Latest news with #SMEntertainment
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
K-Pop Girl Group Aespa Is Exactly Where They Want to Be
Aespa is all about reinvention. The four-piece girl group, hailing from Korean label SM Entertainment, have been ahead of the curve since their 2020 debut. The group debuted with at-the-time revolutionary concept tied to the metaverse, where every member had a corresponding avatar. But now, approaching five years as a group, Karina, Giselle, Winter and Ningning seemingly feel they've found the Aespa they've always wanted to be. More from The Hollywood Reporter 'Action Item' Treats Burnout as "Collective Condition, Silenced Crisis" (Exclusive Karlovy Vary Trailer) Comcast to Sell Sky Deutschland to Bertelsmann's RTL Group 'Squid Game' Finale Ends With Surprise Hollywood Star Cameo 'I think what people think of Aespa, right now, since maybe 2024-ish, I think that's where the image that we were thinking from the beginning started to be shown to the people who see us,' Giselle tells The Hollywood Reporter on a Zoom from SM's Seoul headquarters. Building off the success of their 2024 hits 'Supernova' and 'Whiplash,' Aespa's latest single, 'Dirty Work (Feat. Flo Milli),' is primed to become the group's latest chart-topping hit. 'Dirty Work,' which racked up over 1 million pre-orders ahead of its Friday debut, keeps the sound and soul of Aespa alive but with an added groove that the group hasn't fully explored before. Below, the 'Next Level' singers speak with THR about 'Dirty Work,' their collaboration with Flo Milli and how they've evolved into the group they always saw themselves as. Let's start with 'Dirty Work.' Can you tell me about the release? GISELLE It'll be a single, so we'll have the Korean version, the English version and then we have a featuring version with Flo Milli, which is something we're very excited about. This is one of those songs where when we heard the demo, from the start, we were all just like, 'Wow.' It's a song that we all really, really like, so we're very excited to show you guys, and it's a little more minimal than what we have done recently. It does have a bit of a different feel than some of the music (like 'Whiplash', 'Supernova' or 'Armageddon') that you've been putting out lately. How do you feel it still fits into the sound that you have created for yourselves over the years? GISELLE Well, we're always trying to do something new. With 'Supernova' and 'Armageddon,' the instrumentals in general, not only our vocals, but everything is the opposite of minimalistic, I think. There's a lot of sounds. Same with 'Whiplash,' different genre but similar with a lot of sounds, but more techno. We think 'Dirty Work' is a lot less than that. The teasers that have come out so far, it doesn't really sound like that, but once you hear the actual full song, I think a lot of people will feel the different sounds and how it's a lot more simple. But it has that kind of cool feel to it. What was it like collaborating with Flo Milli? KARINA First of all, we're really happy to collab with a very big artist like Flo Milli. This is our first official collab with another artist, but we'd love to work with artists who inspire us and create something unique together, which made this collaboration with Flo Milli so special. She was able to bring a very fiery edge to the vibe of the song. You've had plenty of success over the last year with your recent releases. Does that add pressure onto you with every release? Or does it motivate you to try new things? WINTER Of course, as much as we receive love from the public, I really do think that I need to feel pressure in a positive way. Rather than feeling pressure in a negative way, feeling it more heavily and [with] more weight, I think this should go in a positive way where we can give positive influence to our fans and to the public and give our messages that we want to send. What was your experience like growing alongside your fans? NINGNING From our debut until now, we kept trying new music. We challenged ourself with new music and concerts; We did a lot of concerts meeting our lovely fans out there. I think we really actually grew up and actually really got better. I'm really happy that when people think of Aespa, we have this distinct color and we keep working to find new colors. Finding our color and specificity in this music scene is making us grow. We are really thankful for our fans who loved [us along] this journey and who grew up with us. How do you feel you've all evolved from when you debuted until now, and how you've been able to do that together as a team? How has that dynamic changed for you guys? KARINA Both as a team and myself, I think with the recent albums, I really got to talk with our company more about music and the album we're making. Also, as a team, we talk with each other, we discuss a lot about music and the color we actually want to show to the public. We constantly try to find and study and offer feedback to each other about what is best on this journey. With these insightful discussions going on, we think the more we talk and discuss, we grow up faster. Our company actually gives us a lot of help as well, so as a team and a person myself, I think communicating would be the best way to grow up. How do you want the world to see Asepa? GISELLE From the start, we had a concept that was just very [specifically] a certain thing. Very AI, very cyber, which was cool, but at the same time, It didn't mesh perfectly well at the start because obviously because we're human. [Laughs]. But as time went by, we released more music, tried new concepts and merged that together. I think what people think of Aespa, right now, since maybe 2024-ish, I think that's where the image that we were thinking from the beginning started to be shown to the people who see us. I can speak for all four of us when I say we did feel that, little by little, as time went by. It's still very new. It's still 2025, and it's going to start now with each member as an individual. From now, we can show people what we think our ideal thing is, but I think that's kind of up to us to be able to show that and be that too. Do you feel the shift just happened over time or did it come from working together for a few years now? GISELLE I think every reason put together made that outcome. I mean, everything that we're saying right now is an opinion, so someone could think completely differently. But I think it was us getting to know each other more as well. Even just being together for a couple of years, that definitely did play a big role. Knowing this kind of vibe suits you and me and blah, blah, blah. And how we portray that on screen as well. Is there a genre or concept you haven't tried yet that you'd like to? NINGNING Since our debut [we've] wanted to try a cute or fresh or cleaner concept. What do you hope for Aespa as a whole or yourselves as performers? GISELLE As a group, obviously we [all started this career] for different reasons, but it's all because of music and [that] we loved performing and all of that. We all wish the best for each other as well, as in our own individual careers as well. I think each member has something in mind, of course, and that would've been what got us started here in the first place. I think our fans haven't seen anything like that yet, obviously, no one has done a big solo project yet, but it will be coming someday we hope. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2025: Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar & SZA, Sabrina Carpenter and More Hollywood's Most Notable Deaths of 2025 Hollywood's Highest-Profile Harris Endorsements: Taylor Swift, George Clooney, Bruce Springsteen and More
Korea Herald
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
New single from aespa nets million preorders
New single from aespa, 'Dirty Work,' received more than a million preorders, according to label SM Entertainment on Friday. The single is due out on Friday and is likely to become the group's sixth million-selling set. Its five preceding albums — second to fifth EPs 'Girls,' 'My World,' 'Drama' and 'Whiplash' as well as first LP 'Armageddon' — all accomplished the feat. The foursome will drop the hip-hop dance tune first as a digital single and next month, will roll out physical albums in limited number. Meanwhile, aespa is gearing up for its third international tour 'Synk : aeXis Line.' The tour will kick off on Aug. 29 with a three dates in Seoul. The rest of the destinations of the tour is yet to be announced, except for those in the Japan leg scheduled for October: Fukuoka, Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka.
Korea Herald
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
NCT Dream to return in July with 5th LP
NCT Dream will be back July 14 with its fifth studio album, label SM Entertainment announced Monday. The band of seven will return with the LP 'Go Back To The Future,' a nine-track set that will portray the emotions and experiences of traveling through time with a time machine. The time travel device is likely to be a hover board — if a teaser clip for the LP is an indication — a symbolic item from the septet's debut single 'Chewing Gum.' From next week, a string of teasers will be released, and on July 9, the music video for the main track 'BTTF' will be unveiled. On the following day, the band will kick off its fourth world tour, 'Dream Show 4: Dream The Future,' in Seoul.
Korea Herald
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Macron invites ‘K-pop pioneer' Lee Soo-man to open French office, seeks stronger Korea-France creative ties
Lee delivers keynote at France Music Week as sole Asian speaker, calls for stronger protection of creators' rights in AI era President Emmanuel Macron invited Lee Soo-man — founder of SM Entertainment, who is often credited as the K-pop pioneer — to open an office in France. During a Friday meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, the French leader expressed his desire to strengthen collaboration between South Korean and French creators, signaling high-level recognition of K-pop's cultural power. Lee, who now leads A2O Entertainment in Los Angeles, was in Paris as the only Asian speaker at the 'France Music Week Summit,' held at Place de l'Opera on the same day. Macron, attending the event, extended his invitation to Lee directly and instructed French Minister of Culture Rachida Dati to follow up on practical steps for implementation. Macron greeted Lee warmly, stating he was well aware of Lee's dual identity as both a creative visionary and a successful entrepreneur. Lee was introduced as 'the man who created K-pop,' a title that resonated with the event's focus on innovation in the global music industry. The meeting went beyond symbolic cultural diplomacy. It underscored France's growing interest in fostering creative exchanges with Korea, especially at a time when intellectual property rights and AI-driven content creation are reshaping the industry. Macron's invitation is being seen as a significant gesture that may lead to a long-term cultural and economic partnership. Meanwhile, Lee delivered a speech at the summit, where over 100 top executives from the global music business gathered to discuss pressing challenges in the industry. His remarks focused on the evolving role of fans, who he described as no longer 'consumers,' but 'prosumers' — fans who reinterpret, remake and even co-create content. 'I imagine a world where fans are part of the creative process, where they are rewarded economically for their participation,' Lee said. 'In the age of generative AI, we must protect the rights of not only original creators but also the emerging roles of re-creators and prosumers.' He also drew attention from industry insiders by explaining 'Culture Technology' — the system he pioneered to build K-pop into a global cultural force. Throughout the summit, panelists cited K-pop's structure and success as a case study in innovation. Lee emphasized that in the AI era, protecting creators' rights has become more urgent than ever. His stance on safeguarding creative ownership resonated strongly with the summit's broader themes. Other participants at the summit included Robert Kyncl, CEO of Warner Music Group; Lyor Cohen, Global Head of Music at YouTube; and Olivier Nusse, CEO of Universal Music France.
The Review Geek
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Review Geek
TAEYONG: TY Track in Cinemas (2025) Review – A Concert Movie for the Fans
It's Personal For Taeyong fans, this film is about the music but also the vulnerability behind the bravado. For fans of K-pop, it's a glimpse behind the curtain of the making of an idol at SM Entertainment. Koreans love a story of personal evolution. Well, who doesn't? In Lee Tae-yong's opening lines, he shows photos from his childhood, talking about what a little rascal he was, never wanting to listen to anyone, particularly his mom. An SM Entertainment trainee since the age of 18, it's taken 10 years of work to get to the point of this solo concert which originally took place in Seoul in February 2024. It was a fantasy of fantasies for the young Tae-yong, known as a founding member of NCT, debuting in subgroup NCT U, leading NCT 127 and later joining the US-focused SuperM. He talks of 'TY Tracks' – a concept he's been developing since the beginning. His initial tunes had been criticized but he was encouraged by friends to keep building, learning and that's exactly what he's done. Many of his songs bring to fruition a harkening of the past. Sticking with the familiar name, it's the culmination of ten years of musical growth. Currently serving his mandatory military service in the Korean Navy, according to news reports, he remains on SM Entertainment's roster (though he talks like he's leaving the team on the film). The cinema release, next month, marks roughly 6 months until his service completion in December 2025. It's good timing to remind fans – NCTzens known affectionately as Czennies – after a year outside the limelight. READ MORE: Korean content or music reviews As the concert begins, Lee Tae-yong transforms into TAEYONG, emerging from a 'T' of lights in the sky with dancers swirling onto the stage below. With his multiple nods to Michael Jackson, from sparkly single glove to dance moves, Taeyong is clearly here to make a mark in pop as a soloist. For many of the tunes, 2 mini albums-worth, this is the first time he's performing them live. For a couple, he looks a little less confident. Whether it's having to fill the large stage on his own or the absence of group members with whom to vibe, there's just a little hesitation. After all, the expectations are high and though we didn't know it then, it was his last performance before his country-required 18-month lifestyle change. The necessary backing track for the soloist/dancer is sometimes distracting from the performance. Occasionally the dancers are as well, though they mostly serve to fill the space and offer a few opportunities for interaction. The number where he truly stands out, looking most confident and comfortable is 'Moonlight,' a tune performed as a solo but featured as part of NCT 127's 2021-2023 world tour, Neo City: The Link. So, there's little doubt that this one will be well-received and the crowd proves it. Does Taeyong rule the stage? Not always, but he offers sincerity and an openness that is enhanced by the breaks between songs. The behind-the-scenes mix of humility, regret and self-encouragement as he pours out mixed emotions, periodically pepper the film. In there too, is a smattering of rehearsals where the stress is clearly on. Taeyong is here to do well and he's feeling the weight of it. These revealing confessions make the movie, where he continually shows how much skin he's got in the game. So, no matter what he's singing about – gaming, loneliness, love – he shares a little bit about how the performance we see on stage was created. While he talks of strength, he reveals vulnerability. Even his off-hand comment about liking to keep his apartment dark – the bright lights are clearly for his work persona, not his sanctuary. The concert itself is meant to tell a story, he shares. A great love story – presumably dedicated to fans. Or to his mom, to whom he apologizes at the end. Was it for choosing his own future? Not being around and available? Not growing up filial? To fans, he notes that he seeks inspiration from them and hopes to give it right back. Either way, to both mother and Czennies, it sounds like gratitude. Are you planning to catch Taeyong: TY Track in Cinemas? What tune are looking forward to hearing the most? Drop your thoughts in the comments below. For more Taeyong, check out his official Instagram. READ MORE: Korean content or music reviews
