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  • K-pop

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

    Singer-songwriter EJAE — best-known for co-writing and performing the theme song "Golden" for animated film "KPop Demon Hunters" — is set to take the stage at the opening ceremony of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Mexico, Thursday (local time). FIFA announced that she will join a star-studded lineup for a special show ahead of the tournament's kickoff match between Mexico and South Africa at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. She will join legendary tenor Andrea Bocelli and a lineup of special guest singers to debut the official theme song for the tournament, "DNA." "Being a part of the official FIFA World Cup anthem means so much to me. It's especially meaningful because I was able to write Korean lyrics in the song — representing Korea on this stage is such an honor," EJAE said via FIFA. "One of my favorite childhood memories is being in Seoul during the 2002 World Cup, and seeing the city unite. I'll never forget the feeling of seeing strangers on the street hug each other and celebrate. To me, that feeling of togetherness is what the World Cup means, and I'm grateful to be a part of it

    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?
  • K-pop

    BIGBANG unveils plans for world tour marking 20th anniversary

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

    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'
  • Films

    Jun Ji-hyun opens up about 'Colony' role, timeless beauty praised by viewers

    2 MIN READBy Hankookilbo
    Jun Ji-hyun opens up about 'Colony' role, timeless beauty praised by viewers
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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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Entertainment

HYBE appeals court's put option ruling for ex-CEO of ADOR

K-pop powerhouse HYBE has appealed against a court's ruling that ordered the payment of 25.5 billion won ($17.7 million) worth of put options to Min Hee-jin, a former CEO of a HYBE subsidiary named ADOR, judicial officials said Friday. The appeal was filed with the Seoul Central District Court's Civil Division 31 on Thursday after the same court last week dismissed HYBE's lawsuit seeking to confirm the termination of its shareholders' agreement with Min and ruled on the put option payment. HYBE was also ordered by the court on Feb. 12 to pay 1.7 billion won and 1.4 billion won, respectively, to two former ADOR executives for the same reasons. HYBE reportedly demanded in its appeal that the effect of the first trial be suspended until the appellate court makes a decision. The conflict between HYBE and Min began in April 2024 and Min was dismissed as CEO of ADOR in August of that year. HYBE has argued that the termination of the shareholders' contract is valid because Min violated it by seeking to end girl group NewJeans' agency contract with ADOR and pushing for an initial public offering

Feb 20, 2026By Yonhap
HYBE appeals court's put option ruling for ex-CEO of ADOR
K-pop

Rose's 'APT.' tops IFPI's 2025 chart for global singles

Rose's "APT." has topped the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) Global Single Chart 2025, the organization representing the global recording industry said Friday. According to the chart unveiled Sunday (U.S. time), the global hit by the BLACKPINK member and Bruno Mars was the biggest-selling single of last year. "It is the first time the IFPI Global Single Chart has been topped by an artist outside of North America or Europe," it said on its website, adding it is also "the first time a winning single has featured non-English lyrics, reflecting the increasingly global nature of recorded music and the role of labels in breaking language and market barriers." The song is closely followed by "Golden" from Netflix's animated film "KPop Demon Hunters." The IFPI Global Single Chart calculates global consumption of a song, taking into account single-track downloads as well as streams on both free and paid platforms.

Feb 20, 2026By Yonhap
Rose's 'APT.' tops IFPI's 2025 chart for global singles
Shows & Dramas

Kim Tae-ri leads rural drama club in heartfelt new reality show

In tvN’s upcoming variety show “Curtain Up, Class!,” actor Kim Tae-ri, best known for her roles in “The Handmaiden” (2016) and “Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born” (2024), takes on a new challenge as she leads a drama club at an elementary school on the brink of closure. Reflecting on her first fixed role in a variety program, Kim admitted with a laugh, “It was tougher than filming any drama I’ve done,” during an online press conference for the program on Friday. “What drew me in were the keywords: theater, elementary school and a small rural village. They just spoke to me,” she recalled. “At first, I felt this small flutter of excitement, wondering what kind of joys and discoveries I might find there. But midway through filming, the Korean title was suddenly changed from ‘After-school Theater Club’ to ‘Teacher Tae-ri’, and I trembled as I protested, ‘No, you can’t!’” she said, laughing. “Of course there was personal pressure, but honestly, I couldn’t have endured without the other teachers. So while having my name in the title felt overwhelming,

Feb 20, 2026By Park Jin-hai
Kim Tae-ri leads rural drama club in heartfelt new reality show
Films

Budget-friendly films revitalize Korean box office in early 2026

The Korean film industry is seeing a notable recovery already this year, according to industry experts, as the strong performance of mid-budget movies provides a much-needed boost to a market that has struggled for a long time without any blockbusters. They said the box office is currently being led by three distinct mid-budget hits: the historical drama "The King’s Warden," the romance "Once We Were Us” and the breakout musical drama "Choir of God." These films, all produced with modest budgets compared to typical blockbusters, are being praised for their storytelling and strong acting rather than relying on massive spectacle. Leading this resurgence is "The King’s Warden," directed by Jang Hang-jun. As of Thursday, the movie has garnered over 4.17 million admissions, dominating the Lunar New Year holiday season. Produced on a budget of around 10 billion won ($6.9 million), the film has already easily passed its break-even point and is now the highest-grossing film released so far this year. Joining this success is "Once We Were Us," starring Mun Ga-young and Koo Kyo-hwan. A rema

Feb 20, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Budget-friendly films revitalize Korean box office in early 2026
Shows & Dramas

Yoo Jae-suk's travel show returns with 'no apps' experiment in Europe

What happens when Korea’s most seasoned variety star is stripped of Google Maps, booking apps and online searches for traveling? In “Punghyanggo” Season 2, Yoo Jae-suk and his cast are allowed to use only their phones’ call and camera functions — everything else is disabled. That single rule turns the travel series into an unexpectedly fresh experiment in analog adventure in an increasingly digital era. True to its title, which loosely means “going wherever the wind takes you” in Korean, the show embraces spontaneity over strategy. After heading to Vietnam in 2024 for its first season, the team now travels to Austria and Hungary, once again without reservations or pre-planned itineraries. Instead of relying on search engines, they carry printed booklets and navigate by instinct. Their unplanned, reservation-free journey brings viewers a rare sense of spontaneity and rediscovery in travel as “Punghyanggo” offers something in contrast to today’s hyper-organized trips — the messy, uncertain joy of getting lost and finding your way again. The four members — Yoo, Lee

Feb 20, 2026By Park Jin-hai
Yoo Jae-suk's travel show returns with 'no apps' experiment in Europe
K-pop

Legal victory opens new chapter for Min Hee-jin as HYBE, NewJeans face next test

A Seoul court’s ruling ordering K-pop conglomerate HYBE Labels to pay former Ador CEO Min Hee-jin about 25.5 billion won ($17.5 million) in a put option dispute has begun reshaping the next phase of one of K-pop’s biggest corporate battles. While the Feb. 12 decision clarified key legal questions surrounding Min’s shareholder agreement and creative autonomy, it also left a complex web of appeals, ongoing lawsuits and artist negotiations unresolved, placing renewed focus on how Min, HYBE and girl group NewJeans will navigate the months ahead. What court decided The central question in the case was whether Min had committed a substantial breach of her shareholder agreement with HYBE that would allow the company to terminate the contract and block her put option. HYBE argued that Min’s conduct, including efforts to pursue independence for sub-label Ador and her public remarks tied to internal disputes, amounted to a “serious violation” that destroyed mutual trust. Min countered that her put option was valid under the contract terms and that her actions did not meet the legal thr

Feb 19, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
Legal victory opens new chapter for Min Hee-jin as HYBE, NewJeans face next test
Shows & Dramas

'Agents of Mystery' returns for Season 2 on massive new scale

"Agents of Mystery" is returning as a massive open-world adventure that expands its mystery-solving scale to outdoor locations. The second season of the Netflix's puzzle-driven series follows the success of the first season in 2024, which tracked a team of investigators solving strange cases that science cannot explain. "We received some complaints during the first season because it felt too short," producer Jung Jong-yeon said during a press conference in Seoul, Thursday, explaining that the new season expands from six episodes to nine and utilizes outdoor filming to enable more active, dynamic storytelling. The show is the latest project from Jung, who is widely regarded as a master of the mystery and escape show genre, with previous hits such as "The Great Escape," "The Devil's Plan" and "High School Mystery Club." While the first season mostly focused on indoor undercover investigations, the new season aims to captivate global audiences through a significantly larger production scale and improved team chemistry. Returning cast members include comedian Lee Yong-jin, singer John Park, s

Feb 19, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
'Agents of Mystery' returns for Season 2 on massive new scale
K-pop

'Designed by me': BLACKPINK’s Lisa shocks fans with sheer dress photoshoot

BLACKPINK’s Lisa has ignited global fan buzz after unveiling a daring photoshoot featuring a sheer dress she personally designed. On Wednesday, Lisa shared multiple images on social media with the caption “Designed by me.” The photos come from a fashion editorial created in collaboration with a brand, highlighting outfits she took part in designing. The garments accentuate Lisa’s silhouette, with one black sheer dress drawing particular attention. The full-length look reveals the contours of her body beneath translucent fabric, prompting surprise and admiration across fan communities. Online reactions ranged from “Amazing” and “So lovely” to “A true fashion icon,” as fans praised both the bold styling and Lisa’s creative involvement. The reveal also fed ongoing interest in idol-led fashion design, a growing trend among K-pop stars expanding into creative direction and brand collaborations. BLACKPINK recently concluded its “DEADLINE” world tour and is set to return as a full group with the mini-album “DEADLINE” on Feb. 27. This article from Xportsnews is adapt

Feb 19, 2026By Xportsnews
'Designed by me': BLACKPINK’s Lisa shocks fans with sheer dress photoshoot
K-pop

BTS’ RM surprises fans with first driving video after license

BTS leader RM has drawn buzz online after posting his first-ever driving clip — despite previously saying he had no plans to own a car. On Wednesday, RM uploaded a short video with the caption, “Let’s keep smiling and hype it up,” showing himself behind the wheel. The post quickly spread across fan communities and social media, where viewers focused on his visibly tense posture and cautious driving style. RM recently revealed that he had obtained a driver’s license, and this marked the first time he publicly showed himself driving. Acknowledging his awkwardness, he added, “I’m funny too,” poking fun at his own stiffness in the seat. The BTS member also shared the backstory behind his decision to learn to drive. “I don’t plan to buy my own car,” he said, explaining that he pursued the license mainly to overcome a personal trauma rather than for everyday mobility. Fans reacted with amusement and support, with many saying the clip felt relatable and “unexpectedly cute,” contrasting RM’s well-known intellectual image with a beginner driver moment. BTS is scheduled

Feb 19, 2026By Xportsnews
BTS’ RM surprises fans with first driving video after license
Music

'The Rose: Come Back to Me' traces Korean indie band's rise, struggles

“The Rose: Come Back to Me” opens with a familiar image in K-pop storytelling — young musicians chasing a dream — but quickly turns into something less typical: a story about a Korean indie rock band determined to retain creative control, even when it costs them years in court. Released in theaters on Feb. 14, the documentary follows The Rose, a four-member band that has built a global following largely outside the traditional K-pop idol system. Rather than focusing on trainee camps, survival shows or major agencies, the film tracks how the group formed organically, wrote its own songs and tried to protect its creative voice in an industry built around tightly managed idols. That perspective sets it apart from recent Korean pop-centered documentaries. Streaming platforms have spotlighted major idol acts in polished behind-the-scenes features such as “BLACKPINK: Light Up the Sky” and “BTS Monuments: Beyond the Star,” as well as audition docuseries like “Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE.” While “The Rose: Come Back to Me” exists in the same genre of global K-pop document

Feb 19, 2026By Kim Se-jeong
'The Rose: Come Back to Me' traces Korean indie band's rise, struggles
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