Direct from Korean news and other sources
ILLIT is soaring to new heights on the Billboard charts with their latest release! On May 12 local time, Billboard announced that ILLIT had achieved their highest ranking yet on the Top 200 Albums chart, which ranks the most popular albums in the United States. ILLIT’s new mini album “MAMIHLAPINATAPAI” debuted at No. 26 on… The post appeared first on .
BTS turned Mexico City into a purple ocean as approximately 150,000 fans packed Estadio GNP Seguros on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday for the group's "BTS World Tour 'Arirang' in Mexico City." Marking BTS' first full-group stand-alone concert in Mexico in nearly 11 years, all three shows sold out immediately, underscoring the group’s immense popularity in Latin America. Inside the stadium, Mexican fans sang along to BTS songs in Korean with overwhelming enthusiasm. One of the most memorable momen
Former NCT member Mark may be preparing to relaunch his music career in the US as a solo artist, just one month after departing both the boy band and SM Entertainment. Speculation grew after Tunji Balogun, chairman and CEO of Def Jam Recordings, followed Mark on social media shortly after the singer ended his exclusive contract with SM Entertainment on April 8. Balogun is regarded as one of the music industry’s leading executives, having previously worked at RCA Records, where he helped develop
Cortis unveiled a music video for a track from its second EP via Big Hit Music on Monday. The music video for “Acai” is based on video clips created by the five members, jumping over time and space with acai berries as the main theme throughout. They got creative over acai bowls, their favorite while working on the new album, “Greengreen.” All bandmates participated in writing the song as well and Martin and Seonghyeon also had a hand in producing the single. A performance clip for the song will
tvN’s “The Legend of Kitchen Soldier” is on the rise! On May 12, the new drama starring Park Ji Hoon saw an increase in viewership for its second episode. According to Nielsen Korea, “The Legend of Kitchen Soldier” rose to an average nationwide rating of 6.2 percent for the night. Meanwhile, ENA’s “The Scarecrow” once… The post appeared first on .
BTS’ Jungkook recently posed for a photo shoot for Harper’s Bazaar Korea. The shoot was a collaboration with Swiss high-end watchmaker Hublot, for which Jungkook serves as a global brand ambassador. In the accompanying interview, Jungkook shared his thoughts on the shoot, saying, “I really liked everything about this shoot—the atmosphere, the timing, the pace.… The post appeared first on .
Netflix's "The Wonderfools" marks Cha Eun-woo's return to the global spotlight, coming just as the actor puts a high-profile tax controversy behind him. The series is already generating massive hype as it reunites director Yoo In-sik with star Park Eun-bin — the powerhouse duo who previously dominated global charts with "Extraordinary Attorney Woo." Set in 1999, "The Wonderfools" is a "superpower comic adventure" centered on a group of eccentric, bumbling townspeople who unexpectedly gain supernatural abilities. As the millennium approaches, this unlikely band of heroes must clumsily defend their home against villains intent on wreaking havoc. "I’ve always had a soft spot for superheroes; it’s been a dream of mine to create one. When I first saw the concept, it really got my heart racing. It felt fresh and unique, and I wanted to translate that excitement to the audience," Yoo said during a press conference in Seoul, Tuesday, speaking about his lifelong passion for the genre. He likened the viewing experience to a theme park ride. "I want the audience to feel that 'seatbelt-clicki
The Korean Business Research Institute has revealed this month’s brand reputation rankings for drama actors! The rankings were determined through a data analysis of the media coverage, participation, interaction, and community indexes of 100 actors who appeared in dramas that aired between April 13 and May 13. Byeon Woo Seok, who is currently stealing hearts… The post appeared first on .
Both BLACKPINK’s Jennie and Tame Impala have scored their first top 10 hit on Billboard’s Hot 100! This week, Jennie and Tame Impala’s collab remix of “Dracula” soared to a new peak of No. 10 on the Hot 100 (which ranks the most popular songs in the United States), making it both singer’s first song… The post appeared first on .
Upcoming film “The Guardian” has unveiled a new poster and teaser! “The Guardian” tells the story of Do Joon, a young man who once dreamed of becoming a national taekwondo athlete, as he fights against the clock to rescue his mother Mi Jin after she is kidnapped by the Philippines’ largest criminal organization. Nam Woo… The post appeared first on .
MBC’s upcoming drama “Fifties Professionals” has unveiled new character posters! “Fifties Professionals” is an action-comedy about three seemingly ordinary but secretly dangerous middle-aged men who are brought back into action by destiny. The three men, who once reigned at the top of their respective fields, find themselves exiled to the remote island of Yeongseon after… The post appeared first on .
K-pop girl group aespa on Tuesday released a prerelease single, "WDA" (Whole Different Animal), from its upcoming second full-length album, the group's agency SM Entertainment said. The hip-hop-based dance track features a majestic synthesizer bass and a heavy hook, with rapper G-Dragon contributing a featured verse and participating in the rap-making for his part. "WDA" entered the top 10 of the iTunes Top Songs charts in 17 countries, including Thailand, Portugal, Vietnam, Brazil and Indonesia, upon its release, SM said. The accompanying music video explores the theme of "what is real" in an era where the boundaries between original and copy, as well as reality and virtual reality, are increasingly blurred, according to the agency. Scenes depicting a bus crash and collapsing clones highlight a sense of unease tied to mass reproduction. SM said aespa conveyed "the tension and confusion of a world where reality and virtual reality coexist, as well as a lingering sense of humanity," in the group's distinctive style. Since its debut, aespa has developed a narrative universe in which the phy
SEOUL, May 12 (Yonhap) -- Park Eun-bin, who delivered a clever and empathic perf...
BoyNextDoor uploaded a timetable for its promotional activities for its first studio recording, “Home,” via agency KOZ Entertainment on Monday. An assemblage of objects — from a key and a photograph to a postcard and a notebook — lists pending activities leading up to the release of the LP, due out June 8. The six-member act dropped a prerelease from the set, “Ddok Ddok Ddok,” Monday. The hip-hop tune refers to knocking sounds on the “door” in the group’s name. The single charted at No. 56 on Me
K-pop juggernaut BTS drew around 150,000 fans to three sold-out concerts in Mexico City, the group's agency said Tuesday. The shows, held on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday (local time) as part of its "Arirang" world tour, were the band's first standalone concerts in Mexico since July 2015. Tickets for all three dates sold out immediately upon release. BTS incorporated elements of local culture into the performances, including dancers wearing traditional "lucha libre" masks during "Aliens," while member V picked up a "banderilla," a popular Mexican snack, during "Idol." The group also performed "Airplane pt. 2," which includes the line "We goin' from Mexico City" in its lyrics. Addressing fans, the members said, "You were truly the best. What more can we say? We will definitely come back to Mexico," and also spoke in Spanish, saying they would not forget the energy that spread from the Zocalo square. About 50,000 fans swarmed the square in front of the National Palace to see the band when it visited the palace to meet President Claudia Sheinbaum on Wednesday, according to estimates from Bi
Upcoming film “Mr. Shota’s Last Business Trip” has unveiled a new teaser and poster! “Mr. Shota’s Last Business Trip” tells the story of two men—Shota (Otani Ryohei) and Dae Sung (Jin Young), whose lives unfold across Korea and Japan after they accidentally swap their respective resignation letter and love letter. The newly released poster features… The post appeared first on .
Award-winning Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda will visit Korea next month to promote his recent work "Sheep in the Box," its distributor said Tuesday. Kore-eda will be accompanied by child actor Rimu Kuwaki for his visit scheduled for June 4-5, according to Media Castle. "Sheep in the Box" portrays a Japanese couple who welcomes a humanoid robot resembling their late son into their family. The sci-fi drama is one of the 22 films that have been invited to compete for the top honor at this year's Cannes Film Festival. It will premiere at the film fest and hit Korean theaters on June 10.
K-pop boy band YOUNITE stepped back into the spotlight Tuesday with the release of "INYUN Part.1" and its title track "POSE!," a house-inflected single that puts the eight-member group in line with the industry's recent sonic trends. Hours before the album drop, seven of the group's members — Eunho, Steve, Hyungseok, Woono, DEY, Kyungmun and Sion — gathered at NOL Theater Hapjeong in Seoul's Mapo District to share their thoughts on the new project. Eunsang, who stepped back from activities last year due to health issues, did not attend. "Eunsang still needs rest," Eunho said. "With seven of us, we felt we couldn't afford to show any gaps, and that pushed us to work even harder." The album, arriving nine months after the group's previous release, takes its title from a Korean word for a bond that persists across different worlds, something the members describe as neither fate nor coincidence, but something in between. "This album expresses a new turning point," said Woono. "We wanted to capture YOUNITE's desire to connect with as many people as possible." The album's title track "POSE!
SEOUL, May 12 (Yonhap) -- Award-winning Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda wil...
On a quiet Monday morning in Seoul's Gangnam District, three men took their seats at a cafe table with the carefulness of people who have rehearsed being natural. Cha Jun-ho, Kim Dong-yun and Lee Hyeop, members of K-pop boy band DRIPPIN, were measured in their words and composed in their smiles, projecting the kind of energy that belongs not to rookies, but to veterans stepping into unfamiliar territory. As the group's debut subunit, the three have named themselves ChaDongHyeop, a combination of their names, and are about to release their first single album, "Doogeundae," on Tuesday. It's a milestone six years in the making, the first unit project in DRIPPIN's history since the group debuted in 2020. The wait, the three told The Korea Times, was worth it. "I'd been looking forward to this for so long," Cha said. "Now that we're finally able to show something to our fans, I feel really excited. This is a different kind of start for us, and I want people to see a side of us they haven't seen before." The roughly two years since DRIPPIN's last group activity with "Weekend" in August 2024 wer
Less than a week after its release, "My Royal Nemesis" has emerged as one of Netflix’s most popular non-English titles, rising to No. 1 on the platform’s global chart. The SBS romantic comedy, which premiered Friday, centers on Shin Seo-ri, an unknown actress who becomes possessed by a notorious villainess from Korea’s Joseon era, and her love-hate relationship with Cha Se-gye, a conglomerate heir nicknamed the “monster of capitalism.” Immediately after the release, the drama drew a strong response from overseas viewers. Following the release of its second episode, "My Royal Nemesis" ranked No. 1 on Netflix’s global non-English TV chart and No. 2 on the platform’s overall global TV chart. According to FlixPatrol, the series topped Netflix Korea’s daily Top 10 series chart and landed in the Top 10 in 84 countries and regions, including the United States, Spain, Poland and Japan. It also claimed the No. 1 spot in 24 markets, including Brazil, Taiwan, Qatar, Peru and Singapore, showing the breadth of its overseas popularity. Domestic audiences also showed positive reception.
Jimin of BTS reached new heights with his solo single “Who,” which had hit 2.4 billion streams on Spotify as of May 8, label Big Hit Music said Tuesday. The single is the first-ever solo endeavor from an Asian artist, without a featured musician, to achieve the feat on the platform. “Who” has remained on Spotify’s Daily Top Songs Global chart ever since it was released in July 2024, and sits at No. 37 on the platform's most-streamed songs list. The lead single from his second solo EP, “Muse,” al
Director Na Hong-jin's sci-fi thriller film "Hope" will vie for the top honor at this year's Cannes Film Festival set to begin Tuesday, alongside 21 other titles invited to the competition section of the 79th edition of the prestigious film awards. "Hope" is the first Korean film in four years to compete for the Palme d'Or since renowned director Park Chan-wook's "Decision to Leave" and "Broker" by award-winning Japanese auteur Hirokazu Kore-eda, produced by Korean companies and starring Korean actors, were both invited for competition in 2022. The blockbuster portrays the sudden appearance of mysterious entities in a small coastal town near the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone, with Hwang Jung-min playing a local police chief and Zo In-sung appearing as a villager. The movie's star-studded cast also includes "Squid Game" star Jung Ho-yeon and Hollywood actors Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander and Taylor Russell. "Hope" is set to have its global premiere in Cannes on Sunday, with Na and the cast expected to attend a red carpet event during the festival set to run through May 23 in
Circle Chart (formerly known as Gaon Chart) has revealed its latest monthly and weekly chart rankings! Monthly Album Chart TXT achieved a double crown on this month’s Circle charts, topping both the overall physical album chart and the digital download chart for April. All of the top five spots on this month’s chart went to… The post appeared first on .
The Korean Business Research Institute has revealed this month’s brand reputation rankings for dramas! The rankings were determined through an analysis of the consumer participation, media coverage, interaction, community awareness, and viewership indexes of 21 popular dramas, using big data collected from April 12 to May 12. “Perfect Crown” topped this month’s list with a… The post appeared first on .
The upcoming film “Strange Snack Shop Jeoncheondang” (literal title) has unveiled new stills featuring Ra Mi Ran! Based on a Japanese best-selling novel, “Strange Snack Shop Jeoncheondang” is a fantasy film about magical events that take place when customers carrying lucky coins visit Jeoncheondang, a snack store that grants wishes. The live-action film was produced… The post appeared first on .
Upcoming film “Wild Sing” has unveiled new stills featuring Kang Dong Won! On May 12, the production team released stills of Kang Dong Won as Hyun Woo, the leader and dance machine of the co-ed dance group TRIANGLE on stage. “Wild Sing” is a comedy movie that follows the story of TRIANGLE, a once-popular co-ed… The post appeared first on .
JTBC’s upcoming drama “Reborn Rookie” has shared new stills featuring Lee Jun Young! “Reborn Rookie” follows Kang Yong Ho (Son Hyun Joo), the powerful chairman of the leading conglomerate Choi Sung Group, who is revered as a business genius. After an accident, however, he unexpectedly finds himself living a second life when his soul swaps… The post appeared first on .
Netflix’s upcoming variety show “Jae Seok’s B&B Rules!” has unveiled a new poster and teaser! “Jae Seok’s B&B Rules!” follows Yu Jae Seok as he takes on the challenge of running a bed-and-breakfast for the very first time. Joined by Lee Kwang Soo, Byeon Woo Seok, and Ji Ye Eun as staff members, they welcome guests and create memorable moments filled… The post appeared first on .
Kim Jin-pyo has revealed an unexpected second act far removed from the music industry: Running a struggling pen company founded by his grandfather. The rapper and television personality recently appeared on Defconn’s YouTube channel, where he opened up about becoming the CEO of Korea Pilot, a company that imports writing instruments. In the video, rapper Defconn expressed surprise at meeting Kim in an office setting rather than a studio. Kim responded by saying, “I’m currently the CEO of a writing instrument import company called Korea Pilot,” before joking, “I’m not the chairman.” The company was originally founded by Kim’s maternal grandfather, whom he described as a strict and authoritarian figure during his childhood. “Whenever I had dinner with my grandfather, I couldn’t digest my food because I was nervous he might ask me questions,” Kim said. Kim explained that after his grandfather died, the company no longer looked promising from a business standpoint. “In Korea Pilot’s case, the company was in complete capital impairment,” he said. “My mother wanted
A series of pregnancy announcements from celebrities in their 40s is offering welcome news in an aging society where marriage and childbirth are increasingly delayed, making pregnancy in one’s later years a more realistic option for many. Chinese actress Tang Wei recently drew attention after announcing her second pregnancy at the age of 46. The news carried the nuance of an unexpected joy rather than a planned pregnancy, prompting discussion over the possibility of natural conception. For women in a similar age group, that has made the announcement read as a source of realistic hope. Around the same time, other celebrities in their 40s, including Han Da-gam, born in 1980, and Kim Min-kyung, born in 1981, also shared news of their pregnancies. Han drew congratulations after revealing that she became pregnant after just one round of in vitro fertilization. Though their paths may differ, from fertility treatment to possible natural conception, the announcements have struck a common chord: Pregnancy later in life is increasingly becoming part of the public conversation. Actress Choi Ji-wo
Taeyang of Big Bang teamed up with Tarzzan and Woochan of coed group AllDay Project for his upcoming fourth solo studio album, agency The Black Label announced Tuesday. Set to release “Quintessence” on May 18, in time for his birthday, the singer shared all nine songs from the upcoming album. The tracklist included main track “Live Fast Die Slow,” and B-side track “Would You” featuring the AllDay Project members. The album comes over three years after Taeyang's last solo set, second EP “Down to
Circle Chart (formerly known as Gaon Chart) has announced its latest batch of official certifications! In 2018, the Korea Music Content Industry Association implemented a new certification system for album sales, song downloads, and online streaming. Starting with music released on or after January 1, 2018, Circle Chart now certifies albums platinum once they reach… The post appeared first on .
Every year, a few K-dramas stand out for the way they explore heavier emotions of mental health, loneliness, ambition, and the fear of falling behind. These are the stories that stay with you because they feel honest and deeply human, offering comfort while quietly reminding you that things can get better. One such show is… The post appeared first on .
“The Scarecrow” has shared new stills ahead of its upcoming episode! “The Scarecrow” follows a detective investigating a series of murders who is forced into an unlikely partnership with a man he despises. Set between 1988 and 2019, the suspenseful story tracks two men bound by misfortune and an uneasy alliance of hatred as they… The post appeared first on .
fromis_9 will be making a comeback this summer! On May 12, OSEN reported that fromis_9 is preparing for a comeback in July. In response to the report, the group’s agency ASND shared, “fromis_9 will be making a comeback with a full-length album in July. Since they are returning with a studio album for the first… The post appeared first on .
ENA’s upcoming drama “Doctor on the Edge” has released new stills featuring Shin Ye Eun! “Doctor on the Edge” will tell the love story of public health doctor Do Ji Eui (Lee Jae Wook), who is assigned to the notorious island Pyeondong, and nurse Yook Ha Ri (Shin Ye Eun), who is hiding a secret.… The post appeared first on .
tvN’s “The Legend of Kitchen Soldier” has shared new stills ahead of tonight’s new episode! Based on a popular web novel and webtoon, “The Legend of Kitchen Soldier” is a military fantasy-comedy drama that tells the story of army cook Kang Sung Jae (Park Ji Hoon). When a mysterious quest window pops up in front… The post appeared first on .
“The Legend of Kitchen Soldier” is off to a strong start! According to Nielsen Korea, the May 11 premiere episode of “The Legend of Kitchen Soldier” achieved an average nationwide viewership rating of 5.8 percent, kicking off to a strong start. “The Legend of Kitchen Soldier” is a military fantasy-comedy drama that tells the story… The post appeared first on .
Yoo Seon Ho is leaving “2 Days & 1 Night Season 4.” On May 12, the production team announced, “Yoo Seon Ho will be graduating from ‘2 Days & 1 Night.’ He will personally share his final farewell with viewers during the May 31 broadcast.” During his final filming, Yoo Seon Ho described “2 Days… The post appeared first on .
