Broadcast dates: Nov. 22-23
Starring: Seventeen, Stray Kids, NCT, Blackpink

(Naver's V Live)

Woozi of Seventeen celebrated his birthday together with his fans, going live from his studio for two hours.

“I’m so happy that I get to spend the day with you,” he said. He was amazed to be turning 25, recalling how he’d spent five birthdays with his fans already.

“As you know, I don’t think too much of birthdays so it’s been just another day. But your celebrating it together has made it special,” he said.

Several of his bandmates had given him presents, and even though he tends not to give or receive gifts, he was touched that they’d expressed their feelings like that, said the musician with a smile.

It felt awkward and unfamiliar talking to the camera all by himself for the first time in a while, he admitted. He asked viewers if they’d seen the pictures from his childhood that he’d posted earlier that day. He’d asked his parents to send some and had picked one of a very small Woozi sporting red-rimmed sunglasses, hoping it would delight his fans.

Watch the full video at https://www.vlive.tv/video/224702.

Stray Kids’ Bang Chan reaches out to fans after online performance

(Naver's V Live)

Bang Chan of Stray Kids talked about the band’s online concert, which was livestreamed on Naver’s V Live, in the 81st episode of his weekly solo livestream.

“We had a blast and it was a novel experience. Plus, we made more memories,” he said. It was regrettable that they couldn’t have fans present, he said, but they’d tried to make up for it with creative camera work and different sets.

Staffers at their company had cautioned them at the rehearsal to restrain themselves lest they tire themselves out but that was impossible, chuckled the leader of the band.

He’d tuned in to V Live right after the online performance, and some viewers told him to go home and get some rest.

“This is my way of restoring myself,” said the idol, assuring them that he finds comfort in talking to his fans just like they get comfort from talking to him.

Watch the full clip at https://www.vlive.tv/video/224710.

NCT’s Chenle celebrates birthday

(Naver's V Live)

Chenle of NCT took to V Live to mark his birthday.

“As I’m turning 20 in Korea, all the bandmates and many friends congratulated me big time,” he said with a smile, referring to the Korean way of counting ages differently. In Korea a newborn is already 1 year old, and every Korean turns a year older on New Year’s Day.

He’d put in colored lenses for the first time in a while, and he did have blush on his cheeks, he acknowledged.

“I won’t tell you what for, though, since it will ruin the fun,” he chuckled. He admitted that it had been quite a long day and asked viewers to understand that he might lack the energy to be his usual lively self.

As for the birthday presents, all his bandmates had asked him what he wanted and Kun had given him a pricey wallet, knowing the birthday boy had lost his recently. The8 of Seventeen, one of his friends, had given him a nice pair of shoes. It was Jisung who’d surprised him by asking, something he’d never done before.

“But I was sort of disappointed when Jisung said that maybe it’s time he started, not because it was my birthday,” chuckled Chenle.

Watch the full video at https://www.vlive.tv/video/224689.

Blackpink hints at mega project with surprise teaser

(Naver's V Live)

Blackpink floated a 30-second teaser without prior notice, sending fans around the world into a buzz.

Against the thumping beats of “How You Like That,” the clip, titled “Blackpink -- Around the World,” zoomed into major cities from Seoul to Paris, New York to London and Sydney, Rio de Janeiro to Johannesburg and Istanbul in the fashion of a spy thriller. Satellite views, coordinates and time stamps filled the screen, followed by the Earth topped with a glowing pink crown.

So far the group hasn’t shared any more information, but the trailer was enough to raise expectations for a world-scale project.

The band’s first studio album, titled “The Album,” topped iTunes album charts in 57 countries including the US and ranked No. 2 on both the Billboard 200 and Britain’s Official Albums Chart upon its release in October.

Watch the clip at https://www.vlive.tv/video/218578.

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=