Ex-AOA member Jimin opens up about struggles ahead of new music releaseJimin, a former member of K-pop girl group AOA, has opened up about the emotional strain she has faced ahead of the release of her new music. On Tuesday, the singer, whose real name is Shin Ji-min, shared a candid post on social media, saying she had struggled in the weeks leading up to the release. “There is finally only one day left until the release,” she wrote. “For about a month, I was a mess. I could not explain myself here or there, and I had become the most sensitive person in the world.” Jimin said she had been drinking every night for the past month in order to fall asleep, despite not usually being able to drink much, because “medication could not solve it.” She also said she broke down after completing the music video and clearing the review process. “I do not know how much I cried for those 20 minutes,” she wrote. “I had promised myself I would never bite my hands again because my quality of life had fallen so much, but before I knew it, I was doing it again. I do not even know why I cry all day.” Briefly touching on the difficulty of working on the projectJun 9, 2026By Hankookilbo
BLACKPINK's Jennie rebounds to No. 10 on Billboard Hot 100 with 'Dracula'A remix of "Dracula" by Australian artist Tame Impala featuring BLACKPINK's Jennie has climbed to No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, re-entering the chart's top 10. The track rose four places from the previous week, Billboard said in a chart preview released Monday (U.S time). Originally released as a solo track by Tame Impala in October last year, "Dracula" gained renewed traction after a remix featuring Jennie was released in February, going viral on short-form video platforms and driving a chart resurgence. The remix version previously reached No. 10 on the Hot 100 last month, making Jennie the second BLACKPINK member to secure a top-10 entry on the chart, following Rose, whose hit "APT." peaked at No. 3.Jun 9, 2026By Yonhap
Girl group izna sets its own tempo with 3rd EPRising K-pop girl group izna is setting its own pace and inviting listeners to follow. With "Metronome," which leads its upcoming third EP "Set the Tempo," the group joins a growing wave of house music in K-pop scene with a message of self-definition. "We thought the house beat fit perfectly with the theme of finding our own rhythm in chaos," member Choi Jung-eun said Monday during a press showcase for the album, set for release at 6 p.m. For izna, the genre is more than a trend — it is a vehicle for amplifying what they call their "powerful, dreamlike" performance," where intensity meets atmosphere. "House felt like a genre that could further elevate the powerful performances we do best," member Mai added. "That's why we chose to take on the challenge." The five-track album carries a message of self-definition, with the members emphasizing independence from other people's expectations. "Since our debut, we've sung about confidence and independence," said Bang Ji-min. "This time, we go further, expressing our conviction to move forward by becoming our own standard rather than following oJun 8, 2026By Yonhap
Nvidia CEO praises singer Hwasa on ‘You Quiz on the Block’Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang praised K-pop singer Hwasa and cited her recent projects in a preview for tvN’s “You Quiz on the Block,” drawing attention for his highly specific knowledge of the genre. On Sunday, the popular talk show released a preview titled “Jensen Huang shout-out to Hwasa! Park Jung-min, Kim Nam-gil, and next Jensen Huang?” When host Yoo Jae-suk asked which K-pop songs he typically listens to, Huang first noted “Golden,” from the soundtrack of Netflix animated film “KPop Demon Hunters,” and praised the song. Huang then turned to Hwasa. “I do also love Hwasa,” he said. He cited “Good Goodbye” and “So Cute,” demonstrating he follows not only her established hits but also her recent releases. Yoo responded with surprise, asking, “You even know her new song?” Huang also praised Hwasa as a performer. “She is pretty good,” he said, describing her as a “very good dancer” and a “good singer.” Hwasa drew major attention last November following a “Good Goodbye” performance with actor Park Jung-min. The performance video attracted globalJun 8, 2026By Hankookilbo
BOYNEXTDOOR bares its soul in first studio album 'Home'K-pop boy group BOYNEXTDOOR, known for its innocent and playful charm, returned with its first studio album, "Home," in which members lay bare their innermost emotions and memories. The band said it wanted to reflect on its three-year journey with an album that carries members' honest reflections on what the group has experienced so far — ranging from its anxious trainee days to heartfelt messages dedicated to its parents and its ambitious desire for its music to reach a wider audience. "Since we've shown a lot of our innocent side, we tried to show many of our anxious feelings of living through youth and emotions we had but kept aside," member Woonhak said during a group media interview held Thursday ahead of the album's release. "Personally, I'm more satisfied with this album because I think it allows BOYNEXTDOOR to connect with both our fans and the general public on a more human level." "I Wonder," one of the two fan-dedicated songs on the record, for instance, contains lyrics, such as "Do you know we are as anxious as we are happy?" according to the band. "It's not a simple declarJun 8, 2026By Yonhap
Aespa's 'Lemonade' debuts at No. 9 on Billboard 200K-pop girl group aespa has entered the U.S. Billboard's main albums chart at No. 9 with "Lemonade," its second full-length album. This marks the group's third top 10 entry on the Billboard 200, following "Girls" and "My World." According to Billboard's preview of the upcoming chart for this week on Sunday (U.S. time), aespa earned 41,000 equivalent album units during the latest tracking week. The Billboard 200 ranks the most popular albums of the week in the United States, measured by equivalent album units comprising physical and digital sales, as well as streaming and digital track downloads. Of the 41,000 equivalent album units, "Lemonade" earned 34,500 from album sales. Elsewhere on the chart, Michael Jackson's "Thriller" and "Number Ones" ranked No. 6 and No. 7, respectively, extending renewed interest linked to the biographical film "Michael." Paul McCartney, a member of The Beatles, debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 with "The Boys of Dungeon Lane."Jun 8, 2026By Yonhap
HYBE girl groups Le Sserafim, Illit, Katseye to release joint singleThree girl groups from K-pop powerhouse Hybe — Le Sserafim, Illit and Katseye — will join forces for a collaborative single set for release later this week, their labels said Monday. The track, titled "Iconic By Mistake," will be released Friday at 1 p.m., Source Music, Belift Lab and HYBE X Geffen Records said on the K-pop fan community platform Weverse. They said the collaboration brings together acts known for distinct musical styles and growing global followings. Le Sserafim and Illit each released recent hits "Boompala" and "It's Me," respectively, while Katseye picked up three trophies at the American Music Awards, including New Artist of the Year, last month.Jun 8, 2026By Yonhap
A typo became a meme: Rising group CORTIS explains the viral charm behind its unusual lyricsFor many artists, a tongue-tied mistake in the recording booth might end up on the cutting room floor. For rising Korean group CORTIS, it became part of the brand. The five-member act recently opened up about the unconventional lyrics and internet memes that have helped fuel its growing popularity, revealing that some of its most talked-about phrases were born from spontaneous freestyle sessions rather than careful planning. CORTIS members Martin, Seonghyeon, Keonho, James and Juhoon appeared on KBS2 music talk show 'The Seasons: Sung Si-kyung's Music Companion' on Thursday, where they discussed their rapidly growing international fanbase and viral online presence. Host Sung Si-kyung highlighted the group's global momentum, noting that its debut album surpassed 100 million views in just 34 days, while its latest release reached the same milestone in only 15 days. Asked how it felt to see such numbers, the members admitted the achievement still feels somewhat unreal. "The numbers are so large that they don't fully sink in," the group said. "It's very moving." The conversation also turned toJun 6, 2026By Xportsnews
Former BTS music producer to attend music conference next weekK-pop music producer Alex Karlsson, who has made music for boy group BTS, will speak at a music conference slated for Monday in Seoul. According to Leeway Music & Media, Karlsson will be among the panel at a music conference organized to celebrate the 140th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Korea and France this year. The venue for the conference will be THILA Ground in the Hongdae area of western Seoul. Karlsson was behind BTS’ “We Are Bulletproof: The Eternal” (2020). He has also worked on music for other popular K-pop groups, such as SuperM, ENHYPEN, TXT, ATEEZ and Le Sserafim. Other speakers at the conference include jazz artist Amy Gadiaga, Mutant Ninja founder Tarafa Sahloul and Salpot Music Group's Andnew. They will share their thoughts and insights on K-pop, its globalization and the power of music. Monday’s conference will be followed by two other sessions, scheduled for June 15 and 22. The final session is set for the day after the French global music festival, “Fete de la Musique,” which will also take place in Seoul this year.Jun 6, 2026By Kim Se-jeong
From RESCENE to HyoRiSoo, self-produced content emerges as K-pop's newest strategyIt was supposed to be a clash of titans, a dazzling contest of comeback shows among Aespa, NMIXX and Le Sserafim, reflecting a big-budget battle among SM, JYP and HYBE. But that battle cry largely remained muted and unheard. Instead, at the center of the Korean social media spotlight stood a girl, calling out an odd-sounding phrase with disarming innocence. “Geoje, yaho!” Having debuted under a small entertainment agency in 2024 and now entering its third year, RESCENE is seeing its star-making moment. The meme started in late March, when RESCENE leader Woni uploaded an episode of her self-produced YouTube content titled “Learning About the Gyaru Attitude.” In the video, Woni and Japanese member Minami appear dressed in a “gyaru” concept, a Japanese fashion and youth subculture known for bold styling and playful confidence. When, Woni, a native of Geoje, South Gyeongsang Province, joked, “If you go to Geoje looking like that, you’re going to get in trouble with the people there,” Minami then replied with a cheerful, oddly memorable shout: “Geoje, yaho!” In Japan, “Jun 6, 2026By Hankookilbo
