TOMORROW X TOGETHER trades lore for raw emotion on 'Stick With You'K-pop boy band TOMORROW X TOGETHER (TXT) returned Monday with a more inward-looking record, its first release since renewing contracts with its agency BigHit Music last August, as the group enters a new phase in its career. The five-member act — Soobin, Yeonjun, Beomgyu, Taehyun and Huening Kai — unveiled its eighth mini album, “7TH YEAR: A Moment of Stillness in the Thorns,” led by the emotionally charged single “Stick With You,” a track that lingers in the uneasy space between holding on and letting go. Known for weaving expansive fictional universes across releases like “The Dream Chapter” or “The Chaos Chapter,” and multiple “minisodes,” TXT is now stripping things back. Instead of lore, the members are stepping forward as themselves, channeling years of ambition and quiet doubt into the music. At a press showcase held Monday in Seoul, the group described the album as the result of candid conversations with their production team that were less about concept-building and more about taking stock. “As we entered our eighth year, it wasn’t as glamorous as peoplApr 13, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
TWICE’s Momo has tooth pulled during Chicago stop of world tourTWICE member Momo left fans worried after revealing she had a tooth pulled in Chicago because the group’s world tour schedule prevented her from returning to Korea for treatment. The K-pop star shared news of the sudden extraction on a fan communication platform. “I had a tooth pulled here in Chicago,” she wrote, asking fans for understanding if the left side of her face “still looks swollen.” Momo said the pain became so severe during the group’s Chicago stop that she could not even sleep, forcing her to visit a local dentist the next morning. According to her, the tooth had previously undergone root canal treatment, but the condition worsened and required further care in Korea. With more than a week still left on the tour schedule, however, returning home was not an option. “It didn’t originally need to be pulled, but there was no time because of the concert,” she said. “I had no choice but to have it removed, even though I didn’t want to.” She added that she will likely need an implant once she returns to Korea. TWICE has been on its sixth world tour, "This Is FoApr 13, 2026By Hankookilbo
They’re ARMY too: Actors Ha Ji-won, Ko So-young and more spotted at BTS concertEven Korea’s top celebrities couldn’t resist going full fan mode at BTS’ latest concert, as a wave of actors and entertainers were spotted cheering — and even snapping backstage photos with members — during the group’s world tour. From April 9 to 12, BTS held three “ARIRANG” concerts at Goyang Stadium in Gyeonggi Province, drawing not only tens of thousands of fans but also a number of high-profile names whose posts quickly spread across social media. Among them, Ha Ji-won drew particular attention after sharing a backstage photo with members V and Jung Kook. Smiling and posing together in what appeared to be a waiting room, the trio’s “three-shot” quickly became a talking point online. “After the BTS concert with V and Jung Kook~ everything was truly cool and beautiful,” she wrote, adding in another post that “every single moment was perfect.” Fans reacted with comments such as “She’s totally in fan mode” and “That three-shot is unreal,” highlighting how even veteran stars are not immune to BTS’ global appeal. Actor Ko So-young also shared her owApr 13, 2026By Xportsnews
NewJeans’ Haerin, Hyein spotted in Denmark as comeback buzz growsNewJeans members Haerin and Hyein have been spotted in Europe, fueling speculation about the group’s next move — even as their former bandmate, Danielle, signals a separate path with a surprise music release amid an ongoing legal battle. Multiple eyewitness accounts surfaced on Chinese social media platform Weibo on Sunday, claiming that Haerin was seen in Copenhagen, Denmark. One user said, "I saw someone who looked exactly like her and thought, ‘Could it be?’ But by the time I tried to follow, she and her group were walking too fast." The user added they were convinced that they did see the NewJeans member after seeing similar posts from others. "She stood out because she was so pretty," the user said, noting Haerin’s distinctive cat-like eyes and familiar fashion style as clues that made her easy to recognize. Photos shared online appear to show Haerin walking down a street in a gray jacket-and-skirt set alongside what looked like staff members. She is seen smiling and chatting. Another fan said they encountered both Haerin and Hyein in Copenhagen, saying, "I told Hyein sheApr 13, 2026By Xportsnews
NCT's Taeyong to drop collaboration single with Anderson .PaakNCT member Taeyong will release a new single, "Rock Solid," featuring American pop star Anderson .Paak on Friday, his agency SM Entertainment said. Describing "Rock Solid" as a hip-hop track marked by distinctive drum rhythms and repetitive chant sounds, SM said Monday that the song captures Taeyong's resolve to safeguard what he has refined so far and his confidence to stay unwavering in proving his artistry. "Anderson .Paak's dynamic flow and trademark groove elevate the song," the agency said, adding that his performance harmonizes with Taeyong's intense rap to create "a multidimensional synergy." The NCT leader also plans to drop his first full-length solo album next month.Apr 13, 2026By Yonhap
LE SSERAFIM to drop new studio album next monthK-pop girl group LE SSERAFIM will release its second studio album, "Pureflow pt. 1," next month, the group and its agency said Monday. The quintet announced on the K-pop fan community platform Weverse that the new record will drop May 22 at 1 p.m. (Korean time) through major online music services. "Pureflow pt. 1" marks LE SSERAFIM's first full-length album in nearly three years, following "Unforgiven" in 2023. The release delves into the change and growth experienced by its five members through confronting fear and finding strength, according to the agency, Source Music. It said LE SSERAFIM, which debuted in 2022 with the message "We are strong because we have no fear," now offers a more mature perspective — that understanding fear has made them even stronger — on the upcoming album. Ahead of the album's release, the group will unveil the lead single, "Celebration," on April 24, a song about celebrating the moment it gained the strength to embrace change. LE SSERAFIM earned global recognition last October when its first single album, "Spaghetti," landed at No. 50 on Billboard's Hot 1Apr 13, 2026By Yonhap
BTS claims 3rd week at No. 1 on Billboard 200 with 'ARIRANG,' a first in K-pop"ARIRANG" by South Korean boy group BTS scored a third week at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard's main albums chart for the first time in K-pop history. Billboard said Sunday (U.S. time) in a chart preview for this week that the group's fifth studio album held onto the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 for a third consecutive week, ahead of Morgan Wallen's "I'm the Problem" and "Bully" by Ye, formerly known as Kanye West. No other K-pop artist has achieved three weeks atop the chart, marking a historic milestone for the genre's global reach. The original soundtrack of the animated film "KPop Demon Hunters" earlier reached No. 1 for two non-consecutive weeks. The Billboard 200 ranks the most popular albums of the week in the United States, measured by equivalent album units, comprising physical album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). "ARIRANG" earned 124,000 equivalent album units in the latest tracking week, down 34 percent from the previous week. Of that sum, 71,000 came from physical and digital album sales, while SEA units accounted for 50,000 and TEAApr 13, 2026By Yonhap
ReviewBTS continues 'ARIRANG' tour in Goyang with firepower, heritageBTS lit up the second night of its large-scale world tour — one that could signal a new beginning not only for the group but perhaps for K-pop itself — with a performance steeped in Korean aesthetics. The group is currently engaged in its "BTS WORLD TOUR ‘ARIRANG’" with three concerts, starting Thursday and continuing over the following weekend at Goyang Stadium, west of Seoul. The tour marks its return roughly four years after wrapping up "BTS PERMISSION TO DANCE ON STAGE" tour in April 2022. The Saturday show signaled a deep infusion of Korean aesthetics even before the official kickoff. Melodies of gayageum, a traditional 12-stringed zither, filled the venue alongside VCR visuals evoking ink-wash paintings, prompting chants of the group’s name from fans in anticipation. Shortly after 7 p.m., all seven members stormed in from the edge of the stage alongside a black-clad mega crew, launching straight into the hip-hop openers “Hooligans” and “Aliens.” Pyrotechnics and fireworks ripped through the air from the very start, but it was the group’s sheer command of the stApr 11, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
BTS fans flood Goyang ahead of 2nd night of 'ARIRANG' tourHours before showtime, the area around Goyang Stadium was already heaving with fans Saturday, as K-pop juggernaut BTS prepared to launch its new world tour, transforming the venue's outer grounds into a sea of purple, flashes of red and black tied to the group's latest album, "ARIRANG." Fans crowded around the stadium's exterior, taking photos, filming videos and adjusting outfits in the band's signature colors. Some held banners and light sticks, while others simply stood back to take in the scale of the gathering. Their conversations carried in multiple languages, reflecting the group's unmistakable global pull. BTS launched its "BTS WORLD TOUR 'ARIRANG'" with three shows in Goyang, located about 20 kilometers west of Seoul, beginning Thursday and continuing through the weekend. The tour will span 34 cities with 85 concerts across Japan, North America, Europe, South America and Asia, making it the largest tour ever mounted by a Korean act. Additional shows in Japan and the Middle East are also expected. Even outside the gates Saturday, the sense of occasion was unmistakable. Some fansApr 11, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
‘I was mocked’: EXO’s Chanyeol revisits viral ‘hand-sync’ controversy in candid confessionK-pop star Chanyeol is revisiting one of his most talked-about “black history” moments — and this time, he’s addressing it head-on. In a recent YouTube video uploaded on April 9 to EXO’s official channel, Chanyeol opened up about the long-running “hand-sync” controversy that once sparked widespread mockery online, turning an awkward onstage moment into a viral talking point among fans. The video, titled “We Are One, let’s EXO,” featured members of EXO — Suho, Chanyeol, D.O., Kai and Sehun — gathering to celebrate their 14th anniversaryof its debut. During the conversation, Chanyeol brought up the incident that continues to circulate on social media years later. “I dropped the drumstick while doing a hand-sync performance. I was really flustered. In that short moment, I broke into a cold sweat,” he said, before asking if he could finally clarify what happened. The controversy dates back to a concert performance where Chanyeol appeared to be playing drums. When he accidentally dropped a drumstick, the sound continued — revealing that the performance was pre-reApr 11, 2026By Xportsnews
