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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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Films

'Avatar 3' becomes fastest 2025 film to top 5 mil. admissions in Korea

Disney's "Avatar: Fire And Ash" has become the fastest 2025 release to surpass 5 million admissions in Korea, box-office data showed Friday. The sci-fi tentpole drew about 358,000 moviegoers Thursday, taking a 50.7 percent revenue share and maintaining its lead at the local box office, according to the Korean Film Council. The movie's cumulative admissions stood at about 5.01 million as of 7 a.m. The third entry in James Cameron's 16-year-old blockbuster franchise reached the 5 million mark in 17 days after its release, two days faster than Disney's popular animated sequel "Zootopia 2." "Zootopia 2" placed second Thursday with around 137,000 viewers and a 16.2 percent revenue share. It has attracted a total of 7.84 million moviegoers since its local release on Nov. 26.

Jan 2, 2026By Yonhap
'Avatar 3' becomes fastest 2025 film to top 5 mil. admissions in Korea
K-pop

Wanna One to reunite on new reality TV show

K-pop project boy group Wanna One will reunite with fans for the first time in a while through a new reality TV program set to air in the first half of this year. "The Wanna One members have been considering ways to meet Wannables, and agreed to produce a new reality show, a format most beloved by their fans," an official with the cable music channel Mnet said Friday. Wannable is the name of the group's fandom. The official added that the channel is preparing the show with the aim of releasing it within the first half of the year and details of the show will be announced once fixed. Formed through Mnet's 2017 audition program "Produce 101" Season 2, Wanna One debuted as an 11-member project group and gained huge popularity with hit songs, like "Energetic" and "Beautiful." The group stood at the forefront of K-pop's third generation alongside two other boy groups, EXO and BTS. With EXO's new album due out this month and BTS' album release planned for March, fans will be able to greet all three of these top-tier acts of the third-generation K-pop in various ways during the first half of th

Jan 2, 2026By Yonhap
Wanna One to reunite on new reality TV show
K-pop

Former BIGBANG member T.O.P to return as solo artist

T.O.P, a former member of popular K-pop group BIGBANG, will make a comeback as a solo artist this year, marking the 20th anniversary of his debut. The rapper announced the comeback on social media Thursday, telling fans that "A new album is on the way." A short video released alongside the post showed him writing the phrase "Another Dimension" both in Korean and English on a white sheet of paper, hinting that it may be the title of his upcoming album. The release date has not yet been announced. The release would be his first in 13 years since the digital single "Doom Dada" in 2013 and his first musical project since officially departing from BIGBANG in 2023. T.O.P debuted as a member of BIGBANG in 2006 and rose to prominence as both a rapper and actor. However, he suspended entertainment activities after becoming embroiled in a drug scandal in 2017. He was sentenced to 10 months in prison, suspended for two years, for marijuana use. Last year, he returned as an actor, appearing in Netflix's "Squid Game" Season 2, which was released in December 2024. In an interview for the series last Janu

Jan 2, 2026By Yonhap
Former BIGBANG member T.O.P to return as solo artist
K-pop

K-pop’s next generation: Which rookie groups will debut in 2026?

A new wave of K-pop rookie groups is lining up to enter the spotlight through 2026, as major agencies and audition programs prepare fresh act aimed at shaping the next generation of K-pop — even as the industry’s biggest names gear up for high-profile comebacks in the background. Among the earliest debuts is ALPHA DRIVE ONE (ALD1), an eight-member boy group formed through Mnet’s 2025 audition program “Boys II Planet.” Managed by WAKEONE, the eight-member boy group consists of Junseo, Arno, Leo, Geonwoo, Sangwon, Xinlong, Anxin and Sanghyeon. The group is scheduled to debut on Jan. 12 with its first album, “EUPHORIA.” The group has already gained early exposure. In December, ALD1 opened the 2025 Melon Music Awards with a performance of its prerelease single, “FORMULA,” marking its first appearance on a major awards stage. With senior labelmate ZEROBASEONE nearing the end of its contract period, ALD1 is expected to continue the lineage of male idols produced through the “Boys Planet” franchise. MORE VISION, the agency led by singer and producer Jay Park, is also prep

Jan 1, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
K-pop’s next generation: Which rookie groups will debut in 2026?
Shows & Dramas

Hits and misses: Webtoon adaptations dominate, but execution decides success

Webtoons have become the entertainment industry’s most reliable source of stories in Korea in recent years, supplying a steady stream of pre-tested narratives as studios increasingly turn to digital comics to reduce risk. Yet as webtoon-based projects continue to flood cinema and streaming platforms, a clear divide has emerged between adaptations that cleverly reinterpret their source material and big-budget failures, revealing how fragile that formula can be. Breakout success of ‘Zombie Daughter’ The clearest sign of a breakthrough in 2025 came from Naver Webtoon’s video production subsidiary Studio N. The film "My Daughter is a Zombie,” based on the popular 2018 webtoon by Lee Yun-chang, emerged as the year's most surprising box office hit. With over 5.6 million viewers, the film became the most-watched Korean release of 2025, a year that was otherwise short on blockbuster hits, proving that a good remake can appeal to everyone, not just original fans. The movie succeeded because it perfectly mixed dark humor with a touching story about a father’s love. Netflix also saw grea

Jan 1, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Hits and misses: Webtoon adaptations dominate, but execution decides success
Others

BTS return and Na Hong-jin’s $77 mil. epic signal K-culture revival in 2026

After a year in which expansion and slowdown coexisted across Korean pop culture, 2026 is shaping up to be a potential rebound period for K-culture. While the animated film “KPop Demon Hunters” helped push K-pop further into everyday life beyond fan communities, album sales declined for a second consecutive year, fueling a sense of crisis. In broadcasting, “When Life Gives You Tangerines” and “Squid Game" Season 3 drew major attention, but the growing dominance of Netflix further weakened terrestrial networks. Korean cinema endured one of its toughest years, with only one film — “My Daughter Is a Zombie” — surpassing 5 million moviegoers. As the Year of the Red Horse begins, anticipation is rising that blockbuster projects across K-pop, television, and film may breathe fresh energy into the industry. From the long-awaited comeback of BTS and BLACKPINK to large-scale film productions such as “Hope,” which has a total budget of 100 billion won ($77 million), key figures seen as drivers of a K-culture resurgence are preparing to step forward. The biggest storyline in

Jan 1, 2026By Hankookilbo
BTS return and Na Hong-jin’s $77 mil. epic signal K-culture revival in 2026
K-pop

BTS announces March 20 comeback, ending nearly 4-year hiatus

K-pop juggernaut BTS announced its long-awaited comeback with a new album slated for March 20, BigHit Music confirmed Thursday. The release marks the band’s first album as a complete seven-member lineup after three years and nine months, following its anthology album “Proof” in June 2022. BTS has been on hiatus as a group while its members fulfilled Korea’s mandatory military service and pursued solo projects. All seven have now completed their service, with Suga the last to be discharged on June 21, 2025. In celebration of the new year, the group sent printed copies of handwritten letters to members of its fan base, ARMY, as a gift to those who have maintained a Weverse membership for the last three years. The letters included the date “March 20, 2026,” effectively revealing the timing of the group's return, alongside messages of gratitude to fans. Shortly after fans received the letters, BigHit released a statement Thursday morning, officially confirming the album’s release date. In his letter, leader RM wrote that he had been “waiting for (this comeback) more than anyon

Jan 1, 2026By Park Han-sol
BTS announces March 20 comeback, ending nearly 4-year hiatus
Shows & Dramas

Lee Je-hoon chokes up after second SBS top award win for 'Taxi Driver'

Actor Lee Je-hoon won the top award at the 2025 SBS Drama Awards, marking his second grand prize in two years, for his performance in the ongoing series “Taxi Driver.” Lee received the honor during the awards ceremony held Wednesday evening through the early hours of the new year at SBS Prism Tower in Sangam-dong, Mapo District, Seoul. He was recognized for his portrayal of Kim Do-gi, a vigilante taxi driver who carries out revenge on behalf of victims wronged by criminals. It was Lee’s second time taking home the top prize at the SBS Drama Awards. He previously shared the grand prize with Kim Tae-ri in 2023 for “Taxi Driver 2.” Accepting the award, Lee said acting has only grown more difficult the longer he has pursued it. “There are many moments when I wonder if this is all I’m capable of,” he said, adding that the unwavering support of fans has helped him endure those doubts. Fighting back tears, he credited viewers for sustaining the “Taxi Driver” series for more than five years, saying their anger, empathy and sincere hope that such crimes would disappear have ke

Jan 1, 2026By Jane Han
Lee Je-hoon chokes up after second SBS top award win for 'Taxi Driver'
K-pop

New year, new playlist: K-pop fans' favorite songs to start 2026

As the clock resets on New Year’s Day, many K-pop listeners follow a small but familiar ritual: choosing the first song they will play in the New Year. It is a habit rooted in the idea that music can help shape the emotional tone of what comes next. Every year, K-pop fans usually treat their opening track as a kind of soft launch for the year ahead. Some reach for comfort, others for confidence or motivation, but the impulse is the same: Start the year on the right note. Over time, this has turned certain K-pop tracks into annual fixtures. While most of these were not written to become New Year’s anthems, they do share something more lasting — themes of renewal, self-belief and forward motion. With 2026 arriving at a moment that feels both uncertain and full of possibility, that first choice matters more than usual. Below are some of the songs fans return to as they step into a new year, spanning different eras, genres and moods. 'As You Wish,' WJSN Released in 2019, WJSN’s “As You Wish” has become a familiar presence on New Year’s Day playlists among K-pop fans. Built on a

Dec 31, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
New year, new playlist: K-pop fans' favorite songs to start 2026
Others

Ahn Hyo-seop of 'KPop Demon Hunters' to open new year on ‘The Tonight Show’

Korean actor Ahn Hyo-seop is set to begin 2026 on one of the biggest stages in American television, as he will appear on NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” marking what industry observers see as a symbolic milestone in his growing global influence. The program, widely regarded as one of the most influential late-night talk shows in the United States, has featured world-renowned figures across entertainment, politics and sports. Ahn’s invitation is being viewed as a sign that his international presence has expanded far beyond K-drama fandom. Ahn has spent the past year juggling an intense slate of projects, including the Netflix film “KPop Demon Hunters,” the feature film “Omniscient Reader,” and filming for the upcoming SBS drama “Sold Out Again Today.” “KPop Demon Hunters,” in which Ahn voiced the lead character Jinu, became an unexpected breakout hit. The animated film surpassed 500 million global views within 27 weeks of its release and has been listed among Netflix’s most-watched original films. The title also earned major critical recognition,

Dec 31, 2025By Xportsnews
Ahn Hyo-seop of 'KPop Demon Hunters' to open new year on ‘The Tonight Show’
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