BTS fans join Suga in funding autism treatment center for childrenFollowing BTS member Suga's donation of 5 billion won ($3.62 million) to help build a treatment center for children with autism, fans around the world have responded with an outpouring of support, hospital officials said Tuesday. Severance Hospital in Seoul announced that public donations for the planned Min Yoon-gi Treatment Center exceeded 200 million won as of 9 a.m., just one day after news of Suga's donation was made public. A groundbreaking ceremony for the facility named after Suga's real name, Min Yoon-gi was held Monday at the hospital. The new facility, set to open in September, will offer mental health care and therapy for young people with autism spectrum disorder. The center will provide language, psychological and behavioral therapy, and run programs that combine clinical treatment and research. In addition to his donation, Suga has collaborated with Cheon Keun-ah, a child psychiatry expert at Severance Hospital, to create a music-based therapy program designed to help children with autism develop social skills since last November. He also volunteered on weekends from MarchJun 24, 2025By Yonhap
Korea's first chaebol heiress idol Annie stuns in white at debut eventAnnie, the daughter of Shinsegae Chairwoman Chung Yoo-kyung and a member of the new co-ed K-pop group Allday Project, captivated onlookers with her striking appearance at the group’s debut event. On Monday, a photo shoot was held at the LG Uplus pop-up space in Gangnam, Seoul, to mark the opening of a debut-themed pop-up store for Allday Project. Annie appeared in a white mini dress, paired with long, sleek hair. The turtleneck and loose silhouette accentuated her slender frame. The understated ensemble was elevated by a pair of black knee-high boots that served as a focal point of her look. The satin fabric had a subtle sheen that added a touch of luxury, harmonizing with Annie’s natural elegance to create a sense of polished refinement. Her look was completed with carefully chosen accessories. The result resembled a high-fashion model, not just a stage outfit. Annie, whose Korean name is Moon Seo-yoon, drew attention even before her debut due to her background as the eldest daughter of Chung Yoo-kyung, chairwoman of retail giant Shinsegae. Her entry into K-pop has earned her the niJun 24, 2025By Xportsnews
BLACKPINK to debut new song at Goyang kickoff for ‘DEADLINE’ world tourBLACKPINK will unveil a brand-new song for the first time in nearly two years and eight months during the opening concerts of their upcoming world tour “DEADLINE,” taking place July 5 and 6 at the Goyang Sports Complex Main Stadium. Their agency YG Entertainment announced Monday that the long-anticipated comeback performance will mark a symbolic starting point for the group to reconnect with fans. “There were extensive discussions on how to present the new song,” YG said in a statement. “We decided that debuting it in Goyang — the launch of the ‘DEADLINE’ tour — would be the most meaningful. Details about the official release date will be announced soon.” While the song itself remains under wraps, anticipation has reached a fever pitch following executive producer Yang Hyun-suk’s earlier confirmation of BLACKPINK’s full-group return. The group recently completed filming the new music video in Korea, adding fuel to fans’ excitement. This marks BLACKPINK’s first release since the 2022 studio album “BORN PINK,” aside from the original soundtrack “The GirlsJun 24, 2025By Hankookilbo
Ateez debuts on Billboard's Hot 100 with 'Lemon Drop'K-pop boy group Ateez has entered the U.S. Billboard's Hot 100 main songs chart for the first time in its career. The eight-member group landed at No. 69 on this week's chart with "Lemon Drop," the lead track of its 12th EP released earlier this month, Billboard said in a chart preview Monday (U.S. time). The Hot 100 ranks the most popular songs of the week in the United States, measured by all-genre streaming, radio airplay and sales. It marks the group's first appearance on the chart and makes it the third K-pop boy group to achieve the feat. The band also placed second on this week's Billboard 200 albums chart with the EP "Golden Hour: Part. 3," marking its seventh album to break into the chart's top 10. Ateez is set to kick off its 2025 world tour, "In Your Fantasy," in Incheon on July 5-6. The tour will then continue in several U.S. cities, including Atlanta, New York, San Jose, and Los Angeles, before heading to Mexico City on Aug. 23.Jun 24, 2025By Yonhap
Koyote's Shinji to marry singer Moon Won, seven years her juniorShinji, member of the long-running K-pop group Koyote, is set to get married next year to fellow singer Moon Won, who is seven years her junior. Her agency, JG Star Entertainment, confirmed Monday that Shinji was taking wedding photos with her fiance at a studio in Seoul. The wedding is scheduled to take place in the first half of next year. Shinji and Moon Won first met when he appeared as a guest on an MBC Standard FM’s radio show, which Shinji hosted. Their professional encounter developed into a romantic relationship, and after dating for more than two years, they decided to tie the knot. Ahead of the wedding, the couple will release a surprise duet Thursday titled “SalagaDoola." Shinji participated actively in supporting Moon in producing the track, lending her voice to complete the duet. Shinji debuted in 1998 as the lead vocalist of Koyote and rose to fame with hits like “Pure Love,” “Sad Dream" and “Broken Heart.” Her clear vocals and cheerful personality have earned her steady popularity over the past two decades. Moon began gaining recognition in 2013 when he placeJun 24, 2025By Hankookilbo
Baby DONT Cry enters K-pop scene with bold image, big-name backing, early backlashWhat happens when PSY, the iconic "Gangnam Style" songster, launches his first K-pop girl group, with music produced by i-dle's hitmaker Soyeon? That question took a step toward an answer Monday, as rookie girl group Baby DONT Cry officially debuted through a media showcase at Blue Square in Yongsan District, Seoul. The four-piece act is the first girl group to be launched under P Nation, the agency led by Psy and home to artists like Hwasa, Heize and Crush. Comprising two Korean members, Yihyun and Beni, and two Japanese members, Kumi and Mia, the group said it sets itself apart with a bold and mischievous attitude that breaks from the conventional image of most K-pop girl groups. Leader Yihyun, visibly nervous but firm in tone, explained the meaning behind the group's name. "The 'baby' in our name isn't about being fragile," said Yihyun. "It stands for innocence, but also strength. We're not someone you need to protect. We represent our own pure and confident image." Kumi added her own perspective in her still-developing Korean. "We're like popping candy. Sweet and cute, but strong and fJun 23, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
Babymonster to drop new single 'Hot Sauce' next monthBabymonster, the rising girl group from YG Entertainment, will release a new single called "Hot Sauce" next month, the company announced Monday. The song, set for release on July 1, puts a modern twist on the sound of 1980s old-school hip-hop. Yang Hyun-suk, YG's executive producer, described "Hot Sauce" as a "gift for fans to enjoy this summer." He said the track captures the energy of mid-to-late 1980s hip-hop with an addictive beat. After "Hot Sauce," Babymonster plans to release another single in September and an EP in October, according to YG. One member, Rami, will not take part in the album since she is still recovering from health issues that caused her to pause her activities earlier this year. "Rami still needs more time to recover. We ask for your generous understanding as we put the artist's health first. We will continue to support Rami's recovery and Babymonster's activities," the company said in a release.Jun 23, 2025By Yonhap
NCT Dream to drop new studio album, launch tour next monthK-pop boy group NCT Dream will resume its activities with the release of a new studio album and an Asian tour next month, the group's agency said Monday. The band's fifth full-length album titled "Go Back to the Future" will come out July 14, according to SM Entertainment. The album follows the members as they embark on a journey through time — traveling between the past, present and future — in search of their most radiant selves, the agency said. The album will feature nine tracks, including the double lead tracks "BTTF (Back to the Future)" and "Chiller." Ahead of the album's release, the K-pop septet will kick off its fourth concert tour at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul from July 10 to 12. The "Dream the Future" tour will then go to several major Asian cities, including Bangkok, Hong Kong, Jakarta and Singapore.Jun 23, 2025By Yonhap
BTS' Suga donates $3.6 mil. to build autism center at Severance HospitalSuga, a member of K-pop juggernaut BTS, donated 5 billion won ($3.6 million) to Yonsei University’s Severance Hospital to help establish a treatment center for children and young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), partnering with the hospital to support long-term care and research for their social independence. The hospital held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Min Yoon-gi Treatment Center in Seodaemun District, Seoul, Monday. Min Yoon-gi is Suga’s real name. The center, set to open in September, will provide psychiatric support for individuals with ASD, aiming to establish programs using language, psychological and behavioral therapies geared toward developing skills for social independence. "Over the last seven months preparing for the program launch and engaging in volunteer work, I have come to understand that music can be a positive outlet for expressing emotions and communicating with the world,” Suga said in a statement. “I am so happy and grateful that I was able to participate in the treatment process for children with ASD.” According to a press release fromJun 23, 2025By Inna Christine Cabel and Kwak Yeon-soo
Ateez's new album reaches No. 2 on Billboard 200K-pop boy group Ateez's 12th EP, "Golden Hour: Part. 3" has debuted at No. 2 on the main albums chart of the U.S. Billboard. The album came in second on the Billboard 200 following American country star Morgan Wallen's "I'm the Problem," Billboard said in a preview for this week's chart Sunday (U.S. time). The Billboard 200 ranks the most popular albums of the week in the United States, measured by equivalent album units, comprising physical album sales, track equivalent albums and streaming equivalent albums. Ateez earned 105,000 album units, including 101,500 from physical album sales, during the latest chart tracking week. Including the latest album, a total of seven albums from the K-pop octet have reached the top 10 of the chart. Two of the seven rose atop the chart. "Golden Hour: Part. 3" is the third installment of the group's "Golden Hour" album series that captured the most radiant moments of youth. The new EP focused on the theme of "emotions," with the members expressing their honest selves as they confront and navigate their feelings.Jun 23, 2025By Yonhap
