G-DRAGON tops American Billboard’s world albums chart for 2 weeks in a row… For the first time for a Korean artist [Official]

[동아닷컴=곽현수 기자] G-DRAGON has topped American Billboard’s world albums chart for two weeks in a row, for the first time for a Korean solo artist.

On June 19 (local time), American Billboard announced the ranking of G-DRAGON’s new solo album “KWON JI YONG” in an article titled, “G-Dragon Tops World Albums Chart for 2nd Week to Nearly Double Total U.S. Sales”.

According to Billboard, G-DRAGON’s new album “KWON JI YONG” recorded the sales of 4,000 copies last week and then 3,000 copies this week, to reach the sales of more than 7,000 copies in total. G-DRAGON topped the Billboard world albums chart announced on the 12 with the volume of sales of his new album for only one day.

Billboard said, “The achievement makes him the first solo K-pop artist and second K-pop act overall to have an album spend multiple weeks at No. 1 on the chart.”

2017. 6. 23.

Source: YG Life

New survey ranks the most influential artists currently in K-pop today

New survey ranks the most influential artists currently in K-pop today

32 experts share their thoughts on the most influential K-pop artists today. Who are your choices?

If you ask a group of K-pop fans who the most influential artists currently working, chances are you will get a variety of differing responses. In an attempt to answer that question once and for all, Korean media outlet Sports Seoul asked 32 agency executives and music experts within the K-pop industry for their thoughts on the most influential artists in K-pop today.

Without further ado, here are the results of the survey, and some results may surprise you!

Power People who move the K-pop Industry

1. Lee Sooman (SM Entertainment CEO) – 43 pts
2. Yang Hyun Suk (YG Entertainment CEO) – 30 pts
3. BTS – 26 pts
4. Park Jinyoung (JYP Entertainment CEO)- 25 pts
5. G-Dragon – 23 pts

Best K-pop Producer

1. Bang Shi Hyuk (Big Hit Entertainment CEO) – 48 pts
2. Park Jinyoung  – 45 pts
3. Lee Soo man  – 29 pts
4. G-Dragon/Teddy Park – 9 pts

Best Boy Group

1. BTS – 85 pts
2. EXO – 60 pts
3. BIGBANG – 18 pts
4. SEVENTEEN – 15 pts
5. Wanna One – 4 pts

Best Girl Group

1. TWICE – 93 pts
2. GFriend – 25 pts
3. Black Pink – 15 pts
4. Girls’ Generation – 14 pts
5. Red Velvet – 13 pts

Best Male Solo Artist

1. G-Dragon (81 points)
2. Zico (32)
3. PSY (24)
4. Crush (7)
5. Park Hyoshin & SHINee’s Taemin (6 each)

Best Female Solo Artist

1. IU (77 points)
2. Taeyeon (54)
3. Ailee (14)
4. Suran (6)
5. Hyuna & Jung Eunji (5)

Best K-Pop Performances (from 2016 onwards)

1. NCT (28 points)
2. Wanna One (27)
3. Black Pink (20)
4. PRISTIN (16)
5. ASTRO (11)

Best K-pop Composer

1. Black Eyed Pilseung (49 points)
2. Teddy Park (18)
3. Park Jin Young (14)
4. G-Dragon & Iggy Yongbae (11)

Best K-pop Lyricist

1. Kim Eana (55 points)
2. Seo Ji Eum (35)
3. Yoon Jongshin (6)
4. IU & Kang Eun Kyung (5)

 

Source: SBS PopAsia

BIGBANG Becomes First K-Pop Group To Hit 300 Million Views With “Fantastic Baby” MV

BIGBANG has broken their own record on YouTube!

On June 22, their music video for “Fantastic Baby” surpassed 300 million views.

Last January, BIGBANG became the first male idol group to make it past 200 million views, but they are now the first K-pop group ever to surpass 300 million views.

Congratulations, BIGBANG!



Source: Soompi


BIGBANG’s Taeyang Has Designed a New Capsule Collection for Fendi


 

Try not to freak out, but a Taeyang-designed apparel range is coming your way very soon. Joining forces with Fendi, the 29-year-old K-pop superstar has designed an extensive lineup of T-shirts, hoodies, jackets, pouches and sneakers – all boasting words like “Saved” and “Faith,” as well as his favorite daisy motif.

Taking to his Instagram account, the BIGBANG singer has unveiled a first glimpse at his upcoming campaign. In particular, a calfskin backpack is seen decorated with zip pullers embossed with the artist’s given name, Young Bae. Check out the images above and below to see it for yourself.

Priced from €400-8,500 EUR (approximately $447-9,490 USD), the Fendi for Taeyang collection will be available to pre-order online starting from July.


SOURCE WWD
IMAGE CREDIT FENDI

[CNN] K-pop star Taeyang lends support to 2018 Winter Olympics


 

Taeyang, one part of Korean pop band Big Band, was appointed honorary ambassador for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

– K-pop sensation becomes ambassador for 2018 Winter Olympics
– Taeyang will help attract younger audience, say organizers

(CNN) The 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea just got a little bit cooler — thanks to the help of K-pop sensation Taeyang.

The 29-year-old singer-songwriter has taken on the role of honorary ambassador for next February’s Winter Games in PyeongChang.

Boasting 7.4 million Instagram followers, Taeyang is a member of BIGBANG, South Korea’s biggest boy band, and the first K-pop act to feature on Forbes’ prestigious Celebrity 100 list.

“What I felt as a singer is that music and cultural contents are the biggest strengths that go beyond language and go to any country in the world,” Taeyang said in a video posted on PyeongChang 2018’s official Facebook page.
“I feel like people can be united under music no matter what country you go to. When I perform in another country. The local people there sing along to my song in Korean.

“It’s a really exciting and heartfelt feeling. I think those aspects apply to the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018.”

Lee Hee-Beom, president of PyeongChang 2018 Organizing Committee, says Taeyang will help encourage younger fans to get involved.
“K-Pop has a huge following in Korea and around the world so we are very happy to have Taeyang as an ambassador for the Games,” Lee said.

“He will help us reach out to a younger audience that we want to engage and excite around winter sports.”

Taeyang joins a list of ambassadors from the worlds of sport and entertainment to promote the Games that run from February 9-25.
Source: CNN

[Billboard] G-Dragon Tops World Albums Chart for 2nd Week to Nearly Double Total U.S. Sales


Courtesy Photo
G Dragon, “Untitled, 2014”

The achievement makes him the first solo K-pop act to have an album rule the chart for multiple weeks.

While G-Dragon‘s debut record sales last week were already something to gawk at — achieving his best U.S. sales week in just one day — the BIGBANG icon continues to set more impressive chart feats with his recently released EP.

For the second week in a row, G-Dragon’s Kwon Ji Yong rules Billboard‘s World Albums chart with an additional 3,000 copies sold for the week ending June 15, according to Nielsen Music. That pushes the EP’s cumulative total for the two weeks to just over 7,000 copies. The achievement makes him the first solo K-pop artist and second K-pop act overall to have an album spend multiple weeks at No. 1 on the chart.

G-DRAGON

So far, only BTS has logged multiple weeks atop World Albums among K-pop acts. The boy band’s 2015 release The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Pt. 2 returned to the summit on the chart dated January 16, 2016 and stayed there an additional two weeks. BTS’ Wings album also spent two weeks atop World Albums starting last October. Both BTS and G-Dragon have three No. 1s on World Albums.

Elsewhere on the charts, GD sees more action on Billboard‘s World Digital Song Sales chart as lead single “Untitled, 2014” rises to a new peak at No. 4 (up from No. 14 last week) and the track “Bullsh*t” debuts at No. 10.

Source: Billboard

Fendi to Launch Capsule Collection With K-pop Star TaeYang


The Fendi for TaeYang collection will debut concurrently to the reopening of the label’s men’s flagship at Landmark shopping mall in Hong Kong.

 

MILAN – Fendi joined forces with K-pop star TaeYang to launch a special capsule collection named “Fendi for TaeYang.”

Designer Silvia Venturini Fendi and the label’s Men’s Studio collaborated with the South Korean singer to conceive a lineup of jackets, hoodies, T-shirts and accessories revisiting the brand’s fall collection with the artist’s signature elements, as daisy-shaped motifs.

Messages and key words, as “Faith,” “Grace,” “Saved” and “Passion,” are introduced on black shearling jackets and on bombers with rubberized detailing, in addition to black oversized T-shirts showcasing both the slogans in white and daisy details.

Fendi for TaeYang.

Fendi for TaeYang.  Courtesy Photo

Accessories include pouches, backpacks, sneakers and key charms. Pouches are available in two color options, red and black, made of shearling and calfskin, respectively. On a face they feature a word, on the other the Fendi logo rendered in the same font and TaeYang’s favorite flower.

Two styles of backpacks, one in shearling and the other in sturdy calfskin, features the same elements on the front pocket, embellished with intarsia daisies or the “Faith” moniker in yellow. Both models are completed with zip pullers embossed with the singer’s signature “Young Bae” motto.

The artist’s slogan also appears on the rubber key chains and is embossed on the rubber heel patches of the sneakers, offered in total-black and total-white options.

Fendi for TaeYang.

Fendi for TaeYang.  Courtesy Photo

The Fendi for TaeYang capsule collection will debut in Hong Kong on July 27 with prices ranging from 400 euros for the key chains to 8,500 euros for the shearling jackets. The same day Fendi will also celebrate the reopening of its men’s flagship at Landmark department store.

The capsule collection will also be available for pre-orders on the label’s official web site starting from July.

Source: WWD

Taeyang gets in tune with PyeongChang 2018


Taeyang gets in tune with PyeongChang 2018

K-Pop artist is latest Games Ambassador

PyeongChang 2018 Honorary Ambassador Taeyang
From the left; PyeongChang 2018 Honorary Ambassador Taeyang and POCOG President LEE Hee-beom
From the left; PyeongChang 2018 Honorary Ambassador Taeyang and POCOG President LEE Hee-beom
PyeongChang 2018 Honorary Ambassador Taeyang
From the left; PyeongChang 2018 Honorary Ambassador Taeyang and POCOG President LEE Hee-beom

#PyeongChang2018

http://tickets.pyeongchang2018.com

PyeongChang, June 21 – The PyeongChang Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games (POCOG) announced that K-pop sensation Taeyang is the latest well-known Korean artist to become an honorary ambassador for the 2018 Winter Games.

The 29-year old first hit the high notes in the world of pop in 2006 as part of the boy band BIGBANG. BIGBANG won the Best Worldwide Act at the 2011 MTV Europe Music Awards and was the first Korean artist to enter Forbes Magazine’s Celebrity 100 and 30 under 30 most influential musicians in the world list. Following their huge success and multiple awards, Taeyang has also been making a name for himself as a solo artist and has picked up some notable accolades along the way including best Male Artist at the Asian Music Awards in 2014 and his song “Eyes, Nose, Lips” won song of the year at the 2015 Golden Disc Awards.

He said, “I am honored to have been chosen as an ambassador for the PyeongChang 2018 Games. To be able to help promote the Games across Korea and to all my fans around the world makes me very proud and I am looking forward to being part of this huge celebration of sports and culture in my country.”

POCOG President LEE Hee-Beom added, “K-Pop has a huge following in Korea and around the world so we are very happy to have Taeyang as an ambassador for the Games. He will help us reach out to a younger audience that we want to engage and excite around winter sports.”

POCOG Press Office
PyeongChang Headquarter) 
+82.33.350.2197
Seoul Office) +82.2.2076.2195~2196
Email) This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

TAEYANG_ENG_Profile.pdf (2841.60 Kbyte)

Source: Pyeongchang2018

[Official] BIGBANG’s TAEYANG Chosen as Hononary Ambassador of 2018 PyeongChang Olympics and is Preparing a New Song

[OSEN=선미경 기자] BIGBANG’s TAEYANG has been appointed as an honorary ambassador of the 2018 PyeongChang Olympic and Paralympic Games.

On June 21, President of the Pyeongchang Organizing Committee Lee Hee-beom officially appointed as TAEYANG an honorary ambassador at the Press Center.

TAEYANG will be promoting the PyeongChang Olympic Games in and out of Korea. He will also make a song for the Olympic Games drawing on the song writing skills he has gained as a member of BIGBANG and as a solo artist during the last ten years, and expectations are running high for his new song.

President Lee Hee-beom said, “I have seen his great power and young energy on stage, and I am certain that he will do a great job in promoting the PyeongChang Olympic Games. He is a great musician, and he will greatly contribute to promoting the PyeongChang Olympics to the world.”

TAEYANG talked about how he felt to be appointed as an ambassador and said, “I have often experienced that music can bring people together breaking down barriers in languages and culture. I hope that many people can share their dreams and passion at the PyeongChang Olympic Games.”

TAEYANG started his singing career in 20016 as a member of BIGBANG. In 2008, he debuted as a solo singer, and he was the first one to go solo among BIGBANG members. TAEYANG has a number of hit songs such as “LOOK AT ME ONLY” and “EYES, NOSE, LIPS” and was awarded Male Singer, Best Vocal Performance, and Best Song of the Year at the 2014 Mnet Asian Music Awards.

Currently, TAEYANG is preparing to release a solo single. He is to hold his first ever solo concert tour “SOL JAPAN STADIUM LIVE 2017” and hold concerts at the ZOZO Marine Stadium in Chiba on July 8-9 and the Kobe Sports Park Baseball Stadium on August 5-6.

2017. 6. 21.

Source: YG Life

G-Dragon Takes 3rd Win For “Untitled, 2014” On “Show Champion,” Performances By ASTRO, 9MUSES, PENTAGON, And More

BIGBANG’s G-Dragon has grabbed another win for his solo track “Untitled, 2014”!

On June 21’s episode of MBC’s “Show Champion,” SEVENTEEN, ASTRO, G-Dragon, Kim Chungha, and TWICE were nominated for first place. G-Dragon grabbed the win, despite not having promoted this track on music shows, and MC Kim Shin Young congratulated G-Dragon as well as asked him to please come on the show.

Artists who performed on this week’s episode included 24K, 9MUSES, A.C.E, April, ASTRO, ELRIS, FTISLAND, INA, Jung Jinwoon, Kim Chungha, Lee Si Eun, M FECT, MARMELLO, MOMOLAND, PENTAGON, Soul Latido, TopSecret, VERMUDA, and more.

Check out many of the performances below!

24K – “Only You”

9MUSES – “Remember”

April – “Mayday”

ASTRO – “Baby”

Kim Chungha – “Why Don’t You Know”

MOMOLAND – “Wonderful Love”

PENTAGON – “Critical Beauty”

Congratulations, G-Dragon!


Source: Soompi