Reports show more lesser-known K-pop artists are leaving the industry in their 20s amid unstable income and mental strain; CLC member Kwon Eun-bin, 26, confirmed her retirement and says the group's Taipei concert marking their 11th anniversary will be her final activity
K-pop is moving beyond rigid gendered archetypes as more acts embrace gender-fluid fashion and concepts; boy groups such as NCT are cited as examples of this emerging experimentation in presentation
Source Music announced that LE SSERAFIM member Kim Chaewon has improved from a neck injury and will be resuming her activities after a temporary hiatus to focus on recovery
The Recording Academy will introduce a Best Asian Pop Music Performance category at the 69th Grammys, a change many view as creating a clearer path for Asian artists — including K-pop acts like BTS — to gain recognition at the awards
STARSHIP Entertainment announced on June 18 that law enforcement is investigating its lawsuits over malicious posts aimed at IVE member Jang Won Young, and authorities are in the process of obtaining warrants as part of the probe
SM Entertainment announced that a court has sentenced the person who created and sold deepfake videos of aespa members Karina and Winter to 2 years and 6 months in prison
JYP Entertainment confirmed that NMIXX member Sullyoon will perform seated at the group's Singapore stop of 'EPISODE 1: ZERO FRONTIER' after a recent hospital visit for back pain; she was advised to avoid strenuous movements and intensive choreography
ENHYPEN is reported to be preparing a new album for an August release; agency Belift Lab confirmed the timeline without details. The comeback follows their seventh EP The Sin: Vanish, released about seven months earlier
ENHYPEN will return in August as a six-member group — Jungwon, Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, Sunoo and Ni-ki — marking their first comeback since January's THE SIN : VANISH and their first promotions after Heeseung (now EVAN) left the group in March
K-pop companies are ramping up efforts in India as a growth market, and songwriter Alex Karlsson — who has credits with BTS, SuperM, ENHYPEN and ATEEZ — says India could become one of the world’s five largest music markets within a decade
BTS added a third Jakarta show (Dec. 29) and an extra Bulacan date (Mar. 16), bringing the ARIRANG world tour to 88 performances; the group has also previously added extra shows across the U.S., South America and Australia due to high demand
U-Know Yunho (Jung Yunho) of TVXQ announced his first solo concert tour, U-KNOW PROJECT 26 : SCENE#1, opening with a three-night Seoul residency July 17-19 that sold out, followed by shows across seven Asian markets