[Weekly Digest Jan. 30 - Feb. 05] K-pop girl group VIVIZ Makes comeback while TXT becomes double million seller on 6th day of release

Joonha Yoo

◇ K-pop girl group VIVIZ Makes Comeback with 3rd mini album 'VarioUS'

▲This photo, provided by BIg Planet Made show photo of VIVIZ. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

Third mini album of South Korean girl group VIVIZ, “VarioUS” is group’s first release of music within 7 months since they last release in July of 2022. The title of the album has three capitalized letters in order to put the emphasis on the imbedded meanings, first V which stands for the group VIVIZ, and US.

Total of six tracks are included within the group’s third mini album, starting with the title track “Pull Up” followed by “Blue Clue” which depicts how the feeling of love should not be simply compared to the color red, “Vanilla Sugar Killer” which describes a scene where close friends come together to enjoy the dessert, song which tells the importance of self loving and care “So Special” and more.

The title track “Pull Up” withholds rhythmic bass lines with addictive melody and unique brass sound. However the lyrics to the track addresses those who talk behind one’s back.

Lyrics to the title track are very straight forward and strong whereas the dance choreography which puts more power to the words brings interest and entertainment to its listeners.
 

▲This photo, provided by BIg Planet Made show photo of VIVIZ. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

Through group’s third mini album ‘VarioUS” the group transforms from their previously settled cute and fresh image to more charismatic and sophisticated images. The cover art of the album fits group’s new theme as well with black and white overlaying tones.

Throughout the media conference, group addressed their behind story of filming the music video, and how hard it was to not smile nor laugh throughout the shoot.

Members of VIVIZ debuted under the name of GFriend in January of 2015, recently celebrated their 8th anniversary of debut. However, it has been a year since the three of the members who started off a group VIVIZ in 2022 after their activity as GFriend.

Due to the current trend and success of regrouping of previous girl group’s such as KARA and more, the interest of GFriend fans lay within the reunification of the group.

◇ TXT becomes double million seller on 6th day of release

▲This photo, provided by Bighit Music, shows TOMORROW X TOGETHER. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

The fifth mini album "The Name Chapter: TEMPTATION" released by the group TOMORROW X TOGETHER (TXT) last month has exceeded 2 million cumulative sales on the sixth day of its release, addressed agency Bighit Music.

As of the 1st, a cumulative 2,027,817 copies of the album were sold.

"TOMORROW X TOGETHER is to have a 'Double Million Seller' album sold in the first week in three years and 11 months after their debut," Big Hit Music explained, adding, "This is the record achieved in the minimum annual period among K-pop singers."

The album has also topped the Japanese Oricon weekly album chart, becoming the first overseas singer to reach the top of seven albums in a row.

▲This photo taken during the media showcase of TxT's fifth mini album 'Temptation' show members performing title track 'Sugar Rush Ride.' (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

The title track "Sugar Rush Ride" became popular as it ranked at the top of the domestic music charts, which is unusual for a boy group.

The album tells the story of young people who are swayed by temptations that block growth but overcomes it and grows. It was evaluated that the title song and the other songs were organically connected and solved a narrative well.

◇ TWICE to receive award from Billboard Women in Music while 'Moonlight Sunrise' successfully penetrates Billboard 'Hot 100'

▲This photo, provided by JYP Entertainment, shows the members of TWICE. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

K-pop girl group TWICE will be honored at this year's Billboard Women in Music Awards.

The group will receive the Breakthrough Artist award at the annual ceremony slated for March 1 in Los Angeles, according to Billboard's website.

It will be the first K-pop artist to be recognized at the event, which was established by the U.S. magazine in 2007 for influential female artists in the music industry.

The nine-piece group was one of the most-streamed K-pop artists of 2022 on Spotify, the world's largest music streaming platform, across the globe, along with BTS, BLACKPINK, Stray Kids and Seventeen.
 

▲This photo, provided by JYP Entertainment show poster of TWICE's 'Moonlight Sunrise.' (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

Meanwhile, TWICE's second English-language single, "Moonlight Sunrise," debuted on this week's Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart at No. 84.

“Moonlight Sunrise” is a first English single released by TWICE after group’s first English track “The Feels” released over a year ago. TWICE successfully combines group’s unique loveliness, with romantic lyrics.

Twice previously charted group’s English single “The Feels” on 83rd within “Hot 100.” Within the Billboard album chart “Billboard 200” TWICE’s mini album “Between 1&2” was previously ranked 3rd which was released in 2022.

◇ 'The First Slam Dunk' exceeds 2 Mln admissions in S.Korea

▲This photo, provided by distributor NEW, shows a scene from 'The First Slam Dunk.' (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

Japanese sports animated film “The First Slam Dunk,” based on the legendary Japanese manga series “Slam Dunk,” has exceeded 2 million admissions in South Korea as of Wednesday.

Since the film hit the domestic box office immediately after the New Year holidays on Jan. 4, this Toei Animation feature has performed consistently ever since and gathered a total of 2,011,000 moviegoers in South Korea.

The original comic, which was published in Japan’s “Weekly Shonen Jump” magazine and sold more than 170 million copies worldwide, has been one of the best-selling manga series in Korean history; the masterpiece has been the all-time favorite Japanese anime for many Koreans, to the point that it brought upon a “basketball boom” in the 1990s.
 

▲'The First Slam Dunk' is popular for people in their 30s and 40s. (Yonhap)

The legend is continuing with its film version, which has been drawing attention since its production with Takehiko Inoue, the cartoonist of “Slam Dunk,” writing and directing the film.

The film has been topping the box office in South Korea for five days since Jan. 27 by stimulating the nostalgia of those in their 30s and 40s who remember reading the manga series as teens.

According to the admissions data released by CGV, only 18.7% of this film’s audiences were in their 20s; meanwhile, 38.6% were in their 30s, 31.8% in their 40s, and more than 70% were in their 30s and 40s. The gender distribution was fairly even, with 47.5% female audiences and 52.5% male audiences.

(END)

(C) Yonhap News Agency. All Rights Reserved