*Iz' tops Oricon weekly overseas album chart

"Bloom*Iz," the new album by female K-pop band IZ*ONE has topped Japan's latest Oricon weekly overseas album chart, the band's third No. 1 on the chart. The 12-track album's No. 1 victory on the Oricon weekly overseas album chart for the week of Feb. 17-23 follows two more No. 1s on the tally by IZ*ONE's two previous albums -- "Color*Iz" and "Heart*Iz." Since its release on Feb. 17, "Bloom*Iz" has sold 356,313 copies in South Korea, a record-high first

K-popFeb. 26, 2020

TWICE signs partnership with US' Republic Records

In its bid to launch onto the world music scene, K-pop girl band TWICE has forged a partnership with a major American music label. TWICE's management agency said Wednesday that it forged the "strategic partnership" with Republic Records to help the girl band gain a foothold in the global pop market. Republic Records, under the wing of Universal Music Group, is home to such high-profile American artists as Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande and Post Malone, as well as Canadian musician Dra

K-popFeb. 26, 2020

BTS' 'Map of the Soul: 7' tops Japan's Oricon album chart

Having been reported to be on course to take over the top seats on the Billboard 200 and the British Official Albums Chart, BTS has also topped Japan's Oricon album chart with its latest album. According to latest chart results by Oricon on Tuesday, BTS' latest album, "Map of the Soul: 7," came atop the Oricon daily album chart dated Monday after selling 227,204 copies in Japan. The result adds to the BTS album's chart victories on the US and British charts. Earlier this week, Bill

K-popFeb. 26, 2020

Monsta X becomes 3rd K-pop band to make top 5 on Billboard 200

Monsta X, a six-piece K-pop boy band, debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 album chart this week, becoming the third K-pop band ever to make the top five on the album tally. "All About Luv," the band's new album, came in fifth on the album chart dated Feb. 29, Monsta X's first entry on the Billboard 200 that makes the band the third Korean group to break into the chart's top five, according to the latest chart results by Billboard. So far, BTS has had three No. 1s on Billboard 20

K-popFeb. 26, 2020

BTS rocks New York's Grand Central with debut performance of 'ON'

Putting on the debut performance of "ON," the lead track of the new BTS album "Map of the Soul: 7," the South Korean super band has rocked Grand Central Terminal, a symbolic public space in New York City.  The septet unveiled a premiere performance of "ON," pre-filmed in a deserted Grand Central Terminal in Midtown Manhattan, through "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," a US late night show, on Monday (US time). With the performance, the septe

K-popFeb. 25, 2020

BTS' 'Map of the Soul: 7' on way to No. 1 on Billboard 200

"Map of the Soul: 7," the new album of K-pop super band BTS, is bound to debut atop the Billboard 200 next week, the band's historic fourth No. 1 on the chart, Billboard said on its website Monday. "The set, which was released Feb. 21 via Big Hit Entertainment, could earn 300,000 equivalent album units in the US in the week ending Feb. 27, with most of that sum driven by album sales," the US magazine said.  If confirmed as forecast, it marks the band's fourth Billboar

K-popFeb. 25, 2020

After remarkable seven years, BTS looks inward on ‘Map of the Soul: 7’

BTS says its new album “Map of the Soul: 7” reflects on the septet’s seven-year journey together. “‘Map of the Soul 7’ contains our stories -- all the emotions we experienced from the seven years we worked as BTS and our feelings toward fans,” bandmate J-Hope said during the global press conference for the album in Seoul on Monday. Following Friday’s release of its fourth studio album and a series of promotions in the US, the septet was back in S

K-popFeb. 24, 2020

BLACKPINK's 'Boombayah' tops 800m YouTube views

The video for "Boombayah," the debut single of K-pop girl band BLACKPINK, topped 800 million views on YouTube, making the quartet the only K-pop act with two music videos that have achieved the feat, the band's management agency said Monday. The video reached the milestone Monday morning, emulating the band's earlier "Ddu-du Ddu-du," according to YG Entertainment. "With this, BLACKPINK got to own two music videos that have more than 800 million views as the first K-

K-popFeb. 24, 2020

Monsta X's 'All About Luv' lands at 5th on Billboard 200 chart

"All About Luv," the first full-length American album by K-pop boy band Monsta X, landed at fifth on the Billboard 200 chart for this week, the music magazine has said. "The set, which is the act's first all-English language album, launches with 52,000 equivalent album units earned in the US in the week ending Feb. 20," Billboard said on its website Sunday (US time), citing Nielsen Music/MRC data. Released Feb. 14, the album's latest feat made Monsta X the third K-pop act

K-popFeb. 24, 2020

BTS' new album tops record-high 91 iTunes charts

K-pop super band BTS wrote iTunes chart history Saturday with its new album, "Map of the Soul: 7," topping the iTunes album charts in 91 countries and regions, the band's management agency said. As of Saturday morning (Korean time), "Map of the Soul: 7" landed atop the iTunes "top album" charts in 91 countries and regions, including the United States, Canada, Britain, France, Italy, Russia, India, Japan and Saudi Arabia, according to Big Hit Entertainment. This

K-popFeb. 23, 2020

BTS thanks their fans for positivity on Today Show

BTS once again thanked their fans for their positivity during their first appearance on the Today Show on Friday. “It’s all because of ARMYs that gave us positive energies,” RM said as he translated Jin's answer when the band was asked about why the group is known for spreading positivity. The septet appeared on stage just outside Rockefeller Plaza in central New York City just hours after releasing a new album for a brief live interview. Explaining the title

K-popFeb. 21, 2020

BTS reflects on seven years together on ‘Map of the Soul: 7’

BTS released Friday its fourth studio album, “Map of the Soul: 7” spanning 20 tracks. The lead track “On” is an electrifying pop/hip-hop anthem that heavily features marching band drums as the group sings the soaring chorus in harmony, “Bring the pain/oh yea, rain be pourin’/sky keep fallin’/oh na na na.” The bandmates reflected on their celebrity status, singing, “Where is this place I open my eyes to? Maybe Seoul or New York or Paris.&rdq

K-popFeb. 21, 2020

BTS' 'Boy With Luv' video featuring Halsey tops 700m YouTube views

The video of "Boy With Luv," K-pop boy band BTS' Billboard-topping song featuring Halsey, has topped 700 million YouTube views, the band's management agency said Friday. The lead track of BTS' previous album, "Map of the Soul: Persona" released in April last year, achieved the feat Friday morning, becoming the second BTS music video to garner more than 700 million views on YouTube, Big Hit Entertainment said. "DNA" was the first of the band's songs to hit the mil

K-popFeb. 21, 2020

New BTS album 'Map of the Soul: 7' set to rock global music scene

K-pop phenomenon BTS will drop a new album, "Map of the Soul: 7," Friday evening, rocking the world music scene once again. The upcoming 20-track album is the second part of its "Map of the Soul" album series, following "Map of the Soul: Persona," released in April last year. Like its predecessor, "7" is a soul-searching musical journey, inspired by concepts developed by Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung like the persona. The new album is led by main tra

K-popFeb. 21, 2020

Why Naver is finally shutting down comments on celebrity news

The nation’s largest web portal, Naver, will not publish comments under its entertainment news until further notice, for the sake of celebrities’ mental health. “We acknowledge that the current technological efforts aren’t enough to relieve the pain felt by celebrities and have decided to close the comment section for entertainment news until a further structural overhaul,” the company said Wednesday. The move takes effect sometime next month. Kakao, which owns th

K-popFeb. 20, 2020

BTS to unveil teaser for its new song 'ON' ahead of official release

A sample of "ON," the lead track of K-pop super band BTS' upcoming album "Map of the Soul: 7," will hit the popular video-sharing service TikTok half a day ahead of the song's official release this week, TikTok said Wednesday. A 30-second video will be released on the social networking service at 6 a.m. Friday, 12 hours ahead of the official release set for 6 p.m. the same day, according to the service. It is the first time in its seven-year career that BTS will unveil a

K-popFeb. 19, 2020