Latest news with #Project7
Korea Herald
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
K-pop Week in Hongdae to bring K-pop closer to fans in intimate venues
Veteran idols to perform on small stages with rising rookies during 11-day music festival When people think of K-pop, grand-scale concerts often come to mind — but next month, fans will have the chance to experience K-pop in a more intimate and up-close setting. K-pop Week in Hongdae will feature a series of performances by diverse artists at small theaters around the Hongdae area, Mapo-gu, Seoul. Running from May 1 to 11, K-pop Week in Hongdae is a music festival held across several small venues around Hongdae — including K-pop Stage, Sangsang Madang, Musinsa Garage and H Stage — each with a capacity of around 150. With the slogan 'Closer, More Sincere,' the festival aims to narrow the distance between fans and artists, while delivering the essence of live K-pop. A diverse lineup of artists will take the stage for roughly two-hour performances, offering fans a closer look at K-pop's multifaceted talent in the heart of Hongdae. The festival is organized by Yoonso Group, an entertainment company led by comedian Yoon Hyung-bin. 'K-pop shows in smaller venues are actually very common in Japan's Shin-Okubo area in Shinjuku (of Tokyo). It was disappointing to see there weren't similar places in Korea where fans could meet idols up close,' Yoon said during a press conference held Wednesday in Mapo-gu, Seoul. 'I felt Hongdae was the perfect place to make that happen.' 'I'm grateful to all the artists who agreed to join the lineup. It's not easy for an idol or musician to perform on a small theater stage, but they agreed to take part out of a sincere desire to connect more closely with fans,' Yoon added. There are several familiar names in the lineup. Yang Seung-ho, the leader of veteran boy band MBLAQ who now performs as singer-songwriter Leni.M, will take the stage. Also on the list are TeenTop member and solo artist, musical actor Chunji, as well as Nam Tae-hyun, formerly of boy band Winner, having left the group in 2022 after legal issues over drug use. Rookies Kim Si-hun and Kang Hyun-woo, who gained attention through JTBC's "Project 7" that aired from October to December 2024, are also part of the lineup. The genre diversity is further enriched by Koonzo Crew — the winning co-ed group from MBN's 'Shocking Night' — and Ryu Phillip, a multifaceted entertainer who has built a career spanning trot, film and theater. Other acts set to perform include boy group LUN8, former CLC member Yeeun and rookie girl group Arvvy. 'The K-pop genre has such a wide spectrum and so many artists. I wanted to create an event where those artists could have ongoing opportunities to meet audiences in a place like Hongdae,' said Yoon, emphasizing the festival's inclusive nature. 'Each of us is preparing a unique stage, and I've even invited a surprise guest to my show — so please look forward to it,' said Yang, hinting that fellow MBLAQ members might join him. All the participating artists expressed hope that performances in smaller venues would become more common, helping to expand the diversity of K-pop. 'I hope events like this don't end as one-time projects, but continue so more artists with a deep desire to perform can have these opportunities,' said Ryu. Reflecting on Japan's live scene, Yoon expressed his wish for Korea — K-pop's home ground — to offer more accessible concert options for tourists as well. 'In Japan, you can find all sorts of small venues — 100 seats, 200 seats, 300 seats — and that's something I admire,' Yoon said.
Korea Herald
19-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Close Your Eyes to tour 5 cities
Boy band Close Your Eyes will greet fans in five cities in Asia, announced agency Uncore on Friday. For its first fan meeting tour titled 'Closer Moments,' the band of seven is set to visit Yokohama and Osaka in Japan before flying over to Hong Kong and Taipei in June, after the meet-and-greet in Seoul May 24-25. The rookie band was formed through the audition program 'Project 7' which concluded in December last year. It debuted earlier this month with eight-track album 'EternalT' which sold over 310,000 copies in the first week, the fifth most sold debut album from a K-pop boy band. The band came in first place in a television music chart show with debut song 'All My Poetry' only six days after debut, and did so again three days later.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Remembering the ‘Redbird 7' a decade later
NORMAL, Ill. (WMBD) — On Monday morning, the Illinois State Redbird community honored the lives of the 'Redbird 7.' On this day a decade ago, seven men connected to the Redbird community died in a plane crash when they were returning to Bloomington. Those men were Scott Bittner, owner of Bittner's Meat Locker in Eureka, Terry Stralow, owner of Pub II in Normal, ISU Booster Andy Butler, former Illinois Wesleyan basketball player and Wells Fargo representative Jason Jones, Deputy Director of Athletics Aaron Leetch, assistant men's basketball coach Torrey Ward and the pilot Tom Hileman. No matter their positions, these men had a love for the Redbirds. Their flight was returning to Bloomington from Indianapolis after watching the 2015 Final Four Men's NCAA Basketball Tournament. On Monday morning, the community, family members and former staff, including former head coach Dan Muller and former athletic director Larry Lyons gathered around the Redbird Remembrance Memorial, sharing stories, tears and laughter about their missed loved ones. 'It's certainly not the way that you want to see some of those people. But it was great to be together this morning and there were a lot of hugs, a lot of tears, a lot of stories being told,' said Mike Williams, associate athletic director for communications. 'Hopefully, it helped the families in some way to further know their legacies are never going to be forgotten, at least by us here in the athletic department.' After the plane crash, families of the victims joined together to create 'Project 7'. It encourages people to do seven random acts of kindness on April 7. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Korea Herald
03-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Close Your Eyes makes first appearance on K-pop scene
Formed through TV competition, rookie band presents ambitious debut album Another rookie boy band formed through a TV competition has made an ambitious debut, full of dreams to share its own music and story. Close Your Eyes — a seven-member boy band consisting of Jeon Min-wook, Ma Jingxiang, Jang Yeo-jun, Kim Sung-min, Song Seung-ho, Kenshin and Seo Kyoung-bae — is a multinational group that debuted through JTBC's "Project 7," which aired from October to December 2024. 'Our team name holds the meaning of delivering music that remains compelling even when you close your eyes, as well as a commitment to show our growth every time our fans blink,' explained Jeon Min-wook, the 25-year-old leader of the group, at a press conference Wednesday. The debut album is titled "EternalT," a combination of 'Eternal' and 'Time,' to reflect the group's wish to share an everlasting time with their fans. The album consists of eight diverse tracks, including main track 'All My Poetry,' a sentimental retro R&B song, refreshing pop-rock number 'How to Dance,' easy-listening pop track 'Laid Back' and the acoustic-driven 'Stay 4 Good.' The band described 'All My Poetry' as a song that contrasts youthful, sentimental lyrics with a calm and mature melody. Producer Lee Hae-in, known for producing girl group Kiss of Life, took charge of the album's production and provided each of the bandmates with ample opportunities to participate in the album-making process. Jeon contributed on raps for the main track, while Jang Yeo-jun, 19, participated in choreographing the performance. 'It was an honor to be involved in producing the main track of our debut album,' shared Jeon. "Since the lyrics are sentimental and the melody is emotional, I focused on bringing out those feelings in my rap as well." 'The performance is designed with an emphasis on storytelling rather than synchronized choreography. There's a part in the chorus where we hold our clothes in our mouths, so I hope people pay special attention to that part,' said Jang. Before debuting, Jeon and Ma Jingxiang went through ups and downs. Jeon previously debuted with eight-member group Bae173 in 2020. Then after joining the debut team through "Project 7," he became embroiled in controversy regarding whether he would continue activities with his original team, eventually leaving Bae173. 'There are a lot of emotions that come with redebuting, but what's important is that I've always drawn strength from my fans and I've carried out my activities with the mindset of giving that love back. So rather than saying things have changed, I'd like to say that I'm consistently working hard for my fans,' said Jeon. Chinese member Ma Jingxiag, 21, previously appeared on Mnet's TV competition "Boys Planet" in 2023, but was not a finalist. 'Although I didn't debut through 'Boys Planet,' I gained many fans through that program. I'm so grateful to the fans who continued to wait for me and support me,' he said. Having endured fierce competition and rigorous training, Close Your Eyes is now set to showcase its performances, relying on strong teamwork. Kim Sung-min, 19, expressed, 'I hope people recognize Close Your Eyes for its unique charm, something that sets us apart from existing K-pop groups.' Jang added, 'I want us to become a group that people look forward to. I believe having something to anticipate is what keeps fans and industry professionals by our side.' The youngest member, Seo Kyoung-bae, 16, shared his hopes for the group's music: 'If I had a goal, it would be for our songs to linger in someone's ears all day and even appear in their dreams. If that happens, I'd feel like our music has truly been acknowledged by the public.'
