Today in K-Pop

Blackpink is set to make its long-awaited return to the K-pop scene with a third EP, titled “Deadline,” on Feb. 27, according to YG Entertainment on Thursday. The agency announced the release through a teaser video on its official social media channels, unveiling a motion graphic teaser that featured a burst of neon-pink light slicing through a black screen — both signature colors of the group — to signal the group’s return. The upcoming album shares its name with Blackpink’s world tour that beg

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K-pop pioneer BoA has officially ended her 25-year relationship with SM Entertainment, setting off intense speculation about whether she is preparing for retirement — or a dramatic reunion with SM founder Lee Soo-man. SM confirmed Monday that BoA’s exclusive contract had expired and would not be renewed. Industry watchers had expected a renewal, making the sudden “clean break” all the more surprising. In its farewell statement, SM praised BoA as “the icon of overseas expansion” and “the star of Asia,” saying, “Although our exclusive contract has ended, we sincerely support BoA as she begins new challenges and continues to shine as Asia’s star.” The company also released a tribute video on BoA’s YouTube channel, chronicling her journey from her debut at age 13 in 2000 to today. The video closed with the message, “We sincerely support every moment of BoA, who will forever shine as No.1.” BoA responded with her own message, saying, “As much as we gave to each other, I am leaving without regret. Thank you for the time we shared, and I will continue to support th

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For nearly a decade, Korea’s entertainment industry has faced a long, dark tunnel when it comes to China. Now, however, a faint light appears to be emerging at the far end. China’s long-standing restrictions on Korean pop culture — commonly referred to as the hallyu or Korean wave, ban— are showing signs of gradually easing. At Chinese music retailers, K-pop albums have returned to store shelves and are once again displayed prominently. On Chinese streaming platforms, a local remake of the Korean drama “My Mister” has been unveiled. The shift in atmosphere is even fueling cautious optimism about the possibility of a government-level K-pop concert backed by the Korean government in China — something that had previously failed to materialize. The Hallyu ban effectively took hold in 2016, following Korea’s deployment of the U.S.-built Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system, which Beijing viewed as a threat to its security interests. Although the Chinese government never formally announced the measure, it functioned as a sweeping, unofficial ban

Danielle, who was removed from K-pop girl group NewJeans amid a contract dispute, is expanding her online footprint just as her legal battle with her former agency intensifies — fueling speculation that she may be preparing for overseas activities. The singer recently opened an account on Xiaohongshu, also known as RedNote, one of China’s most influential lifestyle and social media platforms often described as the country’s version of Instagram. Although Danielle has yet to post any content, her follower count has already surpassed 10,000, highlighting continued fan interest despite her ongoing controversy. Her older sister, Olivia Marsh, who also operates a RedNote account, followed Danielle on the site, further confirming the authenticity of the newly created profile. The move comes just days after Danielle opened an Instagram account on Monday and hosted her first live broadcast at 7 p.m. the same day. It marked her first official appearance since Ador notified her of the termination of her exclusive contract. At the time, the law firm representing Danielle said the livestream w

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Girl group Lightsum is rolling out a digital single from its first subunit on Thursday, according to Cube Entertainment. Sangah, Chowon and Juhyeon have formed a trio and unveiled their retake on BTOB’s 2018 single “Beautiful Pain.” They shared their thoughts on the endeavor via the agency. "We are truly happy to be the first subunit and are excited to be able to show our different sides," said Chowon. Juhyeon added that the three have performed together often since their trainee days, and the s

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Katseye’s second EP was the seventh bestselling album in the US last year, according to a year-end report published by entertainment data firm Luminate on Thursday. “Beautiful Chaos” tallied 186,000 CD sales, as the only girl group in the top ten. The mini album was released in June 2025 and hit No. 4 on Billboard 200. It has stayed on the chart for 28 weeks straight, ranking No. 32 on the latest chart. The six-member multinational group debuted in 2024 in the US and has three songs on Billboard

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G-Dragon is invited to headline a major K-pop festival in Kuala Lumpur, the event organizer announced Thursday. He is set to launch “K-Spark Malaysia 2026,” which will be held at a landmark stadium in the Malaysian capital city on Jan. 31. It will be the third time in a row he is joining the lineup for the music event, which this year also includes Itzy and Hwasa. His Malaysian fans will be welcoming the artist back about six months since his solo world tour “Ubermensch” stopped there. The 39-sh

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Kang Daniel will begin his mandatory military service on Feb. 9, his agency ARA announced on Thursday. He will serve in the army after the basic training camp, it added. The singer has been preparing to put his career on hold. At a June media conference held to introduce his sixth EP “Pulsephase,” he promised to show as much as he can as a singer before his enlistment. Kang also held a fan concert in December to bid fans a temporary farewell. His absence will especially be felt in Wanna One, whi

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Girl group BLACKPINK will release its third EP, "Deadline," on Feb. 27, the group's label, YG Entertainment, said Thursday. YG unveiled a video announcing the K-pop quartet's comeback on its official blog. "Deadline" will mark the first album from the group in three years and five months since "Born Pink" in September 2022. The group released the digital single "Jump" in July but showcased its distinctive musical colors more through active solo projects during the group's break. YG said the album's title, "Deadline," is the same as that of BLACKPINK's latest world tour, which began in July in Goyang, just northwest of Seoul. It added the comeback will serve as a grand finale to the tour. While the group had already completed major work on the album, including the filming of a music video, the release was postponed from last year to this year to further enhance its quality. "We sincerely thank fans for their patience over the long wait," YG said. "We plan to repay their support with highly refined music and ask for continued interest." BLACKPINK will wrap up its world tour with concerts at T

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SEOUL, Jan. 15 (Yonhap) -- Girl group BLACKPINK will release its third EP, "Dead...

BLACKPINK

Singer Kang Daniel will begin his mandatory military service Feb. 9, his agency, ARA, said Thursday. The 29-year-old had signaled his plans for enlistment during a press showcase for his sixth EP in June last year, expressing his desire to show as much as he can as a singer before starting his service. Last month, he held his final fan concert in Seoul, an interactive show that combines performances and fan events, before his departure. All able-bodied South Korean men are required to serve at least 18 months in the military in a country that faces security threats from North Korea. Kang Daniel debuted in 2017 and quickly rose to prominence as a member of the project boy group Wanna One. It was formed through the Mnet audition program "Produce 101" Season 2. Following the group's activities, he continued to find success through various solo projects. While Wanna One disbanded at the end of 2018 after 18 months of activity, it is scheduled to be reunited for a reality show on the same TV channel in the first half of this year. According to media reports, Kang is currently discussing ways t

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SEOUL, Jan. 15 (Yonhap) -- Singer Kang Daniel will begin his mandatory military ...

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Blackpink member Rose has claimed the top spot on TC Candler’s “100 Most Beautiful Faces of 2025.” The US-based film site announced the annual list through its official YouTube channel, which highlights female celebrities worldwide based on global fan votes. Several K-pop stars also ranked high on the list. Karina of Aespa ranked 8th and Jisoo of Blackpink was 11th. Nana, who previously placed 1st two years in a row in 2014 and 2015, was 18th. Other notable entries included Twice’s Tzuyu (20th),

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