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  • K-pop

    BTS celebrates 13th anniversary with return to Busan

    BUSAN — K-pop juggernaut BTS marked its 13th anniversary with a massive celebration, bringing the group's ongoing "ARIRANG" world tour to Busan's Asiad Main Stadium on Friday and Saturday for a two-night run that felt much bigger than a concert. The timing was no accident. The second show landed squarely on June 13, the group's debut anniversary, sending fans worldwide into a frenzy well before the first note dropped. Busan, too, carries deep meaning for the group — it is the hometown of members Jimin and Jung Kook, and the site of "Yet to Come," the sprawling farewell concert that preceded the members' hiatus due to mandatory military service in 2022. The group's return had been anticipated for weeks. "BTS THE CITY ARIRANG BUSAN," a large-scale urban festival running since early June, transformed the city's landmarks into extensions of the "ARIRANG" album's themes, stretching from a grand welcome at Busan Station to a drone light show above Gwangalli Beach. By Saturday evening, 55,000 fans packed the stadium. The crowd had already endured a roughly 75-minute delay the night before a

    4 MIN READBy Pyo Kyung-min
    BTS celebrates 13th anniversary with return to Busan
  • K-pop

    EVAN drops snippets of debut solo single 'RIDE OR DIE'

    2 MIN READBy Pyo Kyung-min
    EVAN drops snippets of debut solo single 'RIDE OR DIE'
  • Entertainment

    BLACKPINK's Lisa headlines FIFA World Cup opening ceremony in US

    2 MIN READBy Hankookilbo
    BLACKPINK's Lisa headlines FIFA World Cup opening ceremony in US
  • Entertainment

    Is Korea ready for era of YouTuber directors?

    2 MIN READBy Hankookilbo
    Is Korea ready for era of YouTuber directors?
  • Films

    For ‘Colony,’ K-zombie film from ‘Train to Busan’ director, Korean box-office success is no surprise

    3 MIN READBy Hankookilbo
    For ‘Colony,’ K-zombie film from ‘Train to Busan’ director, Korean box-office success is no surprise
  • K-pop

    HYBE apologizes for delay on 1st night of BTS world tour in Busan

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    HYBE apologizes for delay on 1st night of BTS world tour in Busan
  • Music

    EJAE, Andrea Bocelli perform at World Cup opening ceremony

    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
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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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Shows & Dramas

'Squid Game 3' named Best Foreign Language Series at Critics Choice

Netflix's Korean original series "Squid Game" has won the Best Foreign Language Series award for its third season at the 31st annual Critics Choice Awards. The Critics Choice Association announced the winner in Los Angeles on Sunday (local time), marking the third time the popular series has won the award after it previously took home the honor in 2022 for its first season and in 2025 for the second season. Its lead, Lee Jung-jae, won Best Actor in a Drama Series in 2022. The third and final season picks up directly from the second season's cliffhanger, following Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), who, after a failed rebellion and the loss of his comrades, is driven by guilt and rage to destroy the deadly game from within. Meanwhile, director Park Chan-wook's film "No Other Choice" was nominated in the categories of Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Foreign Language Film but failed to take home the latter award. The Best Foreign Language Film honor went to the highly acclaimed Brazilian political thriller "The Secret Agent." The winner for Best Adapted Screenplay has yet to be announced. In addition,

Jan 5, 2026By Yonhap
'Squid Game 3' named Best Foreign Language Series at Critics Choice
Films

Korean screen legend Ahn Sung-ki dies at 74

Veteran actor Ahn Sung-ki, widely regarded as a foundational figure in Korea’s modern film history, died at age 74. Ahn passed away Monday morning at Soonchunhyang University Hospital in Seoul’s Yongsan District, with family members at his bedside in the hospital’s intensive care unit. He had been hospitalized in an unconscious state since collapsing at his home on Dec. 30 after choking on food. After being diagnosed with blood cancer in 2019, he underwent treatment and was told the cancer was in remission in 2020. However, the disease reportedly returned during follow-up observations, and he has been battling the illness ever since. Despite his health challenges, Ahn remained committed to the film industry. He made public appearances in 2023, including attending the opening ceremony of the 27th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival. Born in 1952, Ahn debuted as a child actor in director Kim Ki-young’s “The Twilight Train” (1957), as well as in Kim’s renowned horror film, “The Housemaid” (1960). Throughout a career spanning more than six decades, he appeared in o

Jan 5, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul and Pyo Kyung-min
Korean screen legend Ahn Sung-ki dies at 74
Films

'KPop Demon Hunters' soundtrack resurges to No. 3 on Billboard 200

The soundtrack for Netflix's hit animated film "KPop Demon Hunters" (2025) has surged back into the top tiers of the Billboard 200 albums chart. Billboard said in a preview of this week's chart Sunday (U.S. time) that the soundtrack jumped seven spots to No. 3. The Billboard 200 ranks the most popular albums of the week in the United States, measured by equivalent album units, comprising physical album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Despite an 18 percent dip in weekly consumption, the soundtrack earned 51,000 equivalent album units, fueled by steady streaming numbers. Global pop star Taylor Swift's latest studio album, "The Life of a Showgirl," logged its 12th non-consecutive week at No. 1, further cementing Swift's status as a chart juggernaut.

Jan 5, 2026By Yonhap
'KPop Demon Hunters' soundtrack resurges to No. 3 on Billboard 200
K-pop

BTS to release 14-track studio album March 20

Global K-pop sensation BTS will return with its fifth full-length album March 20, a 14-track project reflecting the members' personal thoughts and experiences, the group's label BigHit Music said Monday. The release marks the group's first studio album in more than six years, following "Map of the Soul: 7" in February 2020, and its first new group project since the anthology album "Proof" in June 2022. "True to their identity as artists who express themselves through music, BTS poured their efforts into capturing the essence of who they are today," BigHit Music said, noting that the album production was the group's primary focus through the second half of last year. Each track, the label added, carries the emotions and reflections that stem from the members' journey and gratitude toward their fans, known as ARMY. BTS is also expected to unveil details of a world tour on Jan. 14. This would mark the group's first since the "Permission to Dance on Stage" series concluded in Las Vegas in April 2022. As part of its comeback promotions, the group launched a new official website, 2026bts.com, w

Jan 5, 2026By Yonhap
BTS to release 14-track studio album March 20
Shows & Dramas

Ji Sung’s performance powers intense debut of ‘The Judge Returns’

MBC’s new Friday-Saturday drama “The Judge Returns” opens with fast-paced storytelling and a powerful lead performance from actor Ji Sung, immediately drawing viewers into its morally charged narrative about corruption, guilt and personal reckoning. The premiere centers on a disgraced judge who once served powerful interests but begins to confront the consequences of his past rulings, setting the stage for a tense legal redemption story. Set in 2035, the series follows Lee Han-young (Ji Sung), a compromised judge who lives as a figurative servant to a major law firm before finding himself transported back to 2025. Given a second chance, he begins to chart a new course as he faces the enormous forces that once controlled him. The drama is based on a 2018 web novel of the same name and is directed by Lee Jae-jin, along with director Park Mi-yeon and writer Kim Kwang-min. The cast includes Ji Sung, Park Hee-soon and Won Jin-ah. The first episode delivers a shocking turn as Lee Han-young, formerly protected by elite legal and corporate power, appears in court wearing a prison uniform.

Jan 4, 2026By Hankookilbo
Ji Sung’s performance powers intense debut of ‘The Judge Returns’
Films

Review‘Sugung’ gives voice to women fighting to keep pansori alive

For most Koreans, pansori (traditional Korean narrative singing) is just a cultural asset to be preserved. But for master pansori singer Jung Ei-jin, it is a disappearing art that she is determined to keep alive. In the documentary "Sugung — The Underwater Palace" released on New Year's Day, director Yoo Su-yeon explores the pansori piece "Sugungga" as performed in the "dongpyeonje" or eastern style, one of the two main styles along with "seopyeonjae" or western style, through the voice of Jung. The film is not just a simple record of old music. It is a gritty and honest look at how women artists struggle to survive while also fighting to keep a disappearing tradition alive. The documentary first gained attention through screenings at the Jeonju International Film Festival and Seoul International Women’s Film Festival in 2023. Jung was born into a family of famous pansori masters, but despite her background and talent, she had to stop singing for 30 years to take care of her home and family. While she finally started singing again and built a successful career, she still felt hurt by

Jan 3, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
‘Sugung’ gives voice to women fighting to keep pansori alive
Others

K-pop star Jang Won-young faces backlash in China over Hong Kong remark, boycott calls grow

Controversy is growing in China over comments made by Jang Won-young of the K-pop group IVE after she referred to Hong Kong as one of the “countries” she likes during a recent behind-the-scenes video. The remark appeared in a video on IVE’s official YouTube channel. While the members were shown visiting Hong Kong to attend an awards ceremony, Jang said, “We should eat a delicious dinner,” adding, “I like Hong Kong. There is a lot of good food. Hong Kong is one of the countries I like.” After the video was released, some Chinese social media users protested the fact that she referred to Hong Kong as a “country.” China maintains the One China principle, under which Hong Kong is defined as a special administrative region of China. Jang’s phrasing, interpreted as contradicting that stance, quickly fueled online criticism. On Chinese social media platforms, related hashtags such as “#JangWonyoungHongKongCountry,” “#IVEGetOutofChina” and “#KoreanIdolsHistoryEducation” are spreading, with some users even calling for a boycott of IVE-related content. Local media a

Jan 3, 2026By Hankookilbo
K-pop star Jang Won-young faces backlash in China over Hong Kong remark, boycott calls grow
K-pop

BTS comeback sparks global buzz as fans push 'Run BTS' back up the charts

Ahead of their much-anticipated group comeback this March, BTS are already making waves globally, driven not by new material, but by a renewed surge of fan interest in an older track. The song "Run BTS," first released on the group’s 2022 anthology album "Proof," returned to No. 1 on the iTunes Top Songs chart in 61 countries, including Brazil, Finland, Mexico and Greece, as of Friday morning local time. Fans around the world, collectively known as ARMY, launched a coordinated streaming drive to celebrate the start of 2026 and the group’s upcoming return, turning a nostalgic fandom gesture into a fresh chart milestone. Fans say the song’s message — a vow to keep running forward together — resonates especially strongly as all seven members prepare to resume full-group activities. The track is widely regarded among ARMY as one of the clearest expressions of BTS’ teamwork and identity, and its renewed success reflects a shared anticipation for the group’s new album, scheduled for release on March 20. International media outlets are also paying close attention. The New York Ti

Jan 2, 2026By Xportsnews
BTS comeback sparks global buzz as fans push 'Run BTS' back up the charts
K-pop

BLACKPINK’s Jennie stuns fans with bold hair transformation ahead of 30th birthday

BLACKPINK member Jennie has unveiled a dramatic new look, revealing a bold new hairstyle in a recent U.S. magazine photoshoot — a style shift that fans say highlights a more confident and mature side of the global K-pop star. On Wednesday (local time), U.S. fashion magazine “V Magazine” released Jennie’s photos and an accompanying interview. In the shoot, she appears with her long straight hair cut into a strikingly short style, creating a stronger and more sophisticated aura. In one of the featured images, Jennie pairs a black-and-white halter-neck top with oversized hoop earrings, presenting a hip and trend-forward visual that contrasts with her previous image. Speaking to the magazine, Jennie said she remains focused on her core work as an artist, noting that she will be performing in Tokyo around her birthday week. “I can’t believe I’m still saying this. Because it’s something I said a year ago before my first album 'Ruby,' but I feel like a baby stepping into the world,” she said, sharing candid thoughts about her current mindset. When asked about approaching her 3

Jan 2, 2026By Hankookilbo
BLACKPINK’s Jennie stuns fans with bold hair transformation ahead of 30th birthday
Others

How rumors turn into lasting stigma for Korean celebrities

In Korea’s entertainment industry, controversy rarely stops at the person directly involved. Increasingly, speculation and online suspicion are spreading outward — pulling unrelated celebrities into the spotlight and leaving behind lasting reputational scars, even when no wrongdoing is proven. Toward the end of last year, a series of scandals dominated entertainment news, illustrating how quickly rumor can attach itself to public figures. Once a celebrity becomes linked to controversy — whether through direct action or mere association — a figurative label forms, and it can shake an image that took years to build. Celebrities find themselves pressured to apologize or explain, even when they are not the subject of the accusations themselves. Industry observers say the pattern is becoming familiar. As soon as uncertainty arises, entertainers are thrust onto what one critic calls a “moral judgment stage.” Staying silent is interpreted as suspicious, while explaining is dismissed as an excuse. Long before facts are clarified, negative impressions harden — and the individual

Jan 2, 2026By Hankookilbo
How rumors turn into lasting stigma for Korean celebrities
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