SM's rookie Min Ji-woon finds her colors with debut EP 'Pink, then grey'A new name under K-pop conglomerate SM Entertainment is ready to stake her place, this time in R&B. Min Ji-woon, the rising singer-songwriter under the company's contemporary R&B label, KRUCIALIZE, is set to drop her first EP, "Pink, then grey" Friday. KRUCIALIZE, launched in May 2024, was created to widen K-pop's musical scope with a sharper focus on R&B. Its name fuses "crucial" with the "-ize" suffix, reflecting its mission to push K-pop's boundaries. As KRUCIALIZE's first breakout artist, Min has been carving out her sound since her debut single "Sentimental Love" last October, followed by "Someone" and "If You Were The Rain (feat. Crush)." Each release spotlighted her uniquely emotive voice, which is well-suited for R&B, while also showcasing her producing abilities. The story behind her discovery had already raised eyebrows in the industry, as Min was reportedly scouted after an SM producer slid into her DMs. "I had been uploading covers and original songs on my personal social media account before debut and then SM reached out asking to meet," Min recalled at a press event at a thAug 21, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
BTS to bring remastered concert films to 2,000 cinemas worldwideK-pop juggernaut BTS will bring some of its most unforgettable moments to the big screen, with a series of live concert films set to be shown worldwide. The group on Thursday announced "BTS MOVIE WEEKS," which will screen concert films in more than 2,000 cinemas across 65 countries and regions. The project was unveiled with a main poster posted on the band's official social media accounts. The lineup includes "BTS 2016 Live 'The Most Beautiful Moment in Life' On Stage: Epilogue," the group's first show at Seoul's iconic KSPO Dome, and "BTS 2017 Live Trilogy Episode III The Wings Tour The Final," staged after their historic Billboard Music Awards win. The lineup also features "BTS 2019 World Tour 'Love Yourself: Speak Yourself' London," which drew 120,000 fans over two nights at Wembley Stadium, making BTS the first K-pop act to headline the venue. Rounding out the program is "BTS 2021 Muster Sowoozoo," an online fan event held for the band's eighth anniversary during the COVID-19 pandemic. BigHit Music, the group's label, said the films have been remastered in 4K ultra-high definition anAug 21, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
Late summer goes solo as Joy, Chaeyoung, Haechan and more lead fall K-pop lineupAs the festival heat of summer fades, the K-pop spotlight is shifting as idols trade the safety of their groups for center stage through late August and September. Red Velvet's Joy already opened the solo parade and in the weeks ahead, TWICE's Chaeyoung, NCT's Haechan, MAMAMOO's Moonbyul and more will be stepping forward — with debuts, comebacks and world tours packing the early autumn calendar. Red Velvet's Joy was the first to make her move, releasing her debut mini-album "From JOY, with Love" on Monday. The six-track project threads together different shades of romance, including the bright and bubbly pop dance title "Love Splash!," which she co-wrote. The song captures the rush of first love with a fluttering beat, sweet lyrics and a melody designed to sparkle. "Releasing an album filled with my own emotions once felt vague and difficult, but thanks to the people who supported me, I was able to bring it into the world," Joy said Monday through an official release. "I wanted to capture the greatness and preciousness of love in this album. The biggest challenge was expressing such aAug 21, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
Jung Kook's 'Seven' becomes 1st K-pop song to garner 2.5 bil. streams on Spotify"Seven," the debut solo single by Jung Kook of K-pop megastars BTS, has achieved 2.5 billion streams on the global music streaming platform Spotify for the first time as a K-pop song. His agency, BigHit Music, said Thursday that the song hit the milestone Aug. 18, slightly more than two years after its release in July 2023. "Seven" is a song that combines an addictive melody with a warm acoustic guitar and the rhythm of the UK garage genre. It's a serenade about wanting to be with the person he loves all week long. The song hit No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 main singles chart, as well as the Billboard Global 200 and Global Excl. U.S. charts. It also became the fastest song to reach 1 billion streams on Spotify with just 108 days. "Seven" was also recognized as the most popular song in over 200 countries outside the U.S. in Billboard's 2024 International Power Players list. The song has been a long-running hit for over two years, charting for 108 weeks on the Billboard Global 200 and 109 weeks on the Global Excl. U.S. chart. The combined cumulative streams of all the solo songs JungAug 21, 2025By Yonhap
Vince on why ‘Soda Pop’ became a global hit: “It felt like a surprise gift”Producer and artist Vince has quietly become one of the most influential figures in today’s K-pop scene. From the breakout success of the Netflix animated film "KPop Demon Hunters" soundtrack to chart-topping tracks for rookie acts, his fingerprints are everywhere. The film’s soundtrack, led by the songs “Soda Pop” and “Your Idol” performed by the fictional demon boy band Saja Boys, has exploded beyond expectations, landing on the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard 200 as well as the U.K. Official Singles Chart. For Vince, the reception has been nothing short of surreal. “'KPop Demon Hunters' was all finished last year, and honestly I had forgotten about it,” Vince said in an interview at a cafe in Seoul’s Yongsan District. “When it finally came out and did so well, it felt like a surprise gift. I didn’t even know exactly when it was going to be released. Suddenly I saw clips of ‘Soda Pop’ being played in clubs overseas and sung in public squares, and I thought, 'wow.' I’m not usually in the media spotlight, but this project even put me in the news.” A new kindAug 21, 2025By Hankookilbo
AKMU’s Lee Su-hyun dismisses rumors of using weight-loss drug WegovyLee Su-hyun of sibling duo AKMU has dismissed speculation that she used the obesity treatment drug Wegovy to lose weight, stressing that her slimmer figure is the result of disciplined daily habits. Lee addressed the rumors on her social media. “I didn’t do Wegovy. It’s really unfair. I’ve been holding back on malatang and tteokbokki, working out hard and fighting myself every day to build healthy habits — it feels so unfair.” She added, “I’m managing myself the proper way for a sustainable and healthy life.” Her comments came after fans noticed her noticeably slimmer physique during AKMU’s ongoing standing concert series “Akdong,” fueling speculation that she had turned to the weight-loss injection. Lee’s post served as a direct rebuttal to those rumors. Lee has previously shared details of her strict routine. Appearing on YouTube channel “Jung Yong-hwa’s LP Room” in May, she revealed that she and her brother Lee Chan-hyuk had started living together again. “At 11 a.m., we read the Bible, then I work out with a trainer and eat a healthy meal. In the afAug 20, 2025By Hankookilbo
Singer Park In-soo, voice behind hit ‘Spring Rain,’ dead at 78Singer Park In-soo, remembered for his soulful rendition of the hit song “Spring Rain,” died of pneumonia on Monday. He was 78. According to his family, Park had long battled Alzheimer’s disease and other health issues. He had been receiving treatment at a hospital in Seoul when his condition deteriorated due to pneumonia. Hailed as Korea’s first soul singer, Park lived a turbulent life. Born in Gilju, North Pyongan Province, in 1947, he was separated from his mother during the Korean War and grew up in orphanages before being adopted and moving to the United States at age 12. He returned to Korea in 1965, bringing with him the soul style he had encountered in Harlem, New York, and began performing at U.S. military clubs. Park launched his professional career in the late 1960s when he joined the Shin Joong-hyun music circle as a guest vocalist. His breakthrough came with the 1970 hit “Spring Rain,” written by Shin. Originally sung by Lee Jeong-hwa in 1967, Park’s version, marked by his deep emotional delivery, became a classic. He went on to release other hits such as “BelAug 19, 2025By Hankookilbo
Singer Kim Jong-kook, 49, announces marriageSinger and TV personality Kim Jong-kook, 49, has announced that he is getting married. Kim revealed the news through a handwritten letter posted on his official fan community on Monday. “I always thought one day I might write something like this, but now that the moment has come, I am very nervous,” he wrote. Kim first expressed gratitude to his fans, saying, “For such a long time you have trusted, supported and stayed by my side. That is why I wanted to share this news with you first.” He then said, “I am getting married,” adding humorously, “This year marks my 30th anniversary since debut. Instead of making an album, I have made my other half.” Kim continued, “It’s very late, but isn’t it fortunate that I finally get to do this?” The veteran singer and entertainer went on to promise, “I will try my best to live well. Thanks to the strength I’ve received from all of you over the years, I can now take on this new challenge in life.” Kim’s wedding will be held privately in the near future, with only family and close acquaintances in attendance. Speculation haAug 18, 2025By Hankookilbo
Meet CORTIS: BigHit Music's 1st boy band since TXTMany idols cite K-pop juggernaut BTS as their role model, but only a few can truly position themselves as the group's successors. On Monday, rookie boy band CORTIS — composed of members Martin, James, Juhoon, Seonghyeon and Keonho — debuted as BigHit Music's newest boy band, stepping into that rare space as the label's first boy group in six years since TXT and third in the 12 years since BTS debuted. That pedigree alone has fueled heavy anticipation among K-pop enthusiasts. As BigHit has turned each of its boy bands into global acts, fans were quick to focus their attention on its third project, with CORTIS amassing 1 million TikTok followers within six days of launching their official account. The music video for their debut album's intro track "GO!" landed on YouTube's trending music video charts in 11 regions, including Korea, the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. The group made its formal introduction at a media showcase at Blue Square in Seoul's Yongsan district, Monday. Still in their teens, the five members appeared onstage sporting young but confident energy. "OurAug 18, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
BTS' V to throw first pitch at Dodger Stadium next MondayV of Korean boy band BTS will throw out the first pitch at the Los Angeles Dodgers' home game next Monday, the Major League Baseball team and his agency announced. "ARMY, you ready? V will be at Dodger Stadium on Aug. 25 to throw out the ceremonial first pitch!" the club said on X, sharing a photo of the K-pop star. ARMY is the name of the devoted BTS fandom. It will be V's first ceremonial pitch at an MLB game, according to his agency, BigHit Music. The appearance comes two days before Korean soccer star Son Heung-min is scheduled to throw the first pitch at the same stadium on Aug. 27. Son joined Major League Soccer's Los Angeles FC earlier this month as a forward after spending a decade with Tottenham in England's Premier League.Aug 18, 2025By Yonhap
