by Ra Hwak Jin / An Hayeon
 

▲ This photo, provided by YG Entertainment, shows WINNER’s Kang Seung-yoon. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

◇ K-pop groups active in solo·unit activities

This week, many K-pop group members featured in solo and unit activities.

On Monday, WINNER's leader and main vocal Kang Seung-yoon made a solo comeback with the new solo song "BORN TO LOVE YOU."

"BORN TO LOVE YOU" is a song that depicts the emotions of the one who is afraid to accept the breakup. Kang introduced, "I tried a new style of music that is differentiated from the existing songs."

 

▲ This photo, provided by Big Hit Music, shows BTS's Jimin. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

BTS Jimin will participate in a drama original soundtrack for the first time, according to an announcement on Tuesday.

Yamyam Entertainment, the producer for "Our Blues" OST, said, "BTS's Jimin will participate in the OST of tvN's new Saturday-Sunday drama "Our Blues."

 

The upcoming drama includes the cast of Lee Byung-hun, Shin Min-ah, Cha Seoung-won, Lee Jung-eun, Han Ji-min, Kim Woo-bin, and Kim Hye-ja, and will be aired for the first time on April 9 at 9:10 p.m.

 

▲ This photo, provided by Fantagio, shows Moonbin & Sanha. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

K-pop boy group ASTRO's Moonbin & Sanha made a comeback with the second mini-album "REFUGE" on the same day.

The title song "WHO," a pop dance song with a catchy chorus and intense sounds of bass and drum, depicts the relentless desire for healing and various emotions against the evil that could not be caught.

MAMAMOO's leader Solar made a comeback with the new album "容: FACE," in a year and 11 months since the single "SPIT IT OUT" on Wednesday.

The album title came from the Chinese character '容' [yong] of her birth name Kim Yong-sun. The title holds the meaning that everyone is precious in a way that each has a different face, value, and lives their own meaningful life.

▲ This photo, provided by SBS, shows the drama "A Business Proposal." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

◇ Drama 'A Business Proposal' gains popularity...even OST & Webtoon

SBS TV's Monday-Tuesday drama "A Business Proposal" is receiving worldwide popularity.

"A Business Proposal" depicts the romance between the ordinary businesswoman Shin Ha-ri(Kim Se-jeong) and her boss Kang Tae-mu(Ahn Hyo-seop) who go on a blind date.

Starting on Feb. 28, the Monday-Tuesday weekly drama hit 10.1 percent in viewership ratings for its sixth episode aired on Mar. 15

From a global point of view, it is also well accepted by audiences outside Korea, making its first top 10 appearances on the popular Netflix TV show chart compiled by Flixpatrol on Mar. 4, and having placed seventh on Mar. 15.

At the same time, its origin, "The Office Blind Date," which is available both in web novel and webcomic form, has gone viral and gained larger-than-expected popularity.

According to data by Kakao Entertainment, the original web novel and webtoon marked a total of 450 million views worldwide, including 160 million views tallied in South Korea, at the end of February, even before the TV premiere.

In particular, "The Office Blind Date" webtoon reached No. 1 in sales on Kakao's Thailand online platform this week for two weeks in a row, as well as being No. 1 in sales in Taiwan and Indonesia. 

 

▲ This photo, provided by ABYSS Company, shows MeloMance. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The soundtracks also have been drawing great attention.

MeloMance's special soundtrack "Love, Maybe" for "A Business Proposal" topped the Melon OST chart on Mar. 14, according to FLEX M.

The song is receiving favorable reviews from overseas fans as well. MeloMance's "Love, Maybe" each ranked No. 5 and No. 7 in Vietnam and Thailand on Mar. 14, as well as No. 19, No. 45, and No. 54 in Taiwan, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

In particular, K-pop girl group Secret Number Dita, Soodam, and Zuu's "Love, Maybe," a remake song of the duo MeloMance's original song "Love, Maybe," ranked No. 2 on iTunes in Indonesia a day after its release on Mar. 14.

 

▲ This photo, provided by Netflix, shows the poster of "Squid Game." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
◇ 'Squid Game' wins best foreign language series, best actor at Critics Choice

The South Korean sensation "Squid Game" has won the best non-English language TV series and best actor at this year's Critics Choice Awards.

At the ceremony held on Mar.14 (KST), "Squid Game" was named Best Foreign Language Series and its lead Lee Jung-jae won Best Actor in a Drama Series.

It is the first time that a South Korea-made TV show has won a prize at the Critics Choice, given by a group of 500 film and TV broadcast critics in North America.

It marked the third consecutive week that Lee received the best actor honor for his role in "Squid Game" following the ones from the Screen Actors (SAG) Guild Awards and the Film Independent Spirit Awards.

In addition, "Squid Game" won three U.S. Critics Choice Super Awards on Friday(KST).

The Critics Choice Association chose "Squid Game" as the Best Action Series in the 2nd annual Critics Choice Super Award.

Lee Jung-jae and Jung Ho-yeon also took home Best Actor in an Action Series and Best Actress in an Action Series, respectively.

(END)

 

[ⓒ K-VIBE. 무단전재-재배포 금지]