Today in K-Pop

SEOUL, March 18 (Yonhap) -- K-pop boy group Stray Kids will release a new digita...

Stray Kids

SEOUL, March 18 (Yonhap) -- Police said Wednesday they will set up a crowd contr...

BTS

Netflix is pushing ahead with the second-quarter release of an upcoming series starring Cha Eun-woo, despite the actor facing a 20 billion won ($13.8 million) tax evasion scandal in Korea. "As announced at the 'Next on Netflix' event, the release schedule remains unchanged," a Netflix official told Hankook Ilbo Tuesday. "We will announce the specific release date and key dates as soon as they are confirmed." Netflix had previously included "The Wonderfools" among its second quarter releases at the Next on Netflix 2026 Korea showcase held on Jan. 21. After the event, tax evasion allegations involving Cha surfaced, prompting questions about whether the series’ release schedule would be affected. The National Tax Service assessed a 20 billion won tax penalty against the actor. This financial penalty is known to be the largest tax surcharge imposed on a Korean celebrity. Following the controversy, Fantagio, Cha's agency, said it is "reviewing the facts" according to tax authority procedures and will responsibly take necessary measures once legal and administrative judgments become clear. "I

K-pop boy group Stray Kids will release a new digital single titled "Stay" next Wednesday to mark the eighth anniversary of its debut, the group's label said Wednesday. The track will be released at 1 p.m. (Korean time) to mark the day eight years ago when the group debuted. The release serves as a musical tribute to the group's fandom, also known as Stay, JYP Entertainment said in a statement. An online cover image of the digital single was posted on the group's official social media accounts earlier in the day. The eight-member group will hold its sixth official meet-and-greet event for fans at Inspire Arena in Incheon on March 28 to 29 and April 4 to 5. All tickets for the shows have sold out, according to the agency.

Stray Kids

What do a Tony winner, a wrestler, an author and a tennis star have in common? A love for the global phenomenon BTS. As the seven-member boy group gears up for a historic comeback with its first full-length album in six years, its global fandom, known as ARMY, is also preparing to showcase its full support. While K-pop fandoms are widely perceived as predominantly young and female, ARMY has continuously broken the stereotype with demographics spanning not only the globe but also various professions and industries, featuring Oscar winners, rappers and even wrestlers among its ranks. Ahead of Friday’s “ARIRANG” release, here are just some of the famous personalities who are just as excited as you are for the BTS comeback. Naomi Osaka When Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka met BTS’ Suga at an NBA game in 2022, she mentioned loving a lesser-known song of the band — “Autumn Leaves” from their 2015 album “The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Part 2.” The top-ranked women’s singles tennis player at the time then posted that she told Suga, who produced the track, that “it was a

SUGABTS

What do a Tony winner, a wrestler, an author and a tennis star have in common? A love for the global phenomenon BTS. As the seven-member boy group gears up for a historic comeback with its first full-length album in six years, its global fandom, known as ARMY, is also preparing to showcase its full support. While K-pop fandoms are widely perceived as predominantly young and female, ARMY has continuously broken the stereotype with demographics spanning not only the globe but also various professions and industries, featuring Oscar winners, rappers and even wrestlers among its ranks. Ahead of Friday’s “Arirang” album release, here are just some of the famous personalities who are excited for the BTS comeback. Naomi Osaka When Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka met BTS’ Suga at an NBA game in 2022, she mentioned loving a lesser-known song of the band — “Autumn Leaves” from its 2015 album “The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Part 2.” The top-ranked women’s singles tennis player at the time posted that she told Suga, who produced the track, that “it was a great song,” and

SUGABTS

BTS unveiled a teaser for its new main track "Swim" at midnight on Wednesday, drawing attention not only to the song but also to the high-profile names attached to its music video. The 17-second teaser offers limited clues. Nearly five seconds are devoted to the Big Hit Music logo, leaving less than 10 seconds of actual footage, making it difficult to gauge the song’s concept or sound. Music critics say the teaser suggests the music video may cater to the Western pop market rather than emphasize

BTS

Stray Kids will release a digital single on March 25 in celebration of its eighth debut anniversary, label JYP Entertainment announced Wednesday. The cover image for the single “Star, Light (Stay)” features the compass motif used for the group's official light sticks. Each member contributed to the artwork by drawing their own star. Stay is the name of their official fandom community. The group is likely to perform the single at its upcoming fan meeting in Incheon. Under the title, “Stay in Our

Stray Kids

The romantic comedy "Boyfriend on Demand" rose to the No. 1 spot of Netflix's weekly non-English series chart, the streaming giant said Wednesday. The 10-part Korean-language series garnered 4.8 million views for the week ending March 15, topping the charts in 47 countries. It centers on Mi-rae, played by BLACKPINK member Jisoo, a webtoon producer worn down by work who seeks romance through a virtual dating subscription service. The Netflix original has generated buzz for its star-studded cast. Alongside female lead Jisoo, Seo In-guk stars as her opposite. In addition, Seo Kang-joon, Lee Jae-wook, Kim Young-dae, Ong Seong-wu and Lee Soo-hyuk make special appearances in the show, a setup that plays perfectly into the drama's premise of offering viewers a wide variety of boyfriends to choose from. Meanwhile, two other Korean shows made the top 10 list, with the legal fantasy drama "Phantom Lawyer" ranking seventh with 1.8 million views and the romantic series "Still Shining" coming in at No. 10 with 1.2 million views.

JisooBLACKPINK

Netflix's animation sensation "KPop Demon Hunters," which won two Oscars earlier this week, saw its original soundtrack climb on both the main singles and albums charts of the U.S. Billboard, the latest charts showed Wednesday. "Golden" from the soundtrack rose one place to No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100, logging its 38th consecutive week on the chart. Another hit song from the soundtrack, "How It's Done," held steady at No. 86. The film's soundtrack album climbed two spots to No. 11 on the Billboard 200, also extending its chart run to 38 weeks. But the latest ranking reflected data from March 6 to 12, before the Academy Awards took place. Elsewhere on the Billboard 200, K-pop girl group BLACKPINK's new EP, "Deadline," fell from No. 8 to No. 41 in its second week. Boy group Enhypen's "The Sin: Vanish" ranked No. 61, Katseye's "Beautiful Chaos" at No. 116 and Ateez's "Golden Hour: Part. 4" at No. 192. Pop star Harry Styles claimed the top spot on the Billboard 200 with his new album, "Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally," while 12 of its tracks entered the Hot 100, including "American Gi

BLACKPINKENHYPENKatseye

SEOUL, March 18 (Yonhap) -- The romantic comedy "Boyfriend on Demand" rose to th...

Enhypen is showing strong staying power on Billboard charts in the US, continuing upward momentum weeks after the last release. According to the latest chart dated March 21, the group’s seventh EP, “The Sin : Vanish,” jumped 74 spots to No. 61 on the Billboard 200. Since debuting at No. 2 on the Jan. 17 chart, the album has remained on the ranking for eight consecutive weeks. The release also performed well across other album charts. It reclaimed the top spot on Billboard's world albums chart, a

ENHYPEN

SEOUL, March 18 (Yonhap) -- Jennie of K-pop girl group BLACKPINK will headline t...

BLACKPINK

A store employee has sparked controversy after allegedly taking some of the gift certificates a K-pop star had given to fans. The company has apologized and launched an internal investigation. According to the retail industry, Jaemin, a member of K-pop group NCT Dream, sent fans 30 Shinsegae gift certificates worth 100,000 won each ($67) on the night of March 14 to mark White Day. He shared images containing the barcode for each voucher, allowing fans to claim them on a first-come, first-served basis. Some fans who visited an E-Mart branch the next day to exchange the mobile vouchers for paper certificates found that a large portion had already been redeemed at the Gumi branch before the store opened at 10 a.m. The news fueled online suspicion that a store employee had secretly taken the vouchers before opening hours, leading some fans to file complaints directly with Shinsegae Group, which owns and operates E-Mart. After launching an internal investigation, E-Mart confirmed that an employee at the Gumi branch had preemptively redeemed nine of the vouchers. Shinsegae apologized for the inc

JaeminNCT

SEOUL, March 18 (Yonhap) -- Police said Wednesday they will set up a crowd contr...

BTS

President Lee Jae Myung on Wednesday asked for the public's cooperation in ensuring safety at K-pop group BTS' comeback concert in central Seoul this weekend. The group is set to perform at Gwanghwamun Square on Saturday, where hundreds of thousands of fans and visitors are expected, prompting authorities to prepare crowd control and other safety measures. "In order for the event to proceed safely, relevant ministries, the local government, police, firefighting and other agencies are making full preparations," Lee wrote on social media platform X. "Please cooperate with directions from on-site safety personnel and report any ticket scalping, which undermines the market order," he added. As part of security measures ahead of the concert, the government plans to raise the official terror alert by one notch for parts of central Seoul from midnight Wednesday until midnight Saturday.

BTS

Ahead of BTS’ long-awaited comeback concert at Gwanghwamun Square this weekend, as well as their April concert in Goyang, demand for the group’s official light sticks is surging across online resale platforms, triggering price increases and supply shortages. The Army Bomb is the official BTS light stick used by fans, known as Army, at the group's concerts or performances to show support. The latest Army Bomb is the band’s fourth version and its first light stick to be released in six years. Ligh

BTS

Backlash over a K-pop lineup change has spilled into an unlikely target: South Korea’s national pension fund. After ENHYPEN member Heeseung’s reported departure, overseas fans flooded the National Pension Service (NPS) with calls and emails — temporarily paralyzing operations and highlighting how far fan activism can reach. Kim Sung-joo, chairman of the NPS, said on social media on March 18 that the agency’s International Pension Service Center was hit with a sudden surge of overseas inquiries. “International calls came in all at once, temporarily paralyzing operations, and about 1,500 emails were received within two hours,” he said. The unexpected disruption was tied to fan campaigns circulating online that urged supporters to protest to the NPS, a major shareholder of HYBE — the parent company of BELIFT LAB, ENHYPEN’s agency. Fans dissatisfied with Heeseung’s exit reportedly targeted the pension fund in hopes of pressuring the company. Kim clarified that the affected center handles pension services for foreign workers in Korea and Koreans working abroad, meaning regul

ENHYPEN

K-pop supergroup BTS has heightened anticipation for its return with a cinematic teaser for the music video of its upcoming title track, signaling its first full-group comeback in nearly four years. BigHit Music, the label behind the boy band, released the teaser at midnight Wednesday through the group’s official social media accounts and YouTube channel. The clip previews a portion of the melody from “SWIM,” the lead single from BTS’ upcoming fifth full-length album, “ARIRANG,” due Friday. The teaser unfolds with a woman running into an empty museum and scanning its exhibition halls before stopping in front of a large ship model. As the surrounding lights gradually fade, the vessel remains under a spotlight. The scene then shifts to a glimmering ocean, where sunlight reflects off calm waves. The word “SWIM” appears across the water as the video fades out. The music video is directed by Ukrainian filmmaker Tanu Muino, known for her work on Jungkook’s “Standing Next to You” music video as well as projects for global pop acts including Post Malone, Doja Cat and Dua L

BTS

A decade after K-pop group 4Minute disbanded, its members are drawing renewed attention — not for a reunion, but for how far they have drifted from the spotlight. From a secret web novel writer to a Bali-based author and a fitness instructor, their unexpected career pivots are sparking curiosity among fans online. 4Minute, which debuted in 2009, rose to fame with hits like "Hot Issue," "Crazy," and "What's My Name?" before disbanding in 2016. While the group left behind a strong legacy in second-generation K-pop, its members have since carved out strikingly different paths — many far removed from the entertainment industry. One of the most surprising transformations comes from Jeon Ji-yoon, who revealed she has been working as a web novel writer — quietly and under a pseudonym. Appearing on a YouTube show hosted by the channel “ZZIN_PAGE,” she said, "I kept my work as a web novel writer a secret, so I was surprised to be contacted for this appearance." She added, "This is my first time appearing on a broadcast as a web novel writer." Explaining how she entered the field, Jeon s

4Minute

Near-perfect spring weather is in store for Saturday, the day of the K-pop megaband BTS' comeback concert in Seoul, with daytime highs reaching around 15 degrees Celsius, Korea's weather agency said Wednesday. However, those attending the outdoor concert should be mindful of the sharp temperature swings typical of springtime in Korea, and are advised to dress in layers and bring a jacket. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, temperatures are expected to drop to around 4 degrees

BTS

Le Sserafim extended its stay on the Billboard Global Excl. US chart to 20 weeks straight with “Spaghetti (Feat. J-Hope of BTS).” This marks the longest run on the tally for a single released in 2025 from a fourth-generation K-pop girl group, Source Music noted. The funk-pop tune peppered with J-Hope rapping is the lead single from the group’s first single album, which was released in October last year. It debuted on Billboard’s Hot 100 at No. 50 and on the UK’s Official Singles Top 100 at No. 4

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Demand for official merchandise from the K-pop supergroup BTS is surging ahead of its upcoming comeback concert, driving shortages and pushing resale prices sharply higher, according to market data. On Bunjang, an online marketplace for used goods, searches for BTS-related terms — including “BTS light stick,” “BTS concert” and “BTS ticket” — have ranked among the most popular this month, reflecting a concurrent rise in demand for both concert access and merchandise. As of March, search volume for the BTS light stick — widely known as the “ARMY Bomb” — surged 438 percent from the previous month and 1,764 percent from a year earlier. Monthly transaction volume for the item also rose 136 percent over the same period. Supply shortages have begun to surface in the domestic resale market, where listings are selling out within 30 minutes of being posted. Overseas demand is also increasing, with a growing number of transactions for BTS light sticks reported on Mercari, an e-commerce company. Prices of the official light stick have climbed sharply. On the limited-edition tr

BTS

Four former bandmates of Zerobaseone will begin a new chapter as a new group on May 26, according to a local media report Wednesday. YH Entertainment acknowledged that another debut is in the works for Zhang Hao, Ricky, Han Yujin and Kim Gyuvin, but did not provide any specifics. The aforementioned four debuted with the project group in 2023 as finalists of TV competition “Boyz Planet.” The nine-member act extended its group activities by two months and held its final gigs, encore shows for the

RickyZEROBASEONE

Alpha Drive One is preparing for a May return, local media reported Wednesday. Agency WakeOne Entertainment confirmed that the group is preparing a new album, but said the exact timeline is yet to be finalized. The rookie boy band was formed through an audition show and debuted in January with “Euphoria.” The EP sold more than 1.44 million copies in the first week, the second most for a debut album from a group, and the fourth most for a debut album overall, in K-pop history. Last week, the grou

ALPHA DRIVE ONE

Jennie of K-pop girl group BLACKPINK will headline this year's Lollapalooza Chicago, organizers said Tuesday (U.S. time), as a total of four K-pop acts prepare to take the stage at the major U.S. music festival. The 2026 edition of the event is scheduled to run from July 30 to Aug. 2 at Grant Park in Chicago. Jennie is set to share the headlining spotlight with a diverse roster of artists, including Charli XCX, Tate McRae, Lorde, Olivia Dean, John Summit, The Smashing Pumpkins, and The xx. While Jennie has previously performed at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival — appearing with BLACKPINK in 2019 and 2023, and as a solo artist in April last year — this marks her debut at Lollapalooza. Other K-pop acts joining this year's lineup include girl groups aespa and i-dle, as well as rookie boy group Cortis, bringing the total number of acts from the industry to perform at the festival to four.

JennieBLACKPINKAespa

Netflix's animation sensation "KPop Demon Hunters," which won two Oscars earlier this week, saw its original soundtrack climb on both the main singles and albums charts of the US Billboard, the latest charts showed Wednesday. "Golden" from the soundtrack rose one place to No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100, logging its 38th consecutive week on the chart. Another hit song from the soundtrack, "How It's Done," held steady at No. 86. The film's soundtrack album climbed two spots to No. 11 on the Billbo

SEOUL, March 18 (Yonhap) -- The government said Wednesday it will raise the offi...

BTS

SEOUL, March 18 (Yonhap) -- Netflix's animation sensation "KPop Demon Hunters," ...