[Today’s K-pop] Brave Girls are ready for summer

Brave Girls hosted a media showcase in southern Seoul on Thursday to introduce its fifth EP “Summer Queen.”

It has been 10 months since the release of the group‘s last EP “We Ride,” and during that time, the girl group has become a surprise sensation, climbing up to the top of music charts with songs from past albums.

“This is the first time we’ve prepared with so much fun and excitement,” said Minyoung.

“When the music video started showing before, I teared up. I fought back the tears thinking that I should cry once we come in first place,” confided Eunji. It has been quite challenging reaching this point, she acknowledged.

“We were so desperate when we came out with ’Rollin,’ and we still are, but we also are very grateful,” she added.

The EP consists of five tracks including title track “Chi Mat Ba Ram,” that translates into the swish of a skirt, in both Korean and English.

“We’ve come up with [the English version] hoping that the cool breeze from us would reach all over the world,” explained Yujeong.

BTS’ Japanese compilation album is another chart-topper

BTS’ best-of album released in Japan landed at the top of Oricon chart, according to the tally on Thursday.

The album, named “BTS, The Best,” sold 572,000 units on the first day of shipment and hit No. 1 on its daily album ranking. This tops the weekly sales of its “Map Of The Soul: 7 The Journey” that sold 564,000 copies in July 2020, previously the band’s biggest selling album in the first week.

The album consists of 23 tracks and chronicles all singles and album tracks released since the septet’s debut in Japan in 2017. It includes Japanese versions of “Blood, Sweat and Tears,” “Idol,” “Mic Drop,” “Fake Love” and “ON,” Japanese songs “Your Eyes Tell,” “Crystal Snow” and “Film Out” as well as last year’s mega hit “Dynamite.”

Meanwhile, its most recent digital single “Butter” remains atop Oricon’s weekly streaming ranking for the fourth week in a row since its release in May.

GFriend’s Yerin signs with new agency 

Yerin of now-disbanded GFriend signed with Sublime Artist Agency, the company announced on Thursday.

“We will actively support her so that Yerin can meet fans from more diverse and increased settings,” said the agency in a statement asking fans to continue rooting for her. The entertainment company houses musicians that include Rain, Jackson and Youngjae of GOT7 as well as actor Song Gangho and singer-turned-actress Hani, formerly of Exid.

After the announcement, the performer also posted on her Instagram to share the news and thank her fans, sending them her love.

She debuted as a member of the six-piece all-girl act in 2015 and the band disbanded when its contract with Source Music expired in May. She is the first of the bandmates to sign a deal with new management firm. Yerin is currently emceeing a beauty-themed television program.

April’s Chaewon counters bullying rumor

Chaewon of April countered bullying rumor from bandmate Lee Hyeonjoo, writing a long explanation on the website of the band’s fandom community.

She said that she has thought long and hard but wanted to share in detail how Lee’s claims -- that the members ostracized her -- were not true.

Lee had missed practices and training sessions even before the group made their debut, saying that she was ill, wrote Chaewon. She, being the oldest, said that she tried to look after her and they always stayed together, thinking they were real close.

“But as soon as we debuted, my worries became reality,” recalled Chaewon. On their way to get hair and makeup done before performing on television shortly after making their debut, Lee disappeared. She missed the dry run and camera rehearsal and returned just in time for the live performance, stated Chaewon.

“April was a precious opportunity I couldn’t give up and Hyunjoo was a very dear friend,” she said, adding that she had had enough and looked through whatever record she had. 

By Hwang You-mee
(glamazon@heraldcorp.com)