Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
BTS’ RM went a little bit country late Wednesday night with “Seoul Town Road,” his surprise collaboration with Lil Nas X. Unlike Billy Ray Cyrus – who is featured on the latter’s chart-topping “Old Town Road” remix – the Korean rapper hasn’t dabbled in country music previously. Not the American genre, anyhow.
BTS will be back on the big screen this summer. The Korean pop group announced today that their latest feature film, “Bring the Soul: The Movie,” will have a global release on August 7. It arrives just six and a half months after the septet’s last film release, “Love Yourself in Seoul.”
BTS has figured out the most challenging aspect of stadium shows: how to make them feel intimate. Their boy-next-door charm, lively banter (in both English and Korean) and constant engagement with projected a warmth that reached the upper bleachers of Soldier Field. And even a language barrier doesn’t distract from the storytelling aspects of their songs: Most of the fans in the stadium tonight have long since translated the lyrics.
It has been a good week for BTS. On Wednesday (May 1), the South Korean group won two awards at the Billboard Music Awards (for top duo or group and best social artist). On Saturday (May 4), the septet kicked off its global “Love Yourself: Speak Yourself” stadium tour at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, Calif. They will play the second of two consecutive sold-out nights on Sunday.
One of Japan’s most popular groups, Perfume became the first J-Pop act to ever take the stage at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival with a performance last weekend. Formed in 2000, the electro-pop trio will do another set at the fest’s Gobi Tent on Sunday. That concert will conclude Perfume’s U.S. tour to promote their album, “Future Pop.” Nocchi (Ōmoto Ayano), Kashiyuka (Kashino Yuka) and A-chan (Nishiwaki Ayaka) made the most of their Coachella experience: The group caught a bit of Ariana Grande’s show and attended parties hosted by Interscope and Moschino. The experience, they said, was a dream.
The success of Korean superstars BTS has paved the way for multiple K-pop acts to try their chances in the U.S. — but few will be making their U.S. concert debut with as much panache as Blackpink.
In 2013, BTS was just another Korean boy band signed to a small label that hardly anyone had heard of. Six years and a K-pop global explosion later, they are the most popular boy band in the world, which is why fans around the globe set their alarm clocks (or pulled all-nighters) to catch the global release of “Map of the Soul: Persona” at precisely 6 p.m. KST (2 a.m. PT/ 5 a.m. ET).
Tiffany Young was 15 when she left her native California for Seoul, South Korea, where she hoped to become a music star. Within two years, the teenager made her debut with Girls’ Generation, which would become one of the most successful K-Pop groups ever. She’s back in the U.S. and has a new solo single, “Over My Skin.” My latest interview for Rolling Stone.
In modern South Korea, pop stars and politics don’t often mix. While some hip-hop acts (such as Epik High) address controversial topics, many idol groups stick to a slick, apolitical formula with a proven record of success. BTS, who just became the first K-pop act ever to top the Billboard 200 album sales chart, have become a record-setting success story in part because of their willingness to buck this convention. My latest essay for Rolling Stone.
Moreso than any of the previous episodes of “Burn the Stage,” this finale is a love letter from BTS to their fans. The eight-part docu-series ended with “Spring Day” playing over the credits. As many of you already know, that song touches my core every single time I hear it, so I’m a little verklempt as I write this.