K-pop rookies BOYNEXTDOOR returned with a coming-of-age EP, '19.99' — signifies the transitory phase just before turning 20.
Coming-of-age stories
The seven-track release documents their personal stories and emotions as they reach their twenties. WOONHAK, the youngest member, is 19 years old, while the oldest members, RIWOO, JAEHYUN, and SUNGHO, are 21.
‘19.99’ features the…
SEVENTEEN's 10th mini-album 'FML' was the biggest-selling global album of 2023, according to the recorded music industry representative body International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI).
Album dominance
The winner of the IFPI Global Album Award for 2023 surpassed the likes of Morgan Wallen’s 'One Thing At A Time,' SZA's 'SOS,' and Travis Scott's 'UTOPIA.'
The…
Ten, a member of K-pop supergroup NCT, has made his solo debut with the launch of his first solo album, eight years after his debut.
Inaugural album
Led by the title track 'Nightwalker,' it features six multi-genre English tracks of diverse genres, including pop, Latin pop, hip-hop, and pop punk.
"The process of preparing…
K-pop boy group P1Harmony dropped its first full-length album 'Killin' It,' three years after its debut.
Studio album
"The 1ST Album, ‘때깔 (Killin’ It),’ marks P1Harmony who finally completed their harmonious world, proving themselves as hidden HEROES (NEW KIDS) and protagonists facing the world. It talks about the story of P1Harmony, 'fused' as one in…
IU started off the year in full swing.
Netflix drama
Netflix has announced that the K-pop soloist will take on the lead role of the rebellious Ae Suna in the series 'When Life Gives You Tangerines' alongside Park Bo-gum, Moon So-ri, and Park Hae-joon. The title in the Jeju dialect translates to ‘thank you…
PLEDIS Entertainment's new boy group TWS has made its grand entrance to the K-pop scene with five-track EP 'Sparkling Blue.'
Rookie act debut
The six-piece act consists of Shinyu, Jihoon, Hanjin, Dohoon, Youngjae, and Kyungmin. It dropped pre-release single 'Oh Mymy : 7s' ahead of their official debut.
The name 'TWS' is an…
Chen, Baekhyun, and Xiumin will pursue solo careers under independent label 'I&B100' while under SM Entertainment's management for their activities in K-pop boy group EXO.
Trio's ventures
The new company, established by Baekhyun in June 2023, will be in charge of the trio's individual activities, and their EXO subunit EXO-CBX's activities.
"We will shed more…
Before we welcome 2024, here’s a quick rundown to all the scandals, romances, and tragedies in K-pop:
1. Rookie monsters
The year saw rookie group NewJeans dominate the scene in Korea and globally. Zerobaseone, a group of nine artists chosen through Mnet’s idol survival program, 'Boys Planet,' debuted in July with EP, 'Youth in the…
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…
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…