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Direct from Korean news and other sources

ENHYPEN joins 'Twilight' cast at San Diego Comic-Con 2026 panel

SAN DIEGO — K-pop group ENHYPEN joined Catherine Hardwicke, director of the first “Twilight” film, and franchise actors Peter Facinelli and Ashley Greene at US' biggest pop culture convention, Thursday. More than 120,000 people are expected at the four-day convention, which began in 1970 with a gathering of several hundred sci-fi and comics fans and an in-person appearance from Marvel icon Jack Kirby. The band joined a Thursday panel about vampire storytelling. It marked one of many moments of cross-pop culture exchanges. Members of distinct fandoms unite through cosplay, showing off handmade costumes and exchanging photos. Brionna Slavalk, 27, traveled from Indiana to attend the convention dressed as the elf paladin Vaelus from “Critical Role,” a Dungeons & Dragons-themed web series. Her skin was painted purple. “Obviously I am partial to the body paint. I think it looks really neat when people do that. I saw somebody who was red, who I think is from ‘Hazbin Hotel,’ who was amazing. We just saw three Doctor Dooms over there!” she said. “It’s a blast.” Johnny Depp

[Graphic News] Foreign spending in S. Korea hits fresh high in May

Monthly spending by foreign tourists in South Korea reached a record high of over 1.4 trillion won ($913 million) in May, marking the third consecutive month foreign spending surpassed 1 trillion won, data showed. Credit card spending by inbound travelers came to 1.41 trillion won in May, up 73.7 percent from a year earlier, according to the data from the Korea Tourism Organization. Spending by foreign travelers surpassed 1 trillion won for the first time in March, as global fans of K-pop megast

BTS

Shakira shares backstage photo with BTS, surprises fans with Korean greeting

Global pop star Shakira delighted fans after sharing a backstage photo with K-pop supergroup BTS and surprised fans with a Korean greeting following their performances at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final halftime show. The photo posted by Shakira on social media showed her posing arm in arm with BTS members backstage, creating a warm and friendly atmosphere. Both artists performed during the halftime show at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on earlier this week. BTS energized the crowd with its global hit “Dynamite,” while Shakira closed the show with her official World Cup anthem, “Dai Dai.” Alongside the photo, Shakira simply wrote "BTS" and added a heart emoji, drawing enthusiastic reactions from fans. She also uploaded a short video in which she greeted viewers in Korean, earning praise from Korean fans for the unexpected gesture. The Korean greeting was reportedly coached by global choreographer Kany, who has previously appeared on Korean entertainment programs. Kany serves as the lead choreographer for “Dai Dai,” the official song of the 2026 F

BTS

Cortis’ latest EP surpasses 3 million copies in 11 weeks

Cortis has surpassed 3 million cumulative sales with its second EP, becoming a triple million-seller less than three months after the album’s release. According to the latest weekly album chart released by Circle Chart on Thursday, the group’s second EP, “GreenGreen,” has sold approximately 3.1 million copies since its release on May 4. The milestone was reached just 11 weeks after the album’s release. Among albums released in Korea this year, only BTS’ fifth LP, “Arirang,” and “GreenGreen” have

CORTIS

BTS

'Drowning' singer Woodz joins Lee Byung-hun in historical action film from 'Exhuma' cinematographer

Woodz, widely recognized for his hit song “Drowning,” is set to join the cast of a historical action film scheduled to begin shooting in the second half of the year. The singer’s participation was announced Thursday by Hive Media Corp., the production company behind the tentatively titled film “Nambeol,” or “The Southern Campaign” in English. Set in Korea during the 1392-1910 Joseon Dynasty era, the film is billed as a hard-boiled, wuxia-style action feature. Its story follows nine warriors of disparate social backgrounds and talents who embark on a campaign to Japan’s Tsushima Island to rescue Korean captives held by local pirate lords. Woodz will play Cheonnom, whose name literally means “firstborn,” a skilled archer who never misses his mark. He joins the perilous campaign to support his family. Devoted both to his family and his fellow warriors, Cheonnom is determined to bring every member of the expedition home alive. The film is directed by Lee Mo-gae, who previously oversaw the cinematography for “12.12: The Day,” “Exhuma,” “Hunt,” “Yadang: The Sn

WOODZ

KiiiKiii, AKMU top Billboard's best K-pop songs and albums of 2026 lists

Rookie girl group KiiiKiii and sibling duo AKMU topped Billboard's editorial picks for the best K-pop releases of 2026 so far, with KiiiKiii's "404 (New Era)" named the midyear's best K-pop song and AKMU's fourth full-length album "Flowering" selected as the best K-pop album. Billboard recently unveiled its Best K-pop Songs of 2026 and Best K-pop Albums of 2026 lists, highlighting standout releases from the first half of the year. Despite a wave of high-profile comebacks from industry heavyweigh

Boy group Cortis' 2nd EP tops 3 mln copies in sales

SEOUL, July 23 (Yonhap) -- The latest album from K-pop boy group Cortis has sold

CORTIS

BTS

Hybe, Korea Fashion Association partner to expand K-pop-based fashion business

Hybe has partnered with the Korea Fashion Association to promote collaboration between the entertainment and fashion industries in a bid to expand K-pop-inspired fashion products and related businesses, the company said Thursday. The two sides signed a memorandum of understanding Wednesday to combine Hybe's artist intellectual property with the association's industry network and expertise to foster growth in the sector. The agreement was signed during the 2026 K-Fashion Connect event hosted by t

BTS

Stray Kids hint at retro kitsch with 10th EP teaser

Stray Kids uploaded a series of teaser photos for its upcoming 10th EP “This & That” on Thursday via label JYP Entertainment. The eight members showcased their takes on Y2K aesthetics, sporting casual looks spinning off a palette of blue and tinged with kitsch vibes. The mini album is due out on Aug. 7 and will consist of eight tracks, including the lead single of the same name. It also includes the prerelease “Run It,” which the trio of Bang Chan, Changbin and Han helped write. The song dropped

Woodz cast in Joseon-era actioner 'Nambeol'

Woodz is picking up a bow and arrow for his next screen outing. Production company Hive Media Corp said Thursday that the singer-songwriter, whose real name is Cho Seung-youn, has joined the cast of "Nambeol," a hard-boiled martial arts actioner set in the early years of the Joseon era. The film follows nine warriors of varying ranks and abilities who sail to Tsushima, a Japanese island off Korea's southeastern coast, to rescue Korean captives taken by pirates. Woodz will play a sharpshooting ar

WOODZ

Fifty Fifty to visit Manila for 1st fan concert tour

Fifty Fifty will head to Manila, Philippines, in September for its first fan concert tour, its agency Attract announced Thursday. The group is set to kick off its “Still LoBubble” tour on Aug. 1 in Seoul. The second stop of the Asia tour is Tokyo, where it will go live on Aug. 11. More destinations will be added soon. The quartet will perform songs from its fourth EP, “Imperfect-I’mperfect,” which came out in June, including the focus track “Like a Bubble,” and a B-side track “Genie Magic.” A li

Seventeen rakes up 300m views with ‘Super’ music video

Seventeen garnered 300 million hits on YouTube with the music video for “Super,” its agency Pledis Entertainment said Wednesday. It is the group’s second video to accumulate as many, following “Don’t Wanna Cry.” “Super” rolled out in April 2023 as one of the two promoted tracks from the 13-member-act’s tenth EP, “FML.” The single, co-written by Woozi, earned the team five trophies from domestic music chart shows and charted 12 weeks on Billboard’s Global 200. It surpassed 300 million plays on Sp

TXT’s Yeonjun hits career high in Japan with second solo set

Yeonjun of Tomorrow X Together ranked No. 2 on Oricon’s Weekly Combined Album Ranking with his second solo EP, according to the latest chart published Wednesday. His EP “No Labels: Part 02” sat one rung higher than the previous EP, “No Labels: Part 01,” from last year, after hitting Oricon’s Weekly Album Ranking at No. 2 and the Daily Album Ranking at No. 1. The six-track effort sold over 660,000 copies on the day of release, surpassing the first-week sales record of his first EP in one day. It

Seventeen

TOMORROW X TOGETHER

Yeonjun

ifeye’s Bangkok Concert Cancelled At Last Minute

ifeye’s “If I” concert in Bangkok will no longer be taking place as scheduled. On July 24 local time, Hi-Hat Entertainment announced that the Bangkok stop of ifeye’s “If I” tour “had been cancelled due to circumstances on the organizer’s side.” The show was originally scheduled to take place the following day on July 25

ifeye

Watch: ATEEZ Takes 4th Win For “BAD” On “M Countdown”; Performances By fromis_9, OURBIRTHDAY, And More

ATEEZ has won their fourth music show trophy for “BAD”! On the July 23 episode of “M Countdown,” the candidates for first place were ATEEZ’s “BAD” and TXT’s Yeonjun’s “Ice Cream.” ATEEZ ultimately took the prize with a total of 6,754 points. Congratulations to ATEEZ! Watch the winner announcement below: Today’s performers included TXT’s Yeonjun, fromis_9, OURBIRTHDAY,

Watch: Lee Eun Ji, Mimi, Lee Young Ji, And An Yu Jin Work Hard At A Rice Cake Shop In New Variety Show “Space Rice Cake” Teaser

tvN’s new variety show “Space Rice Cake” has heightened anticipation for its premiere! “Space Rice Cake” is a spin-off born from a punishment in “Earth Arcade 2.” After failing an escape room mission prepared by Torong, Lee Eun Ji, Mimi, Lee Young Ji, and An Yu Jin must work together at a rice cake shop

THE BOYZ’s Q And Hwang Ji Ah Hold Hands In Secret In “My Idol, My Debut”

MBC Plus’s drama “My Idol, My Debut” has unveiled new stills! “My Idol, My Debut” is a time-slip coming-of-age story about a passionate fan who travels eight years into the past to prevent a tragic accident. In an effort to change fate, she winds up becoming an idol trainee. The stills capture the sweet atmosphere

Hyuk

THE BOYZ

WOODZ Confirmed To Star Alongside Lee Byung Hun, Go Youn Jung, And Lee Do Hyun In Upcoming Historical Action Film

WOODZ (Cho Seung Youn) has officially joined the cast of the upcoming film “Nambeol” (romanized title)! On July 22, production company Hive Media Corp announced that WOODZ will play Cheot Nom, a skilled archer with exceptional marksmanship, in its upcoming film “Nambeol.” Set in the early Joseon dynasty, “Nambeol” is a hard-boiled martial arts action

Hyun

WOODZ

Lee Junho And Hong Hwa Yeon Confirmed For New Rom-Com Drama

Lee Junho and Hong Hwa Yeon have been confirmed to star in a new drama together! On July 23, tvN revealed the main cast lineup of Lee Junho and Hong Hwa Yeon for their upcoming drama “Embassy for Foreign Monsters in Korea” (literal title). “Embassy for Foreign Monsters in Korea” is a mysterious romantic comedy

Lee Junho

Hong