Author: Denise Coley
On the last day of 2023, we headed to Jeju Island to attend the annual JSW Countdown held by Jeju Shinhwa World. According to the organizers, Jeju Shinhwa World, the two-day year-end festival, held on December 30th and 31st, attracted over 20,000 attendees to a special outdoor venue spanning 6000 square meters. And the presale age group ranged from the 20s to 50s, attracting a diverse audience. Foreign tourists from Southeast Asia, China, Europe, including fans of Sandara Park from the Philippines, were notably present. The first day’s performance on the 30th required raincoats due to rain and strong…
KCrush visited the special influencer expo organized by the Seoul Metropolitan Government ‘The 2023 SeoulCon’ is the world’s first global influencer expo organized by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Economic Promotion Agency. Unlike traditional expos that focus on products or services, this unique event targets influencers (people) as its main subject. It is also part of the Seoul Winter Festa, a major winter festival in Seoul. The Seoul Economic Promotion Agency (SBA) announced on January 3rd that approximately 100,000 people participated in the ‘2023 SEOULCon,’ the world’s first and largest influencer expo, held at the Dongdaemun Design…
J-Pop superstar duo YOASOBI unveil a new song “HEART BEAT;” listen/share HERE. The song will act as the theme for NHK’s “YOASOBI 18 Fest,” an annual television program in Japan in which a group of eighteen-year-olds submit messages, essays and performance videos following a specific theme. This year’s theme is “heartbeat.” YOASOBI then joins the participants to help create and perform an original song together based on these submissions, working alongside each other through the creative process, having conversations and sharing stories of when they were eighteen. YOASOBI are celebrating a banner year—Their global smash hit song “Idol” has…
Well so long and farewell 2023 and on to 2024. Time for some of you to begin your New Year resolutions. As for me, it is time to reflect on some k-pop songs I loved in 2023. With that said, don’t let me have all the fun, you can let your voice be heard by voting in KCrush’s annual music awards. Some of the categories include: best crossover song (any song done in English), best male solo, best new female artist, best collaboration, best dance performance, best hip-hop / rap / R&B / electronic, best group, best album and…
Trigger Warning: Article discusses suicide and depression. Please scroll to the bottom of the article for links and numbers to helpful sources. You are not alone. On December 18, 2017, many heard the news that SHINee’s Kim Jonghyun passed away. The 27-years-old was more than just the leader of one of the world’s biggest K-Pop groups, he was also someone’s role model, a brother, a friend, a son, and a human being whose job was to entertain people. The latter is something many lose sight of as we put pop stars and other celebrities on a pedestal and…
The JSW Countdown 2024, which will be held at the outdoor special stage of Jeju Shinhwa World on December 30th and 31st, is themed as ‘The Ultimate Jeju Countdown with Legendary Artists’. It will be staged with popular singers who have ruled the Korean music industry, offering a platform enjoyable for everyone. The December 30th performance, from 7 PM to 10 PM, will feature a ‘Legend Special’ with artists Wheesung, Sandara Park, and Jinusean. The December 31st event, from 8:30 PM to 0:30 AM the next day, will conclude 2023 with a ‘Hip’ lineup, including Mirani, Hyolyn, Kim Jong-kook,…
Shut Up: Flower Boy Band is a television series released in 2012 and is praised for its intriguing coming-of-age storyline. The series revolves around a high school Eye Candy rock band’s strive through friendship, romance, and rivalry. Sought from all corners of the entertainment world, the bandmembers have evolved throughout the decade with each fulfilling their destined paths. Unlike other acts that fallout after finishing a project Shut Up: Flower Boy Band casts have maintained a close relationship despite their roads taking different turns. Let’s have a snip view of where these individuals are now. 1. Sung…
Actor Lee Sun-kyun, 48, was found deceased in his car near Waryong Park, Seoul, on December 27th, amid a drug use investigation. A note resembling a suicide note was mentioned, but its contents remain undisclosed at his family’s request. Lee had faced allegations of using marijuana and psychotropic drugs since October. Despite negative drug tests, the investigation continued, with Lee asserting his innocence and requesting a lie detector test. His death likely concludes the case with ‘no prosecution.’ Lee, a renowned actor known for his roles in ‘Coffee Prince’, ‘My Mister’, and notably ‘Parasite’, which won the Palme d’Or…
2024 is expected to kick off with a high Korean pop vibe in America given the numerous scheduled K-pop tours. Notable K-pop artists are expected to grace several stages across America throughout the first quarter of 2024 in appreciation of their international fans. Below are some of the K-Pop artists having tours across America between January and April of 2024. 1. VAV VAV will start 2024 by taking over the US, from the East Coast to the West Coast, with the ‘Subcönscióus’ tour. This tour, set from 5th to 21st January 2024, is expected to revamp the group’s…
Pop singer/songwriter Mika Hashizume is finally debuting his solo career with his brand new EP, ‘bleached’. The EP’s soulful lead track, characterized by R&B flavors and alternative elements titled “So I Don’t Forget”, was produced by GRAMMY-nominated producer Patrick “J.Que” Smith, who is also one of the co-writers of Joji’s “Die For You”. The drifting atmosphere of “So I Don’t Forget” carries a sense of nostalgia, and the fleeting worldview evokes a feeling of transience. The track is not only for listeners with a high sensitivity to music, but also for those close to Western music culture. “In the…
Japanese dance/vocal/rap group LIL LEAGUE have released their new single ‘FeiLong’, the official theme tune of the SoftBank Winter Cup 2023 national high school basketball tournament. FeiLong is the name of a mythical flying dragon from Chinese legend, and LIL LEAGUE’s new single is an up-tempo song that cheers on the young basketball athletes, likening their determination to reach the top with a dragon that soars ever-higher into the sky. Tokyo-based trackmaker KENTZ, who has produced numerous gold and platinum-selling hits, has created a hard-sounding track with its roots in 2000s hip-hop and breakbeat. LIL LEAGUE performed ‘FeiLong’ during…
Legendary artists including Jinusean, Hyolyn, Dynamic Duo to perform Exclusive ticket sales on Interpark with various discounts and package deals Will be held at Jeju Shinhwa World on December 30th and 31st Jeju Shinhwa World, the largest integrated resort in South Korea, is preparing to celebrate the upcoming New Year with a legendary countdown concert. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Jeju Shinhwa World had scaled down or canceled countdown events in the past, but last year, they successfully hosted an unprecedentedly large countdown concert, attended by over 20,000 people over two days. Thanks to the generous support of residents…
When the hit anime series ‘Initial D’ began broadcasting in 1998, it sparked the street-racing and Eurobeat boom. Now, on December 20, 2023, a dream collaboration album has been released featuring two Eurobeat legends who each created music for ‘Initial D’ – “King of Eurobeat” Dave Rodgers, and m.o.v.e member MOTSU. The album is titled DAVE RODGERS ‘EUROBEAT KINGS feat. MOTSU’. Download and streaming links: https://avex.lnk.to/EURO_KINGS The two legends collaborated on cover versions of m.o.v.e’s hit song ‘Gamble Rumble’ in February 2023 and Rodgers’ hit ‘SPACE BOY’ in July, surprising and delighting fans of Eurobeat, before finally releasing brand-new song…
Rising K-pop sensation, xikers, is set to embark on their inaugural European tour through “2024 xikers WORLD TOUR TRICKY HOUSE : FIRST ENCOUNTER IN EUROPE.” The ten-member boy group, managed by KQ Entertainment, will showcase their talent in seven European cities, including London, Madrid, Berlin, Milan, Amsterdam, Warsaw and Paris. The tour kicks off in London on January 28, 2024 and concludes in Paris on February 10, 2024. Debuting on March 30, 2023, with their first EP, ‘HOUSE OF TRICKY : Doorbell Ringing’, xikers quickly gained recognition as “monster rookies.” Their debut EP secured top positions on various Billboard…
Celebrated artist Phoenix Storm has once again captivated audiences with his latest musical masterpiece, “A Christmas Flavor.” The K-pop sensation, whose illustrious career spans over a decade, teams up with bass music producer JAPANDA to bring a fresh and vibrant holiday spirit to the music scene. Known for his exceptional contributions to the industry, Phoenix Storm has left an indelible mark on the global music landscape. His previous work on Snowman’s “JUICY” music video achieved remarkable success, earning 2x Platinum certifications in Japan and amassing an impressive 55 million views. The album “Snow Mania S1,” on which Phoenix played…
K-Pop solo artist KIM WOOJIN is heading to Europe for his “THE MOMENT TOUR EUROPE”. He is ready to take on five cities in Europe with stops in Paris, Warsaw, Berlin, London, and Madrid. The Europe tour kicks off in Paris on January 17 and continues through three more cities before reaching the last stop in Madrid on January 25. KIM WOOJIN is a K-Pop male solo artist under KREATION Music Rights. KIM WOOJIN made his solo debut in August 2021 with the album ‘The moment : 未成年, a minor.’ and imprinted his name to K-Pop listeners by entering…
Che’Nelle has released ‘I AM’, her first CD and digital single with Japanese lyrics in six years, on December 13. Che’Nelle made her global debut in 2007 on the major US label Capitol Records. Her song ‘Love with DJ’ from her first album was a big hit in Japan, and the album reached No. 1 on the Oricon Western music charts in Japan, and also won the Rookie of the Year award at the Gold Disc Awards. Later, ‘Baby I Love You’, a cover of TEE’s famous song with English lyrics, created a sensation in Japan and made her…
Japanese mannequin duo FEMM will be performing their final show with the collaboration with fancyHIM on Christmas Eve in Tokyo, Shibuya. fancyHIM continues to provide fashionable and exciting nights that transcends gender, they can clearly be titled as “Tokyo’s cutting edge.” FEMM has a long history with them, since fancyHIM were the ones who first discovered FEMM back in 2015, and kept on collaborating. It is truly a “home ground” for FEMM. This event will feature a number of guest artists who have a close relation with FEMM, such as singer-songwriter Yup’in who worked with FEMM in the group…
Japanese band THREE1989, whose three members were each born in 1989 and whose band name is simply pronounced “Three”, have been selected to provide the ending theme tune to the new TV drama ‘kiss×kiss×kiss~LOVE ii SHOWER~’, which began broadcasting on TV Tokyo on Thursdays, November 2. Their ending theme song ‘Aiiro’ was released on November 8. TV Tokyo has teamed up with avex to create a series for broadcast television based on the successful show ‘kiss×kiss×kiss’, which was originally shown on dTV®, racking up some 220 million views and an audience including more than 5 million women. The new…
SEOULCon Announces Official K-Pop Lineup and Programming Details With League of Legends’ World Champion T1 Team Alongside Global Brands Cultural Event Offers Asian Entertainment Diaspora of State-Of-The-Art Technology, Interactive Netflix Programs, and More The world’s largest influencer expo with 3,000 teams from 50 countries participating SEOULCon, a dynamic two-day exhibition, is set to captivate audiences with its celebration of Asian entertainment and culture on December 30 and 31. Organized independently and driven by a passion for promoting diversity in creative expressions, SEOULCon aims to connect various facets of Asian music, media, technology, art, and consumer entertainment entities. In a…