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Le Sserafim to release 2nd single next month
Le Sserafim is poised to roll out second physical single “Made My Night” on Sept. 11, agency Source Music announced Friday via an official fan communications platform. The single “captures a night made special by a shared chemistry,” according to the management company, which floated a 30-second teaser titled “You Just Made My Night.” The trailer, including a snippet of the song with thumping beats, set fans abuzz and left speculating that the forthcoming single would be another collaboration wi
Aug. 28, 2026 -
Enhypen hits 2m with 8th EP sales
The eighth EP from Enhypen sold 2 million copies as of Wednesday, its agency Belift Lab said, citing a local tally. EP “The Sin: Bliss” is the quintet’s fifth album to do so, after third, sixth and seventh mini albums — “Orange Blood,” “Desire: Unleash” and “The Sin: Vanish” — and second studio album “Romance: Untold.” The latest album headed straight to the top of Oricon’s Daily Album Ranking and landed atop the iTunes Top Albums Chart in 23 regions, selling over 1.7 million on the date of rele
Aug. 28, 2026 -
Breaking the idol mold, Zelo on a path to find his own sound
Former B.A.P member Zelo is still figuring out exactly what “Zelo” should sound like. But after years of questioning habits and formulas he absorbed as a K-pop idol, the rapper-turned-solo artist says that picture is finally beginning to take shape. His latest single “Ela,” released late July, continues the direction he first introduced with “Cola Comigo” in March. Blending Latin-inspired rhythms with R&B and pop influences, the two releases mark what Zelo describes as the foundation of his new
Aug. 28, 2026 -
From K-pop views to K-beauty buys
Short-form platforms are increasingly turning interest in Korean entertainment into spending across industries ranging from beauty and food to fashion and tourism, according to a study released Wednesday by TikTok and global consulting firm Kearney. The report, "K-Culture on TikTok: Driving Global Economic Impact," surveyed 3,300 consumers aged 16-49 across 10 countries, including Brazil, Indonesia, Japan, the UK and the US. It examined six sectors: K-pop, K-media and intellectual property conte
Aug. 27, 2026 -
10 years in, SF9 is still hungry for more
Ten years into its career, SF9 is not ready to look back and be satisfied. The veteran boy group still wants another music show trophy. The band still wants to perform for bigger crowds, at bigger venues and release more music. That lingering hunger, the bandmates say, may be part of what has kept SF9 going for a decade. "I personally don't think we've reached the level of achievement that I want yet," said Dawon at a press showcase in western Seoul on Wednesday, marking the release of the group
Aug. 27, 2026 -
SM revives China push with Tencent Music JV
SM Entertainment is stepping up its push into China through a new joint venture with Tencent Music Entertainment, as major South Korean entertainment companies seek to rebuild their presence in the Chinese market amid growing expectations of the easing of yearslong restrictions on Korean cultural content. The agency said Thursday that it established STE, a Beijing-based joint venture with TME, one of China’s largest music platform operators. The venture follows a memorandum of understanding sign
Aug. 27, 2026 -
SM, Tencent Music launch joint venture to develop new Chinese idol group
SM Entertainment has established a joint venture with Tencent Music Entertainment Group in China, setting the stage for joint development of a new idol group targeting the Chinese market. SM said Thursday that the new company, named STE, has been established in Beijing, with Super Junior-M member Zhoumi appointed as its CEO. STE's establishment follows a memorandum of understanding signed by SM and Tencent Music in May to strengthen cooperation between the two entertainment companies. One of the
Aug. 27, 2026 -
Ive’s An Yujin, Jang Wonyoung to have art exhibit in Seoul
A special exhibition zooming in on An Yujin and Jang Wonyoung of Ive will be held in Seoul, according to agency Starship Entertainment. A monochromatic teaser poster of the two members’ silhouettes was uploaded Wednesday, revealing the event title “An-Young.” The agency said that an exhibition chronicling the idols’ music career so far was set to open soon but did not provide information on the venue or dates. The exhibition title combines the names of the two idols and sounds similar to "hello"
Aug. 27, 2026 -
Aespa’s Winter turns to rock for summer single
Winter of aespa channels rock in her summer single that releases Thursday. “Speed of Summer” is a seasonal project released through digital media channel Dingo. The alternative punk rock tune captures a moment of freedom speeding through a summer night with the radio on full volume. The idol belts out the song in her clean, high voice, expanding her musical spectrum as a solo singer, which, up til now, has mainly showcased delicate and warm vocals through a series of soundtracks and collaboratio
Aug. 27, 2026 -
Gucci leather jacket worn by BTS’ Jin sells out in less than a day
Jin of BTS has shown his star power again: The black leather jacket he sported in the latest Gucci campaign sold out across Europe in less than 24 hours, despite the hefty $9,900 price tag. In the US and Korea, the stock is running low, available in only two sizes out of nine. The jacket embossed with “Primavera,” or spring in Italian, is the first ready-to-wear collection for the Italian fashion house whipped up by Demna, who took the helm as the creative director last year. Jin was named as a
Aug. 27, 2026 -
TXT to kick off tour in November
Tomorrow X Together announced Thursday that it would launch its fifth world tour in November, via label Big Hit Music. The five-member act will kick off its tour “Steal the Wind” with a three-date run in Seoul, from Nov. 13. The tour title suggests that it will be a new chapter, departing from the “Act” series of four preceding tours. It also hints at building up on the narrative of eighth EP “7th Year: A Moment of Stillness in the Thorns,” which in Korean included “wind” in the album title. The
Aug. 27, 2026 -
K-pop tickets are hard to get. One Korean woman allegedly got 2,600 and made $319,000
A woman in her 30s allegedly used a macro program to automatically purchase about 2,600 tickets to K-pop concerts, including nine tickets to BTS’ highly sought-after Gwanghwamun performance earlier this year, police said Wednesday. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said it had referred the woman to prosecutors without detention on charges of violating the Information and Communications Network Act, obstruction of business, and the Public Performance Act. Police said the woman used the automat
Aug. 26, 2026 -
OneUs to tour as full group from October
OneUS will launch its international tour with two shows in Seoul in October, B Wave Entertainment announced Wednesday. The tour begins on Oct. 24 and continues to five cities in Latin America and six across Europe throughout the following month. In December, the group will make seven stops in North America before heading over to Tokyo in January and Taipei in February. The tour will be the first group effort in a while, with Seoho returning after completing his mandatory military service. The fo
Aug. 26, 2026 -
BTS earns gold certification in France with ‘Swim’
BTS received “gold” certification from Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique, the French recording industry organization, with “Swim,” Big Hit Music announced Wednesday. The focus track from the group's fifth album, “Arirang,” is its tenth song to achieve the feat and did so in about five months, the second shortest time for it after “Dynamite.” “Swim” earned the group a nomination for song of the year from the MTV Video Music Awards. The award ceremony will be held in Los Angeles on Sep
Aug. 26, 2026 -
Katseye notches 4 songs on Billboard’s Hot 100
Katseye is dominating Billboard’s Hot 100, placing four songs on the main albums chart in the same week, while its third EP debuted atop the Billboard 200, according to the latest chart published Tuesday in the US. “Animal,” a prerelease from the group's latest EP “Wild,” leads the way at No. 4, climbing up six rungs from the previous week. The EP's main track, “Hootie Frutti,” hit the chart at No. 41, while another prerelease, “Pinky Up,” charted at No. 81. The group's collaboration with Le Sse
Aug. 26, 2026