[Today’s K-pop] Mamamoo brings out ballad-filled "WAW"

Mamamoo talked about the group’s new EP “WAW,” which came out Wednesday.

This is the first time the band is releasing an album that consists exclusively of ballads in its seven-year career.

“Since it is an all-ballad album, we paid extra attention to the vocals. So that each of the voices would complement each other, harmonize better,” they said. They are excited that the album would better show how they have grown, into better harmony and stronger chemistry, added the quartet.

The title of the focus track “Where Are We Now,” which also is the main theme of the album, takes on a personal meaning as well.

It sings of their past, present and future, but is not just about them. Anyone can identify with the song, they said, asking listeners to pay attention to the lyrics.

While working on the EP, they also have been preparing for a concert and shooting a documentary. The documentary will be unveiled soon and the concert is slated for summer.

BTS sets record in Japan with “Butter” 

BTS broke a couple of records on Japan’s Oricon chart with its new single “Butter,” according to Japanese media on Wednesday.

The digital single topped its weekly streaming ranking two weeks in a row with over 31.13 million streams, the highest ever in the chart’s history and nearly double the prior record. In the previous week, the song ranked No. 1 on the chart with 16.6 million streams, which marked the highest for the first week of release.

The septet became the only artist with more than three songs with over 10 million streams on the chart. Its “Dynamite” from 2020 and “Film Out” from April this year also had hit No. 1 on the chart.

“Butter” landed at the top of Billboard’s main singles chart Hot 100 that came out Wednesday. It is the band’s third song to debut at No. 1 on the chart, following “Dynamite” and “Life Goes On.”

BTS will be hosting “Festa,” its annual festival to celebrate its debut with fans, from June 2 to 13.

SF9 to return in July 

SF9 is gearing up to return early next month, confirmed agency FNC Entertainment on Wednesday.

The bandmates are in the final stage of preparing for the album and have already finished shooting the album jacket and music videos.

It will be about a year since its eighth EP “Glorious.”

The nine-piece act debuted in 2016 with “Fanfare,” the lead track from its first single album “Feeling Sensation.” All nine members of the boy band renewed their contracts in March, raising expectations for the future.

The band is currently appearing in “Kingdom: Legendary War,” a competition program among boy bands. It came in first in the third round last week with its reinterpretation of Taemin’s “Move.”

Meanwhile, Dawon, Chanhee and Hwiyoung are appearing in TV dramas, while Rowoon is shooting a drama series that will air in the latter half of this year. Inseong will star in a musical that premieres Friday.

OneWe drops hints for 1st EP 

OneWe released concept photos for its first EP, titled “Planet Nine: Alter Ego,” on Wednesday.

The five bandmates stand in water gazing into the camera, each holding their instrument. This carries on the water theme, after having floated a motion logo with rain drops and a timetable with a piano in water.

The band is coming out with its first EP on June 16.

Since its debut in 2019, OneWe has built up its music with a series of singles under the theme of fountain and planet. “Q,” a prereleased track from its first studio album “One” featuring Hwasa of Mamamoo, ranked No. 12 on Billboard’s world digital song sales chart last year.

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