Seoul to glow in champagne green for NCT's 10th anniversaryA decade after SM Entertainment launched its ambitious blueprint to reshape K-pop through unlimited global expansion, NCT is taking over the Korean capital for a monthlong festival celebrating its 10th anniversary. Throughout September, the powerhouse mega-group — encompassing distinct sub-units including NCT 127, NCT DREAM, WayV, NCT U and NCT WISH — will anchor a multi-disciplinary cultural takeover across Seoul. Blending live music, high fashion and public light installations, the festival marks 10 years since the brand debuted in 2016. Its experimental, open-member model, initially viewed as a risky structural departure in an industry historically built on fixed bands, has since established NCT as a dominant commercial pillar of modern popular culture. The public celebration kicks off along the Han River at Banpo Hangang Park, where the famous Moonlight Rainbow Fountain will execute daily water shows choreographed to the group’s biggest hits. Over at Jamsil’s iconic Lotte World Tower, the group is joining forces with the 2027 S/S Seoul Fashion Week for a series of high-profAug 31, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Girls' Generation unit Hyorisu turns viral YouTube series into debut singleWhat began as a playful online joke has officially evolved into K-pop's newest unit project. Hyorisu — featuring legendary Girls’ Generation members Hyoyeon, Yuri, and Sooyoung — originated on Hyoyeon’s personal YouTube channel, Hyo’s Level Up, during a fan-favorite web series titled "Fake Kim Hyoyeon." In the show, the three veteran idols hilariously competed for crucial group positions like main vocalist, main dancer and center, instantly captivating longtime fans with their unscripted comedic chemistry and effortless group dynamic. Now, the trio is taking that infectious energy far beyond the screen with the official debut of their two-track digital single, Skibidi, dropping this Monday at 6 p.m. KST across all major streaming platforms. To mark the release, a dedicated performance video for the title track will simultaneously premiere on the official SMTOWN YouTube channel, giving global listeners an immediate visual experience. Musically, the project cleverly balances modern experimentation with bright retro nostalgia. The title track, "Skibidi," starts with dynamic houseAug 31, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
ENHYPEN claims 1st No. 1 on Billboard 200 with 'The Sin: Bliss'The latest album from K-pop boy group ENHYPEN has debuted at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard's main albums chart, earning the group its first chart-topper. Billboard said in a preview of this week's chart on Sunday (U.S. time) that the band's eighth EP, "The Sin: Bliss," took the top spot on the Billboard 200, ahead of Ella Langley's "Dandelion" and Olivia Rodrigo's "you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love." This marks the first time the group has reached No. 1 since its debut in November 2020. Before ENHYPEN, BTS, SuperM, Stray Kids, Ateez and Tomorrow X Together had reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 among K-pop boy groups. Among girl groups, BLACKPINK, NewJeans, TWICE and Katseye have taken the honor, while the original soundtrack album for Netflix's global hit animation "KPop Demon Hunters" had also led the chart. "The Sin: Bliss" marks the band's seventh album in the top 10, all achieved since 2022. The act had previously gone as high as No. 2, twice, with "The Sin: Vanish" in January and "Romance: Untold" in 2024. The Billboard 200 ranks the most popular albums of the week in the UniteAug 31, 2026By Yonhap
How will 13-member SEVENTEEN navigate military hiatus with just 5 members?For SEVENTEEN, a group that has built much of its identity around the chemistry and synchronized performances of all 13 members, the looming absence of eight members due to mandatory military service poses an unusual challenge. Beginning in October, only five members will be available for activities as eight are either currently fulfilling their military duties or are set to begin service. The scale of the absence could be particularly noticeable for SEVENTEEN. Since its debut, the group has emphasized the identity created by all 13 members performing together. Last month, all 13 members renewed their contracts with Pledis Entertainment for a second time, reaffirming their commitment to remaining together as a group. SEVENTEEN debuted in 2015 and first renewed its contracts in 2021, with no member leaving the agency in either round. The group's identity has long been closely tied to its 13-member lineup. Since their debut, the members have worn matching team rings, while their performances have become known for tightly synchronized choreography involving all members. Some productions havAug 29, 2026By Hankookilbo
BOYNEXTDOOR's Sungho named new host of 'Show! Music Core'BOYNEXTDOOR member Sungho has been named a new host of MBC's weekly K-pop music program "Show! Music Core." The position opened after ZEROBASEONE's Kim Gyuvin and TWS' Dohoon stepped down following the Aug. 22 broadcast, ending their approximately 17-month run as hosts. Sungho is set to host the show alongside another new host who has yet to be announced. Sungho debuted as a member of BOYNEXTDOOR in May 2023 and has since been active with the six-member boy group. The group has gained popularity with songs including "If I Say, I Love You" and "Hollywood Action," and released its first full-length album, "HOME," in June. BOYNEXTDOOR is also set to return Sept. 28 with a repackaged version of its first studio album. Sungho will become the latest BOYNEXTDOOR member to take on a hosting role for a major Korean music program. Fellow member Jaehyun previously hosted Mnet's "M Countdown," while Woonhak served as a host of SBS' "Inkigayo." Attention is now on whether Sungho can continue the group's run of music show hosting projects with his steady presenting skills and approachable personality. "Aug 29, 2026By Hankookilbo
K-pop Report Card Bops, flops, way too much tropical popAs hot as the season itself, July and August saw a relentless stream of K-pop releases all fighting for their own moment. Some delivered, but quite a few were just lukewarm. One question kept coming to mind: How much longer is K-pop going to see something work and immediately decide everyone needs to do the same thing? Taste in music is subjective, and one person's skip might be another's song of the year. These are my takes, not court rulings, so you're more than welcome to disagree. i-dle, "We Made" EP — Track "Gimme Dat Love" released July 6 Verdict: Nearly there Electronic had barely finished sweeping through K-pop when "Gimme Dat Love" showed up like an ominous message — Latin-tropical sounds and Afrobeats are next. Genre-hopping is all fun and games until the song fits the beat better than it fits the people singing it. The production begs for some attitude, while a few of the vocals stay almost too clean and straight. The beat is sweating, but some of the vocals sound freshly showered. Yeonjun, "NO LABELS: PART 02" EP — Track "Ice Cream" released July 10 Verdict: Worth replayingAug 28, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
ENHYPEN's new EP becomes double-million sellerK-pop boy band ENHYPEN's eighth EP, "The Sin: Bliss," has sold more than 2 million copies, its agency Belift Lab said Thursday. The EP had recorded cumulative sales of 2,022,369 copies as of Wednesday, becoming the group's fifth album to achieve double-million seller status, the agency said, citing data from local album sales tracker Hanteo Chart. ENHYPEN previously reached the milestone with its fifth EP, "Orange Blood"; second full-length album, "Romance : Untold"; sixth EP, "Desire : Unleash"; and seventh EP, "The Sin: Vanish." "The Sin: Bliss" is the group's first release since it was reorganized as a six-member act. The 10-track EP includes lead single "Bloody Paradise" and B-side track "Two Fools."Aug 27, 2026By Yonhap
SM Entertainment forms China joint venture with Tencent MusicKorean K-pop powerhouse SM Entertainment has announced a joint venture with Tencent Music Entertainment Group (TME) as it seeks to expand its presence in Chinese-speaking markets. The new Beijing-based company, named STE, will develop and manage Chinese artists, SM said Thursday. Zhoumi, a member of Super Junior-M, Super Junior's China-based unit, has been appointed chief executive of the venture. SM said the partnership followed a memorandum of understanding signed with Tencent Music Entertainment in May in a move aimed at stepping up the expansion of its influence in the Chinese-speaking entertainment markets. STE will launch a new Chinese idol group within two to three years, according to SM. For this, the venture will run auditions to recruit members and oversee the group's management in China after its debut. The company will also support the activities of SM artists from Chinese-speaking regions, including NCT Dream's Renjun and WayV members Yangyang and Xiaojun. "We will present differentiated content and create meaningful results as a bridge between the two companies by combining SAug 27, 2026By Yonhap
Tomorrow X Together to launch new world tour in NovemberK-pop boy group Tomorrow X Together will embark on a new world tour, beginning with three concerts in Seoul from Nov. 13-15, its agency BigHit Music said Thursday. The "Steal the Wind" tour will then continue in other Asian countries, North America and Europe through June next year, according to the agency. The quintet's previous world tour, "Act: Tomorrow," drew some 564,000 fans across 29 shows in 17 cities around the world.Aug 27, 2026By Yonhap
SF9 marks 10th year with new album 'TENACITY,' vows 6 more decadesK-pop boy band SF9 marks its 10th anniversary this year, but the eight-piece is measuring its career in a much longer unit: 60 more years, by the group's own reckoning, health permitting. The FNC Entertainment act returned Wednesday with "TENACITY," its second full-length album, led by the single "Without Wings," coming back to the scene with a decade's worth of added experience behind it. "We plan to keep this going for another 60 years or so, and we're a group with the will and the nerve to do it," Inseong said at a media showcase in Seoul, Wednesday afternoon. "As long as we stay healthy, it's possible." SF9 debuted in October 2016 with the single album "Feeling Sensation" and opened its 10th year in March with the special album "About Love." Wednesday's release caps off that run, with 10 tracks spanning a range of genres. The group, now made up of Youngbin, Inseong, Jaeyoon, Dawon, Zuho, Yoo Tae-yang, Hwiyoung and Chani, held the press event at Cube Convention Center in Seoul's Mapo District hours ahead of the release, performing the new song for the first time and reflecting on theAug 26, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
