Seventeen makes history at Glastonbury and more K-pop news
In the K-pop world
As usual, get the low down on the biggest K-pop happenings this month, from exciting comebacks by Lisa and Jimin to Seventeen’s historic performance at Glastonbury.
Seventeen makes history at Glastonbury Festival 2024
On 29 July, Seventeen took over the stage at the prestigious Glastonbury Festival 2024 to tens of thousands of fans. Known as one of the biggest music festivals in the world dating back to 1970, the boy group’s performance marks the first time in history that a K-pop act has appeared at the festival in Somerset.
Seventeen performed hits such as Hot, Maestro, God of Music, and more during the one-hour set. The 13-member ensemble is scheduled to perform at another major music festival, Lollapalooza Berlin, in September which is headlined by Imagine Dragons, David Guetta, Macklemore, Mumford & Sons, Ava Max and Jason Derulo.
Jimin is all smiles in Smeraldo Garden Marching Band track video
Showing off his bright disposition and signature eye smile, Jimin’s pre-release single for his upcoming second solo album, Muse, is a vibrant song befitting the singer. Released on 28 June, Smeraldo Garden Marching Band features a quirky melody alongside rapper-singer Loco amidst a lush green backdrop. In case you didn’t know, Smeraldo refers to a fictional flower created by BTS that was first introduced in 2017 during the Love Yourself album series. Its meaning roughly translates to “A truth that can’t be told”. Muse will be released on 19 July and explores where the BTS member finds his inspiration.
Lisa is a bonafide ‘Rockstar’ in edgy solo comeback
Decked in modern streetwear and star-shaped grills, Lisa has gone through a transformation in her highly-anticipated solo return. Aptly titled Rockstar, the electronic pop single sees the Blackpink rapper dance on the streets of Bangkok in powerful moves to a booming baseline. If the song sounds familiar to you, it actually samples Tame Impala’s New Person, Same Old Mistakes. This marks her first musical venture as a soloist under her entertainment company Lloud.
Red Velvet channels Midsommar in Cosmic music video
On 24 June, Red Velvet returned with their ninth mini album Cosmic which also serves as the record’s title track. Celebrating the girl group’s 10th anniversary, the album has already topped the iTunes Top Albums chart in 41 regions, proving their global popularity and musical impact. Known for their witch concept that combines dark and moody tones with silky voices, Red Velvet’s latest album expands on the group’s signature sound and aesthetic whilst exploring various genres. Inspired by the horror movie Midsommar, Cosmic is a pop dance song with a dream-like melody that is accompanied by subtly sinister undertones. Stream the EP below!
Aespa drops surprise music video for Live My Life
Aespa has been dominating the charts with the release of their first full-length studio album, Armageddon. On 19 June, the quartet surprised fans with a music video for one of their side tracks, Live My Life. Perfectly showcasing the group’s impressive vocals and rock sound, the music video and song explores themes such as living life unapologetically and going after your dreams. Check out other songs on Armageddon below.
Rosé signs with The Black Label as a solo artist
After months of speculation, Rosé of Blackpink has finally revealed her next move in her music career. On 19 June, the singer took to her Instagram to address and confirm the news that she has signed an exclusive contract with The Black Label as a solo artist. Formerly a subsidiary of YG Entertainment, The Black Label is currently an independent record label and houses artists such as Park Bo Gum, Jeon Somi and Zion T.
“As you all know, I have come from a place where more things have been done for me over doing things on my own. So, naturally, I need time to learn, understand, doubt and trust myself and others countless times to be the most responsible person I can be for myself,” the singer writes in her captions. “I really hate saying that I have something before I really do. And to me, there is nothing more important than delivering to you what I absolutely love, which is music.”
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“Ultimately, I am happy to announce that I am officially working with The Black Label as my music management who will be managing my curriculum and helping me navigate towards achieving my dreams…Label, management, all of that stuff, they will all be there to support my music and my dreams. And I am SO excited for that,” Rosé explains.
With this announcement, all four Blackpink members have confirmed their solo endeavours: Jennie with Odd Atelier, Lisa with LLoud, Jisoo with Blissoo and Rosé at The Black Label.
K.will returns with the sequel to his legendary music video after 13 years
Early K-pop fans will remember the iconic music video for K.will’s song Please Don’t back in 2011 (if you haven’t, watch that first for some context and prepare yourself for an absolute plot twist at the end!). Now 13 years later, the renowned ballad singer is back with a sequel starring the original actors, Seo In Guk and Ahn Jae Hyun. Titled No Songs Can Express Me, the cinematic music video explores the emotional relationship between two friends who reunite after 10 years.
Jimin teases second solo album, Muse
지민 (Jimin) ‘MUSE’2024.07.19. 1PM (KST) | 0AM (ET)#지민 #Jimin #Jimin_MUSE pic.twitter.com/2lat4svLXq
— BTS_official (@bts_bighit) June 17, 2024
On 18 June, ARMYs all over the world received a surprise message from BigHit to join its official broadcast channel on Instagram. In it, fans received news of Jimin’s second solo album, Muse, along with a teaser video!
#지민 #Jimin ‘MUSE’ Tracklist#Jimin_MUSE #Jimin_Who#SmeraldoGardenMarchingBand #SGMB pic.twitter.com/s7n7pZ42cB
— BIGHIT MUSIC (@BIGHIT_MUSIC) June 20, 2024
The tracklist was then revealed on 20 June, with Who announced as the title track. The full tracklist also revealed that his songs will feature Loco and Sofia Carson.
“Following his first solo album, Face, where he sought to explore his true identity, Muse documents his journey in search of the source of his inspiration,” the official press release states. Featuring seven tracks, the album will also include Jimin’s fan song Closer Than This which was first released in December 2023. The title track and music video are scheduled to drop on 19 July.
Jeonghan and Wonwoo are mysterious rivals in Last Night
On 17 June, Seventeen members Jeonghan and Wonwoo made their unit debut with their single album This Man. Their title track, Last Night, sees the two K-pop idols in a mysterious and fantastical setting as they engage in a cat-and-mouse chase. Their single album also include a solo song from each artist, showcasing their musical range and songwriting abilities. Stream it below!
NewJeans drops Right Now ahead of their Japanese debut
After the group’s comeback with How Sweet last month, NewJeans is quickly gearing up for their Japanese debut with the release of Right Now. The song, which leans heavily into the drum and bass genre, continues the popular girl group’s distinct Y2K sound and aesthetic. The fun music video also features their Powerpuff Girl characters and collaboration with acclaimed Japanese artist Takashi Murakami and his iconic Flowers motif.
The group has also released two teaser videos for their upcoming title track Supernatural, which drops on 21 June. NewJeans’ comeback comes after their label’s CEO Min Hee Jin and Hybe Labels’ legal battle—read more about that here.
Nayeon makes a triumphant summer return with ABCD
In 2022, the summer was dominated by the catchy tunes of Pop as Nayeon made waves with her solo debut. Now, the Twice member is back with an equally addictive track, this time embodying a more mature and sensual sound inspired by early 2000s pop queens such as Christina Arguilera and Beyoncé. Listen to ABCD below!
Jungkook tells ARMY to Never Let Go
To celebrate BTS’ 11th year anniversary, BTS’ Jungkook released a special fan song, Never Let Go, while he is still carrying out his military service. Since its release, the artist has made several historic milestones. The song entered Billboard’s Global 200 at number 20 and debuted at number three on the Digital Song Sales chart this week, meaning it is the third best-selling song of the week in the US.
Furthermore, Jungkook is currently the first K-pop artist in history to chart seven songs on the Billboard Hot 100, which includes Never Let Go, Stay Alive, Left and Right, Seven, 3D, Too Much, and Standing Next To You.
Jin is officially discharged from the military
In another piece of exciting BTS news, Jin has been officially discharged from military duty after 18 months! On 12 June, his fellow bandmates were seen welcoming the oldest member with warm hugs. Jin’s discharge comes just in time for the group’s 11th anniversary (known as BTS Festa) which falls on 23 June. As the only member hosting the anniversary party, Jin held a special event where he hugged 1000 lucky ARMYs and performed various songs. Welcome back, Jin!
For more K-pop news, head here.
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