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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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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
K-pop

New year, new playlist: K-pop fans' favorite songs to start 2026

As the clock resets on New Year’s Day, many K-pop listeners follow a small but familiar ritual: choosing the first song they will play in the New Year. It is a habit rooted in the idea that music can help shape the emotional tone of what comes next. Every year, K-pop fans usually treat their opening track as a kind of soft launch for the year ahead. Some reach for comfort, others for confidence or motivation, but the impulse is the same: Start the year on the right note. Over time, this has turned certain K-pop tracks into annual fixtures. While most of these were not written to become New Year’s anthems, they do share something more lasting — themes of renewal, self-belief and forward motion. With 2026 arriving at a moment that feels both uncertain and full of possibility, that first choice matters more than usual. Below are some of the songs fans return to as they step into a new year, spanning different eras, genres and moods. 'As You Wish,' WJSN Released in 2019, WJSN’s “As You Wish” has become a familiar presence on New Year’s Day playlists among K-pop fans. Built on a

Dec 31, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
New year, new playlist: K-pop fans' favorite songs to start 2026
K-pop

Fairness questioned as Ador drops Danielle from NewJeans, seeks damages

More than a year after a contract dispute first erupted between K-pop girl group NewJeans and its agency Ador, tensions have reignited just as hopes for reconciliation appeared within reach. Although all five members expressed a desire to return to the agency following a court ruling that upheld their exclusive contracts, Ador has now terminated its agreement with member Danielle and filed a lawsuit seeking damages — a move that undermines the possibility of a full-group comeback and raises concerns about coercive tactics in the K-pop industry. In a statement released Monday, Ador said it determined that it would be "difficult to continue" Danielle’s activities as a member of NewJeans and confirmed that it submitted a complaint the same day seeking compensation for damages. The agency did not disclose the amount being claimed, nor specify the contractual grounds for the termination. The decision follows an Oct. 30 court ruling that confirmed the validity of exclusive contracts between Ador and all five NewJeans members, a judgment that placed the agency in a legally advantageous pos

Dec 30, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
Fairness questioned as Ador drops Danielle from NewJeans, seeks damages
K-pop

K-pop’s biggest names set for full-group comebacks in 2026

Some of the biggest names of K-pop are planning full-group returns in 2026, creating a rare overlap of top-tier acts from different generations that is already generating buzz. Full-group comebacks by established acts are typically staggered to avoid overlap, making the timing especially notable for longtime followers of the genre. Members across these groups have spent recent years focused on solo projects, and their reunions are expected to drive renewed fan interest and commercial activity. BIGBANG Among the first confirmed is second-generation boy band BIGBANG, which will perform at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in California in April. The appearance will feature members G-Dragon, Taeyang and Daesung, and marks their first major group activity since releasing the single "Still Life" in 2022, after sharing the stage at G-Dragon’s solo concerts and other informal occasions. BIGBANG debuted in 2006 under YG Entertainment and became one of K-pop's most influential male acts with songs including "Lies," "Fantastic Baby" and "BANG BANG BANG." G-Dragon, the group's leader an

Dec 29, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
K-pop’s biggest names set for full-group comebacks in 2026
K-pop

Why dating rumors still shake K-pop, even as it goes global

When a dating rumor linking BTS' Jung Kook and aespa's Winter — arguably two of the highest-profile stars in the current K-pop landscape — began circulating online, the response followed an all-too-familiar script. Neither artist nor their agencies confirmed or denied the reports, but silence did little to slow the conversation. Instead, the rumor reopened one of the genre's hottest debates: how much of an idol's personal life truly belongs to their fans? Within days, fan communities split along predictable lines. Some urged respect for privacy, while others expressed concern that a relationship could affect group activities or public image. A smaller but louder faction even sent protest trucks to the artists' agencies, turning speculation into a public dispute. The episode echoed events from last year, when aespa member Karina was linked to actor Lee Jae-wook. That controversy culminated in Karina issuing a public apology to fans, drawing international attention not because idols dating was unusual, but because the expectation of remorse felt increasingly misaligned with how pop st

Dec 25, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
Why dating rumors still shake K-pop, even as it goes global
Society

44% of foreign residents in Korea report discrimination, yet remain happier than locals: survey

More than four out of 10 foreign residents in Korea say they have experienced discrimination, most commonly based on their country of origin, yet nearly eight in 10 of them did not raise complaints, largely because they believed doing so would not lead to change, a new survey found. Despite these experiences, a majority of foreign residents reported relatively high levels of happiness and life satisfaction in Korea — higher than those of Korean nationals. The findings were released Tuesday by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as part of the 2025 Survey on Korean Attitudes and Values, conducted by KSTAT Research. The nationwide survey, which polled 6,180 respondents, was the ninth edition of the study, which was first launched in 1996 and has been conducted every three years since 2013. This year’s survey expanded its scope by including teenagers for the first time and conducting a separate survey of foreign residents who have lived in Korea for more than two years, aiming to capture a broader picture of social perceptions in Korea. According to the findings, 43.7 percent of

Dec 23, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
44% of foreign residents in Korea report discrimination, yet remain happier than locals: survey
K-pop

How BLACKPINK's Jennie uses star power to promote Korean heritage

As her global profile expands, Jennie of K-pop juggernaut BLACKPINK is increasingly weaving Korean language and heritage into her solo work — not as decorative references, but as core elements of her contemporary, signature aesthetic. That artistic vision was fully realized last week at the 2025 Melon Music Awards (MMA), where she won three honors including Record of the Year. But beyond the trophies, it was her solo performance built around Korean imagery and visual motifs that captured the most attention. At the ceremony, Jennie performed rearranged versions of "Seoul City," "ZEN" and "like JENNIE," all from her March album "Ruby," her first full-length studio release. Costume and stage design played a central role in shaping the performance’s thematic arc. The performance opened with "Seoul City," in which she appeared beneath a 15-meter veil inscribed with Hangeul, the Korean alphabet, set against stage visuals drawn from the deep blue of the Korean national flag. To bring this vision to life, Jennie collaborated once again with Korean fashion label LEJE, which previously created

Dec 23, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
How BLACKPINK's Jennie uses star power to promote Korean heritage
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