BTS headlines first halftime show at World Cup finalK-pop supergroup BTS performed in the first-ever halftime show at a FIFA World Cup final on Sunday (U.S. time), sharing the stage with other global pop stars, including Madonna, Shakira and Justin Bieber. The group appeared as the second performer during the halftime of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, marking a milestone moment that blended sport and music on one of the world's biggest stages. Madonna opened the show with "Music," emerging alongside roller-skating dancers, before BTS member Jung Kook took to the stage to perform the group's megahit "Dynamite." The remaining members joined sequentially, delivering a full-group performance at the center of the field to loud cheers from the crowd. Suga wore a jersey featuring the emblem of Red Devils, the official supporting group for the South Korean national football team, while both Jimin and J-Hope sported outfits bearing the number seven, which represents both the football team captain Son Heung-min's jersey number and the number of BTS members, drJul 20, 2026By Yonhap
Why BTS Gwanghwamun show shocked Japanese social media usersKorean culture has become part of everyday life around the world. Former U.S. President Barack Obama nodded along as children at a care home sang “Soda Pop,” a song from the animated film “KPop Demon Hunters.” Director Steven Spielberg waved a K-pop light stick at the Academy Awards. Such scenes, in which people across generations share an enthusiasm for Korean culture, would once have been difficult to imagine. They reflect the global rise of Korean content and K-pop fandom. Korean content exports reached a record 22.26 trillion won ($14.9 billion) in 2025, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. The global spectacle highlights how overseas audiences interpret the Korean wave and its impact on local cultures. Audiences see different stages at BTS show One of the biggest events in Korean popular culture during the first half of 2026 came March 21, when K-pop supergroup BTS staged its comeback concert at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul. The official event title was "BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE | ARIRANG." Netflix streamed the show live to more than 190 countries, turJul 18, 2026By Hankookilbo
Can CORTIS break the K-pop mold with first world tour 'Put Your Phone Down?'"Put your phone down." That is the title of boy group CORTIS' (Martin, James, Juhoon, Seonghyeon and Keonho) first world tour, which kicks off with two concerts at Inspire Arena in Incheon this weekend. At first glance, the phrase appears to discourage fans from recording cherished moments on their smartphones during the show. But the tour poster, which features the members headbanging so intensely that their faces are barely visible, conveys a different message: Stop filming and join the fun. Approaching the first anniversary of its Aug. 18 debut last year, CORTIS has consistently resisted being confined to the traditional image of a K-pop idol group. Both of the group's EPs — "Color Outside the Lines" and "GREENGREEN" — are rooted in rage hip-hop while incorporating elements of alternative R&B and other contemporary global music trends. Rather than pursuing safe mainstream appeal, the group has embraced experimentation. Its lyrics, including playful lines such as "Protect your knees / Cover your butt" from "REDRED," also stand apart from conventional K-pop songwriting with their quJul 17, 2026By Hankookilbo
ZEROBASEONE teases nostalgic Japan comeback with new concept photosK-pop boy group ZEROBASEONE is building anticipation for its upcoming Japanese comeback by unveiling a second set of concept photos that embraces nostalgic summer vibes and youthful memories. The group — Sung Han-bin, Kim Ji-woong, Seok Matthew, Kim Tae-rae and Park Gun-wook — released individual concept images for its second Japanese EP, "Kaiki LOVE (回帰LOVE)," through its official social media accounts on Wednesday and Thursday. The new photos feature the members at a quiet countryside train station and aboard a vintage train, with each member portraying a different facet of youth. Dressed in classic outfits such as shirts, ties and denim, the members showcase relaxed, natural charms while warm film-inspired tones and scenic summer backdrops create a nostalgic atmosphere. The train station and railway imagery have also fueled fan speculation about the album's storyline, offering a distinctly different mood from the first concept photos released earlier and highlighting the group's versatility. "Kaiki LOVE" marks ZEROBASEONE's first Japanese release in about 10 months since the sJul 17, 2026By Xportsnews
IVE invited to MLB game, Jang Won-young to throw 1st pitchK-pop girl group IVE has been invited to attend a Major League Baseball game on July 26 at New York’s Citi Field, where member Jang Won-young will throw the ceremonial first pitch ahead of the matchup between the New York Mets and the Los Angeles Dodgers. According to the group’s agency, Starship Entertainment, the group accepted an official invitation from the Mets. While all six members are expected to attend the event, Jang will represent the group on the mount before the game. “I’m honored to have the opportunity to throw the first pitch at a game watched by baseball fans around the world,” Jang said. “I’ll do my best to share positive energy with both the players and everyone in the stands.” The girl group will also film special content with former Korean major leaguer Kim Byung-hyun and former professional pitcher Dustin Nippert during its MLB visit. The appearance comes as IVE prepares to kick off the North American leg of its second world, “SHOW WHAT I AM." The group is scheduled to perform in Toronto, Oakland and several other cities between Tuesday and Aug. 9. TJul 17, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
Korea's exports of K-pop albums hit record high of $257.48 mil. in first half of yearKorea's exports of K-pop albums hit a record high in the first half of the year, government data showed Friday, driven in part by BTS' fifth studio album, "ARIRANG." K-pop album exports reached $257.48 million in the January-June period, up 125 percent from a year earlier, according to import and export trade statistics from the Korea Customs Service. The United States was the largest importer of K-pop albums during the period, with imports totaling $74.12 million, followed by China and Japan at $61.18 million and $45.61 million, respectively. Rounding out the top 10 were Germany, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Britain, France and Poland. BTS, one of the world's top boy bands, released its first new album in three years and nine months in March. Both the album and its lead single topped Billboard's main charts. Earlier in February, BLACKPINK released its third mini album, "Deadline," which had sold nearly 2 million copies as of June.Jul 17, 2026By Yonhap
How RESCENE's real story broke through K-pop's manufactured worldA girl from Geoje, a southern port city in South Gyeongsang Province, where no K-pop training center, or anything remotely resembling one, exists, and another girl from Japan, who crossed the sea to become an idol but had yet to realize her dream, somehow ended up debuting together. Their small agency was just as new to the industry as they were, and predictably, the group remained largely unknown even two years after its debut. Then one day, a YouTube video they had filmed outdoors, under sunlight rather than studio lights and with mindless improvisation rather than a prepared script, suddenly exploded online. Before they could make sense of what was happening, a song they had released two years earlier was already climbing the charts. The tale of RESCENE is about as close to a fairy tale as a K-pop story can get. Fans and newcomers seem to feel the same way, because under nearly every piece of content the group releases are comments conveying roughly the same message, if in slightly different words: “This group has every piece of the story people want to root for.” A look throughJul 17, 2026By Hankookilbo
HYBE bets K-pop formulas can make Latin boy band SANTOS BRAVOS a global hitHYBE is bringing one of K-pop's most recognizable fan engagement strategies to Latin pop, with rookie group SANTOS BRAVOS launching its first Korean-style original variety series in a bid to deepen its connection with audiences. The five-member group released the first episode of "iVAMOS, BRAVOS!" on Tuesday through its official YouTube channel and Spotify video podcast. The nine-episode Spanish-language series, produced by HYBE Latin America, is the company's first original variety program created specifically for the Latin American market. New episodes will be released every Wednesday at 9 a.m. The premiere introduces members Drew, Alejandro, Gabi, Kauê and Kenneth as they fill out personal profiles and share details about their personalities, talents, musical roles and team dynamics. The episode also highlights the chemistry among the members through playful teasing, friendly competition and games familiar to fans of Korean variety shows. Drew surprises the group by demonstrating his sewing skills and making a headscarf on the spot, while Gabi showcases his athleticism during an impromJul 16, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Park Jin-young ends 6-year summer music hiatus with 'WET'Park Jin-young, the K-pop pioneer and head of JYP Entertainment, is returning to his summer music roots with "WET," a new digital single set for release on July 23, betting that a reggae-inspired anthem can once again become the soundtrack of the season. The single marks Park's first summer-themed release since 2020's "When We Disco," his duet with Sunmi, ending a six-year hiatus from the seasonal genre that helped define some of his most recognizable hits. The song has also been selected as the official theme song for Waterbomb 2026, one of Korea's largest summer music festivals. Park is scheduled to perform at both the Seoul and Busan editions of the festival, where organizers expect "WET" to play a central role in this year's performances. The singer, songwriter and producer said in a video released Monday through Waterbomb's official YouTube channel that the new track was created specifically for the festival's atmosphere. He said "WET" blends reggae-inspired sounds with a bright summer mood and was inspired by the energy of Waterbomb. Park also hinted at another eye-catching stage outJul 16, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
BTS shows they're anything but 'Normal' with new music video teaserK-pop supergroup BTS will release the music video for its song "Normal" exclusively on Spotify at 1 p.m. Friday, alongside three new versions of the track — including Korean-language and instrumental versions — the group's label, BigHit Music, said Thursday. A teaser for the video was uploaded at midnight Thursday on the Youtube channel of HYBE Labels, BigHit Music's parent company. The clip is set in a restroom, showing the members standing in a row with their backs to the camera before BTS leader RM squeezes past them — an unguarded, comedic moment the label said offers a glimpse of the band's private, everyday side beyond the stage. The teaser also solved a mystery that had circulated online for days. Attention-grabbing advertisements styled like sensational news stories ran in the San Francisco Chronicle and the New York Post in mid-July, showing a photo with a headline suggesting members had been caught in an odd, ambiguous situation. Fans speculated widely about the image's origin; BigHit Music confirmed the picture was in fact a still from the "Normal" music video, part of tJul 16, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
