NOWZ turns to 1980s disco with new single 'Achilles'K-pop boy band NOWZ released its digital single "Achilles" Wednesday, presenting a Gen Z reinterpretation of disco. The release arrives five months after the group's Japanese debut EP "NOWZ" in March and marks its first Korean release in 10 months. Composed of Hyeonbin, Yoon, Yeonwoo, Jinhyuk and Siyun, the all-Korean quintet under Cube Entertainment debuted in April 2024 as NOWADAYS before adopting the name NOWZ in 2025. Entering its third year, the group declared it would open a new chapter with a more mature, sensual sound. Hours ahead of the release, the members held a press showcase Wednesday afternoon in Seoul, sharing recent updates and behind-the-scenes stories from the making of the song. "We sharpened everything from our visuals to our stage performance for this comeback," the group's eldest, Hyeonbin said. "We hope people look forward to it." Siyun summed up the comeback with the keyword "zero sexy." "Like a zero-sugar cola that tastes sweet without any sugar, we have gone back to our essential charm to present a fresh and healthy kind of sexiness," he said. "Achilles" reinterprAug 5, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
Reshuffled lineups, solo returns, wave of debuts define August's K-pop releasesAugust is shaping up to be one of the year's most consequential months for K-pop, and not simply because of the volume of releases. Beneath the summer comeback rush runs a set of stories the industry will be watching closely — major groups returning with reshaped lineups, veteran soloists reclaiming the spotlight and a fresh crop of rookies betting on the dog days of summer to break through. Boy band Stray Kids returns Friday with the mini album "THIS & THAT," the JYP Entertainment group's first release since November's "DO IT" extended its unprecedented streak of Billboard 200 No. 1 debuts to eight. All eight tracks, including the self-titled lead single, were written by the group's in-house production trio 3RACHA, and the album arrives mid-stride in a new world tour that kicked off in Seoul in late July. Sharing the date is indie rock band wave to earth, whose album "bad pieces" ends a two-year recording silence. With more than 7 million monthly Spotify listeners, the trio has quietly built one of the largest global audiences of any Korean act outside the idol system, making its retAug 5, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
KATSEYE's 'Animal' debuts at No. 24 on Billboard Hot 100K-pop girl group KATSEYE's new single "Animal" debuted at No. 24 on the Billboard Hot 100, according to the latest chart released Tuesday (U.S. time). The upbeat track featuring a catchy hook and lyrics about untamed instinct is included on the group's third EP, "Wild," due out on Aug. 14. The group's collaboration single "Iconic By Mistake," with fellow HYBE girl groups LE SSERAFIM and ILLIT, fell two places to No. 76, while extending its chart run to seven consecutive weeks. Elsewhere on the Hot 100, BLACKPINK's Jennie held steady at No. 6 with "Dracula," a collaboration song with Australian act Tame Impala. K-pop supergroup BTS also logged two songs on the chart, with "Swim" at No. 82 and "Normal" at No. 89. On the Billboard 200 main albums chart, BTS' fifth studio album "Arirang" ranked No. 15, while the soundtrack of the Netflix's global hit animated film "KPop Demon Hunters" placed No. 29. K-pop boy group CORTIS' "GREENGREEN" came in at No. 114.Aug 5, 2026By Yonhap
WJSN's Dayoung, Jay Park spark chemistry in new single 'FLIRTY'Dayoung of girl group WJSN, who has been steadily carving out a solo career of her own, joins forces with veteran singer Jay Park for the collaborative single "FLIRTY," set for release Tuesday. The track marks the first collaboration of Dayoung's career and her first new music in about four months, following her second digital single "What's a girl to do," in April. According to her agency Starship Entertainment, the singer took part in writing both the lyrics and music. The agency described the song as a pop track capturing the excitement and confident attitude of a budding romance, blending guitar sounds, groovy rhythms and rich pop melodies with touches of R&B and reggae. The pairing traces back to the 2025 Melon Music Awards last December, where Dayoung made a surprise appearance during Jay Park's performance. Dayoung appeared alongside him again at his Waterbomb festival performance on July 25, and a teaser image for the duo was unveiled shortly after the show, fueling anticipation. Dayoung's solo debut track "body" landed on best K-pop of 2025 lists compiled by Billboard, NME and ThAug 4, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
JYP founder says agency spends $1.4 mil. a year on organic cafeteriaSinger and JYP Entertainment founder Park Jin-young said the agency spends about 2 billion won ($1.4 million) a year operating its company cafeteria. He told viewers the company spends roughly 220 million won annually on organic kimchi alone. The K-pop agency's organic cafeteria was featured on Saturday's broadcast of MBC variety show "Reveal My Star's Life: The Manager." During the broadcast, Park enjoyed a meal at the cafeteria with his manager. When someone complimented the dish, he shared the figures, surprising the panel when he disclosed the yearly cost of kimchi served in the cafeteria. Park explained that the company meticulously inspects the ingredients, ensuring that everything from the seasonings to the sea salt used in the kimchi meets strict organic standards. He emphasized that the company could cut costs if they stopped preparing the kimchi with organic ingredients, but he stands by the practice to prioritize health. While the JYP cafeteria is already known for using organic ingredients, the revelation that it costs about 2 billion won a year to operate drew widespread attAug 4, 2026By Xportsnews
InterviewRed Velvet trades midday heat for sunset glow on 'Velvet Summer'K-pop girl group Red Velvet returns Monday with the mini album "Velvet Summer," its first full-group release in over two years, trading blazing summer anthems for a sunset mood. The five-piece last released music together with "Cosmic" in June 2024. The five-track album is led by the track "Surfin' Boy," a dance number built on crisp, refreshing production and the group's signature dreamy vocal harmonies. In a first for the team, member Joy wrote the lyrics on her own, reminiscing about the hottest summer of one's life and the promise of making more radiant memories. "I was able to pour out everything I wanted to say to Red Velvet and our fans while writing these lyrics," Joy said in a written interview on Monday. "I wanted to convey that whenever we meet again, we can build memories even more beautiful than before. Seulgi even sent me a message praising how singable the lyrics were after mine were chosen. I was so happy I nearly cried," Joy added. According to Seulgi, the song also marks a sonic departure from the group's high-energy summer anthems like "Red Flavor" (2017) and "Umpah UmpAug 3, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
HYBE's new girl group Tuide to debut Aug. 24 with EP 'Tune & Play'HYBE's new girl group label ABD will debut its first act, Tuide, on Aug. 24 with the release of its debut EP, "Tune & Play," the agency said. The seven-member group — Seohee, Seoyeon, Elena, Jia, Saki, Seah and Yi Hani — will release the mini album at 6 p.m. ABD said the title reflects the group's concept: tuning different musical languages into a single rhythm, then maximizing the joy found within that harmony. The label said the sound is meant to cross the boundaries of generation, culture and language and bring a new current to the global music scene. Tuide revealed its members' visuals Sunday through a set of introduction photos and a video titled "Introductions: WE TUIDE," posted to the group's official social media accounts. In the clip, the members chant the group's name in multiple languages over a minimalist beat that shifts between Korean, English, Japanese and French. The members come from Korea, the United States, Britain and Japan, and were all born between 2006 and 2011. ABD said the mix of backgrounds and personalities is meant to give Tuide a distinct group identityAug 3, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Jennie captivates Chicago with history-making Lollapalooza setUnder the glittering summer sky of Grant Park on Saturday night, BLACKPINK member and fashion icon Jennie entered the history books. Closing out the main Bud Light Stage at Lollapalooza Chicago, Jennie delivered an electrifying, hourlong headline set that solidified her standing as a global star, capping off the night with the surprise debut of an unreleased track. With this performance, Jennie became the first Korean female solo artist to headline North America’s premier music festival. The flagship stage she commanded is steeped in rock and pop royalty, having previously hosted legendary acts like Coldplay, The Cure and The Weeknd. Jennie met the historical weight of the moment with effortless swagger and full live-band backing, powering through an 18-song set list that reimagined her catalog for a festival crowd exceeding 100,000. The performance marked her first live appearance following the release of her hit single, "Less than a Lover." As the opening synth line echoed across the lawn, the crowd erupted into a thunderous sing-along, proving that her solo output resonates as deeAug 3, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Seventeen's Dino to debut alter ego 'Picheolin'Dino, the youngest member of K-pop boy band Seventeen, will drop his debut album as alter ego "Picheolin" on Monday, his agency Pledis Entertainment said. "Gilboard," the first EP from the persona, reinterprets 1990s Korean street music culture through a blend of EDM trap, city pop and new jack swing genres, infusing the tracks with a distinctively Korean sense of "heung" — a term denoting spirited fun, according to the agency. The EP's name combines the Chinese character for auspicious, "gil," and the English word "board" from the U.S. Billboard music chart. It refers to a tacit '90s music ranking based on how often street vendors selling bootleg cassette tapes blasted a song through large speakers to attract passersby. The grassroots ranking was considered a much more accurate indicator of a track's actual popularity than official broadcast rankings or album sales. "Picheolin" is portrayed as an enthusiastic '90s-style producer and the CEO of a fictional K-pop agency, Bong. The character has been developed through Dino's various content and performances. The lead track, "Norabose" (LAug 3, 2026By Yonhap
Grammys removes BTS' videos following boycottThe Recording Academy, the host of the Grammy Awards, has sparked backlash after removing historic performance videos of BTS from its official website, shortly after the superstar K-pop band announced it would not submit its music to the music awards for next year. On the official Grammys website, live recordings of the group’s hit songs "Dynamite" from 2021 and "Butter" from 2022 were no longer accessible. While these videos can still be viewed on the group's official channels, their absence from the Grammys site has raised questions among fans. The Recording Academy has not commented on the change. The quiet video removals came immediately after all seven members of BTS issued a joint statement on July 29 confirming they will not submit any music for the 69th Grammy Awards, set for Feb. 7, 2027. "We decided not to submit our work for the upcoming Grammy Awards," the group said. "We hope that music can be appreciated and loved for what it is, without being divided by region or language." The group’s boycott is widely seen as a protest against the Recording Academy’s newly establishAug 2, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
