[Today’s K-pop] aespa sets sales record with 3rd EP

It is the group’s second million-seller, after its previous EP “Girls” sold 1.12 million in the first week, then fourth highest for a K-pop girl group.

The mini album came out Monday, about 10 months after the last album, and logged 1.8 million in preorders. It swept a series of major music charts at home and topped iTunes top albums chart in 20 regions.

NewJeans hits 1b Spotify streams in record time: Guinness

NewJeans generated 1 billion streams on Spotify in the shortest time for a K-pop act as of March 8, as recognized by the Guinness World Records, agency Ador said Tuesday.

The five-member group achieved the feat in just 219 days, breaking the record previously held by BTS’ Jungkook at 409 days. It did so with six songs -- “Attention,” “Hurt,” “Hype Boy,” “Cookie,” “Ditto” and “OMG.” The last two songs made Billboard’s Hot 100, peaking at Nos. 81 and 74, respectively.

The rookie group now has seven songs on the platform, adding “Zero,” a collaboration for a Coca-Cola commercial from last month. It had surpassed 1.4 billion streams on the platform as of last week.

Meanwhile, the group is set to make a comeback this summer. It has finished recording for the new album last month.

Le Sserafim tops Oricon chart with 1st LP

Le Sserafim landed atop Oricon’s weekly album ranking with its first studio album “Unforgiven,” according to the latest chart dated May 15.

The group became the first international female artist to notch the No. 1 spot on the chart this year. Its last album, second EP “Antifragile,” also topped the chart last year.

The LP sold over 1.25 million copies in the first week, according to a local tally on Tuesday. This is the third-highest mark for a K-pop girl group, after Blackpink’s second LP “Born Pink” (1.54 million) and aespa’s third EP “My World” (1.37 million).

Selling over 1.02 million units on the first day of release, the album became an instant million-seller. The quintet achieved the feat – selling over a million in the first week – in the shortest time from its debut among K-pop girl groups.

Highlight’s Yang Yoseop to host solo concert

Yang Yoseop of Highlight will hold solo concerts in Seoul on June 10 and 11, announced agency Around Us on Tuesday.

It will be about five years since he held a concert on his own. He brought out his first solo full album “Chocolate Box” in 2021, and the set list for the upcoming concert will include songs from the LP.

Yang Yoseop debuted as a member of the band, then named Beast, in 2009 and released his first solo music in 2012 through EP “The First Collage,” followed by second EP “White” in 2018. The LP, whose title was inspired by the Tom Hanks' 1994 epic film “Forrest Gump,” was the first solo work he put out since he completed serving his military duty.

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