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  • Music

    EJAE, Andrea Bocelli perform at World Cup opening ceremony

    Singer-songwriter EJAE, who performed the hit song “Golden” from the popular animated film “KPop Demon Hunters,” joined renowned Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli in performing FIFA's official World Cup anthem, “DNA,” at the tournament's opening ceremony in Mexico City, Thursday (local time). Wearing a sleeveless blue gown with crossed halter straps, the Korean American singer drew attention from Korean audiences by singing a brief line in Korean: “Although I fall, I stand up again.” FIFA said “DNA” embodies the spirit of solidarity and unity for the historic tournament, which is being co-hosted for the first time by three countries — the United States, Canada and Mexico. The competition will be held across 16 cities and feature 48 teams until July 19.

    1 MIN READBy Kim Se-jeong
    EJAE, Andrea Bocelli perform at World Cup opening ceremony
  • K-pop

    BTS to launch Busan shows for 'Arirang' world tour

    2 MIN READBy Yonhap
    BTS to launch Busan shows for 'Arirang' world tour
  • K-pop

    BTS to release new digital single 'Come Over'

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    BTS to release new digital single 'Come Over'
  • Others

    Koo Kyo-hwan is on a roll, and for a good reason

    3 MIN READBy Hankookilbo
    Koo Kyo-hwan is on a roll, and for a good reason
  • Shows & Dramas

    Korean guesthouse reality shows find new global audience on Netflix

    3 MIN READBy Hankookilbo
    Korean guesthouse reality shows find new global audience on Netflix
  • K-pop

    InterviewKATSEYE reflects on AMA wins as group prepares new release

    3 MIN READBy Pyo Kyung-min
    KATSEYE reflects on AMA wins as group prepares new release
  • K-pop

    'KPop Demon Hunters' singer EJAE to take World Cup opening stage

    2 MIN READBy Park Jin-hai
    'KPop Demon Hunters' singer EJAE to take World Cup opening stage
  • Shows & Dramas

    Are multiple seasons becoming the new norm for Korean dramas?

    3 MIN READBy Hankookilbo
    Are multiple seasons becoming the new norm for Korean dramas?
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CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.

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K-pop

BTS unveils name of new album: 'Arirang'

K-pop megastar BTS' upcoming full-length album will be titled "Arirang," named after Korea's most famous folk song, the group's label BigHit Music said Friday. "Arirang" is scheduled to be out March 20 as the group's fifth studio album and first since the 2022 anthology album "Proof." The new record will include 14 tracks. BigHit said the album captures BTS' identity as a group that began in Korea, along with "the longing and deep love that lie within their hearts." The label described the word "Arirang" as a symbolic expression of the emotions the group seeks to portray. "As BTS prepares for its long-awaited return, it naturally looked back on its roots, beginnings and inner stories," BigHit said in a statement, adding that the album explores universal emotions expected to resonate globally. After the release, BTS is set to embark on a world tour April 9, starting at Goyang Sports Complex near Seoul. The tour will span 34 cities and 79 shows — the largest in K-pop history — and will feature a 360-degree stage design.

Jan 16, 2026By Yonhap
BTS unveils name of new album: 'Arirang'
Shows & Dramas

Hip-hop survival program 'Show Me the Money' returns with star producers, global contestants

Mnet's "Show Me the Money" franchise is returning with its 12th edition after years of hiatus, with a renewed focus on music, high-profile lineup and expanded pool of contestants. Launched in 2012, "Show Me the Money" is widely credited with cementing hip-hop as a mainstream music genre in Korea after producing numerous hit rappers and songs over the years. Its latest season marks the show's first new installment in over three years and is expected to once again energize the local hip-hop scene. A press conference for the new season was held Thursday morning at a hotel in Seoul's Gangnam District. Attendees included chief producer Choi Hyo-jin and this season's star producers — Zico, Crush, GRAY, Loco, J-Tong, Hukky Shibaseki, Lil Moshpit and Jay Park — who will be divided into four teams to judge and mentor contestants. Park is returning to the program for the first time in nine years, while Loco previously won the competition as a contestant. Choi explained that the production team spent considerable time rethinking the program's structure ahead of its return. "Because it's been a l

Jan 15, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
Hip-hop survival program 'Show Me the Money' returns with star producers, global contestants
Music

Korean Chamber Orchestra to premiere work by French composer Tailleferre

The Korean Chamber Orchestra (KCO) will open its new season with a concert featuring music by a French composer largely unknown to Korean audiences. According to the orchestra, the KCO will premiere Germaine Tailleferre’s Concertino for Harp and Orchestra with solo harpist Kwon Min-young at its season-opening concert at the Seoul Arts Center, Feb. 10. Tailleferre (1892–1983) was the only female member of Les Six, a group that helped shape French neoclassical music with wit and elegance in the early 20th century. She studied at the Paris Conservatoire and composed prolifically across genres, producing more than 200 works despite persistent gender barriers and the frequent lack of publication of her scores. Active as a composer until the age of 91, her music is marked by lyricism, bitonality and jazz influences. The program also includes Robert Schumann’s Overture, Scherzo and Finale for Orchestra, Op. 52, and Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 43, featuring pianist Sun Youl. The concert will conclude with Hungarian composer Zoltán

Jan 15, 2026By Kim Se-jeong
Korean Chamber Orchestra to premiere work by French composer Tailleferre
K-pop

K-pop pioneer BoA at crossroads

K-pop pioneer BoA has officially ended her 25-year relationship with SM Entertainment, setting off intense speculation about whether she is preparing for retirement — or a dramatic reunion with SM founder Lee Soo-man. SM confirmed Monday that BoA’s exclusive contract had expired and would not be renewed. Industry watchers had expected a renewal, making the sudden “clean break” all the more surprising. In its farewell statement, SM praised BoA as “the icon of overseas expansion” and “the star of Asia,” saying, “Although our exclusive contract has ended, we sincerely support BoA as she begins new challenges and continues to shine as Asia’s star.” The company also released a tribute video on BoA’s YouTube channel, chronicling her journey from her debut at age 13 in 2000 to today. The video closed with the message, “We sincerely support every moment of BoA, who will forever shine as No.1.” BoA responded with her own message, saying, “As much as we gave to each other, I am leaving without regret. Thank you for the time we shared, and I will continue to support th

Jan 15, 2026By Xportsnews
K-pop pioneer BoA at crossroads
Films

Hong Sang-soo's new work invited to Berlin film fest's Panorama section

"The Day She Returns," Hong Sang-soo's latest project, has been invited to screen at the Berlin International Film Festival, the film's distributor said Thursday. The film, Hong's 34th feature, is set to screen in the Panorama section, a category that showcases independent and art house films addressing contemporary social issues and new cinematic trends, according to Finecut. The movie follows an actress (Song Sun-mi), who, after a break from acting following marriage, returns to work and enrolls in acting classes. The festival praised the film for delicately observing human emotions and compassion with a touch of humor. "Master director Hong Sang-soo offers a subtle reflection on the acting profession itself," the festival said on its website. The invitation marks the Korean auteur's seventh consecutive year at the prestigious event, starting in 2020 with "The Woman Who Ran." The 65-year-old director has so far won five awards at the festival, starting with "On the Beach at Night Alone" in 2017, which earned its lead actress, Kim Min-hee, the Silver Bear for Best Actress. In 2024, Hong r

Jan 15, 2026By Yonhap
Hong Sang-soo's new work invited to Berlin film fest's Panorama section
Others

China signals end to hallyu ban as K-pop prepares for return

For nearly a decade, Korea’s entertainment industry has faced a long, dark tunnel when it comes to China. Now, however, a faint light appears to be emerging at the far end. China’s long-standing restrictions on Korean pop culture — commonly referred to as the hallyu or Korean wave, ban— are showing signs of gradually easing. At Chinese music retailers, K-pop albums have returned to store shelves and are once again displayed prominently. On Chinese streaming platforms, a local remake of the Korean drama “My Mister” has been unveiled. The shift in atmosphere is even fueling cautious optimism about the possibility of a government-level K-pop concert backed by the Korean government in China — something that had previously failed to materialize. The Hallyu ban effectively took hold in 2016, following Korea’s deployment of the U.S.-built Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system, which Beijing viewed as a threat to its security interests. Although the Chinese government never formally announced the measure, it functioned as a sweeping, unofficial ban

Jan 15, 2026By Hankookilbo
China signals end to hallyu ban as K-pop prepares for return
Films

Trailer for late Kim Sae-ron’s final film ‘Everyday We Are’ sparks bittersweet emotions

The final on-screen performance by the late Kim Sae-ron has been revealed in a new trailer, sparking an emotional response from fans and moviegoers across Korea. A teaser for the youth romance film “Everyday We Are” was released this week, marking Kim’s final completed project before her death on Feb. 16, 2025. Starring Kim opposite rising actor Lee Chae-min, the film centers on the awkward, fragile emotions of first love at age 17 — a theme that now carries a bittersweet weight for viewers. The story begins with Ho-soo (Lee Chae-min) suddenly confessing his feelings to his longtime childhood friend Yeo-ul (Kim Sae-ron) just before their middle-school graduation. Shocked, Yeo-ul drops the hot dog she is eating and starts avoiding him, creating an uneasy tension as the two enter high school. Although Yeo-ul keeps telling herself that she only sees Ho-soo as a friend, she begins to feel her heart race whenever she looks at him. Their fragile balance is disrupted when it becomes known that Yeo-ul has feelings for Ho-jae (Ryu Eui-hyun), a senior on the basketball team, turning their

Jan 15, 2026By Xportsnews
Trailer for late Kim Sae-ron’s final film ‘Everyday We Are’ sparks bittersweet emotions
K-pop

Former NewJeans member Danielle opens Chinese social media as lawsuit looms

Danielle, who was removed from K-pop girl group NewJeans amid a contract dispute, is expanding her online footprint just as her legal battle with her former agency intensifies — fueling speculation that she may be preparing for overseas activities. The singer recently opened an account on Xiaohongshu, also known as RedNote, one of China’s most influential lifestyle and social media platforms often described as the country’s version of Instagram. Although Danielle has yet to post any content, her follower count has already surpassed 10,000, highlighting continued fan interest despite her ongoing controversy. Her older sister, Olivia Marsh, who also operates a RedNote account, followed Danielle on the site, further confirming the authenticity of the newly created profile. The move comes just days after Danielle opened an Instagram account on Monday and hosted her first live broadcast at 7 p.m. the same day. It marked her first official appearance since Ador notified her of the termination of her exclusive contract. At the time, the law firm representing Danielle said the livestream w

Jan 15, 2026By Xportsnews
Former NewJeans member Danielle opens Chinese social media as lawsuit looms
Films

How 'Once We Were Us' wins over weary souls to lead box office

“Once We Were Us,” a romance film released on the last day of 2025, has defied expectations by taking the No. 1 spot at the Korean box office, winning over audiences with a relatable story of love and loss rather than flashy visual effects and action. Directed by director Kim Do-yeong, the film recorded over 1.5 million admissions, edging out the Hollywood blockbuster “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” according to data from the Korean Film Council, Sunday. The movie also topped the overall reservation rate for the first time, Wednesday, in 75 days for a domestic film, which is a feat not seen since “The First Ride” led the charts on Oct. 31, 2025. As a remake of the 2018 Chinese film “Us and Them,” the movie follows Eun-ho (Koo Kyo-hwan) and Jeong-won (Mun Ga-yeong), who were once deeply in love but forced to part due to the harsh realities of life. The story happens 10 years later when they meet again by accident and start to remember their past love. The film’s growing popularity appears to be driven by strong word of mouth. Viewers have praised the movie for its emotional depth

Jan 15, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
How 'Once We Were Us' wins over weary souls to lead box office
K-pop

BLACKPINK to return with new EP 'Deadline' on Feb. 27

Girl group BLACKPINK will release its third EP, "Deadline," on Feb. 27, the group's label, YG Entertainment, said Thursday. YG unveiled a video announcing the K-pop quartet's comeback on its official blog. "Deadline" will mark the first album from the group in three years and five months since "Born Pink" in September 2022. The group released the digital single "Jump" in July but showcased its distinctive musical colors more through active solo projects during the group's break. YG said the album's title, "Deadline," is the same as that of BLACKPINK's latest world tour, which began in July in Goyang, just northwest of Seoul. It added the comeback will serve as a grand finale to the tour. While the group had already completed major work on the album, including the filming of a music video, the release was postponed from last year to this year to further enhance its quality. "We sincerely thank fans for their patience over the long wait," YG said. "We plan to repay their support with highly refined music and ask for continued interest." BLACKPINK will wrap up its world tour with concerts at T

Jan 15, 2026By Yonhap
BLACKPINK to return with new EP 'Deadline' on Feb. 27
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