Today in K-Pop

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It’s official: P1Harmony is gearing up for a return in March! On January 20, FNC Entertainment confirmed, “P1Harmony is currently in the midst of preparing with the goal of a March comeback.” P1Harmony’s upcoming return will mark their first Korean comeback in approximately 10 months, following the release of their eighth mini album “DUH!” in…

Tuesday, January 20, 2026

Korea Heritage Service gives conditional nod to BTS' Gwanghwamun comeback show
Korea Times

The Korea Heritage Service (KHS) conditionally approved HYBE’s proposal to stage a large-scale “K-heritage and K-pop fusion performance” in and around some of Seoul’s most symbolic cultural heritage sites, including Gyeongbok Palace, Gwanghwamun and Sungnyemun. The decision came Tuesday after the agency’s Cultural Heritage Committee reviewed HYBE’s request to use and film within the heritage zones. The committee’s palaces and tombs subcommittee passed the plan with conditions and decided to form a smaller working group to further examine detailed measures and potential impacts on the heritage environment, according to the KHS. HYBE, home to global K-pop powerhouse BTS, recently submitted an application seeking permission to use multiple heritage locations for a concert and a media facade event. The requested sites include areas of Gyeongbok Palace such as Geunjeongmun Gate and Heungnyemun Gate, Gwanghwamun and Woldae (stone platform) zone and surrounding walls, as well as Sungnyemun, also known as Namdaemun.

P1Harmony to return in March: report
Korea Herald

P1Harmony is preparing to return with a new album in March, according to a local media report Tuesday. Agency FNC Entertainment confirmed the March comeback following the report. The new release follows ten months after the group's eighth EP “Duh!” which entered the Billboard 200 at No. 23. In September, P1Harmony released its first English-language full album, “Ex,” which made the main albums chart at No. 9. “Pretty Boy,” a B-side track from the eighth EP, was chosen as one of “The 40 Best K-Po

SM unveils new strategy, boy group debut amid key departures
Korea Herald

SM Entertainment on Tuesday unveiled a new musical and business strategy ahead of its 30th anniversary. The move likely seeks to address concerns over the agency’s creative direction following the departures of key figures who helped shape its sound and identity. As part of its new roadmap, dubbed SM Next 3.0, the company announced it would transition from its multi-production structure to a new “multi-creative” system, which aims to place artists and creative professionals at the center of its

SM Entertainment founder eyes return as non-compete nears end
Korea Herald

With several high-profile K-pop comebacks lined up this year — including BTS, Big Bang, Exo and Wanna One — industry attention is also turning to a different kind of return: that of Lee Soo-man, widely regarded as the architect of modern K-pop. Lee, the founder of SM Entertainment and now the key visionary behind Singapore-based A2O Entertainment, is expected to resume activities in Korea in March after a three-year non-compete clause tied to his deal with Hybe expires. Lee agreed to the restric

G-Dragon's agency bags presidential citation for APEC summit contribution
Korea Herald

Galaxy Corp., K-pop star G-Dragon's agency, has received a presidential citation in recognition of its significant contributions to the hosting of the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province. According to the agency on Tuesday, the citation was presented on Jan. 2 "in acknowledgment of Galaxy Corp.'s notable contribution to national development." Over the days leading up to and during the summit, Galaxy Corp. saw G-Dragon appointed as the official APE

Blackpink’s 3 shows in Tokyo draw 165,000 fans
Korea Herald

Blackpink drew 165,000 fans to its three-night show at Tokyo Dome, according to label YG Entertainment on Tuesday. It was the third time the foursome took the stage at the venue and marked the penultimate event of its world tour “Deadline,” which will hold its grand finale in Hong Kong this week. The tour spanned 16 cities for 33 shows, and will be followed by a third EP of the same title. The mini album is set to be released on Feb. 27 and will mark Blackpink’s first full-group album in approxi

I-dle to drop single next week
Korea Herald

Girl group I-dle will bring out single “Mono” on Jan. 27, agency Cube Entertainment announced Tuesday. The news came in the form of a teaser video, “Play the Whole World in Mono,” which, befitting the title, was shot in black and white, with minimalist beats. The upcoming single will feature British rapper Skaiwater. The upcoming single is likely to be a prerelease from its next album although neither the release date nor the format are confirmed. The group’s last set was eighth EP “We Are,” its

Cortis amasses 100m Spotify streams with ‘Fashion’
Korea Herald

Cortis reached 100 million plays on Spotify with “Fashion” as of Sunday, label Big Hit Music announced Tuesday. This is the second song by the rookie group to reach the milestone on the platform, after “Go!” Both songs are B-side tracks from Cortis' debut album “Color Outside the Lines,” which was released in September. “Go!” was released about a month earlier and generated 100 million streams in 113 days, the shortest time for a song from a K-pop boy group last year. The five-track EP logged 1

Soompi

CRAVITY’s Jungmo has officially made his acting debut! Jungmo stars in the short-form drama “I’m Not a Killer, I’m a Writer” (literal title), an action comedy that follows Dokgo Jin, an aspiring drama writer with no ties to the criminal underworld, who suddenly finds himself inhabiting the body of ace assassin Baek Do Yoon. As…

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SM Entertainment is taking a strong stand against malicious acts targeting its artists. On January 20, SM Entertainment released a statement regarding ongoing legal action to protect the rights of its artists. Read SM Entertainment’s full statement below: Hello, this is SM Entertainment. We have recently confirmed that some users on X (formerly Twitter) have…

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Park Ji Hoon may be gearing up for another potential project! On January 20, News1 reported that Park Ji Hoon has been offered the lead role in the upcoming drama “Promoter”(literal title) and is currently reviewing the offer. In response, his agency YY Entertainment stated, “‘Promoter’ is one of the projects he has been offered,”…

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If you feel a little under the weather or just a bit blah, a blue makeup look might be for you! Adding a hint of blue is a gorgeous way to switch up your mood. From everyday applications to bold looks that’ll make everyone stop and stare, these idols know how to put that little…

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“IDOL I” has unveiled new stills ahead of tonight’s episode! “IDOL I” is a mystery courtroom romance drama starring Girls’ Generation’s Sooyoung as Maeng Se Na, a star lawyer and devoted fan who takes on the case of her favorite idol Do Ra Ik (Kim Jae Yeong) after he is accused of murder. Spoilers The…

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Former “Boys II Planet” contestant Taichi will be joining Wavve’s queer variety show “His Man 4”! On January 20, a representative from “His Man 4” stated, “Taichi will be appearing on ‘His Man 4.’” “His Man” is a queer dating reality show featuring men who dream of finding true love, and it is currently preparing…

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i-dle is gearing up for their return! On January 20, i-dle dropped a clip titled “Play the whole world in Mono” for their upcoming digital single. “Mono” featuring non-binary British artist Skaiwater is set to be released on January 27 at 6 p.m. KST. Check out the teaser below: