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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

K-pop's boundaries tested again: Irene & Seulgi spark debate over sexual symbolism, queerbaiting

As Red Velvet's subunit Irene & Seulgi gear up to release their second mini album, teaser images promoting the comeback have sparked controversy, with critics raising concerns over the use of overt sexual symbolism and queerbaiting in the promotional visuals. The debate ignited wider discussions about whether explicit content in K-pop demands greater introspection or whether it falls within the realm of creative freedom. SM Entertainment, the agency behind the duo, released teaser photos for the album, "TILT," starting at midnight on May 12, ahead of its scheduled release on Monday. The teasers were rolled out in three parts, each conveying a different emotional or narrative arc. The label described the visuals as capturing "subtle tension" between the two artists, "a moment of confrontation and a final state of balance," portraying "not a destructive rivalry, but a relationship of mutual uplift." Initial reactions from fans were enthusiastic. Many praised the dramatic and stylized portrayal of Irene and Seulgi as near-mirror images, fueling online speculation that the concept was rooted

May 20, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
K-pop's boundaries tested again: Irene & Seulgi spark debate over sexual symbolism, queerbaiting
K-pop

No more (G): i-dle rebrands, roars back with 'We are'

K-pop girl group i-dle, formerly known as (G)I-DLE, is starting a new chapter with its latest album "We are," out Monday, marking its first release since the group renewed contracts with its agency and officially changed its name. The five-member act — Soyeon, Minnie, Yuqi, Miyeon and Shuhua — debuted in 2018 with the breakout hit "LATATA." Now in its eighth year, the group reaffirmed its future with all members renewing their contracts with Cube Entertainment last year. Then, on May 2, the band sent another wave through the K-pop landscape by announcing it would drop the "(G)" from its name in time for its seventh anniversary. "The group will no longer be defined by 'girl,' 'gender' or any other label," Cube had said in a statement, promising "limitless" music and concepts moving forward. The members say the change was long overdue. Miyeon recalled during a press conference at a hotel in Seoul's Gangnam District, just hours before the album's release on Monday, that the members had long discussed the name change. "From the start, we were all a bit confused about why the '(G)' was the

May 19, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
No more (G): i-dle rebrands, roars back with 'We are'
K-pop

RIIZE charts its 'ODYSSEY' with first full-length album

After 11 months of preparation, K-pop boy band RIIZE is making a return with "ODYSSEY," an album tracing the path the team has walked since its debut, packed with 10 tracks and ambition to match. The "ODYSSEY" release, slated to drop on Monday at 6 p.m., marks a special milestone for the group, as its first-ever studio album since entering the scene in 2023. This is a notable move in an industry where fast-paced cycles often favor shorter mini-albums and singles, and full-length record releases are becoming increasingly uncommon. RIIZE held a press premiere on Monday, just hours before the official drop, to celebrate the occasion. Dressed in preppy outfits, the six members — Shotaro, Eunseok, Sungchan, Wonbin, Sohee and Anton — reflected the kind of confidence that comes naturally to a boy band in their early 20s. Greeting reporters, the members made it clear how much pride they take in the record. "We prepared these songs to show the kind of sound only we pursue," said the group's youngest member, Anton. "I hope you enjoy listening and watching the performance." "If someone asks what

May 19, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
RIIZE charts its 'ODYSSEY' with first full-length album
K-pop

Nitpicking or fair critique? Backlash brews over i-dle Yuqi's concert ticket remarks

Yuqi, a Chinese member of K-pop girl group i-dle, is facing criticism after expressing frustration over having to personally pay for concert tickets to invite acquaintances, drawing attention to sky-high ticket prices in the K-pop industry. The comment came during an episode Tuesday of the YouTube variety show "Salon Drip 2," in which Yuqi appeared alongside her Thai bandmate Minnie. During the episode, host Jang Do-youn brought up reports that Minnie had spent 10 million won ($7,140) of her own money to invite roughly 100 acquaintances to a concert. Responding on Minnie's behalf, Yuqi explained that during concerts in Thailand, Minnie's family, friends and other acquaintances are usually seated together in one section. She then added, "It's our concert, but we have to buy tickets with our own money," explaining that each member receives four complimentary tickets and must pay for any additional ones. Her remarks, delivered with a hint of frustration, were perceived by some fans as insensitive, considering how difficult it is to secure tickets through competitive sales and the steep pric

May 18, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
Nitpicking or fair critique? Backlash brews over i-dle Yuqi's concert ticket remarks
K-pop

EPEX postpones China concert; member Keum suspends activities

K-pop boy band EPEX has postponed its upcoming concert in China and will temporarily continue as a seven-member group following the suspension of member Keum's activities due to personal reasons, the group's agency said. C9 Entertainment announced Friday that Keum would halt all promotional and group activities, citing unspecified personal circumstances. "Until related matters are resolved, Keum will be suspending his activities," the agency said through a statement. "EPEX will proceed as a seven-member group starting today. We ask for fans' understanding." Keum also recently stepped down as an emcee for the MBC music show "Show! Champion," wrapping up a 14-month run with the April 30 broadcast. News of his hiatus follows another setback for the group. On May 9, just three weeks before the scheduled event, EPEX's concert in Fuzhou, China, was abruptly postponed. The group had been scheduled to perform on May 31 at MAAQUU x CH8 LIVEHOUSE as part of its "2025 EPEX CONCERT 'YOUTH DAYS'" tour. The performance would have marked the first concert in China by a K-pop boy band composed entirely o

May 18, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
EPEX postpones China concert; member Keum suspends activities
Music

Pianist Karam Kim to celebrate Ravel's 150th anniversary with recital

Pianist Karam Kim will present a recital in Seoul next month to mark the 150th anniversary of composer Maurice Ravel's birth, offering a program that pays tribute to the French Impressionist master. Titled "Promenade with Ravel," the concert will take place on June 15 at 2 p.m. at the IBK Chamber Hall of the Seoul Arts Center. The performance explores the complexity of Ravel's piano works, which Kim interprets through her own artistic journey growing up in Paris. The program is set to evoke the atmosphere of a summer stroll through the French capital, highlighting some of Ravel's most intricate compositions. Among them is "La Valse," a swirling waltz piece originally composed for two pianos and later arranged for orchestra and solo piano. Kim will also take on "Scarbo," the final movement of "Gaspard de la nuit," widely considered one of the most technically demanding pieces in the solo piano repertoire. Kim studied at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris under Georges Pludermacher and Claire Désert and at the Royal Academy of Music in London through the Erasmus pro

May 16, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
Pianist Karam Kim to celebrate Ravel's 150th anniversary with recital
Travel & Food

Tracing Han Kang's literary journey through Gwangju's darkest days

GWANGJU — Standing in the May 18 Democratic Square in Gwangju, watching jets of water shoot into the air from the plaza's fountain, it is hard not to think of Han Kang, the novelist who surprised the nation after winning the Nobel Prize in literature last year, and her 2014 work, "Human Acts." The fountain's spray, so ordinary on the surface, is the very image Han described after witnessing it during a research trip to the city, refracted through the eyes of Eun-sook, a fictional editor living in 1985, five years after "the incident." Still reeling from its aftermath, Eun-sook lives under an authoritarian regime, enduring state censorship and physical abuse by police. In that suffocating atmosphere, she finds herself briefly recalling the fountain. The water of the fountain, absent during the uprising, is now flowing again. Outraged by the sudden return to normalcy, she remembers picking up a public phone and filing a complaint. How could the city dare turn the water back on, as if nothing had happened? As if the dead had never existed? Nearly 45 years later, the same fountain still sur

May 16, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
Tracing Han Kang's literary journey through Gwangju's darkest days
Korean Heritage

Celebrating King Sejong's 628th birthday

Culture Minister Yu In-chon delivers a commemorative speech during a ceremony marking the 628th anniversary of King Sejong's birth at Heungnyemun Square in Gyeongbok Palace, Thursday. King Sejong, the fourth monarch of 1392-1910 Joseon Dynasty, invented Hangeul, the Korean alphabet. Courtesy of Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

May 15, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
Celebrating King Sejong's 628th birthday
K-pop

K-pop idols targeted by AI deepfake apps

A recent wave of advertisements using artificial intelligence (AI)-generated deepfake videos of K-pop idols has stirred backlash on social media, raising fresh concerns over the growing misuse of AI to create sexually suggestive content targeting celebrities. These advertisements for AI-powered apps recently triggered widespread concern in online communities, with users criticizing the spread of inappropriate content on short-form video platforms like TikTok and Instagram. The ads in question promote AI tools that generate videos of two people kissing, prompting users to upload their own photo alongside an image of their favorite K-pop idol to create a fabricated clip. Screenshots of these ads circulated online, with K-pop fans calling them disturbing and invasive. "Even after reporting it, the ad kept coming back ... I've seen even worse ones," one online community user wrote. Under Korean law, the non-consensual creation, manipulation, distribution or threat to distribute sexually explicit content using digital tools, such as AI, is a criminal offense. Despite the legal framework, deepf

May 15, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
K-pop idols targeted by AI deepfake apps
K-pop

BOYNEXTDOOR proves they’re more than just K-pop idols

In today's K-pop scene, most idol groups focus on delivering flashy performances to tracks prepared by professional songwriters and producers, which, unfortunately, leaves little room for the idols themselves to participate in the creative process. But BOYNEXTDOOR, a six-member boy band debuted in 2023, has been striving to break free from that standard K-pop playbook. Under the guidance of rapper and producer Zico — also the head of the group's agency KOZ Entertainment — BOYNEXTDOOR has distinguished itself from its peers by having all members take part in songwriting and production. From Jaehyun and Taesan to the youngest member Woonhak participating in writing the team's buzzy singles like "Earth, Wind & Fire," "Nice Guy" and "If I Say, I Love You," the group says every track is a team effort. "What makes a song good is different for every artist," Jaehyun said, during an interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in Mapo District, Monday. "For us, it's about whether the song lets us show our unique character on stage, and whether it resonates with people. That's what the six of us

May 13, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
BOYNEXTDOOR proves they’re more than just K-pop idols
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