In Korea’s pop culture scene, Lee Youngji is a name now synonymous with vibrant and unfiltered entertainment, best seen through her viral Nothing Much Prepared YouTube series, where she shares drinks with members of K-pop supergroups like BTS, BLACKPINK and SEVENTEEN. However, 2024 marks a significant year for the 21-year-old as she looks to return to her roots in music and spotlight her talent as a performer and musician. Even if many fans might recognize her first as the comedic force behind some of K-pop’s most unforgettable interviews, Youngji’s journey in entertainment began with music — and she’s determined to remind everyone of that on her ongoing world tour that hits the U.S. at the end of August.

The release of her debut album, June’s 16 Fantasy, marked a bold statement of her artistic identity and the promise shown for her musical future. The lead single, “Small Girl” featuring EXO’s D.O., not only topped the charts in South Korea but also broke into the Top 40 of the Billboard Global 200. Meanwhile, b-side cuts like Lee’s “ADHD Girl,” plus her hit collaborations with top acts like Dynamicduo and BSS, all display her versatility and abilities to step up and level up for each new song release.

“This year is really important for me musically,” Youngji reflects during an evening FaceTime call from Seoul ahead of the U.S. leg of her tour. “I’ve had a lot of collaborations and I have a variety show on my YouTube channel, so many people know me through lots of jobs…but I want to spotlight my musician mode this year.”

As she embarks on the U.S. leg of her All or Nothing World Tour, Lee Youngji is eager to connect with fans in a more intimate setting, bringing not just her music to the stage but the unique personal energy that’s made her such a breakout star among the next generation of Korean-pop entertainers.

“I tend to try to really communicate with the audience, ask them questions, just try to talk to them and I think that U. S. fans are going to like that a lot,” she says, hinting at the interactive and personal nature of her stage setup. The All or Nothing Tour is more of an invitation for fans to experience Lee Youngji in her purest form as a musician and entertainer. And while she might not be able to indulge in her famous on-camera drinking with her audience — even though she tells Billboard that she really wants to — she’s ready to bring that same spontaneous and genuine connection to every show.

Read on for more with Lee Youngji sharing about her Stateside tour, her big year in music, memories with some top K-pop stars and what’s coming next.

Congratulations on all the recent successes, Youngji. There’s a lot to discuss, but it’s been a really important year for you as a musician. Is this why you’re going on your first U.S. tour?

Like you said, this year is really important for me musically. I’ve had a lot of collaborations, and I have a variety show on my YouTube channel, so many people know me through lots of jobs. First, they knew me as a YouTuber; then they might have known me as a celebrity friend; they knew me as all different types of things, but I want to spotlight my musician mode this year. And gratefully, “Small Girl” had a great response and boom, even in the U.S., so I thought that this was a great opportunity for me to be more confident on what I’m doing right now as a musician.

You do so much, and people know you for many different reasons, but where does music align with your overall world?

In my childhood era, I would always believe, “I think I’m gonna be a famous person, but I don’t think that I could be a musician.” But the first time people got to know me was in the survival show High School Rapper 3 [in 2019]. At that time, rap was the only thing I was competent in any type of musical talent, but I didn’t necessarily want to be only a rapper.

Did you find your confidence to pursue music through rapping?

Yes, but I don’t think that it’s my only talent. Rapping definitely requires talent, but I don’t think that’s all I have. So, when I won the rap survival show, I was always thinking, “Oh, so is ‘rapper’ my job now?” I didn’t want to start my career as a rapper. I said, “Oh, I got [to show] more than rapping.” But it was my best talent, so I was always curious…

Is that why we only got your first album five years after High School Rapper? You share a lot of different sides and styles on the record. What’s your favorite song?

Yep, yep. And not because that song got so much fame, but I eventually really loved “Small Girl.” It’s an honest, honest, honest song; a real story about myself. I love those kinds of songs. There are some tall, tall girls…ah, how should I say this? Everyone has a part of themselves that they lack confidence in, but this song can honestly melt that complex. I thought that “Small Girl” was a song I could make for everyone to be more confident. So, I really cherish “Small Girl” as a song that I made for everyone who might have lower or might not have self-confidence.

One of my favorites is “ADHD Girl” because I actually have ADHD. What inspired this song?

Ever since childhood, I’ve been hearing a lot of people, like my teachers and my parents, saying that I have ADHD — and that was before many people became really aware of it. But I have a lot of friends around me who do have ADHD and take medication for it. It’s a song I wrote based on my experiences as well as my friends’ experiences, some of them who are really struggling with ADHD.

What is your songwriting or creative process?

Well, there is a lot of great technology and stuff for music these days, you know? But I love iPhone and iPhone memos. I’m always recording on my iPhone: a little gibberish, little unknown sounds, guides for songs. I always write keywords with my iPhone. Actually, that was the exact process for the song “Not Sorry.” When I went through the competition show, Show Me the Money, I suffered a lot from this hate train. So, I wrote on my iPhone that said, “Not sorry, not sorry at all,” and I asked my producers — Jay Park, Zion.T and Slom — I asked them, “What about this subject for the title of this song” and they were like, “Oh, that’s dope and that’s something you can do right now.” My music-making process is always, always like that. I write a title on my phone and I do a gibberish recording.

And “Not Sorry” was a hit!

[Laughs] Yeah!

I’ve always appreciated your attitude. I’m sure it’s not easy for you, or anyone, but you have a refreshing attitude about criticism and “hate comments.” We even saw your “liking” tweets that have criticized you. How do you keep this strong mindset?

When I get hate, I try to understand them. “Why do you hate me?” “Oh, because of that point?” “Okay, I understand that — but I do not agree at all.” I can understand you, but I don’t have to agree with you. I always think about how nobody knows me better than me. So, you know when I “like” [hate comments] — I really don’t know how the internet system works — but I don’t care unless I do something that’s really a bad thing or crosses the line legally. I also reply [to] them when they send me DMs that say, “I hate you, go kill yourself” or something. I always reply to them and always like their messages because they never think that if they send me a message, I can see them; they don’t know that I can see them. So I want to let them know that I see everything.

So, what are you preparing for the U.S. leg of your All or Nothing Tour?

I always hoped that if I had a chance, I want to meet everyone in the world and music is my chance. So, yes, I wanted to use this as my opportunity. I’ve already toured Asia, but you know what? The mood is kind of different compared to America. My performance [style] is usually to get people crazy. On this tour, I especially want to have more direct communication with the audience and to introduce who I am, that I make this kind of music, and that I introduce myself as an artist to the U.S. audiences. Compared to Asia, there’s more participation in the U.S., whereas direct communication is lower in other countries. I made a lot of changes to my songs. I’m planning to bring the audience up to the stage actually, and maybe dance or perform together; I’m trying to plan those kind of things.

Like you said, you’re not just known for music but for your personality too. Are you preparing funw ways to share that side of yourself too?

I think that my personality shows up while I’m talking with another person. So, I tend to try to really communicate with the audience, ask them questions, just try to talk to them. And I think that U. S. fans are going to like that a lot. I really want to drink with them. I mean, I really want to get drunk with them, but I can’t. [Laughs]

Maybe we can take a secret shot together since the tour’s last show is in New York…

HA ha. I hope so! [Laughs]

But I do want to highlight how, in your five years since High School Rapper, you’ve done a ton of collaborations across many genres: K-pop idols, rappers, indie musicians, R&B, older generation artists, chart-topping artists. How do you connect with so many different sounds and styles?

I’m so thankful that they always reach [out] to me and ask me to feature with them or collaborate. I’ve been really active with video and media contents in Korea for four, five years now and, thankfully, that’s shown my personality and skills in Korea and to audiences. So, I think a lot of artists feel like I’m someone who’s familiar and for them to reach out and connect with me to do other projects. But anytime when I get asked for a feature, I always think, “How can I beat them in this song? How can I do better in this song?” [Laughs] But features and collaborating really force me to go to the next level of myself.

I think that’s what Nicki Minaj said. She needs a “sparring partner” to level herself up.

She’s my goal.

Are there any last messages for fans or what to expect on the U.S. tour? And with Nothing Much Prepared‘s return, can you share some spoilers?

Well, yes, I can give you a lot of spoilers, but the first episode is with Lisa and she’s so smart, pretty, young, rich, and a hilarious person. I love her. As of mid-August, I already recorded, like, six or seven episodes so we’re going to see a lot of idols and a lot of actors.

But what else should I say? I think U.S. fans are not prepared for what’s coming to them! I want to promise to the U.S. fans that I will be working hard to be able to see them more often. I actually have a lot of songs ready to be released, and I want to watch U.S. fans react. I’ve got a long way to go. This tour is not even the first step. I have big ambitions.

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Kate Spade Outlet is ready to stock you up with unique-shaped bags and accessories during the brand’s Labor Day sale, which offers limited-time deals on top-rated bags. If you want a chic new floral-patterned purse or everyday wallet that’s trendy but won’t break the bank, you can score everything within the sale section for more than 70% with the code SUMMER20.

While you can add the promo code yourself, the site should include the savings automatically to your cart once you add your favorite items to your cart.

The brand has been a celebrity favorite for years, with stars such as Taylor Swift and Leighton Meester sporting the brand on the streets and the red carpet. Now, you can surprise the Swifties and accessory lovers in your life with their own Kate Spade bag, such as a sleek backpack for travel, purse for commuting and more. Or, treat yourself to an elevated, high-quality purse you can take on the go.

You can expect these steals to go on for only a limited-time, including select styles only on sale for today — and with bags and apparel already selling out, you won’t want to wait too long to get your hands on your favorite designer bag.

What Are the Best Kate Spade Deals?

To help you find the best discounts offered, ShopBillboard rounded up a list of popular options below. Keep reading to shop our picks, or view the entire sale here.

For more product recommendations check out ShopBillboard‘s roundups of the best straw tote bags, tote bags and gym bags.

HYBE shares benefitted from the company’s dismissal of Min Hee-Jin as CEO of the imprint ADOR, gaining 4.4% in a rare positive week for a stock that has fallen 21.0% in 2024. 

Min will continue to produce music for ADOR artist NewJeans, but the label will restructure in order to separate management from production. Turbulence between HYBE and Min dates back to April when HYBE reported Min to the police for breach of trust and other allegations. The company stated that Min “deliberately led the plan to take over management control of the subsidiary” and ordered ADOR’s management to pressure HYBE into selling its shares in the subsidiary. The following month, a court blocked HYBE’s plan to dismiss Min. 

The controversy has coincided with a steep decline in HYBE’s share price. HYBE was 230,500 won ($172.33) on April 19, the trading day before HYBE announced it would investigate Min, and had fallen 20.0% to 184,400 won ($137.86) by Friday (Aug. 30). But the HYBE-Min dispute isn’t the only explanation for HYBE’s sluggish stock performance. HYBE’s three main South Korean competitors—SM Entertainment, YG Entertainment and JYP Entertainment—have lost an average of 38.1% this year. 

The 20-company Billboard Global Music index rose 0.2% to 1,832.97, bringing its year-to-date gain to 19.5%. Eleven of the 20 stocks gained this week, while seven lost ground and two were unchanged. Cloud Music, the week’s top music stock, gained 5.2% to 97.70 HKD ($12.53), bringing its year-to-date increase to 8.9%. SiriusXM improved 2.8% to $3.29. Tencent Music Entertainment gained 2.0% to $10.44.

Spotify was effectively unchanged at $342.88 despite Evercore ISI raising its price target on Spotify to $460 from $420. Universal Music Group gained 1.5% to 23.63 euros ($26.14) after Exane BNP Paribas upgraded the stock to “outperform” and a raised its price target to 27.50 euros ($30.42). 

While HYBE was among the week’s winners, other K-pop stocks had another off week. JYP Entertainment, purveyor of Stray Kids and TWICE, fell 1.5% to 51,100 won ($38.20). BLACKPINK’s agency YG Entertainment lost 3.8% to 34,150 won ($25.53). And SM Entertainment, home to RIIZE and Vespa, slipped 5.4% to 62,800 won ($46.95). 

Stocks were mixed this week as investors await news from the U.S. Federal Reserve that it will cut interest rates in September. In the United States, the Nasdaq fell 0.9% to 17,713.62 and the S&P 500 rose 0.2% to 5,648.40. In the United Kingdom, the FTSE 100 gained 0.6% to 8,376.63. South Korea’s KOSPI composite index dropped 1.0% to 2,674.31. China’s Shanghai Composite Index fell 0.4% to 2,842.21. 

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Black Friday and Prime Day aren’t the only major shopping events that’ll land you deals and discounts on everyday essentials and splurge-worthy gadgets, Labor Day weekend sales are offering steals on practically everything from fall fashion basics, bedding and even a fresh new mattress, letting you score items you’ve been meaning to invest in at a more for a wallet-friendly price.

Amazon is known for offering practically anything you could possibly need, but the online retailer has dropped price up to 61% off for the holiday savings event — but it won’t be going on forever. From now until Monday (Sept. 3), you can take advantage of deep savings such as 46% off Amazon’s top-rated Fire Tablet, which drops the price to a whopping $65 (reg. $120). And that’s just one of the many steals you can find during Amazon’s Labor Day sale.

And, if you want to give your home a little refresh, you can also find faux leather throw pillow covers for 50% off or a dupe for the viral GE Ice Machine for under $200.

Rather than make you go through the sales yourself, keep reading to learn more and discover the deepest discounts available.

What Are the Best Labor Day Deals on Amazon?

To help you find the best Amazon Labor Day deals, ShopBillboard scoured the site and put together a list of home, beauty, fashion and tech discounts you can buy online below.

For more product recommendations, check out ShopBillboard‘s roundups of best robot vacuum deals, cookware deals and dorm essentials.

This week, Billboard’s New Music Latin roundup and playlist — curated by Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors — features fresh new music from artists including Luck Ra, Nicki Nicole, Elsa y Elmar, Jhayco and more.

Sebastián Yatra returns with his new ballad “Los Domingos,” marking his first solo release since early 2023. This romantic acoustic pop song captures the initial stages of a relationship: “Fate put us face to face/ I waited for you, and I waited long enough/ And now I do, I just need a yes, and just like that/ I’d start with a love song,” he croons in Spanish. The music video further complements this theme, creatively depicting the Colombian performer riding a motorcycle to meet a special someone, blending fantasy and optimism perfectly.

Another release this week is Christian Nodal’s seven-track Pa’l Cora EP. 01, with four new songs, including his collaboration with upcoming Cumbia pop singer Estevie on “Un Besito Más.” The track is an upbeat Tex-Mex-styled tune about the conflicting emotions of wanting to move on while still being drawn to a lover from the past.

Mexican-American star Becky G is back with another corridos tumbados on “Cómo Diablos” which paves the way for an upcoming album Encuentros, due out October 10. The heartbreak single packs a punch with her unfiltered delivery, while blending traditional Mexican musical elements with a fiery passion. “Baby, what was it?/ Why the hell did you leave?/ If I gave you more than you asked for/ Explain to me/ How the hell did you do it/ To be happy when I’m still sad,” she sings in Spanish with gut-wrenching emotion.

Other new releases this week include Andrea Bocelli and Karol G’s “Vivo Por Ella,” Elsa y Elmar’s “Drogada de Emociones,” Jhayco’s “Grecia,” and more. Who should win the poll this week? Give these new releases a spin and vote on them below.