Broadcast dates: June 27-28
Starring: NCT 127, GOT7, ITZY, Eun Jiwon

Yuta of NCT 127 returned to V Live on his own to spend some time with his fans before flying to Moscow.

(Naver's V Live)

“Oh, you’re watching it right now? How was it?” he asked his fans in Japanese, looking at the live feed from his hotel room in St. Petersburg. He meant the unit’s just-released DVD, “Neo City: Japan -- The Origin.”

“My mom also got a DVD the day before yesterday and was delighted to find my photo inside,” he said with a smile.

“The venue of the Saitama concert is a meaningful place for me and I am happy that I get to remember it in the form of a DVD,” said the performer. “I personally like the scene where we first appear and the ‘Summer 127’ part,” he told fans.

“I haven’t tried Russian food yet, but I had Korean ramen that is only available outside the country,” said Yuta, indulging a fan request to share tidbits about himself. “We have been traveling a lot recently and I really want to eat some Japanese food. I also want to visit my home and hang out with my friends,” he added.

Watch the full video at https://www.vlive.tv/video/136784.

GOT7’s Yugyeom talks to fans before NYC show

Yugeyom of GOT7 took to V Live before going onstage in New York, kick-starting the American leg of the band’s global tour.

(Naver's V Live)

“The concert is an hour and a half away. I have finished preparing and I’m taking a break,” he told fans, dressed in the same black outfit he wore for the show.

“We have had a full schedule ever since we came here but today I had quite a long sleep and am feeling OK. (Due to the time difference), I am most sleepy here at this time of the day but I slept nine hours -- a first for me,” said the performer, admitting that he had almost passed out the night before.

Showing off his ring, he told fans: “I can’t help but brag. I am sharing a room with Mark and two nights ago he came to me while I was falling asleep and told me to try this on. And he gave it to me!"

“This is our first concert for the American leg of the tour and we will be full of good energy. I hope this will be another beginning for us. And I am sure you will enjoy yourselves and we will, too,” said Yugyeom.

“It is a rare opportunity to perform at arenas around the world and we are quite anxious. But we will do our best to make it an unforgettable memory for those who come to see us,” he said.

Watch the full clip at https://www.vlive.tv/video/136912.

ITZY celebrates Chaeryeong’s birthday

ITZY surprised Chaeryeong twice for her 19th birthday -- her first birthday since the group made its debut.

(Naver's V Live)

“She’s here! She’s here!” said Lia as the other band members hurriedly lit the candles on the birthday cake.

The birthday girl was moved to tears when she walked into the studio as the other four sang “Happy Birthday.” They gathered around to hug each other.

Beforehand, the girls were busy preparing to surprise Chaeryeong. “She’s afraid of firecrackers,” said Lia, so they decided to skip that part and concentrate on decorating the cake. At Lia’s suggestion, Ryujin drew two hearts with a chocolate pen and Yuna added candles that spelled out “I Love You.” Lia added two more candles, shaped like a 1 and a 9.

Meanwhile, Chaeryeong was talking on camera, telling fans about the night before.

“I came back to the residence past midnight after a workout. I must have been the last to return but I didn’t see anyone. So I just assumed that they were resting. But then there was a thump, and I opened (the door to) my room and found them with a cake. I got presents and handwritten cards too,” she said, also thanking fans for their birthday wishes.

Watch the full video at https://www.vlive.tv/video/136826.

Eun Jiwon makes solo comeback

Eun Jiwon released his sixth studio album, returning to the solo music scene after a decade of pursuing different endeavors in the entertainment field.

(Naver's V Live)

“I am back after 10 years,” said the veteran idol in an interview, introducing himself as a singer -- for younger people who might not know about his past career as the leader of Sechs Kies, one of the first-generation K-pop idol groups that helped spark fandom culture when it debuted in 1997.

“Whenever I release an album and decide the title of the album, I realized that I try to make it sound fancier. So for this one, I just wanted to say that it’s me, the best way to express myself,” he said. The full-length album is titled “G1,” derived from the singer’s name, Jiwon.

He offered his thoughts on the title track, “I’m on Fire.”

“It’s kind of an old-school genre, boom bap style that I used to listen to growing up,” said Eun, referring to the hip-hop music that was all the rage in the ’90s. “You might say it’s old but I just couldn’t ditch it and it’s what I do best. So I asked Mino of Winner for help and we combined the current trend with my own vibe,” he said.

Watch the full clip at https://www.vlive.tv/video/136650.

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)

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