Latest news with #&Team
Korea Herald
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
&Team draws 100,000 fans in its first Asia tour
Group to wrap up the tour with two-day show in October Japan-based idol group &Team has wrapped up its first Asia tour, attracting approximately 100,000 concertgoers and marking a major milestone in the group's career. The group held a sold-out show at AsiaWorld-Expo in Hong Kong on Saturday as part of its Asia tour, "Awaken The Bloodline." Kicking off in Aichi, Japan in May, the tour spanned roughly two months with 14 shows across 9 cities, including Tokyo, Fukuoka and the Hyogo prefecture in Japan; Bangkok, Seoul; Jakarta in Indonesia; Taipei and Hong Kong. Featuring cinematic stage direction inspired by the group's unique "Wolf DNA" universe, the tour offered fans an immersive experience. &Team is scheduled to hold encore concerts at Saitama Super Arena in Japan on Oct. 25 and 26. The venue, which can hold around 20,000 people, will be the group's largest performance to date. Debuting under Hybe Labels Japan on Dec. 7, 2022, &Team is a multinational nine-member group consisting of six Japanese members as well as one Taiwanese, one Korean and one Japanese German member. The group was formed through Mnet's survival program "I-Land" and Hybe's follow-up show "&Audition – The Howling," and blends the K-pop training system with a focus on the J-pop market.
Korea Herald
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Weverse Con Festival expands beyond Hybe, Weverse platform
In its third year, iconic concert expands its musical reach Weverse Con Festival, a concert organized by K-pop powerhouse Hybe's fan platform subsidiary Weverse, wrapped up this year's edition over the weekend at the Inspire Entertainment Resort in Incheon, with its musical diversity and festival structure greatly expanded. Now in its third year, the event, which originally featured only artists under Hybe or the Weverse platform, has broadened its musical palette to include non-Hybe, non-Weverse and even non-K-pop artists in its lineup. This year, rock band Nell, singer-songwriter Lee Mu-jin, musical actress Jeong Sun-ah and Min Kyoung-ah took the stage, offering festivalgoers a broader musical experience. In addition to the daytime performances at the outdoor Discovery Park stage and evening shows at the indoor Inspire Arena, this year saw a new outdoor night concert. Despite the blazing sun Sunday, large crowds gathered in front of the outdoor stage. "I was worried about the heat, but we are so thankful to see everyone smiling, enjoying the show and singing along,' said Siyeon, the vocalist of the band QWER. Musical actress Jeong Sun-ah energized the crowd with music from "Frozen," "The Greatest Showman" and "Wicked." She also delivered a cover of Day6's "Welcome to the Show.' Next up was Kyuhyun, a member of Super Junior and a ballad soloist, who closed out the daytime performances. Appearing on a stage filled with bubbles, he sang "Time with You,' waving endlessly to fans and filling the afternoon with his smooth, tender vocals. The night outdoor segment, Weverse Park Night, kicked off at 6:30 p.m. with a performance by singer-songwriter Lee Mu-jin followed by stages of BTOB's Lee Chang-sub and boy group &Team. Lee Mu-jin sang his latest single "Bird on the Edge' to a guitar accompaniment. Lee Chang-sub began with the rock ballad "Heavenly Fate,' then, taking off his jacket, switched mood with the refreshing band sound of "New Wave.' As night fully descended, &Team took the stage, blending Korean and Japanese versions of its songs to the enthusiastic cheers of its fans. Meanwhile, the indoor Weverse Con continued at Inspire Arena with high-energy performances from rising K-pop groups like Lun8, P1Harmony, UAU and TWS. The venue lit up with glamorous laser and firework effects. Each year, Weverse Con pays tribute to an artist who has left a significant mark on Korean pop music. This year's honoree was BoA, often called the "Star of Asia." Le Sserfim's Chaewon and Eunchae introduced the legendary soloist, saying, "The title of No. 1 created by a girl is not just a ranking. It was a declaration of a new era.' BoA heated up the stage with hits like "My Name," "Atlantis Princess" and "Only One." UAU and TWS joined the tribute by covering her songs "Better' and "Amazing Kiss,' respectively, creating a cross-generational collaboration. "I'm preparing a new album, aiming for an August release. I'm recording diligently and will return with good music,' BoA told the audience, promising another legendary comeback. Le Sserafim kicked off its set with "Chasing Lightning' and "Crazy." Although a back injury kept member Huh Yun-jin off the stage, the remaining four members delivered a seamless performance. "Summer is here. And when you think of summer, you think of Le Sserafim,' they teased, hinting at the group's upcoming Japanese album. The final act of the festival's final day was TXT, headlining Weverse Con Festival for the third consecutive year. They performed a 17-song set including the group's latest track "Love Language,' Yeonjun's solo "Ggum,' Beomgyu's solo "Panic' as well as Soobin and Yeonjun's unit song "The Killa" and the group's other unit track, "Quarter Life." Attendees were pleased with both the overall organization and the musical experience. "This is my second time at Weverse Con Festival. I came for TXT, but I'm really enjoying the other performances and activity booths too,' said Bella, a fan in her 20s wearing a TXT T-shirt. A Chinese K-pop fan holding a fan decorated with TWS members' photos praised the festival's convenience for international visitors. "Even though I don't speak Korean, I had no trouble getting merchandise, buying drinks or finding my way to the concert venues.'
CNBC
30-05-2025
- Business
- CNBC
South Korea's Hybe opens China office amid hopes of a K-pop reversal from Beijing
South Korea's largest K-pop agency Hybe has established its first office in China — amid signs that Beijing is lifting its unofficial ban on K-pop shows. The agency behind global sensation BTS has been preparing to establish itself in China since last year, a Hybe official said recently. Hybe's China office — launched on April 2 and announced on Thursday — is its fourth overseas branch. But while the agency has launched local groups such as &Team in Japan and Katseye in the United States, it has no plans to debut rookie teams in China, according to South Korean state media KBS. There have been indications that Beijing might be softening its stance on K-pop in the face of weak domestic consumption and stalled trade talks with China. And in another sign of thawing relations, China announced its decision to waive visas for South Koreans last November. South Korea followed suit in March 2025 with its plans to offer a visa exemption to Chinese visitors in the third quarter. Even more recently and on the K-pop front, Hybe announced plans to sell its entire stake in SM Entertainment to China's Tencent Music. The move is a testament to a strengthening relationship between Tencent and major K-pop companies, Junhyun Kim, a Korea internet gaming and entertainment research analyst at HSBC, said in a recent note. If K-pop becomes more widely recognized in China, Kim said, he expects there will be increased use of fan platforms like Hybe's Weverse and Dear U Bubble, which are messaging platforms between fans and artists. But the path to a K-pop comeback in China won't necessarily be smooth. K-pop group Epex canceled a concert in Fuzhou that was scheduled for May 31, citing "issues in the local region." The performance would have been the first concert by an all-Korean idol group in mainland China since 2016. Hybe's shares fell 1.47% in Friday trading hours. With other industries under pressure from tariffs, a U-turn from China on its unofficial K-pop ban could inject fresh momentum into South Korea's entertainment industry. "In contrast with semiconductors or autos, where global trade policy directly impacts supply chains and pricing, K-pop consumption is far less sensitive to protectionist measures," Shinhan Securities said in a note in April. "Core revenue drivers—streaming, concerts, and fan content—are digital and intangible, making them immune to cross-border tariffs," CGS said, adding that even if fans buy albums and merchandise, tariff exposure is "negligible," given low unit prices and loyal fan demand.
Korea Herald
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
&Team's 3rd single sells half million in 1 day
&Team's third physical single sold over half a million copies on its day of release, according to Billboard Japan on Wednesday. This is the shortest time for an album from the group to achieve the feat; previous albums did so in at least three weeks. The main track 'Go in Blind' topped Oricon's Daily Single Ranking, as did two previous sets it released last year — the second physical single 'Aoarashi' and the second LP 'Yukiakari.' The band unveiled all six tracks from the new album online before releasing the physical album. Next month, the band of nine will embark on its monthslong 'Awaken The Bloodline' tour and visit nine cities in Asia. The first stop will be Nagoya, Japan, followed by three more in the country as well as four in Southeast Asia and Seoul. The Seoul shows will be held June 7-8.
