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
Summer spark: A2O MAY returns with 'Love Got Me Ooh'Global girl group A2O MAY is set to return Friday with its new single “Love Got Me Ooh,” marking its latest bid to build momentum after a string of rookie award wins. The five-member group will release the single, led by the title track of the same name alongside the B-side “Rain On My Parade.” “Love Got Me Ooh” blends retro new jack swing influences with modern production, delivering a song about the excitement and confidence that come with falling in love, the group's agency said. The company said the track features a catchy chorus, expressive ad-libs and dynamic bridge melodies designed to highlight the group's evolving musical style. The accompanying music video will showcase the members' performances and visuals while presenting a brighter, more refreshing image that contrasts with the group's signature Zalpha Pop concept, the agency said. “Rain On My Parade,” meanwhile, is a piano-driven ballad carrying messages of courage, hope and resilience. The agency said the song reflects the idea that life's challenges can become meaningful experiences that help people grow strJul 16, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Sunmi returns with rainy summer single 'Forever July'Singer Sunmi is returning with a new digital single Wednesday, betting that rain, rather than sunshine, can carry this summer's soundtrack. "Forever July," due out at 6 p.m., marks the singer's first release in about eight months following her first full-length album, "Heart Maid," released last November. Sunmi once again took part in writing and composing the track, according to her label Abyss Company. The agency described "Forever July" as an inversion of the familiar summer anthem. The song draws inspiration from Korea's monsoon season, comparing love to a sudden downpour that arrives without warning. Built around a U.K. garage beat, the track explores both the thrill and instability of unexpected romance. Summer has become one of Sunmi's strongest seasons. While K-pop has typically leaned into brighter, more upbeat concepts, the 34-year-old has carved out a distinctive niche with moodier, more sophisticated summer releases. Her 2020 single "pporappippam" reached the top 10 of the Circle Digital Chart, and "Heart Burn" followed as another seasonal hit in 2022. The comeback also followJul 15, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
RESCENE named half-time performers for upcoming Man City vs. AT Madrid matchK-pop girl group RESCENE will take to the stage during an upcoming high-profile football match in the 2026 Coupang Play Series. Coupang Play on Wednesday announced RESCENE’s performance during the half-time show for the 2026 Coupang Series’ Manchester City vs Atlético Madrid match, set to take place at Seoul World Cup Stadium on Aug. 9. RESCENE, consisting of members Woni, Liv, Minami, May and Zena, debuted in 2024 with the release of their first album “Re:Scene" under The Muze Entertainment, a newly formed agency. The group went viral this year on social media with a video showing Woni and Minami’s Japanese “gyaru” style makeup — based on the Japanese subculture and its over-the-top makeup, clothes and hair — during a visit to Woni’s rural hometown of Geoje, South Gyeongsang Province. The video sparked widespread interest in RESCENE, as well as spawning memes. The group’s performance carries particular significance due to RESCENE’s passion for football. Most notably, the group streamed their reactions and commentary on Korea’s performance in the 2026 FIFA WorldJul 15, 2026By Kim Young-moo
Park Jin-young, TWICE, Stray Kids join Grammy voting bodyKorean singer Park Jin-young and all members of K-pop groups TWICE and Stray Kids have been invited to join the U.S. Recording Academy as voting members, their agency JYP Entertainment said Tuesday. The 18 artists will be eligible to vote in the nomination and final selection process for the Grammy Awards, the U.S. music industry's highest honors. Eligibility for voting membership in the Recording Academy is granted to music creators, including artists, songwriters, producers and engineers. JYP Entertainment said its Chief Executive Officer Jung Wook and Chief Strategy Officer Shin Hyun-kook, who also heads JYP America, were selected as professional members of the Academy. Professional members are chosen among music industry executives who support creators. While they do not have voting rights for the Grammy Awards, they can participate in the submission process. The 69th Grammy Awards is scheduled to take place in Los Angeles on Feb. 7.Jul 14, 2026By Yonhap
CORTIS' 'REDRED' sets record for most days at No. 1 on Spotify Korea chartCORTIS, the rookie boy band under Bighit Music, has set a new record for the most days at the No. 1 spot on Spotify's Daily Top Song Korea chart among any K-pop group song with its hit single "REDRED," the label said Tuesday. "REDRED," the title track from CORTIS' second mini album, topped Spotify's Daily Top Song Korea chart for the 70th time on the July 12 chart. Spotify is a global audio streaming platform, and the daily chart tracks the most-streamed songs in Korea each day. The milestone broke a record that had stood for three years and four months. "REDRED" first reached No. 1 on the April 27 chart. It hit its 50th day at the top on June 20, breaking the record for a boy group song, and has continued to top the chart since. On Spotify's Weekly Top Songs Korea chart, which covers July 3-9, the track marked its 11th week at No. 1, the longest run at the top of that chart by any K-pop group song. CORTIS' monthly listener count on Spotify has also reached 12.67 million, ranking among the top three highest figures recorded by any Korean boy group, the label said. The group's popularity hJul 14, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Former K-pop idol walks 155 km after group disbands, wins support from 500,000 viewersFormer ARrC member Hyunmin is drawing widespread support online after documenting a 155-kilometer walk from Seoul to Jecheon following the disbandment of his K-pop group, with the emotional video surpassing 500,000 views in less than a week. A video, titled "22 years old, I quit being an idol and walked 155 km from Seoul to Jecheon," was uploaded to the YouTube channel @Gwangjincityboyy on July 7. The video opens with the narration, "The group disbanded two weeks ago." Hyunmin, who began training to become an idol at the age of 14, reflected on his eight-year journey toward his dream. He appeared on Mnet's survival audition show “Boys Planet” in 2023 before debuting with rookie boy group ARrC in August 2024. The group disbanded after less than two years. "I decided to walk while looking back on the eight years during which I dreamed a happy dream, from the age of 14 to 22," Hyunmin said. His destination was a railway bridge in Jecheon, North Chungcheong Province, featured in acclaimed Korean director Lee Chang-dong's film “Peppermint Candy.” Referring to the film's iconic line, "IJul 14, 2026By Xportsnews
'Dracula' featuring Jennie reaches new peak on Billboard 100"Dracula," a collaborative single between Jennie of the K-pop girl group BLACKPINK and Australian act Tame Impala, rose to No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, its highest position to date, Billboard said Tuesday (U.S. time). The track advanced three spots from No. 8 the previous week, also becoming Jennie's highest-charting entry on the Hot 100 since her debut. Originally released as a solo track by Tame Impala in October, "Dracula" gained renewed traction after a remix featuring Jennie was released in February, going viral on short-form video platforms and climbing up the rankings. Jennie's three recent consecutive headlining runs at major European festivals, including the 2026 Mad Cool Festival in Madrid, have also helped boost her global chart performance. Meanwhile, singer-songwriter Ella Langley's "Choosin' Texas" maintained the top spot on the chart for the 13th consecutive week.Jul 14, 2026By Yonhap
Boy band idntt expands to 20 members with new unit, album 'itsnotover'Multi-member K-pop boy group idntt has expanded its lineup to 20, adding five new members to its two previously debuted units with the release of its new album "itsnotover" on Monday. The album marks the birth of a new unit of the same name, building on the narrative idntt established through its earlier units, unevermet and yesweare. Where the two captured the butterflies and confidence of youth, "itsnotover" unleashes a youthful spirit that refuses to end. The newly assembled 20 members gathered at BlueSquare Theater in Seoul's Yongsan District, Monday afternoon, to announce the launch of the new unit and the album's release, sharing their thoughts on debuting and their plans for the promotion cycle. The five members of itsnotover who took their first debut stage that day — Kwak Gi-woong, Kim Eun-sung, Cho Eun-chan, Yang Gyung-ho and Lee Joo-heon — revealed that, true to its name, the unit does not end at five. "Just like our team name, we wanted to give fans a sense of anticipation that never ends," Kim Eun-sung said. "The identities of four more itsnotover members have yet to beJul 13, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
Bill to pre-screen music harmful to minors sparks censorship fearsA proposed bill requiring music distributors to screen song lyrics before release is sparking censorship concerns, with critics questioning how far the state should be allowed to go in policing creative content. The amendment to the Music Industry Promotion Act was submitted last week by Rep. Kim Hyun and nine other lawmakers of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea. The bill would require music distributors to pre-screen all tracks to determine whether they contain content harmful to minors before release. If any song is judged harmful and its creator is under 19, the distributor must block the track from release altogether. If the artist is an adult, the distributor must notify them that the track may be designated harmful to youth in advance, which would restrict it to adult listeners only. Under the current system, songs containing sexually explicit, violent or hateful content can be designated harmful to youth after release, which bans minors from accessing them and limits distribution. The Youth Protection Committee under the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family reviews content dJul 13, 2026By Jung Min-ho
