BTS tops 2 categories on Japan's Oricon music chart in 1st halfK-pop supergroup BTS clinched two top spots on Japan's Oricon music chart with its fifth studio album "ARIRANG" in the first half, data showed Thursday. The album topped both the album ranking chart, which compiles physical album sales, and the combined album ranking chart, which includes physical album sales, digital album downloads, as well as streamings, in the Dec. 8 to June 7 period, according to the data. "Arirang" ranked No. 3 on the digital album ranking chart in the same period. The album has been recognized among the best releases of the first half of this year by leading global music publications, including U.S. pop culture outlet Complex and magazine Rolling Stone, as well as Britain's The Telegraph and music publication NME. On the Oricon's combined album ranking chart for the first half, K-pop boy bands Enhypen and Tomorrow X Together (TXT) ranked No. 4 and No. 9, respectively. The two groups also ranked No. 4 and No. 7 on the album ranking chart, respectively.Jun 25, 2026By Yonhap
'Dynamite' tops 2.1 bil. YouTube views to become most-watched BTS music videoThe music video of K-pop superband BTS' 2020 megahit single "Dynamite" has topped 2.1 billion views on YouTube, becoming the most-viewed music video by the group, its agency said Wednesday. The video surpassed the threshold at about 8 a.m., adding 100 million views just nine months after hitting 2 billion in September to become the first music video by BTS to reach 2.1 billion, BigHit Music said. The first English-language song from the group, "Dynamite" is an upbeat disco pop song carrying a message of hope. The single topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming the first song by a K-pop act to reach No. 1 and remain atop the chart for a total of three weeks. It also stayed on the chart for 32 weeks, the longest for a K-pop artist. "Dynamite" also earned the group its first Grammy nomination, as well as Best Song at the 2020 MTV Europe Music Awards and Top Selling Song at the 2021 Billboard Music Awards.Jun 24, 2026By Yonhap
Lisa's rumored breakup with LVMH heir resurfaces after Vanity Fair profileRumors that BLACKPINK's Lisa has split from Frederic Arnault, the son of luxury goods titan Bernard Arnault, are gaining renewed attention after a recent Vanity Fair profile suggested the pair may have gone their separate ways. In its summer cover story, "The Life of a K-Pop Showgirl," published Tuesday, Vanity Fair explored Lisa's life as a global superstar, her growing influence beyond music and the personal challenges that come with worldwide fame. The magazine briefly addressed the singer's long-rumored relationship with Arnault, the fourth son of the chairman of LVMH, the world's largest luxury conglomerate. "She was rumored to have been in a relationship with Frederic Arnault, son of LVMH billionaire Bernard Arnault, since mid-2023," the article read. "They seem to have now called it quits." The comment immediately reignited speculation among fans, as neither Lisa nor Arnault has ever publicly confirmed their relationship. According to the profile, Lisa declined to discuss her personal life during the interview. Vanity Fair said her publicist warned the reporter twice not to bring uJun 24, 2026By Xportsnews
Ex-NCT member Mark apologizes for wearing Confederate flag T-shirtMark, a former NCT member who recently launched a solo career, apologized Tuesday in a statement released by his new label after photos showed him wearing a T-shirt featuring the Confederate flag. The photo drew immediate backlash from international fans who cited the flag's association with white supremacy and racism. The criticism highlighted an early test of cultural awareness for the newly independent solo artist. The incident's timing, close to June 19, amplified the backlash — the date is also known as Juneteenth, a U.S. federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery. The shirt featured the flag of the Confederacy, which was formed in 1861 when 11 Southern states seceded from the U.S. to preserve slavery. "We would like to extend our sincere aapologies for the concern, discomfort and disappointment caused by the vintage T-shirt that appeared in a recently shared photograph," Mark said in a statement released by his agency, Upper Room. Following the global criticism, the label addressed the styling oversight. "The garment was selected solely as a vintage wardrobe item," Upper RoomJun 24, 2026By Hankookilbo
Collaboration single by LE SSERAFIM, ILLIT and KATSEYE debuts at No. 38 on Billboard Hot 100LE SSERAFIM, ILLIT and KATSEYE — girl groups under K-pop powerhouse HYBE's labels — have made a strong impact on global charts with their joint single, achieving the highest ranking for a K-pop girl group this year on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. "Iconic by Mistake," released on June 12, debuted at No. 38 on the latest Hot 100 chart released Tuesday (U.S. time). The track also reached No. 22 on the British Official Singles Chart Top 100. Hybe said the song's performance is notable as it was released exclusively as a digital single, without a physical album. The Hot 100 ranks the most popular songs in the United States across all genres, combining data from streaming, radio airplay and sales. Industry observers say the result reflects both its broad fanbase and mainstream popularity. The collaboration brings together three groups known for distinct concepts and fan bases, with analysts describing the project as a rare "all-star" combination that has set a new benchmark for girl group collaborations. Each group is housed by a different HYBE-affiliated label: Le Sserafim by Source Music,Jun 24, 2026By Yonhap
InterviewIndie musician ALEPH on making music in K-pop's shadowAsk singer-songwriter ALEPH where he writes his songs. He will not point you toward a studio. He will point you toward his bed. "This is my office and my home," the singer-songwriter said, sitting in the apartment that doubles as both, during an exclusive interview with The Korea Times in Seoul's Mapo District, Friday. A producer's studio sits nearby for arrangement and mixing, but the songs themselves are born here, in the same room where he sleeps and eats and, on good days, picks up a guitar because something in him says it is time. "I pick up the guitar, fool around with it, and if a melody comes out, I sketch it. On a good day, I finish the whole thing right here, then bring it to the studio." ALEPH, whose real name is Lee Jeong-jae, debuted in 2017 as part of a duo before the project became a solo act in 2019. Raised between China and the United States before returning to Korea for military service, he has spent the years since building a catalog that moves easily between folk, pop, rock and R&B, including the EPs "Hwaehwae" (2020) and "Forest of Tigers" (2021), and the single "NigJun 24, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
BTS' Jung Kook tops 3 bil. Spotify streams with 'Seven,' first for Korean artist"Seven," a hit solo track by BTS member Jung Kook, has surpassed 3 billion streams on Spotify, making him the first Korean artist to hit the threshold with a single song, his agency BigHit Music said Tuesday. "Seven" is also the only song released in 2023 globally to reach the milestone, according to the agency. A passionate serenade about wanting to spend every day with a loved one, "Seven" blends a catchy melody with a warm acoustic guitar sound and rhythms from UK garage, a genre of electronic music that emerged in Britain in the early 1990s. The song's music video surpassed 600 million views on YouTube in April. Since its release, "Seven" has enjoyed worldwide success, debuting at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and reaching No. 3 on the British Official Singles Chart Top 100. K-pop supergroup BTS, to which Jungkook belongs, is currently on its largest-ever scale world tour, "Arirang."Jun 23, 2026By Yonhap
Brazilian woman gets suspended prison term for stalking BTS' Jung KookA Brazilian woman who repeatedly visited the home of BTS member Jung Kook, and even entered the residential property, has received a suspended prison sentence. According to legal sources on Monday, Judge Park Ji-won of the Seoul Western District Court sentenced the Brazilian woman to one year in prison, suspended for two years, on May 8 for violating Korea's anti-stalking law and trespassing. The court said she stalked Jung Kook by visiting his residence and the surrounding area in Seoul's Yongsan District 22 times between Dec. 7 and Dec. 28 last year. She allegedly rang the doorbell, loitered nearby while waiting for him and left items at the residence. Investigators said that on Dec. 13, she entered the residential property through a side gate that had been left open while a food delivery worker was coming and going. She did not stop her actions even after being arrested and later released. Police had issued an emergency order prohibiting her from approaching Jung Kook or his residence within 100 meters, but she allegedly returned on Jan. 4 and left photographs and printed materials neJun 23, 2026By Hankookilbo
BTS' 'ARIRANG' named among best albums of early 2026"ARIRANG," the latest album of K-pop supergroup BTS, has been recognized among the best releases of the first half of 2026 by leading global music publications. The group's fifth full-length album was included in multiple mid-year lists, beginning with U.S. pop culture outlet Complex on June 12. It was subsequently featured by Britain's The Telegraph on June 13, U.S. magazine Rolling Stone on June 15 and British music publication NME on June 16. "The biggest news has got to be the return of BTS, who showcased their Korean roots with the excellent 'ARIRANG,'" Rolling Stone said. NME described BTS as "the biggest boy band in the world," while The Telegraph called the group "the face of K-pop." The septet held two concerts in the southeastern Korean city of Busan on June 12-13 as part of its "ARIRANG" world tour. The group is set to begin the European leg of the tour in Madrid on June 26-27, with a total of 10 shows scheduled across five cities.Jun 23, 2026By Yonhap
Stray Kids to kick off new world tour in Seoul next monthK-pop boy group Stray Kids will launch a new world tour, "Run It," in Seoul next month, the group's agency JYP Entertainment said Tuesday. The eight-member act will open the tour with five concerts at the KSPO Dome in Seoul's Olympic Park on July 25-26, July 29 and Aug. 1-2. The group will then head to Tokyo's National Stadium in August, followed by shows in Nagoya and Osaka in September, Fukuoka in October, Hong Kong and Taipei in December, Bangkok in January and Singapore in March. Additional dates and cities will be announced later. JYP said the tour will make Stray Kids the first overseas male artist to stage a standalone concert at Tokyo National Stadium, one of Japan's largest venues. The band is expected to draw about 370,000 fans across seven concerts in Japan alone. Last year, Stray Kids completed its largest-ever world tour, "dominATE," staging 56 shows across 35 cities worldwide. The band is set to release a new EP, "This & That," on Aug. 7, with the track "Run It" to be unveiled in advance at 1 p.m. Wednesday. Stray Kids recently performed as a headliner at the Governors Ball MJun 23, 2026By Yonhap
