Rising K-pop stars NewJeans are continuing their global domination! The group has confirmed their appearance at Japan’s renowned Japan Record Awards for the second year in a row, solidifying their status as one of the hottest acts in the industry.

On December 19, their agency ADOR shared the exciting news. NewJeans—comprising Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein—will perform their Japanese debut single, "Supernatural," live at the 66th Japan Record Awards on December 30.

Last month, NewJeans made waves as the only overseas artist to win the Excellent Work Award for "Supernatural," an honor given to 10 songs that achieved massive popularity throughout the year. This win follows their success last year with "Ditto," making this their second consecutive Excellent Work Award. Notably, this achievement also places them in the running for the grand prize.

The Japan Record Awards, one of the oldest and most prestigious music award ceremonies in Japan, has been a staple in recognizing musical excellence since its inception in 1959. The ceremony, hosted by the Japan Composer’s Association, will be broadcast live on TBS, ensuring fans worldwide can tune in to watch NewJeans shine.

Since their official Japanese debut in June, NewJeans has been on a roll. Their fan meeting at the iconic Tokyo Dome was a massive hit, and their popularity in Japan continues to soar. They’ve already made memorable appearances on major Japanese year-end shows like Fuji TV’s 2024 FNS Music Festival and TBS’s CDTV Live! Live! Christmas Special, earning enthusiastic applause.

The group is also set to perform on NTV’s Announcement! Most-Played Songs of the Year on December 28, marking their third consecutive year on the program. And on December 31, NewJeans will make history as the first K-pop girl group to perform at COUNTDOWN JAPAN 24/25, the country’s largest indoor year-end music festival.

NewJeans’ schedule doesn’t stop there! In Korea, they’ll also grace some of the biggest year-end shows and festivals. Starting with KBS 2TV’s 2024 Music Bank Global Festival in Japan on December 19, they’ll hit the stage at SBS’s Gayo Daejeon on December 25, AAA 2024 on December 27, MBC’s Gayo Daejejeon on December 31, and the 39th Golden Disc Awards on January 4, 2025.

With their unmatched talent and endless energy, NewJeans is proving why they’re one of the most sought-after groups in the world! Fans can’t wait to see what they’ll bring to the stage next.

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Seo Kang Joon is proving his star power as his new drama Undercover High School takes the top spot in buzz rankings.

On February 24, Good Data Corporation, a company that tracks online reactions to K-content, announced that MBC’s new Friday-Saturday drama Undercover High School ranked #1 in TV-OTT drama buzz for the third week of February.

Not only that, but lead actor Seo Kang Joon also topped the TV-OTT drama actor buzz rankings, showing just how much viewers are loving his performance.

The drama follows a National Intelligence Service (NIS) agent who goes undercover as a high school student to retrieve Emperor Gojong’s lost gold bars.

Seo Kang Joon plays the elite NIS agent Jung Hae Sung, who ditches his suit for a school uniform to complete his mission.

Despite tough competition from SBS’s Buried Hearts (ranked #2) and tvN’s My Dearest Nemesis (ranked #6), Undercover High School secured the top spot, largely thanks to Seo Kang Joon’s performance.

According to Good Data Corporation’s Won Soon Woo, “Based on netizens’ sentiment analysis, Seo Kang Joon was chosen as the actor who best suits his male lead role among the three new dramas. The positive response to his visuals and acting has directly boosted the drama’s popularity.”

Meanwhile, Netflix originals are also making waves, with The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call and Melo Movie ranking #3 and #4, while the highly anticipated When Life Gives You Tangerines entered the chart at #8 before its release.

Other school-themed dramas are also gaining attention, with Friendly Competition (U+ Mobile TV) and Study Group landing at #5 and #9, respectively.

MBC’s Undercover High School, starring Seo Kang Joon, airs every Friday and Saturday at 9:50 PM KST.

Source: [1]