The Korea Times

Super Junior’s 20-year journey shows what K-pop longevity looks like

In K-pop, the seven-year contract has long been seen as a finish line. For many groups, it's the point where its members either decide to renew or part ways, with only a handful surviving beyond it — and even fewer managing to thrive. Yet Super Junior, SM Entertainment's first-ever large-scale boy band which debuted in 2005, has not only repeatedly renewed its commitment to stay together, but also set benchmarks for K-pop's global rise. Two decades on, the group now stands as one of the rarest acts to endure the industry turbulence, cementing its place as a model of K-pop longevity. Celebrating its 20th anniversary, Super Junior recently released its 12th studio album, "Super Junior 25," in July, before launching the 10th edition of its long-running concert series, "SUPER SHOW." Having opened last weekend with three nights in Seoul, the tour now heads to 16 cities across Asia, Europe and the Americas, running through March 2026. Since its launch in 2008, the series has drawn more than 2 million fans, making it the longest-running concert brand in K-pop. Super Junior's origins trace bac

Aug 26, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min

K-pop

TXT kicks off 4th world tour in Seoul with surprise BigHit contract renewal

K-pop boy band Tomorrow X Together (TXT) marked the start of its fourth world tour with two explosive nights at Seoul's Gocheok Sky Dome and a surprise announcement that all five members have renewed their contracts with BigHit Music, the label behind the group's formation. The group drew about 33,000 fans across Friday and Saturday for the opening leg of "TOMORROW X TOGETHER WORLD TOUR 'ACT: TOMORROW,'" with the shows streamed live on fan platform Weverse for global viewers. The group kicked off both nights with "LO$ER=LO♡ER," driving the momentum through fan-favorites like "Wishlist," "Blue Hour" and "Blue Orangeade" as the crowd sang along with every lyric. "We won't be stopping for the rest of the show, so please keep up with our energy," the members urged during the show, according to BigHit's official release, before moving into a setlist that charted the group's journey from their 2019 debut EP "The Dream Chapter: STAR" to this summer's "The Star Chapter: TOGETHER." The two-day concert also spotlighted new solo performances from the band's latest album, each offering a distinct

Aug 24, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min

TXT kicks off 4th world tour in Seoul with surprise BigHit contract renewal

K-pop

Stray Kids celebrates global reign with triumphant new album 'KARMA'

K-pop juggernaut Stray Kids is back, and the group is making its return into a victory lap. On Friday at 1 p.m., the K-pop powerhouse unveiled their long-awaited full-length album "KARMA," a project that celebrates the group's hard-earned achievements and the global career they have built. Just two hours before release, the group addressed the press at a conference at a hotel in Seoul. Clad in sharp black suits, the eight members — Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin and I.N — entered the conference hall with the poise of artists well aware of their stature on the world stage. "This is our first comeback of the year, and we poured ourselves into it even while touring for 11 months," leader Bang Chan said. "We think of this as a big gift to STAY (the group's official fandom) and we're curious how people will respond. I'm already happy knowing we prepared without regrets." "KARMA" marks Stray Kids' first studio album in two years since 2023's "★★★★★ (5-STAR)." Once again, the producing trio 3RACHA — Bang Chan, Changbin and Han — took the reins, wr

Aug 22, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min

Stray Kids celebrates global reign with triumphant new album 'KARMA'

K-pop

SM's rookie Min Ji-woon finds her colors with debut EP 'Pink, then grey'

A new name under K-pop conglomerate SM Entertainment is ready to stake her place, this time in R&B. Min Ji-woon, the rising singer-songwriter under the company's contemporary R&B label, KRUCIALIZE, is set to drop her first EP, "Pink, then grey" Friday. KRUCIALIZE, launched in May 2024, was created to widen K-pop's musical scope with a sharper focus on R&B. Its name fuses "crucial" with the "-ize" suffix, reflecting its mission to push K-pop's boundaries. As KRUCIALIZE's first breakout artist, Min has been carving out her sound since her debut single "Sentimental Love" last October, followed by "Someone" and "If You Were The Rain (feat. Crush)." Each release spotlighted her uniquely emotive voice, which is well-suited for R&B, while also showcasing her producing abilities. The story behind her discovery had already raised eyebrows in the industry, as Min was reportedly scouted after an SM producer slid into her DMs. "I had been uploading covers and original songs on my personal social media account before debut and then SM reached out asking to meet," Min recalled at a press event at a th

Aug 21, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min

SM's rookie Min Ji-woon finds her colors with debut EP 'Pink, then grey'

K-pop

BTS to bring remastered concert films to 2,000 cinemas worldwide

K-pop juggernaut BTS will bring some of its most unforgettable moments to the big screen, with a series of live concert films set to be shown worldwide. The group on Thursday announced "BTS MOVIE WEEKS," which will screen concert films in more than 2,000 cinemas across 65 countries and regions. The project was unveiled with a main poster posted on the band's official social media accounts. The lineup includes "BTS 2016 Live 'The Most Beautiful Moment in Life' On Stage: Epilogue," the group's first show at Seoul's iconic KSPO Dome, and "BTS 2017 Live Trilogy Episode III The Wings Tour The Final," staged after their historic Billboard Music Awards win. The lineup also features "BTS 2019 World Tour 'Love Yourself: Speak Yourself' London," which drew 120,000 fans over two nights at Wembley Stadium, making BTS the first K-pop act to headline the venue. Rounding out the program is "BTS 2021 Muster Sowoozoo," an online fan event held for the band's eighth anniversary during the COVID-19 pandemic. BigHit Music, the group's label, said the films have been remastered in 4K ultra-high definition an

Aug 21, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min

BTS to bring remastered concert films to 2,000 cinemas worldwide

K-pop

Late summer goes solo as Joy, Chaeyoung, Haechan and more lead fall K-pop lineup

As the festival heat of summer fades, the K-pop spotlight is shifting as idols trade the safety of their groups for center stage through late August and September. Red Velvet's Joy already opened the solo parade and in the weeks ahead, TWICE's Chaeyoung, NCT's Haechan, MAMAMOO's Moonbyul and more will be stepping forward — with debuts, comebacks and world tours packing the early autumn calendar. Red Velvet's Joy was the first to make her move, releasing her debut mini-album "From JOY, with Love" on Monday. The six-track project threads together different shades of romance, including the bright and bubbly pop dance title "Love Splash!," which she co-wrote. The song captures the rush of first love with a fluttering beat, sweet lyrics and a melody designed to sparkle. "Releasing an album filled with my own emotions once felt vague and difficult, but thanks to the people who supported me, I was able to bring it into the world," Joy said Monday through an official release. "I wanted to capture the greatness and preciousness of love in this album. The biggest challenge was expressing such a

Aug 21, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min

Late summer goes solo as Joy, Chaeyoung, Haechan and more lead fall K-pop lineup

Music

Croatia's Jelusick joins forces with rock icon YB for epic 'Odyssey' project

When it comes to rock diplomacy, few pairings feel as unexpected and as electric as this one. Croatia's hard rock outfit Jelusick, fronted by powerhouse vocalist and keyboardist Dino Jelusick, has teamed up with Korea's legendary rock band YB, led by singer-songwriter Yoon Do-hyun, for a groundbreaking cross-cultural project. Formed in 2022, Jelusick is a four-piece band known for straddling rock, metal, funk and acoustic blues with equal ease. The band's debut album, "Follow the Blind Man," dropped in September 2023, and a follow-up album is slated for release on Sept. 19. Now, the rising European band is setting its sights on Korea. Its ongoing collaboration with YB, titled the "YB x Jelusick ODYSSEY Project," is more than just a concert series. Backed locally by the Korea Creative Content Agency, the initiative spans six shows across both countries and aims to spark broader cultural exchange through music, tourism and media. Confirmed stops include a recently concluded performance in Jeonju and Seoul, followed by Croatian dates at Spancirfest in Varazdin on Saturday and Valpovo on Aug.

Aug 20, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min

Croatia's Jelusick joins forces with rock icon YB for epic 'Odyssey' project

K-pop

Meet CORTIS: BigHit Music's 1st boy band since TXT

Many idols cite K-pop juggernaut BTS as their role model, but only a few can truly position themselves as the group's successors. On Monday, rookie boy band CORTIS — composed of members Martin, James, Juhoon, Seonghyeon and Keonho — debuted as BigHit Music's newest boy band, stepping into that rare space as the label's first boy group in six years since TXT and third in the 12 years since BTS debuted. That pedigree alone has fueled heavy anticipation among K-pop enthusiasts. As BigHit has turned each of its boy bands into global acts, fans were quick to focus their attention on its third project, with CORTIS amassing 1 million TikTok followers within six days of launching their official account. The music video for their debut album's intro track "GO!" landed on YouTube's trending music video charts in 11 regions, including Korea, the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. The group made its formal introduction at a media showcase at Blue Square in Seoul's Yongsan district, Monday. Still in their teens, the five members appeared onstage sporting young but confident energy. "Our

Aug 18, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min

Meet CORTIS: BigHit Music's 1st boy band since TXT

K-pop

Are K-pop's audition show-formed project groups headed for longer runs?

For years, project groups born from K-pop audition shows have followed an all-too-predictable script — they enjoy a burst of fame, then vanish into thin air once their short-term contracts run out. These acts, made up of trainees from multiple different agencies, were rarely meant to last. While some members went on to relaunch careers elsewhere, the group’s popularity often faded as quickly as it had arrived. That narrative, however, is apparently beginning to crack. Just last year, most members of girl group Kep1er, formed through the 2021 audition show "Girls Planet 999," renewed their contracts, becoming the first project act to break the industry's unwritten rule. More recently, boy band ZEROBASEONE (ZB1) has confirmed that talks are underway to extend its activities beyond its original end date, fueling speculation that the short-lived model for such groups could be changing. On Tuesday, ZB1's agency, WAKEONE, told multiple local media outlets that it "highly values the group's potential and growth prospects" and has been in "serious talks" with each member's agency since early

Aug 15, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min

K-pop

Young Posse channels 'Growing Pain' into fierce, hip-hop driven new EP

In a scene where girl groups dedicated to true hip-hop are a rarity, K-pop act Young Posse has doubled down on what they do best. The five-member group drops its fourth EP, "Growing Pain pt.1 : FREE," Thursday at 6 p.m., delivering a fresh round of hard-hitting hip-hop. The new project arrives five months after the group — Sunhye, Yeonjung, Jiana, Doeun and Jieun — released its special album, "COLD." According to the group's agency, DSP Media, the record explores the "growing pains" that come with searching for one's true self, a theme reflected in its title. To mark the release, the members hosted a media event at YES24 Wanderloch Hall in Seoul's Seodaemun District, just a few hours before the actual release. Rather than presenting a conventional comeback showcase, the band branded the gathering a "Media Mini Festival." True to its reputation for dynamic live performances, the group opened the event with their signature hits "XXL" and "ATE THAT" before launching straight into the new title track with unrelenting energy. Since debuting in 2023, the five Young Posse members have consi

Aug 14, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min

Pyo Kyung-min

Read more

Super Junior’s 20-year journey shows what K-pop longevity looks like

TXT kicks off 4th world tour in Seoul with surprise BigHit contract renewal

Stray Kids celebrates global reign with triumphant new album 'KARMA'

SM's rookie Min Ji-woon finds her colors with debut EP 'Pink, then grey'

BTS to bring remastered concert films to 2,000 cinemas worldwide

Late summer goes solo as Joy, Chaeyoung, Haechan and more lead fall K-pop lineup

Croatia's Jelusick joins forces with rock icon YB for epic 'Odyssey' project

Meet CORTIS: BigHit Music's 1st boy band since TXT

Are K-pop's audition show-formed project groups headed for longer runs?

Young Posse channels 'Growing Pain' into fierce, hip-hop driven new EP

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