TWICE's 'TT' music video tops 700 mil. YouTube viewsThe video for K-pop girl group TWICE's 2016 single "TT" has surpassed 700 million views on YouTube. The video passed the threshold at about 2:45 p.m. Thursday, more than eight years after it was released on Oct. 24, 2016, according to JYP Entertainment on Friday. It became the band's second music video to surpass 700 million views after "What is Love?" "TT," the lead track from TWICE's third EP, "TWICEcoaster: LANE1," expresses the emotions of a girl who has fallen in love for the first time in her life. The nine-member group is scheduled to release its fourth full-length album, "This is For," on July 11. Following the album's release, the girl group will headline Lollapalooza Chicago, a major music festival in the United States, on Aug. 2.May 30, 2025By Yonhap
SM to boost cooperation with China's Tencent MusicSM Entertainment will expand its strategic partnership with Tencent Music Entertainment Group, following the Chinese streaming giant's move to become SM's second-largest shareholder. SM announced Thursday it signed a memorandum of understanding with Tencent Music to broaden cooperation beyond music distribution. The partnership will include the co-production of new idol groups, expansion of intellectual property (IP) businesses and local performance planning in China. Tencent Music, a subsidiary of Chinese tech giant Tencent Holdings, is set to acquire a 9.38 percent stake in SM from rival K-pop agency Hybe on Friday. The purchase would make it SM's No. 2 shareholder behind Kakao Corp. and Kakao Entertainment, which together hold a 41.5 percent stake. "This collaboration significantly expands the scope of cooperation," SM said, adding that the partnership marks the official start of closer ties following the stake acquisition. As part of the agreement, SM and Tencent Music plan to debut a Chinese idol group within two to three years. SM will oversee production, including casting and trainMay 29, 2025By Yonhap
Seventeen ranks No. 3 in Billboard's midyear Top Tours worldwideK-pop boy group Seventeen placed third on Billboard's 2025 midyear Top Tours chart, earning $120.9 million from ticket sales. According to Billboard's midyear boxscore report released on Wednesday (U.S. time), Seventeen sold 842,000 tickets across 30 shows on its latest "Right Here" world tour legs. The report covers the period from Oct. 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025. Coldplay topped the chart with a gross of $142.1 million, followed by Shakira in second place with $130 million. Seventeen's gross nearly doubled from $67.5 million during the same period the previous year, when it ranked No. 16. The surge brought the group to No. 3 on the global list, marking a significant milestone for the group. Its "Right Here" world tour, which ran from October 2024 to February 2025, covered 14 cities in North America and Asia, including major stops in South Korea, Japan and the United States. In the K-pop category of Billboard's Top Tours by Genre, Seventeen led the pack, followed by Ateez and BTS' J-Hope, who ranked second and third respectively, each grossing over $28 million. Enhypen and Tomorrow X TogeMay 29, 2025By Yonhap
HYBE brings concert film festival to Asian theaters this JulyK-pop giant HYBE Labels is bringing its immersive film festival to Asia this summer, following its successful Latin American debut last year. The company announced Wednesday that the theater event, titled "HYBE CINE FEST in ASIA sponsored by Weverse," will take place from July 10 to 13 across 10 Asian countries, including Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, India, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Hong Kong, with an extended run in Japan through Aug. 7. Organized in partnership with global distributor Trafalgar Releasing, the event will transform more than 350 theaters into communal K-pop celebration spaces, offering fans a chance to relive their favorite concert experiences on the big screen. The lineup includes four concert films from HYBE's biggest acts — BTS' "MAP OF THE SOUL ON:E," Seventeen's "BE THE SUN," Tomorrow X Together's (TXT's) "ACT: SWEET MIRAGE" and Enhypen's "FATE." A highlight of the event is "HYBE CINEMA NORAEBANG," an additional karaoke-style video experience featuring 22 music videos from 10 HYBE artists including BTS, Seventeen, TXT, LE SSERAFIM, &TEAM, BOYMay 29, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
'Espo?!?' Karina’s speech slip sparks laughter at ASEA 2025 showKarina of girl group aespa drew attention at an awards ceremony after making a lighthearted slip of the tongue during her acceptance speech, which led to an unexpected moment of laughter and left her unable to continue. On Wednesday, the Asia Star Entertainer Awards 2025 (ASEA 2025) took place at K-Arena Yokohama in Yokohama, Japan. Aespa took home three awards, winning the main The Platinum award, as well as Song of the Year and Artist of the Year. The event also marked Karina’s first official appearance since she apologized for a political controversy, which arose after she posted a photo of herself in a red jacket with the number "2" on her personal channel, sparking debate ahead of the national election. During the ceremony, aespa sparked laughter when delivering their acceptance speech for The Platinum award. Karina said, "I’m so thankful to our fans for this meaningful award. We’ll be back with a great album this year, so please look forward to it." She then stumbled, saying, "We’ll continue to be... Espo? Espo?" — accidentally mispronouncing the group’s name. The slipMay 29, 2025By Xportsnews
MAMA Awards to return to Hong Kong for the first time in 7 yearsCJ ENM will host its flagship global K-pop awards show, the MAMA Awards, in Hong Kong in November, the first time the ceremony will return to the city since 2018, the South Korean media and entertainment company said Thursday. The 2025 MAMA Awards is scheduled for Nov. 28–29 at Kai Tak Sports Park, a new multipurpose stadium that can accommodate up to 50,000 attendees -- four times the capacity of the event's usual venue. The return to Hong Kong coincides with the 30th anniversary of CJ ENM's music cable channel Mnet. The city has previously served as the most frequent host of the awards, which have been held across major Asian cities since its inception. "Hong Kong serves as a global hub with strong accessibility for K-pop fans worldwide," the company said in a release. "The MAMA Awards will mark another page in its history by returning to the Chinese-speaking world after a long time."May 29, 2025By Yonhap
BTS' J-Hope to drop new digital single next monthJ-Hope of K-pop supergroup BTS will release a new digital single next month, his agency said Thursday. The song titled "Killin' It Girl (feat. GloRilla)" will drop June 13 at 1 p.m., according to BigHit Music. The agency described it as a hip-hop song that candidly captures the thrill of falling in love. It features rising American rapper GloRilla, known for her bold rap style and powerful energy. Her full-length album "Glorious," released last year, peaked at No. 5 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart. Ahead of the single's release, J-Hope will drop a key ring-format album titled "Charm of Hope" on June 11. The album will be available in three versions, each symbolizing one of his digital singles — "Sweet Dreams," "Mona Lisa" and "Killin' It Girl." Each version will include one track and can be accessed via NFC technology by tapping the key ring on a smartphone device. J-Hope was directly involved in the album's design, the agency said. The BTS rapper and dancer will premiere "Killin' It Girl" live during the two-night anchor concert for his "Hope on the Stage" world tour in Goyang, just northMay 29, 2025By Yonhap
HYBE founder under probe over IPO flawsBang Si-hyuk, founder and chairman of the powerhouse K-pop entertainment company HYBE, has been under investigation over charges that he intentionally misled investors ahead of the company's stock market debut, industry sources said Wednesday. According to the sources, the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS), the country's financial watchdog, has been probing Bang on speculation that he had sought to list HYBE on the stock market while stressing that there was no plan for HYBE's initial public offering (IPO). The sources said Bang signed a deal with private equity funds in 2020 to share a portion of the gains from the HYBE's IPO, and the HYBE chairman received some 400 billion won ($291.3 million). But in 2019, Bang said to investors that HYBE's stock market listing was impossible while applying for a designated external auditor for its IPO, according to the sources. HYBE, listed on the Korean stock market in October 2020, closed at 265,000 won Wednesday, down 7.33 percent from the previous session's close.May 28, 2025By Yonhap
BTS’ Jin wraps up 10-month journey on ‘Run Jin’: ‘I was happy to feel loved’BTS’ Jin has concluded his variety series “Run Jin” after 36 episodes, with the final installment released on Tuesday. The self-produced show was Jin’s way of giving back to BTS’ loyal fanbase, ARMY, embodying the spirit of “I’ll do anything for the fans.” Throughout the series, he tackled a wide range of challenges — from climbing Mount Halla and training with the coast guard to exploring abandoned houses, trying gymnastics, fencing and even action-heavy acting. Jin’s agility and athleticism stood out in the series, earning him the nickname "the athletic talent K-pop took away." His natural charm, easygoing nature and playful humor also made the show entertaining, capturing the hearts of fans worldwide. Speaking through his label BigHit Music, Jin said, "I started this project as a way to show my face to fans who had been waiting for me for a long time after my military discharge. There were difficult moments, but I also had fun discovering sides of myself I didn’t know." He added, "I’m grateful to the guests and production team who joined me, and above all, to AMay 28, 2025By Xportsnews
ATEEZ details June comeback, summer world tour scheduleKnown for its powerful and sultry performances, eight-piece K-pop boy band ATEEZ is set to return to the scene next month with a new mini album and the launch of a global tour. According to the band's agency, KQ Entertainment, the group will release its 12th EP, "GOLDEN HOUR: Part.3," on June 13. The comeback marks the band's first new release in about seven months, following November 2024's "GOLDEN HOUR: Part.2." The "Part.2" album achieved notable global success, topping the Billboard 200 chart in the U.S. and reaching No. 4 on the U.K.'s Official Albums Chart. Their second full-length album, "THE WORLD EP FIN : WILL," also secured first place on the Billboard 200 late last year, raising expectations for another strong chart performance with the new release. If the upcoming release also lands atop the Billboard 200, it will mark ATEEZ's third No. 1 on the chart — an achievement only two other K-pop boy bands, BTS and Stray Kids, have accomplished. ATEEZ also will kick off its "2025 World Tour: In Your Fantasy" with two nights at Inspire Arena on Yeongjong Island, Incheon, on July 5 aMay 28, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
