• RIIZE's 'Impossible' Makes Waves on Global Charts, Expanding K-pop with House Music

    RIIZE is breaking boundaries with their latest track, "Impossible," as they explore the genre of house music, a departure from the usual K-pop sound.

    This bold move has not only captured the attention of EDM enthusiasts worldwide but has also expanded the reach of K-pop itself.

    The explosive reception on YouTube is a testament to the song's global appeal. The official music video surpassed 5.4 million views within just two days of its release, topping YouTube's trending charts in the music category for consecutive days.

    The song's popularity has spurred a wave of derivative content on YouTube, including reaction videos from creators in various countries like South Korea, Japan, North America, and Europe.

    Renowned dancers, both domestically and internationally, have also contributed to the buzz around "Impossible."

    They have voluntarily created diverse content related to the song, including dance analyses and cover performances.

    RIIZE has shown appreciation for these efforts by individually acknowledging and thanking the dancers who initiated the song's 'challenge' on their official social media platforms.

    "Impossible" has also made significant impacts on various global charts. It quickly climbed the ranks on the iTunes Top Songs charts in nine regions worldwide, secured the second spot on China's QQ Music trend chart, and reached third place on Japan's Line Music Real-Time Top 100.

    This release marks the beginning of a three-month-long mega-promotion campaign leading up to the release of RIIZE's first mini-album in June.

    The promotional strategy, akin to the 'multi-title' approach previously exemplified by NewJeans, has garnered significant industry-wide attention, potentially signaling a shift in the pattern of idol comebacks from weekly to monthly cycles.

    Source(1)

  • Hwanhee’s Agency Hits Back Against Shocking Claims of Favoritism on ‘King of Singers Season 2’—Vows to Defend His Reputation

    Hwanhee's agency, BT Entertainment, is firing back after serious fairness allegations were raised regarding the popular show ‘King of Singers Season 2’. They’ve denied all accusations and promised strong legal action for defamation.

    On February 5th, the agency issued a statement through their official fan cafe, saying, “We want to correct the false claims.”

    They explained that Hwanhee was initially approached to join the show in August 2024 by the production team. However, after checking with the event planning company, Dion Communication, they confirmed Hwanhee had no connection to the show or any related performances.

    Despite this, the agency pointed out that certain media outlets published unverified articles, wrongly suggesting that Hwanhee’s involvement could compromise the fairness of the program.

    BT Entertainment was quick to defend their artist, stressing the damage done to both Hwanhee's reputation and the agency itself due to these false claims. They added, "This has caused great harm to Hwanhee, who joined the program after careful consideration."

    The statement didn’t stop there. BT Entertainment made it clear that they won’t stand for any further defamation. They said, “We are taking legal action against these baseless reports” and emphasized their commitment to protecting Hwanhee from any further harm.

    They also reassured their fans, stating, “We will take swift action against any future misinformation to avoid any further harm to Hwanhee and his supporters.”

    This controversy started after a media outlet raised concerns on January 23rd about Hwanhee’s participation in the show. The report claimed that BT Entertainment’s CEO, who is also a director at Dion Communication, had invested 1.1 billion KRW in the ‘King of Singers Season 2’ concert, leading to suspicions of favoritism towards certain contestants.

    In the meantime, ‘King of Singers Season 2’ continues its intense competition, with Hwanhee making it to the semifinals. Fans are watching closely as he currently holds 1st place in the first round of the semifinals, cementing his position as a strong contender to represent Korea in the Korea-Japan King of Kings battle.

    Source: [1]