[Exclusive] Weverse accused of exploiting labels, fans with new mandatory paid-membership service

Weverse Company, a global fan platform run by Hybe, is facing backlash for alledgely forcing its partner labels into a mandatory paid membership service, sparking accusations of monopolistic practices. The new "digital membership" service, set to launch on Dec. 1, compels over 130 music labels to participate, raising concerns about coercion, unfair revenue-sharing and exploiting fan loyalty for profit. According to Rep. Lee Jung-mun of the Democratic Party of Korea, Weverse emailed 130

K-popOct. 16, 2024

Kiss of Life sets sights on Coachella, releasing 'Lose Yourself'

Rising K-pop girl group Kiss of Life has set its sights on one of the biggest stages in music: Coachella. With the release of its third EP, "Lose Yourself," on Tuesday, the four-member group revealed its aspirations to perform at the renowned North American music festival. The group, known for hits like "Shhh," "Bad News" and "Sticky," held a press showcase in Seoul to discuss the new album and future ambitions. "We've had this big dream of perfo

K-popOct. 15, 2024

'Respect each other as human beings’: Hanni testifies at National Assembly audit

NewJeans member Hanni appeared as a reference witness at a National Assembly audit of the Environment and Labor Committee on Tuesday, where she expressed her concerns about workplace bullying. "I hope that no one -- whether seniors, juniors, peer artists or even trainees -- has to experience what I went through,” Hanni said during the audit session. “If we respect each other as human beings, there would be no workplace bullying or ostracism.” The Vietnamese Australian sing

PoliticsOct. 15, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Seventeen’s 12th EP sells 2 million in 1 day

Seventeen’s 12th EP sold more than 2.49 million copies on its release day, agency Pledis Entertainment said Tuesday, citing a local tally. The EP “Spill The Feels” was released Monday and became an instant double million-seller, as did the group's previous compilation album “17 Is Right Here” in April. The new mini album debuted atop the iTunes Top Albums Chart in 18 regions and the main track “Love, Money, Fame (feat. DJ Khaled)” claimed the No.

K-popOct. 15, 2024

BTS Jin to drop solo album 'Happy'

Jin of K-pop sensation BTS will release his first solo album next month. "Happy" will drop at 2 p.m. on Nov. 15, the singer's agency Big Hit Music announced through the fan community platform Weverse. According to the agency, the upcoming album will convey the message of embarking on a journey to find happiness together. Jin will share his candid thoughts on happiness while expressing his warm feelings towards fans. "Happy" will feature six songs in various genres, all b

K-popOct. 15, 2024

SHINee’s Minho to release 1st solo LP ‘Call Back’ next month

Minho of the legendary K-pop boy group SHINee will return to the music scene with his first solo LP on Nov. 4. According to SM Entertainment, the LP “Call Back” carries a total of 10 tracks led by the titular track “Call Back.” Through his first solo release in two years, Minho hopes to prove the expansion of his musical spectrum and perform in a way he has never done before. Minho made a successful debut as a solo artist with his first EP “Chase” in December

K-popOct. 15, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] BTS’ Jin to drop solo album next month: report

Jin of BTS will roll out a solo album in November, according to a local media report Monday. Big Hit Music confirmed the news but did not specify a date. The artist dropped the digital single “Super Tuna” last week, adding a second verse to the original song from 2021. The single topped the iTunes Top Songs Chart in 57 regions and landed atop Billboard’s World Digital Song Sales Chart, as did the original song in 2022. His first official solo music was the single “The Ast

K-popOct. 14, 2024

[Herald Review] Seventeen showcases new songs in world tour ‘Right Here’

K-pop sensation Seventeen launched their world tour, “Right Here,” with two spectacular concerts at Goyang Stadium in Gyeonggi Province. The event came just five months after their Asia tour, “Follow Again,” concluded in May. Drawing a crowd of approximately 58,000 fans to the stadium over two days, the concerts also attracted viewers from 107 countries through livestreaming on Weverse, an online platform for concert streaming. The concert kicked off with “Fear,&rdq

K-popOct. 14, 2024

Pressured by fans, troubled singer Seunghan leaves Riize for good

Just two days after announcing the he was rejoining K-pop act Riize, Seunghan on Monday said he is leaving the group for good. The decision comes following a heated response from within the group's fan community, known as Briize, over his return. Wizard Production, SM Entertainment’s production team in charge of Riize, released an official statement signed by directors Kim Hyeong-guk and Lee Sang-min in which they apologized for the confusion caused by the announcement of Seunghan&rsq

K-popOct. 14, 2024

CN Blue returns to pure band sound with “X”

Although it has been 14 years since its debut, this year marks “another beginning” for CN Blue with the trio's contemplative 10th mini-album, "X." Although it is the band's 10th album, band leader and vocalist Yong-hwa feels as nervous and excited as when the band debuted each time a new album is released. “At the same time, I still feel the fire alive inside me,” he said in an interview with a group of reporters on Oct. 7 in Cheongdam-dong, Seoul. The

K-popOct. 14, 2024

K-pop song once recommended by Nobel laureate Han Kang returns to music charts

Han Kang, who made history by winning the Nobel Prize in literature, is now also influencing the music scene. According to major local music platform Melon, K-pop sibling duo AKMU’s “How Can I Love the Heartbreak, You’re the One I Love,” which Han Kang had previously recommended, has made a resurgence on Melon’s Top 100 and Daily charts. As of Sunday, the song climbed to No. 43 on Melon’s Top 100 and No. 27 on the Daily chart. "How Can I Love the Heartbre

K-popOct. 13, 2024

Riize speaks out on Seunghan’s return

Riize’s Wonbin asked for fans' support and understanding regarding suspended member Seunghan's return to the team. “I’ve decided to share my thoughts on Seunghan’s return to prevent more confusion to Briize (fandom name),” Wonbin took to the fan community platform Weverse on Sunday to share. “We’ve had many discussions with Seunghan and the company (SM Entertainment) over a long period. Please understand that the members have been deeply contem

K-popOct. 13, 2024

Jennie tops iTunes charts in 47 countries with 'Mantra'

K-pop star Jennie has topped iTunes charts in 47 countries, including the United States, with her latest release, "Mantra," her agency said Saturday. The Blackpink member's new digital single, released Friday, claimed the No. 1 spot on iTunes' Top Songs charts across various nations, such as Brazil, Singapore, the Philippines and Mexico, as of 9 a.m. the following day. With this, she became the first K-pop female soloist to top the chart in the US this year, according to OA E

K-popOct. 12, 2024

Former Ador CEO gains ground in legal battle with Hybe, as whistleblower reveals plagiarism evidence

The ongoing legal conflict between Min Hee-jin, former CEO of Ador, and Hybe has taken another turn, as an internal whistleblower provided new evidence for the accusation that Illit, a rookie K-pop girl group under Belift Lab, plagiarized the concept of NewJeans. The evidence was revealed in a court hearing at the Seoul Central District Court on Friday. Belift Lab is a sister company of Ador, as both are subsidiaries of Hybe. New evidence has surfaced concerning Illit’s alleged imitation o

K-popOct. 11, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Riize’s Seunghan to rejoin next month

Seunghan of Riize will return and the band will reorganize as a seven-member act from November, said label SM Entertainment Friday. The management company broached the subject with a lengthy statement, telling fans how the band was originally planned as a septet and how deeply repentant he has been. Seunghan suspended activities about a year ago after a series of scandals followed him from debut. After the announcement, he uploaded a handwritten letter apologizing again for letting fans and ba

K-popOct. 11, 2024

BTS’s V and RM celebrate Han Kang’s Nobel Prize in literature win

BTS members RM and V have expressed excitement and congratulations in response to South Korean novelist Han Kang's Nobel Prize in literature win on Thursday. RM took to his social media to celebrate the news with a heart and crying emoji, showing his joy for Han Kang’s achievement. V followed suit, writing, "I read ‘Human Acts’ while in the military. Congratulations!" showing his admiration for the author. RM has previously recommended Han's works on multipl

K-popOct. 11, 2024

NewJeans’ Hanni to attend National Assembly audit as witness

Hanni, a member of the K-pop group NewJeans, said she will attend the upcoming National Assembly audit regarding workplace bullying and ostracism as a reference witness. The audit will take place Oct. 15. Hanni, on Wednesday, shared her decision on the fan communication app "Phoning," saying, "I will attend the audit alone. I’m doing this for myself, the NewJeans members and our fans." "Neither my manager nor the company (Ador) knows yet, but after much thought, I

K-popOct. 10, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Ateez adds dates to Europe tour

Ateez will expand the European leg of its tour to 14 concerts, with two more performances in London and Berlin, according to agency KQ Entertainment Thursday. The band of eight originally planned to visit nine countries in the continent for 12 shows, for the Towards the Light: Will to Power tour. The tour took them to 10 cities in the US and Canada this summer and will resume January next year in France. Ateez also dropped its fourth Japanese single album “Birthday” on Oct. 2, claimi

K-popOct. 10, 2024

Infinite announces 15th anniversary concert tour

Infinite, one of the best-known second-generation K-pop groups, are set to hold a concert tour from December to March, in celebration of the boy band's 15th anniversary. Via Infinite Company’s social media, the group announced the upcoming tour by revealing a teaser image containing the list of countries where concerts will be held. The six-piece group will kick off the tour with three days of performances from Dec. 6-8 at KSPO Dome in Seoul. They will continue the tour in Taipei, Tai

K-popOct. 10, 2024

Jay Park returns with quintessential R&B album after 8 years

K-pop singer-rapper Jay Park returned Tuesday with a studio album his fans will want to own. Park's sixth full-length album, "The One You Wanted," features 20 tracks, including nine new songs alongside 11 previously released singles. It marks his first R&B album in eight years. The number of tracks is unusually large, given that most K-pop studio albums feature no more than 10 songs. "Since 'Everything You Wanted,' I had planned to release more R&B albums. B

K-popOct. 8, 2024