TXT to hold immersive exhibition marking 7th anniversaryK-pop boy band Tomorrow X Together (TXT) is set to hold an immersive exhibition in Seoul chronicling the group's seven-year journey since its debut, the group's agency BigHit Music said Tuesday. Titled "LAYERS OF US," the exhibition will run from Aug. 13 to Sept. 6 at The Seoul Lightium in Seongdong District, eastern Seoul. It marks the quintet's seventh anniversary and visually reconstructs the narrative the members have built across their discography. Since debuting in 2019, the five-member act consisting of Soobin, Yeonjun, Beomgyu, Taehyun and Huening Kai has explored the wanderings and growth of contemporary youth through tightly woven lore behind its album series, including "The Dream Chapter," "The Chaos Chapter," "The Name Chapter" and "The Star Chapter." The exhibition traces TXT's path from its 2019 debut EP "The Dream Chapter: STAR" to its fourth full-length album, "The Star Chapter: TOGETHER," released last year. According to the agency, it depicts how fragile moments accumulate to form the self, and how individuals fill each other's gaps to expand into a larger identity ofJul 29, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
After Asian pop category launch, BTS says it won't submit music to GrammysK-pop juggernaut BTS announced Wednesday that it will not submit its music for consideration at the 69th Grammy Awards, set for February, in a move widely interpreted as a protest against the Recording Academy's new Asian pop category. "We have decided not to submit our music to the Grammys this year," the group said in a statement shared through the Instagram Stories of all seven members. "We hope music can be heard and loved as music itself, rather than being divided by region or language." The septet also thanked its official fandom ARMY and supporters worldwide. The decision comes despite a banner year for the group. Its fifth studio album "ARIRANG," released in March, topped the Billboard 200 with 641,000 units, the biggest week for a group album in more than a decade, while lead single "SWIM" debuted atop the Hot 100. The announcement follows the academy's introduction in June of Best Asian Pop Music Performance, one of five categories added for the upcoming ceremony. Critics have called the category a form of segregation that sidelines Asian acts from major awards. BTS earned threJul 29, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
'Teach You a Lesson' enters Netflix's all-time top 10 chart for non-English showsThe action-packed school drama "Teach You a Lesson" has become the second Korean series to break into Netflix's all-time top 10 chart for most-viewed non-English TV series, joining the "Squid Game" franchise, the streaming service said Wednesday. Netflix said "Teach You a Lesson" ranked No. 10 with 60.2 million views eight weeks after its release on June 5. All three seasons of "Squid Game," Netflix's global hit Korean original series, currently occupy the top three spots on the all-time non-English series chart. "Teach You a Lesson" is the second Korean series to make the chart after the "Squid Game" franchise. Based on the webtoon "Get Schooled," the Netflix original follows a team of inspectors at the fictional Education Rights Protection Bureau — Na Hwa-jin (Kim Mu-yeol), Im Han-rim (Jin Ki-joo) and Bong Geun-dae (Pyo Ji-hoon) — who set out to teach bullies a lesson. The 10-part series has resonated with global audiences for its realistic storylines that mirror real-life incidents and its cathartic plot that prioritizes the rights of victims -- both students and teachers -- whileJul 29, 2026By Yonhap
Can K-pop convince fans to travel to Korea every year?BTS packs stadiums in Los Angeles and BLACKPINK headlines Coachella, yet Korea has no equivalent to Coachella and Lollapalooza or Japan's Summer Sonic. There's no festival that makes fans around the world book flights to K-pop's birthplace every single year. "Fanomenon," the K-culture mega event unveiled Monday by the Presidential Committee on Popular Culture Exchange, is the government and industry's most ambitious attempt yet to fill that gap. More than a new festival, it signals a strategic pivot for "hallyu," also known as the Korean wave, from exporting artists and content outward to pulling fans to Korea, converting global fandom into an annual pilgrimage built on concerts, tourism, merchandise and participation. The plan is sweeping. The inaugural festival will run from Dec. 2 to 12, 2027, at Seoul Arena in northern Seoul's Dobong District and KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, anchored by concerts by artists from the rosters of SM, YG, JYP and HYBE, and an awards ceremony that honors their fandoms. Another event will follow in Los Angeles in May 2028. Organizers project 520,000Jul 29, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
JYP's new girl group OURBIRTHDAY completes 7-member lineupA new girl group launched by a subsidiary of K-pop powerhouse JYP Entertainment has finalized its seven-member lineup ahead of an official debut, the group's label said Tuesday. OURBIRTHDAY, managed by INNIT Entertainment, introduced four more members, Kuk Cho-rok, Shin Hye-won, U and Kilala, following the release of concept photos for the single "HUNGRY (Side B)" on the group's social media channels. The four join Cho Hye-jin, Baby and Achiraya, who began activities last week with the digital single "HUNGRY (Side A)." The label has described the two releases as a phased predebut, an uncommon rollout in the K-pop industry, where groups typically debut as a complete unit. OURBIRTHDAY is the first girl group associated with JYP Entertainment since NMIXX debuted in 2022. The group's name reflects its aim to make ordinary days feel as special as birthdays, according to the label. The multinational group was first teased through animated characters and a superhero-themed animation series that withheld the members' identities, drawing speculation among fans over whether the project was a virtuJul 28, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
ZEROBASEONE's Matthew Seok drives 40 mil. views in Seoul's new tourism pushIn its ongoing effort to translate global enthusiasm for Korean pop culture into real-world foot traffic, Seoul’s municipal tourism agency has turned to modern idol culture to power its latest promotional drive — and municipal officials say the payoff came in the tens of millions. The Seoul Tourism Organization, the city’s official tourism promotion body, said Tuesday that its digital campaign starring Matthew Seok, a member of the popular K-pop group ZEROBASEONE, surpassed 40 million cumulative views across its official Visit Seoul social media platforms in just over two weeks. Titled "Met U in Seoul," the 12-part video series was designed to introduce international audiences to what organizers describe as Seoul-style hospitality. The campaign followed Seok as he toured a curated mix of the capital's iconic landmarks and trendy neighborhoods, including the hip fashion hub of Seongsu, the waterfront spaces at Jamwon Hangang Park and the traditional stone-walled alleyways of Seosulla Street. The rollout — which spanned teaser clips, main promotional videos, social media challengeJul 28, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
InterviewKARD disbands after 10 years, but members insist story is not overThe four members of KARD are reluctant to use the word "disbandment." By any common definition, it applies. The co-ed group's contract with DSP Media expires at the end of this year, and the agency announced earlier this month that one final album and world tour would conclude KARD's journey. But sitting down with The Korea Times for an interview at a cafe in Gwangjin District, eastern Seoul, Tuesday, the members wanted the word understood on their own terms. "The four of us still want to make music together, but that would just happen in a new environment," Jiwoo said. "I think the misunderstanding was understandable, but there are no plans for us to say goodbye and part ways entirely." J.Seph, the group's rapper, said even his young nephew called to ask. "I explained, like anyone else, I belong to a company, and I'm tied to that company by a contract. The point where that contract ends has simply arrived." In other words, KARD as fans have known it for a decade, a DSP Media act, is ending. What the members refuse to let go of are each other. Nothing concrete is decided, they admit, butJul 28, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
K-pop singers fight back against smoking rumorsTwo female K-pop singers have publicly denied persistent smoking rumors, calling them false and baseless. Both performers said the claims had spread online and were treated as fact, saying they were unfairly accused. On Thursday, comedian Lee Yong-jin's YouTube channel released an episode of its talk show, "The Trueman Show," featuring fromis_9 members Lee Na-gyung and Lee Chae-young. During the show's lie-detector segment, Chae-young said she does not smoke. When host Lee asked whether she wanted to clear the air, she brought up the smoking rumors without hesitation. "When you search my name, 'cigarette' comes up," she said. "I am a nonsmoker and have never smoked." Regarding the speculation, Chae-young said the claims lacked any factual basis. She explained that she once posted a photo on social media that showed an electronic cigarette in the background. She said the object was far away, and because she does not smoke, she did not realize that the pink object was an e-cigarette. "Many people accepted without question that I was a smoker," she said. "Some even said they would be disappoJul 28, 2026By Xportsnews
Boy band NouerA makes speedy return with love-struck EP '.exe'K-pop boy band NouerA released its fourth EP ".exe" Monday, running what the group calls a program of love for its fans. The album arrives just four months after the release of its third EP in March, marking an unusually quick return. The mini-album captures the group's determination to confess love without hesitation. Borrowing its title from the file extension for executable computer programs, the album carries the message that the seven members will leap across dimensional boundaries for love. While the previous EP "POP IT LIKE" showcased the group's intense energy and bold performances, the new release tells a story of young, innocent romance. Hours ahead of the album's release Monday, the seven members — Hyunjun, Gihyeon, Junpyo, Yuseop, Lin, Fan and Miraku — met with the press at Yes24 Live Hall in eastern Seoul's Gwangjin District to share the story behind the album and their thoughts on it. Taking the stage in hot-pink football uniforms, the members appeared noticeably more seasoned than at their debut last year. "I'm thrilled and excited to be promoting with a fresh, youthfulJul 27, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
Korea to launch massive global music festival in LA in May 2028Korea will launch a major global music festival in Los Angeles in May 2028 that organizers hope will rival the U.S.-based Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival as well as a new K-pop awards show in Seoul and Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, in December next year. A civilian-government committee on pop culture announced the plan during a press briefing in Seoul on Monday, saying the series of events under the "Fanomenon" brand is intended to boost tourism and expand the global reach of Korea's cultural industries. The "Fanonmenon" program comprises a fandom-focused annual awards ceremony featuring performances by K-pop artists and an overseas music festival modeled on Coachella, according to the Presidential Committee on Popular Culture Exchange. The name "Fanomenon" merges "fan" and "phenomenon," underscoring the role of fans as active drivers of Korean culture's global expansion, according to the committee. "We'll start with the Fanomenon Awards in December 2027," Park Jin-young, co-chair of the committee, said. "We'll then launch the Fanomenon Festival overseas, beginning in Los Angeles iJul 27, 2026By Yonhap
