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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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People & Events

Warm potluck marks Howdy Korea's Silver Button milestone

Inside a softly lit party room in Seoul's Mapo District on Thursday evening, steaming Korean dishes, bursts of laughter and a spirited chorus of "Howdy Korea!" set the tone for a warm celebration. Creators and contributors to The Korea Times' YouTube channel, Howdy Korea, gathered for what felt less like a formal event and more like a reunion, sharing homemade dishes, chatting in Korean and English and taking part in lighthearted activities to mark the channel's newest milestone: receiving YouTube's Silver Button award. Launched in July 2024, Howdy Korea has quickly built up a dedicated following by spotlighting Korean culture through approachable, fun and engaging storytelling. Its videos have introduced viewers from around the world to local topics and issues ranging from shamanism and traditional cuisine to face reading and multiculturalism, often featuring a rotating cast of scholars, expats and artists. Several episodes have gone viral, helping the channel surpass 100,000 subscribers earlier this year. That momentum paved the way for Thursday’s gathering, where the on-screen warmt

Nov 14, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
Warm potluck marks Howdy Korea's Silver Button milestone
Trends

'KPop Demon Hunters' comes to Seoul with December pop-up

A pop-up store for Netflix's smash hit animated film "KPop Demon Hunters" will open in Seoul next month, extending the movie's momentum offline with a full range of official merchandise and character-themed attractions. The "KPop Demon Hunters Official POP-UP — SEOUL" will run from Dec. 4 to 28 in the Seongsu-dong area, a major retail hub for pop-up events. The project is a collaboration between Netflix and B.stage, the Korea-based fan-commerce company which produces and globally distributes the film's merchandise. The pop-up will feature items based on popular characters from the film, including members of the fictional K-pop groups Huntrix and the Saja Boys. The merchandise lineup includes plush dolls, keyrings, apparel, accessories and K-pop-themed collectibles such as photocards and binders designed for photocard collectors. Several items will be sold exclusively at the Seoul event. Fans can get early access through an online pre-order from Nov. 25 at 11 a.m. to Nov. 30 at midnight via the film's official fan community website. A Netflix spokesperson gave an official statement sayin

Nov 13, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
'KPop Demon Hunters' comes to Seoul with December pop-up
K-pop

All 5 NewJeans members to return to Ador

All five members of K-pop girl group NewJeans — Minji, Danielle, Hanni, Haerin and Hyein — have expressed their desire to resume activities under Ador. Following Haerin and Hyein's confirmed return to the music label, the other three members released a statement Wednesday evening expressing their desire to return to their old agency. "After careful discussions, we have decided to return to Ador. One of our members is currently in Antarctica, so the communication was delayed and since Ador has not yet responded, we had no choice but to share our position separately," a statement released by Minji, Danielle and Hanni said. In response, Ador said it is “in the process of verifying the authenticity” of the three members’ decision. Earlier this afternoon, the HYBE subsidiary released a statement announcing the return of the two members. "Haerin and Hyein have expressed their intention to continue working with Ador," the label said in an official statement. "After careful consideration with their families and sufficient discussions with the agency, they decided to respect the court's

Nov 12, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
All 5 NewJeans members to return to Ador
K-pop

Can ITZY find focus with 'TUNNEL VISION'?

"Know yourself, know your enemy," wrote Chinese philosopher Sun Tzu. The advice still fits modern K-pop, where a group's self-defined image and confidence can determine whether it survives in the cutthroat scene. For girl group ITZY, a team built on unapologetic self-belief, the saying feels more timely than ever. The five-member act under JYP Entertainment returned Monday with "TUNNEL VISION," its 11th mini-album and first since June's "Girls Will Be Girls." It also marks their first project since renewing their contracts with the label, creating an opportunity to showcase their artistic evolution. For years, ITZY has embodied confidence. From the bold announcement of "DALLA DALLA" (2019) to the glossy self-assurance of "WANNABE" (2020), the group became a symbol of fearless energy. But after defining its early years with empowering hits, ITZY has struggled to recapture that spark. Recent projects like "GOLD" and "Girls Will Be Girls" leaned too much on the same formula, with bold declarations and chant-heavy hooks, but lacking impact. Unfortunately, "TUNNEL VISION" arrives in the shado

Nov 12, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
Can ITZY find focus with 'TUNNEL VISION'?
K-pop

2025 MAMA Awards returns to Hong Kong, brings K-pop spirit to global stage

The 2025 MAMA Awards is set to return to Hong Kong later this month, staged at the city's new cultural landmark, Kai Tak Stadium. The event aims to spotlight both the growing global influence of K-pop and the awards' decades-long legacy. Launched in 1999 by Mnet, a music channel under CJ ENM, the MAMA Awards have evolved alongside K-pop as it rises in global recognition. Since its first overseas edition in Macau in 2010, the ceremony has become a traveling showcase, held in cities such as Singapore, Tokyo and Los Angeles. This year's two-day event, set for Nov. 28 and 29, marks MAMA's return to Hong Kong after seven years. The city hosted the event from 2012 to 2018, serving as one of its longest-running international venues. "In 2018, we held the show in a 10,000-seat venue," said Park Chan-uk, head of live entertainment at CJ ENM's music content division, during a press premiere event at CJ ENM headquarters in Seoul's Mapo District, Tuesday. "This year, we're hosting it at Hong Kong's new landmark, the Kai Tak Stadium, with over 70,000 seats, across two days." Park described the upcomi

Nov 11, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
2025 MAMA Awards returns to Hong Kong, brings K-pop spirit to global stage
Arts & Theater

Star vocalists dazzle at The Korea Times musical gala

Under the soaring ceiling of Lotte Concert Hall in Seoul's Songpa District on Monday evening, three of Korea's finest vocalists gathered for a night of theatrical brilliance. The Korea Times marked its 75th anniversary with its gala concert, "The Musical." Guided by veteran music director and conductor Kolleen Park, soprano Kang Hye-jung and musical theater stars Michael K. Lee and Choi Jae-rim turned the night into a sweeping celebration of theatrical artistry and the newspaper's lasting legacy. Anticipation was palpable long before the curtain rose, as concertgoers — some affiliated with the English daily but many simply drawn by the promise of great music — began crowding the gates hours ahead of showtime. As the High Tone Symphony Orchestra opened the performance with the "Titanic Suite," Kang appeared in a green gown, the newspaper's symbolic color, her crystalline voice filling the hall as she sang "My Heart Will Go On." The opening unfolded like a history of modern musicals, with Broadway passion meet orchestral splendor. Lee first took the stage for "Out There" from "The Hunc

Nov 11, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
Star vocalists dazzle at The Korea Times musical gala
K-pop

Virtual boy band PLAVE returns with playful new album 'PLBBUU'

Virtual boy band PLAVE is returning to the K-pop scene with its second single album "PLBBUU," out Monday. The release comes about nine months after its third mini-album "Caligo Pt.1," trading the group's previous intensity for color and playfulness. The new project, according to VLAST, PLAVE's management label, marks a collaboration with Sanrio Korea, bringing together PLAVE's animated universe and the Japanese character brand's signature cuteness. The three-track album features the title song "BBUU!" alongside "Hide and Seek" and "Bongsoonga." "BBUU!" blends a breezy R&B rhythm with upbeat lyrics, its title drawn from an onomatopoeia that mimics puckered lips. Its music video reportedly shows PLAVE's members turning into dolls who meet Sanrio characters, a crossover that highlights the song's whimsical charm. Meanwhile, "Hide and Seek" offers an emotional contrast, showcasing PLAVE's signature band-driven sound. The track is the Korean version of the group’s Japanese debut single "Kakurenbo," preserving the original’s gentle sentiment while reinterpreting it through Korean lyrics.

Nov 10, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
Virtual boy band PLAVE returns with playful new album 'PLBBUU'
K-pop

Stray Kids, RIIZE, ILLIT: K-pop heavyweights crowd November lineup

This November is proving to be one of K-pop's busiest months, with heavyweight acts and rising newcomers alike crowding the release calendar. From veteran performers like Super Junior vocalist Kyuhyun and rapper Jessi to global powerhouses including Stray Kids and NCT DREAM, the month's lineup highlights shifting currents within the K-pop soundscape. The comeback rush begins with ONF, a six-member boy band under WM Entertainment. Returning after a nine-month hiatus, the group will release its five-track mini-album "UNBROKEN" on Nov. 10, led by the title track "Put It Back." Anchored by groovy bass lines and crisp electric guitar riffs, WM Entertainment described the song as having a funky edge and an addictive melody. The album also includes "Broken Map," "Moonlight Festa," "New Dawn" and "I Found You in Heaven," each broadening the record's sonic range. A day later, rookie boy band CLOSE YOUR EYES will return with its third mini-album "blackout" on Nov. 11, led by double title tracks "X" and "SOB (with Imanbek)." According to agency UNCORE, the album takes on a darker tone than the grou

Nov 7, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
Stray Kids, RIIZE, ILLIT: K-pop heavyweights crowd November lineup
K-pop

NEWBEAT gets 'Louder Than Ever' with all-English K-pop album

When NEWBEAT first stormed onto the scene earlier this year with "RAW AND RAD," the seven-member boy band positioned itself as a blend of hip-hop swagger and unfiltered drive. Eight months later, the act — Minseok, Minsung, Yeojeong, Seohyun, Taeyang, Yunhoo and Riwoo — is turning that energy outward. The group's first mini-album, "LOUDER THAN EVER," released Thursday, marks a bold turn — four tracks, two title songs and, most strikingly, lyrics sung almost entirely in English. "It's our way of saying we're ready for the world," said Minseok, the group's leader, during an interview at The Korea Times headquarters in central Seoul, Oct. 23. "During the eight-month break, we thought a lot about our fans and about how to show something new to everyone, not just in Korea. We sharpened ourselves for this comeback." The record's twin centerpieces, "Look So Good" and "LOUD," reveal two sides of the same confident coin. The former revisits early-2000s pop-R&B with slick retro polish, while "LOUD" crashes forward with bass-house pulse and rock-infused hyperpop bravado. Both, the members say

Nov 6, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
NEWBEAT gets 'Louder Than Ever' with all-English K-pop album
K-pop

TVXQ!'s U-Know gets honest with new solo album 'I-KNOW'

Twenty-two years into his career, veteran K-pop star U-Know of TVXQ! is stepping into a new chapter with his first full-length solo album, "I-KNOW," released Wednesday. Led by double title tracks "Stretch" and "Body Language," the album unfolds around the concept of "Fake & Documentary," exploring the duality between U-Know the artist and Jung Yun-ho the man. Across 10 tracks, he contrasts the glossy, image-driven facade of the performer — the "Fake" — with the quieter, more introspective reality behind the spotlight. Speaking at a press conference in Seoul's Songpa District just a few hours ahead of the release, U-Know described "I-KNOW" as his most personal project yet. "It's literally an album about myself," he said. "If the version people see is U-Know the artist, there's also an unseen side filled with self-reflection and worries. I wanted to embrace both as part of who I am." The singer shared that he felt ready to reveal a more vulnerable side after over two decades in the industry. "Fans have always loved my bright and energetic image," he said. "But after all these years, I t

Nov 5, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
TVXQ!'s U-Know gets honest with new solo album 'I-KNOW'
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