[Today’s K-pop] Seventeen’s repackage album enters Billboard 200 at No. 4

Seventeen’s repackaged fourth LP hit Billboard 200 at No. 4, according to Billboard’s preview of the forthcoming chart that came out Sunday in the US.

The reissue of “Sector 17” is the 13-member act’s highest-charting album so far. Its 4th LP “Face The Sun” reached No. 7 in June and has remained on the chart for seven consecutive weeks.

The repackaged album sold over 1.12 million copies in its first week, becoming the band’s seventh million-seller and the first ever repackaged album to surpass 1 million in sales in K-pop history. Main track “_World” landed atop iTunes top songs chart in 28 regions.

Meanwhile, the band was nominated for three categories for 2022 MTV Video Music Awards -- Best New Artist, PUSH Performance Of The Year and Best K-pop.

Blackpink outlines plans for return

Blackpink uploaded a video clip Monday and shared some of its plans to promote its upcoming album.

The quartet will roll out its second full album in September, almost two years since its first, “The Album,” that reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200, a record for K-pop girl group.

It will drop a single in advance of the full release of the album, as it did for the first LP with “How You Like That” and “Ice Cream.” From October, the bandmates will host an international tour.

According to label YG Entertainment, the project name for the band’s return is “Born Pink,” condensed of its identity: far from ordinary, exuding lethal aura.

Last week, the band started shooting a music video that boasts the largest budget ever for the label. Blackpink has 12 videos with over 600 million views and 32 with more than 100 million views on YouTube.

BTS’ “On” video tops 500m views

The music video for BTS’ “On” reached 500 million views on YouTube as of Sunday, label Big Hit Music said Monday.

It is the band’s 14th music video to reach the milestone. It is more of an art film -- there is a separate music video as well -- featuring the septet performing with a marching band in a barren urban landscape. “On” fronted its fourth studio album “Map Of The Soul: 7” from February 2020 and hit Billboard’s Hot 100 at No. 4.

The 20-track LP debuted at No. 1 on Billboard 200 and stayed on the chart for 82 weeks in a row. The album sold over 1 million copies in the US alone and was chart-topper on Global Album Sales Chart and Global All Format Chart in the year listed by The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry.

NCT Dream to host exhibit in Seoul

NCT Dream will hold an exhibit in Seoul from Aug. 20 to Oct. 18, said Live Connect that organized the event Monday.

The show “Dream Vibe” marks the band’s milestones while cherishing the memories it built with fans. A space inspired by “Life Is Still Going On,” from the repackaged version of first LP, will be created as part of the exhibit. A range of merchandise exclusive to the event will become available later for purchase.

The exhibit will offer the septet’s fans a small consolation after its performances, planned for July 29-31 were canceled only a day before the first concert was due to be held. It was supposed to be the band’s first standalone concert in over 2 1/2 years, and also the first as a septet, but was called off when Mark and then Renjun tested positive for COVID-19. 

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