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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

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 earns 1st Grammy award, yet major category win remains elusive
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
Why Singapore is betting on K-pop to drive tourism
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
Can K-pop finally break through at Grammy Awards?
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
Min Hee-jin denies poaching allegations, says NewJeans tampering claim was stock scheme by outsiders
Travel & Food

How memory shapes food at Singapore's Michelin-starred restaurant Meta

SINGAPORE — At Meta Restaurant, dinner begins before you recognize it as Korean. The first clue arrives quietly, not with kimchi or gochujang, but with temperature. A dish meant to be warm arrives unmistakably warm. A sauce carrying the sea tastes of a winter coast, deep and composed. Nothing declares intent, yet the food does ask the diner to pay attention. By the time "gyeran jjim," a Korean steamed egg custard, arrives with smooth fish milt sourced from Japan’s Hokkaido and a sauce reminiscent of "haemultang," the often spicy Korean seafood stew, the recognition has already settled in. Nothing on the table at Meta announces itself outright, yet by the end of the meal, the flavors carry the weight of memory, unmistakable but difficult to name. That recognition had begun earlier that afternoon, during a conversation with Meta's chef Sun Kim, even before dinner was served, on Jan. 21. Meta is a two-Michelin-star fine dining restaurant in Singapore, known for tasting menus that resist easy classification. Led by Kim, the Korean-born chef-owner, the restaurant draws loosely from Korean

Jan 28, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
How memory shapes food at Singapore's Michelin-starred restaurant Meta
K-pop

KiiiKiii frames freedom, fantasy in 2nd mini-album 'Delulu Pack'

Rookie K-pop girl group KiiiKiii returned Monday with its second mini-album, "Delulu Pack," framing "delusion" as a playful expression of youthful freedom. Released under Starship Entertainment — home to K-pop acts IVE and CRAVITY — the album builds on the confident tone of the group’s breakout debut single "I DO ME." According to the agency, "Delulu Pack" explores KiiiKiii’s identity by "layering the world with colors and narratives unique to the group." The quintet introduced the album during a media showcase held Monday at YES24 Live Hall in Seoul's Gwangjin District, just hours before its official release at 6 p.m. Appearing in white fur-accented outfits, the five KiiiKiii members — Jiyu, Leesol, Sui, Haum and Kya — performed new songs and shared behind-the-scenes stories from the album's production, Jiyu, the group's leader, said the album's title was inspired by the term "delulu," a shortened, online meme-derived form of the word "delusional." "We wanted to share KiiiKiii's own playful and lighthearted fantasies through this album," Jiyu said. "Delulu Pack" consists of s

Jan 26, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
KiiiKiii frames freedom, fantasy in 2nd mini-album 'Delulu Pack'
Arts & Theater

Korean artists, curators expand footprint at Singapore Art Week 2026

SINGAPORE — From a resort ballroom on Sentosa Island to a former port warehouse at Tanjong Pagar, Korean artists and curators are appearing across Singapore Art Week (SAW) 2026, reflecting their growing involvement in Southeast Asia’s contemporary art platforms. Organized annually by Singapore’s National Arts Council, SAW is one of the region’s largest contemporary art events, bringing together exhibitions, performances and art fairs across the city each January. The week draws international curators, collectors and institutions and runs alongside the region’s leading art fair, ART SG, as well as S.E.A. Focus, a curated platform dedicated to Southeast Asian contemporary art. This year, Korean participation appears across several official programs of SAW, spanning a group exhibition, a solo gallery show and large-scale public exhibitions. Rather than forming a single national showcase, these projects are distributed across different sites and formats, highlighting how Korean artists and galleries are engaging with Singapore’s role as a regional art hub. One of the most visibl

Jan 24, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
Korean artists, curators expand footprint at Singapore Art Week 2026
Arts & Theater

Singapore Art Week opens as forums, museums, public art take over city

SINGAPORE — Singapore Art Week (SAW) 2026 officially kicked off on Wednesday with a full day of forums, exhibition previews and an opening party at the National Gallery Singapore, setting in motion a 10-day visual arts season. Organized by Singapore’s National Arts Council, SAW unites museums, galleries, art fairs and public art projects across the country. Now in its 14th year, the event runs through Jan. 31 and features more than 100 exhibitions, talks, performances and programs, highlighting the its role as one of Southeast Asia’s key hubs for contemporary art and regional exchange. The opening day began in the auditorium of the National Gallery Singapore with Singapore Art Week Forum 2026, the event’s main conference platform. Under the theme “FORCE•FIELDS,” this year’s edition focused on the systems that shape contemporary artistic practice, from institutional frameworks to broader social and political forces. At the opening session, Singaporean Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth Baey Yam Keng urged the audience to rethink the phrase “force field.

Jan 22, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
Singapore Art Week opens as forums, museums, public art take over city
People & Events

'KPop Demon Hunters' leaves its mark on 2026 Korea Image Awards

Netflix’s global animated sensation "KPop Demon Hunters" took center stage at the 22nd Korea Image Awards held Thursday in Seoul, tying for two of the three top honors, highlighting how pop music, heritage and food continue to shape Korea's cultural presence on the global stage. Organized annually by the Corea Image Communication Institute (CICI), the awards honor individuals, objects and organizations that shaped Korea’s global image over the past year, highlighting the continued resonance and evolution of Korean culture worldwide. The Stepping Stone Award, presented to individuals or companies that have contributed to promoting Korea's image overseas, went to K-pop agency The Black Label. The label's in-house production team helped produce the soundtrack for "KPop Demon Hunters," including the smash hit "Golden" and other viral tracks such as "How It's Done," "Soda Pop" and "Your Idol." Agency CEO Jeong Kyung-in accepted the honor on behalf of the company and its executive producer Teddy, who was unable to attend. In his acceptance speech, Jeong noted the company signed onto the p

Jan 16, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
'KPop Demon Hunters' leaves its mark on 2026 Korea Image Awards
K-pop

ENHYPEN expands vampire saga with new mini album 'THE SIN : VANISH'

Six years after debuting through "I-LAND," a global audition program that put competitors' fate in the hands of viewers around the world, K-pop boy band ENHYPEN finds itself at a turning point. What began as a survival show experiment has grown into a tightly bonded team with its own mythology, international reach and a string of milestones, including a sweep of major year-end awards in 2025. That growth feeds directly into the group's seventh mini album, "THE SIN : VANISH," set for release Friday. The record continues ENHYPEN's long-running "vampire narrative" through a story of forbidden love between a vampire and a human. "For us, every comeback means trying something new," Jay said during an interview with The Korea Times at a small cafe in Mapo District, Seoul, Wednesday. "This time, from the prerelease promotions to the way the album is structured as a story, we really tried to make everything feel fresh." At the center of "THE SIN : VANISH" is its title track "Knife," a hip-hop-driven song built on trap beats and sharp synths that frame a message of resolve. While familiar to the

Jan 16, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
ENHYPEN expands vampire saga with new mini album 'THE SIN : VANISH'
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