Lisa’s apology over racial slur reignites debate

Blackpink’s Lisa has apologized for using a racial slur against Black people in leaked footage from her trainee years, saying she did not understand its meaning at the time — an explanation that has reignited debate online over how much cultural and linguistic context should factor into accountability. Speaking to Variety at the Toronto International Film Festival, where her documentary “Always Lalisa” premiered Friday, the Thai singer addressed footage showing her rapping along to songs contain

2026-09-15 14:33:29:00

From NCT all-rounder to kids pop: Where is Mark headed next?

For nearly a decade, Mark was one of NCT’s most versatile members. He rapped, sang, danced, wrote lyrics and moved between vastly different concepts as a member of NCT U, NCT 127 and NCT Dream. In 2019, he was also selected for SM Entertainment’s supergroup SuperM, becoming one of the rare K-pop artists simultaneously associated with several of the agency’s major acts. Now, months after leaving NCT and the SM empire, the 27-year-old is trying to define himself much more simply. His first release

2026-09-15 11:17:45:00

Riize to release second LP in spring 2027

Riize will release its second LP next spring, with a prologue single set to arrive in late October, SM Entertainment announced Monday. The group revealed its upcoming release schedule through a special video shown at the end of its third anniversary fan meeting, “Ch. Riize: On Air,” at Inspire Arena in Incheon on Sunday. According to the announcement, Riize will release the prologue single on Oct. 26 before continuing activities through the end of the year, leading into the release of its second

2026-09-14 13:25:40:00

AllDay Project to return with second EP ‘Crash’

AllDay Project will return in late September with its second EP, “Crash,” making its first comeback in nine months. The Black Label said Monday that the five-member group will release the EP at 6 p.m. on Sept. 28. Teaser content posted to the group’s social media channels showed Annie, Tarzzan, Bailey, Woochan and Youngseo dressed in black, signaling a darker and more intense visual direction for the upcoming release. “Crash “ will be AllDay Project’s first release since its self-titled debut EP

2026-09-14 11:41:28:00

All’N goes ‘all in’ on building his own K-pop path

For All’N, “going all in” on music now means betting on more than his ability as an artist. The Korean American soloist, who debuted in April with “We Up,” describes himself simply as a “violin-driven K-pop soloist.” But behind that description is an unconventional path spanning a US university, China’s idol industry, a stint as a violin-playing DJ and the startup world before he eventually founded his own company, SKS Entertainment, and debuted himself. “When I chose the name All’N to mean ‘goi

2026-09-12 16:00:00:00

Brazilian Aespa fans demand refunds over VIP send-off, threaten legal action

Brazilian Aespa fans are demanding refunds and threatening legal action over an unsatisfactory VIP package offered at the K-pop group’s recent Sao Paulo concert, saying the postshow send-off was significantly shorter than that held at Aespa’s concert in Chile just two days later. Info Aespa Brasil, a Brazilian fan page dedicated to the girl group, said Saturday that it was organizing affected VIP ticket purchasers to gather information and assess possible action through Procon, Brazil’s consumer

2026-09-11 16:22:56:00

Olympic Park concert disruptions spill into October

Ongoing disruptions at Ticketlink Live Arena in Seoul’s Olympic Park are beginning to affect concerts scheduled as far ahead as October, forcing artists to relocate shows and raising concerns over further disruptions during the busy year-end concert season. Singers Doh Kyungsoo — also known as D.O. of Exo — and Lee Changsub both announced venue changes recently for concerts that had been scheduled at the arena in October. Doh will relocate the Seoul leg of his “Day Off” tour scheduled for Oct. 2

2026-09-11 14:10:32:00

Rescene becomes first K-pop group named honorary citizens of Geoje

Girl group Rescene has become the first group of celebrities to be awarded honorary citizenship in Geoje, South Gyeongsang Province. The Geoje City Council on Wednesday approved a proposal to grant honorary citizenship to all members of Rescene during the second plenary session of its 265th extraordinary meeting. The city had submitted the proposal under an ordinance that allows honorary citizenship to be awarded to individuals who have contributed to raising Geoje’s profile, among other criteri

2026-09-10 14:34:00:00

Hwasa performs at state dinner during Lee Jae Myung’s France visit

Singer Hwasa performed at a state dinner hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Tuesday during South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s state visit to France. The Mamamoo member gave a solo performance at the dinner, singing her 2025 hit “Good Goodbye” and latest single “So Cute,” which was released in April. The dinner, hosted by Macron in honor of Lee’s visit, brought together 17 figures from the business and cultural sectors as Korea and France mark the 140th anniversary of dipl

2026-09-09 17:33:56:00

Why are Japan-based groups turning their attention to Korea?

&Team's story began in Japan, not Korea. Launched there in 2022 as Hybe’s first localized global act, the group was built with a distinctly Japanese base. Now, as it sets its sights on a broader global audience, the K-pop market it once viewed from the outside is becoming an increasingly important part of its ambitions. The nine-member group returned to the Korean market Tuesday with a new EP nearly a year after its official Korean debut. “Looking back, I think our first Korean promotions were a

2026-09-09 15:34:38:00