SEOUL, May 20 (AJP) - K-pop boy band RIIZE will embark on their first world tour in July, riding the momentum of their new album released earlier this week. Starting with a three-day concert in southern Seoul in early July, the sextet will tour about a dozen cities around the world including Bangkok in Thailand, Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Hyogo, Saitama, and Tokyo in Japan, Jakarta in Indonesia, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, and Manila in the Philippines until February next year. The tour w

SEOUL, May 20 (AJP) - Jin, the eldest member of K-pop juggernaut BTS, released a new compilation album on Tuesday. According to his agency BitHit Music, the album contains eight tracks including six remixed versions of "Don't Say You Love Me," the title song from his second mini album "Echo," released last week, about six months after his debut solo album "Happy" late last year. Along with the instrumental version of the song, the remixes vary

SEOUL, May 13 (AJP) - Renowned South Korean conductor Chung Myung-whun has been appointed as the next music director of Italy’s prestigious Teatro alla Scala in Milan, marking the first time an Asian musician will hold the position in the opera house’s 247-year history. La Scala announced the appointment on its official website on May 12 (local time), stating that Chung will succeed current music director Riccardo Chailly and begin his term in 2027, serving until Febru

SEOUL, April 19 (AJP) - K-pop girl band Apink released a new digital single on Saturday, celebrating the 14th anniversary of their debut. According to their agency Choi Creative Lab, “Tap Clap” is Apink’s first full-member release in nearly a year and serves as a fan song. Member Kim Nam-joo contributed to the lyrics, expressing gratitude to their fans. With a bright sound and emotional melody, the track is accompanied by a music video that captures th

SEOUL, March 28 (AJP) - Cable channel MBN on Friday eventually decided to cancel its upcoming audition show featuring young K-pop wannabes amid mounting controversy. "Under Fifteen," which was supposed to air next Monday, features some 59 contestants under the age of 15 from over 70 countries, competing for a chance to become K-pop's next big stars. But it has come under fire over concerns about the appropriateness of young kids appearing on the show, shortly after

SEOUL, March 27 (AJP) - K-pop girl group Aespa unveiled the English version of their hit song "Whiplash" on major music-streaming sites here on Thursday, in an effort to connect with more global fans. The upbeat song, the lead track of their fifth mini album, gained popularity with its addictive melody and energetic dance moves, selling 1.02 million copies in just three weeks after its release in October last year. In particular, the song's shimmy and shoulder-shaki

SEOUL, March 24 (AJP) - K-pop girl group NewJeans, now renamed as NJZ, will halt their activities following last Friday's court ruling, which banned them from engaging in independent activities amid a legal dispute with their agency. "We won't be able to perform for a while, as we have been suspended from our own activities," the quintet said during their concert in Hong Kong last Sunday where they revealed their new song "Pit Stop." Despite the court&

SEOUL, March 21 (AJP) - A court on Friday ruled in favor of K-pop girl group NewJeans' agency, banning them from engaging in independent activities. The ruling by the Seoul Central District Court came about two months after ADOR filed a lawsuit against the group's five members, insisting that the contract remains valid and cannot be unilaterally terminated. Last month, NewJeans changed their name to NJZ and began their own independent activities, such as ad endorsement de

SEOUL, March 17 (AJP) - Jennie, a member of K-pop girl band BLACKPINK reached No. 7 on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart with her first full-length solo album. The impressive entry on the chart for the week ending March 13 makes her the quartet's third member to land in the chart's top 10 as a solo artist, following Rosé and Lisa. Jennie became "the third member of the chart-topping quartet BLACKPINK to notch a solo top 10 – and all three have come in the l