NewJeans

NewJeans achieved 900 million plays on Spotify with its 2022 hit “Ditto,” said agency Ador Friday. It's the group’s second song to pass the milestone, after “OMG.” “Ditto” is a B-side track from its single album “OMG,” which was released in December 2022. The dance tune landed its first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 and the UK’s Official Singles Top 100, ranking No. 82 and No. 95, respectively. The quintet made the Hot 100 in the fastest time for a Korean artist -- six months after its debut --

A trial for the damage suit filed by Ador, a subsidiary of K-pop giant HYBE Labels, against former NewJeans member Danielle and former Ador CEO Min Hee-jin opened on Thursday, showing no end in sight for the dispute that began in 2024. In December last year, Ador filed the damage suit against the idol, her mother and the label's former CEO, claiming 43.1 billion won ($28.6 mil.) in compensation for causing delay to the resumption of NewJeans' activities. At the preliminary hearing held at the Seoul Central District Court on Thursday, legal representatives of the label and the idol clashed over the pace of the proceedings. "Danielle is an idol, and this is the most brilliant period of her career," her legal representatives said accusing Ador of dragging out the case, also pointing to the inclusion of Danielle's mother in the suit. "If this lawsuit is drawn out, she (Danielle) will inevitably suffer harm. Ador, as an entertainment agency, knows this well." Ador's legal team rejected the characterization, arguing that the lawsuit concerned damages and penalties only and had no bearing on Da

The return of BTS on Friday comes at a moment when K-pop’s global reach is firmly established — and still growing. On Saturday, the seven-member group will reunite onstage for the first time in nearly four years. The concert, set in Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul, is expected to draw about 260,000 fans from around the world, a testament to the group’s enduring pull even after years away. BTS’ military hiatus did little to slow K-pop’s momentum. Acts like Stray Kids and NewJeans have continu

For the past three years, the K-pop scene has been swept by girl groups backed by major agencies and veteran hitmakers such as Min Hee-jin, creative director behind NewJeans. But one of the most talked-about breakthroughs came from a far smaller company: Kiss of Life, a girl group launched by the little-known S2 Entertainment. The group’s rapid rise — often described in the industry as a “miracle from a small agency” — has drawn attention to the creative force behind it: Lee Hae-in. The former i

BLACKPINK's third EP "DEADLINE" has shattered records for K-pop girl groups by selling roughly 1.77 million copies in its first week, achieving massive commercial success despite sharply divided reviews from music critics. The album, released Feb. 27, sold 1,774,577 copies by Thursday, according to Hanteo Chart, an increase of about 230,000 copies from the quartet's previous 2022 studio album "BORN PINK," setting a new high-water mark for female K-pop acts. The release surpassed aespa's "My World," which held the previous record with 1.69 million copies sold in its first week in May 2023. NewJeans' "Get Up" sits in third place with 1.65 million copies, followed by IVE's "I've Mine" and BLACKPINK's "BORN PINK." "DEADLINE" dominated immediately, selling over 1.46 million copies on its first day and topping iTunes "Top Albums" charts in 38 regions globally. YG Entertainment said, "As global demand greatly exceeds expectations and additional production is underway, the final sales volume will increase even more." The commercial triumph, however, contrasts with sharply divided reviews from the