Rejected 3 times: aespa's Winter reveals how she finally joined SM EntertainmentAespa member Winter has revealed that she failed auditions for SM Entertainment three times before finally making it into one of Korea's biggest K-pop agencies. Winter shared the story during Sunday's episode of JTBC's cooking variety show “Please Take Care of My Refrigerator,” where she appeared alongside fellow aespa member Karina. Host Kim Sung-joo said both idols are often described by fans as having the "classic SM look" — a term referring to an image commonly associated with artists from the agency. Karina said she believed Winter best fit that image. "I think Winter is the perfect example of the SM style," Karina said. "She has the fair complexion of seniors like Seo Hyun-jin and Taeyeon." Winter, however, disagreed. "I actually think it's Karina," she said. "I failed the SM audition three times. I kept auditioning until I finally got accepted, while SM sent Karina a direct message first." She jokingly contrasted their different paths into the company. "SM chose Karina, but I chose SM," Winter said. Kim then asked whether entertainment agencies now recruit aspiring idols throughJul 6, 2026By Xportsnews
Jennie headlines 2 major European music festsBLACKPINK's Jennie performed as a headliner at Denmark's Roskilde Festival and Poland's Open'er Festival over the weekend, becoming the first K-pop solo artist to headline two major European music festivals back-to-back, her agency said Monday. The singer performed her hits, including "Mantra," "ExtraL," "Starlight" and "Like Jennie," appearing at the music festivals on Friday and Saturday (local time), respectively, according to OA Entertainment. "Jennie's inclusion reflects current trends and reinforces Roskilde's identity as a festival moving toward the future," said Thomas Soenderby Jepsen, the festival's head of music. Open'er organizers described her as "one of the most influential female artists of this era." Jennie has drawn interest in the global music market in recent months, with her collaboration "Dracula" with Tame Impala reaching No. 10 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. She is scheduled to appear at several other major international festivals later this year, including Spain's Mad Cool Festival 2026, Lollapalooza Chicago in the United States, and Japan's Summer Sonic 2026Jul 6, 2026By Yonhap
ATEEZ scores 3rd No. 1 on Billboard 200 with 'Golden Hour: Part. 5'K-pop boy group ATEEZ has claimed its third No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard's main albums chart with its new album, "Golden Hour: Part. 5." Billboard reported in a chart preview on Sunday (local time) that "Golden Hour: Part. 5" secured the top spot this week over Olivia Rodrigo's "You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love" and Drake's "Iceman." It marks the group's third No. 1 on the chart, following "The World Ep. Final: Will" in 2023 and "Golden Hour: Part. 2" in 2024. "Dating to its first in 2022, the group has racked up nine top 10 albums on the Billboard 200 and stands as the group with the most top 10s in the 2020s," the music magazine said. The Billboard 200 ranks the most popular albums of the week in the United States, measured by equivalent album units comprising physical and digital sales, as well as streaming and digital track downloads. "Golden Hour: Part. 5" earned 228,000 equivalent album units during the latest charting period, with 223,000 coming from album sales. Both figures are the highest it has ever recorded. Released on June 26, the album depicts ATEEZ embracing momentsJul 6, 2026By Yonhap
BTS named La Plata 'honored guest' ahead of Argentina concertsKorean boy group BTS has been named "honored guest" of Argentina's La Plata city, where it is scheduled to perform in October, its agency BigHit Music said Saturday. La Plata's city council unanimously approved the designation during a plenary session on Thursday, granting the group one of the municipality's highest official honors. Under local ordinances, the title is reserved for distinguished visitors and internationally recognized figures in culture and the arts. The K-pop septet was recognized for its global cultural influence, advocacy for youth rights and contributions to international cultural exchange, according to city officials. BTS is set to perform its "ARIRANG" world tour shows on Oct. 21 and 23,24 at the La Plata Stadium in the city, making it the first K-pop act to do so.Jul 4, 2026By Yonhap
Why only Danielle? Ador explains damages suit as NewJeans comeback rumors growAdor has explained in court why it filed a damages lawsuit only against NewJeans member Danielle, even as overseas sightings of other members fuel speculation that the group may be preparing for a return. The Seoul Central District Court held the third hearing Thursday in a damages suit filed by Ador against Danielle, her family and former Ador CEO Min Hee-jin. Ador previously filed the suit only against Danielle among the NewJeans members, while also removing her from the group, saying she had seriously violated her exclusive contract. During the hearing, Ador said Danielle pursued a project with U.S. band Emotional Oranges worth about $175,000 (240 million won). The agency said the music video shoot was halted, but that much of the recording and vocal work had already taken place. ADOR also said Danielle violated her contract by taking part in photo shoots, magazine cover projects and an individual deal with a major watch brand without prior consultation. The agency also raised the issue of an alleged double contract with a company backed by Chinese capital. The company is said to haveJul 4, 2026By Xportsnews
Stray Kids' Seungmin scales back activities as ankle injury lingersStray Kids member Seungmin will significantly reduce his activities as he continues to recover from a stress fracture in his ankle, his agency said, raising concerns among fans after the singer missed several recent events. JYP Entertainment said Thursday that Seungmin is focusing on rest and treatment following medical advice for a stress fracture in his left ankle. As a result, Seungmin either did not participate in some recent filming commitments or took part only to a limited extent, with his injury condition given top priority, the agency said. JYP also said Seungmin's appearance in some upcoming content may be limited while he continues his recovery. The singer was first diagnosed with a stress fracture in his left ankle after visiting a hospital in March due to persistent pain. The injury also forced him to miss Stray Kids' performance at “The Governors Ball Music Festival” in New York City last month. Stray Kids, one of K-pop's biggest global acts under JYP Entertainment, has built a large international fan base through its self-produced music and extensive world tours. While tJul 4, 2026By Xportsnews
'KPop Demon Hunters' star Arden Cho ties knot while wearing hanbokKorean American actress Arden Cho, who gained global attention for voicing Rumi in Netflix's "KPop Demon Hunters," recently got married in Italy with a distinctly Korean twist to the dress code. “Ever since we started planning, I dreamed of welcoming everyone to Italy with a hanbok celebration,” Cho wrote on social media on Thursday, sharing photos of herself, her husband and their guests dressed in traditional Korean attire. She said it felt surreal to see her friends and family wearing hanbok and filling the ballroom with vibrant colors. “It was art within art,” Cho wrote. “I never imagined seeing hanboks celebrated like this in Italy, and my heart is so full that everyone embraced this part of our culture with such joy.” Cho married orthopedic surgeon Christopher Lee on June 27 in Florence, Italy. “We’ve been at the villa for over a week, and it felt like welcoming all our loved ones into our home,” she added, teasing that she plans to share more moments from the celebration soon. Cho earned widespread acclaim for voicing Rumi, the leader of the fictional K-pop groupJul 3, 2026By Hankookilbo
July packed with K-pop career milestonesNot every comeback is just another comeback. July's K-pop release calendar is filled with milestones. Some artists are releasing their first full-length albums after years in the industry. Others are launching new units, returning to solo work after lengthy absences or expanding into overseas markets. Rookie groups, meanwhile, are using the month to build on recent momentum and start new chapters of their own. The result is a lineup defined not simply by new music but by moments that could reshape some of K-pop's most famous careers. The month begins with girl group i-dle, which will release its ninth mini-album, "We made," on July 6. Led by "Gimme Dat Love," the five-track album recalls the group's 2019 EP "I made," suggesting a thematic connection between the two releases. The comeback continues the group's activities following its rebranding last year from (G)I-DLE to i-dle, while expanding on the identity it has cultivated over the past year. A day later, boy band MONSTA X's main vocalist Kihyun returns with "BORDERLINE," his first solo release in three years and nine months. The sevenJul 3, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
Le Sserafim turns discography into collectible 'Sound Coin' albumsLe Sserafim is packaging its musical journey into a new collectible album series, offering fans a coin-shaped release that brings together every chapter of the group's career as its latest album continues to gain traction on the U.S. charts. The five-member group said Friday that it will release six versions of its new "Sound Coin" albums at 1 p.m. on July 10. The announcement was made through Hybe's fan platform Weverse. The collectible series spans the group's debut single album through its fifth mini album. Each coin-shaped edition features the logo and concept photos from one of the group's releases, including "FEARLESS," "ANTIFRAGILE," "UNFORGIVEN," "EASY," "CRAZY" and "HOT." The albums also provide access to the same music and digital content available through previous Weverse album versions, allowing fans to revisit the group's earlier releases in a single collectible format. Source Music said the project was designed to celebrate the group's journey following the launch of a new chapter with its second full-length album, "PUREFLOW pt.1," released in May. "We hope this becomes a specJul 3, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
ATEEZ sets own record with latest album selling 1.88 mil. copies in 1st weekK-pop boy group ATEEZ has set its own first-week sales record with its latest album selling more than 1.88 million copies, its agency said Friday. The group's 14th EP, "Golden Hour: Part 5," hit the milestone based on data from local album sales tracker Hanteo Chart, according to KQ Entertainment. Released on June 26, the album depicts Ateez embracing moments driven by instinct and sensation with a playful energy. The five-track release is led by the lead track "Bad," and also includes "Mamacita" and "Toxin." It has become the seventh million-selling album from the group.Jul 3, 2026By Yonhap
