NCT DREAM to host listening party, livestreamed comeback show for 6th albumBoy group NCT DREAM will host a listening party and a livestreamed comeback show around the release of its sixth full-length album, “DREAM AFTER DREAM,” the group’s agency SM Entertainment said Friday. The listening party will be held Saturday at a venue at 16 Yeonmujang 7-gil in Seongdong District, eastern Seoul. The group will play every track on the album for fans before its official release and talk with them about the new record. On Monday, the album’s release day, the group will broadcast a comeback live show titled “Let’s Boogie Woogie!” starting at 5 p.m. on NCT DREAM’s YouTube channel, NCT’s TikTok channel and other platforms. In K-pop, a “comeback” means an artist’s return with new music. It usually comes with a series of promotional events, broadcasts and stage performances. The broadcast follows the album’s festival theme, with the members playing a team getting a festival ready. According to the agency, the show will include segments about the music on the album and talk about the group’s upcoming promotional activities. “DREAM AFTER DREAM” haNov 6, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Illit brings back Little Mimi collaboration with December album releaseK-pop girl group Illit is reviving its popular collaboration with Korean character brand Little Mimi, turning its upcoming fifth mini-album into a collectible release designed to appeal to younger fans. According to BELIFT LAB, part of HYBE Music Group, the Little Mimi edition of “BREAK EVEN” will be released Dec. 30, marking the group's second collaboration with the character brand. The partnership follows last year's Little Mimi edition of Illit's first single album, “NOT CUTE ANYMORE,” which sold out during its preorder period and required additional production. The new release takes the form of a Little Mimi doll key ring and includes a mini CD, a lyrics sheet, three photocards and stickers, combining music with collectible merchandise. Its design draws inspiration from the “black agent” concept of the album's title track, “I'll Get You,” incorporating ribbons and frills into the character's outfit to echo the group's appearance in the music video. BELIFT LAB said the doll could also be styled alongside whistle key rings and charms previously released as part of the alNov 6, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Seventeen's Joshua brings bold elegance to Vogue Korea digital coversSeventeen member Joshua is putting his growing influence in fashion and beauty on display, appearing in three digital covers for Vogue Korea in collaboration with luxury brand Tom Ford Beauty. Vogue Korea released the three covers on its official social media accounts on Thursday, showcasing Joshua in a photo shoot themed “Bold Ambition.” The images pair his sophisticated appeal with daring styling, highlighting a more mature and refined look in collaboration with Tom Ford Beauty, for which he serves as an ambassador. In an accompanying interview, Joshua discussed his ambitions to continue developing as an artist and explore new creative opportunities. After forming a unit with fellow Seventeen member Jeonghan and releasing its first mini-album, “DREAMSCAPE,” Joshua said he had become increasingly dedicated to music and hoped to share more of his own work. “I want to further develop my abilities and show you songs of my own,” he said. “My heart has become more deeply invested in making music than before, and I am also learning acting,” he said, adding that he had developedNov 6, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
UNCHILD returns as quirky heroes with 'TiNG TiNG'K-pop girl group UNCHILD returned Thursday as “bug busters,” unveiling its second digital single, “TiNG TiNG,” with a playful mission to take on digital glitches. During a media showcase at NOL Theater Hapjeong in Seoul, five members — Yeeun, Tina, Ako, Evon, Haeun — introduced a release that turns their unconventional identity into a colorful superhero adventure. Taking a playful cue from “Ghostbusters,” the concept casts the members as offbeat heroes pairing house music with playful characters and choreography incorporating locking. “If our debut showcase was about introducing UNCHILD, this is about showing a new side of ourselves, so we feel nervous,” Yeeun said. The six-member group debuted in April under High Up Entertainment, becoming the agency’s first new girl group since STAYC. Its name draws on the prefix “un-,” expressing a refusal to fit established norms. That spirit initially took shape through neon colors, reworked school uniforms and a green frog symbol — a nod to the Korean folktale of the frog that does the opposite of whatever it is told andNov 5, 2026By Lee Hae-rin
US copyright lawsuit over BTS song 'Swim' dropped: reportAmerican songwriters who earlier claimed that Korean superband BTS' chart-topping song "Swim" was copied from their own demo have withdrawn their claims in a U.S. lawsuit, a report showed Thursday. The attorneys for the accusers, who are three little-known songwriters, requested the judge to dismiss the lawsuit in its entirety in a court filing dated Wednesday (U.S. time), according to the Billboard. The move comes about four months after the songwriters — Steve Cooper, Jon Sandler and Greylyn Johnson — filed a lawsuit in July, claiming that "Swim" bears "substantial similarities" to their own song of the same name. The plaintiffs had named HYBE, HYBE America and BigHit Music as defendants, along with the song's credited writers, including former OneRepublic member Ryan Tedder. Neither BTS nor its members were listed as defendants, although RM is credited as one of the songwriters on the track. Hybe is the parent company of BigHit Music, while Hybe America is the American unit of Hybe. In response, BigHit Music had rejected the allegations as "one-sided" claims, maintaining that "SwimNov 5, 2026By Yonhap
NCT Dream turns 10-year milestone into disco celebration with 'Boogie Woogie'NCT Dream is turning a decade together into a dance-floor celebration, bringing vintage disco rhythms and exuberant choreography to “Boogie Woogie,” the lead single from its upcoming sixth full-length album. The seven-member group under SM Entertainment will release “DREAM AFTER DREAM,” featuring 10 tracks across various genres, on global music platforms at 6 p.m. Monday. “Boogie Woogie” blends the nostalgic sound of 1970s disco funk with modern synthesizers in an upbeat dance track that celebrates the group's 10 years together. The song carries a message of gratitude toward those who have made everyday moments special, encouraging listeners to appreciate the present and enjoy life together. Member Jaemin also helped write the lyrics. Its choreography follows the track's buoyant rhythm, featuring energetic movements designed to evoke the atmosphere of a lively celebration. One signature move, dubbed the “Boogie Woogie” dance, features members swinging their fists from side to side during the chorus. The performance also includes a sequence in which members freely move to tNov 5, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
TXT previews new album with 6 tracks capturing turbulence of youthK-pop group Tomorrow X Together, better known as TXT, gave global fans a first taste of their upcoming album, teasing six new tracks that channel the raw friction, desires and restless intensity of young adulthood through a genre-spanning soundscape. The five-member group released the preview video for its ninth mini album, “PERFECT STORM,” on HYBE Labels' YouTube channel at midnight Wednesday. The preview features snippets of all six tracks, including lead single “Angel Bite,” alongside “Storm is...,” “Higher Love,” “Sweetest Escape,” “Touch the Sky” and “Hate It or Love It.” The album examines the struggles of Generation Z as its members move beyond teenage fantasies and uncertainty to confront adult realities, according to BigHit Music. Its title track, “Angel Bite,” blends playful, video game-inspired sounds with rough-edged yet wistful melodies in a style described as disco-plug. The song juxtaposes upbeat energy with emotional vulnerability, expressing the desire to stay beside someone despite youth's imperfect and painful realities. The other tracksNov 5, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Stray Kids scores 3rd Japanese platinum certification ahead of Tokyo Dome concertsStray Kids has added another milestone in Japan, earning the group's third streaming platinum certification as the group prepares to launch three nights of concerts at Tokyo Dome on Friday. “Special,” the lead track of the group's third full-length album, “★★★★★ (5-STAR),” surpassed 100 million cumulative streams in Japan as of September 2026, earning platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of Japan, according to JYP Entertainment. The achievement marks the group's third Japanese streaming platinum certification, following those awarded to “MANIAC,” from the mini album “ODDINARY,” and “CASE 143,” from “MAXIDENT.” The certification comes ahead of Stray Kids' Tokyo Dome concerts, scheduled for Friday through Sunday as part of its “RUN IT” world tour. The Nov. 7 performance, second of the three Tokyo shows, will also be broadcast live in cinemas worldwide in partnership with global event cinema distributor Trafalgar Releasing. The group's Japan tour has included a concert at Tokyo's National Stadium in August, where Stray Kids becaNov 5, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
BTS album 'ARIRANG' certified 'platinum' in ItalyK-pop supergroup BTS' fifth full-length album "ARIRANG" has been certified "platinum" by a major Italian recording industry association, the group's agency said Wednesday. "ARIRANG" became the first album by a K-pop act to receive the certification from the Federation of the Italian Music Industry (FIMI) for achieving 50,000 sales units across physical copies, downloads and streams, according to BigHit Music. BTS earlier received FIMI's gold certification for several albums, including "Love Yourself: Answer," "Map of the Soul: Persona" and "Proof." "ARIRANG" has made history as the first album by a K-pop act to spend three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. Led by the lead single "Swim," the 14-track album marks the band's first release after a four-year hiatus prompted by its members' mandatory military service.Nov 4, 2026By Yonhap
RESCENE returns with 'PULSE' after breakout year of K-pop underdog successK-pop girl group RESCENE returned Tuesday with its fourth mini album, “PULSE,” hoping to build on a breakout year that saw its songs climb back up the charts and earn six music show wins. The five-member group — Woni, Liv, Minami, May and Zena — introduced the five-track release during a showcase at Blue Square in Seoul, ahead of its scheduled release at 6 p.m. The album arrives nearly a year after the group’s third EP, “Lip Bomb,” released Nov. 25 last year, and four months after its remake single, “Pretty Girl.” Liv said the months had passed quickly, with members buoyed by listeners’ support. “We worked hard together to repay everyone who waited for us,” she said. “We’ll show you RESCENE that has grown stronger and more mature.” “’PULSE’ signals that our hearts have begun beating strongly again and captures the pounding heartbeat of seeing a scene we’ve long imagined unfold before our eyes,” Woni said, describing the album. Lead single “With” follows someone who runs toward a person they have long dreamed of meeting. Moving from a lyrical openNov 3, 2026By Lee Hae-rin
