[Today’s K-pop] Shinee’s Taemin hopes new EP will comfort fans

Taemin of Shinee and SuperM said he hoped his third solo EP, “Advice,” would console his fans during his absence for military service.

The new EP reflects how he tackled new challenges, such as singing rap for the title track.

“I’ve tried many things I haven’t done before,” said the veteran idol, adding that the title track would show a different side of him. He also collaborated with Taeyeon, a senior colleague from S.M. Entertainment, on a duet called “If I Could Tell You.”

Of the five tracks, he is proudest of the fourth -- “Strings.”

“I really sang well, I’ve got to say,” he said with a smile.

His previous solo gig, “Never Gonna Dance Again: Act 2,” came out in November 2020 and topped iTunes top albums charts in 31 regions. His recent digital concert drew over 90,000 fans.

He will start his military service May 31.

Seventeen to return with 8th EP in June

Seventeen is coming out with its eighth EP, “Your Choice,” June 16, management company Pledis Entertainment confirmed Tuesday.

At midnight it floated a surprise trailer titled “Power of Love,” hailing the release of a new album.

The video captures moments of love -- from a girl catching a glimpse of a boy playing basketball to a father taking pictures of a baby to a crew of performers sweating at a practice in a studio. This hints at the theme of the band’s upcoming music.

The 13-piece act’s seventh EP, “Heng:garae,” and special album “;[Semicolon]” both became million-sellers last year. The group also got its first nomination from Billboard in the top social artist category this year, earning it a place alongside BTS and Blackpink.

The band’s third Japanese single, “Hitorijyanai,” topped major music charts last month and set a record for an international male act. Seventeen became the first one to have three consecutive singles sell 200,000 copies in the first week of sales in Japan.

GFriend disbands as contract expires 

The bandmates of GFriend will go their separate ways as their contract with agency Source Music comes to an end, the company said Tuesday.

“The exclusive contract concludes on May 22,” it said in a statement. “After long consideration and deep discussion, everyone has agreed to show their better selves on their own paths.”

The much-loved act ushered in a new era of girl groups with diverse concepts, performances and music, it added, thanking the six members.

GFriend debuted in January 2015 with the EP “Season of Glass” and put out a score of hits including “Rough,” “Me Gustas Tu” and “Glass Bead.” It started with a pure and innocent image, which later became mysterious and dreamy as Hybe absorbed the agency.

Meanwhile, a local media outlet reported that Source Music had applied for trademark rights over the name “GFriend,” both in Korean and English, in 2015.

BTS’ documentary wins MTV award 

A BTS documentary was chosen as the best music documentary at the 2021 MTV Movie and TV Awards: Unscripted, according to Hybe on Tuesday.

“Break the Silence: The Movie” follows the band through its 2019 international tour, “Love Yourself: Speak Yourself,” showing the artists on- and offstage at venues such as Wembley Stadium and the Rose Bowl.

It competed against Ariana Grande’s “Excuse Me, I Love You,” Bille Eilish’s “The World’s a Little Blurry” and Taylor Swift’s “Miss Americana.”

The documentary follows the band’s two feature-length productions, “Burn the Stage: The Movie” from 2018 and “Bring the Soul: The Movie” from 2019. It drew approximately 1.49 million fans when it hit the silver screen in September 2020, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, and set a record for reaching cinemas in the widest range of countries and regions since the outbreak.

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