Articles by Hwang You-mee
Hwang You-mee
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[Today’s K-pop] NCT127 drops single in Japan to mark anniversary
NCT127 released single “Colors” in Japan on Thursday to celebrate the sixth anniversary of debut in the country, according to label SM Entertainment. The seven-member subunit put the R&B tune on stage during its first dome tour in Japan “Neo City: Japan – The Link” in 2022 and fans have been asking for it to be published. The septet officially debuted in Japan with EP “Chain” in May 2018 and wrapped up its second dome tour in the nation, “Neo C
K-pop May 23, 2024
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[Today’s K-pop] Blackpink cinches gold certification in UK
Blackpink earned a gold certification from the British Phonographic Industry with its first studio album, the organization announced Tuesday. LP “The Album” logged 100,000 in sales in the country, and the quartet became the first K-pop female artist to do so. The album from May 2020 ranked No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and stayed on the main albums chart for 26 weeks straight, a record for a K-pop female act at the time. It also was No. 2 on the UK’s Official Top Albums chart. The
K-pop May 22, 2024
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[Today’s K-pop] Stray Kids hit Billboard’s Hot 100 with Charlie Puth collab
Stray Kids entered Billboard’s Hot 100 for the second time with “Lose My Breath,” a Charlie Puth collaboration, according to the publication on Monday. The band of eight teamed up with the American singer and songwriter who co-authored the song with the songwriting trio of Bang Chan, Changbin and Han. The digital single was dropped on May 10 and tied the record the group set on the main singles chart with “Lalalala” last year. “Lalalala” was the focus tr
K-pop May 21, 2024
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[Today’s K-pop] Seventeen to launch new subunit duo
Junghan and Wonwoo of Seventeen will form a new subunit and roll out the single “This Man-The City” on June 17, agency Pledis Entertainment announced Monday. The news came through a video of nighttime in a city that goes black after lightning strikes. Expectations are high for the two, especially since they are an unlikely pair, Junghan from its “vocal team” and Wonwoo from “hip-hop team.” The latter sang with Mingyu for the digital single “Bittersweet (
K-pop May 20, 2024
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[Today’s K-pop] NewJeans hits 600m Spotify streams with ‘Ditto’
NewJeans logged 600 million plays on Spotify with “Ditto,” agency Ador said Friday, citing the platform’s data. It is the group’s second song to achieve the feat after “OMG.” “Ditto” is the pre-release song from the single “OMG” and the five-member group's first song to land on Billboard’s Hot 100. It debuted on the main songs chart at No. 96 about only six months after the group’s debut, setting a record for a K-pop ac
K-pop May 17, 2024
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[Today’s K-pop] Kep1er extends life as septet: report
Kep1er will begin a new chapter as a seven-member group, according to a local media report Thursday. The group debuted in January 2022 with survivors of the audition show “Girls Planet 999: Girls Saga” and was supposed to disband in July. Seven members, however, decided to renew their contracts to continue as Kep1er, a first for an idol group launched through such a program in Korea. Kang Yeseo and Mashiro will return to their original agency and join another girl group Limelight, ad
K-pop May 16, 2024
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[Today’s K-pop] Zerobaseone sells 1 million albums in 1 day for 3rd time
Zerobaseone’s third EP sold over 1 million copies on the day of its release, as did its two previous albums, said agency WakeOne Entertainment on Tuesday, citing a local tally. The rookie band is the first in K-pop history to achieve the feat. Its first and second EPs have both sold over 2 million units so far. The EP “You Had Me at HELLO” was released Monday and topped the iTunes Top Albums Chart in 22 regions while the title track “Feel the POP” landed atop its
K-pop May 14, 2024
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[Today’s K-pop] Seventeen hits Billboard 200 at No. 5 with best-of album
Seventeen claimed the No. 5 spot on the Billboard 200 with its best-of album, according to the chart preview posted Sunday in the US. Expectations were high for the album “17 Is Right Here” as the main track “Maestro” debuted on its Global 200 and Global excl. the US charts at No. 91 and No. 40, respectively, in less than four days after release. The lead single topped the iTunes Top Songs chart in 32 regions and the album landed atop Oricon’s weekly and weekly comb
K-pop May 13, 2024
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[Today’s K-pop] NCT’s Mark to drop 1st solo album in February 2025
Mark of NCT is gearing up to put out his first solo album, label SM Entertainment said Friday. It is due out in February next year, and he will give fans a taste of what is to come on May 16 with the single album “200," consisting of two tracks – the titular track and “200 (Minhyung’s Ver.).” At midnight, the musician surprised his fans with a video clip in which he sang the lead single while playing an acoustic guitar. Mark has released the solo songs “C
K-pop May 10, 2024
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[Today’s K-pop] Stray Kids to drop new album in July: report
Stray Kids will bring out a new album on July 19, according to a local media report Thursday. The group's last album was the eighth EP “Rock-Star” from November last year, which became its fourth consecutive chart-topper on Billboard 200, following EPs “Oddinary” and “Maxident” as well as LP “Five-Star.” The eight-track extended play sold over 3 million copies in the first week and topped the iTunes Top Albums Chart in 32 regions while the mai
K-pop May 9, 2024
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[Today’s K-pop] NCT Dream to drop pre-release from 2nd Japan single
NCT Dream will roll out the Japanese single “Moonlight” online on Wednesday, in advance of the full release of its second single album of the same title that is due out on June 5, according to SM Entertainment. The band will perform the pop dance tune on stage at its concert in Osaka on May 11-12, giving the audience the first look at the performance. The concert will be the beginning of the Japan leg of the tour, “The Dream Show 3: Dream Escape in Japan,” which will brin
K-pop May 8, 2024
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[Today’s K-pop] Seventeen tops Oricon chart with best-of album
Seventeen notched the No. 1 spot on Oricon’s weekly album ranking with best-of album “17 Is Right Here,” according to agency Pledis Entertainment on Tuesday. It is the 12th time the band topped the chart, extending its record for an international artist. The compilation album is its eighth album to achieve the feat. The album sold over 2 million copies on the day of release and 2.96 million in the first week of sales. The main track “Maestro” topped the iTunes Top S
K-pop May 7, 2024
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[Today’s K-pop] Sunmi to drop single next month
Sunmi will release a self-written single in June, agency Abyss Company said Friday. She finished shooting a music video in Croatia, it added. The songstress uploaded several pictures and wrote “Rainy Croatia” on her social media last month. The upcoming single comes about eight months after her eighth digital single “Stranger.” The songstress debuted as a solo act in 2013, about 3 1/2 years after she suspended activities as a member of group Wonder Girls. She rejoined the
K-pop May 3, 2024
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[Today’s K-pop] Stray Kids go gold in US with ‘Maniac’
Stray Kids earned gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America with “Maniac,” according to the organization’s announcement Wednesday in the US. It is the fourth time the band has gone gold in the US -- after the single “God’s Menu” and the albums “Five-Star” and “Rock-Star.” “Maniac” fronted the band’s sixth EP “Oddinary” which came out in March 2022 and made a hotshot debut on the
K-pop May 2, 2024
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[Today’s K-pop] Seventeen sets sales record with best-of album
Seventeen’s best-of album, “17 Is Right Here,” sold more than 22.6 million copies on the day of release, according to a local tally released Tuesday. It sets the record for a compilation album from a K-pop act, according to agency Pledis Entertainment. The album topped iTunes top albums chart in 17 regions, while main track “Maestro” topped songs charts in 32. The band added four new songs -- “Maestro” and three songs from among subunits -- to 28 focus
K-pop April 30, 2024