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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

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'
K-pop

ITZY looks ahead with 'TUNNEL VISION'

K-pop girl group ITZY is gearing up for another high-profile comeback, signaling a new chapter after its members renewed contracts with their agency, JYP Entertainment. The five-piece act will release its new mini-album, "TUNNEL VISION," on Monday, marking its first release in five months since "Girls Will Be Girls" in June. JYP unveiled the first teaser for the "TUNNEL VISION" music video on its official social media channels earlier this week, followed by a second clip on Wednesday. Though brief, the videos highlight ITZY's signature, sharp choreography, underscoring the group's reputation for performance. According to the label, the lead single, "TUNNEL VISION," leans into a hip-hop-driven groove, layered with brass sounds for extra intensity. The song features production by acclaimed U.S. hitmaker Dem Jointz, whose resume includes collaborations with some of K-pop's biggest names. The EP will feature a total of six tracks: "Focus," "DYT," "Flicker," "Nocturne" and "8-BIT HEART," along with the title track. Behind the scenes is an all-star lineup of producers including veteran hitmake

Nov 5, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
ITZY looks ahead with 'TUNNEL VISION'
K-pop

AHOF explores growth in fairytale-inspired new album 'The Passage'

K-pop boy band AHOF is leaning into the turbulence of youth with its latest release, a fairy-tale-infused project that turns confusion, pain and hope into a coming-of-age soundtrack. The nine-member group — Steven, Jeongwoo, Woongki, Shuaibo, Han, JL, Juwon, Chih En and Daisuke — dropped its second mini-album, "The Passage," Tuesday evening, only four months after its ambitious dive into the K-pop industry. Member Chih En will sit out current promotions due to health issues, leaving AHOF to perform as an eight-piece for the time being. The group, initially formed through broadcaster SBS' survival audition show "Universe League," turned heads in July with "WHO WE ARE," a debut effort that ranked fifth among all-time first-week sales for a boy group's debut. Its lead single "Rendezvous," a sweeping rock anthem soaked in nostalgia, earned three music-show trophies within just 10 days, signaling the rise of a new powerhouse rookie act. At a press showcase held Tuesday afternoon at Seoul's YES24 Live Hall, the members appeared dressed completely in white, describing the new album as a cha

Nov 4, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
AHOF explores growth in fairytale-inspired new album 'The Passage'
People & Events

Super Vibe Korea to bring global hip-hop, R&B acts to Incheon in December

Billing itself as Korea's "hottest" hip-hop and R&B festival, Super Vibe Korea will bring together leading artists from around the world for a concert at Inspire Arena on Incheon's Yeongjong Island on Dec. 6 and 7. Hosted by public broadcaster MBC, the two-day event will feature performances from international stars Trey Songz and Timbaland, who will both make their first appearances in Korea. Organizers said the festival aims to "close out 2025 with a showcase of talent spanning generations and genres" within the hip-hop and R&B scene. Trey Songz, known for his smooth R&B hits "Can't Help But Wait" and "Slow Motion," will headline alongside Timbaland, the Grammy-winning producer behind Justin Timberlake's "SexyBack" and Nelly Furtado's "Promiscuous," which topped the Billboard Hot 100 for six consecutive weeks. Their performances are expected to highlight the event's international scope. The lineup also includes Korean rapper E SENS, winner of the Korean Music Awards Album of the Year in 2016, and American rapper Mims, who topped the Billboard Hot 100 with "This Is Why I'm Hot." Joining

Nov 4, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
Super Vibe Korea to bring global hip-hop, R&B acts to Incheon in December
Arts & Theater

Musical 'Death Note' returns with new faces, sharper moral edge

Ten years after its premiere in Korea, the musical version of "Death Note" still remains one of the most eerily relevant stage works. Currently back at D-Cube Link Art Center in southwestern Seoul, the production transforms a simple "what if" into a haunting reflection on justice, morality and the unspoken human temptation to play god. Adapted from the acclaimed Japanese manga and anime of the same name, the production has remained a steady fixture in Korea's musical theater scene. Since its 2015 debut, the musical has continued to draw strong ticket sales under OD Company, which took over production in 2022. The story closely mirrors the original manga, following Light Yagami, a brilliant yet disillusioned high school student who discovers the Death Note, a supernatural notebook that kills anyone whose name is written in it. Convinced he can rid the world of evil, Light begins executing violent criminals with a flick of his pen, only to be challenged by L, a young detective whose intellect rivals his own. What stands out most in the current 10th-anniversary run is a bold shift in its l

Nov 4, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
Musical 'Death Note' returns with new faces, sharper moral edge
K-pop

Miyeon of i-dle returns solo with heartfelt album 'MY, Lover'

K-pop girl group i-dle's powerhouse vocalist Miyeon returned this fall with her second solo mini-album, "MY, Lover," a wistful yet elegant collection that deepens her musical identity outside of the fierce five-piece act. The new release marks Miyeon's first solo comeback in three and a half years, since releasing "MY" in 2022. Featuring seven tracks, the album highlights Miyeon's growth beyond her presence as the main vocalist of i-dle, presenting a new portrait of her as an independent artist. Now 28, Miyeon first drew attention years before her debut when it was revealed that she had trained alongside BLACKPINK members in YG Entertainment's pre-debut lineup. Eventually making her debut in 2018 under Cube Entertainment, Miyeon has since built a reputation as a solid K-pop vocalist. Last year, Miyeon officially released "Sky Walking," a self-written track she first performed during i-dle's world tour. Ahead of the new album, she dropped the prerelease track "Reno (Feat. Colde)" on Oct. 28, which drew attention for its deeper tone. A few hours before the official album release on Monday,

Nov 3, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
Miyeon of i-dle returns solo with heartfelt album 'MY, Lover'
K-pop

K-pop legal feuds highlight power of contracts as NewJeans, EXO members lose disputes

As K-pop's global influence continues to grow, disputes over exclusive contracts between idols and their management agencies are once again shaking the industry at home. Recent court rulings against EXO members Chen, Baekhyun and Xiumin, collectively known as CBX, and girl group NewJeans have reignited the debate over how Korea's star-making system governs artists' careers and their rights. EXO-CBX vs. SM Tensions between SM Entertainment and the three EXO members have recently deepened, with both sides issuing conflicting statements. The latest flare-up began when SM announced plans for a full-group EXO comeback in December that excluded the trio, which had launched individual activities under their new agency, INB100. The dispute dates back to June 2023, just five months after the three renewed their group contracts with SM. They informed the agency that they intended to terminate the deals, citing a lack of transparency in profit settlements. SM denied the allegations. While speculation also arose that a third party had tried to lure the members away from SM, the conflict was eventuall

Nov 2, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
K-pop legal feuds highlight power of contracts as NewJeans, EXO members lose disputes
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