Why are K-pop stars obsessed with 'KPop Demon Hunters'?The Netflix animated sensation, “KPop Demon Hunters,” has taken the K-pop world by storm, captivating even the brightest stars in the industry. K-pop icons are embracing “KPop Demon Hunters” not just as a movie, but as a global phenomenon, covering its songs, expressing admiration and joining fans worldwide in celebrating the film’s electrifying blend of music, fantasy and star power. Various K-pop artists — including Mamamoo’s Solar, Urban Zakapa’s Kwon Soon-il, Kwon Jin-ah, A.C.E’s Junhee and Epik High’s Tablo — have released covers of the film’s soundtrack. The cover video by Kwon Soon-il, in which he flawlessly handles the original song’s high notes, surpassed a total of 2.5 million views on Instagram and YouTube. Lily of girl group NMIXX achieved over 10 million views on TikTok with her cover of the show’s anthem “Golden.” IVE’s An Yu-jin’s version of “Golden” racked up 1.6 million views within just two days of its release, drawing comparisons to IVE’s own hit “I AM,” with both songs celebrated for empowering themes of self-love and conJul 20, 2025By Park Jin-hai
BLACKPINK's 'Jump' tops Spotify's weekly global songs chart"Jump," the latest single by K-pop girl group BLACKPINK, has topped Spotify's Weekly Top Songs global chart, marking the band's second time topping the list, it's agency said Saturday. "Jump" came atop the global weekly chart updated Thursday on the music streaming site, marking the group's second No. 1 on the list since "Shut Down," the lead off their second full album, according to YG Entertainment. BLACKPINK is the only K-pop girl group that has topped the list twice, the agency stressed. The song garnered more than 44 million streams on Spotify since its July 11 release and has topped the service's global daily top songs chart for six consecutive days through Thursday. "Jump," which marks a stylistic shift from the group's previous sound, features guitar riffs reminiscent of Western films and showcases the quartet's distinct vocals, the agency said.Jul 19, 2025By Yonhap
Inside BLACKPINK’s bold LA concert: Jennie shares exclusive backstage momentsJennie of BLACKPINK has revealed behind-the-scenes photos from the group’s recent concert in Los Angeles — and, true to her signature style, she didn’t hold back. On July 18, Jennie uploaded a carousel of 20 photos to her personal channel with the caption, “BLACKPINK. DEADLINE. LA. LOVE YOU ALL.” The first image showed all four BLACKPINK members dressed in striking stage outfits, capturing fans’ attention immediately. Among the photos, Jennie struck a provocative pose, flipping off the camera while wearing sunglasses. In another shot, she wore a one-of-a-kind bikini emblazoned with her name, "JENNIE," all over it. The custom bikini, created exclusively for Jennie by a women’s fashion designer brand, was previously unveiled as a surprise performance outfit during the group’s U.S. tour stop — drawing significant buzz online. Other photos showed Jennie on stage looking out over the crowd, spending time with fellow members, and scenes from behind the curtain — all of which fueled excitement among global fans. BLACKPINK recently held their solo concert “DEADLINE” on JulJul 19, 2025By Xportsnews
K-pop band 1VERSE debuts with 2 North Korean defector membersWith two out of five of its members North Korean defectors, the K-pop group 1VERSE is breaking new ground as it debuts its single album Friday. The band represents an unusual convergence of backgrounds: North Korea-born rapper Hyuk and singer Seok join Nathan from Arkansas, Kenny from Los Angeles, and Aito from Japan. While not the first K-pop act to include North Korean defectors — BE BOYS' Hak Seong debuted earlier this year — the diversity of the group's members add a rare dimension to the genre's growing global diversity. The group debuts Friday with their single album "The 1st Verse" under Seoul-based label Singing Beetle. Their title track "Shattered" features lyrics co-written by Hyuk and Kenny. "With members from different countries all coming together as 1VERSE, I just thought ‘we can do this regardless of background’ going forward," said Aito, the group’s youngest member from Chiba, Japan. Hyuk, who lived in North Korea’s North Hamgyong Province until age 12, defected to the South in 2013. His journey to K-pop stardom began while working in a factory in South Korea,Jul 18, 2025By AP
TWICE, BLACKPINK made noise with simultaneous comebacks — but who hit harder?K-pop witnessed a rare moment on July 11 at 1 p.m., as two of the genre's biggest girl groups, TWICE and BLACKPINK, dropped new music at the exact same time. One leaned into empowerment-pop with polished ease, while the other detonated a literal music bomb straight out of the rave scene. The result? A week of fierce fan debate, endless replays and two vastly different approaches to being a global K-pop band in 2025. TWICE, celebrating 10 years since its debut, dropped "THIS IS FOR," a full-length album packed with 14 tracks that feel like a love letter to fans and its own decade-long legacy. The eponymous title track, sung entirely in English, is an easy-listening pop anthem with retro riffs, smooth basslines and an empowering message that hits directly: "This is for all the ladies who don't get hyped enough." It's not out to reinvent, but it's a sign that TWICE — and their team — knows exactly who they are and what their global audience wants. Serving as a continuation of the group's slow but steady shift into their "grown woman" era, TWICE now carries themselves with the kind of selJul 18, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
MC Mong reveals struggle with depression, plans to study abroadRapper and producer MC Mong has opened up about his recent struggles with depression and health issues, announcing plans to temporarily step away from music and study abroad for personal recovery and growth. In a social media post on Thursday, MC Mong wrote, “I’ve been battling severe depression and underwent surgery. My health has declined to the point where making music has become difficult.” Addressing rumors circulating online, he added, “There’s no need to focus on baseless talk. I’m choosing a path that will allow me to continue making music for a long time.” MC Mong, who co-founded the music label One Hundred, said he has handed over his producer responsibilities to his business partner. “I’ve decided to study abroad for the sake of my health and personal development,” he said. “Though it feels late in life, I’m desperate to improve and be healthier. I still plan to prepare and release an album this year,” he added. Reflecting on his work as a producer, MC Mong said, “Creating and producing felt like a dream. I still love and support all the artists. ButJul 18, 2025By Hankookilbo
YG’s Yang Hyun-suk gets final suspended sentence over rapper drug probe interferenceYang Hyun-suk, founder and chief producer of YG Entertainment, has received a suspended prison sentence from the Supreme Court for intimidating a whistleblower in an attempt to cover up rapper BI’s drug allegations. The Supreme Court, presided over by justice Ma Yong-ju, upheld on Friday a lower court ruling that sentenced Yang to six months in prison with one year of probation for coercing a meeting under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes. Yang was accused of pressuring and intimidating Han Seo-hee, a former trainee who in 2016 told police that BI, the stage name of Kim Han-bin, had attempted to purchase illegal drugs. Yang allegedly sought to silence Han and dissuade her from cooperating with authorities to prevent further investigation into BI. Prosecutors initially indicted Yang for retaliatory intimidation under the same law. While he was acquitted of that charge in the first trial, the appeals court added the lesser charge of coercing a meeting as a secondary indictment, ultimately leading to a guilty verdict, now confirmed by the Supreme Court. Following thJul 18, 2025By Hankookilbo
K-pop acts dominate US physical album sales in 1st halfK-pop idol groups accounted for half of the top 10 best-selling physical albums in the United States during the first half of this year, according to a report from U.S. entertainment industry tracker Luminate. Stray Kids' "HOP" ranked second overall with 149,000 equivalent album units sold, followed by Enhypen's "Desire: Unleash" in third with 145,000 units and Ateez's "Golden Hour: Part. 3" in fourth with 116,000 units. Seventeen's "Happy Burstday" placed seventh with 79,000 units, while Le Sserafim's "Hot" came in ninth with 73,000 units sold. "HOP" and "Desire: Unleash" ranked No. 8 and No. 9, respectively on the U.S. Top 10 CD Albums chart, which includes both physical sales and digital album downloads. On the Global Top 10 most-streamed songs, "APT.," a collaboration between K-pop group BLACKPINK and global pop icon Bruno Mars, ranked second with 1.6 billion streams.Jul 17, 2025By Yonhap
What makes K-pop audition programs so popular?As K-pop's global reach continues to expand, Korean broadcasters are continuously rolling out a stream of audition programs searching for the next breakout act. Mnet, known for its long-running history with televised music competitions, introduced the new elements of "BOYS II PLANET," a sequel to its "Boys Planet" series, during a press conference Wednesday. Earlier in June, broadcaster SBS also launched a new boy band audition program titled "B:MY BOYZ." Over the years, Korea has discovered emerging talent through many different audition shows, including major titles like "Superstar K" and "K-Pop Star." These shows were among the first to introduce a nationwide voting system, inviting viewers to support their favorite contestants on their path to a debut. While those earlier programs mainly debuted individual artists, the trend of forming K-pop groups through televised shows and propelling them to mainstream success began to thrive in the late 2010s with Mnet's "Produce 101" franchise. Spanning four seasons, the "Produce 101" series produced immensely popular project groups including I.Jul 17, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
BTS’ J-Hope and IVE meet backstage at Lollapalooza BerlinBTS member J-Hope and girl group IVE recently crossed paths backstage at Lollapalooza Berlin, creating a K-pop visual moment that fans are calling a “legendary shot.” On Wednesday, IVE’s official social media account posted a photo with the caption “IVE x j-hope meet at Berlin.” The image shows the two acts posing together behind the scenes at the German music festival. Dressed in their glittering stage outfits, the IVE members radiate charisma, while J-Hope, standing center, exudes effortless senior star power. J-Hope performed as the headliner of Lollapalooza Berlin on Sunday (local time), closing the main stage with a powerful set. IVE had energized the same stage the previous day with a 55-minute full live band performance of their discography. As two leading acts representing different generations of K-pop, their joint appearance backstage sparked an enthusiastic response from fans, many calling it a symbolic moment of K-pop’s global dominance. IVE is set to continue their European tour with a performance at Lollapalooza Paris, scheduled for Sunday at Longchamp RacecoursJul 17, 2025By Xportsnews
