WayV and NCT’s TEN Announce First Solo U.S. Tour

Four months after parting ways with former agency SM Entertainment, WayV and NCT member TEN has announced his first solo U.S. showcase tour. Kicking off on October 17 in Seattle, the tour will travel across 14 cities, including San Francisco, Phoenix, Dallas, and Chicago. Concurrently, TEN also revealed his first solo single, “OUTWEST,” under his new independent label, set to release on September 4. This comes just three months after the singer established ILLIMNT – focused on music, fashion, visual arts, and more – and its subsidiary label, Tenth Sound, a Bangkok-based production house centered around music and events. In just a short time, TEN is optimizing his newfound freedom to its fullest, so how is the U.S. tour the latest example of that?

Since becoming one of two heavy hitters to leave SM this year, TEN has already established that he can lead on his terms and through his own agency. Domestically, he’s already solidified his solo reputation, selling out his three-night residency (“TENCORE0110”) in Thailand. But overseas, where he’s mostly known as a member of WayV/NCT, he has the potential to establish himself outside of that persona through smaller, more personal shows that rely more on his own capabilities rather than spectacle.

This U.S. venture also makes sense considering one of the five languages TEN is fluent in is English, with the majority of his previous works consisting of English. And although language barriers have no longer been an obstacle for K-pop idols to succeed in the West, his linguistic versatility already gives the singer a leg up when touring and promoting in North America, effectively bypassing the need to communicate with fans through an interpreter. So far, with two singles already on deck for release – “OUTWEST” and “IRL” – and a full album in the works, this is a chance for TEN to fully establish his own identity as an artist who’s now more directly involved in the songwriting and creative process than ever before. With 10 years already under his belt, this showcase tour is a celebration of everything TEN has been before and who he is now – an idol, collaborator, and now, entrepreneur.

Former THE BOYZ Member NEW Terminates Contract With ONE HUNDRED

As of August 27, former THE BOYZ member NEW has officially concluded his partnership with ONE HUNDRED – the K-pop agency that previously housed all members of THE BOYZ up until recently. According to Sports Chosun, “NEW recently reached a final agreement to terminate his exclusive contract with One Hundred Label. It was confirmed that both parties amicably resolved their relationship under the condition of returning the signing fee paid upon contract signing.” The development comes four months after the remaining nine members of TBZ (excluding NEW) were granted an injunction to suspend their exclusive contracts, and only weeks after each of them had announced solo plans under new respective management. Now, 28-year-old NEW is following the same path, embarking on a solo career that, so far, doesn’t include rejoining THE BOYZ. But does that mean the possibility is completely off the table?

Although NEW had not participated in the group’s lawsuit against ONE HUNDRED, it was only a matter of time before the singer was presented with a fork in the road – either stay with the label despite the rest of his former members leaving, or terminate his contract and start fresh elsewhere. Luckily, he chose the latter, driving the final nail into the coffin and severing all ties between ONE HUNDRED and TBZ’s current and former members. But after everything that’s transpired, why is now the right time for New, and what does this mean for his future career?

As of August 6, THE BOYZ members (Sangyeon, Jacob, Younghoon, Hyunjae, Juyeon, Kevin, Q, Sunwoo, and Eric) will continue their group promotions under a newly established independent label, while simultaneously pursuing their respective solo careers. While some will focus on their acting careers – like Younghoon, Juyeon, and Hyunjae – others will work on solo music, including group rappers Sunwoo and Eric. So far, it seems NEW will also take the music route, but now that they’re all free agents, this could be the prime opportunity for the singer to fold back into TBZ’s lineup and resume group activities as a ten-piece. Although this would all depend on logistics, contractual agreements and terms, and the members’ personal wishes, having NEW rejoin the group would be a powerful statement not only to the K-pop industry but to the members’ fellow peers that not all legal disputes and contract terminations have to end in fractured lineups. Whether this happens or is even in the works, it doesn’t seem like there’s much holding them back at this stage in their careers – they’re the decision-makers now.

SM Entertainment Establishes China-Based Venture With Tencent Music

On August 27, SM Entertainment announced a joint venture with Tencent Music Entertainment (TME) to develop a new idol group to target the Chinese market. According to SM, the newly established company – called STE – “follows a memorandum of understanding signed by SM and Tencent Music in May to strengthen cooperation between the two entertainment companies.” With STE based in Beijing, longtime SM artist, Chinese idol, and Super Junior-M member Zhoumi has been appointed as its CEO. Additionally, the label will oversee the regional management of some of SM’s younger Chinese artists, including NCT Dream’s Renjun and WayV’s Xiaojun and Yangyang. Following the gradual easing of China's unofficial, decade-long "Hallyu ban" on South Korea's cultural exports, it seems SM is now making up for lost time and re-establishing itself as a leading entertainment company in the Chinese market. How is this new partnership with Tencent Music ushering in this new era?

For starters, this isn’t SM’s first foray into marketing for Chinese audiences – since the early 2000s, they’ve been known to debut Chinese subunits of their main Korean idol groups. Debuting in 2008, Super Junior-M was the first, with EXO-M in 2012 and WayV in 2019. Continuing the trend, SM and Tencent Music have already mapped out plans for STE to debut a brand new China-based idol group within the next 2-3 years, with preparations underway. This means introducing an all-new generation of local idols and building from the ground up in a political era that doesn’t come with as many restrictions as it did for the last 10 years.

Moreover, while plans to begin anew with a fresh set of idols do make for a promising start to this new venture, the concept of bringing on familiar faces that the public and K-pop fans already know and admire provides an air of legitimacy and excitement that feels even more intriguing than just plans for a new idol group alone. As SM’s longest-tenured Chinese idol, Zhoumi feels like the most natural and earned choice for CEO of this new label. With 20 years of experience as an artist himself, he’s learned the ins and outs of this industry and is most familiar with navigating the Chinese market through a K-pop lens. Likewise, the addition of Renjun, Xiaojun, and Yangyang will already generate buzz and curiosity from respective fans in anticipation of how STE will effectively handle the artists’ local promotions and activities.

Since China and Korea resumed efforts to stabilize and restore bilateral ties, this venture offers SM an opportunity to rebuild its presence, visibility, and status in China, and parallels its previous ventures through Super Junior-M and EXO-M in the 2000s and early 2010s. Therefore, through this partnership, C-pop via SM and Tencent can once again thrive in China, following a ban that has held them back for so long.

Second-Gen Girl Group BESTie Goes Viral With 13-Year-Old Song

Recently, early third-gen group BESTie has seen a surprising resurgence online with their 2013 single, “Love Options,” going viral across social platforms – many now dubbing it a “hidden gem.” Debuting in 2013 under YNB Entertainment, the four-member girl group was known for its catchy, upbeat dance tracks and was considered a mid-tier act during their active years from 2013 to 2018. They did earn moderate success in Korea, and even ranked fourth on Billboard’s list of “Most Viewed K-pop Videos in America” with “Excuse Me” in 2015, but BESTie never quite reached the ranks of girl groups that debuted a year before or after. However, it seems the group has found a new wave of listeners, thanks to its more progressive themes for K-pop in their time.

Described as a retro-coded dance and electronic-pop song, “Love Options” is about a young woman listing her high standards and ideal traits for a partner in a very relatable, tongue-in-cheek way. “A little bit tall, and a little bit like Gang Dong-won / Someone who kind of understands how girls feel,” the members sing. Although the song may have been released 13 years ago, the message still holds up and proves that early K-pop wasn’t all centered around the male gaze – BESTie may not have had the same “girl crush” concepts as 2NE1, but they still understood the importance of women feeling confident in themselves and deserving respect. Not only is the lyrical content a highlight, but the song also has that signature Brave Brothers sound that was rampant throughout second- and third-gen groups. The Korean songwriter and producer’s nostalgic, retro style became a K-pop staple and is beloved by veteran K-pop fans worldwide.

So far, “Love Options” has reached No. 1 on the Shazam Korea chart and even entered the Top 10 of YouTube Music’s Daily Trending Music Videos, showing fans’ support extends beyond Korea. This year alone, there’s been a growing trend of older K-pop being revived and seen in a new light – ITZY’s “That’s A No No,” RESCENE’s “Love Attack, and now BESTie’s “Love Options.” While these might seem like happy coincidences and the result of a perfect storm, they all indicate two things: that newer K-pop fans are actively looking and open to discovering music from previous generations, and that longtime fans are craving that bit of nostalgia and whimsy that came with older K-pop songs. These days, much of K-pop consists of rehashing the same ideas, concepts, and sounds to the point where it’s hard to differentiate one song from the next. It only makes sense that both newer and older fans would look to the industry’s past to see how much things have changed since then, and it’s left an impression that money can’t buy.