Today in K-Pop

In Germany, European authors take on manga with K-pop romance novels
Korea Times

In Germany, European authors take on manga with K-pop romance novels

Fresh off an MBA in the United States, Min Seo-hee begins a new chapter in Seoul as a manager at a Korean entertainment agency. It is there that she meets Lim Tae-jun of the K-pop boy group Millions, setting in motion a tumultuous romance that surges and crashes like waves. This story, which some might find a bit corny, lies at the heart of "The Millions," a romance novel series displayed at the K-pop Romance booth of the Leipzig Book Fair in Germany last month. The first impression is that K-pop has carved out a place at one of Germany’s largest book fairs, widely regarded as a counterpart to the Frankfurt Book Fair. The sight stood out even more amid the overwhelming presence of Japanese manga across the exhibition hall. But assuming the author is Korean simply because the story revolves around K-pop would be a mistake. The writer behind the series is 39-year-old German author Sabrina T. Rudolph, a devoted fan of Super Junior who spent a year and a half living in Seoul in 2011. Her experience in Korea later became a driving force for the novel series. In 2021, during the COVID-19 pan

Super JuniorSuper Junior

Wednesday, April 22, 2026

Soompi

LNGSHOT Announces Official Fan Club Name

LNGSHOT has given their fandom an official name! On April 22 KST, the rookie boy group from Jay Park’s label MORE VISION announced that the name of their official fan club would be “SHOTTIES.” The formal English announcement explained, “The colleagues and companions who walk alongside LNGSHOT on this journey are you, our fans, SHOTTIES.…

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BLACKPINK’s Jisoo skips glam airport look amid family controversy
Korea Times

BLACKPINK’s Jisoo skips glam airport look amid family controversy

Jisoo of BLACKPINK appeared at the airport in an understated look Wednesday, as an ongoing controversy involving a family member continues to swirl online. Jisoo departed for Paris via Incheon International Airport on Wednesday morning to attend a scheduled overseas engagement. Known for turning departures into headline-making airport fashion moments, the K-pop star instead opted for a near-incognito appearance, wearing a hat and mask and keeping styling to a minimum. The shift in tone from polished, sponsor-heavy looks to a subdued, almost anonymous outfit has fueled speculation online, with some interpreting it as a response to the ongoing controversy, while others say it reflects a desire to avoid further attention. Despite the situation, Jisoo proceeded with her planned schedule without visible disruption. An official airport photo call with the press was canceled due to what officials described as “internal circumstances.” The controversy surrounding Jisoo’s family has yet to subside. The issue resurfaced after a name matching the family member currently under scrutiny was rec

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BTS tops Billboard global charts for fourth week, extends Hot 100 run
Korea Herald

BTS tops Billboard global charts for fourth week, extends Hot 100 run

BTS remains atop major Billboard global charts for a fourth consecutive week, continuing its strong performance with its latest album "Arirang." Billboard's latest charts, dated April 25, show that the main track from the album, "Swim," ranked No. 1 on both the Global 200 and Global Excl. US charts for a fourth week in a row. Thirteen tracks from the album — excluding "No. 29," the instrumental interlude featuring the Bell of King Seongdeok — were listed among the Global 200, while all 13 were a

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Soompi

AHOF Announces Stops For First-Ever Tour “THE FIRST SPARK”

Get pumped—AHOF is going on tour! On April 22, AHOF announced their first tour “THE FIRST SPARK.” After starting the tour in Seoul on May 30 and 31, AHOF will visit Osaka, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Taipei, Bangkok, and Hong Kong. Check out the stops below! Is AHOF coming to a location near you? Stay…

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Ong Seong Wu Confirmed To Join Park Eun Bin And Yang Se Jong In New Occult Romance Drama

Ong Seong Wu will be joining Park Eun Bin and Yang Se Jong in the upcoming occult romance drama “Spellbound” (working title)! “Spellbound” is a drama remake of the 2011 film “Spellbound” starring Son Ye Jin, Lee Min Ki, Park Chul Min, Kim Hyun Sook, Lee Mi Do, and more. The drama is an investigative occult romance drama about…

Soompi

KATSEYE Achieves Their Highest Debuts Yet On Billboard Hot 100 And Global 200 With “PINKY UP”

KATSEYE has set personal records on Billboard’s Hot 100 and Global 200 with their latest single! This week, KATSEYE’s new single “PINKY UP” entered the Hot 100—Billboard’s weekly ranking of the most popular songs in the United States—at No. 28, marking their highest debut yet on the U.S. chart. “PINKY UP” also achieved KATSEYE’s highest…

KatseyeKatseye
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KATSEYE To Perform At 2026 American Music Awards

KATSEYE will be taking the stage at the 2026 American Music Awards (AMAs)! On April 21 local time, the American Music Awards officially announced that KATSEYE would be performing at this year’s ceremony. The group is nominated for three awards: New Artist of the Year, Best Music Video (for “Gnarly”), and Breakthrough Pop Artist. The…

KatseyeKatseye
BTS’ citywide project draws global visitors, boosts tourism in Seoul
Korea Herald

BTS’ citywide project draws global visitors, boosts tourism in Seoul

BTS’ citywide project “BTS The City: Arirang Seoul” wrapped up its monthlong run with a strong turnout from international visitors, highlighting the group’s impact on tourism in the capital, said Big Hit Music. Launched to mark the release of BTS’ fifth LP “Arirang” and the start of its world tour of the same name, the project transformed major landmarks across the city into immersive fan experiences inspired by the group’s music and message. A notable feature of the event was the high proportio

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Katseye hits career-high No. 28 on Hot 100 with ‘Pinky Up’
Korea Herald

Katseye hits career-high No. 28 on Hot 100 with ‘Pinky Up’

Katseye, the multinational girl group formed in partnership between Hybe and Geffen Records, has achieved its highest placement yet on the Billboard Hot 100 with its latest single “Pinky Up.” According to the latest chart released by Billboard on Tuesday, “Pinky Up” debuted at No. 28 on the Hot 100, marking the group’s best performance on the chart to date. “Pinky Up” is Katseye’s fourth consecutive entry on the main songs chart, following “Gnarly,” “Gabriela” and “Internet Girl.” “Internet Girl

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Le Sserafim floats teaser video for prerelease
Korea Herald

Le Sserafim floats teaser video for prerelease

Le Sserafim uploaded a teaser trailer for “Celebration” on Wednesday via Source Music. A snippet of the song includes lyrics being played in the background of a rave scene while the five bandmates give a glimpse of the choreography, banging their heads. The video at the end zooms in on Sakura’s face slowly as the skin of her cheek disintegrates, turning to black just before revealing what is underneath. “Celebration” will be part of the group's second full album, “Pureflow Pt. 1,” which is due o

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Itzy bring out 12th EP 'Motto' in May
Korea Herald

Itzy bring out 12th EP 'Motto' in May

Itzy announced through its label JYP Entertainment on Wednesday that it will make a comeback on May 18 with 12th EP, “Motto.” The release comes about six months since the group's previous EP “Tunnel Vision.” The eight-track EP will be released during the group's international tour. The five-member girl groupo began the tour in February and performed in Melbourne and Sydney last week. Next month, it will go live in Tokyo, and from mid-June, will perform in Hong Kong, Kaohsiung in Taiwan, Bangkok

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Soompi

MODYSSEY’s Hengyu Sits Out Schedule Due To Health

MODYSSEY’s Hengyu was unable to join his bandmates for today’s live broadcast of “Show Champion.” On April 22, ONECEAD announced that after the pre-recording for “Show Champion” earlier that day, Hengyu had visited the hospital “due to a sudden decline in his condition.” There, he was “advised by medical staff that he requires sufficient rest.”…

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Watch: Wanna One Is Still As Chaotic As Ever In Hilarious And Emotional Teaser For “WANNA ONE GO : Back To Base”

Get ready to experience all the fun and chaos again with Wanna One! On April 22, Mnet Plus unveiled a new teaser for “WANNA ONE GO : Back to Base.” The teaser begins with a clip from Wanna One’s live fan meeting where the members are met with a familiar van from when they promoted…

Wanna OneWanna One
Soompi

Galaxy Corporation Denies Reports Of Recruiting Baekhyun

Galaxy Corporation has denied rumors regarding the recruitment of singer Baekhyun. On April 22, a media outlet reported that Baekhyun is in talks to sign an exclusive contract with Galaxy Corporation, the agency that currently represents G-Dragon. In response to the report, a representative from Galaxy Corporation stated, “The reports regarding discussions of signing an…

G-DragonG-Dragon
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SEVENTEEN’s Seungkwan In Talks To Make Acting Debut In New Drama Reportedly Starring Shin Min Ah And Lee Jin Uk

SEVENTEEN member Seungkwan may be making his acting debut in an upcoming drama! On April 22, MyDaily reported that Seungkwan is set to make his acting debut through the upcoming drama “Wed Thurs Fri” (literal title) and that he recently participated in the script reading. On the same day, his agency PLEDIS Entertainment clarified, “Seungkwan…

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KATSEYE To Promote “PINKY UP” On Korean Music Shows

KATSEYE is making their return to the Korean music show stage! On April 21, KATSEYE officially announced that they would be appearing on Korean music shows next week to promote their new single “PINKY UP.” The girl group will be performing on Korean music shows from April 30 to May 3, ahead of which they…

KatseyeKatseye
Soompi

Big Ocean’s Europe Tour Canceled At Last Minute

Big Ocean’s tour of Europe has been canceled. On April 20, Parastar Entertainment announced that the European leg of Big Ocean’s tour would no longer be taking place“due to the organizer’s failure to fulfill key contractual obligations required to safely and properly execute the tour.” Big Ocean’s Europe tour was originally scheduled to kick off…

Big OceanBig Ocean
Soompi

TWS Surpasses 1 Million Stock Pre-Orders For 1st Time With “NO TRAGEDY”

TWS’s upcoming mini album appears on track to become their first “million-seller”! According to TWS’s album distributors YG PLUS and Universal Records, TWS’s upcoming mini album “NO TRAGEDY” had recorded a total of 1,022,807 stock pre-orders as of April 17. The figure marks TWS’s highest number of stock pre-orders to date by far, with an…

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PLAVE Breaks Their 1st-Week Sales Record As “Caligo Pt.2” Becomes Their 3rd Million-Seller

PLAVE’s latest album is their biggest seller yet! Last week, the virtual boy group made their comeback with their fourth mini album “Caligo Pt.2” and its title track “Born Savage.” According to Hanteo Chart, PLAVE achieved their highest first-week sales yet with the new mini album. In the first week of its release (April 14…

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Soompi

&TEAM’s Agency Shares Update On Nicholas’ Health After He Sits Out Part Of Comeback Showcase

&TEAM’s agency has released a statement on Nicholas’ health. On April 21, &TEAM held a comeback showcase for their new EP “We on Fire.” After a delay in the start of the showcase, it was announced that due to a “worsening of Nicholas’ health,” he would not be able to participate in the group’s performances…

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Watch: ITZY Announces May Comeback Schedule With Trailer And Track List For “Motto”

Mark your calendars for ITZY’s return! On April 22 at midnight KST, ITZY officially announced the date and details for their upcoming comeback next month. ITZY will be returning with their new album “Motto” and the music video for its title track on May 18 at 6 p.m. KST. On May 22, the physical version…

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The Boyz denies receiving payments, disputes agency claim
Korea Herald

The Boyz denies receiving payments, disputes agency claim

The Boyz has denied claims by its agency One Hundred Label that all payments to the members have been settled, saying no payments have been received. “None of the members have received any payments to date, including outstanding settlement amounts for the third and fourth quarters of 2025,” the group’s legal representative, Yulchon, said in a statement on Wednesday. “The agency repeatedly postponed and reversed payment deadlines, and no proper payment has ever been made.” The legal team added th

THE BOYZTHE BOYZ
Ive’s Gaeul as reading ambassador
Korea Herald

Ive’s Gaeul as reading ambassador

Gaeul of K-pop group Ive has been selected as a partner for this year's Reading Korea campaign, her agency Starship Entertainment said. The nationwide initiative, led by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, aims to promote reading in daily life by encouraging people to discover the value and joy of reading and to build practical reading habits. Gaeul will attend the campaign’s launch ceremony on Thursday at the Starfield Library in Coex, where she will share her reading list and take par

GaeulGaeulIVEIVE
&Team’s 3rd Japan EP sells 1m copies
Korea Herald

&Team’s 3rd Japan EP sells 1m copies

The third Japanese EP from &Team has sold more than 1 million copies in a single day, agency YX Labels said Wednesday citing a local data provider. “We on Fire” is its third consecutive million-seller, at 1.09 million units, after its third single in Japan, “Go in Blind,” and first EP in Korea, “Back to Life.” The group released the physical album Tuesday and held a showcase in Seoul. B-side “Sakura-iro Yell” was released in March and the remaining five songs were unveiled on April 13. On May 13

&Team&Team
Super Junior’s Yesung to mark 10th year as soloist with album, tour in Japan
Korea Herald

Super Junior’s Yesung to mark 10th year as soloist with album, tour in Japan

Yesung of Super Junior will celebrate his 10th year as a solo singer with an album and a tour of Japan, SM Entertainment said Wednesday. He will put out his second studio album, “Sakihokoru Tokio Matsunowa,” on May 27. It will be his first physical release in Japan in almost 2 1/2 years, after his third single “Not Nightmare Christmas.” Ahead of the release of the physical album, he will unveil the new music on music platforms worldwide on Friday. The veteran idol helped write the lyrics for all

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BLACKPINK’s Jisoo And Zayn Malik’s “EYES CLOSED” MV Soars Past 100 Million Views

BLACKPINK’s Jisoo has hit the 100 million mark with yet another music video! On April 22 at around 8:59 p.m. KST, the music video for Jisoo and Zayn Malik’s duet “EYES CLOSED” surpassed 100 million views on YouTube. The music video for “EYES CLOSED” was originally released on October 10, 2025 at 1 p.m. KST, meaning that it took…

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Watch: TXT Takes 1st Win For “Stick With You” On “Show Champion”; Performances By B1A4, Risabae, And More

TXT has won their first music show trophy for “Stick With You”! On the April 22 episode of “Show Champion,” the candidates for first place were AKMU’s “Joy, Sorrow, A Beautiful Heart,” KISS OF LIFE’s “Who is she,” MODYSSEY’s “HOOK,” PLAVE’s “Born Savage,” and TXT’s “Stick With You.” The trophy ultimately went to TXT! Congratulations…

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Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, ALLDAY PROJECT’s Woochan, Lee Joo Bin, And More Confirmed For New Road Variety Show

SBS has announced a new road variety show featuring Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, ALLDAY PROJECT’s Woochan, Lee Joo Bin, Lee Ki Taek, and more! On April 22, SBS confirmed that its new program “Sunim Sonim Soul Trip in India”—“sunim” meaning a Buddhist monk and “sonim” meaning a guest—is set to premiere in May. The show will…

WoochanWoochanALLDAY PROJECTALLDAY PROJECTYoonYoon
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Watch: Kim Jae Hwan Promises “I’ll Be There” In Sentimental Comeback MV

Kim Jae Hwan is here with new music! On April 22 at 6 p.m. KST, Kim Jae Hwan unveiled his new digital single “I’ll Be There” along with the music video for the track. Composed and written by Kim Jae Hwan, “I’ll Be There” is a rock ballad song conveying a message of love and…

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Watch: Jang Yoon Joo, Yeonjun, Lee Jong Won, And More Search For Next K-Fashion Icons In New Survival Show

“Kill It: Style Creator War” has unveiled a new teaser! tvN’s new variety show “Kill It: Style Creator War” is a fashion creator survival program aimed at discovering the next generation of figures who will lead K-fashion trends. The latest teaser highlights the 100 contestants stepping into the spotlight, along with the seven “label leaders”…

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8 Japanese K-Pop Idols That Can Really Rock A J-Pop Look Too

Satin, frills, bows, lace—J-pop fashion is a girly girl’s dream! It’s a standout genre completely separate from the standards of Korean fashion. The ultra-cute and feminine style might seem intimidating for some, but these stars make it look natural. These Japanese idols may be K-pop stars, but they rock J-pop inspired dresses too! IVE’s Rei…

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Kwon Eun Bi Signs With New Agency

Kwon Eun Bi has signed an exclusive contract with RBW! On April 22, a source from RBW shared, “We have signed an exclusive contract with Kwon Eun Bi.” RBW stated, “Kwon Eun Bi is a solo artist who has proven her unmatched stage presence through her outstanding vocal and performance skills. RBW is delighted to…

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Park Ji Hoon Talks About His Recent Box Office Hit “The King’s Warden,” Upcoming Projects, And More

Actor and singer Park Ji Hoon has graced the cover of the May issue of the fashion magazines Singles Korea and Singles Japan! Much like the name of his fan club MAY, Park Ji Hoon has become the dazzling protagonist of May, adorning a total of five covers—four for Singles Korea and one for Singles…

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Legal Representative Of 9 THE BOYZ Members Refutes ONE HUNDRED’s Claims Of Payment

The legal representative of nine THE BOYZ members has released an official statement regarding the members’ ongoing legal battle with their agency ONE HUNDRED. Following the group’s demand for contract termination from ONE HUNDRED, it was further reported on April 21 that Sangyeon, Jacob, Younghoon, Hyunjae, Juyeon, Kevin, Q, Sunwoo, and Eric—nine members of THE…

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