Rosé to perform at Grammy Awards as 'APT.' competes for top honorsRosé of K-pop girl group BLACKPINK will perform at the Grammy Awards ceremony, slated for Sunday (U.S. time). She has been named one of the performers at the 68th Grammy Awards at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, according to The Recording Academy, which presents the awards, on Friday. Rosé's "APT.," a collaborative song with Bruno Mars, received three Grammy nominations, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year — two of the ceremony's four most prestigious "Big Four" categories — as well as Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. It remains unknown whether Mars will join her for the performance.Jan 30, 2026By Yonhap
Aespa’s Karina spotlights ‘luxury’ dujjonku as dessert craze growsOn Wednesday, Karina of aespa shared a photo on social media showing stacks of "dujjonku" — short for Dubai chewy cookie — a dessert trend that has swept Korea. What caught fans’ attention was the logo of a European high-end fashion house stamped on the wrapper. While Karina offered no explanation in her post, she was appointed the face of the brand’s beauty line in October last year and has since appeared in several global campaigns. It is widely assumed the cookies were provided as a promotional gift, but the post nonetheless underscores how far the dessert’s popularity has risen. Dujjonku is characterized by a crunchy texture, featuring a pistachio spread and kataifi pastry inside, with the exterior coated in marshmallow and dusted with cocoa powder. Prices range from roughly 6,000 won ($4.50) to 10,000 won per piece, and in some neighborhoods the cookies have become what consumers describe as “waiting desserts,” requiring waiting in long lines before purchase. The popularity of the treat is now rippling beyond cafés and bakeries, reaching upstream into ingredient marketJan 29, 2026By Hankookilbo
Can K-pop finally break through at Grammy Awards?With the 68th Grammy Awards days away, anticipation is building over whether K-pop can finally break through at the ceremony where the genre has yet to secure a win, despite years of nominations and growing influence. Set for Sunday at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, the awards feature K-pop artists nominated across multiple categories. Leading the charge is "Golden," the breakout track from Netflix’s smash hit animated film "KPop Demon Hunters," nominated for Song of the Year, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Song Written for Visual Media. A remix of "Golden" by French DJ David Guetta is nominated for Best Remixed Recording, while the film's entire soundtrack is up for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media, bringing the project’s total to five Grammy nods. Rosé of K-pop girl group BLACKPINK is also in the spotlight for "APT.," her collaborative track with pop star Bruno Mars. The song earned nominations for Song of the Year, Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, placing it in direct competition with "Golden" in two categories. HYBE Labels' global girJan 29, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
Stray Kids tops 500 mil. Spotify streams with 'God's Menu'Stray Kids has surpassed 500 million streams on Spotify with its 2020 hit "God's Menu," marking a first for a fourth-generation K-pop boy band, the group's agency, JYP Entertainment, said Thursday. The lead single from Stray Kids' first full-length album was written and composed by 3Racha, the group's in-house production team made up of Bang Chan, Changbin, and Han. The song helped cement the eight-piece group's reputation, combining an addictive hook, distinctive lyrics, and experimental performance elements that fueled its global rise. Last Thursday, the group performed at Le Gala des Pieces Jaunes (Yellow Coins Gala), a charity event held at Paris La Defense Arena, alongside high-profile artists, including G-Dragon, Christina Aguilera and A$AP Rocky. The group is set to appear at major festivals later this year, including New York's The Governors Ball Music Festival on June 6 and Rock in Rio in Brazil on Sept. 11, both as a headliner.Jan 29, 2026By Yonhap
K-pop idol’s ‘no ice’ post sparks buzz among US fans for potential political meaningA casual fan message from Moon Chanelle of K-pop group FIFTY FIFTY has unexpectedly sparked debate among U.S. fans, after one English word set off a wave of speculation online. Moon recently posted a short message on the fan communication platform Bubble, writing, “I’m beginning to like hot coffee,” followed by, “No ice. You know what I’m saying?” The post, seemingly lighthearted, quickly gained attention among American K-pop fans, who began debating whether the word “ice” carried a hidden meaning. Some U.S. fans speculated that Moon’s reference could be interpreted as an allusion to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, commonly known as ICE. The agency has faced heavy criticism in the United States following two fatal shooting incidents that drew widespread public backlash. Because Moon added the phrase “You know what I’m saying?” to her message, speculation intensified in online spaces, with some fans suggesting she may have been indirectly commenting on the controversy surrounding ICE — and by extension, criticizing U.S. politics under President DonaldJan 28, 2026By Xportsnews
Min Hee-jin denies poaching allegations, says NewJeans tampering claim was stock scheme by outsidersFormer Ador CEO Min Hee-jin’s legal team on Wednesday denied allegations that she was involved in efforts to lure NewJeans away from their agency, arguing that the so-called “tampering” claims stem from actions taken by a family member of one of the members and an outside businessperson. Speaking at a press conference in Seoul’s Jongno District, attorney Kim Sun-woong of law firm Ji-Am addressed the media on Min’s behalf. He said Min was not able to attend due to psychological stress caused by the ongoing dispute. Kim emphasized that the purpose of the event was to clarify what he called the “truth and essence” of the poaching allegations, which are tied to lawsuits filed by Ador against Min. According to Kim, the allegations do not involve Min, but instead center on “a public scheme” carried out by the uncle of one NewJeans member and a businessperson. He claimed the two sought to use NewJeans and Min in an attempt to manipulate stock prices. The tampering allegations first surfaced in April 2024, when HYBE Labels launched an internal audit of Min. HYBE accused Min ofJan 28, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
After BoA's exit, SM Entertainment bets on 'Next 3.0' restructuringAfter the stunning departure late last year of BoA — the label's flagship artist and a living symbol of its history — SM Entertainment has now lost nearly all of its founding figures. Without the "roots of SM," the company has announced a full-scale restructuring under the banner of "SM Next 3.0." SM confirmed the end of its partnership with BoA last December, saying her exclusive contract expired on Dec. 31, 2025. The announcement drew intense attention, marking the end of a 25-year journey that began with her debut in 2000. "I leave without regrets, having given and received unsparingly," she wrote on social media. "I am grateful for our time together and will support SM Entertainment as it shines. Thank you." During her career, BoA was more than just a star. She was a non-executive director and played a key role in the company's creative direction, most recently guiding the rookie group NCT WISH as its executive producer. Her exit is particularly symbolic given that founder and executive producer Lee Soo-man and hitmaker Yoo Young-jin have already left. With BoA gone, composer KenJan 27, 2026By Hankookilbo
BTS 'Arirang' world tour sells out across North America, EuropeTickets for K-pop megastar BTS' upcoming "Arirang" world tour have completely sold out across North America and Europe, the group's agency, BigHit Music, said Tuesday. Tickets for the 41 concerts in these regions were quickly snapped up after going on sale Saturday, demonstrating global fans' immense interest in BTS' return, the agency said. The "Arirang" tour, set to be the largest in K-pop history, will kick off April 9 at Goyang Sports Complex near Seoul. The world tour will span 34 cities and 79 shows and feature a 360-degree stage design to create a more immersive experience for fans, according to BigHit. The North American leg of the tour is scheduled to begin April 25 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The group will perform in 12 cities across North America before heading to Europe for 10 shows in five cities. Due to overwhelming demand, additional shows were scheduled in Tampa, Stanford and Las Vegas, according to the agency. Ahead of the world tour, the seven-member act will release its fifth studio album, "Arirang," on March 20. The 14-track album marks its first sinceJan 27, 2026By Yonhap
Cha Eun-woo apologizes over tax evasion allegationsSinger and actor Cha Eun-woo, who is currently serving in the military, issued a public apology Monday over recent allegations of large-scale tax evasion, pledging full cooperation with tax authorities. In a message posted on social media, Cha said he was deeply sorry over the controversy and vowed to comply faithfully with all tax-related procedures going forward. "I will humbly accept the final judgment made by the relevant authorities and take full responsibility in accordance with the outcome," he said. The apology followed media reports that the National Tax Service (NTS) had notified Cha of additional income tax assessments exceeding 20 billion won ($14 million), sparking allegations of tax evasion. In response to the reports, his agency, Fantagio, said Thursday that the matter had not yet been finalized and that no official notice had been issued. Cha's statement marked the first time he has personally addressed the issue since the allegations emerged. Cha, 29, enlisted in the Army in July last year and is currently serving as a member of a military band. In South Korea, all able-bJan 26, 2026By Yonhap
KiiiKiii frames freedom, fantasy in 2nd mini-album 'Delulu Pack'Rookie K-pop girl group KiiiKiii returned Monday with its second mini-album, "Delulu Pack," framing "delusion" as a playful expression of youthful freedom. Released under Starship Entertainment — home to K-pop acts IVE and CRAVITY — the album builds on the confident tone of the group’s breakout debut single "I DO ME." According to the agency, "Delulu Pack" explores KiiiKiii’s identity by "layering the world with colors and narratives unique to the group." The quintet introduced the album during a media showcase held Monday at YES24 Live Hall in Seoul's Gwangjin District, just hours before its official release at 6 p.m. Appearing in white fur-accented outfits, the five KiiiKiii members — Jiyu, Leesol, Sui, Haum and Kya — performed new songs and shared behind-the-scenes stories from the album's production, Jiyu, the group's leader, said the album's title was inspired by the term "delulu," a shortened, online meme-derived form of the word "delusional." "We wanted to share KiiiKiii's own playful and lighthearted fantasies through this album," Jiyu said. "Delulu Pack" consists of sJan 26, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
