Stray Kids rev up summer plans with new single, album and world tourStray Kids are looking at a busy summer schedule, unveiling plans for a new digital single, a full album and a world tour. JYP Entertainment said Monday that the group will release the digital single "RUN IT" at 1 p.m. Tuesday. A teaser video released through the group's official social media channels portrays the eight-member act as trailblazing figures moving confidently toward a larger stage, weaving references to the group's heritage into a striking black-and-white visual narrative. According to JYP Entertainment, "RUN IT" captures the expansive energy of a group that has built its identity through self-produced music and established a distinct presence in the global music market. The song is expected to serve as an anthem reflecting Stray Kids' relentless drive to push beyond existing boundaries and reach wider audiences. Anticipation grew further with the announcement of a new album, "THIS & THAT," scheduled for release at 1 p.m. on Aug. 7. The album will mark Stray Kids' first record release of 2026 and their first album in about nine months since "SKZ IT TAPE 'DO IT,'" released in1h agoBy Lee Kyung-min
Stray Kids to drop new album in August, announces new world tourPopular boy group Stray Kids will release a new album in August and embark on a new world tour, the group's agency JYP Entertainment said Monday. The album, "This & That" is due out on Aug. 7. It will mark the group's first new album in nine months, following the release of "Do It" from its "Skz It Tape" project in November. Ahead of the album's release, Stray Kids will drop a digital single, "Run It," at 1 p.m. Wednesday. The pre-release track will be included on the forthcoming album. The group also announced a new world tour, building on the success of its previous run concluded in October. The tour spanned 56 shows across 35 cities, making it the group's largest to date. Further details of the upcoming tour have yet to be announced. Stray Kids recently performed as a headliner at the Governors Ball Music Festival in New York on June 6 (U.S. time) and is scheduled to appear at Brazil's Rock in Rio festival in September.4h agoBy Yonhap
BTS' 'ARIRANG' returns to top 10 on Billboard 200"ARIRANG," the fifth studio album of K-pop supergroup BTS, has returned to the top 10 of the U.S. Billboard's main albums chart. The album climbed one place from the previous week to No. 10 on the Billboard 200 with 34,000 album units in the latest tracking period, Billboard said in a chart preview Sunday (U.S. time). The Billboard 200 ranks the most popular albums of the week in the United States, measured by equivalent album units comprising physical and digital sales, as well as streaming and digital track downloads. Released in March, "ARIRANG" became the first album from a K-pop act to spend three consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the chart. It has now remained on the chart for 13 straight weeks. American pop star Olivia Rodrigo took No. 1 this week with her third studio album, "You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love."5h agoBy Yonhap
Why K-pop stars are getting backup careers — from dog groomers to insurance agentsBehind the glamour of South Korea's entertainment industry, an increasing number of celebrities are preparing for life beyond the spotlight. Facing the uncertainty of careers that can change overnight, several K-pop idols and TV personalities have recently drawn attention for earning professional certifications and building alternative careers — from pet grooming and beauty services to insurance consulting and fitness instruction. The trend has resonated with many young Koreans, who often discuss "backup plans" and career diversification on social media amid growing economic uncertainty. Former Secret member Jun Hyo-seong recently revealed that she obtained a pet care certification. Appearing on comedian Kim Sook's YouTube channel, June 15, Jun said she began considering what she might do if she ever left the entertainment industry. "I earned a pet care manager certification," she said. "I started thinking about what I would do if I were no longer an entertainer, and I realized I wanted to do something that helps animals." Red Velvet member Joy is pursuing a similar path. During a recent1d agoBy Xportsnews
EJAE celebrates ‘extraordinary’ World Cup experience with fiancéEJAE is celebrating a major career milestone with her future husband by her side. The Korean American singer-songwriter shared a series of photos from her trip to Mexico City following her performance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony, including a snapshot with her fiancé, Sam Kim. “Such an extraordinary experience! Mexico City, you are beautiful,” EJAE wrote alongside the Instagram post on Wednesday. In one photo, the couple press their cheeks together while posing at Estadio Azteca, offering fans a rare glimpse into their relationship just months before their wedding. EJAE and Kim are set to tie the knot in November. EJAE took the stage at Estadio Azteca during the World Cup’s opening festivities, joining Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli for a performance of “DNA,” the tournament’s official anthem. David Guetta and Megan Thee Stallion also appear on the recorded track, while EJAE contributed Korean lyrics to the song. The singer also drew attention for wearing sneakers during the performance rather than dress shoes, reportedly to help minimize damage to the stadium’2d agoBy Hankookilbo
Recognition or sidelining? Reactions mixed as Grammys unveil Asian pop categoryThe Grammy Awards will add a Best Asian Pop Music Performance category, a move read as recognition of Asian music's global reach after years of criticism that the show favored English-language acts and lagged behind the times. The Recording Academy, which runs the Grammys, announced the rule change on its website Tuesday (local time). The new category takes effect at the 69th Grammy Awards next year, alongside four others — Best Latin Song, Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance, Best R&B Collaboration or Duo/Group Performance and Best Traditional Folk Album. For Korea, the Asian pop category was the most welcome news of the bunch. BTS and other K-pop acts have topped Billboard's main chart and sold out world tours for years, yet the Grammys remained the one stage they could not crack. Because Grammy wins were especially hard to come by, some saw the change as a milestone cracked open by years of persistent knocking from K-pop music. "Now that there is finally a category where K-pop artists can be officially recognized, it opens the door for far more artists to enter the conversation tJun 18, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
ENHYPEN returns as 6-member group after major lineup changeAfter months of speculation following a member's departure, K-pop boy group ENHYPEN is set to make its first comeback as a six-member act. ENHYPEN — Jungwon, Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, Sunoo and Ni-ki — will release a new album in August, marking the group's return to the music scene after seven months. The upcoming release will be ENHYPEN's first since its seventh EP, "THE SIN : VANISH," which came out in January and further cemented the group's global popularity. The comeback is drawing particular attention because it will be the group's first promotional cycle since Heeseung, now known by the stage name EVAN, left the group in March. The lineup change sparked widespread discussion among fans, making the August return one of the most closely watched K-pop comebacks of the second half of the year. ENHYPEN previously achieved its fourth double-million-selling album with "THE SIN : VANISH." The release also spent 10 consecutive weeks on the Billboard 200, Billboard's main albums chart in the United States, underscoring the group's growing international reach. Industry sources said the groupJun 18, 2026By Xportsnews
U-Know Yunho of TVXQ announces 1st solo concert tour across AsiaU-Know Yunho has been anchoring packed stadium shows for the last 20 years as one-half of the seminal K-pop duo TVXQ!. Now, the veteran K-pop star is stepping into the spotlight entirely on his own, announcing a highly anticipated solo concert tour that signals a new chapter in a remarkably enduring career. His agency, SM Entertainment, unveiled Thursday the itinerary of the tour, titled “U-KNOW PROJECT 26 : SCENE#1.” The announcement immediately ignited a flurry of excitement across social media platforms, underscoring the singer’s continuous draw in an industry notorious for its rapid turnover of talent. The tour is scheduled to open in Seoul with a three-night residency at the Ticketlink Live Arena in Olympic Park from July 17-19. Demonstrating his formidable power as a standalone act, tickets for all three initial dates sold out immediately upon release. Following the Seoul engagement, the 40-year-old artist will embark on a sweeping regional tour across seven major Asian markets. The itinerary includes stops in Macau on Aug. 8, Singapore on Aug. 15, Bangkok on Aug. 29, TaipeiJun 18, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
BTS expands world tour to 88 shows, adding Jakarta, BulacanBTS has added two concerts to its ongoing “BTS WORLD TOUR ‘ARIRANG,’” expanding the trek to a total of 88 performances, the group said through global fan platform Weverse. The newly announced dates include additional shows in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Dec. 29 and in Bulacan, the Philippines, on March 16 next year. The Jakarta stop had originally been scheduled for Dec. 26 and 27 at Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium, but demand prompted organizers to add a third night on Dec. 29, according to the announcement. In Bulacan, the group had been set to perform on March 13 and 14 at Philippine Sports Stadium before adding the March 16 concert. The latest additions continue a series of expanded stops across the tour as BTS draws strong demand in multiple markets. The group previously added one extra performance each in Tampa, Florida; Stanford, California; and Las Vegas in the United States, as well as in Lima, Peru; Santiago, Chile; Buenos Aires, Argentina; and Melbourne, Australia. BTS recently completed its stop at Busan Asiad Main Stadium on Friday and Saturday, performing for approximatelyJun 18, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Boy group CORTIS' 'RedRed' tops 100 mil. Spotify streamsRising rookie boy group CORTIS has surpassed 100 million streams on Spotify with its latest hit "RedRed," its agency said Thursday. The track, the lead single from the group's second EP, "GreenGreen," crossed the milestone Tuesday, just 57 days after its release on April 20, according to BigHit Music. With the feat, the quintet became the fastest K-pop boy group that debuted within five years to hit 100 million streams, according to the agency. The group has performed "RedRed" at a range of venues, including university festivals and a street cheering event for the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Seoul's Gwanghwamun Square. Riding the track's popularity, Cortis has sold out all nine dates of the Incheon and North American legs of its first tour, according to the agency. After North America, the group is scheduled to continue the tour in Seoul and Yokohama, Japan, until early September.Jun 18, 2026By Yonhap
