Exo

The Vienna Symphony joined forces with SM Entertainment for a K-pop concert in the Austrian capital, the label’s affiliate SM Classics Thursday. For the concert dubbed “Wiener Symphoniker X K-Pop,” the orchestra “traveled acoustically to South Korea and fused the colorful and dazzling world of K-pop with the European orchestral tradition.” The program arranged a string of hit songs from the label’s artists: from EXO’s “Growl,” Shinee’s “Sherlock” and Red Velvet’s “Red Flavor” to Aespa’s “Black M

Jin of BTS has taken first place in a playful online poll asking which celebrity would most easily win approval at a first family meeting ahead of Korea’s Lunar New Year holiday — a result that quickly drew amused reactions from fans online. According to Idol Chart, Jin ranked No. 1 in the survey titled “With Lunar New Year approaching, who would get a free pass at a hometown family gathering?” The poll ran from Feb. 2 to 8 and saw Jin collect 9,683 votes, far outpacing the rest of the field. Trot singer Young Tak finished second with 1,199 votes, followed by actor Hong Ji-yoon with 1,029. Singer-actor IU placed fourth with 718 votes, while idols Minho from SHINee and Suho from EXO rounded out the list. In South Korea, Lunar New Year — known as Seollal — is traditionally a time for family gatherings, and “meeting the family” carries strong cultural weight. The phrase “family gathering free pass” has become a lighthearted meme on social media, referring to people whose looks, manners or public image seem universally parent-approved. Jin’s reputation for polite behav

The "kings" of K-pop are back. Third-generation boy groups, who laid the global foundation for the genre, are returning with ferocious momentum, putting their fourth and fifth generation successors on high alert. The wave began with Monsta X last September. With all members except the youngest, I.M — who recently enlisted — having completed their military service, the group released their first full-group album, "The X." They proved their staying power by hitting major global charts, including the Billboard 200. The group followed this by touring the U.S. with "iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 2025," the largest year-end festival in America, hitting four major cities, including a kickoff at Madison Square Garden last December. The boy band's world tour, "The X: NEXUS," which kicked off last month, is also cruising smoothly. EXO followed suit, releasing its album "EXIST" last month. Fresh off an explosive "MMA 2025" stage, it achieved a "Grand Slam" with five music show wins for "Crown," the album's title track. The group is preparing for its first solo tour in six years, "EXO PLANET #6 – E