Bop or flop? KATSEYE's 'Gnarly' dispels first-listen doubts"You're not gonna get the song the first time you hear it." That quote from Nicki Minaj, lip-synced by KATSEYE member Megan in the group's official TikTok post, felt more like an actual disclaimer than a simple joke. It turns out, it was both. A prerelease to the band's upcoming album, "Beautiful Chaos," scheduled to drop on June 27, "Gnarly" marks a vast stylistic departure for KATSEYE, the six-piece U.S.-based girl group. Co-written by hyperpop pioneer Alice Longyu Gao, the track was described by HYBE Labels — who co-manage the group with the American record label Geffen Records — as a "sharp turn" from its previous sound. In reality, "Gnarly" wasn't just a sharp turn — it was a full-power jolt that hurled K-pop listeners into unfamiliar territory. Compared to "Touch," the lead single from KATSEYE's 2024 album "SIS (Soft Is Strong)" which embraced soft, girly pop sounds, "Gnarly" offers just over two minutes of complete sonic intensity. The track layers metallic synths, clashing sound effects and bursts of giggles from the girls, all building up to an aggressive, almost chaotic chMay 9, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
Former WINNER member Nam Tae-hyun booked for drunk driving during probationSinger Nam Tae-hyun, 31, a former member of K-pop group WINNER, is under police investigation for drunk driving while serving a suspended sentence for a drug conviction, police said Thursday. The Yongsan Police Station in Seoul booked Nam on suspicion of violating the Road Traffic Act after he caused a crash while driving under the influence. The incident occurred around 4:10 a.m. on April 27 near the Dongjak Bridge in the Ilsan-bound lane of Gangbyeonbuk-ro. He struck a median while trying to overtake another vehicle. No injuries were reported. Nam’s blood alcohol level at the time exceeded 0.08 percent — the legal threshold for license cancellation in Korea. He is currently serving a two-year suspended sentence following a one-year prison sentence handed down in January 2023 for methamphetamine use. He was convicted of using 0.5 grams of meth mixed with alcohol alongside TV personality Seo Min-jae, 32, in 2022. The case came to light after Seo posted about the drug use on social media, prompting a police investigation. Nam was also fined 6 million won for drunk driving in March 2023May 8, 2025By KTimes
InterviewFrom London to Seoul: How dearALICE is redefining K-pop boy bandsLONDON — Just two years ago, Olly, Dexter and Blaise knew little about K-pop beyond its biggest names. Now, they are preparing to step onto the SMTOWN LIVE London stage as members of dearALICE, the first-ever British K-pop boy band. Born out of a BBC reality show and trained under K-pop giant SM Entertainment, the band now stands at the forefront of K-pop’s ambitious global expansion, blending Korean perfectionism with distinctly British charm. Sitting down at the Korean Cultural Centre UK near Trafalgar Square on April 24, three of the quintet's members reflected on their journey. Members James and Reese were not able to attend the interview. “It was quite secretive at the start. You didn’t really know what you were walking into,” Dexter said, recalling the early audition process. “It was just an audition to be in a boy band. We showed up not knowing much. But then once we found out the opportunity to go to Korea to train with SM, all of us realized it was quite a big opportunity, not something you’d ever want to miss. I’m so happy we made it." Formed through the BBC reaMay 8, 2025By Kwon Mee-yoo
BLACKPINK's Jennie opens up about burnout: 'I was mentally exhausted'Jennie of BLACKPINK has candidly spoken about her past struggles with burnout, revealing that her physical and emotional health deteriorated during the height of her early career. On the Wednesday episode of the tvN talk show “You Quiz on the Block,” Jennie appeared as a guest and reflected on the toll her intense schedule once took on her health. Just three years after their debut, BLACKPINK launched a world tour and performed at major festivals around the globe. Jennie said her schedule doubled after releasing her first solo single, leaving her no time to take care of herself. “I lost a lot of weight, I kept injuring my ankles and my health was declining,” she said. “After debuting, I was just constantly running forward. I barely went out, and that made things mentally difficult. Even though I was hearing good things on broadcasts, I couldn’t have the kinds of conversations I love with the people I love. That made me feel like I wasn’t doing my job properly.” Jennie recalled a particularly dark time. “I started to see everything negatively. One day, I just hit zero eneMay 8, 2025By KTimes
J-Hope to close out solo world tour in Korea on BTS' debut anniversaryJ-Hope of K-pop megastar band BTS will bring his solo world tour to a close with an encore concert in Korea, timed to coincide with the anniversary of the group's debut. BigHit Music, BTS' agency, announced Wednesday that the rapper is set to hold the "HOPE ON THE STAGE FINAL" two-day concert on June 13 and 14 at the Goyang Sports Complex Main Stadium in Goyang City, Gyeonggi Province. The show marks the final stop of his solo world tour, which began on Feb. 28 at the KSPO Dome in Seoul's Songpa District. Over the course of the tour, J-Hope has performed 31 shows in 15 cities, including Brooklyn, Chicago, Mexico City, Manila, Jakarta, Bangkok, Saitama and Osaka. As the concert falls on June 13, BTS' debut date, J-Hope aims to present a meaningful stage for the group's official fandom, ARMY, his agency said. "We're preparing the show to vividly capture J-Hope's signature energy and immersive performances," BigHit Music said in a press release. Ticket sales will begin Monday with a presale for official fan club members, followed by general sales on Tuesday. Fans unable to attend in person wMay 8, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
Day6 tops local charts with new single ‘Maybe Tomorrow’K-pop band Day6 has soared to the top of Korean music charts with their new single, “Maybe Tomorrow,” marking a powerful return to the scene. Released at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, the digital single’s title track reached No. 1 on Melon’s Hot 100 and real-time charts, as well as Bugs’ real-time chart by 8 a.m. the following day. The song’s B-side, “Game Over,” also ranked on the charts, showcasing the group’s strong digital performance. To thank fans for their support, JYP Entertainment released behind-the-scenes photos from the music video shoot, featuring members Sungjin, Young K, Wonpil and Dowoon. The images juxtapose the song’s wistful tone with the band’s lighthearted poses. The four members also hosted a countdown livestream on their official YouTube channel to celebrate with fans. “This is a song we truly love, and it’s been a while since we released a single,” Day6 said. “We’ve wanted to share ‘Maybe Tomorrow’ with the world for a long time. We hope it brings comfort and reminds everyone to live with hope.” “Maybe Tomorrow” delivers Day6’s siMay 8, 2025By KTimes
Fifty Fifty’s Keena halts activities due to health issuesKeena, a member of the K-pop girl group Fifty Fifty, has temporarily suspended all activities due to health concerns, her agency said Wednesday. In a statement posted to the group’s official fan community, agency Attrakt announced that Keena would not be joining promotional activities for the group’s latest album. “Keena’s health has recently declined, and after thorough discussions with her, we’ve decided she will step back to focus on rest and recovery,” the agency said. The company emphasized that the decision was made with great care, especially considering the significance of the group’s latest comeback. “We kindly ask for fans’ understanding, as this was a carefully deliberated matter made with the artist’s well-being as the top priority.” Attrakt added that it will provide full support to ensure Keena can return in good health. “We are committed to helping her recover and come back to fans as soon as possible with renewed energy,” it said. Fifty Fifty released their third mini-album, “Day & Night,” on April 29. This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sMay 8, 2025By KTimes
Singer Ailee vows legal action over online rumors targeting husbandSinger Ailee is taking legal action in response to online rumors and defamatory posts about her and her husband, Choi Si-hoon. “We can no longer overlook the seriousness of the situation caused by malicious posts about our artist Ailee and are preparing legal action," her agency A2Z Entertainment said in a statement released Wednesday. The agency added that it would “respond strongly without settlement or leniency” to defamatory comments, false rumors and insults that damage Ailee’s reputation. Ailee and Choi, a former actor and businessman who appeared on Netflix’s dating reality show “Single’s Inferno,” were married on April 20. The couple legally registered their marriage last August and recently returned from their honeymoon in Dubai and the Maldives. They have since settled in a new home in Hannam-dong, Seoul. However, the couple has faced a wave of rumors online in recent weeks. The speculation was triggered after Riwon, a contestant on Wavve’s reality show “To Get Her,” mentioned inappropriate encounters during her past as a broadcast jockey and shared KakaoTMay 8, 2025By KTimes
Police transfer Japanese fan accused of kissing BTS' Jin to prosecutorsA Japanese woman accused of unexpectedly kissing BTS member Jin on the cheek during a fan event was transferred to prosecutors, police said Thursday. Seoul's Songpa Police Station said it transferred the woman to the prosecution on charges of violating the act on the punishment of sexual crimes. The Japanese woman in her 50s is accused of kissing the star, whose real name is Kim Seok-jin, on the cheek during a "free hug" event attended by 1,000 fans on June 13 last year, a day after his discharge from the military. An internet user filed a complaint against the woman after the incident caused a controversy, following Jin's abashed reaction to the kiss. Police decided to halt the investigation in March, citing the time it would take for the woman, who lives abroad, to appear for questioning. However, the fan reportedly entered Korea recently and appeared before the police voluntarily.May 8, 2025By Yonhap
K-pop cautiously returns to China after years of restrictionAfter years of a de facto cultural freeze, signs are emerging that China may be loosening its restrictions on Korean entertainment — including the long-awaited return of large-scale K-pop concerts — rekindling cautious optimism across the K-pop industry. However, opinions remain divided over whether the genre can reclaim the Chinese momentum it once had before the so-called Korean wave ban, also known as "hanhallyeong" in Korean, took hold nearly a decade ago. Signs began to surface in recent months as K-pop idols resumed in-person promotions in China, signaling a tentative return to a long-lost market. Among them is NCT's Mark, who appeared at a pop-up store at Jingdong Mall in Guangzhou from April 19 to 25 to promote his solo debut album, "The Firstfruit." According to his agency, SM Entertainment, more than 4,000 fans crowded the five-story mall despite the singer's unannounced appearance during the event. Other artists have followed suit. In March, NCT WISH, another unit under the NCT umbrella, traveled to Shanghai to promote its second mini album, "poppop," holding a press confeMay 7, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
