Court holds defendant liable for online defamation of virtual K-pop idolsA court has ruled that online insults directed at virtual idols constitute defamation, ordering an internet user to pay 500,000 won ($360) in damages to members of the virtual K-pop group PLAVE. The Goyang branch of the Uijeongbu District Court in Gyeonggi Province partly upheld a damages suit brought by the five performers behind the group’s avatars, ordering the defendant to pay 100,000 won to each member. According to the ruling, the defendant posted a series of derogatory comments on social media in July 2024, saying the people behind the avatars “could be ugly in real life,” claiming they gave off a “typical Korean man vibe” and using profanity. The performers said the remarks caused them emotional distress and sought 6.5 million won each, totaling 32.5 million won. The defendant claimed that, as the group is made up of fictional characters with no revealed personal identities, defamation could not be established. However, the court dismissed that claim. Avatars, the court said, are a form of self-expression and social interaction, not just digital images. If an avatar isSep 18, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji
Cho Yong-pil returns to KBS stage after 28 years, says he will ‘keep singing’Cho Yong-pil, long hailed as Korea’s “King of Pop,” delivered a powerhouse performance at KBS’ Liberation Day 80th anniversary concert on Sept. 6, marking his first KBS stage appearance in 28 years. Taking the stage at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Guro District, Seoul, Cho told the crowd of some 18,000 people, “I will continue singing. If I cannot, I might take two or three years off, and if that doesn’t work, maybe four or five years. Then how old will I be?” He added, “It’s been since the ‘Big Show’ in 1997 that I performed at KBS. Knowing this will be televised makes me a little nervous. I hope this moment will be remembered for a long time.” The concert opened about 30 minutes behind schedule with “Unknown World,” and Cho quickly launched into his hits, including “Can't Find the Oriole,” “Darling” and “Reunion,” without much commentary. While the overall concept echoed his concerts last year, about 30 percent of the setlist was changed. Performing with his longtime band The Great Birth, Cho leaned into hard rock sounds, showcasing heavy arrangementsSep 18, 2025By Hankookilbo
LUN8 weathers lineup chaos, returns with 'LOST'In K-pop's cutthroat landscape, rookie bands almost never get a second chance, as even a minor lineup shift can derail the most promising acts. LUN8, a boy band under K-pop label Fantagio, seemed headed for that fate just two years after its 2023 debut. But the group is now back with "LOST," a new three-track album that insists the group is not just surviving, but recalibrating. In January, LUN8 members Dohyun and Ji Eunho temporarily stepped away from the group, citing health concerns, while another member, Eunseop, announced his formal exit. What began as an eight-piece unit quickly collapsed to five, threatening to cut short Fantagio's ambitious return to the boy band market after ASTRO. However, instead of folding, the group added Yuma, a Japanese performer who appeared on MBC audition show "Fantasy Boys," as LUN8 stages a comeback as a six-member act. At a rain-soaked media showcase in Seoul's Gwangjin District on Wednesday, the members — Jinsu, Chael, Takuma, Junwoo, Ian and Yuma — seemed intent on putting the lineup turbulence behind them. "I've prepared for so long to finallySep 17, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
Sung Si-kyung apologizes over unregistered agency operation for 14 yearsSinger Sung Si-kyung has apologized after it was revealed that his one-person agency had operated for 14 years without registering as a pop culture and arts planning business, as required by law. His agency SK Jaewon, founded in February 2011 and headed since 2018 by Sung’s older sister, has never registered as a pop culture and arts planning business. Under related laws, corporations and individual agencies representing entertainers must register to operate legally. Failure to do so can result in up to two years in prison or fines of up to 20 million won ($14,500). In a statement, the agency admitted the lapse. “After establishing the corporation in February 2011, the law introducing the registration requirement came into effect in January 2014. We did not recognize this obligation and therefore failed to complete the process," it said. "We sincerely apologize for our lack of awareness and preparation regarding the relevant regulations.” The agency said that it is now in the process of completing registration. “We immediately began the procedure upon learning of the issue and wiSep 17, 2025By Hankookilbo
These K-pop idols are changing the game as producersUnlike the Western pop market where artists are generally expected to write and shape their own music, the K-pop industry has traditionally developed as a performance-driven, high-gloss industry built on tightly managed systems of production. Here, most idols active in groups usually spend their careers performing songs created by professional composers and refined by agency's artist and repertoire (A&R) teams, with their vocals laid over tracks either purchased externally or crafted by in-house producers who guide the group's sound and style. But a new generation is pushing beyond those boundaries. A growing number of K-pop idols has begun to elevate their game, stepping up not just as performers but as self-producing artists. Not only do these acts deliver onstage, they also shape their music in the studio — a rarity that is redefining what it means to be an idol in today's K-pop. The following list focuses on idols currently shaping their groups from within, excluding globally established acts who have built successful solo careers. One of the clearest examples is Woozi of K-pop boySep 17, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
Seventeen's Hoshi begins military serviceHoshi of the K-pop boy group Seventeen is set to enlist in the Korean military Tuesday, his agency said. Pledis Entertainment said the 29-year-old will serve as an active-duty soldier after completing five weeks of basic military training at an Army boot camp. As a farewell gift to his fans, the artist will release a new solo hip-hop song, "Take a Shot," at 6 p.m. on the day of his enlistment, according to his agency. Hoshi participated in writing the lyrics. Hoshi's enlistment follows that of his bandmate Woozi, who began his service as an active-duty soldier the previous day. Members Jeonghan and Wonwoo are currently serving in the military. In Korea, all able-bodied men are required to serve between 18 and 21 months in the military.Sep 16, 2025By Yonhap
Bang Si-hyuk questioned for 13 hours over $140 million profit allegationsHYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk was questioned by police for about 13 hours on allegations of reaping illicit profits by deceiving investors before returning home late Monday night. Bang left the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s financial crime investigation unit in Mapo District at 11:48 p.m., declining to answer reporters’ questions about whether he had misled investors or what he had said during questioning. Surrounded by bodyguards, he entered a waiting car without comment. Earlier that morning, Bang appeared before police as a suspect on charges of violating the Capital Markets Act through fraudulent transactions. Before entering the police station at 10 a.m., he told reporters, “I am sorry for causing concern with this matter. I will faithfully cooperate with today’s investigation.” Police suspect that Bang and former HYBE executives deceived existing shareholders during the company’s initial public offering (IPO) process by claiming no listing was planned, while in fact arranging for shares to be transferred to a special purpose company under a private equity fund they haSep 16, 2025By Hankookilbo
InterviewBalladeer Lee Hyun on being HYBE's 1st artist, finding his voice again with 'A(E)ND'Today, HYBE Labels is synonymous with global K-pop domination, home to superstar acts like BTS and a sprawling network of agencies and producers. Before the company became a cultural powerhouse, its first step into the industry came not with an idol group, but with a balladeer. Lee Hyun, a vocalist known for his emotionally resonant tone, was BigHit Music's very first artist, long before Bang Si-hyuk became a household name in K-pop. As the main singer of the coed trio 8eight, Lee introduced BigHit's early sound with ballads like "Without a Heart" (2009) and "Goodbye, My Love" (2009). He later cemented his presence as a soloist with the 2011 chart-topping hit "You Are the Best of My Life," and went on to become a familiar voice through original soundtracks for K-dramas. Now, after 13 years and eight months, Lee is breaking his silence with the new six-track mini album "A(E)ND" and its title track "Let You Go," set for release Tuesday. His comeback is more than a nostalgic return — it's a reminder of the voice that anchored BigHit before it built its empire. "I honestly didn't even realSep 16, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
Starship's new boy group Idid set to debutIdid, the newest boy group from Starship Entertainment, the K-pop agency behind Monsta X and Ive, will debut with its first EP on Monday, the company said. Idid consists of seven members — Jang Yonghoon, Kim Minjae, Park Wonbin, Chu Yoochan, Park Seonghyeon, Baek Junhyuk and Jeong Semin. They were contestants of Starship's YouTube-based survival audition program, "Debut's Plan." The agency described Idid as a team "selected after being verified for the qualities an idol should have, such as dancing, singing, fan communication skills and expressiveness," through the show. The EP — "I did it." — captures the unique identity of the team, reflecting the members' inherent emotions and energy. It features eight tracks, including the lead single with a Korean title roughly translated as "Brilliantly Wayward," "Slow Tide," "Step It Up" and "Sticky Bomb." "Brilliantly Wayward" is a song with a free and energetic vibe, adding the members' refreshing vocals to a lively sound led by acoustic guitar and rhythmic drums, according to the agency. Idid is scheduled to hold separate showcases for mediSep 15, 2025By Yonhap
HYBE chairman Bang appears before police for questioningBang Si-hyuk, chairman and founder of K-pop powerhouse HYBE, appeared before police on Monday for questioning on allegations of unfair trading linked to the company’s initial public offering (IPO). During his appearance for questioning, Bang apologized for "causing concern" due to his personal matters. "I will fully cooperate with the investigation," he said. Bang and several former HYBE executives are under investigation for violating the Capital Markets Act. Police suspect that during HYBE’s IPO process, they misled existing shareholders into believing there were no plans for a listing, inducing them to sell their shares to a private equity fund’s special purpose company. HYBE later pursued the IPO, and police allege that Bang illicitly gained roughly 190 billion won ($140 million) through the private equity fund’s share sale. Police began investigating the case late last year, searched the Korea Exchange in June to seize documents related to HYBE’s listing and raided HYBE’s headquarters in July. Separately, the Financial Supervisory Service’s special judicial police are aSep 15, 2025By Kwak Yeon-soo
