What to know about rare ear disorder that side-tracked IU's returnK-pop singer and actor IU is drawing public attention for a rare ear disorder after worsening symptoms of patulous Eustachian tube (PET) dysfunction forced her to postpone her upcoming album release and cancel a scheduled September concert. With news of her ear condition already having disrupted her highly anticipated comeback plans, many are asking what exactly PET dysfunction is and why it poses such a devastating setback for a vocalist. On Monday, the 33-year-old artist opened up about her ongoing struggle on the fan communication platform Berriz. "While it does not affect my daily life, the symptoms persist day and night, making it difficult to maintain my condition when singing," IU wrote, apologizing to fans for the schedule changes. PET dysfunction occurs when the Eustachian tube, which connects the middle ear to the back of the nose and usually remains closed except during swallowing or yawning, stays abnormally open. This allows air and sound to flow continuously into the middle ear, causing autophony, a condition where a person hears their own voice or breathing abnormally loudlJul 22, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Korea bets $108 mil. on AI to fuel next wave of K-cultureKorea has spent more than two decades perfecting the art of the cross-border pop phenomenon. Now, government officials are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) and intellectual property rights to ensure the nation’s cultural juggernaut doesn't run out of steam. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Financial Services Commission (FSC) jointly announced, Wednesday, the launch of a 150 billion won ($108 million) K-Culture Value-Up Fund. The public-private vehicle represents Seoul’s largest target-driven effort to date aimed at pairing state-backed venture capital with emerging technology in the creative arts. Under the plan, the government will chip in 50 billion won from state coffers, flanked by 30 billion won from the state-run Korea Development Bank and the Advanced Strategic Industry Fund. Managing institutions hope to leverage that anchor seed into attracting more than 70 billion won in private capital. The strategy marks a structural pivot for Korea’s cultural policy. Previous state-guided venture funds in media and entertainment hovered around 50 billion won,Jul 22, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
KATSEYE teases dark, cinematic return with new single 'Animal'Global girl group KATSEYE is turning up the intrigue ahead of its upcoming comeback. Formed under a historic joint venture between HYBE Labels and Geffen Records, the group announced Tuesday that it will drop its new single, "Animal," this Friday at 1 p.m., accompanied by a tantalizing music video teaser. Unveiled on the HYBE Labels YouTube channel, the teaser opens with member Megan striding into an office setting, dressed in a striking red mini dress and sleek black leather jacket. As members Sophia, Lara and Yoonchae exchange knowing glances in sharp, tailored office attire, Daniela steals the scene with a playful wink. The visually rich clip effortlessly blends contrasting styles — pairing polished suits and short haircuts with high-fashion stiletto heels and elaborate evening dresses. Adding to the mystery, the word "freaky" briefly flashes across the screen, spelled out across a set of impossibly long, sharp red nails resting beneath a smiling mouth, followed by a fleeting melodic line about keeping secrets safe. Accompanying single art leans heavily into cinematic suspense, shoJul 22, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
NCT Wish, RESCENE to headline pool party at Everland's Caribbean Bay this weekEverland’s iconic water park, Caribbean Bay, is dialing up the summer heat this week with an explosive lineup of top K-pop talent, Samsung C&T’s resort division said Wednesday. Returning for its second consecutive year in partnership with Samsung Card, the Water Music Pool Party offers a thrill unlike any other: Visitors can groove to live music while immersed in an artificial wave pool with swells reaching up to 2.4 meters high. The star-studded roster kicks off Friday with rising boy group NCT Wish, followed by boy band The Wind on Saturday. On Sunday, five-member girl group RESCENE takes center stage. Driven by a viral YouTube catchphrase and a social media following topping 10 million across YouTube and Instagram, RESCENE has dominated Korean music charts this year with hit tracks "Love Attack" and "Pretty Girl." Fans online have already dubbed a trip to the water park paired with a RESCENE performance the ultimate summer combo. The momentum continues into next week, featuring girl group Fifty Fifty on July 28 and BTOB's Minhyuk on July 31. Throughout August, weekend festival-goJul 22, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
BTS unveils 'NORMAL' live clip amid unstoppable 'ARIRANG' tourThere is a standard physics to modern pop stardom: drop an album, ignite social media, paint the charts red and quietly retreat before saturation sets in. Then there is BTS, a seven-member phenomenon operating entirely on its own cosmic clock. Four months after releasing its blockbuster fifth studio album, "ARIRANG," the group shows zero intention of slowing down. Instead, it is doubling down with an intoxicating blend of quiet traditional grandeur and megawatt global showmanship. At midnight Wednesday, BigHit Music released a live performance video for the track “NORMAL,” filmed at Seonhyewon, a traditional Korean architectural estate. Following the evocative video for their title track “SWIM,” the clip wraps the members in the serene, minimalist aesthetic of classical Korean heritage. Against the quiet winds of the historic courtyard, the group's raw, unvarnished vocals resonate with intimate precision — so crisp you can hear the softest breath before every high note. It is already the fifth music video from "ARIRANG," accompanying a steady stream of extra content that incluJul 22, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
NewJeans signals return as 4-member group with new video, photosPopular K-pop girl group NewJeans released a surprise video and photos featuring four members, including Minji, on the fourth anniversary of its debut Wednesday, signaling its possible return to the music scene. The video, titled "2026 Summer of NewJeans," was posted on the group's official YouTube channel at midnight without prior notice, according to music industry sources. New photos of the four members — Haerin, Hyein, Minji and Hanni — were also posted on the group's official homepage and Instagram account. The release marks the band's first group-based content in one year and four months. The move drew fresh attention because the group had effectively been on hiatus after a bitter dispute with its agency, ADOR, over the dismissal of former CEO Min Hee-jin and the status of its exclusive contracts. NewJeans announced in November 2024 that it was terminating its contracts with ADOR, but the court later sided with the agency in both an injunction case and the main lawsuit, restricting the group's independent activities. Following the ruling, members Haerin, Hyein and Hanni returnedJul 22, 2026By Yonhap
InterviewFor LUN8, 'Off the Grid' means letting goFreedom is not a word that comes naturally to K-pop. The genre runs on precision — choreography drilled to the second, concepts mapped out albums in advance, camera angles rehearsed until nothing is left to chance. Which is what makes LUN8's upcoming fourth mini album, "Off the Grid," something of a rarity. The boy band under entertainment label Fantagio has built an entire release around the one thing the industry is least equipped to manufacture, and the members insist they mean it literally. "It's an album that expresses the freedom of a youth choosing its own path," Yuuma said during an interview at The Korea Times headquarters in central Seoul, July 8. "It carries the idea of stepping outside fixed standards and frames, and drawing a new starting line of our own." The six members, Jinsoo, Yuuma, Kael, Takuma, Junwoo and Ian, spent 10 months on the record, their first since last September's "LOST." That album, along with the single "Butterfly," leaned dark and controlled. This one, set for release 6 p.m. Wednesday, required the opposite discipline — letting go. For Junwoo, the grJul 22, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
InterviewHyolyn returns to her 1st love — era of divas who inspired herBefore Hyolyn became K-pop's official "summer queen," before debuting as part of girl group SISTAR and before the stage name, there was a teenager in awe of Destiny's Child. "Those sounds shocked me even back then," the singer said during an interview with The Korea Times at a quiet cafe in Seoul's Seongdong District, Thursday. "Artists I loved back then and still listen to now: Destiny's Child, Justin Timberlake, Usher, Britney, Missy Elliott. Even without seeking them out, old songs were always on my playlist. I wanted to bring back that feeling." That feeling is the engine of "OriginaLyn," Hyolyn's fourth mini album. Slated for release at 6 p.m. Wednesday, the seven-track set arrives through ReH Entertainment, the singer's self-founded agency. Its title fuses "original" with "Lyn," and the mission statement is in the wordplay — this is not a reinvention but a restoration. It's her first mini album since "iCE" in July 2022, and her first physical release in four years. "As a soloist, I've worked across a lot of genres. Before, I projected my character onto whatever concept the musicJul 22, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
U-KISS member Lee Jun-young begins military service, shares photos shaving his headActor and singer Lee Jun-young temporarily stepped away from the spotlight Tuesday as he began his mandatory military service. Lee, 29, entered an Army training center on Tuesday. His arrival was kept private, with no official farewell event, according to his agency, Billions. After completing basic training, he will serve as an active-duty soldier. Before leaving, Lee gave fans a glimpse of his military buzz cut, posting photos of himself shaving his own head on social media. He had earlier shared the news of his enlistment in a handwritten letter. “I will return healthy and as myself,” Lee wrote. “Until the day I greet you again, I sincerely hope you all stay healthy and spend happy and meaningful time wherever you are. Thank you for always caring for and supporting me.” Born in 1997, Lee made his debut in 2014 when he joined the K-pop group U-KISS. He began acting in 2017 and gradually established himself as a leading man through appearances in "A Special Meal of the Weirdo 'Nara'," "Avengers Social Club,” “D.P.,” “Mask Girl,” “The Impossible Heir,” “When LifeJul 21, 2026By Hankookilbo
IU fights false online claims in US courtKorean singer and actor IU has asked a U.S. federal court to authorize the release of identifying information from Meta in a move seen as an intention to take strong action against malicious posts and the spread of false information online. IU's agency, EDAM Entertainment, said Monday that it filed a discovery application on Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California to identify a person behind a Threads account. The agency said it needs the information for an ongoing defamation lawsuit in Korea. The agency directly targeted an unidentified Threads user, alleging the person published 52 posts between March and October last year containing false claims. The posts included plagiarism allegations and other claims the agency described as false. According to the application, the posts made false assertions related to China, misrepresented IU's overseas achievements and included allegations that she manipulated public opinion and exploited a deceased person for publicity, as well as content linking national disasters to song lyrics. Saying the Korean lawsuit iJul 21, 2026By Hankookilbo
