BTS' 'Aliens' sweeps iTunes charts worldwide after Grammy withdrawalBTS' "Aliens," a B-side from the boy band's fifth studio album "ARIRANG," has topped iTunes Top Songs charts in 78 regions, propelled by fans rallying behind the septet's decision to withdraw from next year's Grammy Awards. The seven members announced their withdrawal Wednesday through identical statements posted to their individual Instagram accounts, saying they hope their music "can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language." Within hours, the group's official fandom, ARMY, launched a coordinated streaming campaign, sending the track to No. 1 in countries including the U.S., the U.K., France, Brazil, India and Australia. The Korean-language song, which likens the group's journey through the global pop industry to aliens landing on Earth, reflects the identity struggles the members have faced as Korean artists in Western markets. Its lyrics are now being reread as a pointed rebuke of what critics call the Grammys' attempt to place K-pop in a separate "Asian pop" lane. Support has also poured in from within the U.S. industry. Mike WiLL Made-It, tJul 31, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
Seolhyun channels her AOA days in latest summer lookFormer AOA member Seolhyun is beating the summer heat in style. On Wednesday, the singer and actor shared a series of photos on Instagram, captioning the post, “Take that, muggy summer.” In the snaps, Seolhyun enjoys a laid-back afternoon at an outdoor cafe, posing with a book and flashing a playful peace sign. She wore a blue short-sleeved top paired with a knee-length dress, creating a summer look that is both breezy and adorable. With light makeup letting her features shine, the former K-pop idol shows off the same radiant beauty fans remember from her AOA days. The star will next appear in Netflix’s “Tantara,” set to premiere later this year. This article from Xportsnews is adapted by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.Jul 31, 2026By Xportsnews
BTS spent years chasing Grammys; Now tables have turnedFor years, BTS spoke openly of the Grammys as a goal. On Wednesday, the group walked away from them at the very moment it appeared likeliest to finally win. In a joint statement posted to their individual Instagram accounts Wednesday, the seven BTS members said they have decided not to submit anything to the Grammys this year, adding that they hope music "can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language." The announcement came just over a month after the Recording Academy unveiled five new categories for the 69th Grammy Awards, among them Best Asian Pop Music Performance, a prize for performances rooted in Asian markets that make "meaningful use" of one or more Asian languages. The statement did not name the category, but has been widely read as a response to it. The decision carries the weight of history. Between 2021 and 2023, BTS collected five Grammy nominations without a win for "Dynamite," "Butter," "My Universe" or "Yet to Come" and the group's credited work on Coldplay's "Music of the Spheres." Each cycle, the members described the Grammys asJul 30, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
Grammys defend new Asian pop category after BTS boycottThe U.S. Recording Academy has defended its creation of a new Asian pop category after K-pop supergroup BTS announced it will not compete at the upcoming Grammy Awards in an apparent protest against the move. Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, issued a statement on Wednesday (U.S. time) expressing sadness over the group's decision while respecting its choice. "I am saddened to hear that BTS has chosen not to participate in the Grammy Awards process this year, but as a music creator, I understand and respect their decision," he said in a statement posted on the Grammys' Instagram account. The academy's response came a day after the K-pop septet declined to submit their music for consideration at the 69th Grammy Awards slated for February 2027, voicing hope that music could be "heard and loved for what it is, rather than categorized by region or language." The band did not explicitly mention the reason for skipping the ceremony, but the move was widely seen as a protest against the creation of the Best Asian Pop Music Performance category that critics say risks segregating nonJul 30, 2026By Yonhap
BTS' 'Idol' music video tops 1.4 bil. YouTube viewsThe music video for K-pop supergroup BTS' 2018 hit "Idol" has surpassed 1.4 billion views on YouTube. The video hit the milestone at about 9:20 p.m., becoming the band's fifth music video with more than 1.4 billion views, according to the group's agency, BigHit Music. "Idol" is the lead track off "Love Yourself: Answer," the repackaged version of the group's third full-length album, "Love Yourself: Tear," released in August 2018. The song blends South African house beats with traditional Korean rhythmic patterns and call-and-response chants known as "chuimsae," typically shouted by audiences in traditional Korean performances to encourage performers. In "Idol," the group incorporates these chants as part of the lyrics themselves, creating a fusion that resonated globally while retaining a distinctly Korean identity The song is also included in the setlist of BTS' ongoing "ARIRANG" world tour, which began in April.Jul 30, 2026By Yonhap
Boy band The Wind chases 2nd act with 'Second Wind : S#00'K-pop boy band The Wind returned Wednesday with its fourth mini album "Second Wind : S#00," launching what the group calls a counterattack by one of the scene's underdogs. Arriving a year and nine months after the band's previous physical release, the album lands as the group's first release since partnering with PPangStar Entertainment. Five of the band members — Thanatorn, Park Hayuchan, Choi Han-bin, An Chan-won and Jang Hyoun-joon — held a press showcase at Ilchi Art Hall in Seoul's Gangnam District, Wednesday, hours before the album's release, to discuss their comeback and the making of the record. Kim Hee-soo, who suspended activities in May due to anxiety symptoms, is sitting out this promotional cycle. According to the members, the "#00" in the album title represents the coordinates where every story begins, the first page on which The Wind's fresh leap is recorded. "We prepared a lot so that fans can feel both the refreshing charm we have shown so far and a confident, hipster side at the same time," Park said of the group's first release under the new partnership. Jang descriJul 29, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
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
