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NME •

TWICE's Nayeon: “What you see is exactly who I am”

Nayeon is the centre of the universe, and we’re all just revolving around her. With her sophomore mini-album, ‘Na’, Nayeon makes sure we don’t pay attention to anyone else: after all, the word “na” means “I” in Korean. But more than getting a bit of attention, the TWICE member is determined to make everyone “fall deeper” in love with her, as she sings on the project’s addictive title track ‘ABCD’, which powers through with even more zest than her viral TikTok hit, ‘Pop!’.
That single, and its ac...
Grammy.com •

From Tokyo To Coachella: YOASOBI's Journey To Validate J-Pop And Vocaloid As Art Forms | GRAMMY.com

From Tokyo To Coachella: YOASOBI's Journey To Validate J-Pop And Vocaloid As Art Forms YOASOBI, blending J-pop and Vocaloid with narrative-driven songs, is capturing a global audience through their performances at major festivals like Coachella and Lollapalooza, marking a significant moment for Japanese music on the international stage. For decades, Japanese music has been one of the hardest to access as a foreigner. Even with the popularization of cultural exports like anime and the emergence o
Grammy.com •

Chung Ha Returns: On 'EENIE MEENIE,' The K-Pop Soloist Is Ready To Step Back Into The Spotlight | GRAMMY.com

It takes courage to become a soloist in K-pop — a scene largely dominated by girl groups and boy groups of the most varied sizes — but more than that, it takes verve. Singer, dancer, and songwriter Chung Ha, 28 years old, knows it better than anyone. Born in Seoul, South Korea but raised in Dallas, Texas, she first rose to stardom in 2016, after returning to her home country and participating in Mnet’s trainee competition show "Produce 101." There, Chung Ha caught the eyes of judges and viewers
Grammy.com •

TWICE Reflect On Milestone Moments & Latest 'With YOU-th' EP | GRAMMY.com

In the music video for "I Got You," K-pop girl group TWICE are stranded at a tempestuous sea. Their ship waders and wobbles, thunder roars outside, but the nine members are safe and sound in the cabin — lying on cozy pillows and having a good time, they know all storms are temporary.

"I Got You" precedes TWICE’s thirteenth EP, With YOU-th, out Feb. 23, and the video mirrors their journey together so far.

One Direction's Solo Endeavors: Breaking Down Every Single, Album & Artistic Venture | GRAMMY.com

Looking at everything One Direction achieved in their time together, it's hard to believe that they were only active for six years. What's even harder to fathom is that they've now been on hiatus just as long — but luckily for fans, that time has proven fruitful for Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Harry Styles, and Louis Tomlinson. Each member has released at least one studio album as a solo artist, and they have all dipped into several other ventures within fashion, producing, and mentorin

How K-Pop's (G)I-DLE Are Learning To Love Themselves: "There's No Rules In This World" | GRAMMY.com

Living Legends is a series that spotlights icons in music still going strong today. This week, GRAMMY.com spoke with Billy Idol about his latest EP, Cage, and continuing to rock through decades of changing tastes. Billy Idol is a true rock 'n' roll survivor who has persevered through cultural shifts and personal struggles. While some may think of Idol solely for "Rebel Yell" and "White Wedding," the singer's musical influences span genres and many of his tunes are less turbo-charged than his '80

Ten's New Era: The K-Pop Singer Promises To "Keep Changing" On Celebratory New Release | GRAMMY.com

K-pop singer TEN wants to be seen for who he is right now. "But that might be hard, because no one can really understand each other, right?" he tells GRAMMY.com via Zoom, an inquisitive smile forming on his lips. As one of the industry’s most entrancing artists, he is mindful of the gap between self and others, artists and fans, private and public. "You might not really understand yourself," he adds. But still, he hopes that, at least for 3 minutes and 42 seconds, people can see what he calls hi

Record-Breaking Rookie Girl Group NewJeans Are "Enjoying The Ride" On New Release | GRAMMY.com

Like their name, K-pop girl group NewJeans are an atemporal classic. Despite debuting just one year ago — no teasers, no big announcements, only a delightful summer hit by the name of "Attention" — their carefully-crafted ID is both utterly cool and longingly comfortable. It’s as if they could fit anywhere, from early-aughts MTV to the most underground basement parties, but still deliver a twist. And while some might argue that being so fluid isn’t a compliment — no one is doing it like they do.
NME •

Taemin on ‘Guilty’: “I think it's more attractive to make the negative look beautiful”

“On that vague border between good and bad / You played the fool for me,” Taemin whispers on his newest single, ‘Guilty’. In the music video, faceless hands grab his neck, rearrange his body, control him in a suffocating atmosphere. But don’t be mistaken – he’s the one playing here. It’s his own hand who snakes underneath his shirt, shutting him up as he proclaims, “You got me G-U-I-L-T-Y.”
• READ MORE: Jungkook – ‘Golden’ review: a new pop king prepares to take his throne

To fully understand T
NME •

Meet ENHYPEN, the K-pop boyband destined to dominate the mainstream

German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche once said: “My formula for greatness in a human being is amor fati.” Originating from Latin, amor fati can be translated to “love of one’s fate”, that is, to embrace life’s inherent ups and downs, believing that everything happens as it was meant to happen.

When looking at the trajectory of K-pop boyband ENHYPEN, it makes sense that they would see fate as an anchor, rather than a handcuff. Two and a half years into their soaring journey – which includes th
NME •

WayV: “They take their time to see us, so we should give that same energy back”

Halfway through the first stop of their European Fanmeeting Tour ‘Phantom’, Chinese group WayV panicked. With eyes as wide as tennis balls, they looked at each other, then up to the gilded ceiling of London’s Eventim Apollo, and down to the roaring audience below – not a single clue if they should fight, flight or freeze. What horrors stood in front of them?

Turns out the frightening moment was just a misunderstanding. In a common display of joy in European concerts, fans were stomping their fe
NME •

ENHYPEN – ‘Dark Blood’ review: the first droplet of a deeper, denser era

In the ten months since ‘Manifesto : Day 1’, ENHYPEN have experienced life as global artists for the first time – embarking on their first world tour, attending Milan Fashion Week and participating in prominent K-pop festivals, from Music Bank in Paris to headlining Las Vegas’ We Bridge Expo 2023. After all that, the septet are finally ready to usher in a new era with their fourth mini-album, ‘Dark Blood’. The first installment of the so-called ‘Blood’ series, it marks a return to the group’s st
Nylon •

DAWN: "HyunA Taught Me To Shine By Myself"

2018 was a whirlwind for rapper and singer-songwriter DAWN. In one of that year’s biggest K-pop headlines, he had his relationship with labelmate and soloist HyunA outed, only for both of them to be booted from their label, Cube Entertainment, a month later, under an official statement that said “it is not possible to recover the faith with the two artists.”

Flash-forward five years, and DAWN, real name Kim Hyo-jong, is in the eye of the hurricane once again. Following the 2022 news of his brea
Alternative Press Magazine •

Why K-pop musician So!YoON! explored different types of love on new album 'Episode1 : Love'

Love is ubiquitous, so broad and borderless that no single definition could encompass it all. And maybe for that reason, love is the perfect start. The primal experience. The ocean from where anyone can drink, dive, and emerge anew. It is Episode1 : Love, as Korean singer and songwriter So!YoON! named her sophomore LP, which was released March 14.

Read more: Review: ​​Stray Kids’ first US stadium shows are an electrifying peek at what’s to come

However, to Hwang Soyoon, the 25-year-old behind
Nylon •

Seulgi Finds Her Own Lane With '28 Reasons'

During one of the many company meetings in preparation for her solo debut, Seulgi reflected offhandedly: “Good and evil people are not clearly distinguished. Good and evil coexist within one person.” This thought ended up framing the entirety of her debut EP, 28 Reasons, out now. It appears on the cover of all its versions like a subtitle and defines the way she portrays Snow White and Grimhilde (the Evil Queen) in its teaser images, looking heavenly yet diabolical at the same time. It serves as
Nylon •

10 Years On, KCON Is Still Making Fans Feel Seen

“It was definitely worth it. Worth the 2,200 bucks,” laughs Larry Zheng. The 20-year-old attendee is referring to the Prestige tickets he bought for the largest Korean culture and music festival in North America — KCON — which took place on August 19-21 at the Los Angeles Convention Center and Crypto.com Arena. A self-proclaimed “JYP Nation fan,” Zheng mostly came to see girl group ITZY, but his top-tier purchase granted him full access to the three days of convention. Alongside preferred GA spo
Rolling Stone Australia •

The Mythology of DPR IAN: Korean-Australian Idol to Pop World Creator

“I set my wings on fire,” wails the voice of a man overflowing with sorrow. Another voice, eerie and muffled, narrates what took him to this extreme — fallen stars, a world dividing. They both resound over a dismal orchestra, an atmosphere so dark you can almost touch it, until everything suddenly vanishes into a thunderstorm. Such is “Seraph,” the opening track to the first studio album from DPR IAN, Moodswings In To Order, out now.

The track picks up right where “No Silhouette,” the burning c
NME •

Onew talks subverting expectations on ‘Dice’: “I wanted to completely break out”

It takes Onew around seven minutes to start looking at the Zoom call screen more freely. Until then, the main vocalist and leader of SHINee has been politely staring down, lifting eyes only from time to time, as if peeking through a door ajar, while the translator relays his answers from Korean to English.
• READ MORE: Onew – ‘Dice’ review: a stately revelation of his true, shining talents

Ask any introvert and they would confirm that’s nothing to be alarmed about. It’s not a lack of interest,
Teen Vogue •

For Stray Kids, Noise Isn’t an Insult — It’s a Secret Weapon

Rumble. Snap. Crack. In a bolt of thunder, K-pop mavens Stray Kids descend to Earth. Most precisely, to an ancient hanok village — a symbol of their Korean roots. In the MV for their latest single, they are the “Thunderous” ones, the “소리꾼” (sorikkun), a term for singers of pansori, a traditional Korean style of musical storytelling. But “소리” (sori) also means “sound” in English, while “꾼” (kkun) is a suffix for a “doer,” a person who does something a lot, or very well. Here is Stray Kids’ first
Teen Vogue •

NCT Dream Is All Grown Up and Ready to Show What They Can Do

On a warm, late summer evening of 2016 in Seoul, South Korea, seven boys hoverboarded right into the most defining experience of their youth. Mark, Renjun, Jeno, Haechan, Jaemin, Chenle, and Jisung, then aged 17 to 14 years old, were making their debut as NCT Dream — a subunit focused on the youngest forces of SM Entertainment’s mega-group NCT. Their first title track, “Chewing Gum,” was as bubbly as its name, with choreography that required nimble maneuvers on the two-wheeled vehicle.

Fast for
Teen Vogue •

Chung Ha, K-Pop Visionary, Has No Regrets

The cover artwork features Chung Ha gazing into the distance, hair slicked back, hand grazing a layer of broken glass placed atop of her image. It’s Photoshop, but intentional. She’s breaking through any limitations — visible or invisible — to be who she wants to be. “There's a lot of messages in that photo, but one of the main ones is the same as in [lead single] ‘Bicycle,’” she explains. “In the choreo, I start in this ‘jail’ kind of thing, and then I just go out and start my performance. It w
Teen Vogue •

The Dangerous, Delightful Duality of Taemin

The Ace of Ace, as SM Entertainment once dubbed Lee Taemin, is only 27 years old, but his vision and craft contain wisdom beyond years. Born in Seoul, he debuted in 2008 with the group SHINee and has spent almost half of his life in the spotlight. He has acted in numerous dramas, such as 2013’s Dating Agency: Cyrano; showcased his charisma in variety shows like We Got Married and Hit the Stage; performed in Younique, a dance team formed by SM to promote “Maxstep”; debuted again in 2014 as a solo

K-Pop Veteran KAI Feels Freer Than Ever On 'Rover': "It's Going To Be A Very Memorable Period For Me" | GRAMMY.com

Last year, K-pop group SuperM made history when their self-titled debut EP premiered at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart. A miscellany of a boy band featuring seven cornerstones from four different acts signed to South Korean company SM Entertainment, the newly formed act’s star power and the virality of their immensely memeable first single "Jopping" made them a must-watch act of 2020. Now, they’re back with their first LP, Super One.

Out on Sept. 25, SuperM's first full-length album fea