Stray Kids lands atop Billboard 200 with 'This & That,' group's 9th No. 1K-pop band Stray Kids has landed atop the Billboard 200 with its new EP "This & That," the group's ninth No. 1 on the main chart, Billboard said. Billboard said in a chart preview published Sunday (U.S. time) that Stray Kids now has the second-most No. 1 albums among groups in Billboard 200 history, behind only the Beatles and tied with the Rolling Stones. Stray Kids was already the only K-pop group to have topped the chart eight times, and the latest feat extended the group's own record. "This & That," the group's 10th EP, consists of eight tracks led by the hip-hop-based, groovy title track of the same name, which the band said emphasizes a "chill" and "cool" mood. All eight tracks were produced by its in-house team 3Racha, made up of members Bang Chan, Changbin and Han.Aug 17, 2026By Yonhap
Lisa apologizes over BLACKPINK's troubled 10th anniversary eventBLACKPINK's Lisa has apologized to fans over the group's 10th anniversary event, which drew criticism over its organization and limited scale. "It's been almost a week since our 10th anniversary," Lisa said Friday on a fan communication platform, referring to the anniversary celebrations that sparked complaints among fans. "There have been some matters that have been circulating online. It makes me sad and I'm truly sorry about how things turned out," she said. "I can’t even imagine how sad this must have been because I was too." "It was supposed to be a special moment and a time of celebration for all of us," she said, expressing regret over how the anniversary unfolded. "I'm not here to justify anything or make a point. I just wanted to honor the love and connection we shared. I'm truly grateful that we were able to come together," she said. "I hope we can carry the love we shared with us moving forward. Thank you for always being there for us." BLACKPINK held a fan event at the National Museum of Korea in Seoul's Yongsan District on Aug. 8 to mark the 10th anniversary of its debut. TheAug 15, 2026By Hankookilbo
NewJeans' Haerin graces magazine cover in 1st project since returning to AdorHaerin of NewJeans appeared on the cover of a magazine, marking her first individual activity since returning to music label Ador. Marie Claire Korea uploaded photos of Haerin gracing the cover of its September issue to its social media accounts Friday. Her appearance had been teased earlier, when the magazine uploaded partially obscured photos of her with the caption, “The girl you’ve missed so much—a bit like a bunny, a bit like a cat.” The teaser also included a voice message from Haerin asking, “Ready to have a stylish day?” The photos showed Haerin exuding a more mature air as she looked into the camera while holding perfume, lipstick or a rose. Her trademark large eyes and high-bridged nose stood out even in the close-up shots. When content celebrating NewJeans’ 4th debut anniversary was released last month, Haerin’s distinctive canine tooth, which has long been considered one of her charming features, appeared less pronounced, leading some fans to suspect that she had gotten dental veneers. In the latest photo spread, however, Haerin’s endearing visuals remainedAug 14, 2026By Xportsnews
Gunil leaves Xdinary Heroes after leaked audio controversyGunil has left Xdinary Heroes after acknowledging he made inappropriate remarks about fans in a leaked recording. JYP Entertainment terminated his exclusive contract and announced the band will continue as a five-member group. In a statement posted Thursday on a fan community platform, the former leader and drummer apologized for the controversy. However, he emphasized his remarks were directed at individuals he accused of harassment and invasion of privacy, rather than genuine fans. JYP Entertainment said it mutually agreed to terminate the contract after holding extensive discussions and recognizing the seriousness of the matter. Gunil said while he had wanted to remain in the band and keep the six-member group together, he ultimately accepted the company's decision. The departure follows allegations in an online post by a person claiming to be his former girlfriend. The user posted an audio recording she said supported the claims. Gunil confirmed the user was someone he met through an acquaintance and dated for approximately two weeks. He also acknowledged it was his voice on the recoAug 14, 2026By Hankookilbo
BTS favorability among US fans hits record high: Luminate dataBTS has reached record levels of awareness and favorability among American music consumers, according to new data from Luminate, a global music data and analytics firm The group's fifth studio album posted the strongest vinyl sales of any group since Luminate began tracking album sales in 1991. Luminate's second-quarter survey of U.S. music consumers found BTS' awareness — the share of consumers who recognize the group — at 42 percent, nearing the group's all-time high of 43 percent set in the third quarter of last year. That figure is 18 percentage points above the 24 percent average awareness across all artists Luminate tracks, and about four times the 11 percent average among the 22 K-pop acts in its survey. Awareness ranged from 43 percent among 13-to-17-year-olds to 59 percent among 18-to-24-year-olds, with more than half of 18-to-34-year-olds recognizing the group. Favorability, measured among consumers who said they knew about BTS, reached 46 percent — the highest since Luminate began surveying the group in 2021, when the figure stood at 34 percent. Favorability topped 40 peAug 14, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
For sEODo Band, 'Joseon pop' is feeling before formulaBefore sEODo BAND had much of an audience, it had a problem familiar to every new act — it needed 30 minutes of music to play at performances. The solution came from a source most rock bands would not think to raid. The band took the highlight passages of the traditional pansori "Chunhyangga," strung five of them together and found that the half-hour set told the whole story of the 18th-century Korean love epic from beginning to end. That set is now, nine years later, the band's first full-length album, "ONE," expected for release on Friday. "It turned out to be more fully realized than we expected," the band's vocalist, sEODo, said during an interview at The Korea Times headquarters in central Seoul, Aug. 3. "Making a full-length in that shape became something the band had wanted to do for years." The album's title carries more in Korean than it can in English. "ONE," or "won," means circle in Korean. It is also the "won" of resentment and of longing, the two forces driving the lovers through the "Chunhyangga" story. The plot itself loops — a couple meets, parts and meets again. ItAug 14, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
Mnet-born rock band Splayit turns survival show run into debut albumSplayit, the five-member K-rock band assembled through Mnet's global band-making survival show "Steal Heart Club," released its debut album "SPLAY : CHAPTER 01" Thursday, entering a local rock scene that has spent the past few years absorbing new arrivals at a steady clip. The band consists of vocalist Yoonchan, drummer Eunbin, keyboardist and sub-vocalist Kyunguk, guitarist Aydn and bassist Eunchan. The name combines "splay" and "play it," a nod to the members' stated aim of spreading out their individual charms through music. Hours before the debut album's drop at 6 p.m., the band played its first official stage at Ilchi Art Hall in Seoul's Gangnam District, where the members performed the album and spoke about their debut. "When I first heard we were debuting, I thought the five of us would make our journey so much fun," Yoonchan said. "I could see a clear concept and real synergy, so I was excited. I'm grateful to the fans and the staff who got us to this moment." Aydn said the name fit before it was even chosen. "It suited the kind of music we make and the ambitious direction we're hAug 13, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
TWICE's Chaeyoung to leave JYP, vows to continue group activitiesChaeyoung of K-pop girl group TWICE announced Thursday she will leave JYP Entertainment to pursue solo projects while confirming that she will continue group activities even after leaving the agency. The 27-year-old singer said in a social media post that she wanted to inform fans first about her decision. "I plan to build my own music activities in my 'Lil Fantasy' world," Chaeyoung said, referring to the title of her debut solo album released last year. She thanked JYP staff and her fellow TWICE members for their support over the past 14 years. Chaeyoung did not disclose details about her new agency, saying discussions were ongoing. She stressed, however, that her activities as a TWICE member would remain unchanged. "I believe the reason I've received so much love is because of the time I've spent as TWICE, my roots," she said. Her departure follows that of bandmate Jeongyeon, who recently signed with Varo Entertainment, the agency of her older sister, actress Gong Seung-yeon. TWICE, one of K-pop's most successful girl groups, debuted in 2015 under JYP. The nine-member band has released mAug 13, 2026By Yonhap
Fewer than 4 in 100 K-pop groups ever sell 300,000 of an album: studyNearly half of Korean idol groups vanish within three years of debut, and only 3.55 percent ever sell 300,000 copies of a one album, an analysis of K-pop acts over the past three decades showed. The findings confirmed that while the K-pop industry has gone global, its rewards have narrowed to only a handful of names. The study was published late last month in the Journal of Korea Entertainment Industry Association by Kim Jeong-seop, a professor at the Graduate School of Cultural Industry & Arts at Sungshin Women's University. It covers all 1,182 groups registered with the Korea Popmusic Industry Association that debuted between 1996, the year boy band H.O.T. set the template for modern idol production, and the end of 2025. Soloists and coed acts were excluded, leaving 588 girl groups and 594 boy groups, with an average of 39.4 debuts a year. Ninety-seven groups, or 8.21 percent, have sold more than 100,000 copies of an album, the threshold at which a working fandom is generally considered to have formed. A total of 42 cleared 300,000, the figure the industry uses as the break-even point oAug 13, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
How K-pop turned album previews into events worth ticketingThe most sought-after free ticket in Seoul this month is for a show where nobody performs. On Aug. 19, which marks the 20th debut anniversary of K-pop icon BIGBANG, fans are expected to pack the Mulbit Stage at Yeouido Hangang Park, western Seoul, for drones, fireworks and a DJ set built entirely from songs the group will not be singing. The album will make an appearance, but the band will not. It is an unusually literal illustration of something the industry has been moving toward for years. Somewhere between the collapse of physical albums, CDs and the arrival of the algorithm, the act of hearing a record before everyone else stopped being a courtesy extended to critics and became a product with a venue and a guest list. The trend traces back to 2022, when BTS member J-Hope played his solo work "Jack in the Box" for an invited crowd — celebrities Zico, BIBI, HyunA and Yoon Mi-rae — ahead of its release. The event worked because it was closed, and the people who could describe it became the story. Pop culture critics followed, and their notes on production choices reached fans beforAug 13, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
