KATSEYE announces 27-city tour across Europe, North AmericaGlobal girl group KATSEYE announced Wednesday a 27-city arena tour across Europe and North America this fall, a significant expansion from its sold-out run last year. "THE WILDWORLD TOUR," produced by Live Nation, kicks off Sept. 1 in Dublin before running through an eight-city European leg that includes London, Manchester, Paris, Amsterdam, Cologne and Antwerp, wrapping Sept. 17 in Copenhagen. The North American leg begins Oct. 13 in Miami and visits major markets across the United States and Canada, including Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas and Montreal, before the tour closes Nov. 27 in Mexico City. The tour supports the group's upcoming third EP, "WILD," set for release on Aug. 14 via HYBE and Geffen Records. HYBE told The Korea Times that the five-member photo on the tour poster was taken during promotions for the group's recent single "PINKY UP," and that it remains unclear whether member Manon will participate in the tour as she is currently on hiatus. The announcement represents a significant step up from KATSEYE's previous run. The group sold out all 16 dates of its 2025 NoMay 14, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
BTS’ Jung Kook shows off new motorcycle after viral ‘Hooligan’ bike challengeBTS member Jung Kook is once again drawing attention for his love of motorcycles after revealing what appears to be a newly delivered bike. On Wednesday, Jung Kook posted a photo of a bright red motorcycle on social media alongside the short caption, “It’s here.” Fans quickly interpreted the post as the arrival of a motorcycle he had recently ordered, sparking excitement online among followers who are already familiar with the singer’s longtime interest in bikes. Jung Kook has previously shown his enthusiasm for motorcycles through BTS content and television appearances. Last month, he also fueled buzz with a viral bike-themed challenge video set to “Hooligan,” a track from BTS’ fifth full-length album, “ARIRANG.” In the video, Jung Kook rides through the streets on a motorcycle while “Hooligan” plays in the background. The clip gained high viewership online for its cinematic speed sequences and stylish atmosphere, with many fans praising the “cool” and “free-spirited” vibe. The post comes as BTS continues its “BTS WORLD TOUR ‘ARIRANG’ IN NORTH AMERICA,May 14, 2026By Xportsnews
‘The Thai Prince grew up’: Fans react affectionately to Nichkhun’s latest appearance2PM member Nichkhun is drawing attention online after fans noticed a noticeably different look in a newly released group video. A recent video uploaded to 2PM’s YouTube channel, titled “Three 2PM members living together under one roof,” followed members Nichkhun, Jang Wooyoung and Jun. K during a three-day group stay reminiscent of their trainee and dormitory days. The three idols shared a room with bunk beds, cooked meals together and spent time walking along the Han River, giving fans a glimpse into their offstage chemistry and longtime friendship. The casual reality-style content quickly gained attention among fans nostalgic for second-generation K-pop groups, but much of the online discussion centered on Nichkhun’s appearance. Nichkhun, a Thai American singer who debuted with 2PM in 2008, became one of the most recognizable foreign K-pop idols of his generation thanks to his polished visuals and carefully maintained image. At the height of 2PM’s popularity, he was widely nicknamed the “Thai Prince” by fans and Korean media. In the newly released video, Nichkhun appearedMay 14, 2026By Xportsnews
Latin American fans' craze for BTS drives streams as Brazil, Mexico outpace KoreaLatin American fans are powering a surge in global streams of K-pop supergroup BTS' latest album, with Brazil and Mexico surpassing Korea in the album's first-week streaming figures, U.S. music industry data showed. BTS' fifth studio album, "ARIRANG," released March 20, recorded 739.1 million streams worldwide in its first week, according to the data released Wednesday (U.S. time) by entertainment data tracker Luminate. The figure marks the highest first-week total for any album released this year, and the biggest since Taylor Swift's "The Life of a Showgirl" logged 1.3 billion streams in October last year, Luminate said. The United States led first-week streams with 115 million, followed by Brazil with 78.6 million and Mexico with 75.9 million. Korea ranked fourth with 58.3 million, underscoring the growing weight of Latin American audiences in the global K-pop market. Japan came in fifth with 48.2 million streams. YouTube data reflected a similar trend. Between April 6 and May 3, Brazil and Mexico ranked third and fourth, respectively, in viewership of BTS-related videos, joined by ArgMay 14, 2026By Yonhap
FLARE U turns audition show friendship into K-pop debut with 'YOUTH ERROR'K-pop duo FLARE U released its debut album, "YOUTH ERROR," Wednesday, officially marking its arrival after months of anticipation from fans who first fell for them on an audition show. The two members, Chuei Li Yu from Taiwan and Korean Kang Woo-jin, competed on Mnet's "Boys II Planet" last year, finishing 10th and 16th, respectively. Neither made the final debut lineup, but their easy rapport became one of the show's more talked-about storylines. The name, FLARE U, captures exactly that: two separate sparks becoming one light. A few hours before the official album drop on Wednesday, the two met the press for a media showcase at BlueSquare Woori WON Banking Hall in Seoul's Yongsan District, sharing behind-the-scenes stories leading up to the duo's launch. "After the audition program ended, I took some rest and then prepared for a fan event. I felt sorry that I couldn't share more news in the meantime," Kang said. It was also a period of real growth, he noted. Appearing on a TV show had been a first for him, and the physical and emotional demands caught him off guard early on. "Having goneMay 13, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
YOUNITE seeks connection on new album 'INYUN Part.1'K-pop boy band YOUNITE stepped back into the spotlight Tuesday with the release of "INYUN Part.1" and its title track "POSE!," a house-inflected single that puts the eight-member group in line with the industry's recent sonic trends. Hours before the album drop, seven of the group's members — Eunho, Steve, Hyungseok, Woono, DEY, Kyungmun and Sion — gathered at NOL Theater Hapjeong in Seoul's Mapo District to share their thoughts on the new project. Eunsang, who stepped back from activities last year due to health issues, did not attend. "Eunsang still needs rest," Eunho said. "With seven of us, we felt we couldn't afford to show any gaps, and that pushed us to work even harder." The album, arriving nine months after the group's previous release, takes its title from a Korean word for a bond that persists across different worlds, something the members describe as neither fate nor coincidence, but something in between. "This album expresses a new turning point," said Woono. "We wanted to capture YOUNITE's desire to connect with as many people as possible." The album's title track "POSE!May 12, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
InterviewDRIPPIN's 1st unit ChaDongHyeop is ready to make hearts flutterOn a quiet Monday morning in Seoul's Gangnam District, three men took their seats at a cafe table with the carefulness of people who have rehearsed being natural. Cha Jun-ho, Kim Dong-yun and Lee Hyeop, members of K-pop boy band DRIPPIN, were measured in their words and composed in their smiles, projecting the kind of energy that belongs not to rookies, but to veterans stepping into unfamiliar territory. As the group's debut subunit, the three have named themselves ChaDongHyeop, a combination of their names, and are about to release their first single album, "Doogeundae," on Tuesday. It's a milestone six years in the making, the first unit project in DRIPPIN's history since the group debuted in 2020. The wait, the three told The Korea Times, was worth it. "I'd been looking forward to this for so long," Cha said. "Now that we're finally able to show something to our fans, I feel really excited. This is a different kind of start for us, and I want people to see a side of us they haven't seen before." The roughly two years since DRIPPIN's last group activity with "Weekend" in August 2024 werMay 12, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
Aespa unveils new single 'WDA,' featuring G-DragonK-pop girl group aespa on Tuesday released a prerelease single, "WDA" (Whole Different Animal), from its upcoming second full-length album, the group's agency SM Entertainment said. The hip-hop-based dance track features a majestic synthesizer bass and a heavy hook, with rapper G-Dragon contributing a featured verse and participating in the rap-making for his part. "WDA" entered the top 10 of the iTunes Top Songs charts in 17 countries, including Thailand, Portugal, Vietnam, Brazil and Indonesia, upon its release, SM said. The accompanying music video explores the theme of "what is real" in an era where the boundaries between original and copy, as well as reality and virtual reality, are increasingly blurred, according to the agency. Scenes depicting a bus crash and collapsing clones highlight a sense of unease tied to mass reproduction. SM said aespa conveyed "the tension and confusion of a world where reality and virtual reality coexist, as well as a lingering sense of humanity," in the group's distinctive style. Since its debut, aespa has developed a narrative universe in which the phyMay 12, 2026By Yonhap
BTS thrills 150,000 fans over three sold-out shows in Mexico CityK-pop juggernaut BTS drew around 150,000 fans to three sold-out concerts in Mexico City, the group's agency said Tuesday. The shows, held on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday (local time) as part of its "Arirang" world tour, were the band's first standalone concerts in Mexico since July 2015. Tickets for all three dates sold out immediately upon release. BTS incorporated elements of local culture into the performances, including dancers wearing traditional "lucha libre" masks during "Aliens," while member V picked up a "banderilla," a popular Mexican snack, during "Idol." The group also performed "Airplane pt. 2," which includes the line "We goin' from Mexico City" in its lyrics. Addressing fans, the members said, "You were truly the best. What more can we say? We will definitely come back to Mexico," and also spoke in Spanish, saying they would not forget the energy that spread from the Zocalo square. About 50,000 fans swarmed the square in front of the National Palace to see the band when it visited the palace to meet President Claudia Sheinbaum on Wednesday, according to estimates from BiMay 12, 2026By Yonhap
SHINee's Key returns following unlicensed treatment controversyKey of K-pop boyband SHINee will return with the group’s sixth EP, "Atmos," ending a six-month hiatus following allegations he received treatment from an unlicensed medical practitioner. SHINee released a teaser video for "Atmos" on its official YouTube channel Monday. In the video, Key appears dressed as a weather forecaster and field reporter as he introduces the group’s release schedule. The controversy surfaced last December amid separate allegations involving entertainer Park Na-rae. She allegedly received unauthorized medical treatment from a woman surnamed Lee, an unlicensed practitioner known as the "injection aunt." Key was drawn into the issue after reports said he had received treatment from Lee at home rather than at a medical institution. SM Entertainment, Key’s agency, said at the time that Key received treatments several times after an acquaintance recommended Lee. "Key only recently learned through the controversy over Lee’s medical license that Lee was not a doctor, and he is very confused and deeply regrets his lack of awareness," the agency said. Key later steppMay 11, 2026By Hankookilbo
