HYBE to launch new BTS-themed work out programme

P1Harmony and American singer-songwriter Pink Sweat$ are set to collaborate on the upcoming single, ‘Gotta Get Back’.Yesterday (May 16), the boyband announced the upcoming digital single on Twitter, and also released the song’s pastel-coloured cover art. According to Korea JoongAng Daily, Pink Sweat$ composed the forthcoming collaboration, while P1Harmony members Intak and Jongseob helped pen lyrics for the track.

Pixar has unveiled the title and plot of its 27th feature film – the one that will follow next month’s hotly awaited Toy Story spin-off, Lightyear – with a classic Pixar trope given a breath of fresh air.The film is titled Elemental, and is currently bound to hit cinemas on June 16, 2023. It’s being directed by Peter Sohn, who’d previously helmed 2015’s The Good Dinosaur (and before it, the short film Partly Cloudy).

Mark Schilling Japan CorrespondentJapan’s Tokyo Broadcasting System network is partnering with Naver Webtoon, South Korea’s leading digital comics platform, and Tokyo-based manga production house Shine Partners to launch a new webtoon company. Called Studio TooN and based in South Korea, the joint venture will plan and make webtoons with Japanese and Korean creators for the global market. One of TBS’s aim in launching the company, its first such venture in Korea, is to produce TV dramas, anime and other content from the webtoons.  Studio TooN will begin operations in June of this year with Shine Partners president Keita Iwamoto serving as CEO.     “When webtoon works are visualized, there is a synergy effect as the number of readers increases,” said Naver Webtoon CEO Kim Junkoo.

BTS broke a record previously held by Destiny’s Child at tonight’s (May 15) Billboard Music Awards, which are being held in Las Vegas.The annual awards show is currently underway at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, although the record-breaking band are not present at the event.Earlier today, it was announced that BTS had won the awards for Top Duo/Group, Top Song Sales Artist and Top Selling Song for ‘Butter’. The new wins take their total across all BBMAs to 12 trophies, becoming the group with the most victories in the history of the event.Destiny’s Child’s previous record – which was unbeaten for 17 years – was 11 wins.

BTS’ Suga has praised Psy’s global megahit ‘Gangnam Style’, saying it “paved the way for K-Pop” around the world.Released in 2012, The K-pop icon became the highest-charting Korean pop act on the Billboard Hot 100 when ‘Gangnam Style’ peaked at Number Two. Since then, only BTS have gone on to best his record, hitting Number One six times since 2020.Earlier this month Psy released ‘That That’, the lead track from new album ‘Psy 9th’ which was produced by and features Suga.Now the pair have teamed back up for an interview on Psy’s YouTube channel.

BTS have announced details of their new single, titled ‘Yet To Come (The Most Beautiful Moment)’.The track will be released on June 10, the same day as the group’s upcoming anthology album, ‘PROOF’.The Korean superstars’ label BigHit Music confirmed the single earlier today (May 6), unveiling its title and artwork.The agency also shared a promotion schedule for ‘PROOF’, which reveals two teasers for the ‘Yet To Come’ music video will arrive on June 8 and 9 (both at 12am EST/5am BST). The full music video will then arrive on June 10 at the same time as the album.#BTS #방탄소년단 'Proof' Lead Single Cover<Yet To Come>#BTS_Proof #YetToCome pic.twitter.com/ANy7nbNfdI— BIGHIT MUSIC (@BIGHIT_MUSIC) May 6, 2022‘Yet To Come’’s title calls back to BTS’ ‘The Most Beautiful Moment In Life’ series, which was released between 2015 and 2016.

BTS‘ exemption from the nation’s mandatory military service.The Culture Minister proposed in a press briefing on May 4 that globally recognised male pop-culture artists should be allowed to substitute their compulsory two-year conscription for alternative programmes.“It’s time to create a system for incorporating popular culture-art figures as art personnel,” Hwang said, per Yonhap News Agency, in recognition of figures such as award-winning athletes and classical musicians and their roles in enhancing South Korea’s image overseas.“The [exemption] system has been operated meaningfully to give those who have enhanced the national status based on their excellent skills more chances to contribute to the country, and there is no reason the popular art-culture field should be excluded from this,” he continued.Under South Korea’s current Military Service act, all able-bodied Korean men are required to enlist for approximately two years of military service before the age of 30. This was after an amendment to the act was made in late-2020 where the age limit was raised from the initial 28.“I thought somebody should be a responsible voice at a time when there are conflicting pros and cons ahead of the enlistment of some of the BTS members,” Hwang added.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefK-pop superstars BTS could be given exemption from compulsory military service in South Korea.“It’s time to create a system for incorporating popular culture-art figures as art personnel,” said Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Hwang Hee, at a press briefing on Wednesday, according to reports by the Yonhap news agency. Hwang said he aims to push a new law through parliament that would allow the stars of popular culture to serve their country outside the military.Under the present Military Service Act all able-bodied Korean men must enlist for roughly two years of military service before they reach age 30.

Psy has credited BTS with having achieved the “unfulfilled dreams” of his 2012 hit single ‘Gangnam Style’.The K-pop icon became the highest-charting Korean pop act on the Billboard Hot 100 with the track peaking at Number Two. Since then, only BTS have gone on to best his record, hitting Number One six times since 2020.Speaking at a press conference for his new album ‘PSY 9th’ – which includes the single ‘That That’, featuring and produced by BTS’ Suga – Psy reflected on the success of ‘Gangnam Style’ almost a decade ago.

SEOUL, South Korea -- South Korean superstar PSY said his new album marks a “farewell to ‘Gangnam Style’" — the hit song that propelled him to superstardom exactly a decade ago.Indeed, the music video for the lead single — “That That” featuring Suga from BTS - shows PSY in the famous blue suit he wore in the “Gangnam Style” video.“So, a guy in a blue tuxedo comes out and gets a slap from Suga and goes on his way,” eluding to his old self walking away from the past, PSY told The Associated Press during an interview before the album's release. His latest album “PSY 9th," released Friday, has 12 songs, including one featuring Korean-Canadian rapper Tablo.PSY, whose real name is Park Jae-sang, swept the world with “Gangnam Style” in 2012. The song, with its addictive horse-riding dance and catchy melodies, made a global splash and currently has over 4.4 billion views on YouTube.In an interview, PSY discussed the long gap in recordings, whether he’s still pressured by the global success of “Gangnam Style,” and what he envisions for himself and the Korean pop industry.Remarks have been edited for clarity and brevity.———AP: “PSY 9th” took five years.

Wilson Chapman editorAsian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month arrives on Sunday, and Ella Jay Basco is celebrating with “Bubble Tea,” the latest single from her upcoming album.Best known for her role as Cassandra Cain in the 2020 superhero film “Birds of Prey,” Basco got her start as a child actor in show’s like “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Veep.” But after “Birds of Prey,” she began exploring music, releasing an EP “Middle School” when she was just 13. Half-Korean and half-Filipino, Basco often draws upon her heritage and culture when constructing her songs.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentNetflix has dropped the trailer for “Money Heist: Korea — Joint Economic Arena,” a remake of its hit Spanish crime drama. The streamer also announced that the show will premiere on June 24.The 12-episode series is directed by Kim Hong-Sun (Voice, Black) and is headlined by high-profile actors, including Yoo Ji-tae (“Oldboy,””Healer”), Kim Yunjin (“Shiri,””Lost”), Park Hae-soo (“Squid Game,””Prison Playbook”) and Jeon Jong-seo (“Call,””Burning”).

A new Japanese Korean restaurant serving everything from katsu curry to gyoza dumplings is set to open in Arndale’s new food quarter, Halle Place.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorCity Parks Foundation has announced the 2022 season of Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage, New York City’s outdoor performing arts festival, bringing nearly 90 free and benefit shows to Central Park and 12 neighborhood parks across the five boroughs.Citywide parks and venues hosting SummerStage this season include Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem, Von King Park and The Coney Island Amphitheater in Brooklyn, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens, Crotona Park in the Bronx, Corporal Thompson Park in Staten Island, as well as the newly refurbished SummerStage flagship venue at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park. All performances will be free and open to the public, except for benefit concerts, and select shows will also be live-streamed on SummerStageAnywhere.org.

MONSTA X have returned with a stunning music video for ‘Love’, the title track of their newly-released mini-album ‘Shape Of Love’.In the new visual, the boyband showcase their duality on a fashion runway-inspired set, showing off their vibrant streetwear outfits. They later dress up in extravagant, glittery tuxedos, taking the stage to perform to the groovy new track.“You’re my love, it started at the first sight / Cuz you’re my, cuz you’re my love for me, baby / Finding love, I can’t hide anything from you / Cuz you’re my, cuz you’re my love for me, baby,” they sing on the chorus.‘Shape Of Love’ arrives half a year after MONSTA X released their tenth Korean mini-album ‘No Limit’ and their sophomore English album ‘The Dreaming’.

Big Hit has responded to reports concerning the reported seizure of Jimin’s home. On Sunday, Korean news outlet Biz Hankook claimed that South Korea’s National Health Insurance Service took over the BTS member’s Seoul apartment on January 25.

Psy and Jessi are set to release a brand-new song together titled ‘Ganji’Yesterday (April 24), Psy revealed through social media that the sixth track off his forthcoming album will be called ‘Ganji’ and feature Korean-American rapper and singer Jessi. The duo went on to spoke about the song and how it came about in a couple of brand-new interview clips.In one of the clips, they shared that Psy approached Jessi while she was preparing for her recent single ‘Zoom’, and that she had initially turned him down.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefKorean TV powerhouse JTBC is upping its game and changing its name in order to stay at the forefront of the worldwide Korean content explosion.While the parent broadcast group will keep the JTBC monicker, its 15-strong cluster of production companies have been renamed Studio LuluLaLa, or SLL, instead of the prosaic JTBC Studios. The word ‘Lululala’ is used in Korea to express joy and adventure.