4minute wins new artist at Billboard Japan Music Awards 2010

Korean girl group 4minute at the Billboard Japan Music Awards 2010 held at the Tokyo Midtown Hall of Japan on February 6, 2011. [Cube Entertainment]

Korean female idols 4minute won an award at the Billboard Japan Music Awards 2010 over the weekend, according to their agency Cube Entertainment on Monday. Cube announced through a press release that 4minute received the "K-Pop New Artist Award" at the Billboard Japan Music Awards held at the Tokyo Midtown Hall of Japan on February 6. "It is a great honor to have been given this award as one of the rising K-pop artists in Japan," the members of 4minute were quoted as saying. "We will work hard to become the best in the music market not only in Japan and Korea but all of Asia." The girls also took the stage to sing their hit Japanese singles "First" and "Muzik" with other performances from Japanese group EXILE and AKB48. 4minute splashed into the local music scene with their debut single "Hot Issue" in 2009. They have enjoyed success in several Asian countries including Taiwan and the Philippines with their mini-album "For Muzik." They were the first K-pop girl group to branch out into the Japanese market in early May last year, producing three Japanese singles "Muzik," "I My Me Mine" and "First." The group's first full-length album "DIAMOND" was released in early December.The girls are currently recording their upcoming Japanese single titled "WHY" which will be released early next month. ※ Any copying, republication or redistribution of 10Asia's content is expressly prohibited without prior consent of 10Asia. Copyright infringement is subject to criminal and civil penalties.Reporter : Lucia Hong luciahong@Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>