Former Thai idol shares photo with BLACKPINK's LisaPleum, a former member of Thai boy band V.R.P and a friend of BLACKPINK's Lisa, shared a photo of the two together. Pleum posted the image Saturday with the caption, "Hello SaWaDiKa. I’m screaming [you're doing great] since yesterday." The photo shows the two smiling for the camera. Wearing a striking red crop top and skirt, Lisa has her arms around Pleum's shoulders while he rests his arm around her waist. The two smiled brightly, highlighting their friendship. Meanwhile, the recently released documentary film "Always Lalisa" chronicles Lisa's journey from trainee to solo artist. "In K-pop culture, we can't date," she said in the film. "When I was younger, I dated a few times, but we had to hide when we're dating. I didn't want my dating to be the thing that hurts Blackpink's popularity." She noted she drew on those experiences for her album. The singer has been romantically linked to Frédéric Arnault, heir to the LVMH luxury empire, since 2023, though recently there has been speculation that the two had split up. She was subsequently linked to Thai actor Blue Pongtiwat in unconfirmed rSep 7, 2026By Xportsnews
TripleS cuts concert price amid rising K-pop ticket costsK-pop girl group tripleS slashed its concert ticket prices. As inflation continues to drive up costs, live concert tickets have risen sharply, and in an industry where tickets routinely exceed 200,000 won ($149), the group's move has inevitably captured the attention of K-pop fandoms. The group kicks off its new world tour, "ANDLESS," at Jangchung Arena in Seoul on Oct. 10 and 11. This Seoul leg drew intense interest because Modhaus, the group's agency, priced S-section tickets at 30,000 won. Concert ticket prices have gradually climbed in recent years. As production values rise and staging becomes more extravagant, regular admission seats now often cost well above 100,000 won while VIP seats at major K-pop agency shows routinely exceed 200,000 won. Once elevated, concert ticket prices often become the new standard. Amid this trend, tripleS took the opposite approach, opting not for a temporary discount, but to lower the barrier to entry for the live concert experience and make performances accessible to a broader audience. Modhaus cited audience accessibility as the main reason for theSep 7, 2026By Hankookilbo
Who is Bang Si-hyuk?HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk, 54, studied aesthetics at Seoul National University and was recruited by JYP Entertainment founder Park Jin-young in 1997. He spent his JYP years writing songs for acts including g.o.d, Park Ji-yoon and Rain before founding Big Hit Entertainment in 2005. He kept writing after going independent, working on singer Baek Ji-young's 2008 ballad "Like Being Shot By a Bullet" and 2AM's "Never Let You Go" (2010), making him one of the country's most sought-after composers well before he had a hit act of his own. Big Hit Entertainment's first girl group, GLAM, launched in 2012 as a joint project with Source Music and disbanded in January 2015. BTS debuted in 2013 and went on to achieve global success, transforming the small entertainment agency into the country's largest music company. Big Hit Entertainment expanded into a multilabel operation with the purchase of Source Music in 2019, followed by Pledis Entertainment and KOZ Entertainment in 2020. Bang rebranded the growing empire as HYBE in 2021 and stepped down as CEO that July to chair the board. He remains the coSep 7, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
HYBE chairman case reaches prosecutors: What's next for him?The police file on HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk arrived at the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office last week with a precise number attached: 263.1 billion won ($190 million) in what investigators called improper gains. The question that will decide Bang's fate is one that police and prosecutors have spent almost two years failing to settle between themselves: what crime, if any, the conduct amounts to. On Thursday, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's financial crime investigation unit referred Bang and four others to prosecutors without detention on suspicion of fraudulent unfair trading under the Capital Markets Act, closing an investigation that went on for 21 months. Prosecutors will now review the record before deciding whether to indict, order further investigation or drop the financial crime charge, and lawyers who work these cases say all three remain possible. What police say happened Investigators allege that in 2019, while the company, then known as Big Hit Entertainment, was already moving through preliminary listing procedures, Bang and others told existing shareholdeSep 7, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
Jay Park surprises fans with new single 'Daddy'Jay Park, the Korean American artist who helped forge the modern blueprint for idol hip-hop stardom, will release a surprise single Monday evening, leaning into the sultry R&B that has served as his calling card. The track, titled "Daddy," arrives on digital streaming platforms at 6 p.m., marking Park’s first solo release since "Keep It Sexy (Mommae 2)" roughly 15 months ago. Since departing the K-pop boy band 2PM nearly two decades ago, the 39-year-old performer has spent his career constructing a bridge between Seoul’s idol ecosystem and Western urban contemporary music. Produced by Ben10k — the American beatmaker whose credits include collaborations with Drake, Chris Brown and Don Toliver — "Daddy" anchors Park’s smooth vocals atop a lush, groove-heavy rhythmic foundation paired with deliberately provocative lyrics. According to his agency, the track is intended as a direct continuation of the polished aesthetic that defined his mid-career creative revival. The surprise drop arrives in a period of intense global activity for the singer, who is currently nearly two decades inSep 7, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
I-dle's Soyeon unveils new solo project with tales of resignations and romanceSoyeon, the powerhouse leader of K-pop group i-dle, makes her return as a soloist this Monday at 6 pm with "What a Wonderful Life" — her first full-length album and first standalone project her 2021 EP, "Windy." The album's lead single "I'm Quitting" centers on the experience of resigning from a job — a theme widely relatable to Korean office workers — set to a band-driven sound. The song features narration from Kian84, a webtoon artist and television personality signed to hip-hop label AOMG. Promotional material for the release had the tagline, "I'm quitting. No regrets, nothing to miss. I never intended to work this hard anyway. Time to enjoy my glamorous life with a little romantic day." Two music video teasers showed Soyeon throwing salt behind her, a Korean superstition meant to ward off bad luck, before leaving the office and working through a personal bucket list. Soyeon wrote and composed every track on the eight-song album, which spans rock, hyperpop, disco and band sound, and collaborated with producers including Groovyroom and R.Tee. She debuted as a soloist in 2017 befoSep 7, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
ZEROBASEONE's Sung Han-bin to make solo debut on Oct. 12Sung Han-bin, the calm, magnetic force at the center of K-pop boy group ZEROBASEONE, is preparing to step into the spotlight alone. The 25-year-old performer will make his formal solo debut on Oct. 12, his agency, THE L1VE LABEL, said Monday. The move marks a pivotal juncture for an artist who has spent the last three years anchored to one of the industry’s most meteoric boy bands, testing whether his individual gravitational pull can match the collective power of his group. Sung’s rise follows the high-stakes, hyper-accelerated trajectory typical of modern K-pop stardom. He first drew widespread attention in 2023 on the Mnet reality competition "Boys Planet," finishing second after showcasing a rare combination of fluid, technical dance skills and stable live vocals. As the designated leader of ZEROBASEONE, he quickly established himself as the ensemble’s focal point, balancing sharp choreography with an easy, approachable stage presence. His solo launch comes during a period of relentless activity. ZEROBASEONE recently released its sixth EP, “Ascend-,” led by the single “TOPSep 7, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
K-pop's new power fans? Middle-aged Americans with money and time to spendLast year, the United States imported more kimchi from Korea than K-pop albums. However, in the first half of 2026, K-pop album exports to the United States surged to three times the value of kimchi exports, while the country surpassed Japan and China to become the largest overseas market for K-pop albums. The United States was not alone in seeing a surge in K-pop album imports. Germany became the fourth-largest overseas market after its imports increased more than sixfold in a year. K-pop also breathed new life into CDs, once thought destined for extinction, while fans in their 40s and 50s emerged as an increasingly visible part of the fandom. Korea also rose to become the world’s third-largest “music export powerhouse,” behind only the United States and Britain, breaking the English-speaking world’s monopoly on the top three. The global music market witnessed one K-pop surprise after another in the first half of this year. As striking as the pace of growth was the way that growth unfolded: Where, by whom and how K-pop is consumed are all changing. US reshapes K-pop album exporSep 5, 2026By Hankookilbo
Former NewJeans member Danielle hints at going solo, first YouTube video hits 1.8 mil. views in a dayDanielle, formerly of NewJeans, has launched a YouTube channel, raising questions about whether she is preparing to embark on a full-fledged solo career. The former NewJeans member uploaded a video titled “Detour” to her YouTube channel, Danielle Marsh, on Thursday. The clip, which runs just over a minute, is her first upload since launching the channel. Appearing before the camera with little to no makeup, Danielle wore a hoodie and flashed a relaxed smile. “I’m by myself now so this is kind of awkward,” Danielle said in the video. She also revealed that she is currently staying in Australia and admitted that speaking to the camera alone after a long absence felt unfamiliar. “I really missed where I grew up and, of course, my family,” Danielle continued. “I chose to spend some quality time here.” The artist said she has spent time unwinding by swimming at the beach and being with her family since returning to Australia. “I’m really looking forward to my new adventure of my own,” she said. “I don’t know what what awaits me, I don't know where I'll be going. AllSep 4, 2026By Hankookilbo
Lisa reveals solo song was inspired by past secret relationship, says ex approved its releaseBLACKPINK’s Lisa has opened up about the hardships and restrictions she faced as a K-pop idol. According to a report by the Toronto Star on Thursday, Lisa discussed her past relationships and the constraints of idol life in her solo documentary, “Always Lalisa.” Lisa moved to Korea in 2011 at the age of 14 to begin training under YG Entertainment. Recalling those years, she said, “I didn’t dare speak up or express my thoughts.” She was also seen wiping away tears as she described the monthly performance tapes she submitted to bosses for review during those years and the feedback. “In K-pop culture, we can't date,” Lisa said. “When I was younger, I dated a few times, but we had to hide when we’re dating. I didn’t want my dating to be the thing that hurts BLACKPINK's popularity.” She also revealed that her debut solo studio album, “Alter Ego,” released last year, draws on her own romantic experiences. One of its songs, “Dream,” was inspired by a relationship she had kept secret in the past, Lisa explained. The artist added that she had contacted her former paSep 4, 2026By Xportsnews
