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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

BABYMONSTER wraps up 3 explosive nights of sold-out shows in Seoul to kick off 2nd world tour

K-pop girl group BABYMONSTER closed out a three-night homecoming run at Jamsil Indoor Stadium in Seoul, Sunday, capping the Seoul leg of its second world tour, "CHOOM," and leaving little doubt that this is a group built for live performance. The world tour will take the group across five continents, including its first-ever visits to Oceania, Europe and South America in addition to previously covered Asia and North America. So far, 18 cities and 29 shows have been announced, a sharp expansion from the group's first world tour, "HELLO MONSTERS," last year. The stadium was packed Sunday evening, the last of the three-day run, with fans who came specifically to hear the thing that separates BABYMONSTER from its peers — vocals that hold up completely unguarded, live. The show opened with the volume cranked on the group's latest single, "SUGAR HONEY ICE TEA," and the screaming started before the first chorus hit. Members Ruka, Pharita, Asa, Ahyeon, Rora and Chiquita opened with the hip-hop track "WE GO UP," handheld mics up, vocals exposed with nothing to hide behind. Member Rami, who has

Jun 28, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
BABYMONSTER wraps up 3 explosive nights of sold-out shows in Seoul to kick off 2nd world tour
People & Events

For KOFICE chief, MyK FESTA goes beyond K-pop

For Park Chang-sik, president of the Korea Foundation for International Cultural Exchange (KOFICE), a public institution under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism tasked with promoting two-way cultural exchange between Korea and the world, the 2026 MyK FESTA is not just a concert. It's an experiment in turning the K-pop fandom into a sustainable, two-way cultural economy. Now in its second year, MyK FESTA is a four-day K-culture festival combining K-pop concerts, business showcases and exhibitions, running from June 25-28 at KINTEX and SONO Calm GOYANG in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. Organized by KOFICE and hosted by the culture ministry, the event brings together top K-pop acts, hundreds of Korean lifestyle and content companies and international buyers under one roof, free of charge. "This is the second year, and the scale has grown considerably compared to last year. The number of buyers, participating artists, B2C (business-to-consumer) and B2B (business-to-business) partners has all expanded significantly," Park said in an interview with The Korea Times at the foundation's he

Jun 24, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
For KOFICE chief, MyK FESTA goes beyond K-pop
K-pop

Indie musician ALEPH on making music in K-pop's shadow

Ask singer-songwriter ALEPH where he writes his songs. He will not point you toward a studio. He will point you toward his bed. "This is my office and my home," the singer-songwriter said, sitting in the apartment that doubles as both, during an exclusive interview with The Korea Times in Seoul's Mapo District, Friday. A producer's studio sits nearby for arrangement and mixing, but the songs themselves are born here, in the same room where he sleeps and eats and, on good days, picks up a guitar because something in him says it is time. "I pick up the guitar, fool around with it, and if a melody comes out, I sketch it. On a good day, I finish the whole thing right here, then bring it to the studio." ALEPH, whose real name is Lee Jeong-jae, debuted in 2017 as part of a duo before the project became a solo act in 2019. Raised between China and the United States before returning to Korea for military service, he has spent the years since building a catalog that moves easily between folk, pop, rock and R&B, including the EPs "Hwaehwae" (2020) and "Forest of Tigers" (2021), and the single "Nig

Jun 24, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
Indie musician ALEPH on making music in K-pop's shadow
Arts & Theater

Razzle-dazzle from Seoul to Broadway as Ivy lands lead in 'Chicago'

Musical actor and singer Ivy, 43, is taking her signature role across the Pacific. After 15 years owning the part of Roxie Hart in the Korean production of "Chicago," she will make her Broadway debut in the role this August. "Chicago" is the longest-running American musical in Broadway history, having won Tonies in six categories, including Best Revival of a Musical in 1997. Set in 1920s Chicago, the show satirizes the era's justice system and a culture obsessed with fame. The story follows Roxie Hart, a woman imprisoned for killing her lover, and Velma Kelly, who is locked up for murdering her unfaithful husband and her sister. In Korea, the musical has been staged regularly since Seensee Company's original 2000 production. Ivy holds the record for the longest run as Roxie Hart in a Korean production — an experience she will bring with her to the Ambassador Theatre in New York from Aug. 17 to Sept. 7. Since first taking the stage in 2012, she has performed the role in nearly 600 shows, a run that helped transform her public image from singer to leading musical theater actor. Landing t

Jun 23, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
Razzle-dazzle from Seoul to Broadway as Ivy lands lead in 'Chicago'
K-pop

Hearts2Hearts projects full summer energy with new release 'Lemon Tang'

K-pop girl group Hearts2Hearts is officially in its summer era. SM Entertainment's buzzy rookie group dropped its new minialbum "Lemon Tang" Monday, ready to take over summer playlists with a sound as sweet and tangy as the title suggests. The eight-member group debuted in February 2025 and has been racking up hits ever since, channeling the same girlish, slightly mysterious charm that made label seniors Girls' Generation and f(x) icons, this time through tracks like "The Chase," "STYLE" and "FOCUS." Then came "RUDE!" in February. Powered by its fizzy production and a scene-stealing part from member Stella, the single turned into a global hit. Just hours before "Lemon Tang" dropped, all eight members — Jiwoo, Carmen, Yuha, Stella, Juun, A-na, Ian and Ye-on — sat down with press at Blue Square in Yongsan District, Seoul, all smiles about following up the success of "RUDE!" "I'm still so thankful for how much love 'RUDE!' got. The first half of this year was a lot, but a good kind of a lot," Stella said. "Hitting our goal of topping the rookie charts last year meant everything. I really

Jun 22, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
Hearts2Hearts projects full summer energy with new release 'Lemon Tang'
K-pop

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

Jun 18, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
Recognition or sidelining? Reactions mixed as Grammys unveil Asian pop category
K-pop

USPEER returns with revamped lineup on 1st mini album

Rookie K-pop girl group USPEER dropped its first mini album, "BITE DISTRICT," Wednesday, about a year after debuting with "SPEED ZONE." The six-member group — Soee, Sian, Seoyu, Daon, Chaena and Roa — met with press just hours before the release at Myeonghwa Live Hall in Yeongdeungpo District, southern Seoul, to talk about the new album and behind-the-scenes stories. "It's been a year, so this feels less like a comeback and more like a redebut," Chaena said. "We worked hard to show a different side of ourselves that fits the new concept." "I want to thank everyone who waited for us," Daon said. "I'm excited and a little nervous." The girl group debuted last June as a septet, but the lineup changed to six in May when the group's former leader, Yeowon, left the team. Agency MW Entertainment said Yeowon had been taking time to rest and recover since the second half of last year, and the two sides agreed she would end her activities with USPEER. "Yeowon left for personal reasons," Sian said. "I was elected leader right after she stepped down, and it was difficult at first. I thought that

Jun 17, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
USPEER returns with revamped lineup on 1st mini album
K-pop

Former Le Sserafim member Kim Ga-ram pursues acting career

Kim Ga-ram, who departed girl group Le Sserafim four years ago amid school bullying allegations, is pursuing an acting career. According to Management Koo, it has signed an exclusive contract with Kim, who aspires to become an actor. “We have watched Kim’s YouTube activities and were deeply impressed by her sincere attitude and potential as an actor,” the agency said in a statement. “Her relentless daily efforts toward her dream played a major role in our decision.” Kim, 21, debuted as a member of Le Sserafim in May 2022 but suspended activities two weeks later after school bullying allegations surfaced. A school violence review committee found her to have been a perpetrator and issued a Level 5 disciplinary measure, which required the student to complete a special disciplinary program geared toward correcting violent behavior. Kim left the group in July 2022, and her contract with her then-agency Source Music, under HYBE Labels, was terminated. Management Koo said Kim has been training to sharpen her acting skills and has shown notable growth in a short period. It added that sh

Jun 17, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
Former Le Sserafim member Kim Ga-ram pursues acting career
K-pop

Seoul 'melting pot' for global music talent, says producer behind BTS hits

A Swedish music producer who has worked with the biggest names in K-pop — BTS, SuperM, Tomorrow X Together, ENHYPEN, LE SSERAFIM and ATEEZ — said Seoul has become a "global melting pot" for music talent, surpassing creative hubs like Stockholm and Los Angeles, as top songwriters worldwide increasingly look to Korea for the best opportunities. "I saw an opportunity that seemed more impactful by coming to Seoul rather than going to the States, and not by a small margin," Alex Karlsson said at a music industry conference hosted by the French Embassy in Seoul, June 8. Karlsson was speaking at "From K-pop to Global Pop: Rethinking Music Without Borders," the opening panel of "Fête de la Musique+ 2026," a Korea-France cultural exchange event held in Seoul. For Karlsson, Korea's appeal as a creative base comes down to access and structure. He said the country draws top-tier global talent at a scale unmatched by European music hubs, while its systemized approach to music production offers a creative framework he finds valuable rather than limiting. "Koreans love their systems, and I think t

Jun 16, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
Seoul 'melting pot' for global music talent, says producer behind BTS hits
Foreign Affairs

Lee meets pope

President Lee Jae Myung shakes hands with Pope Leo XIV at the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City, Monday (local time). During their private meeting, Lee formally asked the pope to visit North Korea during his expected trip to Seoul for World Youth Day in August 2027, urging the Catholic Church to play a role in advancing peace on the Korean Peninsula. The Holy See reaffirmed its unwavering support for inter-Korean peace efforts. Courtesy of Vatican Media

Jun 15, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
Lee meets pope
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