The countdown for GFriend’s new EP begin Monday, according to the timeline for the release of “Time for the Moon Night” revealed by the girl group.The group’s Source Music agency released a promotional schedule for activities related to the new record. Included were the release dates of the concept photo, track list, teasers and preorder date for the EP.It will mark the first release for the K-pop act in seven months, since the repackaged album “Rainbow” last September.  GFriend (Source Music)Th

K-pop group Twice plans to release a new Japanese single next month, according to its agency Monday.The group's third Japanese single, "Wake Me Up," will be released on May 16 in the neighboring country, JYP Entertainment said.Twice debuted in Japan in June 2017 with the compilation album "#TWICE." The Japanese debut album and two follow-up singles -- "One More Time" and "Candy Pop" -- were all certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of Japan, a recognition given to records that

Producer of H1ghr Music talks about career, his musical identity that defies trends

Twice has outdone itself again. The music video for its recently released song “What is Love?” became the fastest video by a K-pop girl group to top 40 million views on YouTube, a record previously held by another of its songs, “Likey.”The video passed the mark around 3:14 a.m. Sunday, a little over five days and nine hours after it was released last week. “What is Love?” had also set the record for the fastest girl group video to reach 20 million and 30 million views.  A cover image for Twice’s

"Face Yourself," the latest Japanese release from boy band BTS, has become the fastest-selling K-pop album in Japan to date, according to the country's main music sales tracker on Thursday."Face Yourself," the septet's third Japanese studio album, released on April 2, sold 282,000 copies in its first week, reaching a new high for a South Korean artist in terms of first week shipments, Oricon reported.The previous K-pop record holder was girl group KARA, which sold 275,000 copies of "Super Girl"

She is most noted in the K-pop scene for her astonishing dance moves, but Hyoyeon of Girls’ Generation is showing a new side of herself to fans: DJing.“Sober,” the debut single released under Hyoyeon’s new alias DJ Hyo, will be available at 6 p.m. Wednesday through local online music streaming websites.  A teaser image for “Sober” (S.M. Entertainment)According to her agency S.M. Entertainment, the song is of the tropical future house genre, with Hyoyeon providing both the vocals and DJing.Hyoyeo

K-pop soloist Eric Nam was once an icon of “sweetness,” the kind of a guy who would readily whisper words of romance into one’s ears. In his new EP “Honestly,” however, he pulled out a more “candid” self, stripping off his previous boy-next-door image and transforming himself into a man who confesses “maybe it’s a lie that I still love you.”   The “Honestly” EP, Nam’s first EP in two years released Thursday, features six tracks including lead track “Honestly…,” a mid-tempo dance pop number that

Mnet’s new audition program “Produce 48” will start airing in June, the TV network said Wednesday. “Produce 48” will broadcast competitions among 96 trainees from both South Korea and Japan, contesting for four months to debut as a global girl group.Members of popular Japanese girl group, AKB48, will also be part of the 96 contestants.Trainers will include Lee Hong-ki of FT Island, Soyou, rapper Cheetah and choreographer May J Lee.The survival show will be the third of its kind by Mnet, followin

Cho Yong-pil continues to evolve, cites love of music for lengthy career

EXO-CBX“Blooming Days”IRIVERThank God EXO-CBX’s new album is nothing like its previous funky-disco tune from “Hey Mama” or the ear-drum bursting EDM sound from EXO’s “Power.” In the world of K-pop where boy bands are given credit for their powerful performances and indiscreet use of synth sounds, the EXO unit’s toned-down “Blooming Days” EP soothes the listeners with a fragrant spring breeze. What is brilliant in this seven-track album is that each track correlates to a day of the week while lyr

K-pop super star Twice released a spring-themed song “What is Love?” Monday and the internet went crazy for the girl group’s return.(Related article: Twice asks ‘What Is Love?’)  Twice (JYP Entertainment)The song has swept the local music charts as soon as it was released, ranking the top spots on every chart at 9 a.m. Tuesday. The group’s name “Twice” also skyrocketed to the first spot of Naver’s trending bar Monday, while “Twice What is Love” ranked fifth on the same day.The music video for “W

Media outlets of the United Arab Emirates have offered extensive coverage of a recent K-pop gala concert thrown by SM Entertainment, South Korea's largest entertainment agency, last week in Dubai.The concert, "SM Town Live World Tour VI in Dubai," was held at the Autism Rocks Arena in Dubai on Friday. A total of 14 acts, including EXO, Red Velvet and TVXQ, participated in the joint label concert. The company announced that some 15,000 gathered at the event.Gulf News, a Dubai-based English langua

K-pop group BTS on Tuesday clinched the top spot on the weekly album chart for Oricon, Japan's main music sales tracker, with its latest Japanese release."Face Yourself," BTS' third Japanese studio album released last Wednesday, reached the top of the Oricon's album chart for the week of April 2-8, according to Oricon's website.First week record sales reached 282,000 copies, according to Oricon. "Face Yourself" was also seen at No. 1 on Oricon's daily album chart for the sixth consecutive day. A

After talking about the feeling of love with “Heart Shaker” last winter, Twice is back with a question about love this time: “What is Love?”On Monday, the chart-topping girl group returned with its fifth EP “What is Love?” fronted by a lead track of the same name. In the lead track, which is upbeat and bubbly with the group’s signature pop effusiveness, the members transform into naive young women who have learned about love through books, movies and dramas, but haven’t actually experienced it.

The K-pop newcomers of Noir are all about black -- the color of power and charisma.On Monday, nine-member act Noir debuted with the group’s first EP, “Twenty’s Noir.” Featuring six songs, the album is led by explosive electronic dance music track “Gangsta,” which leans heavily on the band’s rappers. Overflowing with propulsive beats, flamboyant synths and EDM breaks, “Gangsta” captures the blazing hearts of nine wishing to capture a woman’s heart. Noir, represented by Luk Factory, consists of Ye