K-pop act LOONA makes radio chart history with 'Star'

SEOUL, March 24 (Yonhap) -- LOONA has set a new record for a K-pop girl group with its song "Star" making it onto a key North American radio chart for nine straight weeks, its agency said Wednesday.

"Star" ranked No. 37 on Mediabase's Top 40 chart in the week of March 14 to 20, according to Blockberry Creative. The weekly chart tracks airplay at radio stations across Canada and the United States.

This is the longest streak for an all-female K-pop act. "Ice Cream," a collaboration between K-pop sensation BLACKPINK and American pop star Selena Gomez, stayed on the chart for eight consecutive weeks.

"Star," with a snappy beat and a retro feel, is an English version of the group's Korean song "Voice" that was released as part of their third EP "12:00." It first broke into the Mediabase Top 40 chart in late January.

In early February, LOONA also made its first entry on the Billboard's Pop Airplay chart at No. 40, becoming the second K-pop girl group after BLACKPINK to crack the chart. It has stayed there for eight consecutive weeks, according to the latest chart dated March 27.

The Billboard earlier cited Bill Schulz, a program director at radio station KCLA in Reno, Nevada, who was quoted as saying: "'Star' has a unique sound that the top 40 is missing right now. It's a great balance record for sound and tempo."

LOONA, whose name translates to "Girl of the Month" in Korean, is a 12-piece act that consists of members Heejin, Hyunjin, Haseul, Yeojin, ViVi, Kim Lip, Jinsoul, Choerry, Yves, Chuu, Go Won and Olivia Hye.

The members individually debuted though promotional singles over a two-year period before they debuted in full ensemble in 2018 with their first EP "++," which includes the title track "Hi High."

mlee@yna.co.kr
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