Today in K-Pop

Soompi

Various artists have gathered for KBS’s annual year-end music celebration! Hosted by Jang Do Yeon, Moon Sang Min, and ILLIT’s Minju, the 2025 KBS Song Festival Global Festival was broadcast live from Songdo ConvensiA in Incheon on December 19. Check out all of the performances below! CLOSE YOUR EYES and AHOF – “FIRE” (BTS) AHOF…

Saturday, December 20, 2025

Min Hee-jin says she will launch a boy band, dismisses NewJeans rivalry as auditions flood in
Korea Times

Min Hee-jin, former Ador CEO and the head of newly founded agency OOAK Records, has publicly addressed her next move in the K-pop industry, confirming plans to launch a boy band while firmly rejecting any notion of creating a rival to NewJeans. Appearing live on YTN Radio’s program “Kim Jun-woo’s News Head-On” on Friday, Min spoke openly about her future plans and responded directly to questions surrounding her departure from Ador and her association with NewJeans, the globally popular girl group she previously produced. Min founded OOAK Records in October last year and has since completed corporate registration. Recently, the agency drew attention after opening applications for a closed, in-person audition in partnership with a well-known dance academy — a move that quickly sparked speculation and online buzz about the kind of group she might be preparing. When the host asked whether the new label was preparing to debut a boy group, Min answered candidly. “There’s no reason for me to create a rival to NewJeans,” she said. “If you look at my creative style and the flow

Even the military can’t dim Cha Eun-woo’s charm as he surprises fans with Sohyang meeting
Korea Times

Cha Eun-woo may be serving in the military, but his star power — and looks — remain very much intact. The ASTRO member and actor drew fresh attention this week after veteran vocalist Sohyang shared photos of a surprise meeting with him during an official Ministry of National Defense event, quickly sparking buzz across social media. On Thursday, Sohyang posted several photos on her personal social media account with the caption, “Went to a Ministry of National Defense performance… yay!!” The images show Sohyang standing beside Cha, both smiling brightly in a relaxed and warm atmosphere that fans found instantly heartwarming. Cha appeared with a short military haircut and a neat suit, a look that many fans joked was “too polished for the barracks.” Despite being in active service, his appearance quickly became a talking point online, with fans saying the military “still can’t hide his looks.” The post gained further traction when comedian Jo Hye-ryun left a comment saying “Amazing,” amplifying the moment’s virality among fans and fellow entertainers. The meeting r

Seasonal K-pop beats to get into the Christmas spirit
Korea Herald

As Christmas draws near, the pace of daily life begins to slow, and music often becomes a quiet companion to the season. Christmas songs, in particular, add warmth to cold mornings and late evenings, whether playing softly in cafes or through one’s earphones on the way home. From tender winter love songs to upbeat holiday tracks, these K-pop Christmas releases capture different ways of easing into the season. "Lovin’ the Christmas" by Day6 Day6 is a pioneer of K-pop band music, famous for their

Soompi

This year’s Melon Music Awards has come to a close! Melon Music Awards 2025 was held at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on December 20. G-Dragon won big with seven awards including three Daesang (Grand Prize) awards, taking home Song of the Year, Artist of the Year, and Album of the Year. Jennie received three…

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NCT WISH’s Ryo will not be joining the rest of his group at tonight’s live ceremony for the Melon Music Awards (MMA) 2025. On December 20, SM Entertainment announced that Ryo had developed “flu-like symptoms” and would therefore be unable to attend the Melon Music Awards later that day. However, the agency revealed that because…

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The red carpet at this year’s Melon Music Awards (MMA) was a stylish affair! Ahead of the Melon Music Awards 2025 on December 20, many of the attendees hit the red carpet at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul to pose for photos. Check out photos of this year’s red carpet looks below! IDID KiiiKiii…

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ENHYPEN’s Sunoo has made a generous donation to a meaningful cause! On December 19, Samsung Medical Center announced, “We recently received a donation of 50 million won [approximately $34,000] from ENHYPEN member Sunoo, who is an artist under HYBE Music Group label BELIFT LAB.” Sunoo’s donation will go towards psychological and emotional support programs for…

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The Korean Business Research Institute has revealed this month’s brand reputation rankings for individual boy group members! The rankings were determined through an analysis of the consumer participation, media coverage, communication, and community awareness indexes of 755 boy group members, using big data collected from November 20 to December 20. BTS’s Jimin held onto his…