[Today’s K-pop] NewJeans picks up Billboard Women in Music award

NewJeans was named Group of the Year from 2024 Billboard Women in Music Awards, a first for a K-pop act.

The five members picked up the trophy at the ceremony held in Los Angeles on Wednesday after performing “Super Shy” and “ETA” on stage in costumes fashioned after school uniforms.

Participating in the awards alone “is so surreal and it’s hard to believe we’re in the same room as you all,” said Hanni for the acceptance speech. “I’d like to thank all the artists that are here because without your music, I don’t think we would have been able to grow up so inspired. Our love and passion for music has grown so much, thanks to you all.”

Danielle conceded that the group is soon to return with new album confirming the speculations. It placed five songs on Billboard’s Hot 100 last year and topped Billboard 200 in one year since debut.

Ex-NCT Lucas to debut as solo act next month: report

Lucas, formerly of NCT, is planning to debut as a solo musician in April, according to a local media report on Friday.

Label SM Entertainment confirmed the news following the report but did not provide any specifics.

It has been about three years since he quit the team. He was a member of WayV and SuperM as well. He issued an apology after rumors began to circulate online in 2021 saying that he cheated and exploited women he dated but left the bands two years after.

He has been showing signs of a return, opening a new social media account and uploading a documentary clip on YouTube dubbed “Lucas Documentary Part 1 Freeze.”

Le Sserafim cinches back-to-back gold certifications from RIAJ

The third EP from Le Sserafim earned a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of Japan, logging over 100,000 shipments in the country, said agency Source Music on Friday.

EP “Easy” is the group’s second album issued in Korea to do so after its first studio album, “Unforgiven,” from May last year.

The five-track mini album topped Oricon’s daily, weekly and weekly combined album rankings. It also hit Billboard 200 at No. 8 and the titular track made its Hot 100 at No. 99, the quintet’s first entry on the main singles chart. The album sold more than 1 million copies and became its third consecutive million-seller.

Meanwhile, the group began promoting B-side track “Smart” after uploading the music video on Wednesday.

BTS’ V gives taste of upcoming single

V of BTS dropped hints for solo digital single “Fri(end)s” through a series of pictures uploaded by label Big Hit Music on Friday.

Six different photographs showed the artist exude aloofness and restraint, a sharp turn from the teaser clip released on the previous day, which was a playful video of objects playing with the letters from the album title.

The forthcoming single will be an English-language pop soul R&B tune singing of love and will be rolled out o March 15.

The single comes about six months after his solo EP “Layover” which sold over 2 million units and ranked No. 2 on Billboard 200.

He is currently serving his military duty in a special task force for the military police in Gangwon Province. He will be discharged in June 2025.