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  • K-pop

    InterviewKATSEYE reflects on AMA wins as group prepares new release

    Girl group KATSEYE is having its moment. It recently swept all three of its nominations at the 52nd American Music Awards (AMAs) on May 25: New Artist of the Year, Best Music Video for "Gnarly" and Breakthrough Pop Artist. "We never expected to go home with all three awards that night," Sophia said in a written interview with The Korea Times. For a group that debuted less than two years ago, the achievement marks an important milestone in the group's rapid rise. KATSEYE was formed through the 2023 competition reality show "The Debut: Dream Academy," and the members went through the K-pop trainee system, involving months of vocal and dance training under a survival format. Signed jointly under HYBE Labels and Geffen Records, the group debuted in August 2024 with its first EP "SIS (Soft Is Strong)," positioning itself as a bridge between the K-pop world and Western pop audiences. While KATSEYE was conceived as a global pop act, its connection to Korea remains strong. Korea is often among the first stops on the group's promotional schedule, and its members credit the country's music industry

    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?
  • Shows & Dramas

    'His Man' creators return with Korea's first bisexual dating show

    2 MIN READBy Hankookilbo
    'His Man' creators return with Korea's first bisexual dating show
  • K-pop

    BIGBANG unveils plans for world tour marking 20th anniversary

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    BIGBANG unveils plans for world tour marking 20th anniversary
  • K-pop

    Stray Kids' Han to drop solo digital single 'back to life'

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Stray Kids' Han to drop solo digital single 'back to life'
  • Films

    ReviewSpielberg returns to familiar territory with ‘Disclosure Day’

    2 MIN READBy Baek Byung-yeul
    Spielberg returns to familiar territory with ‘Disclosure Day’
  • Shows & Dramas

    From temple stays to TV: The rise of Korea's 'hip Buddhism'

    3 MIN READBy Hankookilbo
    From temple stays to TV: The rise of Korea's 'hip Buddhism'
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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 sets own first-day sales record with 'ARIRANG'

K-pop supergroup BTS has sold more than 4 million copies of its new album "ARIRANG" on the first day of release, marking the band's highest first-day sales to date, its agency said Saturday. BigHit Music said the band's fifth studio album recorded 3.98 million sales in 24 hours after its release Friday. The figure surpasses the group's previous first-week record of 3.37 million copies set by its fourth studio album "Map of the Soul: 7" in February 2020. "Arirang" has also topped iTunes' Top Albums charts in 88 countries and regions, including Italy, Mexico and Sweden, according to the label. Its lead single "Swim" reached No. 1 on iTunes Top Songs charts in 90 markets, such as the United States, Japan, Britain, Germany and France. In South Korea, the track jumped straight to the top of local streaming services Melon and Bugs, with all songs from the album entering Melon's Top 100. Produced under the direction of Hybe Chairman Bang Si-hyuk, the album explores BTS's identity as a group that began in Korea and universal feelings shared through its musical journey. The lead track carries a m

Mar 21, 2026By Yonhap
BTS sets own first-day sales record with 'ARIRANG'
BTS ARIRANG

Fans elated despite big-city exhaustion just hours ahead of BTS’ Gwanghwamun show

Hours before BTS is set to take the stage at Gwanghwamun Square, central Seoul, it had already begun to feel less like a city center and more like a vast, improvised fan village. By Saturday afternoon, sidewalks, subway exits and café terraces surrounding the plaza were packed with fans of BTS — known as ARMY — from across Korea and overseas. Some leaned against barricades scrolling through streaming apps, while others clustered beneath roadside trees, sharing snacks and swapping travel stories while keeping a constant eye on the vastly expanding crowd. The mood was a mix of fatigue and excitement — a familiar paradox for fans who had traveled long distances for a rare chance to witness the group up close. “There are so many people here which makes it quite exhausting, but we’re planning to stay here until the concert starts at 8 p.m.,” said Han Hee-young, 20, who had arrived early with her friend Sugdiyona, 19, from Uzbekistan. The two stood out in the throng with purple balloons and ice-cream cones — the symbolic color of the group — purchased from a nearby café, smal

Mar 21, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
Fans elated despite big-city exhaustion just hours ahead of BTS’ Gwanghwamun show
BTS ARIRANG

‘Distinctly Korean’ BTS bring palace-front spectacle to Gwanghwamun

Global K-pop group BTS returned with their new album “Arirang” to stage a landmark comeback performance at Gwanghwamun Square, Saturday, marking the first time a single artist or group has held a standalone concert at the historic site. Set against the backdrop of Gyeongbok Palace, the performance will highlight what BTS described as a fusion of “K-heritage and K-pop.” Their agency HYBE said it had applied to use the location with that concept, and the Korea Heritage Service granted approval on the condition that the site would be closely monitored to prevent any damage to cultural assets. From their earliest days, BTS have incorporated Korean identity into their music and performances. Their 2013 track “Paldogangsan,” from the mini album “O!RUL8,2?,” showcased regional dialect rap, with members introducing their hometowns using local accents. Lyrics referencing regions such as Daegu and Gwangju delivered both humor and a message of unity, emphasizing that “under the same sky, we are all worthy.” This theme continued in “Ma City” from “The Most Beautiful Moment

Mar 21, 2026By Hankookilbo
‘Distinctly Korean’ BTS bring palace-front spectacle to Gwanghwamun
BTS ARIRANG

Ancient bell sound enters BTS album after museum chief’s inspiration

The resonant sound of Korea’s historic “Emille Bell” has been incorporated into BTS’s latest album, marking a unique fusion of traditional heritage and global pop music. According to the National Museum of Korea on March 20, a high-quality audio recording of the Sacred Bell of Great King Seongdeok — widely known as the “Emille Bell” — was used on BTS’s new track “No. 29,” featured on their fifth full-length album “Arirang.” “No. 29,” the album’s sixth track, serves as an interlude bridging the first and second halves of the record. The audio captures even the subtle “beating” phenomenon — a rhythmic fluctuation in sound intensity that produces a long, lingering resonance often imperceptible to the human ear. During a live broadcast held shortly after the album’s release, BTS leader RM said, “We set the track length to 1 minute and 37 seconds (actually 1 minute and 38 seconds) to match the duration of the bell’s resonance when it is struck.” The title “No. 29” is understood to reference the bell’s former designation as National Treasure

Mar 21, 2026By Hankookilbo
Ancient bell sound enters BTS album after museum chief’s inspiration
BTS ARIRANG

BTS tops brand reputation rankings upon full-group comeback

Global K-pop group BTS has ranked No. 1 in singer brand reputation rankings immediately following their full-group comeback. According to the Korea Corporate Reputation Research Institute, March 21, BTS topped the March 2026 singer brand reputation rankings based on big data analysis. Lim Young-woong placed second, followed by IVE in third, BLACKPINK in fourth and WOODZ in fifth. The singer brand reputation index is calculated by extracting big data on artists whose music is widely consumed, and analyzing consumer behavior. The index evaluates participation, communication, media and community values, along with positive and negative sentiment ratios through a reputation analysis algorithm. BTS returned as a full seven-member group on March 20 with the release of their fifth full-length album “Arirang,” marking their first group comeback in about three years and nine months. The album features 14 tracks, including the lead-off song “SWIM,” and reflects the group’s accumulated experiences and personal reflections, offering a portrait of BTS at their current stage. This article fr

Mar 21, 2026By Hankookilbo
BTS tops brand reputation rankings upon full-group comeback
BTS ARIRANG

Rare appearances, enduring devotion: Why Chinese fans still chase BTS

When Hu Siyi, a 27-year-old Chinese fan of BTS, secured a ticket at midnight for the group’s concert at Gwanghwamun Square, she said she could hardly contain her excitement. “I came to Korea and restarted my undergraduate studies because of them,” Hu said. “I’m so happy that I feel like I might explode just thinking about their comeback.” Drawn in by the group’s music, Hu has been a fan for more than eight years. She said she was particularly drawn to the positive messages in their songs, as well as the members’ talent and involvement in songwriting and choreography. However, the group has had limited exposure in mainland China since Beijing’s unofficial restrictions on “hallyu,” or the Korean wave, following the 2017 deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system. Hu moved to Korea in May 2025, hoping to attend concerts and other in-person events after all the members completed their military service last year. “If they can’t come to where I live, I’ll just come to them.” Hu is among millions of Chinese fans who have remained devoted to

Mar 21, 2026By Alice Li
Rare appearances, enduring devotion: Why Chinese fans still chase BTS
BTS ARIRANG

It's the day! D-Day arrives for BTS Gwanghwamun comeback concert

Intense anticipation continues to grow in Seoul on Saturday as the countdown enters its final hours for BTS’ full-group comeback performance at Gwanghwamun Square, with a massive crowd expected to gather in the Korean capital for the landmark event. The free outdoor concert, scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. and run for approximately one hour, is being staged to celebrate the release of the group’s fifth full-length album, “ARIRANG,” which dropped Friday. The performance will mark BTS’ first major stage in Korea as a complete seven-member act since completing mandatory military service. Authorities estimate that as many as 260,000 visitors could converge on the Gwanghwamun and City Hall area throughout the day. From early morning, fans from across Korea and overseas have begun filling nearby hotels, cafes and tourist sites, lending a festive energy to central Seoul. With a global livestream through Netflix also planned, the concert is expected to reach millions of viewers worldwide. As anticipation builds toward showtime, the Gwanghwamun stage is poised to host one of the most close

Mar 21, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
It's the day! D-Day arrives for BTS Gwanghwamun comeback concert
K-pop

'BTS brings out the good side in me': Filipino fan shares how BTS changed her life

Nobody knew how long fans would have to wait for BTS’ comeback. Filipino BTS fan Sweet Tappan is one of thousands who waited patiently for the seven-member megagroup's return and will finally see them perform at Gwanghwamun on Saturday, following the release of their full-length album “ARIRANG” on Friday. “They really promised to come back. We waited a long time for this so we're really excited,” Tappan told The Korea Times on Friday. She took a red-eye flight from Manila on Thursday night and arrived Friday morning, when she met with The Korea Times to visit sites included in the “BTS THE CITY ARIRANG” program, which allows fans to enjoy promotional events for BTS’ new album while touring historic locations in Seoul. Dressed from head to toe in red, the color of the new album, Tappan already has a packed schedule: On Friday she visited Love Song Lounge, Shinsegae Department Store’s The Heritage, and saw a light show at Sungnyemun, one of Seoul's historic gates, and a drone show at Ttukseom Hangang Park — things she would never do back home in the Philippines, where

Mar 20, 2026By Park Ji-won
'BTS brings out the good side in me': Filipino fan shares how BTS changed her life
BTS ARIRANG

Different passports, same pulse: ARMY counts down the minutes to BTS show in Seoul

Anticipation has peaked across Seoul. From subway platforms to cafe-lined streets, signs of K-pop juggernaut BTS’ impending Gwanghwamun Square performance and its vast global impact are increasingly visible throughout the capital. Light sticks protrude from backpacks, flashes of merchandise are seen as people weave through pedestrian traffic and clusters of overseas visitors move between landmarks that have taken on new symbolic meaning for the group’s worldwide fandom, called ARMY. Although the concert has yet to begin, its influence is already reshaping the city’s atmosphere, transforming central Seoul into a gathering point for a transnational community. Fans from across continents have arrived in steady waves, many describing the trip as the culmination of years of anticipation. “I became a fan during the pandemic,” said Rashika, who flew in from California and headed directly to Gwanghwamun after landing Thursday. “We followed all their solo releases, but seeing them together again feels completely different. It feels like a moment I've been waiting for.” At Gwanghwamun

Mar 20, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
Different passports, same pulse: ARMY counts down the minutes to BTS show in Seoul
BTS ARIRANG

BTS concert weather at Gwanghwamun: Warm with clear skies, but colder at night

Warm spring weather is forecast throughout the weekend, including Saturday, when BTS is set to hold its highly-anticipated comeback concert. But with sharp swings between daytime and nighttime temperatures expected, bringing an extra layer is recommended, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said. At its regular forecast briefing Thursday, the KMA said the Korean Peninsula would remain under the influence of a migratory anticyclone throughout the weekend, bringing clear skies and wide temperature gaps between day and night. Friday’s highs are expected to range from 11 to 17 degrees Celsius, with lows of minus 6 to minus 4 degrees. On Saturday, the day of the BTS concert, highs are forecast at 12 to 18 degrees, while lows will range from minus 7 to minus 4 degrees. Sunday’s highs are expected to reach 13 to 17 degrees, with lows between minus 8 and minus 1 degrees. Although temperatures will remain near the seasonal average throughout the weekend — with lows of minus 6 to minus 2 degrees Celsius and highs of 11 to 17 degrees — caution is needed to stay warm during the nig

Mar 20, 2026By Hankookilbo
BTS concert weather at Gwanghwamun: Warm with clear skies, but colder at night
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