
Le Sserafim to prerelease lead single of new studio album
SEOUL, April 24 (Yonhap) -- K-pop girl group Le Sserafim on Friday will prerelea...
Direct from Korean news and other sources

SEOUL, April 24 (Yonhap) -- K-pop girl group Le Sserafim on Friday will prerelea...
TXT has won their third music show trophy for “Stick With You”! On the April 24 episode of “Music Bank,” the candidates for first place were TXT’s “Stick With You” and PLAVE’s “Born Savage.” TXT ultimately took the prize with a total of 10,515 points. Congratulations to TXT! Watch the winner announcement and encore below! Performers on… The post appeared first on .

KATSEYE is set to touch down in Korea this week, riding a surge of global momentum and bringing its latest hit to domestic music shows, its agency said Wednesday. According to HYBE, the group arrives Friday via Incheon International Airport and will begin its official schedule with a fan signing event, followed by appearances on local music programs. The visit comes as the group's newest song, “PINKY UP,” gains traction worldwide, propelled by a distinctive performance anchored by a raised pinky gesture, synchronized pivot movements and high-energy choreography. The routine features jump bounces, forceful stamping steps and intricate hand movements that have helped fuel the song’s viral appeal. The track debuted at No. 28 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It also reached No. 14 on the Official Singles Top 100 in the United Kingdom for the week of April 17 to April 23, marking the group’s highest ranking on the chart. On Spotify’s Weekly Top Songs Global chart for April 10 to April 16, it placed No. 18. The choreography has spread rapidly across social media, with prominent creato

Chuei Liyu and Kang Woojin, former contestants on Mnet’s survival program “Boys II Planet,” are set to debut as the new boy duo Flare U. The pair opened official social media channels Friday, unveiling the group’s name along with a logo trailer video and teaser images. According to FNC Entertainment, the name Flare U represents the moment when two distinct lights — as represented by Chuei and Kang — come together to form a single, brighter glow. It also reflects the idea that their synergy becom

Blackpink’s Jisoo won the Madame Figaro Rising Star Award at the 2026 Cannes International Series Festival, marking a milestone in her expanding acting career. The award was presented Thursday at the festival’s ninth edition, which runs until April 28 in Cannes, France. The Madame Figaro Rising Star Award is given to emerging actors recognized for their potential and growing impact in the industry. Festival organizers highlighted Jisoo’s activities across entertainment, noting that she "continue

May is shaping up to be a highly competitive month for K-pop, with leading girl groups from the industry’s four major agencies — JYP Entertainment, SM Entertainment, YG Entertainment and Hybe — all returning with new releases. Acts including Babymonster, Nmixx, Itzy, Le Sserafim, Aespa and I.O.I are set to roll out new music in quick succession, each bringing distinct concepts and strategies that have drawn global attention. Kicking off the lineup, Babymonster will release its third EP “Choom” o


“Music Bank” is heading to Barcelona! On April 24, the show unveiled the MC and performer lineup for its upcoming special “Music Bank in Barcelona.” Park Bo Gum has been confirmed as the host, while the performance lineup includes ENHYPEN, ATEEZ, CORTIS, NCT WISH, ALPHA DRIVE ONE, NMIXX, and xikers. The event is set to… The post appeared first on .
RIIZE is set to make a comeback with a new album this June! On April 24, EDaily reported that RIIZE will release their second mini album on June 15. In response to the report, their agency SM Entertainment confirmed, “RIIZE will be releasing their second mini album on June 15. Details regarding the promotional schedule… The post appeared first on .
CLOSE YOUR EYES’ Ma Jingxiang will not be joining the group for today’s comeback promotions due to his health. On April 24, UNCORE announced that Ma Jingxiang had gone to the emergency room yesterday after complaining of a headache. According to the agency, an in-depth examination at the emergency room had not indicated any particular… The post appeared first on .

Singer HyunA has directly addressed ongoing speculation about her weight, saying she is managing it in a healthy way and asking fans not to be concerned. "I am working out hard and managing my weight in a healthy way," HyunA said in a social media post Friday. "Please don’t worry about me," she added, sharing a screenshot of an article discussing changes in her weight. HyunA has long faced repeated scrutiny over her weight, with public commentary intensifying in recent months. At one point, pregnancy rumors even surfaced, prompting her agency to respond with a clarification. Appearing on a YouTube channel last year, she said, "I gained weight because I’m happy," adding, "I found stability after getting married." Despite such explanations, discussions about her weight continued. HyunA later wrote on social media, "Let’s get a grip and try dieting again," signaling the start of a diet. She subsequently posted a photo of herself standing on a scale. HyunA debuted in 2007 as a member of Wonder Girls and later joined 4Minute before establishing a solo career. She has built a distinct pr

Prosecutors said Friday they have rejected a police request for an arrest warrant for Bang Si-hyuk, chairman and founder of K-pop powerhouse Hybe, who is accused of unfair stock trading, citing insufficient evidence. The Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office sent back to the police the arrest warrant request filed against Bang earlier this week on charges of fraudulent unfair trading under the Capital Markets Act. The chief was suspected of deceiving investors in 2019 into selling their sh

The Boyz have secured a court ruling in their favor in an ongoing contract dispute with their agency One Hundred Label, with both sides issuing contrasting statements over the decision. According to attorney Kim Mun-hui of law firm Yulchon, a Seoul court granted an injunction suspending the validity of their exclusive contracts. “The court confirmed that the exclusive contracts between the artists and the agency have been validly terminated and are no longer in effect,” Kim said in a statement i

In a K-pop market dominated by groups, singer YENA has built a distinct musical identity as a solo artist. The response to "Catch Catch," the lead track from her fifth EP "LOVE CATCHER" released in March, suggests that her signature style is gaining momentum. Evolution of 'YENA-core' YENA, a former member of project girl group IZ*ONE, which was formed through Mnet's "Produce 48," debuted as a solo artist in 2022 with the track "SMILEY." Since then, she has moved across genres while developing a style often called "YENA-core." The term refers less to a repeated concept than to a recognizable mix of music, performance and visuals. It combines her bright energy, kitschy sensibility and cartoonish visuals with an addictive electro-pop sound. The appeal of "Catch Catch" rests heavily on that accumulated musical narrative. Her conceptual universe, which expanded through previous releases such as "SMILEY," "NEMONEMO" and "Being a Good Girl Hurts," has developed into a distinct sensibility that resonates with listeners. Strategic nostalgia A key factor behind the track's success is its use of seco

Actor and 2PM member Ok Taec-yeon married his noncelebrity partner of 10 years in a private ceremony Friday, featuring a full reunion of the K-pop group. The wedding took place at the Shilla Hotel in central Seoul. The bride is four years his junior. The couple invited only family members and close friends to the event. All members of 2PM attended the wedding and performed a congratulatory song. Bandmate Hwang Chan-sung served as the master of ceremonies. The wedding makes Ok the second member of 2PM to marry, following Hwang. Ok publicly acknowledged the relationship in 2020 after casual photos of the couple leaked online. Five years later, last November, he announced his marriage through a handwritten letter. "I have promised to spend my life with a person who understood and believed in me for a long time," Ok said at the time of the announcement. "We'll walk through life together, always supporting each other." Ok also publicly expressed his affection for his partner at the KBS Drama Awards that same year. After winning a Best Actor award, he publicly declared, "I love you, Ji-hye." Ok
TWICE’s Dahyun will be rejoining her bandmates on stage starting this weekend. Back in February, JYP Entertainment announced that Dahyun had been diagnosed with a stress fracture in her ankle and would therefore be unable to perform at TWICE’s upcoming shows for their ongoing “THIS IS FOR” world tour. Since then, Dahyun has been sitting… The post appeared first on .

Lucas, a former member of NCT, has ended his exclusive contract with SM Entertainment, the agency announced Friday. In a statement released via global fan community Weverse, SM Entertainment said its contract with the artist “officially concluded as of April 24.” “We sincerely thank fans for the great love and support they have shown Lucas,” the agency said. “We will cherish the time we have shared with Lucas, from his trainee days to his various activities following his debut, and we will suppo

Stray Kids are running a pop-up store in Seoul from Friday until May 3, JYP Entertainment has announced. As the store name “SKZOO Everywhere All Around the World” implies, the temporary shop will also travel to major cities worldwide. The Seoul storefront is themed after an airport: from a check-in counter and security checkpoints to a duty-free shopping zone and boarding gate. Visitors are given a souvenir fashioned after a passport and a boarding pass that complete the travel experience, along

K-pop girl group Le Sserafim on Friday will prerelease the lead single of its second studio album set for release next month, the group's agency said. The song "Celebration" celebrates the moment one acknowledges fear and finds the inner strength to confront it, according to Source Music. Blending melodic techno with hardstyle, a form of electronic dance music that originated in the late 1990s, the track features an upbeat, addictive rhythm and melody, the agency added. It will lead "Pureflow pt. 1," the band's full-length album set for release on May 22. "Pureflow pt. 1" marks the band's first full-length album in nearly three years, following "Unforgiven" in 2023. The agency said the quintet, which debuted in 2022 with the message "We are strong because we have no fear," now offers a more mature perspective — that understanding fear has made them even stronger — on the upcoming album. "We imagined people enjoying the song together at parties or concerts from the moment we first heard it, and we wanted to share it as soon as possible," the group said through its agency. "We believe
Lucas, formerly a member of NCT, is leaving SM Entertainment. On April 24, SM Entertainment announced through Weverse that their exclusive contract with Lucas has ended. Read the agency’s full statement below: Hello, this is SM Entertainment. We would like to sincerely thank all fans for your continued love and support for Lucas. We hereby… The post appeared first on .

The upcoming second EP from Cortis logged more than 855,000 presaves on Spotify, according to label Big Hit Music on Friday. This placed the rookie group at No. 3 on the platform’s Countdown Chart Global, trailing Olivia Rodrigo and Noah Kahan. The fivesome will roll out EP “GreenGreen” on May 4, and as of Thursday, received over 2 million preorders, raising expectations for the forthcoming set to sell over 2 million copies, as did its debut album, EP “Color Outside the Lines.” Cortis dropped th

Steve Yoo, the former Korean singer also known as Yoo Seung-jun, made a surprise appearance at Tae Jin-ah’s concert in the United States, growing emotional as he greeted cheering fans. Yoo uploaded a video to his YouTube channel Thursday showing him at the venue of veteran Korean singer Tae Jin-ah’s solo concert, held last April at Yaamava’ Resort & Casino in California. In the video, Tae acknowledges Yoo in the audience and recalls encouraging him early in his career: “When he first made his debut, I told him, ‘You’re going to make it big, so never give up and keep going.’” Yoo rose from his seat as fans around him burst into applause and cheers, holding back tears as he bowed in gratitude. He then moved through the nearby seats, shaking hands with audience members. One elderly concertgoer told him, “I left Korea 50 years ago, and seeing you breaks my heart. You still can’t go back to Korea?” The comment brought Yoo to tears again. In the description accompanying the video, Yoo reflected on how much the reunion with Tae Jin-ah meant to him. “It was only a brief mo

South Korean alternative pop band Leenalchi will embark on an international tour that includes more than 20 cities across North America and Europe through November, according to the band's agency Hike. The tour, which kicks off in Seoul on May 17, follows the release of the group's first global single, “Here Comes That Crow,” which released Tuesday. The track features layered drum rhythms over dual bass lines, evoking sounds of the 1970s and 1980s, the agency said. The release comes through a pa

Big Bang stirred up fans with an eye-catching teaser poster for its upcoming world tour, uploaded by YG Entertainment on Friday. Although no details were given, expectations are high for the tour to celebrate the trio’s 20-year-long music journey. The concert tour will be its first in about nine years, following “Last Dance.” The three-member act gave fans a taste of what is to come at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California, where G-Dragon broke the news that the group

Jisoo of BLACKPINK received the Madame Figaro Rising Star Award at the 2026 Cannes International Series Festival (Canneseries), organizers said Friday. The festival noted that Jisoo "continues to balance careers in music and acting, with a focus on expanding her filmography through diverse roles and formats." "With her international reach, screen presence, and ongoing artistic growth, she remains a prominent and promising figure in contemporary Korean and global entertainment," it said on its website. In March, her latest television series "Boyfriend on Demand" premiered on Netflix, in which she plays Mi-rae, a webtoon producer worn down by work who seeks romance through a virtual dating subscription service. Jisoo took the stage to receive the award in person in Cannes on Thursday (French time) at the festival's ninth edition, which runs from April 23-28. Established in 2018, the annual festival showcases outstanding TV series from around the world through four official sections — Competition, Short Form Competition, Documentary Series Competition and Out of Competition — as well as

Riize is gearing up to return on June 15 with its second EP, according to a local media report on Friday. It will be approximately seven months since the boy band dropped its second single, “Fame.” The three-track set sold close to 670,000 copies in the first week, having released during its first international tour, “Riizing Loud.” The band wrapped up the monthslong tour in Seoul last month after visiting 21 cities across the world: seven in North America, five in Japan and eight in Southeast A

A court has granted an injunction sought by members of K-pop group The Boyz to suspend their exclusive contracts with management agency One Hundred Label, a legal representative said Friday. The injunction was filed by nine of the group's 10 members, excluding New. Kim Moon-hee, an attorney at the local law firm Yulchon representing the members, said the court found the agency violated its obligation to make settlement payments and provide financial data. The court also ruled the agency failed to fulfill key contractual duties, including management support and artist protection. "The court determined that the trust between the parties of the contracts had broken down to an irreparable level due to the agency's fault," Kim said. One Hundred Label had argued that signing bonuses paid to the members constituted advance payments. The court rejected that claim, noting that contract provisions treat signing bonuses separately from the distribution of earnings generated from the members' activities. Kim said the members will fulfill previously confirmed schedules despite the suspensions.
BIBI has hit the 100 million mark for the very first time on YouTube! Last week, BIBI’s performance video for “Vengeance” surpassed 100 million views on YouTube, making it her first video ever to reach the milestone. Congratulations to BIBI on her new achievement! Celebrate by watching the performance video for “Vengeance” again below: The post appeared first on .
TWICE has made K-pop history with the North American leg of their ongoing “THIS IS FOR” world tour! On April 18, TWICE successfully wrapped up their “THIS IS FOR” tour of North America, which included 35 shows in 20 different cities across the continent. Although the group was originally scheduled to perform just 22 shows… The post appeared first on .
BLACKPINK has just hit the 800 million mark with another music video! On April 24 at approximately 10:44 a.m. KST, BLACKPINK’s music video for their 2022 hit “Shut Down” surpassed 800 million views on YouTube. “Shut Down” is BLACKPINK’s 11th full-group music video to reach the milestone, following “DDU-DU DDU-DU,” “BOOMBAYAH,” “Kill This Love,” “As… The post appeared first on .