[Today’s K-pop] Twice to release 8th Japanese single

Twice surprised fans with a clip that announced that it will unveil its eighth Japanese single in May.

At the end of its online live show “Twice in Wonderland” that was broadcast on Saturday, Nayeon said: “The concert may be over and we look forward to meeting you again. We’ll drop a huge spoiler.” Then the band sent their audience abuzz at the end with the snippet that said it will come out with new single named “Kura Kura” on May 12.

Head producer Park Jinyoung wrote the lyrics for the song that tells of how one falls in love at first sight and plunges into a world where only two people exist.

“Twice in Wonderland” was part of NTT Docomo’s special live festival that incorporated AR and MR technologies into music concerts that peaked into a climax when videos of fans dancing to “TT” were put on the same screen as the nine-piece act while they performed.

Blackpink recognized for global influence 

Rose has become the only K-pop musician to be invited to create a playlist for Apple Music. The music service asked female artists such as Ariana Grande, Cardi B and Cara Delevingne to make a list of songs under the theme of “Visionary Women” in time for International Women’s Day.

Rose rounded up 25 songs for the list -- an assembly of a lush, moody set of tunes, says the editor -- including Amy Winehouse’s “Love Is A Losing Game as well as her band’s “Ddu-du Ddu-du” and “Lovesick Girls.” 

Winehouse’s song is the “saddest song ever,” she said, “I commend her for her honesty and transparency in this song.”

Rose is releasing her debut single album “R” next week.

Meanwhile, Blackpink was chosen as part of the “women in music who have made an impact in global entertainment” by Variety. As a part of its yearly report that highlights influential women, a total of 54 artists and executives were featured.

Stray Kids sets own record for music video viewing 

The music video of Stray Kids’ “God’s Menu” surpassed 200 million views on YouTube on Monday, according to the band’s management company JYP Entertainment.

This is the first time a music video by the boy band has amassed over 200 million views. The group has three music videos with over 100 million views thus far: “Back Door,” “Miroh” and “My Pace.”

“God’s Menu” is the title track from its first studio album “Go Live” that was released last June and was made by the band’s producer trio 3Racha -- Bang Chan, Changbin and Han.

The eight-piece act was recently named one of the K-pop boy bands that could break in America in 2021 by Forbes. It will host an online fan meet event for fans in Japan to mark the first anniversary of its Japanese debut on March 18. The group will also participate in “Kingdom: Legendary War,” a competition among boy bands on Mnet, beginning April 1.

DAY6’s Sungjin starts military duty

Sungjin of DAY6 took fans by surprise by livestreaming in the car on his way to the army training center on Monday.

The date was set a month ago but he did not tell the fans lest they should worry for the whole month, he said while showing off his closely shaven hair. He said he is yet to fully feel what it would be like, but “I’d rather be tired physically than mentally so it will be a breather, I think.”

He assured fans that he has finished preparing the band’s upcoming album and that he will continue to be part of DAY6 after he finishes his duty, “all because I trust my fans and bandmates.”

The band has been gearing up for a return all together for the first time since Sungjin and Jay took some time off due to anxiety issues last year. The album is in preparation but the exact timeline has not been decided, said the group’s management company JYP Entertainment.

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