RIYADH – For BTS and the 30,000 screaming Arab fans who filled King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Friday evening, it was a night to remember.“We’d never thought we would perform here. Thanks to all the people, to all the ARMYs (BTS’ fandom) who made this possible. There is a beautiful full moon up in the sky. Remind of us, remind of tonight,” band leader RM called out to the crowd. Indeed, BTS’ Saudi Arabian leg of its ongoing &ld

Over the last few years, fans have learned that Seventeen always goes above and beyond when it comes to them. In a familiar scene at K-pop concerts, when Seventeen said “jump,” the crowds jumped. When it requested screams, they offered frenzied roars. But that’s not all that made the 3 1/2 hour concert one of the best shows of this year so far. Kicking off Seventeen’s “Ode to You” world tour, the concert took place at the KSPO Dome in Seoul on Aug. 31, the sec

Seventeen has always been associated with playfulness and quirkiness, but not this time. The 13-piece multinational boy band has returned with its long-awaited single “Fear,” which features the act in a totally new light -- or rather darkness. “This is a song that will showcase the darkest side of Seventeen. It explores our inner feelings of ‘fear,’ which will be able to draw out new sides of us,” said Woozi, who took part in crafting the song, at the band&rsq

Big Hit Entertainment, the mastermind behind global sensation BTS, and the nation’s No. 1 mobile game developer, Netmarble, have joined hands to launch a brand-new music-streaming platform, multiple sources said Tuesday.Even though the new platform may not be solely dedicated to BTS, sources say, the septet is highly likely to release some new songs exclusively for the platform. “The two firms have started development work as a venture project. The platform is targeting global users

After seeing its biggest stateside success last year, which included its iHeart Radio Jingle Ball tour, Monsta X has returned with the new hard-hitting single “Alligator,” a culmination of its yearlong efforts. And the act confidently said that with the new single it was set to prove that 2019 would be its year for both musical growth and global recognition. “Performing at multiple Jingle Ball events taught us so many things and offered opportunities to connect with global audiences. It was such

K-pop act Seventeen has released its sixth EP, “You Made My Dawn,” about six months after the summer EP “You Made My Day.”Marking the act’s first release of this year, the six-track album is fronted by lead track “Home,” an urban future R&B track that features ample use of synth sounds and a multitude of vocal colors. Veering away from the sound of the band’s earlier explosive tracks like “Very Nice,” the single is rather a throwback to its older sonic style, recalling tracks like “Thanks” and “

WJSN, also known as Cosmic Girls, has a lot to say about love with its new track “La La Love.” “This is our first release of the year, and as the new year comes with a lot of expectations and love, our new song is full of love and fluttering feelings,” said Eunseo during the group’s media showcase for its new album in Seoul on Tuesday.(Video shot and edited by Ra Kyoo-yung/The Korea Herald)“We’ve been very busy lately, as we had to prepare for the new album and attend award shows at the same tim

Wrapping up a whirlwind of a year with ear-splitting rock sound, over 4,000 concertgoers at YB Band’s Seoul concert either let go of their bygone days or brought up long-buried emotions with the band’s thought-provoking songs and stories. If there’s any reason why people chose the veteran rock band over younger and trendier musicians for their year-end concert, it’s probably the band’s masterful onstage tricks that it has crafted for over two decades and its ever-developing musicality. And YB Ba

Diamonds are rock-solid, but they’re not unbreakable, says D-Crunch.With its name abbreviated from Diamond-Crunch, referring to the group’s powerful performance and musicality fit to crush diamonds, the fresh K-pop rookie overflows with youthful energy and ambitions.Having just started to make its mark in the K-pop scene, the nine-piece group of Hyunwook, Hyunho, O.V, Minhyuk, Hyunwoo, Hyunoh, Chanyoung, Jungseung and Dylan said it hopes to spread its messages around the globe. (Video shot by Li

No sounds of sobbing or wailing were heard at a memorial event for SHINee’s Jonghyun on Monday, but the singer’s death is still keenly felt by his fans. On Monday evening, the event to commemorate the late lead vocalist of SHINee, who died a year ago, was held at a theater in S.M. Town Coex Artium in Gangnam. It took the form of an art fair that showcased clips and writing dedicated to Jonghyun. The event also included a memorial service. (Hong Dam-young/The Korea Herald)Organized by Shiny, a no

Fans protest Indonesia’s ban on Blackpink ad featuring miniskirted bandmates By Hong Dam-young Blackpink has become a household name in Indonesia, but fans were astonished recently when the country slapped a ban on a television ad featuring the singers in miniskirts. On Wednesday, Agence France-Presse reported that the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission had ordered 11 domestic TV stations to block the commercial on Tuesday, calling it indecent and saying it violated the Muslim country’s moral no

One gets the impression that Sohee has got the competitive showbiz world all figured out. In middle school, the current Elris member learned that “acceptance” was key to coping with the whirlwind life of a K-pop trainee. There were times when she almost succumbed to countless cut-throat competition in the course of making her debut, which she recalled as the “hardest thing” during her trainee years. But what always empowered her was the Latin phrase “amor fati,” meaning to accept and love everyt

After sweeping prizes at award shows like the MGA and Asia Artist Award, BTS once again won big at the 2018 Melon Music Awards that took place in Seoul. Held on Saturday at Gocheok Sky Dome, the star-studded event in its 10th year saw the “Idol” singers take home seven trophies -- the most for anyone in attendance.The biggest awards of the night went to BTS, which received the best artist of the year award and the best album of the year award for its “Love Yourself: Tear” album.  (MMA)“It’s been

It’s that time of year again, when around 600,000 Korean students go through one of the most nervous and significant moments of their lives by sitting the nationwide college entrance exam. And with Suneung, Korea’s annual college entrance exam, taking place on Thursday, BTS Suga’s recollection on Twitter of that nerve-wracking day has resurfaced across social media, which fans called as super down-to-earth. His tweet, dated November 2015, read, “Hi this is Suga. Today is the college entrance exa

Jennie’s first solo single, “Solo,” topped both the Korean and global charts upon its release Monday evening. Representing the act, YG Entertainment said Tuesday that the Black Pink artist’s first solo track has landed atop eight local music-streaming charts including Melon, Bugs, Mnet and Genie. The song has also shot to No. 1 on iTunes charts in 49 countries including Argentina, Brazil, Cambodia, Chile, Egypt, Greece, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Poland and Spain. (YG Entertainment)Written

BTS’ planned appearance on “Music Station,” a flagship music program of Japanese broadcaster Asahi, has been canceled, stirring up a whirlwind of controversy. The announcement came a day before the K-pop act’s scheduled appearance on the Japanese music program slated for Friday. “Music Station” stated on its official website, “A specific T-shirt worn by a BTS member caused a controversy, which was reported by media. We asked about the intention of wearing the outfit to the act’s agency and tried

The year 2018 has been an exhilarating ride for BTS, and what capped off a cascade of its impressive feats was a bagful of trophies at a K-pop award show in its home turf of South Korea.The group on Tuesday night received two grand awards, Best Artist of the Year and Digital Album of the Year, with its "Love Yourself" album at the 2018 MGA, a music award show jointly organized by Korean broadcaster MBC Plus and online music store Genie Music. The event was held at Namdong Gymnasium in Incheon on

With the clock ticking to this year’s K-pop MGA awards, excitement has been running high, as the star-studded event will feature diversity in its nominations and exclusive collaborations.Here’s what we can expect from the highly anticipated awards show, which is set to be held at Namdong Gymnasium in Incheon on Tuesday. 1. Head-turning performances and collaborations (BTS, Charlie Puth Twitter)The 2018 MGA will offer exclusive performances by beloved K-pop artists. Headlining the event is a join

After revamping her career with “Negal Dola” and “One Shot, Two Shot” earlier this year, K-pop diva BoA mustered up more strength to return as charismatic and independent in “Woman.”Marking her ninth full-length album, the new record’s title track blends upbeat synths and diverse beats that lead into the soloist’s explosive chorus where she belts out, “Feels good to be a woman.”Crafted by BoA herself, the song kicks off with the clicking sounds of high heels and embodies the image of a charismat

After finishing the European leg of its “Love Yourself” world tour, BTS returned to its homeland of Korea safe and sound. On Wednesday morning, BTS arrived at Incheon Airport, ending a stretch of 52 days abroad since it departed to Los Angeles for the first stop of the world tour. (Yonhap)Overflowing with a European vibe, Jin wore a sky-blue T-shirt printed with the portrait of “Mona Lisa” and sandals from Givenchy, while Suga sported a long navy coat and blue wool hat from Chanel. Always jocula