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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

CORTIS set to make history at NBA All-Star halftime show

K-pop group CORTIS is set to reach a new milestone in the United States, becoming the first K-pop act to perform at the halftime show of an NBA All-Star Week marquee event — just six months after its debut. According to the NBA and ESPN on Wednesday, CORTIS will take the stage during halftime of the "2026 Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game" on Feb. 13 (local time) at the Kia Forum in California. The NBA and ESPN said CORTIS will be the first K-pop group to headline a halftime show in the history of the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, signaling high expectations for the group’s performance. The All-Star Celebrity Game is one of the signature events of NBA All-Star Week, featuring former NBA players, Hollywood actors, popular rappers and sports stars competing in a lighthearted exhibition match. The game is broadcast live nationwide in the United States on ESPN, drawing significant attention from basketball fans around the world. The appearance underscores CORTIS’ growing presence in the U.S., extending beyond music into the broader sports and entertainment industries. Earlier, the gro

Feb 4, 2026By Hankookilbo
CORTIS set to make history at NBA All-Star halftime show
K-pop

NewJeans removes traces of Danielle, Min Hee-jin, signaling shift to a four-member lineup

Girl group NewJeans has begun erasing traces of ousted member Danielle and ex-label CEO Min Hee-jin across its official platforms. On Tuesday, NewJeans changed its official social media profile photo to an image of its official light stick, the “Binky Bong.” The banner image, previously a group photo, was also replaced with the group’s logo. Search results on platforms now show only the four remaining members when searching for “NewJeans,” with Danielle omitted. On Spotify, the artist bio no longer lists individual member names, and former CEO has also been deleted. The removal of Danielle and Min extends beyond social media to nearly all platforms associated with the group. Although member Minji’s future with the agency remains undecided, the move is widely seen as signaling that NewJeans has effectively entered a new phase as a four-member group. NewJeans attempted to terminate their exclusive contract, accusing Ador of breaching the agreement and seeking to pursue activities independently. However, their path ended abruptly when a court ruled in favor of Ador, confirming t

Feb 4, 2026By Hankookilbo
NewJeans removes traces of Danielle, Min Hee-jin, signaling shift to a four-member lineup
Entertainment

Actor Kim Seon-ho 'deeply reflects' on private firm setup, pays back taxes

Actor Kim Seon-ho has paid additional personal income tax and is shutting down a one-person corporation he established, his agency said Wednesday, following allegations that the controversial entity was used to avoid taxes. The controversy arose after local media recently reported that Kim created the talent agency using his home address in Seoul, with family members listed as executives. Reports suggested Kim received earnings for his entertainment activities through the firm during a previous management contract, prompting speculation that the company was intended to reduce his tax burden. Through his current agency, Fantagio, Kim admitted to having an "insufficient understanding" of managing such an entity. The agency said in a statement that the star "deeply reflects" on his decision to establish and maintain the company. Fantagio explained that Kim founded the company in January 2024 and received settlement payments through it until he signed a new contract with the agency under his personal name in February 2025. Although the agency previously stated the company was created for thea

Feb 4, 2026By Yonhap
Actor Kim Seon-ho 'deeply reflects' on private firm setup, pays back taxes
Shows & Dramas

How far can you go by joining a Korean dating reality show?

Three years after capturing hearts as the emotional center of a dating reality show, Sung Hae-eun is once again setting the internet ablaze — this time with her address. Sung, a breakout star from TVING’s “EXchange 2,” recently revealed that she has moved into an ultra-luxury apartment valued at up to 6 billion won (about $4.5 million), triggering waves of fascination, disbelief and online debate. The update, shared through her YouTube channel on Jan. 30, quickly spread online. The apartment, believed to be located in Jamwon-dong, Seocho District, may be in Maple Xi, one of southern Seoul’s most coveted residential complexes. The property is known for hotel-style perks, including banquet-hall breakfast service, a 25-meter four-lane indoor swimming pool, a fitness center, sauna, golf range, study cafe and shared office spaces — amenities considered exceptional even by Gangnam standards. Prices at the complex reportedly range from 3 billion won to as high as 6 billion won depending on unit size, with an 84-square-meter unit recently rumored to have sold for 5.4 billion won. Th

Feb 4, 2026By Xportsnews
How far can you go by joining a Korean dating reality show?
K-pop

Why K-pop feels engineered: New book breaks down system behind global phenomenon

Like many other things in Korea, K-pop rarely pauses to explain itself. New groups debut, concepts cycle, controversies surface and fade. The industry absorbs the moment, recalibrates and quickly moves on. That forward momentum has long been part of its appeal. It is also what makes the system difficult to read from the outside. However, beneath the choreography and camera-ready polish, a quieter question persists: Why does K-pop feel so engineered, not just in sound or style, but in how its artists are trained, presented and sustained over time? That question sits at the center of "Almost Everything You Need to Know About K-pop," a new book by Choi Jung-kiu, published in Korea last December. Positioned as a cultural primer, the book breaks K-pop into its working parts, grounding its analysis in concrete examples drawn from active idol groups, recent releases and everyday industry practice. Rather than treating K-pop as a trend-driven genre or a series of isolated successes, Choi frames it as a system shaped over time, one in which training, production, performance, technology and fandom

Feb 4, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
Why K-pop feels engineered: New book breaks down system behind global phenomenon
Shows & Dramas

Cha Eun-woo, Kim Seon-ho projects at risk over tax scandals

Actors Cha Eun-woo and Kim Seon-ho are facing mounting pressure as allegations of large-scale tax evasion through family-run corporations threaten to derail their upcoming projects. The two stars, both represented by the agency Fantagio, have come under scrutiny for allegedly using shell companies to reduce their tax burdens, leading to concerns that their highly anticipated dramas may face significant delays or cancellations. Cha allegedly faces a tax bill of over 20 billion won ($13.8 million) after the National Tax Service investigated a company established by his mother. Tax authorities reportedly viewed the firm as a paper company created to split Cha's earnings and apply lower corporate tax rates instead of the much higher individual income tax. The impact is already affecting his career, with several brands removing his advertisements. Cha is currently serving in the military. The controversy is casting a dark shadow over the Netflix original series "The Wonderfools,” which stars Cha alongside Park Eun-bin, known for her 2022 drama "Extraordinary Attorney Woo." Although the ser

Feb 4, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Cha Eun-woo, Kim Seon-ho projects at risk over tax scandals
K-pop

What to know about BTS' free comeback concert at Gwanghwamun Square

With the confirmation that BTS will hold a massive free concert to mark its comeback at Gwanghwamun Square and the adjacent royal palace on March 21, attention is now shifting to how the K-pop megastars will use the historic backdrop for the spectacle. Current predictions suggest a performance that dramatically fuses Korean traditional heritage with state-of-the-art stage production. According to the music industry and Seoul city officials Wednesday, discussions are under way for an opening sequence of "BTS The Comeback Live: Arirang" set to begin at 8 p.m. that day. The seven members are expected to appear from within the palace grounds, walking through Geunjeongmun and Heungnyemun gates before exiting through the main Gwanghwamun Gate with the three major southern gates of Gyeongbok Palace thrown open, according to the sources. This scenario is supported by reports that the group has secured approval to utilize these three gates as well as the "woldae" — a restored ceremonial stage located in front of the main gate, historically used by kings of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) for ro

Feb 4, 2026By Yonhap
What to know about BTS' free comeback concert at Gwanghwamun Square
K-pop

BTS shakes the world before release as ‘ARIRANG’ breaks presave records

Global excitement around BTS is reaching a fever pitch even before the group’s long-awaited comeback officially arrives. BTS’ fifth full-length album, "ARIRANG," surpassed 3 million presaves on Spotify as of Wednesday, signaling explosive worldwide anticipation months ahead of release. The album crossed 1 million presaves just two days after the campaign began, exceeded 2 million by day four and has continued to climb steadily since then. The figure has reignited comparisons with global pop heavyweights. Fans and industry watchers are closely watching whether BTS can overtake the all-time Spotify presave record set by Taylor Swift’s 12th studio album, "The Life of a Showgirl," which drew around 6 million presaves. Momentum is also evident on Spotify’s "Countdown Charts Global," where "ARIRANG" ranked No. 1 for two consecutive weeks on Jan. 21 and Jan. 28. The chart tracks presave activity for upcoming albums and singles and is widely viewed as a barometer of global fan expectations. Interest is spilling over into fan platforms as well. After the album release and world tour annou

Feb 4, 2026By Xportsnews
BTS shakes the world before release as ‘ARIRANG’ breaks presave records
Music

K-pop's 1st Grammy-winning song 'Golden' maintains No. 4 on Billboard chart

"Golden" from the original soundtrack of Netflix's animated film sensation "KPop Demon Hunters" placed fourth on the latest U.S. Billboard singles chart. According to Billboard's chart released Tuesday (U.S. time), "Golden" remained at No. 4 on the Hot 100 for a second consecutive week, extending its streak to 32 weeks on the chart. The track won Best Song Written for Visual Media at the 68th Grammy Awards on Sunday, marking the first-ever Grammy victory for a K-pop genre song. Another track from the same soundtrack, "How It's Done," ranked 59th this week. Hybe's U.S.-based girl group Katseye placed two songs on the chart — "Gabriela" at No. 29 and "Internet Girl" at No. 80 — while its second EP "Beautiful Chaos" came in at No. 56 on the Billboard 200. The group's first EP "SIS (Soft Is Strong)" ranked No. 138. On the albums chart, the "KPop Demon Hunters" soundtrack stood at No. 8, while K-pop boy group Enhypen's latest album "The Sin: Vanish," which debuted at No. 2 last week, dropped to No. 21. Another boy group Stray Kids' "Do It" stayed at No. 88.

Feb 4, 2026By Yonhap
K-pop's 1st Grammy-winning song 'Golden' maintains No. 4 on Billboard chart
Shows & Dramas

Why Korea, Japan are joining forces to make must-watch dramas

Netflix’s romance series “Can This Love Be Translated?” has drawn attention for many reasons, including the casting of Japanese actor Sota Fukushi as Hiro, a Japanese superstar whose initial contempt for Cha Moo-hee (Go Youn-jung) gradually turns into love as the story unfolds. Fukushi’s role is smoothly woven into the narrative as a Japanese celebrity working alongside a top Korean star, with several scenes filmed in Japan. For viewers who follow both Korean and Japanese dramas, the casting of Japanese actors in Korean productions — and vice versa — is becoming increasingly common. More notably, this reflects a broader rise in cross-border content creation between the two countries. The scope of collaboration varies by project. “Can This Love Be Translated?” represents one of the simplest forms, involving mainly casting. Similarly, Season 3 of SBS’ action drama “Taxi Driver,” released November 2025, features Japanese actor Sho Kasamatsu as one of the villains. “Gimbap and Onigiri,” a Japanese drama released on Jan. 12, stars Korean idol-turned-actor Kang Hye-w

Feb 4, 2026By Kim Se-jeong
Why Korea, Japan are joining forces to make must-watch dramas
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