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Pyo Kyung-min

Korea Times K-Culture Reporter

Stay tuned for Pyo Kyung-min's latest K-pop stories, where she digs into the backstories that matter. She’d love to hear from you — share your thoughts at pzzang@koreatimes.co.kr. After all, every article gets better with insights from those who love the scene, just like she does!

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K-pop

Comebacks flood April in packed K-pop calendar

The K-pop industry is moving at full speed in the first half of 2026, with little room to slow down. February was anchored by the 2026 Winter Olympics and high-profile activities from BLACKPINK, one of the genre’s most dominant names. In March, BTS followed, reclaiming the spotlight with its fifth full-length album and a landmark concert at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul. The calendar only gets tighter from here. June will be packed with Korea’s nationwide local elections and the FIFA World Cup in North America. With global attention already divided across major events, April has emerged as the industry’s last open runway, with idol groups and soloists stacking their releases into a single, high-stakes window. One of the most anticipated returns is that of five-member boy group TOMORROW X TOGETHER (TXT), who is set to drop its eighth mini-album, “7TH YEAR: A Moment of Stillness in the Thorns,” on April 13. The project marks the group’s first release following contract renewals with BigHit Music and signals a turning point as they move into what is being framed as their

Mar 28, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
Comebacks flood April in packed K-pop calendar
K-pop

Trial opens for Ador's damage suit against former NewJeans member, ex-CEO

A trial for the damage suit filed by Ador, a subsidiary of K-pop giant HYBE Labels, against former NewJeans member Danielle and former Ador CEO Min Hee-jin opened on Thursday, showing no end in sight for the dispute that began in 2024. In December last year, Ador filed the damage suit against the idol, her mother and the label's former CEO, claiming 43.1 billion won ($28.6 mil.) in compensation for causing delay to the resumption of NewJeans' activities. At the preliminary hearing held at the Seoul Central District Court on Thursday, legal representatives of the label and the idol clashed over the pace of the proceedings. "Danielle is an idol, and this is the most brilliant period of her career," her legal representatives said accusing Ador of dragging out the case, also pointing to the inclusion of Danielle's mother in the suit. "If this lawsuit is drawn out, she (Danielle) will inevitably suffer harm. Ador, as an entertainment agency, knows this well." Ador's legal team rejected the characterization, arguing that the lawsuit concerned damages and penalties only and had no bearing on Da

Mar 26, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
Trial opens for Ador's damage suit against former NewJeans member, ex-CEO
K-pop

Baby DONT Cry bottles youthful heartache on 1st mini-album 'AFTER CRY'

Less than a year after its debut, rookie K-pop girl group Baby DONT Cry is stepping into its next chapter, Tuesday, with the reflective single "Bittersweet," fronting its new first mini album, "AFTER CRY." The group, made up of Yihyun, Kumi, Mia and Beni, introduced the new release during a media showcase at Blue Square’s Woori WON Banking Hall in Seoul’s Yongsan District, Tuesday. Despite the group's rookie status, the members led the event with unexpected energy and polish, moving seamlessly through their live performances and media interactions without visible nerves. “This is our first official comeback since ‘I Don’t Care’, and also our first mini album,” Beni said. “We prepared really hard because we wanted to surprise our fans and everyone who has been watching us.” "AFTER CRY" opens what the group describes as a larger “tears trilogy” that will unfold across future releases. A previously unveiled trailer video, titled "The Story Begins Here," teased the narrative arc with the phrases “Chapter 1. AFTER CRY,” “Chapter 2. WE BLOOM,” and “Chapter 3. B

Mar 24, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
Baby DONT Cry bottles youthful heartache on 1st mini-album 'AFTER CRY'
K-pop

Why more K-pop fans are turning to Samsung to capture concert moments

As dusk fell over Gwanghwamun Square last Saturday night, the crowd moved in rippling waves of purple, all gathering to celebrate the return of global K-pop giant BTS to the stage. Thousands of smartphones were raised toward the stage, their cameras zooming in on the BTS members even before the first note rang out. In today’s K-pop concert landscape, capturing the moment has become nearly as important as experiencing it. For many fans, filming a performance has turned more into a carefully planned mission than a spontaneous decision. That mission is now shaped as much by technology as by the fandom itself. Samsung’s Galaxy Ultra series has emerged as a favorite among a segment of K-pop concertgoers and using the newly released Galaxy S26 Ultra during BTS' recent Gwanghwamun show offered an insight to why. At first glance, the device’s overall video quality did not feel radically different from footage captured on the latest iPhone models. Colors appeared vivid without looking overly processed and baseline sharpness under bright stage lighting felt broadly comparable. Concerts, howeve

Mar 24, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
Why more K-pop fans are turning to Samsung to capture concert moments
K-pop

ITZY’s Yuna scoops up sweet new chapter with solo debut ‘Ice Cream’

K-pop girl group ITZY's youngest, Yuna, is stepping into a new, solo spotlight — one that feels both familiar and entirely her own. The 22-year-old singer debuted her first individual album, “Ice Cream,” Monday, offering fans a spring-ready introduction to her solo identity. Though still one of K-pop’s youngest breakout figures, Yuna is already entering her seventh year since debuting with ITZY. Following leader Yeji's earlier solo turn, Yuna now seeks to transform her radiant visuals that first defined her into a more personal musical narrative. Speaking to reporters at a hotel in Seoul just hours before the album release, the singer arrived in a white mini dress that mirrored the record’s airy mood. The setting felt calm, but her emotions were anything but. “I feel as nervous as I did when I first debuted with ITZY, but just as excited,” Yuna said. “There’s definitely pressure because it’s my first solo after seven years. I want to do well. Watching Yeji handle her solo so confidently inspired me in a positive way and pushed me to prepare even harder.” Preparing a

Mar 23, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
ITZY’s Yuna scoops up sweet new chapter with solo debut ‘Ice Cream’
K-pop

BTS flexes K-pop dominance with historic Gwanghwamun comeback show

Superstar group BTS wrapped up its long-awaited comeback concert at Gwanghwamun Square Saturday evening, transforming one of the capital’s most historic landmarks into an open-air K-pop stage. The performance, titled “BTS COMEBACK LIVE: ARIRANG,” marked the group’s first full-member concert in three years and five months, coming a day after the release of its fifth studio album, “ARIRANG.” The timing gave the show an added jolt of urgency, as fans arrived eager to become the first to witness the new material go live. The single-night show unfolded against the illuminated facade of Gwanghwamun gate, where large-scale projection mapping and synchronized lighting effects turned the landmark into a dynamic concert backdrop, seen through the picture frame-like stage structure. Staging a comeback at one of Seoul’s most symbolically charged public spaces underscored the themes of identity, origin and renewal that run through BTS' new album. The choice also amplified the group’s long-standing narrative of representing Korean culture on a global stage, now brought back to a histor

Mar 21, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
BTS flexes K-pop dominance with historic Gwanghwamun comeback show
K-pop

Fans elated despite big-city exhaustion just hours ahead of BTS’ Gwanghwamun show

Hours before BTS is set to take the stage at Gwanghwamun Square, central Seoul, it had already begun to feel less like a city center and more like a vast, improvised fan village. By Saturday afternoon, sidewalks, subway exits and café terraces surrounding the plaza were packed with fans of BTS — known as ARMY — from across Korea and overseas. Some leaned against barricades scrolling through streaming apps, while others clustered beneath roadside trees, sharing snacks and swapping travel stories while keeping a constant eye on the vastly expanding crowd. The mood was a mix of fatigue and excitement — a familiar paradox for fans who had traveled long distances for a rare chance to witness the group up close. “There are so many people here which makes it quite exhausting, but we’re planning to stay here until the concert starts at 8 p.m.,” said Han Hee-young, 20, who had arrived early with her friend Sugdiyona, 19, from Uzbekistan. The two stood out in the throng with purple balloons and ice-cream cones — the symbolic color of the group — purchased from a nearby café, smal

Mar 21, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
Fans elated despite big-city exhaustion just hours ahead of BTS’ Gwanghwamun show
K-pop

It's the day! D-Day arrives for BTS Gwanghwamun comeback concert

Intense anticipation continues to grow in Seoul on Saturday as the countdown enters its final hours for BTS’ full-group comeback performance at Gwanghwamun Square, with a massive crowd expected to gather in the Korean capital for the landmark event. The free outdoor concert, scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. and run for approximately one hour, is being staged to celebrate the release of the group’s fifth full-length album, “ARIRANG,” which dropped Friday. The performance will mark BTS’ first major stage in Korea as a complete seven-member act since completing mandatory military service. Authorities estimate that as many as 260,000 visitors could converge on the Gwanghwamun and City Hall area throughout the day. From early morning, fans from across Korea and overseas have begun filling nearby hotels, cafes and tourist sites, lending a festive energy to central Seoul. With a global livestream through Netflix also planned, the concert is expected to reach millions of viewers worldwide. As anticipation builds toward showtime, the Gwanghwamun stage is poised to host one of the most close

Mar 21, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
It's the day! D-Day arrives for BTS Gwanghwamun comeback concert
K-pop

Different passports, same pulse: ARMY counts down the minutes to BTS show in Seoul

Anticipation has peaked across Seoul. From subway platforms to cafe-lined streets, signs of K-pop juggernaut BTS’ impending Gwanghwamun Square performance and its vast global impact are increasingly visible throughout the capital. Light sticks protrude from backpacks, flashes of merchandise are seen as people weave through pedestrian traffic and clusters of overseas visitors move between landmarks that have taken on new symbolic meaning for the group’s worldwide fandom, called ARMY. Although the concert has yet to begin, its influence is already reshaping the city’s atmosphere, transforming central Seoul into a gathering point for a transnational community. Fans from across continents have arrived in steady waves, many describing the trip as the culmination of years of anticipation. “I became a fan during the pandemic,” said Rashika, who flew in from California and headed directly to Gwanghwamun after landing Thursday. “We followed all their solo releases, but seeing them together again feels completely different. It feels like a moment I've been waiting for.” At Gwanghwamun

Mar 20, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
Different passports, same pulse: ARMY counts down the minutes to BTS show in Seoul
K-pop

BTS revisits roots, swims forward on new album 'ARIRANG'

K-pop juggernaut BTS has released its fifth full-length album, “ARIRANG,” marking the group’s first studio project together in nearly four years and signaling what the members describe as the start of a new chapter, “BTS 2.0.” The 14-track record follows the 2022 anthology album “Proof” and was shaped through extended songwriting sessions involving all seven members. Part of that work took place in Los Angeles, where dozens of demo tracks were developed and refined. Built around themes of identity, growth and shared experience, “ARIRANG” is framed by the group as a reflection of BTS' identity today. The title draws from the Korean folk song long associated with longing and resilience, an idea the band said it aimed to reinterpret in a contemporary pop context. Following the release, BTS is set to begin major promotional activities, including a large-scale comeback performance at Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square that will be livestreamed globally through Netflix. Roots, risk, sound of return Yet promotional scale alone does not explain what “ARIRANG” is trying to do. After

Mar 20, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
BTS revisits roots, swims forward on new album 'ARIRANG'
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