my timesThe Korea Times
pzzang

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!

Go to Email

Read more

Music

Coachella 2026 lineup features BIGBANG reunion, Taemin, KATSEYE

K-pop's global footprint will extend further next year, with BIGBANG, SHINee's Taemin and multinational girl group KATSEYE all set to appear at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in California in April. Launched in 1999 in the desert city of Indio, Coachella has grown into one of the most influential festivals in the United States, drawing more than 200,000 attendees annually with its wide-ranging lineup of rock, hip-hop, electronic and pop music. The 2026 festival is set to take place over two weekends: April 10-12 and April 17-19. Among the most anticipated appearances is BIGBANG, widely regarded as one of K-pop's defining second-generation boy bands. The group will return to the global stage as a three-member act — G-Dragon, Taeyang and Daesung — performing April 12 and 19 to mark its 20th anniversary. BIGBANG had been slated to play Coachella in 2020, which would have made it the first K-pop boy band on the bill, but the performance was canceled due to the pandemic. The Coachella appearance will mark BIGBANG's first official group activity since the release of their 2022

Sep 18, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
Coachella 2026 lineup features BIGBANG reunion, Taemin, KATSEYE
Music

Rock ballad legend Yim Jae-beum finds his voice anew, 40 years in

In Korean music, few voices carry the weight of singer Yim Jae-beum's. For four decades, Yim, 62, has lived between the fire of rock and the ache of ballads, shaping the country's soundtrack with a voice so explosive and resonant that it set the bar for generations of Korean singers. Now, after almost three years away, the singer is back, celebrating his 40th anniversary with a new song, "Insa," and a nationwide tour that promises to remind audiences why he's been called a living legend. Yim first debuted in 1986 as the vocalist with hard rock outfit Sinawe, but it was his solo career that carved him into history. Songs like "Soaring" (1997), "Confession" (1998) and "For You" (2000) became generational rock ballad anthems in Korea, carried by his raw power and emotional depth. Now, his latest chapter begins with "Insa" — a Korean term which roughly translates to "salutation" or "greeting" — a pop-gospel track released Wednesday. The song arrives as the first of several singles that will roll out into his eighth studio album, whose full release date has yet to be confirmed. Just hours

Sep 17, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
Rock ballad legend Yim Jae-beum finds his voice anew, 40 years in
K-pop

LUN8 weathers lineup chaos, returns with 'LOST'

In K-pop's cutthroat landscape, rookie bands almost never get a second chance, as even a minor lineup shift can derail the most promising acts. LUN8, a boy band under K-pop label Fantagio, seemed headed for that fate just two years after its 2023 debut. But the group is now back with "LOST," a new three-track album that insists the group is not just surviving, but recalibrating. In January, LUN8 members Dohyun and Ji Eunho temporarily stepped away from the group, citing health concerns, while another member, Eunseop, announced his formal exit. What began as an eight-piece unit quickly collapsed to five, threatening to cut short Fantagio's ambitious return to the boy band market after ASTRO. However, instead of folding, the group added Yuma, a Japanese performer who appeared on MBC audition show "Fantasy Boys," as LUN8 stages a comeback as a six-member act. At a rain-soaked media showcase in Seoul's Gwangjin District on Wednesday, the members — Jinsu, Chael, Takuma, Junwoo, Ian and Yuma — seemed intent on putting the lineup turbulence behind them. "I've prepared for so long to finally

Sep 17, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
LUN8 weathers lineup chaos, returns with 'LOST'
K-pop

These K-pop idols are changing the game as producers

Unlike the Western pop market where artists are generally expected to write and shape their own music, the K-pop industry has traditionally developed as a performance-driven, high-gloss industry built on tightly managed systems of production. Here, most idols active in groups usually spend their careers performing songs created by professional composers and refined by agency's artist and repertoire (A&R) teams, with their vocals laid over tracks either purchased externally or crafted by in-house producers who guide the group's sound and style. But a new generation is pushing beyond those boundaries. A growing number of K-pop idols has begun to elevate their game, stepping up not just as performers but as self-producing artists. Not only do these acts deliver onstage, they also shape their music in the studio — a rarity that is redefining what it means to be an idol in today's K-pop. The following list focuses on idols currently shaping their groups from within, excluding globally established acts who have built successful solo careers. One of the clearest examples is Woozi of K-pop boy

Sep 17, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
These K-pop idols are changing the game as producers
K-pop

Balladeer Lee Hyun on being HYBE's 1st artist, finding his voice again with 'A(E)ND'

Today, HYBE Labels is synonymous with global K-pop domination, home to superstar acts like BTS and a sprawling network of agencies and producers. Before the company became a cultural powerhouse, its first step into the industry came not with an idol group, but with a balladeer. Lee Hyun, a vocalist known for his emotionally resonant tone, was BigHit Music's very first artist, long before Bang Si-hyuk became a household name in K-pop. As the main singer of the coed trio 8eight, Lee introduced BigHit's early sound with ballads like "Without a Heart" (2009) and "Goodbye, My Love" (2009). He later cemented his presence as a soloist with the 2011 chart-topping hit "You Are the Best of My Life," and went on to become a familiar voice through original soundtracks for K-dramas. Now, after 13 years and eight months, Lee is breaking his silence with the new six-track mini album "A(E)ND" and its title track "Let You Go," set for release Tuesday. His comeback is more than a nostalgic return — it's a reminder of the voice that anchored BigHit before it built its empire. "I honestly didn't even real

Sep 16, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
Balladeer Lee Hyun on being HYBE's 1st artist, finding his voice again with 'A(E)ND'
K-pop

2PM's Jang Woo-young talks teamwork, overthinking, solo return with 'I'm into'

Sleepless nights, tight deadlines and endless edits. For Jang Woo-young of K-pop boy band 2PM, the road to his first solo release in seven years wasn’t smooth, but it was worth every step. At a quiet cafe in Seoul's Gangnam District Wednesday, Jang could hardly contain himself. Sitting forward in his chair for an interview with The Korea Times, the singer spoke with a flood of energy about his long-awaited return as a solo artist. "To exaggerate," the JYP singer said with a laugh, "these days I feel so busy it's almost hard to breathe." On Monday, Jang is set to release "I'm into," his third mini-album and first since 2018. It's a comeback seven years in the making, delayed by mandatory military service, the COVID-19 pandemic and, according to Jang, his own tendency to overthink. "The most personal reason it took so long is that I thought too much," he said. "After I was discharged, the pandemic hit. Still, because I wanted to do well, I kept hesitating." Despite the long road, he spoke of the process with a sense of gratitude, especially the camaraderie built with his production team.

Sep 15, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
2PM's Jang Woo-young talks teamwork, overthinking, solo return with 'I'm into'
Travel & Food

Traveling Korea with 'KPop Demon Hunters'

What if your next trip to Korea feels like stepping into an animated blockbuster? Netflix hit "KPop Demon Hunters" is inspiring fans to follow the footsteps of fictional idol-warriors Huntrix through real-world landmarks across the country. That journey may begin — or end — with a spectacle in the sky. Last Sunday, the warm air of a September evening filled with the sound of collective awe as 1,200 drones lifted into the night sky above eastern Seoul's Ttukseom Hangang Park. Their LEDs swirled and shifted until the characters from "KPop Demon Hunters" flickered into view, neon silhouettes soaring above the river like guardians of Seoul. The show was part of the city's expanding Han River Light Performance, a nighttime program that has quickly become one of the capital's flagship tourist draws. More than 22,000 people attended each performance during its spring season and the autumn calendar promises four more shows, on Sept. 13, 20 and 26 and Oct. 18. This season's twist is a collaboration with "KPop Demon Hunters," weaving imagery from the animated film into the drone choreography.

Sep 11, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
Traveling Korea with 'KPop Demon Hunters'
Films

Musical 'Frankenstein' makes big-screen debut, aims to expand global reach

After more than 10 years on stage, the Korean original musical "Frankenstein" is being reborn for the big screen as "Frankenstein: The Musical Live." Shot from a live performance during the musical's 10th anniversary season in summer 2024, the film captures the 19th-century tale of Victor Frankenstein, a scientist who defies divine authority by reviving the dead, and the tragic fate of the Monster born from his experiment, based on the Mary Shelley novel. Over the past decade, the production has become one of Korea's best-known musicals, celebrated for drawing repeat attenders and multiple sold-out runs. The screen version's director Park Jae-seok, cast members Kyuhyun and Park Eun-tae, and EMK Musical Company's vice president and producer Kim Ji-won attended a press screening at Megabox Seongsu in eastern Seoul, Tuesday. "The greatest advantage of filming a live show for theatrical release is that once it's filmed, people can keep watching it," Kyuhyun, who plays Frankenstein, said. "On stage, actors wear down their bodies and voices with each performance, but this preserves the work for

Sep 10, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
Musical 'Frankenstein' makes big-screen debut, aims to expand global reach
K-pop

CIX pushes forward as 4, steps into new era with 'GO Chapter 1 : GO Together'

In the crowded landscape of K-pop, few groups have built their identity around long-form storytelling as meticulously as boy band CIX. Since its 2019 debut, the band has used interconnected album series like "HELLO" and "OK" to explore sin, salvation and the turbulent nature of love. That story, however, faced a rupture last year when the group lost one of its most recognizable members, Bae Jinyoung, who first rose to stardom on the second season of Mnet audition show "Produce 101" and as part of project boy band Wanna One, before deciding to pursue a solo career. While the departure could have easily destabilized the group, the four remaining members were eager to make it a turning point. Reorganized as a quartet — BX, Seunghun, Yonghee and Hyunsuk — CIX doubled down on its commitment and is preparing to release its eighth EP, "GO Chapter 1 : GO Together," Monday. The record marks only the group's second project as a quartet, and its arrival signals both continuity and reinvention. The EP serves as an introduction to the new "GO" series, a trilogy that extends CIX's conceptual ambit

Sep 8, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
CIX pushes forward as 4, steps into new era with 'GO Chapter 1 : GO Together'
K-pop

DAY6 at 10: K-pop's reluctant rock band celebrates first decade

In the fiercely competitive K-pop scene, when a band's songs climb back up the charts years after their release — long after promotions have ended and members have gone quiet — it signals something rare. For four-piece rock band DAY6, that unlikely twist arrived during their mandatory military service hiatus, when songs like "You Were Beautiful" (2017) and "Time of Our Life" (2019) suddenly surged back onto streaming charts. That revival didn't just breathe new life into old tracks. Instead, it reshaped the perception of a rock band that has endured for a full decade in a K-pop landscape that seldom grants rock outfits that kind of staying power. Formed in 2015 under Studio J, an experimental label within JYP Entertainment, a company best known for sculpting polished idol groups, DAY6 never quite fit the mold. Unlike their labelmates, the original six members — Sungjin, Young K, Wonpil, Dowoon, and formerly Jae and Junhyeok — honed their craft in live clubs around Seoul, building themselves as performers and songwriters before stepping onto the mainstream stage. The band's debut

Sep 7, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
DAY6 at 10: K-pop's reluctant rock band celebrates first decade
previous page
2324252627
next page

Top 5 stories

Korea Times
About Us
Introduction
History
Contact Us
Products & Services
Subscribe
E-paper
RSS Service
Content Sales
Site Map
Policy
Code of Ethics
Ombudsman
Privacy Policy
Youth Protection Policy
Terms of Service
Copyright Policy
Family Site
Hankookilbo
Dongwha Group
FacebookXYoutubeInstagram
CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.