Stray Kids electrifies 100,000 fans at Brazil's Rock in RioK-pop band Stray Kids sent a crowd of 100,000 into a frenzy at Brazil's Rock in Rio, one of the world's largest music events. The eight-member group headlined the festival Friday evening at Olympic Park in Rio de Janeiro, sharing the lineup with international heavyweights, including Calvin Harris, the Black Eyed Peas, Maroon 5 and Elton John. With the performance, Stray Kids became the first K-pop act to headline the festival. "Rock in Rio allowed fans to bring lightsticks into the venue in recognition of K-pop's concert culture for the first time since its first edition in 1985, making tangible the influence of headliner Stray Kids," the group's agency, JYP Entertainment, said in a release. During its set, the group performed a string of hits, including "Topline," "S-Class," "God's Menu," "Chk Chk Boom," "Lalalala" and "This & That," according to JYP. Stray Kids is set for its own Latin American festival tour, "Stray City," with shows scheduled for Monday and Tuesday in Buenos Aires, and Sept. 25 and 26 in Mexico City.Sep 14, 2026By Yonhap
After NCT exit, Mark Lee trades maximalism for stripped-down soundSinger Mark Lee has returned to music, charting a new course after parting ways with K-pop group NCT. Lee debuted in 2016 and spent nearly a decade as a core member of NCT, performing as main rapper and main dancer across NCT 127, NCT Dream, NCT U and SuperM. He played a defining role throughout that 10-year span, and his April departure shocked fans and fueled intense speculation regarding his next steps. Speculation swirled over why he left, with unverified claims circulating about his musical direction and personal beliefs. He faced mounting scrutiny in June when he drew public criticism for wearing a T-shirt depicting the Confederate flag, widely recognized as a symbol of racism. Upper Room, the creative company founded by Lee, issued an apology, and Lee issued a second apology in August. "Neither I nor my team understood what that symbol meant. I am committed to learning more," he said. "I hope that through my actions, I can demonstrate the values of respect and inclusion I strive to uphold." The apologies did little to curb online harassment. Upper Room said it had continuously moniSep 14, 2026By Hankookilbo
TXT to launch new world tour in NovemberBoy group Tomorrow X Together (TXT) will kick off its new world tour in November with three concerts in Seoul, the group's agency, BigHit Music, said Monday. The "Steal the Wind" tour will run from Nov. 13 to 15 at the 15,000-seat KSPO Dome in southern Seoul before heading to other parts of Asia, North America and Europe, the agency said. The tour title, which translates as "making the flow one's own," reflects the five members' determination to keep their momentum going and move forward, no matter the situation. TXT will perform at the 2026 Global Citizen Festival in New York's Central Park on Sept. 26.Sep 14, 2026By Yonhap
Girl group ILLIT to return with new EP next monthK-pop girl group ILLIT will release its fifth EP, "Break Even," on Oct. 26, its agency said Monday, marking the group's first new music in about six months. The upcoming album follows the group's fourth EP, "It's Me," released in April. Its title was inspired from the economic term "break-even point," referring to a state where neither profit nor loss occurs, according to Belift Lab. The label said the new project delivers a clear message from the speaker: she will no longer invest time and emotion on relationships that lack mutual return, pivoting away from the direct, unreserved approach she previously held toward her love interest.Sep 14, 2026By Yonhap
The Boyz to restart group activities under new label after contract disputeK-pop group The Boyz said Monday it will resume group activities under 78 Records, a newly formed label, months after winning a legal battle to leave its previous agency over unpaid settlements. The nine members — Sangyeon, Jacob, Younghoon, Hyunjae, Juyeon, Kevin, Q, Sunwoo and Eric — will be managed for their group activities by 78 Records, while individual schedules remain with their respective personal agencies, the label said in a statement. "We will fully support The Boyz's group activities and maintain close cooperation," the label said. 78 Records was set up by industry veterans who have worked with the group since its debut and recently completed legal steps to establish a corporate body. The Boyz debuted in 2017 under Cre.ker Entertainment, a label under Kakao Entertainment, before moving to IST Entertainment in 2021. In late 2024, it signed with One Hundred Label, but in February nine of its 10 members sought to terminate their contracts, alleging unpaid settlement payments. In April, the Seoul Central District Court granted the members' injunction suspending their exclusiSep 14, 2026By Yonhap
Riize to release 2nd studio album next springK-pop boy group Riize will release its second full-length album in spring 2027, preceded by a prologue single next month, SM Entertainment, the group's label, said Monday. The six-member act, which marked its third anniversary this month, also unveiled the schedule during a two-day fan meet-and-greet at Incheon's Inspire Arena on Saturday and Sunday. Ahead of the 2027 album, Riize will drop a prologue single on Oct. 26, SM said in a release. At the fan event, the group performed hit tracks, including "Do Your Dance," "Fly Up" and "Get a Guitar," alongside solo stages by individual members. "It has 'already' been three years, yet it also feels like 'just' three years," the group was quoted as telling its fans. "We are excited for all the things we will achieve together with Briize. We hope to keep going for a long time — even up to our 300th anniversary," it added, using the name of its fandom.Sep 14, 2026By Yonhap
SEVENTEEN's Hoshi tears ACL while rehearsing for military performanceSEVENTEEN member Hoshi has suffered a complete tear of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his knee while rehearsing for a military performance. Hoshi shared the news with fans through a fan communication platform Saturday. "I'm writing this carefully because the news may come as a surprise," he said. "I injured my knee while rehearsing with the Army performance team and underwent an examination, which found that I had completely torn my ACL." Hoshi said he will undergo surgery and spend time recovering from the injury. As a result, he will be unable to participate in previously scheduled events with the military's taekwondo demonstration team and at the Ground Forces Festival. "I had been working hard to prepare because these were performances I had been looking forward to, so I'm very disappointed that I won't be able to take part," he said. "I also feel sorry for CARATs (SEVENTEEN's fandom) who have been waiting for them." Hoshi asked fans to continue supporting the taekwondo demonstration team as well as the Army performance team, which includes fellow SEVENTEEN member Woozi, whosSep 12, 2026By Hankookilbo
'I cried every day': RESCENE's Minami bares emotional toll of predebut dietingRESCENE member Minami has opened up about the intense emotional stress she experienced before making her debut as a K-pop idol. A video uploaded to fellow RESCENE member Woni's YouTube channel on Friday featured Woni, Minami and Liv discussing their drastic predebut weight changes. The members addressed an earlier claim that Minami's weight had changed by more than 20 kilograms while preparing for the group's debut. "It wasn't 20 kilograms," Minami said, clarifying that she had lost 18 kilograms. Liv said she had lost 13 kilograms. The members said they frequently faced comments about dieting while preparing to debut, with Minami recalling one particularly painful experience during a clothing fitting. She said a pair of jeans would not pull up past her hips, leaving her embarrassed. "I forced the pants up and managed to put them on," she said. "But I felt so awful after I came out that I went to the car and cried by myself." The incident affected her to the point that filming had to be halted. "I cried, so I had to get my makeup done again, and the shoot even had to stop," Minami said. "I coSep 12, 2026By Xportsnews
BTS' Jung Kook can't get enough of RESCENE, shares 'Love Attack' performanceBTS member Jung Kook has once again shown his interest in rising girl group RESCENE, this time sharing a video of the group performing live. On Friday, Jung Kook posted the video on his Instagram account. The clip shows RESCENE performing "Love Attack" the previous day at Spotify House Seoul, held at Anderson C in Seongdong District, Seoul. It was not the first time Jung Kook had drawn attention to the group. In July, he shared a video of RESCENE member Minami covering his solo song "Still With You." He added "yaho," a phrase often associated with Minami, to the post. Minami has previously said that she was a fan of BTS even before making her debut, making Jung Kook's repeated attention to RESCENE particularly noteworthy among fans. After sharing Minami's cover in July, Jung Kook has now personally captured and posted the group's live performance, drawing renewed attention from fans. Jung Kook also shared a video of boy group RIIZE performing "Get A Guitar" at the event. RIIZE member Sohee has previously said that he is a fan of Jung Kook, adding another fan-to-idol connection to the BTS sSep 12, 2026By Xportsnews
Beyond choreography: K-pop performance directors step into spotlightAs K-pop acts take on increasingly ambitious performances at home and abroad, the people turning their music into a live spectacle are now stepping out from behind the scenes. Performance directors oversee nearly every visual element of a performance, from choreography and dancer formations to costumes, lighting and stage sets. Once largely seen as an extension of choreography in K-pop, the job is increasingly being recognized as a creative role of its own. That distinction has become visible enough to form an entire television competition. Mnet’s “Street World Fighter: Directors’ War,” which premiered Aug. 18, puts 10 established choreographers in competition not simply over who can create the best dance, but over who can best direct a complete performance. Instead of competing with their own dance crews, contestants vie to have their names credited as performance directors. The format reflects a distinction that has long been blurry in K-pop. Choreographers create the movements that make up a routine, while performance directors are tasked with deciding how those movements andSep 12, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
