KickFlip teases busy summer with high-energy comeback, global festival debutLess than a year into its debut, JYP Entertainment's rookie group KickFlip is already turning heads, landing spots at major global festivals and positioning itself as one of K-pop's rising contenders. Building on that momentum, the group is now back with a new album powered by youthful energy and self-produced tracks, setting the stage for a sizzling summer. Composed of Kyehoon, Amaru, Donghwa, Juwang, Minje, Keiju and Donghyeon, KickFlip debuted on Jan. 20 under JYP, stepping onto the scene to carry forward the label's legacy of idol groups like Stray Kids, ITZY and NMIXX. Except for leader Kyehoon who recently entered his 20s, all KickFlip members are still in their teens. Staying true to their age, the group has gained attention for self-produced music that blends playful energy with a touch of mischievous charm. Its appeal has translated to solid results. The group's debut album sold 270,000 copies in its first week, according to Circle Chart, marking a strong start for a rookie group. "Looking back on the past four months, I've become even more certain that it was the right choice noMay 26, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
'Odyssey' becomes RIIZE's 3rd consecutive million-selling albumK-pop boy group Riize's latest album, "Odyssey," sold about 1.8 million copies in its debut week of sales, setting a new first-week sales record for the group, its agency said Monday. SM Entertainment said "Odyssey," the band's first full-length album, sold 1.79 million copies based on data from Hanteo Chart, a local album sales tracker, since its release last Monday. It marks the group's third consecutive million-selling album, following "Get A Guitar" in 2023 and "Riizing" last year. "Odyssey" also topped various music charts in China and Japan upon its release.May 26, 2025By Yonhap
ReviewAll aboard birthday bridge: Seventeen takes over Seoul with epic concert celebrationEven for a K-pop juggernaut that has conquered stages around the world, breaking new ground can still be a daunting challenge. That seemed to be the case for Seventeen on Sunday night, right before the 13-member boy band's show "B-DAY PARTY: BURST Stage @Jamsu Bridge" — the first-ever held on a bridge over Seoul's Han River. The event began in disarray as the unusual layout of the elongated venue led to confusion among attendees trying to find their assigned seats. Yelling matches broke out among some fans, and a few were even moved to tears, delaying the performance by more than 20 minutes. But the moment Seventeen burst onstage, fireworks erupting, jets of water crashing down from above, the chaos vanished. It was a moment of pure K-pop awe, a thunderous wave that swept over the bridge, the river and the entire city. The performance capped a three-day celebration, "B-DAY PARTY," held from Friday through Sunday across the Some Sevit islets and around Jamsu Bridge in Seoul's Seocho District. With the concert staged directly over the Han River, it brought the genre closer than ever to dMay 26, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
IU returns with remake album ‘Kkot Galpi 3’ after 8-year waitSinger IU is making a long-awaited comeback with her third remake album, “Kkot Galpi 3,” set for release on May 27 — her first installment in the beloved series in eight years. The “Kkot Galpi” albums are IU’s reinterpretations of classic Korean hits, showcasing her unique voice and emotional depth. The first album in the series, released in 2014, featured seven reimagined songs, including Sanulrim’s “Meaning of You” (feat. Kim Chang-wan), Kim Wan-sun’s “Pierrot Smiles at Us,” and Cho Duk-bae’s “My Old Story.” The title track, “My Old Story,” topped domestic charts, and several other tracks also charted high, with “Meaning of You” becoming a long-running fan favorite despite being a B-side. The second installment, “Kkot Galpi 2,” followed in 2017 and built on the success of its predecessor. Lead single “Sleepless Rainy Night” (originally by Kim Gun-mo) and the pre-release track “Autumn Morning” topped the charts and further established IU’s remake series as a standout brand of its own. While many artists have taken on remakes of past hitMay 26, 2025By Hankookilbo
BLACKPINK to make full-group comeback this yearGirl group BLACKPINK will return with a new song featuring all four members later this year, the head producer of the group's agency said Monday. "We'll soon be able to announce news about BLACKPINK's new song," Yang Hyun-suk, founder and executive producer of YG Entertainment, said in a video posted on the company's official blog. Yang did not provide a specific release date. The upcoming single will mark the group's first release in two years and eight months, following its second full-length album, "Born Pink," in September 2022. The only exception since then has been "The Girls," an original soundtrack for a video game. BLACKPINK is set to launch a new world tour, titled "Deadline," with shows in Goyang, just northwest of Seoul, on July 5 and 6. Yang also shared release plans for other YG artists. Rookie girl group Babymonster will drop a prerelease single, "Hot Sauce," on July 1, followed by a second single in September and an EP on Oct. 1. Describing "Hot Sauce" as a "highly addictive hip-hop song with a late 1980s feel," Yang said, "It's a gift we're releasing in hopes that you'll haMay 26, 2025By Yonhap
'Echo' by BTS' Jin debuts at No. 3 on Billboard 200The latest EP from K-pop boy group BTS' Jin, "Echo," has landed at No. 3 on the U.S. Billboard's main albums chart. Billboard announced Sunday (U.S. time) that "Echo" ranked behind Morgan Wallen's "I'm the Problem" and SZA's "SOS" on the Billboard 200. "Echo" is Jin's second solo EP, following "Happy," which was released in November 2024. According to Billboard, it marks the vocalist's highest-charting album to date, surpassing "Happy," which peaked at No. 4. 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. "Echo" earned 43,000 equivalent album units, including 35,000 from physical album sales. On the seven-track EP, the artist explores "how various moments in life unfold in different forms," according to the agency. Its main track, "Don't Say You Love Me," delves into the ironic complexities of a crumbling relationship, where — despite the evident breakdown — the lovers find themselves unable to easily let go due to their lingeriMay 26, 2025By Yonhap
Seventeen bedazzles Seoul at 10th debut anniversary celebrationDrawing approximately 100,000 fans, K-pop powerhouse Seventeen turned Seoul into a sprawling celebration of its 10th anniversary, marking the boy band's journey since it burst onto the scene a decade ago. The large-scale event, titled "B-DAY PARTY," kicked off Friday around the city's Seom Sevit islets at Jamsu Bridge in Seocho District, spanning three days of exhibitions, performances and interactive experiences. Despite the early summer heat on Sunday, the final day of the event, fans arrived in droves — some dressed in the group's colors of rose and soft blue, while others clutched the group's official light sticks. Among them were longtime Korean fans, international visitors who traveled to see Seventeen and families simply taking in the festive atmosphere. "I've been a fan of Seventeen for nearly six to seven years," said Samantha, a 25-year-old fan from Canada. "It feels weird to be here celebrating. I want to say happy birthday and thank them for working so hard. I love everything they do and will keep supporting them." Another fan, Bree from the Philipines, said she flew all theMay 25, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
'Slow Dancing' by BTS' V surpasses 500 million Spotify streamsBTS member V's 2023 hit single "Slow Dancing" has garnered over 500 million streams on Spotify, his agency said Friday. The song hit the milestone on the world's largest music streaming platform Wednesday, becoming his third song to do so, BigHit Music said. "Slow Dancing" is the lead track off his first solo album, "Layover," released in September 2023. It's a pop R&B track based on 1970s soul sounds, featuring a unique atmosphere with jazz elements. V's romantic and relaxed vocals, along with the improvised flute performance in the latter half, are particularly captivating. The song debuted at No. 51 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 main singles chart and No. 24 on the British Official Singles Chart Top 100 upon its release. The album "Layover" also drew popularity, reaching No. 2 on the Billboard 200.May 23, 2025By Yonhap
SM's British boy band dearALICE drops 2nd singleDearALICE, SM Entertainment's first British boy group, which was formed under a partnership with Kakao Entertainment, dropped its second single, "Sweet," on Friday. "Sweet" is an upbeat pop song inspired by the music of the early 2000s by pop stars The Neptunes and Justin Timberlake, according to SM. The new single's unique percussion and funky guitar harmonize with the members' vocals. The lyrics also incorporate British sensibilities with phrases like "sip of tea." The five-piece group debuted in February with its first single, "Ariana." The band joined the "SMTown Live 2025" tour of SM artists in Seoul last January and in Mexico City and Los Angeles this month. It is also scheduled to perform at the stop in London on June 28.May 23, 2025By Yonhap
Musician Nah Sang-hyun admits to past sexual misconduct, issues apologyNah Sang-hyun, 30, front man of the indie act Band Nah, has admitted to past allegations of sexual misconduct and issued a public apology via social media on Friday. “I sincerely apologize for the delay in addressing this matter,” Nah wrote in his statement. “Above all, I offer my deepest apologies to the author of the post, and to anyone else who may have felt discomfort or distress because of my past behavior.” The apology came after an online post surfaced alleging that Nah had touched a woman’s thigh while pretending to be intoxicated while out drinking. Acknowledging the incident, Nah said, “Though I was under the influence and don’t clearly remember the specifics, I now realize my actions caused harm.” He expressed regret for failing to apologize at the time. “I’m deeply sorry that I didn’t deliver a personal apology back then. Although it’s late, I want to offer my sincere apology now. If the author is willing, I would like to reach out directly — please feel free to send me a message.” Nah also urged others to refrain from inflicting secondary harm on tMay 23, 2025By Hankookilbo
