[NEWS] SNSD's "Party" ranks #1 Most Viewed K-Pop MV in America-Global for July 2015

With a song and video perfect fo the summer, it's no surprise Girls' Generation snagged the most watched K-pop music video in July 2015, according to YouTube. The phenoms' "Party" video was the most-watched vid around the world and in America last month, proving their unwavering viral power even amid a lineup shift. It's the second time they snagged top viewing honors on the K-pop scene this year after "Catch Me If You Can" owned YouTube viewers' eyes in April.

The girls edge out competition from other top acts who all released amid what's proving to be one of the most competitive summers for K-pop in recent history. In both the U.S. and worldwide YouTube charts, GOT7 landed in second place with their uplifting visual for "Just Right" while Girl's Day was third for their colorful "Ring My Bell" vid.

Super Junior, Apink and INFINITE fought it out for the fourth, fifth and sixth spots as Apink wound up in fifth on both rankings with their seasonal "Remember" track. INFINTIE landed in fourth in America for "Bad," but sixth around the world, flip-flopping those slots with Super Junior whose Hollywood-esque "Devil" video was fourth worldwide, but sixth in the States.

Elsewhere, Crush's "Oasis" vid landed on both rankings, charting higher in America than worldwide -- making his recent KCON performance all the more important. And despite releasing their newest music videos towards the end of the month, Beast still charted with "Gotta Go to Work" (which premiered on July 19) on both the worldwide and American charts while "Yey" (which dropped on the 26th) only snuck into the last spot in America, indicating the boys still have a large fanbase in the States.

The last notable point comes from girl group Stellar whose provocative "Vibrato" video lands on both charts. Stellar became a controversial topic in Korea and on the K-pop scene for their suggestive choreography and concepts. Despite the group's lack of any sizable chart hits, YouTube viewers were clearly tuning in.

Most Viewed K-Pop Videos in America - July 2015:

1. Girls' Generation, "Party"
2. GOT7, "Just Right"
3. Girl's Day, "Ring My Bell"
4. INFINITE, "Bad"
5. Super Junior, "Devil"
6. Apink, "Remember"
7. Crush, "Oasis" ft. Zico
8. Beast, "Gotta Go to Work"
9. Stellar, "Vibrato"
10. Beast, "Yey"

Most Viewed K-Pop Videos in the World - July 2015:

1. Girls' Generation, "Party"
2. GOT7, "Just Right"
3. Girl's Day, "Ring My Bell"
4. Super Junior, "Devil"
5. Apink, "Remember"
6. INFINITE, "Bad"
7. MC Gaeswag, "T Pet on My Neck"
8. Beast, "Gotta Go to Work"
9. Stellar, "Vibrato"
10. Crush, "Oasis" ft. Zico

Source: billboard

[NEWS] Billboard releases "Top 10 Most Viewed K-Pop MVs in America-Global" for June 2015

It was a close YouTube battle of two of the largest international K-pop acts when BIGBANG and EXO released new music videos within hours of each other last month. But in the end, the YG Entertainment quintet snagged the most views on YouTube for June 2015.

"Bang Bang Bang" dropped on June 1 and wound up the most-viewed K-pop video both in America and around the world for the month, beating out EXO's "Love Me Right" (released June 2, and is at No. 2 on both rankings) along with BIGBANG's own "We Like 2 Party" vid (released on June 4, and is at No. 3 on both lists). BIGBANG topping both lists means SM Entertainment ends its remarkable, five-month streak at No. 1 atop the U.S.-focused chart provided by YouTube each month.

A cast of top boy bands fought for high rankings too, including the latest videos from 2PM, Teen Top and BTS -- the latter group who ranked much higher in America than they did internationally.

Girl groups AOA and Sistar's new videos dropped on the same day, but AOA wound up outcharting Sistar both on the Stateside and the international list.

Most Viewed K-Pop Videos in America - June 2015:

1. BIGBANG, "Bang Bang Bang"

2. EXO, "Love Me Right"

3. BIGBANG, "We Like 2 Party"

4. BTS, "Dope"

5. 2PM, "My House"

6. EXO, "Love Me Right" (Chinese Version)

7. AOA, "Heart Attack"

8. Sistar, "Shake It"

9. BIGBANG, "Sober"

10. Teen Top, "Ah-Ah"

Most Viewed K-Pop Videos in the World - June 2015:

1. BIGBANG, "Bang Bang Bang"

2. EXO, "Love Me Right"

3. BIGBANG, "We Like 2 Party"

4. 2PM, "My House"

5. AOA, "Heart Attack"

6. EXO, "Love Me Right" (Chinese Version)
7. Sistar, "Shake It"

8. BTS, "Dope"

9. BIGBANG, "Sober"

10. Teen Top, "Ah-Ah"

Source: billboard.com

[NEWS] SHINee's "View" ranks #1 Most Viewed K-Pop MV in America-Global for May 2015

Labelmates SHINee and BoA owned YouTube last month with the longtime acts stealing the Top 2 most-viewed K-pop videos of May around the world as well when looking just at American viewers.

The boy band's new video for "View" was the most watched K-pop vid of May 2015, their first Korean video in a year and a half. The quintet proved their power on YouTube earlier this year when SHINee member Jonghyun earned January's top-viewed visual. BoA also made her long-awaited return to the K-pop scene with "Who Are You" at No. 2 across the board, along with a No. 5 ranking on both lists for her single "Kiss My Lips." Before the pair of videos, BoA hadn't released a K-pop video since January 2013.

SHINee at No. 1 marks a remarkable fifth consecutive month topping the America-focused chart for SM Entertainment, the group's record label. The agency ruled every month in 2015 following Jonghyun (in January), f(x)'s Amber (February), Red Velvet (March), Girls' Generation (April) and, now, SHINee. 4Minute, under Cube Entertainment, spoiled their streak on the international chart by earning the most-viewed title in February.

Three girl groups make marks on both lists, led by Girls' Day's "Hello Bubble" at No. 3 all around, even though the song was recorded for a commercial and the video shaved off nearly a minute of the track. Newbie act BESTie rank at No. 4 in America and No. 6 internationally with "Excuse Me" while veteran female group Kara sent their "Cupid" vid to No. 10 in the U.S., but No. 8 worldwide. Hyoseong, a member of girl group Secret, slips her solo single "Into You" vid at No. 10 on the global chart.

On the boy band side, BTS rank high with the "original" (i.e. unedited) version of "I Need U" (which ranked at No. 9 in America last month with just two days of views), landing on both the stateside (No. 7) and global chart (No. 9) while rookie band Monsta X see their debut single's video for "Trespass" land on just the U.S. chart (No. 9). Hyunseung, a member of Beast, sees his debut solo single "Ma First" rank on both charts too (No. 6 stateside, No. 4 globally).

Most Viewed K-Pop Videos in America - May 2015:
1. SHINee, "View"
2. BoA featuring Gaeko, "Who Are You"
3. Girl's Day, "Hello Bubble"
4. BESTie, "Excuse Me"
5. BoA, "Kiss My Lips"
6. Hyunseung featuring Giriboy, "Ma First"
7. BTS, "I Need U (Original Version)"
8. Zion.T, "Eat"
9. Monsta X, "Trespass"
10. Kara, "Cupid"

Most Viewed K-Pop Videos Around the World - May 2015:
1. SHINee, "View"
2. BoA featuring Gaeko, "Who Are You"
3. Girl's Day, "Hello Bubble"
4. Hyunseung featuring Giriboy, "Ma First"
5. BoA, "Kiss My Lips"
6. BESTie, "Excuse Me"
7. Yoon Mi Rae, "I Will Listen Never Alone"
8. Kara, "Cupid"
9. BTS, "I Need U (Original Version)"
10. Hyoseong, "Into You"

Source: billboard

[NEWS] SNSD ranks #1 Most Viewed K-Pop MV in America-Global for April 2015

The girls group's Korean version of new Japanese single "Catch Me If You Can" was both April's top watched K-pop vid in America and around the world on YouTube. It's the first video from the group since February 2014's "Mr.Mr.," which was also No. 1 on both rankings that month.

GG at No. 1 on the American-based chart marks the fourth consecutive month at the top for their label, SM Entertainment. The agency has ruled the U.S. list every month in 2015 following SHINee's Jonghyun (January), f(x)'s Amber (February) and Red Velvet (March). 4Minute broke their streak in the international ranking by snatching the most-viewed title in February.

Veteran K-pop star and label CEO J. Y. Park lands at No. 2 on both lists with "Who's Your Mama," which likely succeeded for the overtly sexual, PSY-like visual.

Both of the aforementioned beat out BIGBANG who looked hungry to steal the top slots with "Loser" and "Bae Bae," which landed at the third and fourth slots, respectively. Both vids were released at 10:00am EST on April 30, meaning the group still ranked rather high with mere hours' worth of views. The quintet is set to release new music at the top of every month until the September release of their Made album. The time difference between South Korea and America (the latter time zone is what YouTube considers for the cut-off for these rankings) means BIGBANG will have to rack up a remarkable amount of views are a remarkably fast speed if they want to top a monthly list.

Another act falling into a time crunch is newcomer boy band BTS. Their "I Need U" vid dropped on April 29, giving the band a little more than a day to rack up views. The effort landed at No. 9 on the U.S. ranking, but just missed the global ranking, ultimately landing at No. 11.

Check out April 2015's list, according to YouTube, below with a playlist that you can click through to watch each video on the chart.

Most Viewed K-Pop Videos in America - April 2015:
1. Girls' Generation, "Catch Me If You Can"
2. J. Y. Park featuring Jessi, "Who's Your Mama?"
3. BIGBANG, "Loser"
4. BIGBANG, "Bae Bae"
5. Lim Kim, "Awoo"
6. Jinusean featuring Hanna Jang, "Tell Me One More Time"
7. Dal*Shabet, "Joker"
8. Jimin Park, "Hopeless Love"
9. BTS, "I Need U"
10. Block B - Bastarz, "Zero for Conduct"

Most Viewed K-Pop Videos Around the World - April 2015:
1. Girls' Generation, "Catch Me If You Can"
2. J. Y. Park featuring Jessi, "Who's Your Mama?"
3. BIGBANG, "Loser"
4. BIGBANG, "Bae Bae"
5. Jinusean featuring Hanna Jang, "Tell Me One More Time"
6. Dal*Shabet, "Joker"
7. Super Junior-M&D, "I Wish"
8. Jimin Park, "Hopeless Love"
9. Block B - Bastarz, "Zero for Conduct"
10. Lim Kim, "Awoo"

Source: billboard

[NEWS] Amber's "Shake That Brass" ranks #1 Most Viewed K-Pop MV in America for February 2015

4Minute, Amber, VIXX, Zion.T, Crush, Naul and viral videos captivated YouTube viewers last month.

K-pop fans were ready to get "Crazy" and "Shake That Brass" in February, with both 4Minute and f(x)'s Amber earning YouTube's highest-viewed videos around the world and in America, respectively. It's the first time that the No. 1 video on the global and U.S. rankings have differed since October 2014 when Super Junior and Epik High shared top YouTube honors.

Amber's "Shake That Brass," which features Girls' Generation member Taeyeon, was the most-watched vid in America, following her No. 19 debut on Heatseekers Albums and No. 2 debut on World Albums chart. Both f(x) and Girls' Generation have proven their Stateside popularity with several entries on the Billboard 200 and Heatseekers Albums. "Brass" was the second most-watched vid around the world and the adorable lyric video for Amber's solo track "Beautiful" also makes appearances on both lists.

Girl group 4Minute won the global viewership with their "Crazy" video. While their accompanying EP of the same hasn't bowed stateside yet, the girl group has been one of more internationally known acts and the vid was runner-up in the American ranking.

Meanwhile, boy bands continue to prove their dominance on the scene with VIXX, MYNAME and Teen Top's Niel earning entries across the lists.

Acts also making appearances on both chart includes Zion.T and Crush's smooth R&B joint "Love Equation" (No. 4 in America, No. 7 globally) and Naul's latest ballad "Living in the Same Time" (No. 6 in America, No. 5 globally) -- both somewhat surprising given Korean pop's global dominance and the atypical sub-genres both artists represent.

Another surprising entry comes from Norazo's wacky, viral video for "Your Fortune." The absurd song is making waves in Korea similar to Crayon Pop's "Bar Bar Bar" did in 2013 and appears to have caught Stateside interest too, ranking not only as the fourth most-watched video in the world, but ninth in America.

Most Viewed K-Pop Videos in America - February 2015:
1. Amber feat. Taeyeon of Girls' Generation, "Shake That Brass"
2. 4Minute, "Crazy"
3. Amber, "Beautiful"
4. Zion.T & Crush, "Just"
5. VIXX, "Love Equation"
6. Naul, "Living in the Same Time"
7. Giriboy, Mad Clown, Jooyoung feat. No.Mercy, "Young"
8. Niel feat. Dok2, "Lovekiller"
9. Norazo, "Your Fortune"
10. MYNAME, "Too Very So Much"

Most Viewed K-Pop Videos Around the World - February 2015:
1. 4Minute, "Crazy"
2. Amber feat. Taeyeon of Girls' Generation, "Shake That Brass"
3. EXID, "Up & Down" (Special New Version)
4. Norazo, "Your Fortune"
5. Naul, "Living in the Same Time"
6. Amber, "Beautiful"
7. Zion.T & Crush, "Just"
8. VIXX, "Love Equation"
9. Verbal Jint, Cheetaa, Jessi & KangNam, "My Type"
10. Giriboy, Mad Clown, Jooyoung feat. No.Mercy, "Young"

Source: billboard

[LIST] Jonghyun's "Crazy" ranks #1 Most Viewed K-Pop MV in America-Global for January 2015

After Jonghyun's debut solo album Base proved to be a smash on the charts, his new music videos are hits too. The SHINee member's "Crazy (Guilty Pleasure)" was the most watched K-pop video in America and throughout the world for January 2015. The sexy clip -- that shows the singer shirtless and chained to a giant, robotic spider -- earned more views than exciting visuals by other established and newbie acts on YouTube last month.

It wasn't Jonghyun's only vid to chart high in January. A live music video recording of "Déjà-Boo," another song off Base, also ranked sixth on both lists. Jonghyun's band mate Taemin also snagged a No. 1 on this exclusive, monthly YouTube list in August 2014 when "Danger" earned the most views in America for that month.

Elsewhere on the chart, Keith Ape's "It G Ma," an underground trap-rap collaboration with JayAllday, loota, Okasian and Kohh, owns the No. 2 spot in America, despite not ranking in the global Top 10. Both the song's sound and video have garnered lots of comparisons to OG Maco's "U Guess It," spurring a debate in the hip-hop community.

Barring Keith Ape & Co., pop acts make up most of last month's Top 10 including familiar faces like 4Minute (their ballad "Cold Rain" ranks No. 4 in America, No. 5 overall), INFINITE H ("Pretty" is No. 5 in America, No. 10 overall) along with two entries from Jung Yong Hwa via "One Fine Day" (No. 8 in America, No. 2 overall) and "Mileage" (No. 9 in America, No. 4 overall), both taken off his chart-topping One Fine Day album.

A handful of newcomers also make a splash. Male soloist G.Soul debuted high with ballad "You" (No. 3 most viewed in America, No. 8 overall). Plus, male duo act 1PUNCH's energetic "Turn Me Back" single charts on the global ranking (No. 7) as does GFriend's bubblegum-pop release "Glass Bead" (No. 9).

Most Viewed K-Pop Videos in America - January 2015:
1. Jonghyun feat. Iron, "Crazy (Guilty Pleasure)"
2. Keith Ape feat. JayAllday, loota, Okasian & Kohh, "It G Ma"
3. G.Soul, "You"
4. 4Minute, "Cold Rain"
5. INFINITE H, "Pretty"
6. Jonghyun feat. Zion.T, "Déjà-Boo (Showcase Stage @SMTOWN THEATRE Music Video)"
7. Mad Clown feat. Jinsil of Mad Soul Child, "Fire"
8. Jung Yong Hwa, "One Fine Day"
9. Jung Yong Hwa feat. YDG, "Mileage"
10. Sungha Jung, "River Flows in You" (Harp Ukulele Cover of Yiruma)

Most Viewed K-Pop Videos Around the World - January 2015:
1. Jonghyun feat. Iron, "Crazy (Guilty Pleasure)"
2. Jung Yong Hwa, "One Fine Day"
3. Mad Clown feat. Jinsil of Mad Soul Child, "Fire"
4. Jung Yong Hwa feat. YDG, "Mileage"
5. 4Minute, "Cold Rain"
6. Jonghyun feat. Zion.T, "Déjà-Boo (Showcase Stage @SMTOWN THEATRE Music Video)"
7. 1PUNCH, "Turn Me Back"
8. G.Soul, "You"
9. GFriend, "Glass Bead"
10. INFINITE H, "Pretty"

Source: billboard

[NEWS] Billboard releases "Top 10 Most Viewed K-Pop MVs in America-Global" for November 2014

 

 

G-Dragon, Taeyang, Hi Suhyun, AOA, Kyuhyun, GOT7, Apink and more captivated YouTube viewers this month.

As K-pop only male solo acts with Billboard 200 chart entries, it should come as no surprise that a collaboration between G-Dragon and Taeyang (aka GD x Taeyang) was the video fans watched most on YouTube last month. But five acts tailed closely behind. As we do every month, let's dig deeper into the top-viewed K-pop vids of last month.

 

Tapped to help announce the 2015 YouTube Music Awards, the duo's "Good Boy" video was the most watched of last month's batch of K-pop visuals both in America and around the globe. The clip already amassed more than 15 million overall views making it one of 2014's most watched K-pop clips overall. Last week, the booming club banger hit No. 1 on Billboard's World Digital Songs.

Looking further down the lists, the following five acts all ranked within Nos. 2 through 6 with different places depending on what territory we look at. GD and Taeyang's labelmates Hi Suhyun, a fellow duo consisting of Lee Hi and Suhyun of Akdong Musician, see their "I'm Different" video, featuring Bobby, at No. 2 in America and No. 3 worldwide.

Meanwhile, AOA sneaks past Hi Suhyun on the worldwide chart with their sexy, cinematic "Like a Cat" visual at No. 2, while landing at No. 4 on the U.S. chart. It's the third video from the girl group after they traded in their innocent image for a sexy one in January.

Moving down the rankings, boy band GOT7 make an impression with their latest "Stop Stop It" (No. 3 in America, No. 4 worldwide) as does Super Junior's Kyuhyun with his debut solo venture "At Gwanghwamun" (No. 5 in America, No. 6 worldwide) and Apink's "Luv" (No. 6 in America, No. 5 worldwide).

A little lower, we see the power of K-pop fans' anticipation with Lovelyz, the first girl group from Woollim Entertainment which houses INFINITE and Nell. Despite being the newest act on the list, the octet's debut video for buzz track "Good Night Like Yesterday" ranks at No. 7 in America and No. 8 around the world. Interestingly, their official first single, "Candy Jelly Love," did not rank this month.
Check out November's list, according to YouTube, below with a playlist that you can click through to watch each video on the chart.

Most Viewed K-Pop Videos in America - November 2014:
1. GD & Taeyang, "Good Boy"
2. Hi Suhyun featuring Bobby, "I'm Different"
3. GOT7, "Stop Stop It"
4. AOA, "Like a Cat"
5. Kyuhyun, "At Gwanghwamun"
6. Apink, "Luv"
7. Lovelyz, "Good Night Like Yesterday"
8. INFINITE F, "Heartthrob"
9. Toy, "Three People"
10. Nicole, "Mama"

Most Viewed K-Pop Videos Around the World - November 2014:
1. GD & Taeyang, "Good Boy"
2. AOA, "Like a Cat"
3. Hi Suhyun featuring Bobby, "I'm Different"
4. GOT7, "Stop Stop It"
5. Apink, "Luv"
6. Kyuhyun, "At Gwanghwamun"
7. T-ara & Chopsticks Brothers, "Little Apple"
8. Lovelyz, "Good Night Like Yesterday"
9. Hyolyn & JooYoung, "Erase"
10. Hong Jin Young, "Cheer Up"

Source: Billboard

[NEWS] Super Junior's "This is Love" ranks #1 Most Viewed K-Pop MV Globally for October 2014

 
Epik High and Super Junior prove their global popularity while VIXX racks up big views in America.

Epik High and Super Junior's comebacks both continue to get warm welcomes, as their music videos racked up millions of YouTube views in October. With the video streaming site playing an intricate role in K-pop's spread around the world and in America, Billboard takes a deeper look into last month's top-viewed vids.

Epik High's "Born Hater" was the most viewed K-pop video in America for October while the trio's "Spoiler + Happen Ending" was the seventh. Epik High re-confirmed their Stateside adoration earlier this month when their Shoebox LP hit No. 1 on the Billboard World Albums chart.

"Born Hater" was the second-most viewed vid around the world and Super Junior's "This Is Love" wound up on top for October. Indicating their global dominance, Super Junior also had the world's top viewed vid with "Mamacita" in August. Super Junior's American fanbase also showed their love with "This Is Love" earning the U.S.'s third-most viewed while their "Evanesce" was ninth. The band too earned a World Albums chart-topper with Mamacita in September.

Perhaps most remarkable is VIXX's No. 2 placement on the American chart. The boy band's latest, "Error," beat out more established acts including Super Junior and Beast to reach the top 10, indicating their recent and upcoming performances in America have paid off in attracting interest. So far, those stateside shows include two KCON appearances, two headlining concerts and two more shows scheduled for late November. Meanwhile, on the global chart, VIXX ranks lower in the eighth slot.

Other remarkable moves on the American chart include Zhoumi -- a member of Super Junior's Chinese-focused splinter group Super Junior-M who released his debut solo effort last month -- racked up two videos with both the Korean and Chinese version of his debut single "Rewind." The track features EXO member Tao which could have also helped spur views. Furthermore, newbie girl group Red Velvet is the only female act to land in the top 10 in America.

There is more girl power on the global ranking with Red Velvet landing the third most viewed vid while Girl's Day and IU make bows with "I Miss You" and "Sogyeokdong" at No. 5 and 7, respectively. ("I Miss You" just missed the cut in America at No. 11.)

Check out October's Top 10 rankings, according to YouTube, below with an accompanying playlist below.

Most Viewed K-Pop Videos in America - October 2014:
1. Epik High, "Born Hater"
2. VIXX, "Error"
3. Super Junior, "This Is Love"
4. Red Velvet, "Be Natural"
5. Beast, "12:30"
6. BTS, "Ware of Hormone"
7. Epik High, "Spoiler + Happen Ending"
8. Zhoumi, "Rewind"
9. Super Junior, "Evanesce"
10. Zhoumi, "Rewind" (Chinese Version)

Most Viewed K-Pop Videos Around the World - October 2014:
1. Super Junior, "This Is Love"
2. Epik High, "Born Hater"
3. Red Velvet, "Be Natural"
4. Beast, "12:30"
5. Girl's Day, "I Miss You"
6. BTS, "Ware of Hormone"
7. Seo Taiji & IU, "Sogyeokdong"
8. VIXX, "Error"
9. MC Mong, "Miss Me or Diss Me"
10. Zhoumi, "Rewind"

Source: Billboard

[NEWS] TVXQ Becomes #1 "Best-Selling Foreign Artist in Japan" with 4,088,000 Total Sales

Boy group TVXQ’s new EP, “Time Works Wonders,” which was released on Nov. 5, has sold 107,000 copies in Japan during the first week, coming in second on Oricon’s Weekly Single chart.

The group has become the best-selling foreign artist in Japan with accumulated sales of 4,088,000, exceeding Hong Kong’s singer Agnes Chan’s 4,010,000 sales.

Aside from this record, TVXQ set many other records, including entering Oricon’s Weekly Single chart Top 10 with 34 singles in total, topping Oricon’s Weekly Single chart 12 times and selling the most albums during the first week with its “BREAK OUT!” that recorded 256,000 sales in 2010.
 

"We are glad to make a new record with our new EP. This is possible all because of our fans’ support. We will work harder and be passionate about each and every song,” the group said.

TVXQ will hold its special live tour “TVXQ! SPECIAL LIVE TOUR - T1ST0RY -” in a Seoul gymnasium on Dec. 6-7.

Source: kpopherald

[NEWS] EXO voted as #1 "Best Idol Group of 2014" by fellow Idols

K-pop boy band EXO was crowned Korea’s best idol group in 2014 despite a series of defections by members.

According to a survey conducted by local entertainment and sports news outlet Joy News 24 from Oct. 16-26, 23 out of 79 idol group members voted that K-pop sensation EXO was the best group in Korea this year.

K-pop girl group Sistar was ranked second with 15 votes on the back of its member Soyou’s outstanding performance in the K-pop scene. Sistar was the only girl group that made the top five.

The 6-year-old boy group BEAST ranked No. 3 by racking up eight votes, followed by boy band Block B, which secured six votes. Another boy band, VIXX, came in fifth while MBLAQ and Girls’ Generation shared the No. 6 spot.

The results prove EXO’s firm standing in the K-pop world although its Chinese members Kris and Luhan departed from the group.

The Chinese idols filed a lawsuit against their label SM Entertainment, demanding the termination of their contracts.

Kris took issue with the tight schedules, unjust distribution of profit and exploitation of basic human rights, while the reason for Luhan’s filing was not revealed.

Source: kpopherald

For the idol-turned-actor category, Siwan came in 1st place with 27 votes. Lee Joon followed with 15 votes, while D.O. came in 3rd with 5 votes. Eunji and Krystal also tied for 4th place with 3 votes each. Baro, Sungjae, Sooyoung, Yunho, Sunhwa, and Dohee each received 2 votes.

When asked which agency they would join if they had the chance, 29 idol group members chose their current agency. The agencies that got the most votes among those who didn't choose their current agency were SM Entertainment and YG Entertainment, which both received 14 votes each. Mystic89 then came in 4th place followed by Cube Entertainment, JYP Entertainment, and Starship Entertainment which received 3 votes each. Instead of choosing an already established agency, 3 idols said they would start their own.

The 79 idol group members who participated in the survey include B2ST, VIXX, 4minute, BTOB, Boyfriend, BTS, SECRET, BESTie, TEEN TOP, Mad Town, UNIQ, B.I.G, MINX, The Boss, LABOUM, 5urprise, and A.KOR.

Source: allkpop

[NEWS] MelOn reveals their "10 Most Highly Favored Musicians in Korea"

With only two months to go until the year 2015, the year-end award ceremonies are rounding up the musicians who made strong showings in the K-pop scene this year.

MelOn, one of Korea’s major music streaming site, revealed its list of the nation’s 10 most highly favored musicians -- the nominees for the Artist, Best Song and Album awards at the upcoming MelOn Music Award ceremony.

The 10 artists were selected based on album sales and online votes.

Boy and girl groups dominated the list, with only a few solo musicians included.

The nominees include four boy bands (EXO, g.o.d, WINNER and BEAST), three girl bands (2NE1, Girl’s Day and Sistar), and the teenage duo Akdong Musician. IU and Taeyang were the only solo artists nominated.

It is noteworthy that WINNER and Akdong Musician, which debuted earlier this year, appeared on the list. Also, g.o.d, which recently made a comeback as a group after a 12-year hiatus, was included despite its long absence from the K-pop scene.

For the Rookie Award, YG Entertainment’s newest boy band WINNER, TV audition winner Park Bo-ram and SM Entertainment’s latest girl group Red Velvet were named.

TVXQ, EXO, INFINITE, BEAST, B1A4 and WINNER were nominated for the netizens’ favorite award.

WINNER, EXO and BEAST seem to be the strongest candidates for a prize this year as they were named in multiple categories.

The MelOn Music Awards 2014 is one of the major K-pop music award ceremonies. Loen Entertainment, which runs the music chart, will launch a second vote to decide the winner for each award.

The vote on the final 10 artists and groups will take place on the MelOn website until Nov. 12. Only members of the music site are eligible to vote.

This year’s Melon Music Award is scheduled to be held on Nov. 13 at the Gymnastics Stadium in Olympic Park, eastern Seoul. It will air live on cable channels, the Melon website and 1theK YouTube channel.

Source: kpopherald

[NEWS] TaeTiSeo's "Holler" ranks #1 Most Viewed K-Pop MV in America-Global for September 2014

Girls' Generation-TTS and 2PM show their worldwide popularity while BTOB and Orange Caramel trend stateside.

K-pop fans around the world and in America began their fall showing plenty of support for Korean idols, producers and singer-songwriters' latest videos on YouTube. Like we do every month, let's dig into the numbers of the most viewed K-pop videos in America and around the world.

Girls' Generation and 2PM proved their global popularity with the female outfit's splinter trio Girls' Generation-TTS and the boy band winning over international audiences with their latest music videos. TTS' "Holler" and 2PM's "Go Crazy!" were the No. 1 and No. 2 most viewed K-pop videos in America and around the world, respectively, with the rest of the ranking mixed past this Top 2. The members of Girls' Generation and 2PM have undoubtedly been leaders in the Korean wave.

Notable moves on the American ranking come from New Jersey-bred singer Ailee in snagging the third most-watched vid with "Don't Touch Me." She comes out over videos like T-ara's "Sugar Free" and Teen Top's "Missing" that also rank high on the global chart.

Notably, boy band BTOB and quirky female trio Orange Caramel rank on the U.S.-based chart, but not on the global chart. BTOB is still an act on the rise in Korea, but could perhaps be garnering a supportive fanbase stateside based on the reaction to their "You're So Fly" vid. Meanwhile, this is the second time Orange Caramel landed on the American chart, but not the global chart, with "The Gangnam Avenue" ranking at No. 7. Their "Abing Abing" video was the eighth most watched K-pop video in America in May 2014.

Elsewhere, a new version of Super Junior's "Mamacita" video -- a fun, six-minute "drama version" -- ranks on both lists as does the bizarre video for "11" by Hitchhiker, a producer under SM Entertainment (home to Super Junior, Girls' Generation, TVXQ! and more).

Ladies' Code's touching tribute video to their late members EunB and Rise was the ninth most-watched video globally, according to YouTube.

Most Viewed K-Pop Videos in America - September 2014:
1. Girls' Generation-TTS, "Holler"
2. 2PM, "Go Crazy!"
3. Ailee, "Don't Touch Me"
4. T-ara, "Sugar Free"
5. Super Junior, "Mamacita" (Drama Version)
6. BTOB, "You're So Fly"
7. Orange Caramel, "The Gangnam Avenue"
8. Teen Top, "Missing"
9. Hitchhiker, "11"
10. Kim Dong Ryul, "How I Am"

Most Viewed K-Pop Videos Around the World - September 2014:
1. Girls' Generation-TTS, "Holler"
2. 2PM, "Go Crazy!"
3. T-ara, "Sugar Free"
4. Ailee, "Don't Touch Me"
5. Hitchhiker, "11"
6. Super Junior, "Mamacita" (Drama Version)
7. Teen Top, "Missing"
8. Kim Dong Ryul, "How I Am"
9. Ladies' Code, "I'm Fine Thank You"
10. EXO's Tao, "Do You Know" (Jo Sung Mo Remake)

Source: billboard

[NEWS] Victoria chosen as #1 "Asian Goddess of 2014" by Chinese fans

After 4 months of fierce competition, Victoria Song of South Korean girls group f(x) has emerged the winner in a Chinese online voting  campaign to elect the Asian Goddess of 2014. Guess who else is on the list and which other f(x) member is among the Top 10 Goddesses.

Victoria Song of f(x) won with 579,298 votes. Voters cited her cute, pretty looks and her attractive dancing as the main reasons for voting for her. The 27-year-old singer joined f(x) in 2009. Her popularity rose when she appeared in We Got Married with Nichkhun of 2PM.

Victoria beat out many famous actresses and leading models in China and Taiwan. Korean actress  Park Shin Hye came in second with 575,203 votes. Voters love her for having both beauty and acting skills.

In the third place with 564,502 votes is Chinese actress Liu ShiShi (Cecilia Liu), who rose to fame in the historical drama series Scarlet Heart.

4. Wu Ying Jie (nicknamed Gui Gui)

A popular Taiwanese actress whose fame spread to South Korea when she appeared on We Got Married Global Edition Season 1 with Ok Taec Yeon.

5. Yoona (Im Yoon Ah) of South Korean girl group Girls' Generation.

She recently starred in The Prime Minister and I, a romance comedy drama. Yoona was actually the winner in the 2013 Asian Goddess contest.

6. Deng Zi-Qi 

popular singer from Hong Kong who sings under the name G.E.M.

7. Yang Mi 

Star of time-travel romance Palace.

8. Zheng Shuang

 Chinese actress and singer.  

 

9. Shu Chang

Chinese actress, singer and TV host.  She co-starred in Lotus Lantern.

10. Krystal Jung of (fx)

She is a singer and actress who previously co-starred in hit drama Heirs and won Best Couple with Kang Min Hyuk for DramaFever's 2013 Awards. Krystal is currently starring with superstar Rain in the new romance drama My Lovable Girl.

Source: ddyule via dramafever

[NEWS] Super Junior and Taemin rank #1 Most Viewed K-Pop MV in America-Global for August 2014

 

 

SM Entertainment acts have the top 2 on lock while newbies WINNER and Red Velvet make big splashes.

K-pop fans ended their summers watching veteran acts along with a slew of newcomers on YouTube this month. The top viewed K-pop video around the world was "Mamacita" by veteran boy band Super Junior this August while the debut solo clip from SHINee-member Taemin was most watched in America, according to YouTube.

"Mamacita" is the comeback video for Super Junior after the band spent two years away from the scene. Despite dropping with three days left in the month (Aug. 28), "Mamacita" pulled out the win over highly-anticipated debut videos from their label mates on SM Entertainment. Those included Red Velvet -- SM's first girl group since debuting f(x) in 2009 -- whose "Happiness" vid was the second-most viewed around the world. As well, Taemin's solo debut proved to pique much interest with his "Danger" video as the third-most watched.

Taemin's solo venture was particularly well-received in America where "Danger" was the country's most-viewed K-pop video of the month. SHINee proved their large U.S. following last year as one of the first Koreans to rank on the year-end World Albums artists chart and just last month Taemin's Ace EP debuted at No. 20 on Heatseekers Albums. While Super Junior earned second place in America, newcomer boy band WINNER outranked Red Velvet with their debut video "Empty," No. 4 globally.
Notably, WINNER dropped two more videos this month with "Color Ring," out the same day as "Empty" (Aug. 11), and "I'm Him" that starred member Mino. "Color Ring" placed on both rankings (No. 6 in America, No. 7 around the world) while "I'm Him" only placed in America (No. 8), perhaps indicating a high U.S. interest in the group.

Other than Red Velvet, several girl groups also ranked high with Kara's new single, "Mamma Mia," earning the sixth-most viewed K-pop vid globally and seventh in America. It was the outfit's first clip since losing Nicole and Jiyoung and gaining new member Youngji. SISTAR, Secret and new act 4L make the rankings too, the latter group likely making the cut due to their sexually-driven visual for "Move."

Lastly of note, KCON 2014 performers BTS rank higher on the American chart than globally, possibly highlighting a growing stateside interest in the band who held a surprise concert in L.A. and polished their hip-hop skills with the likes of Coolio this year. (Note: The version of "Danger" uploaded by Korean music distributor 1theK has 2.3 million views and ranks on both lists; another version uploaded by their record label Big Hit Entertainment has more than one million.)

Check out August's full rankings below.

Most Viewed K-Pop Videos in America - August 2014

1. Taemin, "Danger"
2. Super Junior, "Mamacita"

3. WINNER, "Empty"

4. Red Velvet, "Happiness"

5. BTS, "Danger"

6. WINNER, "Color Ring"

7. Kara, "Mamma Mia"

8. WINNER, "I'm Him" (Mino Solo)

9. Zhang Li Yin, "Agape"

10. SISTAR, "I Swear"

Most Viewed K-Pop Videos Around the World - August 2014

1. Super Junior, "Mamacita"
2. Red Velvet, "Happiness"
3. Taemin, "Danger"

4. WINNER, "Empty"

5. 4L, "Move"

6. Kara, "Mamma Mia"

7. WINNER, "Color Ring"

8. BTS, "Danger"

9. Secret, "I'm in Love"

10. SISTAR, "I Swear"

 

Source: billboard

[NEWS] f(x)'s "Red Light" ranks #1 Most Viewed K-Pop MV in America and Global for July 2014

f(x) and SISTAR own the Top 2 as America shows extra love to HyunA, INFINITE and an English cover of a K-pop hit on YouTube

It's the dog days of summer, but fans are still spending a healthy amount of time watching their favorite K-pop artists. Multiple internationally-recognized artists dropped new visuals, but f(x) proved to be the one audiences watched the most, according to YouTube.

After a year away from the scene, the quirky girl group dropped their dark "Red Light" video. The artistic visual racked up nearly 10 million views in its release month and was the most-viewed K-pop vid in America and around the world. The quintet even cut their domestic promotions short, which could have made for a lower amount of views.

Across the board, SISTAR earns the No. 2 spot with their colorful "Touch My Body" vid. The official video earned almost seven million views since its July 20 reveal. SISTAR has always had a high level of popularity in Korea, but never held special U.S. concerts like f(x) and 2NE1. They did visit America in April, which may have helped their stateside visibility. (It should be noted that another version of the "Touch My Body" video, uploaded by Korean distributor 1theK, earned more than 2.5 million views.)

The rankings change a little after the Top 2 with K-diva HyunA proving to have a slight edge over quartet Girl's Day in America with her "Red" video sneaking past "Darling" for the No. 3 slot stateside, with GsD taking No. 3 and HyunA fourth globally. Meanwhile, boy band INFINITE, who held a four-date tour in America last winter, earned more views with "Back" than JYJ and Henry stateside, when those two acts had higher viewership around the world compared to the septet.

Also of note, a video recorded by YG Entertainment (PSY, BIGBANG, 2NE1) of singer/songwriter Lydia performing an English cover of Taeyang's "Eyes, Nose, Lips" is No. 7 in America. The cover did not make the top ranking globally, but indicates big potential for English versions to get noticed on YouTube and also points to Taeyang's U.S. popularity.

Most Viewed K-Pop Videos in America - July 2014

1. f(x), "Red Light"
2. SISTAR, "Touch My Body"
3. HyunA, "Red"
4. Girl's Day, "Darling"
5. INFINITE, "Back"
6. JYJ, "Back Seat"
7. Lydia, "Eyes, Nose, Lips" (Cover Video)
8. Henry, "Fantastic"

Most Viewed K-Pop Videos Around the World - July 2014

1. f(x), "Red Light"
2. SISTAR, "Touch My Body"
3. Girl's Day, "Darling"
4. HyunA, "Red"
5. JYJ, "Back Seat"
6. Henry, "Fantastic"
7. INFINITE, "Back"
8. Bro, "My Confession"

Source: billboard

[NEWS] Celebrity Rankings Based on Real Estate and Wealth

A quick look at the surface of Korea's celebrity scene looks glossy and unimaginably luxurious, doesn't it? Truth is, that's not always the case. Think about the B-list K-pop idols who never quite make the cut above the rest or the actors who ride out their careers playing exclusively supporting roles. We also have a considerable number of celebrities suspended somewhere in the middle of the industry's top guns and its bottom dwellers, but we'll sing their praises some other time.

For now, let's focus on the celebrities with net worths and however-many-digit incomes that make us feel like that piece of chewed gum splattered on the street that gets stuck to the bottom of our shoes once every so often. Here are some of the wealthiest celebrities raking in the cash in Korea's entertainment sphere:

Celebrities with the highest property wealth (ranked):

1. Lee Soo Man
SM Entertainment's Lee Soo Man comes in at an overwhelming first with 19.1 billion won (roughly 18.6 million USD) worth of buildings in his possession.

2. Seo Taiji
Often referred to as "the President of Culture," Seo Taiji has become something of a cultural icon for contributing to the development of K-Pop from its early stages in the 1990s. He owns a building worth 10.21 billion won (roughly 9.9 million USD) in Seoul's posh Gangnam district and a building worth 5.83 billion won (roughly 5.7 million USD) in Jongro. The two buildings are 16.04 billion won (roughly 15.7 million USD) in scale.

3. Yang Hyun Suk
Coming in third is CEO of YG Entertainment and former member of Seo Taiji and Boys, Yang Hyun Suk. He has in his possession a personal building, worth 11.87 billion won (roughly 11.6 million USD), and the YG building, worth 3.48 billion won (roughly 3.48 million USD). The combined worth of the buildings totals 15.35 billion won (roughly 15 million USD).

4. Rain
Veteran singer Rain owns a building worth 8.54 billion won (roughly 8.3 million USD) and a building worth 3.41 billion won (roughly 3.3 million USD) in Cheongdamdong and Shinsadong respectively. The buildings in his possession come out to a total of 12.15 billion won (roughly 11.8 million USD).

5. Kwon Sang Woo
Actor Kwon Sang Woo built a new building in Bundang worth 11.44 billion won (roughly 11.1 million USD), landing him in fifth place.

6. Song Seung Hun
Actor Song Seung Hun owns a building in Jamwondong worth 11.22 billion won (roughly 10.9 million USD).

 

7. Jun Ji Hyun
Beloved actress Jun Ji Hyun owns a building worth 7.1 billion won (roughly 6.9 million USD) and another worth 3.2 billion won (roughly 3.1 million USD) in Nonhyeon-dong and Yongsan-dong, respectively. The total comes out to 10.23 billion won (roughly 9.9 million USD).

Idols with the most amount of real estate (ranked):

 

1. Junsu
Junsu owns a penthouse in Samsung-dong worth 2.6 billion won (roughly 2.5 million USD), a town house in Paju worth 1.8 billion won (roughly 1.8 million USD), and a resort in Jeju-do worth 15 billion won (roughly 14.6 million USD). The total cost of his real estate comes out to a staggering 19.4 billion won (roughly 18.9 million USD).

 

2. Jang Geun Suk
Hallyu star Jang Geun Suk owns a 4 billion won luxury villa (roughly 3.9 million USD). In 2011, he purchased a six-story building worth 10 billion won (roughly 10 million USD) from comedian Seo Se Won in Seoul. In 2012, he revealed he bought a six-story building in Japan's bustling Shibuya district with the intention of opening his own department store. The cost of the building has not been revealed, but the net worth of all property totals 14 billion won (roughly 13.6 million USD).

 

3. Lee Seung Gi
Singer, actor, and MC Lee Seung Gi lives in the 'Brownstone Legend' building in Seoul, worth 3.2 billion won (roughly 3.1 million USD).

 

4. Jaejoong
JYJ's Jaejoong owns 3 billion won worth of property (roughly 2.9 million USD).

 

5. Kim Hyun Joong
Kim Hyun Joong owns a European-style villa in Apgujung-dong that's worth 3 billion won (roughly 2.9 million USD).

6. T.O.P
Big Bang's T.O.P purchased a 3 billion won villa (roughly 2.9 million USD) in Hannam-dong.

 

7. Hara
KARA's Hara bought a home in Chungdamdong that costs 1.2 billion won (roughly 1.2 million USD).


Idols with wealthy family backgrounds
(in no particular order):

 

Siwon
Super Junior's Siwon is a well-known chaebol-dol (chaebol idol). His father, Choi Ki Ho, is the CEO of Boryung Medicine Co., which specializes in the distribution of pharmaceutical goods. Siwon's family is also rumored to own the Hyundai Department Store, one of the largest supermarket chains in Korea. If the rumor is true, it remains unclear what percentage of shares his family holds.

 

Hyungsik
Fellow ZE:A member Kwanghee revealed in a broadcast that Hyungsik's father is on the Board of Directors for the German 'B' brand car company. ZE:A's agency later revealed that Hyungsik is the son of a board of director for BMW Korea.

Suho
On a broadcast of Mnet's 'Beatles Code 2,' when Suho was asked whether he was a chaebol-dol, he said it was a misunderstanding. Then Kai added, "His hobby is to go golfing." (A "chaebol" is a wealthy Korean conglomerate, and, in Korea, golfing is almost always enjoyed by wealthy people.) On the same broadcast, Suho revealed he lives in Apgujung, next to Super Junior Siwon's apartment. His father is a professor and his mother is a former teacher-turned-housewife.

Jinwoon
2AM Jinwoon's wealth and well-off family background were revealed in a 'Radio Star' recording. When asked whether it was true his house in Chungdamdong had a private practice room, he admitted it was true that his house was located in Cheongdamdong with no comments regarding the practice room.

His father is the CEO of an unspecified company and his mother is an interior designer. He did reveal his father's company in Samsung district is located on Tehran Street (Teheran-no). With this comment, Jinwoon further raised eyebrows as Tehran Street is known to be one of the pricier plots of land in Seoul. Also, fellow member Seulong mentioned that Jinwoon hired a party planner for his 21st birthday party, further hinting at Jinwoon's family wealth.

Sooyoung
Sooyoung's grandfather is the president of a famous architectural firm and her father is the president of a trading company.

Source: allkpop

[NEWS] Victoria chosen as #1 "Goddess of Asia"

A poll, “2014 Goddess of Asia” was held on a website in China for 3 months with 4 different rounds and over 5.2 million votes. At the end of the poll, f(x)’s Victoria had the most votes and was crowned, “Goddess of Asia”.

The yearly poll began on May 1st with 100 Asian celebrities, and over the course of months, was narrowed down to 10 ‘Goddesses of Asia.’ The top 10 will be featured on the cover page of a top Chinese magazine - “People”, in addition to having the status established across all of Asia for the year. In addition to all of this, another magazine will be published called, “2014 Goddess Edition” which will feature the Top 10 Goddesses.

There were different rounds to see who the final winner will be. However before the closing, the top 10 with the most votes were put into a poll against each other. The Korean stars who made it into this poll were: f(x)’s Victoria and Krystal, Park Shinhye, SNSD’s Yoona.

The top 3 winners of the polls were: Victoria with the most votes of 576,025 votes, Park Shinhye with 571,930 votes, and the Chinese actress, Liu Shishi with 561,229 votes. 

Source: Korea Star Daily via Koreaboo

[NEWS] Billboard releases 'Top 8 Most Viewed K-Pop MVs in America-Global' for June 2014

 

Led by the YouTube King himself, K-pop acts racked up millions of views throughout June. Unsurprisingly, PSY's "Hangover" video was the most viewed K-pop music video both in America and around the globe with Taeyang and a slew of boy bands ranking high across the board.

"Hangover" featuring Snoop Dogg has earned more than 90 million views since its June 8 reveal while his Korean labelmate Taeyang has snagged more than 11 million views with his "Eyes, Nose, Lips" and takes second place in both rankings. Taeyang's follow up vid "1AM" was the month's third most-watched in America, and fourth globally, further proving the singer's stateside interest following his Billboard 200 record-breaking "Rise" LP.

Notably, boy bands U-KISS and Boyfriend – both of whom held U.S. tours this year – make the Top 8 ranking in America at Nos. 6 and 8, respectively, but U-KISS ranks No. 8 globally while Boyfriend misses the Top 8 altogether. Meanwhile after earning the most-viewed K-pop video of January 2014 in America, GOT7 again ranks high with their new video for "A" as the fourth most-watched in America and fifth around the globe. Beast lands two entries this month, both within the Top 7.

Most Viewed K-Pop Videos in America - June 2014

1. PSY feat. Snoop Dogg, "Hangover"
2. Taeyang, "Eyes, Nose, Lips"
3. Taeyang, "1AM"
4. GOT7, "A"
5. Beast, "Good Luck"
6. U-KISS, "Don't Flirt"
7. Beast, "No More"
8. Boyfriend, "Obsession"

Most Viewed K-Pop Videos Around the World - June 2014

1. PSY feat. Snoop Dogg, "Hangover"
2. Taeyang, "Eyes, Nose, Lips"
3. Beast, "Good Luck"
4. Taeyang, "1AM"
5. GOT7, "A"
6. AOA, "Short Hair"
7. Beast, "No More"
8. U-KISS, "Don't Flirt"

Source: billboard

[NEWS] Top 5 Male Actors Whose Look Barely Changed

Putting efforts into keeping up your looks is not only limited to female celebrities. Male stars undoubtedly invest a great amount of time and money on their physical appearances. Some, however, have boasted good looks from a young age. The Korea Herald has charted the top five male hallyu stars whose looks have been attractive since they were young.

 

1. Kim Soo-hyun
Korean heartthrob Kim Soo-hyun has shown a decent appearance since a young age. His school graduation pictures show Kim a little chubbier than now but his general look is nearly the same.

2. Lee Min-ho
One of the most handsome actors, Lee Min-ho was also nearly the same during school. He boasted big eyes and dark eyebrows just as now.

 

3. Park Yoo-chun
Park Yoo-chun, JYJ member who also acts, was a cute little boy just like the others. Park gradually changed to his current look.

4. Lee Jong-suk
Old pictures of Lee Jong-suk showed off a cute appearance in childhood. Several photos showed that he had long hair unlike now. Some pictures were taken with ZE:A member Kwanghee, suggesting the two were acquaintances before their debut.

Lee Jong-suk and Kwanghee

 

5. Kim Woo-bin
While Kim’s graduation pictures seem slightly different from his current appearance, Kim boasted a smart and manly look then. He also had long hair then.

Source: koreaherald