Broadcast dates: Throughout 2018
Starring: BTS, EXO, Black Pink, IZ*One, Park Bo-young

As the year draws to a close, it is time to look back.

The editors of V Live, a livestreaming platform loved by many Korean stars and celebrities, created a video series highlighting 10 celebrities’ most-watched broadcasts of 2018.

The first batch of five videos, each about seven minutes long, was released Sunday.

It features four K-pop acts -- BTS, EXO, Black Pink and IZ*One -- and actress Park Bo-young.

Highlights videos for the remaining five -- GOT7, NCT, Seventeen, TWICE and Wanna One -- will be released today.

BTS

BTS’ video topped the daily V Live chart shortly after its release. As of 1 p.m. Monday, about 18 hours after its release, the view count surpassed 1.4 million.

The highlights video is made up of must-watch moments from six broadcasts, such as BTS having an after-party on V Live after winning Top Social Artist at the 2018 Billboard Music Awards.

(Naver's V Live)

“We have been invited to so many after-parties, but we (turned them all down) to do V Live,” said member V.

“We’re having a party now with the Army!” his bandmates shouted, referring to their fans.


The video also shows the seven-piece act’s night out in Seoul in July while working on the album “Love Yourself: Answer.”

It also includes moments from solo broadcasts aired by J-Hope, Jin and V.

(Naver's V Live)

Watch BTS’ highlights video: https://www.vlive.tv/video/106790.


EXO

EXO’s highlights video consists of three broadcasts. In two of them, the band members play the role-playing Mafia game.

Despite their hectic schedule in the midst of many album promotions, the bandmates turned on the V app to fulfill a request from their fans -- to play the game in which the “innocent” players have to guess the identities of the mafia “assassins.”

(Naver's V Live)

Also included is a clip of the group’s special 90-minute broadcast, which aired Dec. 13 ahead of the release of the album “Love Shot.”

(Naver's V Live)

Watch EXO’s highlights video: https://www.vlive.tv/video/106791.


Black Pink

The highlights of Black Pink’s gigs on V Live in 2018 kick off with the girl group thanking its fans, collectively known as the “Blinks,” after ranking No. 1 on a local TV music show with “DDU-DU DDU-DU” in July.

(Naver's V Live)

The singers aired the broadcast inside a moving vehicle, on their way home after the live TV appearance.

Also included is a clip of the band’s two-year anniversary broadcast in August. The four members -- Jennie, Jisoo, Rose and Lisa -- together wrote “BP (short for Black Pink) and the Blinks’ two-year anniversary” on the cake.

(Naver's V Live)

Watch Black Pink’s highlights video: https://www.vlive.tv/video/106789.


IZ*One

Rookie girl group IZ*One just opened its official V Live channel in September, but since then it has become one of the most active acts on the platform.

The act’s highlights video starts with the very first livestream aired by the 12-member group on Sept. 8, just a week after their debut.

The band members promised to communicate often with fans via V Live.

And they have certainly kept their word.

In one video they can be seen arm wrestling and in another they stage a “meokbang,” or live eating show.

(Naver's V Live)

Watch IZ*ONE’s highlights video: https://www.vlive.tv/video/106792.


Park Bo-young

Actress Park Bo-young’s cute and bubbly personality shines through in all her V broadcasts.

She mostly livestreamed from her room in casual outfits, chatting with fans about various topics as if they were old friends.



Watch Park Bo-young’s highlights video: https://www.vlive.tv/video/106793.


Naver’s real-time broadcasting app V allows fans to interact with their favorite K-pop stars through live broadcasts. The app is available for Android and iOS. For more information, visit http://www.vlive.tv.

By The Korea Herald (khnews@heraldcorp.com)

Google Play https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.naver.vapp
Apple App Store https://itunes.apple.com/app/id1019447011?mt=8