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K-pop leaders face reckoning amid global window of opportunity
As K-pop braces for what could be a golden time of global resurgence — fueled by the highly anticipated return of BTS and Blackpink — its biggest threat may not be foreign competition, but the moguls within. All heads of the so-called “big four” K-pop agencies, aside from JYP Entertainment’s Park Jin-young are currently embroiled in a legal case. Bang under IPO probe The most headline-grabbing figure is Hybe Chairman Bang Si-hyuk. Despite his limited public appearances, Bang continues to attract
July 8, 2025 -
Illit’s Japan fan concerts sell out
Illit will open more seats for fan concerts in Japan after all tickets sold out, according to agency Belift Lab on Tuesday. The quintet is hosting fan concerts under the banner of “Glitter Day” in Yokohama and Osaka on Aug. 10-11 and Sept. 3-4, respectively, and tickets for all four events sold out. The band and agency have decided to accommodate more fans by selling additional seats from Wednesday. Tickets for two Seoul fan concerts held last month also sold out. The group has yet to officially
July 8, 2025 -
Mongdoll to collaborate with Indian band Trance Effect
Korean rock band Mongdoll is teaming up with India's Trance Effect on a fresh new collaboration. Their single “Fighting” will be released at 6 p.m. on July 23 through major online music platforms. This marks the first-ever official project between a Korean rock band and an Indian rock band, giving it special significance. Mongdoll and Trance Effect, rooted in different cultural backgrounds, have joined forces to deliver a cross-border message of positivity and solidarity. “Fighting” combines bri
July 8, 2025 -
Seventeen’s Hoshi, Woozi to enlist in September
Hoshi and Woozi of Seventeen are slated to start serving their mandatory military service in mid-September, their agency Pledis Entertainment said Tuesday. Woozi will enlist on Sept. 15 and Hoshi on the following day; and both as active-duty soldiers in the Army. They will be the third and fourth members of the band to enlist, after Junghan and Wonwoo. The two same-aged bandmates teamed up as a subunit in March and brought out single album “Beam” fronted by “96ers.” The duo will kick off its fir
July 8, 2025 -
EXO’s D.O. tops iTunes chart in 20 regions with 1st solo LP
Doh Kyungsoo, also known as D.O. of EXO, claimed the No. 1 spot on the iTunes Top Albums Chart in 20 regions with his first solo full album, his agency Company Soosoo said Tuesday. He rolled out the 10-track LP “Bliss” on Monday and focus track “Sing Along!” topped the iTunes Top Songs Chart in 10 regions. The singer co-wrote the words for the lead single written and produced by fellow musician and close friend Zico. On July 19-20, he will host a live show in Seoul before he begins touring Asia.
July 8, 2025 -
TWS tops Oricon chart, sets sales record
Boy band TWS sat atop Oricon’s Weekly Single Ranking with its debut single in the country, according to the chart published Tuesday. Single “Nice to see you again” notched the top spot selling about 150,000 copies in the first week, a record for an international artist this year. The six-piece act is the first non-Japanese singer to top the chart this year as well. The new single is its second endeavor to top the weekly chart, after its first single in Korea “Last Bell,” and also hit Daily Singl
July 8, 2025 -
YG Entertainment offers refunds for seats with obstructed view at Blackpink concerts
YG Entertainment on Monday issued an apology following backlash over obstructed-view seats at Blackpink’s “Deadline” world tour concerts in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, promising refunds for affected audience members. “We sincerely apologize to those who experienced difficulty viewing the stage from the N3 section during Blackpink’s concert over the weekend,” YG Entertainment said. “A console was installed in front of the section, so we added an extended LED screen in an effort to improve the view
July 7, 2025 -
The Boyz to return as 10-member act, with 10th EP
The Boyz is set to bring out its 10th EP “a;effect” on July 28, its agency One Hundred announced Monday. A teaser video hinted that the upcoming release will be full of youthful energy, showing the members having a good time, riding bicycles and being silly in the rain. The EP comes only about four months since its third studio album “Unexpected.” The album, its first endeavor since it signed with One Hundred, sold over 740,000 copies in the first week, a record for the band. The new EP will mar
July 7, 2025 -
My Chemical Romance to return to Korea for the first time in 18 years
Emo rock legends My Chemical Romance are finally making their long-awaited return to South Korea, nearly two decades after their first and only performance in the country. The band is set to hold a one-night-only concert on April 18, 2026, at Culture Park in Paradise City, Incheon. This marks the band's first concert in Korea since the show in 2008. The upcoming concert is part of the band's new world tour "Long Live The Black Parade," which kicks off in the US on Friday. The band will visit 27
July 7, 2025 -
Blackpink fans upset over blocked views at concert
Blackpink’s long-awaited reunion lit up the stage for the group's new world tour under the banner “Deadline” over the weekend, but for some fans, excitement quickly turned to frustration, as blocked views left them unable to see the show they were attending. Concertgoers took to social media to vent frustration over severely obstructed views during performances on Saturday and Sunday at Goyang Sports Complex in Gyeonggi Province. “There’s no point in writing a review. You just can’t see anything
July 7, 2025 -
Jeon Somi shows matures side with new single ‘Extra’
Jeon Somi discussed her new digital single “Extra” through agency The Black Label on Monday. “After you listen to this song, you will be able to see what music I want to deliver and which way I am headed,” the artist said. The lyrics sing of love, but the music video captures a wider range of moments from regular life, including feelings of loneliness, she mused. She added that although the set was minimal, the results speak volumes. The performer appears to have taken a sharp turn from her upbe
July 7, 2025 -
BTS' 'Dynamite' among most streamed via Apple Music in last decade
BTS claimed the highest spot for a K-pop artist on the list of most-played songs via Apple Music with “Dynamite.” The music platform published its list of the 500 songs streamed the most over the past decade in celebration of its 10-year history. The K-pop phenom’s 2020 smash hit ranked No. 34. The single was the first K-pop song to be listed among top five on Apple Music’s Top 100: Global chart. With “Dynamite,” BTS' first English-language single, the septet scored a series of chart successes.
July 7, 2025 -
Infinite’s Nam Woohyun to drop 5th solo EP
Nam Woohyun of Infinite is slated to return with his fifth solo EP on July 30, agency Billions Entertainment announced Monday. The soon-to-be-released project is titled “Tree Ring,” a nod to the singer’s nickname, Tree, and his official fandom community, Tree World. The album comes about 10 months since his third solo digital single, “Boyfriend,” and almost two years after his first full solo album, “Whitree.” Meanwhile, the singer and songwriter is set to appear on Taiwanese reality show “Secre
July 7, 2025 -
Why YG Entertainment needs a breakthrough group – now more than ever
YG Entertainment, once home to Korea’s most influential K-pop groups, is under mounting pressure to develop its next major intellectual property. While the company remains one of the so-called "Big Four" K-pop agencies — alongside SM, JYP and Hybe — it has yet to introduce a new act that rivals the global dominance of its legacy stars. The last truly game-changing group YG Entertainment debuted was Blackpink, nearly a decade ago in 2016. Since then, it has launched Treasure in 2020 and Babymonst
July 6, 2025 -
Saja Boys top Spotify US chart with 'Your Idol'
Soundtracks of 'KPop Demon Hunters' rises on global charts Saja Boys, a fictional boy band from Netflix’s K-pop animation “KPop Demon Hunters,” has topped the US Spotify chart. According to Spotify on Saturday, “Your Idol,” performed by Saja Boys for the film’s original soundtrack, reached No. 1 on the platform’s Daily Top Songs chart in the US. Only three K-pop tracks have previously reached the top spot on Spotify’s US chart: BTS Jungkook’s “Seven,” BTS Jimin’s “Who,” and Blackpink Rose’s “APT
July 5, 2025