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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

'Boys II Planet' top 8 finalists debut as ALPHA DRIVE ONE with 'EUPHORIA'

After months of global competition, the top eight finalists from Mnet's audition show "Boys II Planet" officially stepped into the K-pop industry Monday as ALPHA DRIVE ONE (ALD1), releasing its debut mini-album, "EUPHORIA." ALD1, consisting of members Junseo, Arno, Leo, Geonwoo, Sangwon, Xinlong, Anxin and Sanghyeon, marked the occasion with a media showcase at Blue Square SOL Travel Hall in Seoul's Yongsan District ahead of the album's 6 p.m. release. "I'm happy and deeply moved to be able to debut," Sangwon said. "This moment feels incredibly precious and I want to show many good sides of ourselves going forward. Right now truly feels like a moment of euphoria, just like our album title." The group name combines "Alpha," symbolizing the pursuit of the best, "Drive," meaning passion and momentum, and "One," representing unity as a team. Geonwoo said the group shared a clear sense of purpose from the start. "We all thought the name had a strong meaning," he said. "We want to become a team that lives up to it and continues moving toward the top." During the event, Arno appeared on stage us

Jan 12, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
'Boys II Planet' top 8 finalists debut as ALPHA DRIVE ONE with 'EUPHORIA'
K-pop

Why 'Gnarly' worked for KATSEYE, but 'Internet Girl' didn't

A joke usually lands best the first time it is told. When it is repeated too quickly, especially in an obvious attempt to get the same laugh, it usually falls flat. What once felt unexpected is now starting to feel forced. That dynamic sits at the heart of the mixed fan response to "Internet Girl," the latest single from global girl group KATSEYE, released Jan. 2. The song follows last year's smash hit "Gnarly," a divisive track that went from a rocky start to viral success. While "Gnarly" eventually worked in the group's favor, "Internet Girl" shows how hard it is to recreate that kind of polarizing buzz and momentum on demand. KATSEYE announced the news of its release just hours before the New Year, surprising fans with a message promising "one more surprise before this year ends." The track had previously been teased as a surprise during the group's "The Beautiful Chaos" live show in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in November 2025, where it had already begun generating excitement online. According to HYBE Labels, which co-created the group alongside American record label Geffen Records, "Int

Jan 11, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
Why 'Gnarly' worked for KATSEYE, but 'Internet Girl' didn't
K-pop

Why K-pop albums are increasingly resembling merchandise

After years of growth driven by physical album sales, the K-pop industry is now undergoing a major structural shift. While album sales have declined from their peak, overall revenue continues to expand as companies diversify into concerts, merch sales and paid fan services, reshaping the role of physical albums. Rather than signaling a downturn, industry officials describe the change as a move away from volume-based sales toward participation-driven consumption, where albums function less as music carriers and more as gateways to fan engagement. According to the Circle Chart, cumulative album sales for the top 400 releases in 2025 reached about 90.9 million units through November, down roughly 2.56 million from the same period a year earlier. The long-cited benchmark of 100 million albums sold annually, once treated as a symbolic marker of K-pop’s expansion, has now fallen short for a second consecutive year. Boy band Stray Kids led album sales with nearly 7 million units, followed by Seventeen, NCT Wish, ENHYPEN, BOYNEXTDOOR and ZeroBaseOne. While leading acts continue to post multim

Jan 9, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
Why K-pop albums are increasingly resembling merchandise
Shows & Dramas

'Gimbap and Onigiri' turns shared meal into cross-border romance

Food is the starting point for romance in "Gimbap and Onigiri," a new Japanese drama pairing Japanese actor Eiji Akaso and Korea's idol-turned-actor Kang Hye-won. Set to premiere Jan. 12 on TV TOKYO, the upcoming series follows two young adults as they navigate uncertainty in their lives and experience romance despite their different cultures. Rather than centering on cultural clashes, the story unfolds through quiet encounters, creating a story of intimacy that is gradual and relatable. Akaso stars as Hase Taiga, a former college track athlete who loses direction after a major setback. With his confidence shaken, Taiga drifts through daily life without a clear vision for the future, working part time at a small restaurant in Japan. "Taiga meets Park Rin through his part-time job and the show centers on how he grows after that," Akaso said at a press conference in Seoul, Wednesday afternoon. "When I first saw the title, I was curious about what kind of story it would be. The characters are as warm and approachable, as the title suggests. It is a story about people who live sincerely and

Jan 7, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
'Gimbap and Onigiri' turns shared meal into cross-border romance
K-pop

Hopes for easing hallyu ban remain muted after Seoul-Beijing talks

Cautious talk of possibly easing China's unofficial restrictions on Korean pop culture resurfaced this week following a summit between President Lee Jae Myung and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, but government officials and industry insiders alike cautioned that any tangible change would likely be slow and limited. The two leaders held talks in Beijing on Monday, marking Lee's first official visit to China since taking office in June 2025. In a briefing afterward, National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said the leaders agreed to gradually expand cultural exchanges, starting with less politically sensitive fields such as sports. However, Wi stressed that China still does not officially acknowledge the existence of the so-called “hallyu ban,” a tacit restriction that has limited the activities of Korean entertainers in China since Korea's Terminal High Altitude Area Defense deployment in 2016. “China maintains that it does not recognize the policy as formally existing,” Wi told reporters about the hallyu ban. “In today's dialogue, there were comments questioning whether it was even ne

Jan 6, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
Hopes for easing hallyu ban remain muted after Seoul-Beijing talks
K-pop

K-pop group idntt expands to 15 members with launch of new unit yesweare

While an increasing number of K-pop groups are choosing to debut quicker and leaner under smaller lineups, Modhaus’ mega boy band project idntt is moving in the opposite direction. The expanding boy group project officially scaled up to 15 members on Monday with the launch of its second unit, yesweare, taking another step toward its final lineup. Developed by Modhaus, the company behind girl group tripleS, idntt is designed as a gradual rollout toward its final 24-member lineup. The structure began taking shape last August with the debut of unevermet, a seven-member unit that served as the introduction to idntt. This week, the project moved into its next chapter as the eight-member yesweare joined idntt’s lineup, bringing the group to 15 members ahead of a still-unrevealed final unit, itsnotover, which will complete the full roster. To mark the expansion, idntt released the album “yesweare” on Monday, beginning its promotions as a 15-member team. Hours before the album drop, all 15 members gathered at Blue Square SOL Travel Hall in Yongsan District, Seoul, for a press event intro

Jan 5, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
K-pop group idntt expands to 15 members with launch of new unit yesweare
Films

Korean screen legend Ahn Sung-ki dies at 74

Veteran actor Ahn Sung-ki, widely regarded as a foundational figure in Korea’s modern film history, died at age 74. Ahn passed away Monday morning at Soonchunhyang University Hospital in Seoul’s Yongsan District, with family members at his bedside in the hospital’s intensive care unit. He had been hospitalized in an unconscious state since collapsing at his home on Dec. 30 after choking on food. After being diagnosed with blood cancer in 2019, he underwent treatment and was told the cancer was in remission in 2020. However, the disease reportedly returned during follow-up observations, and he has been battling the illness ever since. Despite his health challenges, Ahn remained committed to the film industry. He made public appearances in 2023, including attending the opening ceremony of the 27th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival. Born in 1952, Ahn debuted as a child actor in director Kim Ki-young’s “The Twilight Train” (1957), as well as in Kim’s renowned horror film, “The Housemaid” (1960). Throughout a career spanning more than six decades, he appeared in o

Jan 5, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul and Pyo Kyung-min
Korean screen legend Ahn Sung-ki dies at 74
Law & Crime

Singer-turned-actor Nana counter-sued by home intruder, agency says

Singer-turned-actor Nana is being counter-sued by a man who was arrested last year for breaking into her home and assaulting her mother, her agency said Friday. The suspect, a man in his 30s, was detained in November on charges of armed robbery causing injury after allegedly entering the home Nana shares with her mother in Guri, Gyeonggi Province, while carrying a weapon, according to her agency Sublime. The man reportedly assaulted Nana’s mother after encountering her inside the home. Nana, who was asleep at the time, woke after hearing her mother’s screams and together with her, restrained the suspect and contacted police. Authorities said the suspect sustained a cut to his jaw during the struggle. Police determined that the injuries were inflicted in self-defense and did not charge Nana or her mother. Sublime said the suspect has since filed a separate complaint accusing Nana of attempted murder and aggravated assault. The agency rejected the claims. “Nana and her family suffered serious physical and psychological harm during the attack by an assailant armed with a weapon,” Sub

Jan 2, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
Singer-turned-actor Nana counter-sued by home intruder, agency says
K-pop

K-pop’s next generation: Which rookie groups will debut in 2026?

A new wave of K-pop rookie groups is lining up to enter the spotlight through 2026, as major agencies and audition programs prepare fresh act aimed at shaping the next generation of K-pop — even as the industry’s biggest names gear up for high-profile comebacks in the background. Among the earliest debuts is ALPHA DRIVE ONE (ALD1), an eight-member boy group formed through Mnet’s 2025 audition program “Boys II Planet.” Managed by WAKEONE, the eight-member boy group consists of Junseo, Arno, Leo, Geonwoo, Sangwon, Xinlong, Anxin and Sanghyeon. The group is scheduled to debut on Jan. 12 with its first album, “EUPHORIA.” The group has already gained early exposure. In December, ALD1 opened the 2025 Melon Music Awards with a performance of its prerelease single, “FORMULA,” marking its first appearance on a major awards stage. With senior labelmate ZEROBASEONE nearing the end of its contract period, ALD1 is expected to continue the lineage of male idols produced through the “Boys Planet” franchise. MORE VISION, the agency led by singer and producer Jay Park, is also prep

Jan 1, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
K-pop’s next generation: Which rookie groups will debut in 2026?
Trends

NEW YEAR POLL Pop culture drives Korea’s image among expats

Korea's pop culture continues to play a decisive role in shaping how Korea is perceived by foreigners living in the country, according to a New Year poll conducted by The Korea Times. Many respondents also say that K-culture provides a fairly authentic glimpse into everyday life here. The online survey of 258 foreign residents in Korea conducted from Dec. 18 to 24 by Hankook Research at the request of the newspaper, found that images associated with K-dramas, K-films, K-pop and other pop culture overwhelmingly dominated respondents' perceptions of the country. When asked to name up to three images that first come to mind when thinking of Korea, 67 percent of respondents chose pop culture, making it the most frequently cited response by a wide margin. Food and traditional culture followed at 43 percent, while information technology and semiconductors ranked third at 38 percent. Other responses included high competition in exams and employment at 32 percent, cosmetics at 31 percent, the division of North and South Korea at 27 percent and democracy and civic culture at 19 percent. Pop cultur

Jan 1, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
[NEW YEAR POLL] Pop culture drives Korea’s image among expats
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