K-pop news today | KpopVisage.com

More aspiring K-pop idols are retiring in their 20s

More aspiring K-pop idols are retiring in their 20s as unstable incomes, uncertain career prospects and mounting mental strain push many lesser-known artists to leave the industry early. CLC member Kwon Eun-bin made her retirement official Tuesday, announcing that the girl group's concert in Taipei in July, marking the 11th anniversary of its debut, will be her final activity as a singer. The 26-year-old first gained public recognition through the survival audition program "Produce 101" before d

CLC

As gender boundaries blur, K-pop experiments beyond traditional boy-girl group formulas

For years, K-pop’s image-building playbook relied heavily on gendered archetypes. Boy groups were often associated with powerful, masculine concepts, while girl groups were expected to emphasize beauty, elegance, femininity or cuteness. That formula, however, appears to be evolving. As audiences become increasingly receptive to gender-fluid fashion and self-expression, a growing number of K-pop acts are challenging traditional expectations surrounding gender presentation. Boy groups such as NCT

NCT

Recognition or sidelining? Reactions mixed as Grammys unveil Asian pop category

The Grammy Awards will add a Best Asian Pop Music Performance category, a move read as recognition of Asian music's global reach after years of criticism that the show favored English-language acts and lagged behind the times. The Recording Academy, which runs the Grammys, announced the rule change on its website Tuesday (local time). The new category takes effect at the 69th Grammy Awards next year, alongside four others — Best Latin Song, Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance, Best R&B Collaboration or Duo/Group Performance and Best Traditional Folk Album. For Korea, the Asian pop category was the most welcome news of the bunch. BTS and other K-pop acts have topped Billboard's main chart and sold out world tours for years, yet the Grammys remained the one stage they could not crack. Because Grammy wins were especially hard to come by, some saw the change as a milestone cracked open by years of persistent knocking from K-pop music. "Now that there is finally a category where K-pop artists can be officially recognized, it opens the door for far more artists to enter the conversation t

BTS

Enhypen to return in August: report

Enhypen will bring out a new album in August, according to a local media report on Thursday. Agency Belift Lab confirmed the timeline but did not provide any details. The upcoming endeavor comes about seven months after the seventh EP “The Sin: Vanish,” which spent ten weeks straight on Billboard 200, peaking at No. 2. The extended play sold over 2 million copies, making it the group's fourth consecutive set to do so. It will also mark the first new music since Evan, formerly known as Heeseung,

ENHYPEN

ENHYPEN returns as 6-member group after major lineup change

After months of speculation following a member's departure, K-pop boy group ENHYPEN is set to make its first comeback as a six-member act. ENHYPEN — Jungwon, Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, Sunoo and Ni-ki — will release a new album in August, marking the group's return to the music scene after seven months. The upcoming release will be ENHYPEN's first since its seventh EP, "THE SIN : VANISH," which came out in January and further cemented the group's global popularity. The comeback is drawing particular attention because it will be the group's first promotional cycle since Heeseung, now known by the stage name EVAN, left the group in March. The lineup change sparked widespread discussion among fans, making the August return one of the most closely watched K-pop comebacks of the second half of the year. ENHYPEN previously achieved its fourth double-million-selling album with "THE SIN : VANISH." The release also spent 10 consecutive weeks on the Billboard 200, Billboard's main albums chart in the United States, underscoring the group's growing international reach. Industry sources said the group

Why K-pop companies are betting on India

As K-pop companies expand into India in search of their next growth engine, veteran songwriter Alex Karlsson believes the country could become one of the world's five largest music markets within a decade — a development that could reshape the trajectory of the Korean music industry. The Swedish American producer, whose songwriting credits include BTS' "We Are Bulletproof: The Eternal," SuperM's "Tiger Inside," Enhypen's "Fever" and Ateez's "Bouncy (K-Hot Chilli Peppers)," said India represents

BTS

ENHYPEN

ATEEZ

U-Know Yunho of TVXQ announces 1st solo concert tour across Asia

U-Know Yunho has been anchoring packed stadium shows for the last 20 years as one-half of the seminal K-pop duo TVXQ!. Now, the veteran K-pop star is stepping into the spotlight entirely on his own, announcing a highly anticipated solo concert tour that signals a new chapter in a remarkably enduring career. His agency, SM Entertainment, unveiled Thursday the itinerary of the tour, titled “U-KNOW PROJECT 26 : SCENE#1.” The announcement immediately ignited a flurry of excitement across social media platforms, underscoring the singer’s continuous draw in an industry notorious for its rapid turnover of talent. The tour is scheduled to open in Seoul with a three-night residency at the Ticketlink Live Arena in Olympic Park from July 17-19. Demonstrating his formidable power as a standalone act, tickets for all three initial dates sold out immediately upon release. Following the Seoul engagement, the 40-year-old artist will embark on a sweeping regional tour across seven major Asian markets. The itinerary includes stops in Macau on Aug. 8, Singapore on Aug. 15, Bangkok on Aug. 29, Taipei

U-Know

TVXQ

BTS expands world tour to 88 shows, adding Jakarta, Bulacan

BTS has added two concerts to its ongoing “BTS WORLD TOUR ‘ARIRANG,’” expanding the trek to a total of 88 performances, the group said through global fan platform Weverse. The newly announced dates include additional shows in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Dec. 29 and in Bulacan, the Philippines, on March 16 next year. The Jakarta stop had originally been scheduled for Dec. 26 and 27 at Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium, but demand prompted organizers to add a third night on Dec. 29, according to the announcement. In Bulacan, the group had been set to perform on March 13 and 14 at Philippine Sports Stadium before adding the March 16 concert. The latest additions continue a series of expanded stops across the tour as BTS draws strong demand in multiple markets. The group previously added one extra performance each in Tampa, Florida; Stanford, California; and Las Vegas in the United States, as well as in Lima, Peru; Santiago, Chile; Buenos Aires, Argentina; and Melbourne, Australia. BTS recently completed its stop at Busan Asiad Main Stadium on Friday and Saturday, performing for approximately

BTS

TWS supports missing children campaign

TWS is pitching in to support a campaign to find missing children, agency Pledis Entertainment said Thursday. The group will use its show, “TWS: Club,” to raise awareness. The show will carry information about children who are missing as well as messages from the group members. The campaign was launched by the National Center for the Rights of the Child. The idea came from Shinyu, who recently appeared on a program about searching for missing children. He said he wanted to find a way to contribu

TWS

Boy group CORTIS' 'RedRed' tops 100 mil. Spotify streams

Rising rookie boy group CORTIS has surpassed 100 million streams on Spotify with its latest hit "RedRed," its agency said Thursday. The track, the lead single from the group's second EP, "GreenGreen," crossed the milestone Tuesday, just 57 days after its release on April 20, according to BigHit Music. With the feat, the quintet became the fastest K-pop boy group that debuted within five years to hit 100 million streams, according to the agency. The group has performed "RedRed" at a range of venues, including university festivals and a street cheering event for the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Seoul's Gwanghwamun Square. Riding the track's popularity, Cortis has sold out all nine dates of the Incheon and North American legs of its first tour, according to the agency. After North America, the group is scheduled to continue the tour in Seoul and Yokohama, Japan, until early September

CORTIS

Cortis’s latest single logs 100m Spotify streams

Cortis garnered 100 million plays on Spotify with “Redred” on Tuesday, according to label Big Hit Music on Thursday. The rookie boy group achieved the feat in 57 days, the fastest time for a song from a boy group that debuted in the past five years, the company said. The quintet has not even been around for a year, but has already amassed 800 million streams on the platform with 13 tracks. “Redred” fronted its second EP “Greengreen,” and the single ranked at No. 94 on Spotify’s Weekly Top Songs

CORTIS

Boy group Cortis' 'RedRed' tops 100 mln Spotify streams

SEOUL, June 18 (Yonhap) -- Rising rookie boy group Cortis has surpassed 100 mill

CORTIS

BTS adds shows to world tour itinerary

BTS is adding one show each to planned stops in Jakarta and Bulacan, Philippines, as part of its ongoing “Arirang” world tour, its label Big Hit Music announced Wednesday. This expands the list of shows to 88, further solidifying the tour as the largest ever for a K-pop group. The Indonesia concert is set for Dec. 26, 27 and 29, and the Bulacan show is slated for March 13, 14 and 16, 2027. BTS starts the European leg of the tour with shows in Madrid on June 26 and 27. The group will next make st

BTS

RIIZE’s “II” Becomes Their 4th Album To Sell 1 Million Copies In 1st Week

RIIZE’s latest album is already a “million seller”! This week, RIIZE made their comeback with their second mini album “II” and its high-energy title track “Do your dance” on June 15. On June 18, less than four days later, Hanteo Chart announced that “II” had already sold over 1 million copies, making it RIIZE’s fourth

RIIZE

Watch: OMEGA X Lets Out “UNCAPPED” Emotions With Long-Awaited Comeback MV

OMEGA X has returned with new music! On June 19 at 12 a.m. KST, the group released their fourth mini album “UNCAPPED” along with the music video for the title track of the same name. Meshing Afrobeat rhythms with energetic EDM, “UNCAPPED” portrays the moment of letting out all the emotions that have been built

Watch: aespa Takes 1st Win For “LEMONADE” On “M Countdown”; Performances By RIIZE, RESCENE, And More

aespa has won their first music show trophy for “LEMONADE”! On the June 18 episode of “M Countdown,” the candidates for first place were BOYNEXTDOOR’s “VIRAL” and aespa’s “LEMONADE.” aespa ultimately took the prize with a total of 6,263 points. Congratulations to aespa! Watch the winner announcement below: Today’s performers included BOYNEXTDOOR, RIIZE, STAYC, BABYMONSTER, MEOVV,

AB6IX’s Jeon Woong Renews Contract With BRANDNEW MUSIC

AB6IX’s Jeon Woong has renewed his contract with BRANDNEW MUSIC! Earlier in May, BRANDNEW MUSIC announced that AB6IX’s group exclusive contract with the agency had come to an end while discussions regarding the members’ individual contracts were still underway. On June 18, the agency revealed that member Jeon Woong has renewed his contract with BRANDNEW

Jeon Woong

AB6IX

LE SSERAFIM’s Kim Chaewon To Resume Activities Following Recovery

LE SSERAFIM’s Kim Chaewon will be resuming her activities! Back in May, Source Music announced that Kim Chaewon would temporarily halt activities due to neck pain and focus on recovery. On June 18, the agency shared an update on her condition, revealing that her condition has improved and that she will resume activities beginning next

LE SSERAFIM

STARSHIP Shares Update On Legal Action Against Malicious Posts Targeting Jang Won Young

STARSHIP Entertainment has shared an update on its ongoing legal action against malicious posts targeting IVE’s Jang Won Young. On June 18, the agency stated that law enforcement authorities have informed the company that investigations related to its ongoing lawsuits are currently underway. The agency revealed that authorities are in the process of obtaining warrants

Wonyoung

IVE

Court Rules Prison Sentence For Creator Of Deepfake Content Targeting aespa

The individual who created and distributed deepfake content targeting aespa has been sentenced to prison. On June 18, SM Entertainment announced that the court had sentenced the perpetrator, identified as A, to two years and six months in prison for creating and selling deepfake videos of Karina and Winter for profit. The Criminal Division 1

Aespa

NMIXX’s Sullyoon To Perform In Limited Capacity At “EPISODE 1: ZERO FRONTIER” In Singapore

NMIXX’s Sullyoon will be temporarily performing seated due to health concerns. On June 18, JYP Entertainment announced Sullyoon had recently visited the hospital due to back pain. According to the agency, Sullyoon “had been advised to avoid strenuous movements, including intense choreography,” and she will remain seated during NMIXX’s upcoming Singapore concert. The announcement follows

Sullyoon

NMIXX

ENHYPEN Announces Summer Comeback

Get ready for ENHYPEN’s return! On June 18, Xportsnews reported that ENHYPEN will be making their first comeback as a six-member group in August. In response to the report, BELIFT LAB confirmed to Dispatch, “ENHYPEN is preparing with the goal of making a comeback in August. We will share detailed information through an official notice.”

ENHYPEN