Stray Kids to headline festival in Brazil

Stray Kids will make their South American festival debut at Rock in Rio, slated for September in Rio de Janeiro, label JYP Entertainment announced Wednesday. The eight-member act will be the first K-pop musician to be invited to the music festival and headline the Sept. 11 show of the weeklong event. The music fest began in 1985 in the Brazilian capital and has traveled to a string of cities, including Las Vegas and Madrid. The group has headlined several musical events — including Lollapalooza

Nov. 26, 2025

CNBlue announces international concert tour

CNBlue concluded its two-city run in Japan on Monday and will kick off a new concert series in Asia and Australia early next year, agency FNC Entertainment announced Tuesday. As part of its "Autumn Live Tour 2025," the band of three went live twice each in Kobe and Chiba, playing several hit songs, including its most recent single “Shintouya.” It is the title track from the trio’s 15th physical single in Japan, which rolled out earlier this month and topped Oricon’s Daily and Weekly Single Ranki

Nov. 26, 2025

Why global stars are flocking to Seoul

Until a decade ago, South Korea was far from the first stop in Asia for global pop musicians, Hollywood stars or other high-profile celebrities. Japan — especially Tokyo — was the undisputed destination for concerts, film promotions and leisure travel. But as Korean culture continues its global ascent, powered by the explosive growth of K-pop, K-dramas and K-beauty, Seoul has rapidly emerged as a rival cultural capital. Industry insiders say the city now offers international stars more opportuni

Nov. 25, 2025

The Boyz to celebrate 8th debut anniversary with single: report

The Boyz will drop a special single on Dec. 6 to mark its eighth debut anniversary, local media reported Tuesday. It will consist of three songs, continuing its tradition of rolling out a seasonal single to celebrate the occasion. Last week, eight members of the ten-member group held a fan meetup in Chengdu, China, their first in the country. They announced that they will have another such event in Shanghai in January. Sangyeon, currently completing his compulsory military service, is enlisted a

Nov. 25, 2025

Identity, unity and pride: Everything in a K-pop light stick

If you're an avid K-pop fan, there's a good chance you have a light stick glowing on your shelf. But even the uninitiated have likely seen pictures of the light sticks that emit vibrant colors and patterns at concerts, fan events and music festivals. K-pop artists each have their own "bong" -- the Korean word for stick -- and it's more than a gleaming accessory. Light sticks reflect a group's official fandom color, logo, theme, identity or a special symbol that represents and connects with their

Nov. 25, 2025

Stray Kids sweep charts

Stray Kids are savoring another success with the group's newest endeavor, “Do It,” according to JYP Entertainment. The album hit the No. 1 spot on the iTunes albums charts in 37 regions, as did the title track on its songs charts in 20 regions. The lead single claimed the No. 11 spot on Spotify’s Daily Top Songs Global, marking a career best, while another focus track, “Divine,” ranked No. 23. The five-track album sold over 1.49 million copies on the day of its release, and as of Monday had logg

Nov. 25, 2025

NCT Dream’s 6th EP becomes million-seller

The sixth EP from NCT Dream sold more than 1 million copies, becoming its 10th straight album to do so, SM Entertainment said Monday. “Beat It Up” logged more than 1.06 million first-week sales. The six-track set, fronted by the hip-hop title track, debuted atop a series of music charts at home and abroad. The new effort marks the band’s return after about four months, following the success of the group's fifth LP, “Go Back to the Future.” After promoting the mini album, the septet will resume i

Nov. 25, 2025

NCT’s Jungwoo to drop 1st solo single

Jungwoo of NCT will release a solo song Friday, a first for the idol, label SM Entertainment said Monday. The single, “Sugar,” is a pop number that conveys his wish that all the time he shares with his fans is sweet, whether past, present or future. The upcoming single will drop on the same day he would greet fans at his first fan meetup, slated to be held twice in Seoul under the title “Golden Sugar Time.” He would be bidding fans a temporary goodbye through the single and the fan event, as he

Nov. 25, 2025

[Exclusive] Dream Concert Abu Dhabi sparks backlash over changes in lineup, VIP disappointment

Dream Concert Abu Dhabi, a K-pop event promoted by local organizer Theory Eleven Entertainment in partnership with Abu Dhabi's Department of Culture and Tourism and entertainment company Miral, is facing heavy criticism from fans after a series of management failures ranging from abrupt lineup changes to unfulfilled VIP benefits. The concert, held Saturday at Etihad Park on Yas Island of the United Arab Emirates capital, originally planned to feature nine K-pop acts, including Seventeen's S.Coup

Nov. 24, 2025

Riize searches for connection, love in 'Fame'

Riize has shifted away from funky beats and emotional pop towards a charged hip-hop-inspired sound for its latest, "Fame," set for release Monday afternoon. Despite what the title may suggest, the six-member K-pop group's new song is not about celebrity or recognition; it conveys the group's desire to connect with people through emotions and love. Apart from "Fame," the physical single also includes the R&B pop song, "Something's in the Water," which reflects on personal growth, encouraging list

Nov. 24, 2025

1st generation K-pop icons H.O.T. reunite to perform ahead of 30th anniversary

Nearly 25 years after one of K-pop's most devastating breakups, first-generation K-pop idol group H.O.T. reunited for the first time in six years for a full-group performance over the weekend, ahead of its 30th anniversary next year. The five-member group comprising Moon Hee-jun, Jang Woo-hyuk, Tony An, Kangta and Lee Jae-won headlined the Hanteo Music Festival at Inspire Arena in Incheon on Saturday and Sunday. The gig marked the veteran K-pop boy band's first gig in six years, since the "2019

Nov. 24, 2025

Illit aims to ditch cute label with 'Not Cute Anymore'

Stepping away from its cute, bubbly musical style, Illit aims to break past its lovable, sweet image with its first single, "Not Cute Anymore," which will hit music platforms on Monday evening, showcasing how the group has broadened its horizon. "We are not trying to simply say that we are not cute through our new single, but we also have many sides to ourselves beyond this cute image that our fans and music listeners haven't seen yet. I am glad to have the opportunity to show how much we've gro

Nov. 24, 2025

Twice subunit Misamo to release first Japanese studio album 'Play' in February

Twice subunit Misamo, comprising Japanese bandmates Mina, Sana and Momo, will release their first Japanese full album, "Play," on Feb. 4, 2026, JYP Entertainment said Saturday. The agency announced the date through a teaser video and promotional images posted on Twice’s official Japanese social media channels on the previous day. The teaser opens with Mina’s narration, “Welcome to the stage,” followed by visuals referencing past releases “Masterpiece” and “Haute Couture.” It then shows a theater

Nov. 23, 2025

Disgraced K-pop icon Steve Yoo features on new album by rapper Justhis

Steve Yoo, a Korean American singer who has been barred from entering South Korea since renouncing his Korean citizenship in 2002 to dodge mandatory military duty, made a surprise Korean comeback after 23 years by featuring on rapper Justhis' new album, released earlier this month. The 20-track album titled "Lit" initially drew attention for its diverse list of collaborators, but soon came into the spotlight when listeners speculated that Yoo's voice appeared on the final track "Home Home." Alth

Nov. 21, 2025

Cha Eun-woo reveals new side in 2nd EP 'Else'

Singer and actor Cha Eun-woo of Astro, who enlisted for his compulsory military duty in July in the Army marching band, delighted fans by releasing his second mini album "Else," which hit music platforms on Friday at 1 p.m. The new album is the singer's first musical project since his EP "Entity," which released in February 2024. As the title suggests, the new album is about breaking boundaries and showing an unrestrained version of the singer. He tries to break free from the constraints he plac

Nov. 21, 2025