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[Today’s K-pop] Stray Kids to headline Italy, UK festivals

Jan. 31, 2024 - 16:54 By Hwang You-mee

(Credit: JYP Entertainment)
    
Stray Kids will make headline performances at music festivals in Milan, Italy and London this summer, both a first for a K-pop boy band, said label JYP Entertainment on Wednesday.

The band will make its festival debut on I Days and British Summer Time Hyde Parkon July 12 and 14, respectively. The lineup for the Milan gig this year includes Metallica, Doja Cat, Lana Del Rey and Bring Me The Horizon. The supporting lineup for the British festival will be announced soon, said the organization welcoming the eight-piece act as “South Korean megastars.”

Last week in Paris, the bandmates performed at the fundraising concert for children in hospital hosted by France’s First Lady Brigitte Macron alongside Lisa of Blackpink. It was another first for a K-pop boy band.

 

BTS’ Jungkook extends solo record on Billboard 200

(Credit: Big Hit Music)

The first solo album from Jungkook of BTS extended its stay on Billboard 200 to 12 consecutive weeks, according to the latest chart published Tuesday in the US.

EP “Golden” ranked No. 58 on the main albums chart dated Feb. 3, adding another week to the record streak it has set as a K-pop solo album. Main track “Standing Next To You” climbed up two rungs to No. 85 on Billboard’s Hot 100, also staying on the chart for 12 weeks straight.

Meanwhile, the band’s first full album “Dark & Wild” and second EP “Skool Luv Affair” made the publication’s Top Album Sales chart. The LP debuted on the chart at No. 27 and the EP returned to it at No. 39. Both albums are from 2014 and the mini album entered Billboard 200 at No. 12 in 2020 when it was reissued at fans’ request.

 

Highlight to return with new album: report

(Credit: Around Us)

Highlight will make a comeback in March with a new album, a local media report said Wednesday.

Agency Around Us confirmed that the band is preparing a new album that will be released in spring, following the report.

The band’s last full-group effort was fourth EP “After Sunset,” which came out in November 2022. The four members dropped digital single “Give You My All” in October last year to mark the debut anniversary with fans and held a fan concert the following month.

The four-member act is celebrating the 15th anniversary of its debut this year.

The band debuted in 2009 as Beast but changed its name in 2017 after leaving then-agency Cube Entertainment.

 

BoA is producer for NCT Wish

(Credit: SM Entertainment)

Veteran singer BoA will oversee the debut of NCT’s final subunit NCT Wish, announced label SM Entertainment on Wednesday.

She is named as the producer for the six-member team that is set to be launched on Feb. 21 in Korea and Japan. She debuted in 2000 at age 13 and is the first-ever K-pop act to make it onto Billboard 200 and still has a loyal following, especially in Japan.

She not only has been a pioneer for Korean artists outside of the country but has written songs and produced her own albums and participated in those of her juniors, including aespa.

NCT Wish will bring out single “Wish” on Feb. 28 after its debut performance at the label’s all-star concert at Tokyo Dome the previous week. The single will be available in both Korean and Japanese. Grammy.com named it as one of the “11 Rookie K-Pop Acts To Know In 2024.”