KOREAN NEWS

BLACKPINK is meeting fans through a unique promotion connecting downtown Seoul to celebrate the release of their 3rd mini-album, 'DEADLINE'. YG Entertainment announced on the 27th that it will hold the "BLACKPINK 3rd MINI ALBUM [DEADLINE] HOURGLASS TOUR" from March 1st to 9th.  This promotion will be operated at four locations: the Same Hapjeong, Soundwave Yeongdeungpo Times Square, Musinsa Standard Seongsu, and Ktown4u COEX. By connecting these four points around the Nationa

Busan City is launching a major crackdown to eradicate "price gouging" and "illegal operations" in the lodging industry ahead of the BTS World Tour performance in Busan this June. The city announced that it will conduct a special inspection targeting accommodations near the venue and major tourist attractions for approximately four months, from February 23 to June 15, immediately following the concert. This is a follow-up to the "Price Stabilization Response Manual" establish

Specific details regarding the scale and ticketing schedule for the full-group comeback performance, "BTS Comeback Live: ARIRANG," have been released. The concert will be held for free at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul on March 21. The official seating will accommodate approximately 15,000 people, including both standing and reserved sections. The event is scheduled to be broadcast live to over 190 countries worldwide via Netflix. Fierce competition for tickets is expected to be

Netflix will exclusively live stream "BTS Comeback Live: ARIRANG" on March 21 at 8:00 PM. In this performance, all members will showcase their comeback stage for the new album for the first time. The event will be broadcast live to viewers in over 190 countries worldwide via Netflix. Netflix will also release the feature-length documentary "BTS: THE RETURN" on March 27, which chronicles the production process of the ARIRANG album. It will provide an intimate look at the group

The original soundtrack (OST) "Golden" from the Netflix animated film "K-Pop Demon Hunters" won the "Best Song Written for Visual Media" category at the 68th Grammy Awards held in Los Angeles on February 1 (local time). This award is presented to the songwriters of the track, and major Korean producers and composers, including Teddy, EJAE, 24, and IDO, were named as the winners. This marks the first instance where the core K-pop production and creative staff, rather than musi

BTS's new world tour, "ARIRANG," is achieving overwhelming success even before its official start. The Korean leg of the tour, scheduled for three days starting April 9 at Goyang Stadium, achieved a "perfect sell-out" immediately upon the opening of fan club pre-sales. As the kickoff for the entire tour, the Goyang performances have once again demonstrated the formidable market dominance of K-pop. To meet surging global demand, additional dates are being added to the internat

Recently, Karina, a member of the group aespa, gained attention by recommending the combination of Samgyeopsal (pork belly) and ramen as her "soul food" in a video on the YouTube channel "Editor Karina." Karina compared Samgyeopsal to life and memories, suggesting that a meal is only truly complete when ramen is added. This combination is a popular part of Korean food culture and is gaining interest among international fans following the K-pop star's recommendation. However,

The announcement of BTS resuming their world tour after nearly four years has triggered a massive explosion in travel demand to South Korea, led by the global fandom ARM According to data from Hotels.com , inbound searches for Seoul increased by 155%, while searches for Busan skyrocketed by 2,375% within 48 hours of the schedule announcement on January 13. This indicates that global fans began securing accommodations and flights even before ticket sales started, proving that

BTS is planning a historic full-group comeback performance at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul. According to industry sources on the 19th, BIGHIT MUSIC recently applied for venue usage and filming permits with the National Heritage Administration for Gwanghwamun Square, Gyeongbokgung Palace, and the Sungnyemun Gate area. The proposal is set to be reviewed by the Cultural Heritage Committee on the 20th. BIGHIT MUSIC stated that official details will be announced once the location a

BTS has officially confirmed its first-ever concert in Argentina as part of their upcoming world tour, sparking massive excitement among local fans. Clarín, the country's largest daily newspaper, reported the news as a major headline, announcing that the group is scheduled to perform in Buenos Aires on October 23 and 24. The publication described this tour as one of the largest and most ambitious projects in the history of BTS. Fans in Argentina have taken to social media to

TIME magazine has named the Netflix series "When Life Gives You Tangerines" as the best Korean drama of 2025. Ranking the series at number one in its article "The 10 Best K-Dramas of 2025," the publication described it as "one of the best K-dramas of the year, if not one of the best TV series" overall. The magazine praised the production for its ability to turn the ordinariness of daily life into something extraordinary without losing its complexity and texture. This unique a

BTS is gearing up for a highly anticipated full-group comeback, drawing intense excitement from international media.   The group is scheduled to release their fifth studio album on March 20, followed by a large-scale world tour. This announcement, marking the end of a hiatus lasting approximately three years and nine months, has ignited global excitement. Major foreign outlets are prominently covering the group's trajectory and the cultural weight of their reunion. Outlets su

On the first Monday of 2026, K-POP's influence is expanding into academia. The iconic G-DRAGON has reportedly opened a regular course at the University of Southern California (USC), where he will personally lecture as a global cultural leader. This move beyond the stage highlights his growing status as a cultural visionary worldwide. In more exciting news, the legendary group Wanna One is set to reunite for a new reality TV program scheduled to air in the first half of 2026.

January 2026 is set to be a blockbuster month for K-drama enthusiasts, with several highly anticipated titles making their debut. Leading the way is MBC’s The Judge Returns , starring Ji Sung, which premiered on January 2 to kick off the new year’s television season. Additionally, Spring Fever , featuring Ahn Bo-hyun and Lee Joo-bin, is scheduled to premiere on Prime Video on January 5, offering a heartwarming romance for international viewers. Netflix will feature the long-a

EXO is set to return after two years and six months, marking their comeback with a special showcase. The group will release its eighth full-length album, REVERXE , on January 19, 2026. All nine tracks will be unveiled across major music streaming platforms at 6 p.m. KST, followed by a showcase event starting at 7:30 p.m. at Kyung Hee University’s Peace Hall in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul. At the showcase, EXO will perform songs from REVERXE  and share various behind-the-scenes stori

The Seoul Business Agency has unveiled the key programs of the global K-culture festival “2025 SEOULCon,” signaling its status as one of Seoul’s signature year-end cultural events. Now in its third year, SEOULCon is a participatory festival bringing together global influencers and citizens. Last year, it attracted 60,000 visitors and generated 320 million online impressions, underscoring its growing global reach. The event will take place from December 29 to January 1, 2026,

Recently, Jungkook was officially appointed as the global ambassador for Chanel's Beauty & Fragrance division. On the 16th, he graced the cover of ELLE Korea  January issue, showcasing a Chanel photoshoot that quickly went viral. However, alongside the announcement of his ambassadorship, an unexpected "sold-out frenzy" erupted. The limited edition of Bleu de Chanel , the fragrance Jungkook mentioned as his favorite on Disney Plus’s variety show Are You Sure? , sold out simult

TWICE will make history next April as the first foreign act to headline a solo concert at Japan’s National Stadium in Tokyo. The group’s agency announced on the 7th through its official Japanese SNS channels that TWICE has added new dates to their sixth world tour “THIS IS FOR,” confirming three solo shows at the National Stadium on April 25, 26, and 28 in 2026. The concerts will be staged in a massive 360-degree full-seating format, accommodating approximately 80,000 attende

Recently, various online communities and social media platforms have been buzzing with evidence related to the dating rumors between BTS’s Jungkook and aespa’s Winter. Netizens have pointed to several items as evidence to support the dating rumors, such as similar tattoos featuring three dog faces in the same spot, matching shorts, slippers, bracelets, in-ear monitors, and other accessories. Additionally, they highlighted that both Jungkook and Winter had their nails done on

A new trend is taking hold in the K-culture boom: concert tickets are becoming collectible goods. The digital photocard ticket, which merges a photocard-style design with NFC-based digital technology, is rapidly spreading across KPOP concerts, combining convenience, high collectible value, and anti-counterfeiting features into a new ticket culture. These tickets contain an encrypted NFC chip that allows entry with a simple tap. Since audience information is verified through a