K-Pop
BTS’ RM, Jin and Suga Test Positive for COVID-19
Three members of the K-pop group BTS have been infected with the coronavirus after returning from abroad, their management agency said. RM and Jin were diagnosed with COVID-19 on Saturday evening (Dec. 25), the Big Hit Music agency said in a statement. It earlier said another member, Suga, tested positive for the virus on Friday. All three took their second jabs in August, the agency said. Explore Explore BTS See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news BTS is a seven-member boyband. The four other members are J-Hope, Jungkook, V and Jimin. According to the agency, RM has exhibited no particular symptoms while Jin is showing mild symptoms including light fever and is undergoing self-treatment at home. The agency said Friday that Suga wasn’t exhibiting symptoms and ...
BTS Members RM and Jin Test Positive for COVID-19
Two more members of BTS have tested positive for COVID-19. Following yesterday’s news of Suga’s diagnosis, the group’s management company, Big Hit Music, has now revealed that RM and Jin have also received positive test results. Similar to Suga, RM is asymptomatic at the moment. However, Jin is experiencing flu-like symptoms, including a fever. Related Video All three members of BTS received their second COVID vaccination in August, and are currently self-quarantining in their respective homes, according to Big Hit. Advertisement “Our company will continue to provide support for the rapid recovery” of the group’s members, Big Hit added, “placing our highest priority on the health and safety of our artists. We will continue to cooperate fully with the requests and guidelines of healthcare a...
Suga of BTS Tests Positive for COVID-19
Suga of BTS has tested positive for COVID-19. According to a statement from the group’s management company, Big Hit Music, the 28-year-old musician had tested negative prior to leaving the US for South Korea following the group’s recent run of concerts at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium. However, while self-quarantining upon his return to South Korea, Suga received a positive result after taking a PCR test. Big Hit Music said Suga received his second COVID-19 vaccination in August, and is currently experiencing no symptoms. The company also stressed that he has had no contact with the other members of BTS — RM, Jin, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook. Related Video Earlier this week, Suga became the first Asian pop musician to debut at No. 1 on Billboard Digital Song Sales chart after his posthumous...
TOMORROW X TOGETHER Drop Surprise Christmas Song “Sweet Dreams”: Stream
With Christmas just a mere few days away, now’s the time to soak in all the holiday spirit you can. Thankfully, K-pop “It” boys (and December Artist of the Month) TOMORROW X TOGETHER are here to help spread the cheer with their surprise carol song, “Sweet Dreams.” Produced by Slow Rabbit, “Sweet Dreams” is a mellow R&B jam, tailored for yuletide festivities with a jazzy piano riff and plenty of sleigh bells. With TXT members Yeonjun and Hueningkai co-writing the melody, and Soobin, Taehyun, and Hueningkai handling the song’s bilingual lyrics, the track is billed as a gesture of gratitude to the TXT fandom (aka MOA) for their persistent support and love in spite of a tumultuous couple of years. But most importantly, “Sweet Dreams” is TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s invitation to relax amid a part...
What’s Your Favorite K-Pop Song of 2021? Vote!
As the year winds to a close, it’s a great time to look back on all the incredible music fans were gifted with this year, and the realm of K-pop is no exception. From BTS‘ “Butter”-y domination to long-awaited solo singles from Blackpink‘s Rosé (“On the Ground,” “Gone”) and Lisa (“Lalisa,” “Money”), some of the genre’s biggest stars continued to reach new career highs throughout 2021. Meanwhile, idols like TOMORROW X TOGETHER, TWICE and Seventeen celebrated well-earned breakthrough moments on the Billboard charts. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news So now, Billboard wants to know: Which K-pop hit was your favorite release of 2021? Did you prefer a boy band like NCT Dream (“Hot Sauce”) or CIX (“Cinema”)? What about a solo star like IU (“Lilac”...
BTS Stop Traffic Performing “Butter” on Corden: Watch
BTS literally stopped traffic during their latest appearance on Corden, blocking Geneese Ave in Los Angeles to perform “Butter,” “Permission to Dance,” “and “Dynamite.” This is becoming a habit for James Corden, who halted traffic over the summer with a reviled flash mob. But if anyone can make spending more time in LA traffic lovable, it’s the Bangtan Boys. For their performance of “Butter,” they sang alongside dancers dressed as sticks of emulsified cream. A sign labelled “BUT” rolled from one side of the street to be joined by “TER” coming the other way, as the K-Pop idols churned through their choreography. Like the product for which it was named, this “Butter” might give you a heart attack. Check out all three performances below. BTS, who after playing a record-setting series of ...
North Korea Has Publicly Executed at Least Seven People for Consuming K-Pop: Report
Kim Jong-un’s efforts to eradicate the K-Pop music that he considers a “vicious cancer” have resulted in at least seven people being publicly executed in North Korea, according to a new report by a human rights group. Via the New York Times, the study comes from the Seoul-based Transitional Justice Working Group (TJWG), which interviewed 683 North Korean defectors since 2015. The authors attempted to map public executions in the decade since Kim became Supreme Leader in 2011, while also noting that public killings were on the decline as secret executions surged. Of the seven known executions for watching or distributing K-pop videos, six took place between 2012 and 2014 in the city of Hyesan on the Chinese border. Local people, especially students, were brought to view the violent spe...
Every Time BTS Has Set a Guinness World Record
With the help of their ARMY, BTS are known for their record-breaking achievements, including on Billboard‘s very own charts. The guys are regulars in the Guinness Book of World Records, including member V’s recent double achievement as the fastest to reach both 1 million and 10 million followers on Instagram when he launched his individual account on Dec. 6. Below, find the full list of BTS’ Guinness World Record achievements. Explore Explore BTS See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news First K-pop group to reach No. 1 on Billboard 200 BTS released their third studio album, Love Yourself: Tear, on May 18, 2018. The album debuted in the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 in the week ending May 24 and appearing on the list dated June 2. With the release o...
10 K-Pop Acts That Dominated 2021
The 2021 edition of our Annual Report continues with a spotlight on some of the best and brightest acts in K-pop. As the year winds down, stay tuned for more awards, lists, and articles about the best music, film, and TV of 2021. You can find it all in one place here. 2021 was another major year for K-pop. What was once a niche corner of the music industry has transformed into a formidable sub-genre in recent years, in part because of its depth and diversity of sound. There’s something for everyone under the K-pop umbrella — the catch-all label refers to South Korean groups (boy and girl alike) and soloists who incorporate a mix of standard-raising production, choreography, and packaging. The music itself pulls from so many different sounds that listeners drawn to rap are able to debate sp...
BTS Perform “Butter” to Celebrate the 1,000th Episode of Corden: Watch
Last night, The Late Late Show with James Corden celebrated its 1,000th episode, of which approximately 999 featured BTS (ok, that’s a slight exaggeration, though Corden undoubtedly wishes it were true). To honor the occasion, the Bangtan Boys returned once again to perform a rendition of their record-breaking hit, “Butter.” BTS sang the song live with a backing track, and if you’ve been following these performances closely, you’ll be able to hear a marked improvement in their English accents from just a few months ago. After a two-year marathon, the world’s most famous septet are getting close to a well-deserved “extended period of rest,” and this iteration of “Butter” was much looser than usual — a bit breathier at times, with slightly more ad-libbing on the mic, and a goofy dance ...
BTS Dishes ‘Butter’ on ‘Late Late Show’: Watch
After several years of world-domination, BTS is all set for a hard-earned break to replenish the creative juices and recharge the batteries. But before the lads find a beach and chill out, there’s work to be done. The K-pop phenomenon are regular guests on The Late Late Show with James Corden, and they stopped by once again on Wednesday (Dec. 8), this time to help celebrate its 1,000 episode. What better way to bring up four-figures of late-night TV than dishing out the full spread of “Butter?” On this occasion, there was little in the way of theatrics. Just a dancefloor, with Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook lighting it up for a performance of their chart-topping hit. Explore Explore BTS See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news It’s been ano...
Artist of the Month TOMORROW X TOGETHER on Connecting Through Their Music: “We Want Our Fans to Be Proud”
We’re taking a break from our 2021 Annual Report to recognize our last Artist of the Month of the year! AOTM is an accolade given to an up-and-coming artist or group who is poised for the big time. In December 2021, we recognize K-pop act TOMORROW X TOGETHER, who continue to solidify themselves as 4th-generation leaders in the genre. Throughout 2021, TOMORROW X TOGETHER was frozen in time. The K-pop group (whose name is often shortened to TXT) burst onto the international scene with a remarkable debut in 2019 and quickly amassed a no-skips reputation. The still very young group was poised to explode in 2020 — when the world, of course, came to a screeching halt. It must have been somewhat frustrating for the five members — Soobin, Yeonjun, Beomgyu, Taehyun and Hueningkai — but if that’s th...
