Latest news with #KickFlip
Korea Herald
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
KickFlip returns with new album, personal touch
Rookie boy band captures cheeky vibe of teens JYP Entertainment's youngest pop group, KickFlip is returning with another album full of rebellious charm. "Kick Out, Flip Now!" marks the group's second release, arriving just four months after debut album "Flip it, Kick it!" Following the strong performance of the debut — surpassing 300,000 sold in preorders — the latest album has already exceeded 350,000 sold in preorders, showing the group's steady rise in popularity. 'We wanted this album to be like a stamp that solidifies KickFlip's identity,' said Donghwa. 'That's why we got even more involved in the production, trying to infuse it with our own unique color.' Kyehoon, Amaru, Donghwa, Minje and Donghyeon actively participated in the album's production, helping shape the group's distinctive sound. The youngest in the group, Donghyeon, took part in composing lead track "Freeze," an energetic song that evokes 1990s nostalgia with a twist of glitch and hyperpop synth sounds. The track is highlighted by the weighty rap verses from Minje and Kyehoon, as well as a catchy hook in the latter half that invites listeners to sing along. Kyehoon, Donghwa and Minje wrote the cheeky lyrics, capturing the spirit of youth longing for freedom. 'As we were working on the song, I kept thinking, 'This fits our group so well.' So when it was chosen as the lead track, I was incredibly honored. Collaborating with the older members was a lot of fun, too,' Donghyeon said. Amaru, who had been composing music even before the group's debut, contributed to both the composition and arrangement of the fifth track, "Complicated!!" He also wrote the lyrics, showing potential as a self-producing artist. 'I've been writing songs since before my debut, and at one point, I wrote over 100 songs in a single year. 'Complicated!!' is one of those songs, and I feel especially attached to it. I'm thrilled to perform it with the group,' Amaru shared. Actively participating in production, the bandmates have been deeply reflecting on the image they want for the group. Leader Kyehoon explained, 'In our daily lives, we're just cheerful and lively like any ordinary boys. That's the vibe we wanted to capture — an authentic image of teenagers. I think that really came through in the songs we produced this time. We hope fans will look forward to the narrative KickFlip continues to build.' KickFlip's momentum is expected to grow even stronger with several performances lined up at major international festivals this summer. The rookie septet is scheduled to perform at Lollapalooza Chicago on Aug. 2 and Summer Sonic Bangkok 2025 on Aug. 23 and 24. 'At these festivals, we want to showcase KickFlip's own take on summer and refreshing vibes, something like an explosion of mint-colored energy,' said Donghwa. 'We'd love to earn a reputation as one of the most powerful K-pop performances.'
Time Out
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Second lineup is out: Alicia Keys headlines Summer Sonic Bangkok 2025
Just when Bangkok seemed to be in a lull – caught somewhere between monsoon melancholy and midsummer mania – Summer Sonic makes a return like an old flame who shows up dressed better than ever. The festival, a long-standing fixture of Tokyo's music calendar, is once again packing its bags and heading south. Scheduled for August 23-24, IMPACT Challenger Hall 1-3. Bring earplugs, possibly your therapist. The second lineup drop, announced with the usual self-congratulatory fanfare, is headlined by Alicia Keys. A household name and 17-time Grammy winner, she's the kind of artist whose booking signals prestige, not surprise. Her set will no doubt include If I Ain't Got You, Fallin, and that anthem to aspirational real estate, Empire State of Mind – songs so deeply embedded in the cultural subconscious they no longer provoke reaction, only recognition. Alicia's presence will be hailed as iconic, though it's difficult not to wonder whether the inclusion of such an established figure reveals the festival's cautious, nostalgic leanings. In contrast, CHANYEOL, formerly of EXO, represents a different kind of reassurance – the hyper-curated K-pop export with built-in global fandom. Having successfully pivoted to a solo career with last year's Black Out, he ticks every commercial box: chart success, sold-out tour, pan-Asian appeal. What his set may lack in spontaneity it will surely make up for in polish – choreography as discipline, emotion filtered through a high-production haze. Then there's KickFlip, a name so generically edgy it could have been pulled from a spreadsheet of marketable Gen Z keywords. As JYP Entertainment's newest boy group, they're barely out of debut territory but already performing with the industrial precision of a well-oiled brand. Their choreography will be airtight. Their personalities will be carefully portioned out. Whether audiences will remember much beyond the photocard-worthy visuals remains to be seen. Of all the names on the bill, Kikuo offers the only real hint of subversion. A Vocaloid producer with a cult following and a sonic palette that veers from saccharine to sinister, his work doesn't so much invite listening as demand it. Songs like You Are a Useless Child and Dance of the Corpses suggest something darker at play – a confrontation with discomfort, dressed in pixelated lullabies. This is not music for the crowd-pleasing masses, which is precisely why it stands out. Rounding out the line-up is Jeff Satur, the obligatory local inclusion. His sound is contemporary, his fanbase devoted, and his stage presence dependable. Yet there's an unavoidable sense of tokenism at play – Satur serves more as a box ticked than a centrepiece. Bangkok, it seems, must be reflected, but not necessarily explored. In the end, Summer Sonic Bangkok 2025 appears to favour spectacle over risk, familiarity over experimentation. It will be loud, it will be large, and it will be liked. But whether it will be remembered – for anything other than scale – is another question entirely. Pre-sale tickets will be on offer from May 3-26. Entry for a single day starts at B3,800 for general admission, with a two-day option set at B7,000. VIP access is listed at B8,000 for one day and B13,000 for the full weekend. All available via Ticketmelon.
Korea Herald
19-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
K-pop acts to shine at Lollapalooza Chicago
From Twice to KickFlip, several K-pop groups to take the stage at Lollapalooza Chicago Several K-pop artists are set to perform at Lollapalooza Chicago, with Twice named as a headliner, sharing the spotlight with global pop stars such as Olivia Rodrigo, Tyler, Sabrina Carpenter, and Gracie Abrams. Lollapalooza, which began in Chicago in 1991, is a renowned music festival held in various locations worldwide, including the US, France, Germany, Chile and Brazil. This year's Chicago edition will take place from July 31 to Aug. 3 at Grant Park in Chicago, Illinois. Twice is continuing to solidify its status as one of the top K-pop girl groups. Last year, the group successfully completed its fifth world tour, "Ready To Be," which spanned 27 cities worldwide with 51 shows, attracting a total audience of 1.5 million. On Nov. 21, the groupbecame the first K-pop act to hold a standalone performance on "Amazon Music Live." And prior to Lollapalooza, Twice will take the stage as a special guest for Coldplay's "Music Of The Spheres World Tour" in Goyang, South Korea, in April. BoyNextDoor, Katseye, Xdinary Heroes and KickFlip have also been confirmed as part of the Lollapalooza lineup. BoyNextDoor, currently on its first solo tour, has already impressed audiences at festivals. The group performed at Japan's major music festival, Summer Sonic 2024, and at South Korea's Weverse Con Festival. Katseye, the multinational girl group under Hybe and Geffen Records, will also take the Lollapalooza stage. The group expressed its excitement via official social media, saying, 'A dream has come true,' and promised to deliver an unforgettable performance. Xdinary Heroes has also joined the lineup. The group proved its strength as live performers with concert series "Closed beta," which sold out all 15 shows. Before stepping onto the Lollapalooza stage, they will make a comeback with the new album, "Beautiful Mind," set to be released Monday, showcasing the band's intense heavy rock sound. JYP's rookie group KickFlip will be making its debut at a large-scale global music festival just six months after the official debut in January. The group caught the attention of K-pop fans with its debut mini-album, "Flip it, Kick it!," and its main track, "Mama Said," released Jan. 20.
