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The Korea Times

This month will feature some fierce competition between K-pop groups for album sales.
Check out the three big names, BTS, BLACKPINK and TWICE, who will all release new music in April.
1. BTS

K-pop heavyweight group, BTS returns with a new album “MAP OF THE SOUL: PERSONA” on April 12.
The seven-member boy band, which twice topped the US Billboard chart album chart last year, will perform to mark the release on April 13 on Saturday Night Live, a popular American television comedy show.
The host of the episode will be the Hollywood actress Emma Stone, who won the Oscar for best actress for her performance in the 2016 film La La Land.


K-pop's Suga of BTS donates US$90,000 to sick children’s charity
The group’s album has already attracted more than 2.6 million pre-orders, the distributor, iRiver, said.
BTS’ third repackaged album, “LOVE YOURSELF: ANSWER”, released in August, reached No 1 on the Billboard 200 Chart.
The group’s BTS World Tour: Love Yourself, which ends on Sunday, will be followed by the BTS World Tour: Love Yourself: Speak Yourself, starting on May 4, which will visit North and South America, Europe and Asia.
2. BLACKPINK

BLACKPINK, a four-member girl group represented by scandal-hit YG Entertainment, will release its new album “KILL THIS LOVE” on Friday.
YG has already disclosed teaser photos of three members of the group, Lisa, Jennie and Jisoo.
All eyes are on the release because the agency has been linked with the sex, drug and corruption scandal rocking South Korea.
The former YG star Seungri has resigned from the K-pop group Big Bang and also quit show business. Seungri, 28, whose real name is Lee Seung-hyun, has been questioned by police after allegedly lobbying potential investors by offering them the services of prostitutes at nightclubs in Seoul.


The founder of YG, Yang Hyun-suk, is also being investigated over allegations of tax evasion.
YG has vowed that the ongoing scandal will not hinder BLACKPINK’s new release, which comes as the group starts its US tour in Los Angeles, in the hope that it can follow in the footsteps of BTS and establish itself abroad.
The group, which made its debut in 2016 with Square One, shot to fame with the hit singles Whistle and Ddu-Du Ddu-Du.
K-pop sex scandal won’t overshadow BLACKPINK’s new music
3. TWICE

Although not much is known yet, the nine-piece K-pop girl band TWICE has also been sharpening up its act ahead of a new release this month.
The group’s members reportedly filmed a music video in February and have been putting the final touches to an album.
‘Billboard’ embraces BLACKPINK as its first Korean cover girls
The group recently began its first “dome tour”, which has seen it stage concerts in dome-covered stadiums in three Japanese cities, Osaka, Tokyo and Nagoya, with the final show this Saturday in Nagoya. Up to 210,000 people are expected to attend the performances.
TWICE, the flagship band of JYP Entertainment, made its debut in 2015.


It was propelled to stardom with the release of smash-hit singles including Cheer Up and Knock Knock.
Want more stories like this? Sign up here. Follow STYLE on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter
This article was originally written by Dong Sun-hwa for  The Korea Times .


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What do super K-pop bands BTS, BLACKPINK and TWICE have in common this April?

BTS, the American Billboard chart-topping K-pop group, will release its latest album on April 12. Photo: Big Hit Entertainment

BLACKPINK will release its "KILL THIS LOVE" album on Apr. 5. Courtesy of YG Entertainment

TWICE's new album will hit shelves in April. Courtesy of JYP Entertainment

K-pop sex scandal won’t ‘overshadow BLACKPINK’s new music’ as group aims to repeat BTS’ US success

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This month sees releases of new albums from some of the biggest Korean bands, with competition for sales expected to be fierce



What do super K-pop bands BTS, BLACKPINK and TWICE have in common this April?

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;} This month sees releases of new albums from some of the biggest Korean bands, with competition for sales expected to be fierce

This month sees releases of new albums from some of the biggest Korean bands, with competition for sales expected to be fierce