Korean girl band After School has been named the best new K-pop artist of 2009 at the first Billboard Japan Music Awards, according to their agency PLEDIS on Wednesday.

The pop group will receive the award at the first-ever music event which will be held January 31 in Tokyo, PLEDIS announced in a press release.

"It is an honor even just being invited to such a fantastic event so we are ecstatic that we will be receiving an award," the girl group was quoted as saying. "We will prepare the best performance."

The Billboard Japan Music Awards -- the Japanese version of the prestigious Billboard Music Awards in the U.S. -- selects winners based on Billboard Japan's music charts during the year and fan votes. After School is the only Korean artist to win an award at the event this year.

The awards ceremony -- to be broadcast live on Fuji TV -- will feature performances by various musicians including K-pop singer BoA, Japanese rock duo B'z, American band EXILE and American singer of Japanese descent Judith Hill who was one of the back-up singers in Michael Jackson's film "This Is It".

After School, composed of seven members, made their official debut in January last year with the single "AH". They have released two mini-albums and recently topped Korean music charts with the hit single "Because Of You".

They are set to promote their new single "When I Fall" after attending the Billboard Japan Music Awards.

Reporter : Lynn Kim lynn2878@asiae.co.kr
Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@asiae.co.kr
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