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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

Stray Kids circles globe 7 times in stadium-packed world tour

K-pop boy band Stray Kids will conclude its largest-ever world tour, "Stray Kids World Tour 'dominATE'," with a final concert at Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy, on Wednesday, marking the end of a global run that spanned five continents, 34 cities and 54 performances in nearly a year. Kicking off at Seoul's KSPO Dome in August 2024, the tour took the eight-member group across Asia, Oceania, Latin America, North America and Europe. According to its agency, JYP Entertainment, the group traveled an estimated 285,000 kilometers during this tour, roughly equivalent to circling the Earth seven times, highlighting the tour's expansive scale. The tour was named after the band's ninth EP "ATE," released back in July 2024, and the word "dominate," a nod to the group's ambition to conquer the global music scene. The group performed in 34 venues in total, including 31 for the first time. Twenty-seven of the venues were open-air stadiums, marking a dramatic expansion from their previous tour, "MANIAC," which featured just one stadium show in Los Angeles in 2023. Through a press release on Monday, the a

Jul 28, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
Stray Kids circles globe 7 times in stadium-packed world tour
K-pop

BOYNEXTDOOR goes big but not bold in Seoul finale of 1st world tour

BOYNEXTDOOR, the boy band under KOZ Entertainment and part of HYBE's ever-expanding K-pop empire, officially wrapped its first-ever tour with a sold-out three-day finale in Seoul. Backed by the full force of the K-pop conglomerate, the production successfully delivered on scale, but flashes of déjà vu dimmed the finale's impact. Familiar visuals and staging choices echoed past K-pop spectacles, raising questions about KOZ's creative direction and the group's evolving identity. Launched in December 2024 in Incheon, "BOYNEXTDOOR TOUR 'KNOCK ON Vol.1'" spanned 23 shows across 13 cities, including Tokyo, Singapore, Manila, Taipei and Jakarta, ending with three finale performances that ran Friday to Sunday at KSPO Dome in southeastern Seoul. Sunday's show, the final evening of the run, offered a glimpse into the group's young but devoted fanbase. Students made up much of the crowd — some with hair still in curlers, others casually dressed in checkered shirts. But once inside, the fans all became a single, unified voice, erupting in thunderous cheers as the lights cut out and they were plu

Jul 28, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
BOYNEXTDOOR goes big but not bold in Seoul finale of 1st world tour
K-pop

MBC's 'Bae Chul-soo's Music Camp' to broadcast from Lollapalooza Chicago for 35th anniv.

MBC Radio's long-running show "Bae Chul-soo's Music Camp" will celebrate its 35th anniversary with a special broadcast in August from Lollapalooza Chicago, one of the largest and most influential music festivals in the United States. The festival will run from July 31 to Aug. 3 and the program will broadcast live-recorded performances and interviews from the festival site between Aug. 1 and 6. Seoul and Chicago have a 14-hour time difference. As part of the anniversary broadcast, the program is expected to spotlight K-pop artists performing at the festival. This year's Lollapalooza lineup includes several Korean acts, such as TWICE, KickFlip, Xdinary Heroes, BOYNEXTDOOR and the rock band Wave to Earth. First aired in 1990, "Bae Chul-soo's Music Camp" has become one of Korea's most respected music shows. Known for its focus on Western pop and rock, the program is hosted by Bae Chul-soo, a former rock musician recognized for his iconic voice and deep knowledge of the genre. In celebration of the 30th anniversary in 2020, the show aired a special episode from BBC studios in London and invit

Jul 27, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
MBC's 'Bae Chul-soo's Music Camp' to broadcast from Lollapalooza Chicago for 35th anniv.
Travel & Food

Soaked in summer: Korea's hottest festivals to cool off, snap photos, dive headfirst into season

As the unforgiving monsoon rains fade and summer heat takes hold, Korea is transforming into a vibrant playground of culture, nature and celebration. From bustling city plazas to tranquil riversides and scenic mountains, the country’s summer festivals bring together locals and travelers in search of joy, beauty and, most importantly, relief from rising temperatures. Whether you want to dive into a giant mud pit, wander through endless flower fields or dance beneath the stars, there's always a festival to match your vibe. The Korea Times curated Korea's best summer events into three categories: water festivals, photo-friendly escapes and hands-on adventures. Pack your waterproof gadgets, charge your camera and prepare for a Korean summer you'll never forget. Dive head-first into summer When it comes to escaping the sweltering sun, nothing beats a full-body plunge into water. Across Korea, a wave of water-themed festivals is giving locals and tourists alike a reason to get wet, dance and escape the heat. From the heart of Seoul to the coastal charm of South Jeolla Province, here are some

Jul 26, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
Soaked in summer: Korea's hottest festivals to cool off, snap photos, dive headfirst into season
K-pop

From stage to courtroom: NewJeans meets 3rd anniversary in legal standoff

K-pop girl group NewJeans marked the third anniversary of its debut this week, but instead of a celebration, the milestone arrived under the shadow of an unresolved legal dispute with its agency, Ador. Two days after marking its third debut anniversary, NewJeans underwent a third court hearing Thursday at 4 p.m., in a lawsuit filed by Ador seeking to confirm the validity of the group's exclusive contracts — a case that has kept the group embroiled in legal trouble for months. With the hearing falling so close to the anniversary date, fans gathered outside the Seoul Central District Court in hopes of seeing the five members — Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin and Hyein — but the group did not appear in person for the proceedings. The legal conflict between NewJeans and the HYBE subsidiary began back in November 2024, when the members held an emergency press conference and declared their intention to terminate their contracts with the agency citing that the trust between them had broken down. Soon after, the group revealed a new name, NJZ, via a new social media account and began prepa

Jul 24, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
From stage to courtroom: NewJeans meets 3rd anniversary in legal standoff
People & Events

Korea Times, KOFICE sign MOU to expand global reach of hallyu

The Korea Times, the nation's oldest English-language daily, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Korea Foundation for International Cultural Exchange (KOFICE) to support the continued global spread of Korean culture. The agreement aims to establish a joint framework for cooperation, allowing both organizations to promote hallyu, or the Korean wave, worldwide and pursue mutual growth. Founded in 2003, KOFICE operates under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, with a mission to introduce Korean culture to the world and foster global cultural exchanges. "KOFICE and The Korea Times share a common mission of promoting Korea to the world," The Korea Times President-Publisher Oh Young-jin said during a signing ceremony at the newspaper's headquarters in central Seoul, Tuesday. "Korean culture today is loved worldwide — people sing our songs, read our literature and enjoy our food. With a great sense of pride, our job is to help more people experience how Korean culture enriches and contributes to global diversity. This agreement marks an important step in achieving tha

Jul 22, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
Korea Times, KOFICE sign MOU to expand global reach of hallyu
K-pop

TXT gets personal, more powerful in 'The Star Chapter: TOGETHER'

Tomorrow X Together (TXT) is back, and the band is literally bringing it all together. The BigHit Music boy band returned Monday with "The Star Chapter: TOGETHER," the group's first full-length album in nearly two years, wrapping up its "Star Chapter" series with more emotional storytelling and powerful performances. Just hours before the album drop, the five TXT members — Soobin, Yeonjun, Beomgyu, Taehyun and Hueningkai — took the stage at Kyung Hee University's Peace Hall in Seoul to talk the press through their newest work. Dressed in black leather and exuding a darker edge, the members described the album as the group's most personal project yet. "We worked really hard to make sure our colors came through this time," said Yeonjun, the group's eldest. "Since the word 'together' is part of our team name, we thought a lot about what it actually means and how to express that through the music." Beomgyu added, "Being together is at the core of who we are as a team. We've all built this together — our fans, our staff and the five of us. That made the message of this new album feel eve

Jul 21, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
TXT gets personal, more powerful in 'The Star Chapter: TOGETHER'
K-pop

TWICE, BLACKPINK made noise with simultaneous comebacks — but who hit harder?

K-pop witnessed a rare moment on July 11 at 1 p.m., as two of the genre's biggest girl groups, TWICE and BLACKPINK, dropped new music at the exact same time. One leaned into empowerment-pop with polished ease, while the other detonated a literal music bomb straight out of the rave scene. The result? A week of fierce fan debate, endless replays and two vastly different approaches to being a global K-pop band in 2025. TWICE, celebrating 10 years since its debut, dropped "THIS IS FOR," a full-length album packed with 14 tracks that feel like a love letter to fans and its own decade-long legacy. The eponymous title track, sung entirely in English, is an easy-listening pop anthem with retro riffs, smooth basslines and an empowering message that hits directly: "This is for all the ladies who don't get hyped enough." It's not out to reinvent, but it's a sign that TWICE — and their team — knows exactly who they are and what their global audience wants. Serving as a continuation of the group's slow but steady shift into their "grown woman" era, TWICE now carries themselves with the kind of sel

Jul 18, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
TWICE, BLACKPINK made noise with simultaneous comebacks — but who hit harder?
K-pop

What makes K-pop audition programs so popular?

As K-pop's global reach continues to expand, Korean broadcasters are continuously rolling out a stream of audition programs searching for the next breakout act. Mnet, known for its long-running history with televised music competitions, introduced the new elements of "BOYS II PLANET," a sequel to its "Boys Planet" series, during a press conference Wednesday. Earlier in June, broadcaster SBS also launched a new boy band audition program titled "B:MY BOYZ." Over the years, Korea has discovered emerging talent through many different audition shows, including major titles like "Superstar K" and "K-Pop Star." These shows were among the first to introduce a nationwide voting system, inviting viewers to support their favorite contestants on their path to a debut. While those earlier programs mainly debuted individual artists, the trend of forming K-pop groups through televised shows and propelling them to mainstream success began to thrive in the late 2010s with Mnet's "Produce 101" franchise. Spanning four seasons, the "Produce 101" series produced immensely popular project groups including I.

Jul 17, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
What makes K-pop audition programs so popular?
K-pop

Monsta X looks ahead after decade in K-pop, teases September comeback

Having weathered all the highs and lows that come with spending a decade in the turbulent K-pop industry, nothing seems to rattle boy band Monsta X and its sheer confidence. That was clear on Wednesday afternoon, as the six Monsta X members — Shownu, Minhyuk, Kihyun, Hyungwon, Joohoney and I.M — gathered at a hotel in Yeouido, Seoul, for a press conference marking the group's 10th anniversary. Rather than treating it as a routine media event, the members filled the room with easy laughter, trading jokes about their military service and even dropping unannounced hints about new music. Monsta X made its official debut on May 14, 2015, under Starship Entertainment, with its first mini album, "Trespass." Since then, the group has built an impressive catalog of hits, including "DRAMARAMA," "Shoot Out" and "GAMBLER," winning over fans in Korea and abroad with its signature masculine charisma. Looking back on the decade together, Minhyuk said the milestone finally felt real. "I didn't really feel it until today," he said. "Being congratulated like this makes it sink in. It feels both moving

Jul 16, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
Monsta X looks ahead after decade in K-pop, teases September comeback
  • Timeline: Monsta X's 10 years of grit, global growth
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