Author: Samar Khouri

Veteran boy band TVXQ! celebrated 20 years together with the release of new album ’20&2.’ 20th anniversary album The album reflects the duo’s experiences over the years with a modern take on their distinct melodic talents. The lead track ‘Rebel’ encourages to move forward without stagnation. The 10-track album consists of diverse genres, including solo tracks and as a fan-dedicated song titled ‘Promise’ co-written by Max Changmin. ‘The Way U Are (Unplugged Ver.)’ is a remix of the duo’s 2004 song of the same name. TVXQ!’s 20th-anniversary commemorative album dominated the iTunes albums chart in the UAE. It’s also the K-pop…

Jennie, a member of girl group BLACKPINK, closed the year by announcing a new label called Odd ATELIER (AO) for solo activities. New label She took to Instagram to announce her new endeavor and included several black-and-white photos, which were also featured on the new company’s Instagram page. “This year was filled with many accomplishments, and I’m so thankful for all the love I’ve received. I’m also about what’s to come, as I start my solo journey in 2024 with a company that I have established called OA,” Jennie shared with her Instagram followers in a post. The K-pop star…

The third season of Netflix’s reality dating series ‘Single’s Inferno’ opened at number 4 on the Non-English TV list, with 3.6 million views. Netflix performance It was in the top 10 in 29 countries, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, after the first three episodes dropped on December 12. The season landed atop in South Korea and Singapore. The hit dating show, which features a new batch of young, hot singles in search for love on a deserted “inferno” island, reached more countries as per Netflix’s top 10 list, though it didn’t meet the viewing of…

PENTAGON’s Kino has launched his solo career starting with setting up a one-person agency titled NAKED. The label revealed the logo along with photos themed around youth and freedom on its social media accounts. Kino is also gearing up for solo activities. He is set to hold a solo concert in Tokyo on December 22 and in Seoul on January 27. The K-pop star recently worked alongside Italian musician Fudasca on track ‘How It Was.’ Kino debuted as a member of boy band PENTAGON in 2016. He parted ways with his agency CUBE Entertainment in October.

This year saw numerous artists hit the road to bring their music to sold-out venues globally. Last week, Billboard unveiled its year-end Boxscore charts, which reviewed the top global tours, venues, and promoters of 2023. K-pop was the youngest in terms of the global box office. “K-pop’s share of this year’s top 100 is up to an all-time high of 5.1% thanks to a long list of idol groups selling out venues in Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the US,” Billboard said in a statement. Here are the K-pop stars with the top tours of the year. The rankings are…

Chanyeol, Chen, and Xiumin, members of the boy band EXO, are flying down to Dubai next month. Dubai performance The trio will perform at Coca-Cola Arena as part of this year’s Dubai Shopping Festival celebrations. DJ Bliss and DJ Raiden will set the mood at the at the ‘K-Pop Overdose’ event before the EXO members take the stage. Chanyeol performed last month in the multi-purpose arena alongside MCND, Hwasa, The Wind, and more as part of the free-to-attend ‘Korea Spotlight’ K-pop concert. It marks the multifaceted entertainer’s third time in the emirate. The three EXO members performed alongside their bandmates…

SUPER JUNIOR-D&E has cancelled its Dubai stop to its concert due to “technical issues beyond our control.” Dubai tour “We apologize for the unavoidable delay in ticket opening and performance cancellation due to local circumstances. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused to fans who have been waiting for the performance,” Have Fun Together said in a statment. The SUPER JUNIOR subunit, comprising of members Donghae and Hunhyuk, was set to perform on December 8 at The Agenda as part of its 2023 ‘DElight Party’ world tour. The duo kicked off their 2023 world tour in South Korea in June,…

BLACKPINK’s Jennie was named the most powerful dresser of 2023, the Lyst revealed in its annual fashion report, thanks to “consistently influencing fashion searches with her prolific, fashion-forward looks.” Power dresser The finding was based on data compiled from 200 million fashion shoppers in the past 12 months by the London-based online platform. Back in May, Jennie dropped a limited-edition capsule collection for Calvin Klein, featuring the iconic logo reinterpreted in her handwriting. The brand recorded 22% in searches on Lyst in the following days. “Having worked with Jennie on several campaigns, we know firsthand that she is a cultural…

Bang YeDam, former member of boy band TREASURE, has made his debut as a soloist with mini-album ‘ONLY ONE’. Solo debut The South Korean singer-songwriter was heavily involved in the album’s production of ‘ONLY ONE,’ aiming to showcase his musical growth and vocal abilities. The pop genre mini-album, which is his first solo release under GF Entertainment, contains six songs, including pre-release single, ‘Miss You,’ that explores the theme of love and heartbreak. “Solo artist BANG YEDAM. This phrase makes me feel a bit awkward yet nervous and excited at the same time,” he said in a statement. “The whole…

CUBE Entertainment has revealed that BTOB and PENTAGON’s Hongseok decided to not renew their exclusive contracts. BTOB exit BTOB members Seo Eunkwang, Lee Minhyuk, Lee Changsub, Im Hyunsik, Peniel, and Yook Sungjae have been with the agency for 11 years. “We held thorough discussions with each member before the end of their second exclusive contracts,” Cube Entertainment said in a statement. “As a result, both parties agreed to not renew the contracts.” “We truly support and root for the future and growth of the members even though our journey with them has ended,” it added. BTOB — an acronym for Born To…