Today in K-Pop

Since its release on March 6, Netflix’s "Boyfriend on Demand," starring BLACKPINK’s Jisoo, has captured both local curiosity and global buzz. Beyond its star power and glossy production, the show taps into a distinctly modern fantasy — the comfort of love without the risk of heartbreak. At the heart of the story is Seo Mi-rae, a webtoon producer worn down by deadlines, a difficult author she manages and the emotional residue of a breakup. Her ex-boyfriend is about to marry someone else. Out of loneliness, exhaustion and a flicker of curiosity, she turns to a virtual reality subscription service promising up to 900 kinds of love. With a simple headset and the push of a button, Mi-rae can meet boyfriends who fulfill every imaginable romantic ideal — from a devoted CEO to a sentimental artist — all without the messy unpredictability of real life. Fans adore its straightforward bliss. "I miss K-dramas just for fun — no murders, just love and butterflies," one Reddit user raved. Others nod to its real-world edge: "It nails the fear of relationships ending," while another mused, "P

JisooBLACKPINK

Latin boy band Santos Bravos released its first EP, “Dual,” on Friday, marking the group’s first new music in about two months, according to Hybe Latin America on the same day. According to the label, the six-track album highlights the group’s contrasting musical styles, blending genres such as reggaeton, Brazilian funk and club-inspired sounds. The lead track, “Mhm,” is a Latin pop song built on soft synths and percussion, paired with the group's warm vocals. The song captures the excitement of

Santos Bravos

K-pop agencies are accelerating their push into overseas markets this month, unveiling new music from global acts positioned beyond the traditional K-pop idol framework. March has seen fresh releases from JYP Entertainment's global girl group GIRLSET and HYBE Labels' Latin boy band SANTOS BRAVOS, underscoring how major labels are continuing to refine exportable versions of the K-pop production system. GIRLSET, rebranded from VCHA, returned March 6 with the digital single "Tweak," a track shaped by JYP's founder and chief producer Park Jin-young alongside Grammy-winning hitmaker Diego Ave. Built on a sleek blend of late-1990s R&B textures, the song draws on vintage sonic references while maintaining K-pop's polished performance focus. The accompanying music video also quickly gained traction online, with the clip surpassing 10 million views on YouTube by Thursday and reaching No. 1 on the platform's worldwide music video trending chart shortly after its release. HYBE's Latin boy band SANTOS BRAVOS followed with the release of its first mini album, "DUAL," Friday. The six-track project pre

GIRLSETSantos BravosVCHA

K-pop supergroup BTS released an animated teaser Friday for its upcoming full-length album “Arirang,” using imagery tied to the global journey of Korea’s best-known folk songof the same name. The video, posted on the group’s official social media accounts, opens with seven young men winding a gramophone as the melody of “Arirang” begins to play. They are later shown crossing the Pacific Ocean by boat, a symbolic narrative that frames the song’s spread beyond Korea. The clip transitions to a modern concert setting, depicting BTS performing before rotating crowds, linking the group’s contemporary global success with the folk song’s historical movement overseas. BigHit Music said the concept was inspired by records showing that one of the earliest known recordings of “Arirang” was made in Washington, D.C., in 1896. The agency described the video as an attempt to introduce international audiences to the cultural and emotional background of the song. “We wanted to share the story behind ‘Arirang’ with listeners who may not be familiar with it,” the agency said. BT

BTS

BTS has released an animated video inspired by the Korean folk song “Arirang” ahead of the group’s upcoming album of the same name. The video begins with a scene set in 1896, showing seven young men gathered around a phonograph. As the device is wound up, the melody of “Arirang,” widely regarded as Korea’s most representative folk song, begins to play. The story then follows the characters as they cross the Pacific Ocean by ship and record the song in a foreign country, sharing it with local aud

BTS

Netflix's record-breaking animated feature "KPop Demon Hunters" will get a sequel, the streaming company said Friday. Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, who directed the original, will return to helm the sequel to Netflix's most popular film of all time, according to the company. "I feel immense pride as a Korean filmmaker that the audience wants more from this Korean story and our Korean characters," Kang was quoted as saying. "There's so much more to this world we have built, and I'm excited to show you. This is only the beginning." Since the film, produced by Sony Pictures Animation, premiered in June 2025, it has garnered more than 500 million views. "We're excited to write their next chapter, challenge them and watch them evolve -- and continue pushing the boundaries of how music, animation and story can come together," Appelhans said of the sequel. The film has received Oscar nominations for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song for "Golden." The award ceremony will be held Sunday (U.S. time).

South Korea’s K-pop industry may be entering a new phase of competition in 2026, as several prominent producers and entertainment companies prepare to launch new boy bands in the first half of the year. The renewed attention comes as veteran producer Lee Soo-man reached the end of a three-year noncompete agreement in late February, following his departure from SM Entertainment in 2023. With Lee expected to return to the Korean market with a new boy band, industry observers say the coming months

A snippet of BTS’ soon-to-be-released album, “Arirang,” was unveiled Friday. A sliver of animated film set in the 19th century shows seven young men gathered in front of a gramophone, which winds up to play the Korean traditional song “Arirang.” They then cross the Pacific Ocean, recording and singing songs before the backdrop switches to BTS on stage, awashed in its signature color, purple. The final scene has the seven members standing tall in front of Gwanghwamun, where they are set to hail t

BTS

SF9 is bringing out the special album “About Love” on March 25 to celebrate its tenth anniversary, agency FNC Entertainment said Friday. It will be the group’s first group effort in about a year, after its 15th EP “Love Race.” Inseong hinted at the new album last week. Wrapping up promotions for his first solo album, EP “Crossfade:,” he thanked fans for the support and asked them to keep their expectations high. The teaser clip for the new album only shows six members of the octet, however. Yoo

Aespa will return in May with a new album, according to a local media report on Friday. The group’s last album was the sixth EP “Rich Man,” which sold over 1 million copies. It joined Asespa's five EPs and first LP, “Armageddon,” which have also reached 1-million seller status. Five of them achieved the feat in a week, starting from the second EP “Girls,” a first-ever for a K-pop girl group. Focus track of the same title from the sixth mini album earned the group first place on domestic televisi

Aespa

SEOUL, March 13 (Yonhap) -- Netflix's record-breaking animated feature "KPop Dem...

Since its release on March 6, Netflix’s "Boyfriend on Demand," led by BLACKPINK’s Jisoo, has captured both Korean curiosity and global buzz. Beyond its star power and glossy production, the show taps into a distinctly modern fantasy — the comfort of love without the risk of heartbreak. At the heart of the story is Seo Mi-rae, a webtoon producer worn down by deadlines, a difficult author she manages and the emotional residue of a breakup. Her ex-boyfriend is about to marry someone else. Out of loneliness, exhaustion and a flicker of curiosity, she turns to "Boyfriend on Demand," a virtual reality subscription service promising up to 900 kinds of love. With a simple headset and a button, Mi-rae can meet boyfriends who fulfill every imaginable romantic ideal — from a devoted CEO to a sentimental artist — all without the messy unpredictability of real life. Fans adore its straightforward bliss. "I miss K-dramas just for fun — no murders, just love and butterflies," one Reddit user raved. Others nod to its real-world edge: "It nails the fear of relationships ending," while another

BLACKPINK

As K-pop juggernaut BTS prepares to return to the stage at Seoul’s historic Gwanghwamun Square, fans from around the world are once again planning journeys that extend far beyond a single night of music. For many members of ARMY, BTS' official fandom, traveling to Korea is not simply about attending a concert. It is about stepping into the physical landscapes that shaped the group’s story, tracing the arc from uncertain trainee years to global influence. Across Seoul and beyond, buildings, cafes, coastal landmarks and performance sites have quietly evolved into a living map of BTS' rise. Some are grand symbols of the group’s transformation. Others are modest, almost hidden spaces that carry emotional resonance precisely because they reflect the ordinariness of the members’ early lives. Together, they form an unofficial pilgrimage route that continues to grow in significance each time BTS embarks on a new chapter. HYBE Labels headquarters, Yongsan District, Seoul Few places illustrate the scale of BTS' sheer impact more clearly than HYBE’s glass-and-steel headquarters in Yongsan

BTS

BTS is expected to conduct rehearsals at a separate location ahead of their upcoming comeback performance at Gwanghwamun Square, according to local media reports Friday. The rehearsal will be held off-site in consideration of safety and security ahead of the group’s highly anticipated concert scheduled for March 21, at 8 p.m. As rehearsals are typically held at the performance venue, some fans had hoped to catch a glimpse of the group before the show. While rehearsals. The decision to rehearse e

BTS

Kep1er will host its second fan meeting in Japan in May, agency Klap Entertainment announced Friday. Under the title “Kep1arcade,” the group will take the stage six times across three cities — Osaka, Tokyo and Nagoya. The members will meet fans about three years after their first fanmeet held in Tokyo, and over six months after their “Kep1asia” brought them to three cities in the country. On March 31, the group will release its eighth EP, “Crack Code,” marking its first album since it reorganize

Kep1er

Since its release on March 6, Netflix’s "Boyfriend on Demand," led by BLACKPINK’s Jisoo, has captured both Korean curiosity and global buzz. Beyond its star power and glossy production, the show taps into a distinctly modern fantasy — the comfort of love without the risk of heartbreak. At the heart of the story is Seo Mi-rae, a webtoon producer worn down by deadlines, a difficult author she manages and the emotional residue of a breakup. Her ex-boyfriend is about to marry someone else. Out of loneliness, exhaustion and a flicker of curiosity, she turns to "Boyfriend on Demand," a virtual reality subscription service promising up to 900 kinds of love. With a simple headset and a button, Mi-rae can meet boyfriends who fulfill every imaginable romantic ideal — from a devoted CEO to a sentimental artist — all without the messy unpredictability of real life. Fans adore its straightforward bliss. "I miss K-dramas just for fun — no murders, just love and butterflies," one Reddit user raved. Others nod to its real-world edge: "It nails the fear of relationships ending," while another

JisooBLACKPINK