The Korea Times

How house music is reclaiming its place in K-pop

As K-pop continues to move away from maximalist, drop-driven electronic dance music (EDM), house music is reasserting itself as an identity-shaping aesthetic and sound. The shift has become more visible in recent months as rookie acts KiiiKiii and Hearts2Hearts, both of which debuted early last year, placed house at the center of their musical direction. Their releases have fueled renewed discussion among industry watchers that house is once again gaining momentum in K-pop, not as a novelty, but as a familiar and adaptable framework. House music emerged from Chicago’s club scene in the 1980s and is defined by a steady four-on-the-floor kick drum, repetitive rhythmic patterns and restrained melodic structures. Rather than relying on dramatic drops, the genre prioritizes groove and continuity, often producing a sleek, urban atmosphere. These qualities have long made house well suited to K-pop, a form that depends on the close integration of music, choreography and visual concept. In recent years, house’s presence within K-pop has become both more visible and flexible. Variations often

Feb 9, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min

K-pop

BTS to open reservations for free Gwanghwamun concert on Feb. 23

Ticketing details have been released for K-pop powerhouse BTS' long-awaited comeback concert at Seoul's Gwanghwamun Square, as the group prepares to reunite as a full septet for the first time in nearly four years. The free outdoor show, titled "BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE : ARIRANG," will be open to the public through two channels — general ticket reservations and a separate Weverse-based global fan lottery — according to global fan platform Weverse on Monday. General tickets will be available beginning at 8 p.m. on Feb. 23 through NOL Ticket, the Korean ticketing service handling the event. The service offers both Korean and international interfaces — the latter known as NOL World — and accepts major international credit cards, allowing overseas visitors to participate in the booking process. Full booking instructions will be released at noon on Feb. 20 via Weverse and NOL Ticket. A Weverse Global raffle will also be held exclusively for members of the official BTS fandom, ARMY, who purchase BTS' upcoming album during the designated entry period. The raffle is open to all purchasers,

Feb 9, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min

BTS to open reservations for free Gwanghwamun concert on Feb. 23

K-pop

ATEEZ injects 'Adrenaline' into 4th 'GOLDEN HOUR' release

Performance-driven K-pop boy group ATEEZ is set to return with a boost of "Adrenaline" this Friday, aiming to sustain its momentum as one of K-pop's most globally visible acts with its 13th mini album, "GOLDEN HOUR : Part.4." ATEEZ debuted in October 2018 under then-relatively unknown agency KQ Entertainment. The eight-member group — Seonghwa, Hongjoong, Yunho, Yeosang, San, Mingi, Wooyoung and Jongho — has built its reputation on performance-centric, high-intensity music, gaining attention through tracks such as "Crazy Form," "BOUNCY (K-HOT CHILI PEPPERS)" and "Work." The group's global growth was particularly visible in 2025. Title tracks "Lemon Drop" and "In Your Fantasy," from "GOLDEN HOUR : Part.3" and its follow-up "In Your Fantasy" edition, entered the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 69 and 68, respectively. The group also appeared in five categories on Billboard's 2025 year-end charts. The group also recently completed its 2025 world tour, "IN YOUR FANTASY," which began in Incheon before traveling to 12 cities in North America and three in Japan. The tour will continue in 2026 acro

Feb 5, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min

ATEEZ injects 'Adrenaline' into 4th 'GOLDEN HOUR' release

K-pop

K-pop concert ticket prices hit new highs, testing fan tolerance

How much is too much to pay to see a K-pop artist in person? Across K-pop, the cost of attending a concert has risen steadily, reshaping what it means to participate in the fandom. What was once an expensive but attainable experience is increasingly slipping out of reach for many, as ticket prices climb faster than rising production costs alone can justify. That tension became visible again last year, when ticket sales opened for boy band ENHYPEN’s world tour finale, “WALK THE LINE : FINAL.” At the October concert, seats in the Sound Check tier — premium packages that included access to the artist’s sound check ahead of the actual show — were priced at 220,000 won ($157 at the time). The M&G tier, which offered brief in-person greetings with members before or after the show, was set at 253,000 won, while general admission cost 165,000 won. Compared with the group’s 2024 concerts, M&G prices rose by 27 percent, while Sound Check and general seats increased by around 11 percent, well above average inflation rates, even taking into account the broader surge in consumer prices.

Feb 5, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min

K-pop

Why K-pop feels engineered: New book breaks down system behind global phenomenon

Like many other things in Korea, K-pop rarely pauses to explain itself. New groups debut, concepts cycle, controversies surface and fade. The industry absorbs the moment, recalibrates and quickly moves on. That forward momentum has long been part of its appeal. It is also what makes the system difficult to read from the outside. However, beneath the choreography and camera-ready polish, a quieter question persists: Why does K-pop feel so engineered, not just in sound or style, but in how its artists are trained, presented and sustained over time? That question sits at the center of "Almost Everything You Need to Know About K-pop," a new book by Choi Jung-kiu, published in Korea last December. Positioned as a cultural primer, the book breaks K-pop into its working parts, grounding its analysis in concrete examples drawn from active idol groups, recent releases and everyday industry practice. Rather than treating K-pop as a trend-driven genre or a series of isolated successes, Choi frames it as a system shaped over time, one in which training, production, performance, technology and fandom

Feb 4, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min

K-pop

Fromis_9 tightens focus at Seoul encore concert, signals new chapter as quintet

K-pop girl group fromis_9 may now be smaller in number, but the team feels more focused than ever. That clarity defined the encore show of "[NOW TOMORROW.]," a concert that framed the girl group's current identity while signaling where it hopes to head next. The Seoul leg of the "2025-26 fromis_9 WORLD TOUR ENCORE [NOW TOMORROW.]" was held Friday to Sunday at Hwajeong Gymnasium at Korea University in Seoul's Seongbuk District. The encore followed a world tour that covered 11 cities, including stops in the United States, Tokyo and Taipei, and served as the tour's final chapter across three nights in Seoul. The five fromis_9 members — Song Ha-young, Park Ji-won, Lee Chae-young, Lee Na-gyung and Baek Ji-heon — opened the night in coordinated white outfits, returning to a Seoul stage for the first time in six months. After opeing the night with string of hits, including "WE GO," "Supersonic" and "Stay This Way," fromis_9 greeted a crowd that included both longtime fans and first-time attendees, easing quickly into a familiar rapport. Lee Chae-young admitted she felt "a bit emotional," no

Feb 2, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min

Fromis_9 tightens focus at Seoul encore concert, signals new chapter as quintet

K-pop

K-pop earns 1st Grammy award, yet major category win remains elusive

Despite missing out on the four major General Field prizes, this year’s 68th Grammy Awards marked a watershed moment for K-pop, as the genre celebrated its first-ever Grammy win. “Golden,” the breakout track from Netflix’s hit animated film “KPop Demon Hunters,” won Best Song Written for Visual Media at the Grammys’ Premiere Ceremony, held just hours before the official event at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Sunday (local time). The award, presented to songwriters for music created for visual media, went to EJAE, Teddy Park, 24 and IDO, making them the first K-pop figures to receive a Grammy. Among the ceremony’s top categories, “Golden” and “APT.,” a collaboration between BLACKPINK’s Rosé and U.S. pop star Bruno Mars, were nominated for Song of the Year, with “APT.” also receiving a Record of the Year nod, but neither secured a General Field win. Song of the Year went to Billie Eilish for “Wildflower,” recognizing the songwriting team behind the track, while Record of the Year was awarded to Kendrick Lamar and SZA for “Luther.” Album of the Yea

Feb 2, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min

K-pop

Why Singapore is betting on K-pop to drive tourism

SINGAPORE — On a lively weekend afternoon beneath Marina Bay Sands, there is no stage, no spotlight and no audience in the conventional sense. Still, familiar music fills the underground concourse. A group of teenage girls moves in sync to rookie K-pop girl group Hearts2Hearts’ “Focus,” counting beats under their breath. A few meters away, another dance team rehearses choreography to TWICE’s “Feel Special,” adjusting their formation as shoppers pass by. No one appears surprised. Scenes like this now unfold routinely across Singapore, not only in landmark spaces but near everyday malls and underground transit corridors. During a recent visit, pop-up stores dedicated to K-pop operated by major Korean labels like SM Entertainment appeared alongside cafes, fashion and lifestyle brand stores, drawing steady foot traffic. What emerges here is not a city hosting a temporary cultural event, but one in which K-pop has settled into daily life. As that presence becomes more visible across shared urban spaces, it has also begun to shape how Singapore positions itself as a destination

Jan 30, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min

K-pop

Can K-pop finally break through at Grammy Awards?

With the 68th Grammy Awards days away, anticipation is building over whether K-pop can finally break through at the ceremony where the genre has yet to secure a win, despite years of nominations and growing influence. Set for Sunday at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, the awards feature K-pop artists nominated across multiple categories. Leading the charge is "Golden," the breakout track from Netflix’s smash hit animated film "KPop Demon Hunters," nominated for Song of the Year, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Song Written for Visual Media. A remix of "Golden" by French DJ David Guetta is nominated for Best Remixed Recording, while the film's entire soundtrack is up for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media, bringing the project’s total to five Grammy nods. Rosé of K-pop girl group BLACKPINK is also in the spotlight for "APT.," her collaborative track with pop star Bruno Mars. The song earned nominations for Song of the Year, Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, placing it in direct competition with "Golden" in two categories. HYBE Labels' global gir

Jan 29, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min

K-pop

Min Hee-jin denies poaching allegations, says NewJeans tampering claim was stock scheme by outsiders

Former Ador CEO Min Hee-jin’s legal team on Wednesday denied allegations that she was involved in efforts to lure NewJeans away from their agency, arguing that the so-called “tampering” claims stem from actions taken by a family member of one of the members and an outside businessperson. Speaking at a press conference in Seoul’s Jongno District, attorney Kim Sun-woong of law firm Ji-Am addressed the media on Min’s behalf. He said Min was not able to attend due to psychological stress caused by the ongoing dispute. Kim emphasized that the purpose of the event was to clarify what he called the “truth and essence” of the poaching allegations, which are tied to lawsuits filed by Ador against Min. According to Kim, the allegations do not involve Min, but instead center on “a public scheme” carried out by the uncle of one NewJeans member and a businessperson. He claimed the two sought to use NewJeans and Min in an attempt to manipulate stock prices. The tampering allegations first surfaced in April 2024, when HYBE Labels launched an internal audit of Min. HYBE accused Min of

Jan 28, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min

Pyo Kyung-min

Read more

How house music is reclaiming its place in K-pop

BTS to open reservations for free Gwanghwamun concert on Feb. 23

ATEEZ injects 'Adrenaline' into 4th 'GOLDEN HOUR' release

K-pop concert ticket prices hit new highs, testing fan tolerance

Why K-pop feels engineered: New book breaks down system behind global phenomenon

Fromis_9 tightens focus at Seoul encore concert, signals new chapter as quintet

K-pop earns 1st Grammy award, yet major category win remains elusive

Why Singapore is betting on K-pop to drive tourism

Can K-pop finally break through at Grammy Awards?

Min Hee-jin denies poaching allegations, says NewJeans tampering claim was stock scheme by outsiders

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