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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

Rookie K-pop girl group AtHeart enters scene with big name-backing, global roots

Global K-pop startup TITAN CONTENT officially introduced its first girl group, AtHeart, Wednesday, marking the seven-member act's debut with the release of its first EP, "Plot Twist." The rookie group — Michi from Hawaii, Katelyn from the Philippines and Korean members Arin, Bome, Seohyeon and Nahyun — held a media showcase at Blue Square's SOL Travel Hall in Seoul, just hours before the 6 p.m. release of their debut EP. "I've waited so long for this, and it's such an honor," Nahyun said. "I'm happy to finally be on stage, and I'll work hard so people can watch me grow." Japanese member Aurora, currently recovering from health issues, was not able to join the event, with the group performing as a six-piece for now. Bome added, "Aurora is diligent and hardworking. I know she'll show something great when she joins us in our next album." The group's label, TITAN CONTENT, may be young, but its leadership team includes some of the most influential names in the field — chairperson Han Se-min, former CEO of SM Entertainment; CEO Katie Kang, former SM casting director; chief performance off

Aug 13, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
Rookie K-pop girl group AtHeart enters scene with big name-backing, global roots
Arts & Theater

ABBA anthems, heartwarming story keep musical 'Mamma Mia!' thriving in Seoul

More than two decades after its West End debut, the smash-hit musical "Mamma Mia!" is still packing theaters in Seoul with audiences enjoying the sounds of ABBA's greatest hits. Its current run at LG Art Center Seoul shows that the mix of nostalgia, humor and heart can still move audiences to their feet — even if the production may have begun to show the slightest signs of aging. First premiering in London in 1999, "Mamma Mia!" has since been staged worldwide, including a long run on Broadway. Its Korean rendition opened back in 2004 at the Seoul Arts Center and surpassed 2 million cumulative viewers by 2019. Built around the legendary Swedish pop group's anthems, the musical follows Donna, an independent single mother running a small hotel on a Greek island, and her daughter Sophie, who is preparing to marry her boyfriend at the young age of 20. The plot unfolds as Sophie finds Donna's old diary, then proceeds to invite three men from her mother's past — each of whom might be her father — to the wedding, hoping to learn the truth about her parentage. What follows is a lighthearte

Aug 12, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
ABBA anthems, heartwarming story keep musical 'Mamma Mia!' thriving in Seoul
K-pop

SHINee's Key embraces urban legends, darker sound on 'HUNTER'

SHINee's Key is diving into the horror realm with "HUNTER," his third full-length solo album released Monday. Drawing on the eerie allure of urban legends, the 10-track project pairs dark, theatrical imagery with his years of K-pop experience. The new release marks Key's first studio album in three years, following "Gasoline" in August 2022. SM Entertainment, the SHINee singer's longtime label, described it as "an album that weaves a variety of stories about the self," blending multiple genres and anchored by its eponymous title track. Speaking to reporters at a hotel in Seoul’s Gwangjin District just hours before the release, Key said he built the album with the stage in mind. "I chose the title track and the B-sides while picturing myself performing," he said. "It's an album that's really just fun to hear from the opening track straight through." Its lead single, "HUNTER," pairs a deep bassline and kick drums with deepening guitar riffs, while its lyrics explore the uneasy thrill of a painful relationship. The song was crafted with longtime SHINee collaborator KENZIE, who has written

Aug 11, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
SHINee's Key embraces urban legends, darker sound on 'HUNTER'
K-pop

THE BOYZ push past bomb threat, member scandals to launch new world tour

K-pop group The Boyz launched its fourth world tour over the weekend with a three-night run in Seoul, overcoming a fake bomb threat that delayed the final performance and a string of controversies surrounding members' private lives. The 10-member group opened their world tour, titled "THE BLAZE," from last Friday to Sunday at KSPO Dome in Songpa District of southeastern Seoul. The final show on Sunday was initially set to begin at 4 p.m., but at around 1:50 p.m., police received a report claiming explosives had been planted inside the arena. The report prompted an evacuation of the audience and a full security sweep. Authorities searched the venue for about two hours before confirming the threat was false. According to a press release from the group's agency, One Hundred, police, fire officials and venue staff "convened a joint safety review after the search and determined the concert could proceed." Audience entry resumed at 4:45 p.m. and the performance started at 6 p.m. Once onstage, The Boyz performed a mix of tracks including "Stylish," the title track of the band's latest album rel

Aug 11, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
THE BOYZ push past bomb threat, member scandals to launch new world tour
K-pop

K-pop’s premature disbandments rise among smaller labels

Several K-pop groups managed by relatively smaller entertainment agencies have disbanded or announced indefinite suspensions of activities in recent months, all without completing the industry-standard seven-year exclusive contracts. This trend of early breakups has not only sparked disappointment among fans, but also reignited debate over whether only major K-pop companies can sustain a band's ultimate success. On Aug. 4, RBW, the agency behind six-member girl group PURPLE KISS, issued a statement announcing the group will conclude activities in November. “The company and the members engaged in long and sincere discussions about how to move forward. Ultimately, we reached a conclusion based on mutual respect for each other’s opinions and with the desire to support each member’s individual dreams,” the agency said. RBW added that although the group will officially end activities, all scheduled events will proceed as planned — beginning with the release of an English-language album at the end of this month, followed by promotions in Japan and a tour in the Americas. Since debutin

Aug 11, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
K-pop’s premature disbandments rise among smaller labels
K-pop

Wave to Earth brings Korean indie rock to forefront with stirring Lollapalooza Chicago debut

CHICAGO — Under the unforgiving August sun in Chicago's Grant Park on Sunday, the air shimmered with heat as Lollapalooza festivalgoers slowly drifted toward the Tito's Handmade Vodka Stage. At first, the scene was relatively quiet. But by the time Korean indie rock band Wave to Earth struck their final chord, an enthusiastic crowd was locked in, singing along and roaring with the kind of fervor usually reserved for global rockstars. "We didn't expect that many people to show up," bassist Cha Soon-jong told The Korea Times during a backstage interview just minutes after the band's set, his face still beaming in the afterglow. "But as the set went on, more and more came to see us perform. It was almost kind of overwhelming." Wave to Earth may not be a household name among fans of the flashier, performance-driven side of K-pop, but they've quietly become one of the country's most exciting musical exports. Their music trades in atmosphere over spectacle — hazy lo-fi guitar lines, soft jazz-inflected drumming and melancholy lyrics. The Seoul-based trio, made up of frontman-guitarist Kim

Aug 6, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
Wave to Earth brings Korean indie rock to forefront with stirring Lollapalooza Chicago debut
K-pop

KATSEYE, BOYNEXTDOOR close out Lollapalooza Chicago with showmanship, industry promise

CHICAGO — Under the blazing sun in Chicago’s Grant Park, two of HYBE Labels’ fastest-rising acts stepped up to the plate, making it clear they intend to stay there. KATSEYE and BOYNEXTDOOR, both rising stars in the global music scene, delivered high-impact sets that closed out the four-day festival with a vibrant mix of flashy showmanship and industry promise. Though still in their nascent years, both groups demonstrated different strengths through their respective Sunday performances: KATSEYE brought theatrical flair and cross-cultural buzz, while BOYNEXTDOOR grounded their set in a powerful command of the stage. For KATSEYE, the performance at Lollapalooza’s main T-Mobile Stage — the group’s first-ever major festival appearance — was a pivotal career moment. Formed through the 2023 HYBE x Geffen global girl group audition program "Dream Academy," the six-member act — Manon, Daniela, Sophia, Megan, Lara and Yoonchae — has already cultivated a devoted international fan base. But according to the six members, stepping onto the Lollapalooza stage was something else entirel

Aug 4, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
KATSEYE, BOYNEXTDOOR close out Lollapalooza Chicago with showmanship, industry promise
K-pop

From TWICE to KickFlip: JYP doubles down at Lollapalooza Chicago

CHICAGO — As fireworks exploded above Grant Park and thousands of lightsticks danced below, TWICE closed out Saturday night at Lollapalooza Chicago with a bang — a spectacle that reaffirmed K-pop’s global power. But the spotlight wasn’t theirs alone. Just hours earlier, rookie boy band KickFlip stepped onto the same stage for their U.S. debut, wide-eyed but with enough raw energy to win over a sea of curious festivalgoers. Together, they turned JYP Entertainment’s presence at the festival into a generational double bill, painting a vivid portrait of both legacy and emergence on a global stage. TWICE dances night away Headlining Saturday night, TWICE, arguably one of K-pop's most globally celebrated girl groups, didn't just take the stage; they commanded it, unleashing a performance charged with the full force of K-pop's signature spectacle. Opening their set on the Bud Light Stage with a thunderous rendition of "The Feels," the nine-member group launched into a tightly choreographed run of fan favorites including "More & More," "Dance the Night Away" and "What is Love?" Tens of

Aug 4, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
From TWICE to KickFlip: JYP doubles down at Lollapalooza Chicago
Music

How Bae Chul-soo broadcasts iconic radio show from Lollapalooza Chicago

CHICAGO — Inside a white container studio in Grant Park, tucked just steps from the thundering stages of Lollapalooza Chicago, Korea’s most iconic radio voice leans into the mic — not in Seoul, but in the middle of America’s wildest summer music festival. What’s Bae Chul-soo, the legendary host of Korea's longest-running radio program, "Bae Chul-soo's Music Camp," doing 10,000 kilometers away from his familiar Seoul studio, where he has helmed Korea’s most beloved pop music show for over three decades? To celebrate the 35th anniversary of his program, Bae and his team flew across the globe for a first-of-its-kind recording project, bringing "Bae Camp" to life from the heart of the Windy City. Surrounded by festival frenzy, the crew set up a makeshift studio in Grant Park, determined to capture the global pulse of pop music in real time. This milestone moment of Korea's most enduring radio show promised something historic for fans and industry insiders alike, but its journey was far from seamless. After a grueling 12-hour flight, even catching an Uber into downtown proved chal

Aug 2, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
How Bae Chul-soo broadcasts iconic radio show from Lollapalooza Chicago
Music

Xdinary Heroes light up Lollapalooza Chicago

CHICAGO — The sun blazed down on Grant Park as waves of music lovers flooded through the gates Thursday, the opening day of Lollapalooza Chicago 2025. Under the sweltering heat, festivalgoers embraced the vibrant atmosphere, dressed in lightweight, expressive fashion — cowboy hats, bikini tops and jean cutoffs were common, while some attendees even braved the summer heat shirtless. Cans of beer and guava margaritas in hand, the crowd floated between stages at the park, most of them drenched in sweat while diving into equally filthy beats. One of the most influential music festivals in the world, Lollapalooza offers a strikingly different landscape from its Korean counterparts, not just in its massive scale, but in its overall vibes, genre diversity and sheer cultural breadth. Held annually at Chicago's Grant Park, the four-day festival draws nearly 400,000 attendees and continues to serve as a global touchpoint for contemporary music. This year's edition, running from Thursday to Sunday (local time), showcases more than 170 acts across eight stages, spanning pop, hip-hop, rock, EDM

Aug 1, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
Xdinary Heroes light up Lollapalooza Chicago
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