BTS' Jungkook ranks third in Spotify Global Top Songs chart with '3D'

SEOUL -- Jungkook, the youngest member of BTS, has ranked third in the global song chart of Spotify, one of the world's most popular online music streaming services, with his dance song "3D." Through the new single with R&B features, the 26-year-old expressed his hope that he wants to meet his loved one in "three dimensions" and always stay together. The South Korean artist collaborated with American rapper Jack Harlow for the R&B track. The song, rele

October 1, 2023

NewJeans' debut album garners explosive popularity on Spotify

SEOUL -- Girl band NewJeans' debut album has gained explosive popularity on Spotify, the world's most popular music streaming service. The album's total streams surpassed one billion times 422 days after its release on August 1, 2022. As of September 27, the album accumulated more than 1,000,760,129 streams on the streaming service. The album consists of four songs -- "Hype Boy," "Attention," "Cookie," and "Hurt." The band's agenc

September 29, 2023

Walking festival to be held in Seoul to promote ancient Korean palaces

SEOUL -- Aju News Corporation, a Seoul-based media company, will hold a walking event in the capital city to attract more public attention to five ancient Korean palaces and the Blue House, the former presidential compound. Participants can freely walk along the 13-kilometer (8 miles)-long course and visit the former presidents' residential office and beautiful palaces of the Joseon dynasty that ruled the Korean peninsula from 1392 to 1897. For decades, the Blue House had been used

September 26, 2023

Seventeen member Hoshi appointed as ambassador for kimchi brand Jongga

SEOUL -- Hoshi, a member of the multinational boy band Seventeen, was selected as the ambassador for Jongga, a Seoul-based brand specializing in kimchi, a traditional Korean fermented vegetable dish. The 27-year-old will promote the food company's various products and events. Kimchi is a spicy and sour, picked vegetable side dish, usually made by fermenting cabbage or radish with red chili powder, garlic, ginger, and other spices. According to data released by the Ministry of Agric

September 25, 2023

S. Korea's customs office receives appreciation plaque for cracking down on fake BTS masks packs

SEOUL -- Hybe, the agency of BTS, has delivered an appreciation plaque to South Korea's customs office as a sign of gratitude for stopping the distribution of fake BTS mask packs worth some 625 billion won ($46.7 million) to the global market. South Korean face mask packs are popular among global female consumers for their quality and good price. According to Statista, a global market research firm, about $4.7 billion worth of South Korean cosmetics products were exported in 2021

September 22, 2023

BTS' Suga starts mandatory military service as public service agent

SEOUL -- Suga, a 30-year-old rapper, became the third BTS member to fulfill his compulsory military service, after Jin and J-Hope. While the two BTS members are serving as assistant Army drill instructors, Suga was dispatched to his post as a public service agent. In South Korea, all able-bodied males who are 18 and older must do their military service for at least 18 months unless they have a valid reason for exemption. Unlike the majority of men who serve their mandatory service

September 22, 2023

BTS' Jungkook selected among The Hollywood Reporter's top 25 artist list

SEOUL -- BTS member Jungkook was selected by a prominent American entertainment media as one of the top 25 artists in the music scene. The 26-year-old was the only K-pop artist who stood among other globally famous artists such as Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus, Drake, and Billie Eilish. The seven-member K-pop wonder is currently not active as a whole group after two members -- Jin and J-Hope, who joined the South Korean Army in 2022 and early 2023, respectively -- are serving as assist

September 22, 2023

Big Hit to renew exclusive contracts with all BTS members

SEOUL -- All members of BTS will renew their exclusive contracts with their agency "Bit Hit Music." The seven-member band would resume its group activities in 2025 after fulfilling their compulsory military service. Currently, two BTS members -- Jin and J-Hope -- are serving as assistant drill instructors in the South Korean Army. In South Korea, all able-bodied males who are 18 and older must do their military service unless they have a valid reason for exemption. Those

September 21, 2023

Girl band NiziU completes two-month Japan tour

SEOUL -- NiziU, a nine-member Japanese girl band, has completed its Japan tour that started in July. The group attracted about 185,000 audience through 17 concerts in eight cities including Tokyo, Osaka, and Hokkaido. The band, which debuted in December 2020, was formed through the first season of "Nizi Project," an audition show launched by South Korea's entertainment powerhouse JYP Entertainment and Sony Music, a global music label based in Tokyo. The girls who we

September 20, 2023

First solo album by BTS' V launches at No. 2 on Billboard's popular albums chart

SEOUL -- "Layover," the first solo album released by BTS member V on September 8, has earned some 100,000 equivalent album sales in the United States during the first week of release. The album launched at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, the weekly chart that ranks the most popular albums in the U.S. Layover is a rhythm and blues (R&B)-themed piece containing six songs. The 27-year-old BTS member pre-released songs -- "Rainy Days" and "Love Me Again" --

September 18, 2023