LE SSERAFIM

K-pop powerhouse HYBE said Friday it has established a new label specializing in producing girl groups, with plans to debut its first act later this year. The label is named ABD, short for its brand slogan, "A Bold Dream," and reflects an approach that seeks to "imagine D instead of C after A and B," the company said in a statement. The label will be led by No Ji-won, head of artist planning at HYBE subsidiary Pledis Entertainment. Pledis' veteran producer Han Sung-soo, who has previously worked on artists including Seventeen, After School, IZ*ONE and TWS, will lead production for the new girl group, HYBE said. The planned debut will add to HYBE's roster of girl groups, which includes Le Sserafim under Source Music, NewJeans under ADOR, ILLIT under Belift Lab and Katseye under HYBE Labels.

Le Sserafim, the K-pop girl group that rose to prominence on a platform of unflinching confidence, announced Wednesday that “BOOMPALA” will lead its second studio album, “PUREFLOW pt.1,” set for release on May 22. The quintet — Kim Chae-won, Sakura, Huh Yun-jin, Kazuha and Hong Eun-chae — unveiled the title and an aggressive two-week promotional schedule via social media and the fan platform Weverse. In a nod to the linguistic playfulness that has defined their branding, both the album and lead single utilize invented nomenclature: PUREFLOW serves as an anagram for “POWERFUL,” while “BOOMPALA” is a coined term intended to pique global curiosity. Their label, Source Music, described the enigmatic title as a deliberate move to spark intrigue regarding the track’s sonic direction. The road to the release begins on May 8 with a mood film titled “Just BOOMPALA,” followed by a conceptual series that includes the “BOOMPALA Pavilion” and three cryptic installments — “BIRCH SCAR,” “YUSU LILY” and “PEONY ROOM” — rolling out mid-month. The campaign cu

Spotify will host an exclusive live event featuring Le Sserafim on May 21, a day ahead of the release of the group’s second LP, the music streaming service announced Monday. Titled “Pure Flowers Live,” the event will celebrate the release of Le Sserafim’s upcoming album “Pureflow Pt. 1,” set to drop May 22, while offering fans an early preview of the group’s new music. The event is part of Spotify’s broader campaign to connect global audiences with major artists through exclusive live experience

Le Sserafim is marking four years since the group's debut with a bevy of new content, according to Source Music on Sunday. The five bandmates began the celebration with a group photo in which they re-created moments from their own childhoods, fit for the theme of a "'Fim'ily Party." They also uploaded playful selfie visuals for "Celebration," a single they dropped last month. On Saturday, the bandmates took to a livestream and shared episodes with fans, saying, "This is just the beginning of Le

A crowded slate of K-pop girl group releases is set to define May, with BABYMONSTER, NMIXX, ITZY, LE SSERAFIM and aespa all returning within weeks of one another. Adding to the momentum is a long-awaited reunion by I.O.I, nearly a decade after its disbandment, setting up one of the most competitive release windows. YG Entertainment's youngest act BABYMONSTER opens the month May 4 with its third mini-album, "CHOOM." Positioned as an heir to the company's girl group lineage that includes BLACKPINK and 2NE1, the group has similarly built global attention since debut through performance-focused releases. According to YG, the new album spans hip-hop, dance and R&B, with the lead track and B-sides “MOON,” “I LIKE IT” and “LOCKED IN” aimed at showcasing the group's range. Girl group NMIXX under JYP Entertainment follows May 11 with its fifth mini-album, "Heavy Serenade." The title track was reportedly co-written by singer-songwriter Hanroro, known for sentimental hits "0+0," "1111" and "Let Me Love My Youth." After debuting with its self-described "MIXX-pop" genre in 2022 to mixed r

A crowded slate of K-pop girl group releases is set to define May, with BABYMONSTER, NMIXX, ITZY, LE SSERAFIM and aespa all returning within weeks of one another. Adding to the momentum is a long-awaited reunion by I.O.I, nearly a decade after its disbandment, setting up one of the most competitive release windows. YG Entertainment's youngest act BABYMONSTER opens the month May 4 with its third mini-album, "CHOOM." Positioned as an heir to the company's girl group lineage that includes BLACKPINK and 2NE1, the group has similarly built global attention since debut through performance-focused releases. According to YG, the new album spans hip-hop, dance and R&B, with the lead track and B-sides “MOON,” “I LIKE IT” and “LOCKED IN” aimed at showcasing the group's range. Girl group NMIXX under JYP Entertainment follows May 11 with its fifth mini-album, "Heavy Serenade." The title track was reportedly co-written by singer-songwriter Hanroro, known for sentimental hits "0+0," "1111" and "Let Me Love My Youth." After debuting with its self-described "MIXX-pop" genre in 2022 to mixed r