Today in K-Pop

Baby Dont Cry is back, returning with a debut EP featuring a star-studded lineup of producers. The K-pop quartet — consisting of Korean members Yihyun and Beni, and Japanese members Kumi and Mia — is the a girl group under Psy’s agency, P Nation. The group debuted in June 2025 with the single "F Girl" and returned about four months later with its second single, "I Don’t Care." Now they are back again, having worked with high-profile producers including Ryan Jhun, Kim Eana and Giriboy for their n

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Heeseung, who recently left K-pop boy band ENHYPEN, spoke out for the first time since announcing his departure from the group. “I’m sure the news came as a surprise, but I’m fine,” he said during a video call with fans on Sunday. The event, scheduled before he announced his exit from the group on March 10, was his first official engagement with fans since then. It was held under the slightly revised name “Heeseung and ENHYPEN.” “I feel sorry for the members,” Heeseung reportedly said. He was also quoted as saying that his album is set for release soon, hinting at a solo debut soon. Fans reacted to the event with mixed feelings, as it was still carried out under ENHYPEN’s name despite Heeseung’s departure. While some accepted that the prescheduled event would inevitably proceed as planned, others faulted the agency for failing to consider the fans by continuing to package him under the group’s name in official schedules and photo card promotions. Previously Heeseung announced through his agency, Belift Lab, that he would leave the group, six years after debuting. Wh

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SEOUL, March 24 (Yonhap) -- K-pop boy group Monsta X will return to the U.S. mar...

MONSTA X

Less than a year after its debut, rookie K-pop girl group Baby DONT Cry is stepping into its next chapter, Tuesday, with the reflective single "Bittersweet," fronting its new first mini album, "AFTER CRY." The group, made up of Yihyun, Kumi, Mia and Beni, introduced the new release during a media showcase at Blue Square’s Woori WON Banking Hall in Seoul’s Yongsan District, Tuesday. Despite the group's rookie status, the members led the event with unexpected energy and polish, moving seamlessly through their live performances and media interactions without visible nerves. “This is our first official comeback since ‘I Don’t Care’, and also our first mini album,” Beni said. “We prepared really hard because we wanted to surprise our fans and everyone who has been watching us.” "AFTER CRY" opens what the group describes as a larger “tears trilogy” that will unfold across future releases. A previously unveiled trailer video, titled "The Story Begins Here," teased the narrative arc with the phrases “Chapter 1. AFTER CRY,” “Chapter 2. WE BLOOM,” and “Chapter 3. B

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SEOUL, March 24 (Yonhap) -- K-pop megastar BTS reunited for a U.S. performance i...

BTS

Monsta X unveiled the list of all 10 tracks from its upcoming album in the US through agency Starship Entertainment on Tuesday. The group is set to release “Unfold” on April 3, approximately four years since its second full-length US album, “The Dreaming.” The second LP spent two weeks on Billboard 200, peaking at No. 21. The agency said the album will demonstrate the depth and maturity the group has gained since then with a genre-spanning set of songs. Monsta X gave fans a taste of the third LP

MONSTA X

K-pop boy group Monsta X will return to the U.S. market with a new release next week, its agency said Tuesday. The upcoming album, "Unfold," is the group's third full-length album targeting the United States and the first such release since its second, "The Dreaming," in December 2021. "Unfold," set for release April 3, will feature 10 songs, including two prereleases, "Growing Pains" and "Baby Blue." Other tracks include "Heal," "This!" "Before You Met Me," "Glass Half Empty" and "Main Attraction," according to the track list unveiled by Starship Entertainment on social media. The six-member group debuted in May 2015 and has since established its name in the global market, with its first English album, "All About Luv," reaching No. 5 on the Billboard 200 main albums chart. After kicking off its new world tour, "The X: Nexus," in Seoul in January, the group is now on the Asian leg of the tour.

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Kim Sungkyu of Infinite will launch a solo tour in Asia on March 27, his agency Billions announced Tuesday. He will kick off the “LV4: Leap to Vector” tour with three shows in Seoul. In April and May, Sungkyu will visit six cities across Asia, from Macao and Hong Kong to Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, and Manila, Philippines. The upcoming tour will showcase songs from his sixth solo EP, “Off The Map,” which was released in early March. The six-track album is his first solo set in over 2 1/2 years and sol

BTS exceeded 1 billion plays on Spotify with “Life Goes On” on March 21, according to Big Hit Music, citing platform data. That marks the sixth song from the band to achieve the feat, following “Fake Love,” “Boy With Luv (Feat. Halsey),” “Dynamite,” “Butter” and “My Universe.” “Life Goes On” is the main track from the group's seventh EP “Be,” which rolled out in November 2020. It made a chart-topping debut on Billboard’s Hot 100, becoming the first song with largely Korean lyrics to do so. Meanw

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K-pop megastar BTS reunited for a U.S. performance in New York on Monday (U.S. time), marking the group's first appearance with all seven members stateside in about four years. The group flew in from Seoul, where it had a free concert at Gwanghwamun in the city center to mark the release of its fifth studio album, "ARIRANG," and performed at the "Spotify X BTS: Seaside" event on the rooftop of Pier 17 at Manhattan's southern tip. The intimate show drew 1,000 superfans selected by the global music streaming platform based on top streaming hours of BTS tracks. It contrasted sharply with the group's last full U.S. outing in April 2022 for the "Permission to Dance on Stage" concerts at a 40,000-capacity concert venue in Las Vegas. Members expressed visible emotion during the set, which featured new songs, including "SWIM," "Normal" and "Fya." Jimin opened the show with "Thank you," and responded to roaring fans: "I love you, too." "The important thing is we're back together after so long. This is a happy moment. We missed you so much, and it's an honor to finally perform on stage for you," he

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HYBE, the K-pop powerhouse behind some of the industry’s biggest global acts, is staging its first nationwide audition in India. According to HYBE India, the company’s local affiliate, the entertainment agency will open a nationwide audition both online and in person. The in-person rounds will be held in 10 major cities — Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai and Pune. Those selected will enter what the agency described as a world-class training and development program, with the opportunity to debut as artists. “We look forward to the dynamic potential of young people from India and the Indian diaspora,” HYBE India said in a statement. “We will provide unwavering support so that outstanding talent can step onto the global stage while preserving their cultural identity. The creative energy of India's local experts, combined with HYBE's global system, will generate powerful synergies,” it added. The agency highlighted India’s potential in the music streaming market, with approximately 185 million users, the second largest in t

Lee Soo-man, the former chief producer and founder of SM Entertainment, is returning to the Korean music scene with an unconventional move: a walk-in audition open to anyone, with no prior application required. A2O Entertainment Korea said Monday that it will launch its first public audition program, titled “A2O ZALPHA AUDITION.” The project is personally planned and overseen by Lee, marking his first official move in Korea following the expiration of his non-compete agreement. The audition will run under the slogan “EVERY SUNDAY, A NEW POSSIBILITY BEGINS,” and take place weekly on Sundays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at A2O Entertainment Korea in Seoul’s Gangnam district. Applicants can simply show up on-site without a prior screening process, a format that stands out in an industry typically known for closed and highly selective trainee systems. Those unable to attend in person can also apply through the company’s official online channels. Participation is open to anyone regardless of nationality or gender, with applicants able to audition in vocals, rap, dance or acting. The prog

As dusk fell over Gwanghwamun Square last Saturday night, the crowd moved in rippling waves of purple, all gathering to celebrate the K-pop giant's return to the stage. Thousands of smartphones were raised toward the stage, their cameras zooming in on the BTS members even before the first note rang out. In today’s K-pop concert landscape, capturing the moment has become nearly as important as experiencing it. For many fans, filming a performance has turned into a carefully planned mission than a spontaneous decision. That mission is now shaped as much by technology as by the fandom itself. Samsung’s Galaxy Ultra series has emerged as a favorite among a segment of K-pop concertgoers and using the newly released Galaxy S26 Ultra during BTS' recent Gwanghwamun show offered an insight to why. At first glance, the device’s overall video quality did not feel radically different from footage captured on the latest iPhone models. Colors appeared vivid without looking overly processed and baseline sharpness under bright stage lighting felt broadly comparable. Concerts, however, are rarely sho

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A candid YouTube discussion featuring Lee Chang-sub of K-pop boy band BTOB has reignited debate over K-pop’s long-criticized weight standards, with the singer revealing that trainees could be cut simply for failing to meet strict targets. In a video uploaded Friday to his YouTube channel thischangsub, Lee Chang-sub appeared alongside Park Cho-rong and Son Dong-woon — all former Cube Entertainment artists — to discuss the broader K-pop idol training system. When asked about company rules and culture, Park said, “There were evaluations every weekend,” describing a system that constantly assessed trainees’ progress. Lee elaborated: “There were weekly and monthly evaluations. The weekly ones checked what you practiced, but the monthly evaluation was basically a survival test — deciding whether you stay or get cut.” Both artists described the process as emotionally intense. “It was really terrifying,” Park said, while Lee added, “You had to go through a nerve-wracking month.” The most shocking detail, however, came when Lee spoke about weight requirements. “People w

Alpha Drive One invited fans to its first fan concert tour, “Star Road,” announced Monday via agency WakeOne Entertainment. The eight-member act will kick it off in Incheon on June 12. After three shows in Korea, another three-date run will follow in Yokohama, Japan. On July 11, it will meet and greet fans in Hong Kong. The octet, formed through the audition show “Boyz 2 Planet,” debuted in January with the EP “Euphoria.” Earlier in March, it held a showcase in Tokyo and appeared in a Japanese t

ALPHA DRIVE ONE

As K-pop supergroup BTS returns from a four-year hiatus with its fifth album, “Arirang,” unauthorized merchandise has begun appearing on Chinese e-commerce platforms, a professor has said. Seo Kyung-duk, a professor at Sungshin Women’s University, said via social media that he had received multiple reports from internet users regarding the issue. After checking the claims, Seo said he found that major Chinese platforms including Taobao and AliExpress were selling T-shirts and accessories featuri

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