The K-Pop world is always buzzing with eventful new information surrounding everyone’s favorite artists in the South Korean pop music stratosphere. As usual, BTS still headlines everyone’s minds as they keep working and achieving new astronomical highs even after their friend and BTS member Jin spent his first 24 hours on military grounds. Still, some names will quickly return to the music scene, including the up-and-coming NewJeans, and Red Velvet‘s in smooth new Christmas gear.
Today’s packed selection of news is made up of a panoply of topics, including upcoming performances, comebacks, and even Time’s most awaited list for K-Pop fans. After all, everyone is yearning to find their favorites being praised and gloated as much as possible. On that note, here is all the news causing a buzz in the K-Pop realm.
NewJeans, LOONA, Red Velvet, and NCT Dream kick off the Holiday season with cheerful comebacks
Today is absolutely packed with comebacks by everyone’s favorite rookies and K-Pop legends alike. In HYBE-land, the thriving new girl group NewJeans recently released their first self-entitled EP, receiving critically acclaimed reviews as it entered Rolling Stone’s 100 albums of the year list, but this is only the beginning for the five-member group. NewJeans is getting ready for the release of their first single album OMG, through the release of the MV teaser music for the single “Ditto”. Joining in the comeback momentum is LOONA. Even after all the hustle and bustle surrounding the Blockberry Creative group, the girls are still preparing a comeback by releasing their first promotional image for the upcoming The Origin Album: 0, expected to be released in January.
That’s not all. Red Velvet joined hands in the holiday spirit and sported the perfect Christmas attire alongside Aespa for SM Entertainment’s girl group’s special holiday collaboration for ‘2022 Winter SMTOWN: SMCU PALACE’. As for the male groups, anyone can count on NCT to always be working up to something. As the group prepares for the release of their unit’s mini-album, the title track “Candy” receives a colorful music video.
Jimin becomes the only BTS member to enter Tidal’s K-Pop: Best of 2022, while J-Hope joins the artist line-up for the 37th Golden Disc Awards
BTS’ world is unstoppable, and the group’s vocalist Jimin is here to prove their unmeasurable influence in the musical industry. With a song that is not even a year old, Jimin’s “With You” was created for the soundtrack of the Korean series Our Blues, featuring his friend Ha Sungwoon. This melodic tune achieved two great milestones less than a year after its release: amounting to over 180 million streams on Spotify, and entering TIDAL’s K-Pop: Best of 2022 list. It is the only OST by a BTS member on the list, albeit he is still accompanied by BTS’ Jin with “The Astronaut” and group singles “Run BTS,” and “Yet to Come.”
Jimin is not the only one causing a ruckus among BTS fans. The main rapper and dancer J-Hope released his first solo album Jack in the Box in July, accompanying NewJeans on Rolling Stone’s albums of the year listicle. The immense grandiosity of this album is immortalized by the rapper’s performances at the festival Lollapalooza, the award show MAMA, and in the future, as one of the headliners for the 37th Golden Disc Awards, to be held on Jan. 7, 2023, at the Rajamangala National Stadium in Thailand.
Time Magazine released the best K-Pop songs and albums of the year
As the year wraps up, every single news outlet starts to release its favorites of the past fading year. TIME Magazine joins the Rolling Stones and Billboard by releasing their own listicle of the prime K-Pop acts, songs, and albums of 2022. The list welcomes newcomers like NewJeans’ “Hybe Boy” to the best song section. Also joining HYBE’s newest act are IVE’s “Love Dive”, “Hello,” by Treasure, Billie’s eclectic “GingaMingaYo (the strange world)” and “BTBT,” B. I x Soulja Boy featuring DeVita.
The albums list, in no particular order, shares some of the trendiest studio albums released this year. The album INVU by Taeyeon graces the list as it is praised for its “poignant tone,” and versatile vocals. Also joining the list are SEVENTEEN’S Sector 17, I Never Die by G(I)-Idle, Bibi’s Lowlife Princess: Noir, and RM’s archive of his twenties, Indigo.
So there you have it, K-Pop fans. As always, annyeonghi gaseyo (go peacefully) and fighting!