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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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K-pop

SM Entertainment executives named to Billboard’s 2026 Women in Music list

SM Entertainment said two of its senior executives were named to Billboard’s 2026 Women in Music list in the labels, distributors and artist services category. Kim Ji-won, chief relations officer, and Choi Jeong-min, chief global officer, were among the honorees listed Friday on Billboard's official website. The recognition marks the second consecutive year both executives have appeared on the annual list. Billboard's Women in Music program recognizes female artists, creators, producers and executives who have made a significant impact on the music industry over the preceding year. Kim has served as a public relations strategist at SM Entertainment since the early 2000s, overseeing external communications and marketing strategy for the company and its artists. SM credited her with helping establish the country’s pop profile in international media markets through strategic media planning and integrated communications. Choi oversees artist branding and business operations across the Americas, Europe and Asia, working with the company’s regional subsidiaries and local partners to expa

Apr 20, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
SM Entertainment executives named to Billboard’s 2026 Women in Music list
Entertainment

Aespa to return with bold new chapter in ‘Lemonade’

The architects of K-pop’s distinct "metallic" sound are officially returning to the fray. SM Entertainment announced Monday that powerhouse girl group aespa will release its second full-length album, “Lemonade,” on May 29, promising a sharpened musical direction and an expansion of the group’s signature high-concept narrative. The 10-track collection arrives as the highly anticipated follow-up to 2024’s “Armageddon,” a career-defining project that achieved a clean sweep across all major Korean streaming platforms and earned the group a historic nod as Group of the Year at Billboard’s 2025 Women in Music. While the new title suggests potential summer brightness, the group is expected to lean further into the sophisticated, experimental textures that have become their calling card. The announcement follows a prolific year of evolution for the quartet. Last year’s single, “Dirty Work,” and its sixth EP, “Rich Man,” signaled a willingness to move beyond the rigid boundaries of the group's "metaverse" origins, exploring broader genre influences while maintaining their

Apr 20, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Aespa to return with bold new chapter in ‘Lemonade’
K-pop

NCT WISH debuts wistful new single at Seoul encore, wraps up 1st world tour

K-pop boy band NCT WISH unveiled its new song, "Ode to Love," at the Seoul encore of the group's first solo concert tour, closing out a global run with a message of warmth in a cold world. NCT WISH, the newest subunit under K-pop giant SM Entertianment's vast NCT roster, performed at KSPO Dome in Seoul's Olympic Park over three nights from Friday through Sunday, wrapping up "NCT WISH 1st Concert Tour 'Into the Wish: Our Wish,'" a 30-show run spanning 18 cities across the globe that launched last October. The Seoul finale came just days before another major milestone, as the group's debut full-length album, titled "Ode to Love," drops Monday. The 10-track record includes the title single of the same name. Just minutes before the final show on Sunday, the six NCT WISH members, Sion, Jaehee, Riku, Yushi, Ryo and Sakuya, met with press at the concert venue to reflect on the tour's end. "It was a performance where we rode a trolley for the first time and were able to perform up close with our fans worldwide," Sion reflected, thanking the group's fanbase, collectively known as NCTzens, for hel

Apr 19, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
NCT WISH debuts wistful new single at Seoul encore, wraps up 1st world tour
BTS ARIRANG

BTS returns to Tokyo after 7 years, draws 110,000 fans over 2 nights

K-pop juggernaut BTS performed to capacity crowds at Tokyo Dome on Friday and Saturday, drawing 110,000 fans over two sold-out nights in the group's return to the venue since July 2019. The shows, part of a world tour tied to the group's latest album “ARIRANG,” marked the septet's return to one of Japan's most prominent concert venues after roughly seven years. Inside the stadium, fans waved light sticks in coordinated patterns that swept across the arena. Crowd chants grew louder during high-energy hip-hop tracks like “Not Today” and “MIC Drop,” with the audience closely tracking the group's delivery throughout the sets. A key moment came during “Body to Body,” the opening track from the group’s latest album. As the song incorporated the melody of the traditional Korean folk song “Arirang,” the crowd began singing along in unison, filling the stadium with a chorus that extended beyond the group’s vocals. In a press release from BigHit Music, HYBE Labels Chairman Bang Si-hyuk had pointed to the possibility of such a moment emerging during the tour. The members app

Apr 19, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
BTS returns to Tokyo after 7 years, draws 110,000 fans over 2 nights
Music

Korean National Symphony Orchestra to amplify blockbuster soundtracks at Seoul Arts Center

The Korean National Symphony Orchestra (KNSO) will bring Hollywood to the concert hall with a new film music program that immerses audiences in some of the most iconic blockbuster scores of the 21st century. The orchestra’s “Hollywood Blockbusters” concert will run May 1 and 2 at Seoul Arts Center’s Concert Hall, pairing symphonic sound with large-scale media art visuals. Led by British-based conductor Anthony Gabriele, a specialist in film music concerts, the program centers on Hans Zimmer, the German composer widely credited with redefining today’s blockbuster sound. While John Williams is often associated with the golden age of Hollywood scores, Zimmer pushed the genre forward by fusing traditional orchestral writing with electronic elements and propulsive rhythms in collaborations with directors such as Christopher Nolan and Ridley Scott. The evening will open with Zimmer’s music, featuring a suite from “The Dark Knight” and selections from “Inception,” “Pearl Harbor,” “Kung Fu Panda,” “The Da Vinci Code,” “Wonder Woman,” “The Lion King” and

Apr 19, 2026By Lee Hae-rin
Korean National Symphony Orchestra to amplify blockbuster soundtracks at Seoul Arts Center
Music

ReviewChung Myung-whun brings ‘Carmen’ to Korea Times spring concert

The Korea Times Spring Concert, Friday, featured maestro Chung Myung-whun and the KBS Symphony Orchestra at Seoul’s Lotte Concert Hall, presenting French composer Georges Bizet’s opera “Carmen,” one of the most popular works among Korean audiences. Instead of a traditional staged opera, the performance presented a concert version, a format that places greater emphasis on the music rather than elaborate sets and staging. Premiered in Paris in 1875, “Carmen” is a tragic love story between the Romani woman Carmen and the soldier Don Jose, set in Seville, Spain. Unlike many operas centered on love and sacrifice, “Carmen” is driven by jealousy, desire and obsession, culminating in death. For this reason, it was initially criticized as vulgar and immoral. Over time, however, it came to be recognized as a masterpiece for its realistic portrayal of love as a clash between possession and personal freedom. “Carmen” is filled with melodies familiar to many in the audience. The 120-minute performance opened with the prelude and featured highlights including “Habanera,” “To

Apr 18, 2026By Kim Se-jeong
Chung Myung-whun brings ‘Carmen’ to Korea Times spring concert
K-pop

How long do K-pop agencies house idols? Girls’ Generation’s Hyoyeon says, 'why leave?' after 19 years

In K-pop, it is common for idols to live together in agency-provided dorms during their trainee years and early careers, often moving out once they achieve financial stability or personal independence. But Girls’ Generation’s Hyoyeon is still living in her agency dorm nearly two decades after debut — and she has a simple question: “Why leave?” In a video released April 17 on the YouTube channel "Halmyungsoo," Hyoyeon appeared as a guest and opened up about her current lifestyle, including her long-running dorm life. “I’ve lived in the dorm for a long time — and I’m still there,” she said, explaining that the arrangement remains comfortable thanks to provided meals and a place to rest. When host Park Myung-soo pointed out that such a setup would allow her to save money, Hyoyeon said, “I think saving is the only way to survive,” prompting laughter. She added that next year will mark her 20th year living in the dorm, leading Park to say it could “go down in idol history.” Hyoyeon herself appeared unfazed by the unusual milestone. “Why should I leave?” she said

Apr 18, 2026By Xportsnews
How long do K-pop agencies house idols? Girls’ Generation’s Hyoyeon says, 'why leave?' after 19 years
K-pop

Relative arrested in molestation case sparks online witch hunt over ‘famous girl group’

A man identified as a relative of a “famous girl group” member has been arrested on suspicion of sexual assault, but it is the unnamed idol — not the suspect — who is now at the center of an online guessing game. According to a report by Channel A on April 16, police in Seoul’s Gangnam district arrested a man in his 30s on April 15 after responding to a complaint filed by a livestreaming content creator. The suspect is known only by his surname Kim, but reports that he is related to a member of a well-known K-pop girl group quickly fueled speculation across social media. Police said the man is accused of taking the woman to his home and attempting to sexually assault her. The two reportedly met after he paid for a “meal date ticket,” a controversial practice in Korea’s livestreaming scene where viewers can pay to meet streamers in person. The woman said he promised not to engage in any sexual contact before bringing her to his home, but later attempted to assault her. Police responded after receiving a report from an acquaintance contacted by the woman, who had fled to a

Apr 18, 2026By Xportsnews
Relative arrested in molestation case sparks online witch hunt over ‘famous girl group’
Others

Comedian Lee Su-ji skewers Korean social absurdities in viral skits

Comedian Lee Su-ji has turned Korean social absurdities into viral satire on YouTube's “Hot Issue Ji” and Coupang Play's “SNL Korea.” Her recent sketches target overbearing parents and online misinformation, blending sharp humor with painful realism. One standout episode, titled “Kindergarten Teacher Lee Min-ji’s Never-Ending 24 Hours [Human Documentary: Real Extreme Jobs],” shows Lee as an overworked teacher with her face marked by heavy dark circles from exhaustion but still trying to keep her composure under relentless pressure from parents. Her attempts to stay upbeat in the face of increasingly absurd demands are both funny and uncomfortably relatable. In the video, Lee's character starts her day at 4 a.m. and attempts to accommodate a barrage of unreasonable requests: assigning children to classes based on their MBTI personality types, or using eucalyptus-infused plant-based wipes during bathroom breaks for the kids. When a parent questions her personal life after spotting her in Seoul’s Apgujeong, she hits a breaking point — her eardrum seemingly bursts — yet

Apr 17, 2026By Park Jin-hai
Comedian Lee Su-ji skewers Korean social absurdities in viral skits
Entertainment

Moon Chae-won joins trend of surprise weddings to noncelebrities

Surprise wedding announcements are rapidly replacing public dating for Korea's top actresses. Actor Moon Chae-won's agency accounced Wednesday she is marrying her noncelebrity partner this June in a private ceremony, with attendance limited to family and close relatives. Moon also shared the news directly through her social media account. "I am getting married this June," Moon said. She added that she looks forward to starting a family and taking on diverse roles in her future projects. The announcement came without her dating publicly beforehand, surprising fans. Actress Jo Bo-ah also made a surprise marriage announcement in 2024, marrying a noncelebrity spouse. Actor Nam Bo-ra avoided public scrutiny over her dating life as well. Nam said on her YouTube channel that she preferred keeping her relationship private before tying the knot. This article from Xportsnews is adapted by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.

Apr 17, 2026By Xportsnews
Moon Chae-won joins trend of surprise weddings to noncelebrities
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