A Look Back: April 2017

April Events, Drama, & Announcements:

• 1st – The final episode of High School Rapper aired and the album was released.
• 3rd – The saga of  “change all the things” for Running Man continues as Yang Se Chan and Jun So Min are added to permanent cast.
• 6th – CJ E&M announces TWICE & CNBLUE will join KCON NY.
• 7th – Produce 101 Season 2 begins.
• 8th, 9th, & 10th – Hiphopplaya Fest, California
• 10th – Tiger JK and Bizzy (MFBTY) announce they will donate all appearance earnings from SMTM6 to the Social Welfare Society (a non-profit that helps low income single mothers and children). [I adore these guys! I already love them like crazy but this… just proving once again amazingly awesome they are!!]
• 13th – Red Velvet leaks “ReVeluv” as their likely fandom name
• 13th – MBK Ent announced Shannon will be the MC bor DIA’s comeback but forgot to tell Shannon. Her response: “WTF is my company doing?”
• 13th – Final MC appearance of Key (SHINee) on M! Countdown
• 13th – KCON NY announces GFriend has joined the lineup
• 14th –  Yang Nam Awards
• 15th – 20th Anniversary for Sechs Kies
• 16th – Sewol Ferry Disaster Remembrance Day
• 17th – EXP Edition drops their “debut solo” Feel Like This and the KNetz erupt in drama.
• 17th – former President Park Geun Hye is formally charged with abuse of power, bribery, coercion, and leaking government secrets. The trial is expected to lat approximately six months.
• 23rd – 9th Annual Shorty Awards
• 25th – GDragon announces worldwide solo tour with dates: ACT III: M.O.T.T.E. Tour
• 25th – YouTube announced upcoming content all VIPs have been longing for. BigBang’s own variety show, Run Big Bang Scout, will air exclusively on YouTube Red.
• 27th – CJ E & M announced KNK & Up10tion added to KCON NY lineup.
• 27th – Tao (formerly EXO) loses lawsuit against SM Entertainment. (Sad news for all of us who were pulling for him.)
• 28th – 5 member girl group from HYWY Entertainment get an official name: DayDay
• 29th – 15th Korea Times Music Festival Hollywood Bowl, California (Lineup includes: Tiffany, NCT 127, Apink, Victon, BASTARZ, Skull & HaHa, Gummy, DJ Doc, Cho Hang Jo, Min Kyung Hoon, Chu Ga Yeoul, Kim Yeong Im, & Lee Eun Mi)

Awards, Records, & Charts:

• 5th – Taeyeon hits #2 on the World Album Charts with the deluxe release of My Voice, and 19 on Billboard’s Heatseakers Chart.
• 8th – IU grabs her second All Kill for the album Palette with her release of the track Can’t Love You Anymore. The 1st was the pre-release of Through The Night. (KpG Note: Through the Night achieved a Perfect All Kill on March 24th.)
• 11th – Nominations for Billboard Music Awards were announced. BTS has been nominated for Social Media Award based on their ranking on the Social Top 50. They are the first KPop group to be nominated for a Billboard Award.
• 11th – BLACKPINK’s Playing With Fire breaks through 100 million views on YouTube, joining the 100m views club.
• 14th – BTS won both Yang Nam Awards: Best Viewer Award and Daesang.
• 20th – BTS is announce the winner for “Best In Music” at the 9th Annual Shorty Awards.
• 21st – IU’s album Palette hits it’s third All Kill with the release of her title track, proving once again IU doesn’t need to ask Can You Hear Me? in these Modern Times. Congratulations IU!

Hellos and Goodbyes:

DEBUTS:

• 1st – OFA – You’ll Be Alright  (CJ E&M)
• 4th – Seol Ha Yoon – Men Bother Women (K&C Music)
• 5th – A-Seed – Shake It (Luminant Entertainment)
• 6th – YPZ – Thirsty (HIGHGRND)
• 7th – BLACK8IX – Please (Black Hole Ent.)
• 10th – MISO (Girls Girls) – KKPP (*independent release*)
• 11th – Lee HaeRi (Davichi, prerelease solo debut) Pattern (Core Contents Media)
• 11th – Unit Black (Boys24) – Steal Your Heart (CJ E&M)
• 17th – Minzy (solo debut ft. Flowsik) – Ninao (Music Works)
• 17th – 14U – Very Very Very (Baekgom Ent.)
• 19th – Lee HaeRi (Davichi, solo debut album) – H (Core Contents Media)
• 20th – 2wentys – Ssog Deul Eoss Eo (RIAK)
• 20th – Mayprilde – You Are My Forest (*independent release*)
• 21th – Kim ChungHa – Week (MNH Ent.)
• Changsub (BTOB, solo debut) – At the End (Cube Ent.)
• 25th – Curv – My Only (KT Music)
• 25th – Choi Jae Man – Complicated (Fluxus Music)
• 27th – MIND U (ft. Mad Clown) – Loved U (Starship Ent.)
• 27th – 7th Street – Hwolhwol (Freedom City)
• 28th – O.venz – Illusion (Luminant Ent.)

DISBANDMENTS & FINAL APPEARANCES:

• 6th – Leesang Company (a management agency created jointly by Gil & Gary) was reported to have unofficially disbanded. It appears Leesang will be moving on individually with their solo careers.
• 13th – Final MC appearance of Key (SHINee) on M! Countdown
• 14th – It appears the RubberSoul trio is now a duo. with LaLa quietly leaving. KpG didn’t find an official press statement; but rumors have been floating, and with their new MV Dream x NY Fish, this seems confirmed.
• 15th – ChoColat confirms official disbandment (that happened in February) in an interview with Kpopalypse.

Release Schedule:

Debuts are in Pink      Events are in Blue       Japanese releases are in Red

KpG’s Top 5 “Check This” Tracks for April:

1. Suran – WINE (If I Get Drunk Today)
2. Winner – Really Really
3. Ten (NCT) – Dream In A Dream
4. Daze – Friday
5. Flowsik  (ft. Daegunz) – Dae 1

Honorable Mention: Sechskies – Be Well

Honorable Mention Part 2: Ft Island – Shadows (Note: This song actually came out March 29th, but somehow we missed it for March. The song is lit, and it absolutely would have made our top 5 March track picks.)