BTS' J-Hope, Jungkook achieve feats with solo music
The performance-heavy hip-hop R&B tune dropped Friday and debuted on Spotify's Daily Top Songs Global at No. 12, generating over 3.8 million plays on release day.
He is dropping 'Mona Lisa (Remixes)' on Tuesday, adding two rearranged versions — Band and Afropop — of the original song.
Meanwhile, Jungkook reached the 500 million views mark on YouTube with the music video for his solo mega-hit 'Seven (feat. Latto)' on Saturday. This is the first time he has surpassed the milestone as a soloist.
'Seven' was unveiled in July 2023 and made a chart-topping debut on Billboard's Hot 100. With the first solo single, he has set a series of records, including amassing 1 billion Spotify streams in the shortest time ever.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Korea Herald
2 days ago
- Korea Herald
When K-pop stays abroad: The rise of export-oriented idol groups
Idol groups turn to overseas markets as saturation in Korea makes domestic success harder to achieve, say critics In the age of global K-pop, not all idol groups shine equally at home and abroad. Fans and insiders are describing a growing number of acts as 'export-oriented idols' — groups who debut in Korea but quickly shift focus to international activities due to lackluster local reception. While some idols still enjoy popularity across the board — such as BTS and Blackpink, who command massive fan bases both in Korea and worldwide — others are far more prominent overseas than they are domestically. Groups like Dreamcatcher, ARTMS, Kep1er and Enhypen have built their careers largely through global tours and overseas fandoms, with limited exposure or fanfare within Korea. Even Stray Kids and Ateez — among the most visible K-pop groups in the US and Europe — perform primarily in overseas stadiums while maintaining a relatively smaller presence locally. The disconnect has sparked questions about why some idol groups appear to "skip" Korea entirely, despite being products of its music system. According to music critic Lim Hee-yun, the divide is rooted in how the industry has evolved. 'The overseas K-pop market has grown dramatically, while the domestic one is shrinking,' Lim said, Friday. 'In Korea, competition is too fierce. New idol groups debut constantly and general interest in idols has declined.' Lim points to shifts in listening habits as part of the problem. 'Unless you're in the top five, it's hard to chart or create buzz. Fans are more likely to stick with artists they already follow or stream songs recommended by algorithms. The days when a new idol group could instantly become a public sensation are gone.' This saturation has made the Korean market harder to penetrate, particularly for mid-tier or rookie groups. 'Some major agencies have idols whose overseas revenue accounts for 70 percent of their total,' Lim said. 'Naturally, those groups prioritize international tours and promotions.' An executive at an indie K-pop agency who spoke on condition of anonymity echoed this view, adding that the marketing strategy varies by company size. 'For major K-pop agencies (like SM, JYP and YG Entertainment), the model is to build a strong local fan base, then expand to Asia and beyond,' he said. 'But for smaller agencies, it's often more effective to aim directly at overseas audiences.' The executive cited Ateez of KQ Entertainment as a clear example. 'They're not from a major company, but by targeting global fans from the start, they built a sustainable fandom abroad. Now they're doing world tours with far more impact than their domestic engagements.' Girl group Fifty Fifty's breakout hit 'Cupid' wasn't initially designed for the Korean market, the insider said. 'We saw that overseas fans responded well to a track from its first EP ... So we used that as a reference and deliberately created a song targeting American teens. That's how 'Cupid' came about — with support from Warner Music to push it globally.' Still, the divide between domestic and overseas success raises questions about the long-term sustainability of this model. 'The K-pop industry is in an oversupply crisis,' Lim said. 'Too many acts, too few consumers. If the bubble bursts, and it might, only groups with solid backing or loyal fan bases will endure.'
Korea Herald
3 days ago
- Korea Herald
Stray Kids' next album titled ‘Karma'
Stray Kids announced Friday that it would release fourth full album, 'Karma,' on Aug. 22. A trailer video for the upcoming LP leaped time to year 2081 and the eight members compete against each other as former winners of an annual sports contest. The album comes about a year since its ninth EP 'Ate,' which made a chart-topping debut on Billboard 200 and sold over 3 million copies. The mini album is the group's sixth consecutive release to debut atop the main albums chart and earned the band a Billboard K-pop record. Stray Kids are travelling around Europe for its world tour 'Dominate,' and will have a show in Paris coming weekend. Next week, the band will go live in Rome and wrap up the tour that encompasses 34 cities for 55 shows.
Korea Herald
4 days ago
- Korea Herald
Actor Park Bo-gum new face of Korea tourism
Following BTS, Lee Jung-jae and NewJeans, Park joins Korea's tourism efforts as honorary ambassador Actor Park Bo-gum has been appointed as the honorary ambassador for 2025 Korea Tourism, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced Thursday. A teaser video for the upcoming global promotional campaign was unveiled on the ministry's official YouTube channel 'Imagine Your Korea,' revealing Park as the new face of Korean tourism. The ministry and the Korea Tourism Organization have consistently tapped top-tier Hallyu stars to front their annual campaigns — BTS in 2022, Lee Jung-jae in 2023 and NewJeans in 2024. Park, widely loved for his nuanced acting, most recently in the Netflix hit 'When Life Gives You Tangerines,' will now lead efforts to promote Korea abroad over the next year. As global travelers increasingly seek personalized, emotionally resonant journeys rather than conventional sightseeing, this year's campaign encourages visitors to take charge in their own Korean travel stories. In the teaser clip, Park extends an invitation, asking, 'Will you be the main character of this story?' The message kicks off the 'Never Ending Korea' campaign, aimed at showcasing the country's charms and immersive travel experiences. The ministry and the tourism authority will officially appoint Park as the ambassador on Tuesday and unveil two campaign films along with a behind-the-scenes clip. The ads -- produced in the style of a short film and music video -- feature both Park's real-life persona and an alter ego. Adding to his involvement, Park also recorded the campaign's official theme song, 'On My Way,' composed and written by KZLAB, a team led by renowned K-pop producer Kenzie of SM Entertainment. The song will be released Thursday on major streaming platforms, including Spotify and Melon. In collaboration with Netflix, the ministry has also produced tourism-themed videos inspired by global Korean hits 'Squid Game' and 'All of Us Are Dead.' The 'Squid Game' version, titled 'Escape to Korea — Better Run,' has drawn more than 8.4 million views since its release on July 3. The 'All of Us Are Dead' campaign video, 'Escape to Korea — Better Together,' is slated for release on Aug. 7. According to Netflix, 72 percent of Korean content viewers expressed interest in visiting Korea, nearly double the 37 percent among non-viewers. 'More than 85 percent of this year's eight campaign videos were filmed outside Seoul, emphasizing hidden gems and lesser-known destinations in a bid to boost regional tourism,' a ministry official said in a statement. As part of efforts to support regional tourism, the campaign also includes theme ads spotlighting the Gyeongsang and Jeolla provinces, which suffered recent setbacks due to natural disasters and transportation incidents. The Gyeongsang video, 'Where Energy Never Sleeps,' focuses on Gyeongju, the host city for the upcoming APEC summit, while the Jeolla provinces' 'Where Beauty Moves Hearts' highlights the region's artistic allure through music and dance. The campaign videos will be screened on landmark billboards in 16 major cities including New York's Times Square, Tokyo, Beijing and Bangkok through November. Additional promotions will run across YouTube and Netflix, targeting over 20 key global tourism markets.
