Direct from Korean news and other sources
Stray Kids’ “KARMA” appears on track to break a personal record for the group! On December 16 local time, Billboard revealed that Stray Kids’ fourth studio album “KARMA” was now spending its 16th consecutive week on the Top 200 Albums chart, which ranks the most popular albums in the United States. For the week ending… The post appeared first on .
MODHAUS has revealed a new sneak peek of idntt’s upcoming unit yesweare! Earlier this year, MODHAUS announced that idntt will consist of three units: unevermet, yesweare, and itsnotover. unevermet was the first to debut this past August, and yesweare is next in line. After the second unit is unveiled, the members of unevermet and yesweare… The post appeared first on .
SEOUL, Dec. 17 (Yonhap) -- In 2025, the Korean culture strengthened its global f...
Chen, a member of K-pop juggernaut Exo, is expanding his first solo concert tour "Arcadia” to include four more cities across Asia. According to his agency INB100, Chen will kick off the tour in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 3. It will be followed by stops in Yokohama, Japan, on Jan. 25 and Jakarta, Indonesia, on Jan. 31. Newly added stops include Manila on Feb. 28, as well as Macao and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on March 8 and March 29, respectively. Chen’s tour builds on his first-ever solo concert hel
Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young said Tuesday the government will introduce comprehensive policies to improve the concert environment in order to further promote K-pop. Chae made the remarks during a policy briefing to President Lee Jae Myung. The government aims to build a new dome stadium with a capacity of 50,000 seats that can be used as a concert venue, according to the minister. In addition, arena-style concert halls will be constructed by several local governments, including Seoul and Goyang, just north of Seoul, to expand the foundation of K-pop. "We will focus our efforts on expanding K-pop globally so that its international stature can become even more firmly established," he said. To address the shortage of large-scale K-pop concert venues, the ministry plans to expand performance infrastructure through a phased approach. "In the short term, we plan to utilize regional sports facilities as concert venues starting next year," Chae said. He added that in the mid-term, several local governments have already begun constructing arena venues, including the Seoul Arena and the Goyang Are
SEOUL, Dec. 16 (Yonhap) -- Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young said Tuesday the gove...
Two of K-pop’s most recognizable stars — Aespa's Winter and BTS' Jungkook — have recently come under intense scrutiny, not for their music or performances, but over dating rumors and the silence that followed. The situation highlights a familiar dilemma for K-pop agencies: When artists’ private lives become public speculation, both confirmation and denial can carry significant risks. In recent weeks, Jungkook and Winter were swept up in dating rumors circulating online, fueled by unconfirmed cla
A Chinese influencer has found herself at the center of online backlash after appearing to impersonate BLACKPINK’s Rosé at an official pop-up event, reigniting debate over blurred boundaries between fandom, promotion and celebrity identity. According to Malaysian entertainment outlet Hype, a Chinese influencer known as Daisy was invited earlier this month to the closing event of Rosé’s pop-up store in Qingdao, China. The event focused on selling official merchandise and offered themed photo zones tied to the BLACKPINK member. The controversy began when the event host reportedly introduced Daisy in a way that made her appear to be the main figure of the event, rather than Rosé herself. Fans on site and online quickly voiced discomfort, saying the spotlight had shifted away from the artist the pop-up was meant to celebrate. Videos and photos circulating on social media showed Daisy posing for photos with fans, signing Rosé’s official merchandise and wearing outfits closely resembling Rosé’s signature looks. The scenes fueled criticism, with some fans saying that casual observ
K-pop group IVE has announced it will no longer accept gifts or fan-funded support beyond handwritten letters, a move that comes amid growing debate over luxury “tribute” culture following the online spread of extravagant birthday presents prepared for member Jang Wonyoung. On Dec. 15, IVE’s agency Starship Entertainment posted a notice on its official channels outlining new guidelines on material fan support. The agency said, “From now on, we have decided not to receive any gifts or support other than fan letters,” clearly signaling an end to so-called ‘jogong,’ a term used in Korea to describe fan-funded luxury gifts. The agency added that the decision was made in hopes that fans’ goodwill could be redirected to places where it is more genuinely needed. “We ask for your broad understanding and cooperation,” the statement said. “If you are currently preparing or planning any form of support, we respectfully decline and will gratefully accept only your heartfelt intentions.” IVE, a six-member girl group that debuted in December 2021, has quickly risen to global p
Hybe announced Tuesday that it has formed a new joint venture, NFO LLC, and entered a global management partnership with Tyla, marking its latest move to expand beyond K-pop into fast-growing international music markets. Tyla, a South African singer-songwriter born in 2002, won best African music performance at the 2024 Grammy Awards and has emerged as one of the most prominent Gen Z pop artists worldwide. Under the partnership, Hybe will oversee Tyla’s global management while providing integrat
Hearts2Hearts will kick off their global activities with a North American showcase tour in March, marking a major milestone for the rising girl group. The group will hold its “2026 Hearts2Hearts Premiere Showcase in North America” in New York on March 19 and in Los Angeles on March 22, according to its agency SM Entertainment on Tuesday. The upcoming shows follow Hearts2Hearts’ appearance at “SMTown Live 2025 in LA” in May, which introduced the group to US audiences. This time, the members will
JYP Entertainment shared the results of social contribution activities it has been carrying out since 2002 under the catchphrase “Every Dream Matters!” Company head Park Jinyoung, along with artists Jun. K of 2PM and Yuna of Itzy, explained in detail what the company’s projects have accomplished in a video uploaded Monday. The label has been helping to fund treatments for child patients and their families in need. In 2025, it focused on children suffering from serious illness and aided 803 at ho
Taeyong of NCT wasted no time resuming his career and announced his solo tour via label SM Entertainment on Tuesday, just two days after he was discharged from the Navy. The performer is set to go live in Seoul on Jan. 24-25 for a solo show dubbed “TY Track - Remastered.” It follows his first solo gig, “TY Track,” which was held in February 2024. The Seoul concert will be followed by ten shows in six cities across Asia: Jakarta, Indonesia, Feb. 7; Yokohama, Japan, Feb. 16-17; Macao on Feb. 28 an
Apink will put out its 11th EP “Re: Love” on Jan. 5, agency WithUS Entertainment said Tuesday. The upcoming mini album will portray a redefined love and showcase the spectrum of music Apink has honed over its 15-year career. The quintet toured four cities in Asia — Macao, Taipei, Singapore and Hong Kong — early this year under the title “Pink New Year.” In April, dropped the digital single “Tap Clap,” with lyrics written by Namjoo. It marked the group’s first release in about a year to feature a
KickFlip will launch a fan concert tour in Korea in January in time for its first debut anniversary, label JYP Entertainment announced Monday. The six members will kick off the “From KickFlip, To WeFlip” fna concert tour with a two shows in Seoul on Jan. 17-18. On the following weekends, they will go live in Busan and Gwangju and will resume the trip in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, in Febuary. The final gig will be held Feb. 28 in Daegu. The group debuted with the EP “Flip it, Kick it!”
Circle Chart (formerly known as Gaon Chart) has revealed its latest monthly and weekly chart rankings! Monthly Album Chart Stray Kids topped the physical album chart for November with their latest album “DO IT,” which debuted at No. 1. NCT DREAM’s latest mini album “Beat It Up” entered the monthly chart at No. 2, while… The post appeared first on .
“KPop Demon Hunters” is one step closer to nabbing a “Golden” Oscar statue at the Academy Awards! On December 16 local time, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the shortlists in 12 categories for the upcoming 98th Academy Awards. The chart-topping hit “Golden” from the animated film “KPop Demon Hunters” made the… The post appeared first on .
Four months after the debut of idntt’s first unit unevermet, HwangBo MinGyeol has officially left the group. On December 15, MODHAUS officially announced HwangBo MinGyeol’s departure from both idntt and the agency. Although HwangBo MinGyeol was originally scheduled to debut as a member of unevermet, his activities were temporarily suspended in July due to allegations… The post appeared first on .
Get ready for SEVENTEEN’s DK X Seungkwan’s unit debut! On December 17 at midnight KST, DK X Seungkwan released a trailer for their upcoming debut as SEVENTEEN’s latest unit. DK X Seungkwan will be making their unit debut with their first mini album “Serenade” on January 12 at 6 p.m. KST. Check out their new… The post appeared first on .
STARSHIP Entertainment has announced that IVE will no longer be accepting any fan gifts aside from fan letters. On December 15, the agency released the following statement: Hello.We would like to sincerely thank the fans who are rooting for IVE. We are making an announcement regarding fan letters, gifts, and [material] support for IVE. From… The post appeared first on .
The beloved cast of tvN’s “Reply 1988” is coming together once again to celebrate the drama’s 10th anniversary—this time through music! To celebrate the 10th anniversary of tvN’s “Reply 1988,” newly rearranged versions of the drama’s original soundtrack will be released, with the actors themselves participating as vocalists. OST Part 1, featuring a solo track… The post appeared first on .
The cast of “Love Me,” including Seo Hyun Jin, Yoo Jae Myung, Lee Si Woo, Yoon Sea, Chang Ryul, and TWICE’s Dahyun, have each defined love in their own words! Based on the Swedish series of the same name, JTBC’s “Love Me” is a new drama about a selfish but relatable family in which each… The post appeared first on .
Chen will be greeting even more fans in 2026! On December 16, Chen announced more dates for his concert tour “Arcadia.” After stopping in Taipei and Yokohama in January, Chen will visit Jakarta, Manila, Macau, and Kuala Lumpur. Earlier in October 2025, Chen kick-started his “Arcadia” concert in Seoul at the KEPCO Art Center. Last… The post appeared first on .
NCT’s Taeyong will be going on tour! On December 16, Taeyong announced his 2026 concert “TY TRACK – REMASTERED” in Asia. After kick-starting the concert tour in Seoul, Taeyong will visit Jakarta, Yokohama, Macau, Bangkok, and Kuala Lumpur. More details will be available at a later date. Taeyong was recently discharged from the military after… The post appeared first on .
Hearts2Hearts is coming to North America! On December 16, SM Entertainent announced the 2026 Hearts2Hearts Premiere Showcase “HEARTS 2 HOUSE” in North America. Hearts2Hearts will visit Brooklyn, New York on March 19, performing at the Brooklyn Paramount. The group will then head to Los Angeles, California on March 22 to perform at The Wiltern. Ahead… The post appeared first on .
