Solo queens crowd September's K-pop comeback raceThe heat has finally started to break, but nobody told the K-pop release calendar. September opens with Chung Ha, Kwon Eun-bi, Lisa and Jisoo all putting out new music in just a four day span, the densest run of solo releases by women in K-pop this year. The month only gets busier, with a long-delayed first full-length album, a debut EP, a band's second wave and a rapid-turnaround return from HYBE's girl group LE SSERAFIM still to come. Solo queens open the month Chung Ha started the run on Tuesday, releasing the digital single "México" through MORE VISION. It is her first new music since "Save me," the birthday single she put out in February. Kwon Eun-bi then arrives Sept. 3 with the digital single "DEJAVU," her first release in a year and four months. It is also her first since signing with RBW in April, after ending a long run with Woollim Entertainment at the end of March. RBW has been teasing a wider tonal range with the single, compared to the sharply sexy register of her last release. BLACKPINK's Lisa also lands on Sept. 3 with "SaWaDiKa," the lead single from her six-track EP "PRSep 3, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
InterviewKwon Eun-bi opens new chapter with 1st single since label moveK-pop singer Kwon Eun-bi has taken to numbering versions of herself. The first one, she said, was spent working out who she actually was. The second one starts Thursday. "The Kwon Eun-bi at Woollim Entertainment was a time of getting to know myself," the singer said during an interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in Seoul's Gwangjin District, Monday. "Going solo meant having to think hard about who I am, and that was quite difficult at the time. I'd had so little time alone that I hadn't thought about it much." The second, she said, "feels like a fresh start, finally knowing what I enjoy doing." Some of what she found was smaller than expected. "I discovered that I like little things more than I'd expected. Traveling abroad, meeting friends and giving out small gifts," she said. "I was always the older sister, always the leader, so I lived pretending to be that person. Turns out I was more than that." That leadership role is where most listeners first encountered her. Kwon debuted in 2014 with the short-lived girl group Ye-A, left the following year and signed as a trainee with WoollimSep 3, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
Mark to drop 1st solo project after leaving NCTMark, the rapper and singer who rose to fame as a member of K-pop boy group NCT, will release his first solo single since leaving the band, his new agency Upper Room said Wednesday. The track, "My Friend," will come out on Sept. 10 at 1 p.m. (Korean time), marking the artist's first new release in 17 months and his first public appearance as a solo act since departing NCT 127 and NCT Dream in April. Mark debuted in 2016 as part of SM Entertainment's rotational supergroup NCT, quickly becoming one of the act's most prominent members through his appearances in multiple subunits, including NCT 127 and NCT Dream. After nearly a decade with the company, he chose not to renew his exclusive contract and instead founded Upper Room, a one-person agency he describes as a "creative company" built with long-time collaborators he trusts. He currently serves as a co-chief executive of the company.Sep 2, 2026By Yonhap
TUNEXX tunes in to single frequency on 2nd EP 'BLUE MODE'There's a passage in the bridge of rookie boy band TUNEXX's new title track that the members simply call the "kill part." "If I mess it up, I'm the one who gets killed," Sungjun said. "If I actually pull it off, it's whoever's watching. I'm practicing hard so it lands the second way." It was a bold line in an otherwise pretty quiet morning. The seven-member rookie group met with The Korea Times in central Seoul on Aug. 20 for an interview ahead of its first comeback, in what was also the members' first official opportunity to speak directly with the press. Questions drew pauses. Answers sometimes trailed off halfway through and several members looked toward leader Dongkyu before speaking. They had, after all, debuted only five months earlier. TUNEXX will release its second EP, "BLUE MODE," on Sept. 2 at 6 p.m., marking the IST Entertainment group's first comeback since its March debut with "SET BY US ONLY." Dongkyu described the new four-track album as a contrast to the group's debut, which he characterized as a declaration of individuality. "If the last album felt like each of us saying,Sep 2, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
Los Angeles declares 'BTS Week' ahead of concertsLos Angeles has officially declared "BTS Week" ahead of the K-pop supergroup's four sold-out shows, the latest in a series of such honors bestowed on the group by cities around the world, the group's agency BigHit Music said Tuesday. The U.S. city designated Sept. 1-8 as "BTS Week" to mark the group's "Arirang" world tour concerts at SoFi Stadium on Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. As part of the tribute, Los Angeles City Hall will be lit in red Tuesday, matching the key color of BTS' fifth studio album, "Arirang," in what officials described as an official welcome and gesture of friendship to the group and visiting fans. A formal proclamation ceremony was held at the City Hall on Monday, attended by members of the City Council, tourism officials and executives from BigHit Music. Mayor Karen Bass said the declaration reflects a belief in the power of arts and culture to foster mutual understanding and unite communities, according to BigHit. The city is proud to honor BTS' remarkable contributions to global culture and celebrate its special connection with Los Angeles, Bass was quoSep 1, 2026By Yonhap
Stray Kids' Lee Know donates $72,000 for Nepal flood reliefLee Know of the K-pop boy band Stray Kids donated 100 million won (about $72,000) to support relief efforts for people displaced by severe flooding in Nepal, his management agency, JYP Entertainment, said Monday. Lee Know delivered the donation on Aug. 28 to World Vision, an international humanitarian and development NGO, requesting that it go toward saving the lives of children and families affected by the flooding and helping them sustain their livelihoods. The funds will support food and nutrition assistance, temporary housing and clean water and sanitation programs for flood-affected residents. "I hope my gesture can offer even a small bit of strength to those going through a difficult time," Lee Know said in a statement released through JYP Entertainment. "I sincerely hope that both those displaced and everyone working on relief efforts can return to peaceful daily life as soon as possible." Lee Know has donated regularly to causes at home and abroad. He began sponsoring children overseas through World Vision in 2014. In 2024, he gave 100 million won to the Christian organization'sAug 31, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Seoul to glow in champagne green for NCT's 10th anniversaryA decade after SM Entertainment launched its ambitious blueprint to reshape K-pop through unlimited global expansion, NCT is taking over the Korean capital for a monthlong festival celebrating its 10th anniversary. Throughout September, the powerhouse mega-group — encompassing distinct sub-units including NCT 127, NCT DREAM, WayV, NCT U and NCT WISH — will anchor a multi-disciplinary cultural takeover across Seoul. Blending live music, high fashion and public light installations, the festival marks 10 years since the brand debuted in 2016. Its experimental, open-member model, initially viewed as a risky structural departure in an industry historically built on fixed bands, has since established NCT as a dominant commercial pillar of modern popular culture. The public celebration kicks off along the Han River at Banpo Hangang Park, where the famous Moonlight Rainbow Fountain will execute daily water shows choreographed to the group’s biggest hits. Over at Jamsil’s iconic Lotte World Tower, the group is joining forces with the 2027 S/S Seoul Fashion Week for a series of high-profAug 31, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Girls' Generation unit Hyorisu turns viral YouTube series into debut singleWhat began as a playful online joke has officially evolved into K-pop's newest unit project. Hyorisu — featuring legendary Girls’ Generation members Hyoyeon, Yuri, and Sooyoung — originated on Hyoyeon’s personal YouTube channel, Hyo’s Level Up, during a fan-favorite web series titled "Fake Kim Hyoyeon." In the show, the three veteran idols hilariously competed for crucial group positions like main vocalist, main dancer and center, instantly captivating longtime fans with their unscripted comedic chemistry and effortless group dynamic. Now, the trio is taking that infectious energy far beyond the screen with the official debut of their two-track digital single, Skibidi, dropping this Monday at 6 p.m. KST across all major streaming platforms. To mark the release, a dedicated performance video for the title track will simultaneously premiere on the official SMTOWN YouTube channel, giving global listeners an immediate visual experience. Musically, the project cleverly balances modern experimentation with bright retro nostalgia. The title track, "Skibidi," starts with dynamic houseAug 31, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
ENHYPEN claims 1st No. 1 on Billboard 200 with 'The Sin: Bliss'The latest album from K-pop boy group ENHYPEN has debuted at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard's main albums chart, earning the group its first chart-topper. Billboard said in a preview of this week's chart on Sunday (U.S. time) that the band's eighth EP, "The Sin: Bliss," took the top spot on the Billboard 200, ahead of Ella Langley's "Dandelion" and Olivia Rodrigo's "you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love." This marks the first time the group has reached No. 1 since its debut in November 2020. Before ENHYPEN, BTS, SuperM, Stray Kids, Ateez and Tomorrow X Together had reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 among K-pop boy groups. Among girl groups, BLACKPINK, NewJeans, TWICE and Katseye have taken the honor, while the original soundtrack album for Netflix's global hit animation "KPop Demon Hunters" had also led the chart. "The Sin: Bliss" marks the band's seventh album in the top 10, all achieved since 2022. The act had previously gone as high as No. 2, twice, with "The Sin: Vanish" in January and "Romance: Untold" in 2024. The Billboard 200 ranks the most popular albums of the week in the UniteAug 31, 2026By Yonhap
How will 13-member SEVENTEEN navigate military hiatus with just 5 members?For SEVENTEEN, a group that has built much of its identity around the chemistry and synchronized performances of all 13 members, the looming absence of eight members due to mandatory military service poses an unusual challenge. Beginning in October, only five members will be available for activities as eight are either currently fulfilling their military duties or are set to begin service. The scale of the absence could be particularly noticeable for SEVENTEEN. Since its debut, the group has emphasized the identity created by all 13 members performing together. Last month, all 13 members renewed their contracts with Pledis Entertainment for a second time, reaffirming their commitment to remaining together as a group. SEVENTEEN debuted in 2015 and first renewed its contracts in 2021, with no member leaving the agency in either round. The group's identity has long been closely tied to its 13-member lineup. Since their debut, the members have worn matching team rings, while their performances have become known for tightly synchronized choreography involving all members. Some productions havAug 29, 2026By Hankookilbo
