Most Popular
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Korea forecast to overtake Taiwan in chip production by 2032: report
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YouTuber fatally stabbed on livestream by another YouTuber in Busan
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No plan to let doctors with foreign licenses practice here anytime soon: PM
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Yoon rebuffs opposition's call for special probe into wife
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Stray Kids hit with racism in Met Gala photo line
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Ador CEO's dismissal to be decided on last day of May
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[News Analysis] Yoon's first 2 years marked by intense confrontations, lack of leadership
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[Graphic News] Beer the most favored alcoholic drink by Koreans
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Yoon doubles down on repeal of financial investment income tax
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Science Ministry expresses regret over Japan’s pressure on Naver
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Olivia Rodrigo to hold concert in Korea
American pop star Olivia Rodrigo will hold her first concert in South Korea in September. Rodrigo will perform at Jamsil Indoor Gymnasium, Seoul on Sept. 20, according to the concert planning agency Bonboo Entertainment. Born in 2003, Rodrigo rose to stardom in 2021 with “Drivers License,” her debut single and lead single of her first studio album, which topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The track "Sour," released in the same year, stayed in the top 10 of the Billboard al
PerformanceMay 10, 2024
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TripleS releases 1st LP ‘Assemble 24’ with 24 members
TripleS, the K-pop girl group with the most members in history, released their first studio album, “Assemble 24,” with all 24 members for the first time since their debut in May 2022. “It took us two years to complete our group of 24. It feels surreal to finally announce a new beginning of TripleS as a group of 24 with this album that some of our members took part in bringing about,” said Seo Da-hyun, the 10th member to join tripleS, during a press conference in Seoul on
K-popMay 10, 2024
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[Today’s K-pop] Stray Kids to drop new album in July: report
Stray Kids will bring out a new album on July 19, according to a local media report Thursday. The group's last album was the eighth EP “Rock-Star” from November last year, which became its fourth consecutive chart-topper on Billboard 200, following EPs “Oddinary” and “Maxident” as well as LP “Five-Star.” The eight-track extended play sold over 3 million copies in the first week and topped the iTunes Top Albums Chart in 32 regions while the mai
K-popMay 9, 2024
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Stray Kids hit with racism in Met Gala photo line
Despite the ever-expanding presence and influence of K-pop around the world, K-pop artists and fans are still affected by racism. K-pop boy group Stray Kids recently experienced racial discrimination at the hands of local photographers during the 2024 Met Gala, one of the biggest annual fashion events in the US, held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York on Tuesday. Stray Kids, who were invited to the event as the brand ambassadors of Tommy Hilfiger, were posing for photos when photogr
K-popMay 9, 2024
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[K-pop’s dilemma] Can K-pop break free from ‘fandom’ model?
A longtime fan of K-pop, Lee Eun-soo, 25, has been buying albums, streaming music and purchasing K-pop merchandise, all part of what it means to be a loyal K-pop fan. Although she is still a big fan of K-pop, she is skeptical about the K-pop industry's sustainability, pointing out that agencies place too many financial demands on fans. “Fans have to pay money endlessly to show love and agencies know how to squeeze money out of them,” she said. K-pop's global success is unde
CultureMay 9, 2024
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[Today’s K-pop] NCT Dream to drop pre-release from 2nd Japan single
NCT Dream will roll out the Japanese single “Moonlight” online on Wednesday, in advance of the full release of its second single album of the same title that is due out on June 5, according to SM Entertainment. The band will perform the pop dance tune on stage at its concert in Osaka on May 11-12, giving the audience the first look at the performance. The concert will be the beginning of the Japan leg of the tour, “The Dream Show 3: Dream Escape in Japan,” which will brin
K-popMay 8, 2024
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[K-pop’s dilemma] Time, profit pressures work against originality
With its total assets reaching over 5 trillion won ($3.7 billion) last year, K-pop giant Hybe, which launched as Big Hit Entertainment in 2005, is looking to claim “large-firm” status. In 2019, Hybe acquired its first subsidiary label, Source Music, aspiring to become a global multi-label entertainment company. Today, Hybe has 11 subsidiaries under its label division, including Big Hit Music, housing the global K-pop sensation BTS; Pledis Entertainment, housing the globally renowned
CultureMay 8, 2024
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Illit lands first Billboard 200 entry amid originality controversy
K-pop rookie group Illit seems to have skirted the controversy surrounding its originality, successfully landing on the Billboard 200 chart with its first EP “Super Real Me” on Tuesday. The group had been facing criticism that its concept was similar to that of the popular girl band NewJeans, which is housed under the same Hybe umbrella. According to Belift Lab, Illit ranked 93rd on the Billboard 200, less than a month after it debuted in 91st place on the Hot 100 chart with its titl
CultureMay 8, 2024
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'Ador CEO unlikely to avoid dismissal,' entertainment law expert
Ador CEO Min Hee-jin is likely to be removed by Hybe at the extraordinary meeting with shareholders sometime between May 27 and 30, an industry source said Thursday. Min revealed Tuesday her plan to hold a board meeting Friday with the parent company to discuss the agenda for a shareholders meeting. Hybe will most likely sack Min for the alleged breach of trust at the extraordinary meeting with evidence it has yet to disclose. “While it is difficult to speculate on the allegation of Min&rs
CultureMay 8, 2024
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Lim Young-woong outshines BTS for parents'gift
For Koreans seeking an alternative to carnation bouquets on Parents' Day, Lim Young-woong concert tickets could be the perfect gift, a survey found, though securing them would be extremely challenging. A recent survey by Focusmedia Korea, a local media content provider, revealed that among different concert options surveyed, Lim's was the most sought-after as a gift for parents. The poll garnered responses from 2,212 apartment residents aged 25 to 59, with him taking the top spot with
K-popMay 8, 2024
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[K-pop's dilemma] Is Hybe-Ador conflict a case of growing pains?
The feud between K-pop powerhouse Hybe and Min Hee-jin, the CEO of its subsidiary Ador, is probably one of the most controversial cases in the world of K-pop to have grabbed attention not only at home but also abroad in recent years. As music critics continue to discuss the latest developments, it is still not certain what sparked the very public fight between the influential music producers. Yet, most experts agree that there are more fundamental issues at play and that the K-pop industry is go
CultureMay 7, 2024
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Male soloist to fill your playlist in May
A wide array of male solo artists will grace the stage this month. Lim Young-woong, who gained immense popularity through the trot audition program "Mr. Trot," on Monday released "Warmth" and "Home," which both climbed to the top two spots on major music charts in Korea such as Melon, Genie and Bugs within just an hour of their release, once again proving Lim's immense popularity. Both songs remain high in the charts as of Tuesday afternoon. The singer is sched
K-popMay 7, 2024
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[Today’s K-pop] Seventeen tops Oricon chart with best-of album
Seventeen notched the No. 1 spot on Oricon’s weekly album ranking with best-of album “17 Is Right Here,” according to agency Pledis Entertainment on Tuesday. It is the 12th time the band topped the chart, extending its record for an international artist. The compilation album is its eighth album to achieve the feat. The album sold over 2 million copies on the day of release and 2.96 million in the first week of sales. The main track “Maestro” topped the iTunes Top S
K-popMay 7, 2024
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Ateez first K-pop act to headline Mawazine
Ateez will be the first-ever K-pop act to headline the Moroccan international music festival, Mawazine, according to KQ Entertainment. Mawazine returns to Rabat, Morocco on June 21-29 after a three-year break prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The eight-member boy group will perform on the main stage, OLM Souissi, on June 23. Previous headliners of the annual festival launched in 2001 include global music icons such as Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and The Weeknd. Other artists in the lineup for
K-popMay 7, 2024
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Allegations surrounding BTS resurface, enraged fans demand apology
Protest trucks and flower wreaths from outraged fans of K-pop group BTS have dominated the street in front of Hybe’s headquarters building in Yongsan, Seoul, amid an ongoing feud over the agency’s management system. The rage against the agency will likely continue, as an old allegation over chart manipulation surrounding the company has resurfaced. According to local media, a petition demanding an investigation into allegations that Big Hit Music, the sublabel of K-pop powerhouse Hyb
K-popMay 6, 2024
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Army takes group action against Hybe for neglecting BTS
Army, loyal fandom of K-pop phenomenon BTS, urged Hybe to protect the group from an ongoing dispute between the company and its sublabel Ador CEO Min Hee-jin in a statement published through local media outlets on Friday. The fandom said “We support BTS, not Hybe” in a full-page advertisement printed in major newspapers. The group said while an internal feud over management at Hybe is underway, the name of BTS is being damaged by false news and rumors despite the controversy being ir
K-popMay 3, 2024
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Ador CEO's request for exclusive right to terminate NewJeans' contract with Hybe refused in February
Ador CEO Min Hee-jin had asked for an exclusive right to terminate NewJeans’ contract with Hybe in February, but the request was turned down by the parent company, according to an industry source on Friday. An exclusive contract with an artist can be seen as a key asset necessary for a company’s operation. Major entertainment companies, for this reason, require exclusive contracts to be approved by the board of directors. Hybe, in turn, has a contract with Min which requires the Ador
K-popMay 3, 2024