K-pop boy group Vanner returns to the music scene with its third EP, “Burn,” on Monday, in which it sings about the hardships that youth face on their journeys to realize their dreams. Such difficulties are familiar to the group that debuted in 2019, shortly before COVID-19 pandemic brought things to a standstill. "We did not get a chance to perform. But winning on JTBC’s idol survival program ‘Peak Time’ last year, we began to garner a lot of love from the pub

K-pop Sept. 30, 2024

Popular K-pop boy group Ateez is set to continue its world tour, “Towards the Light: Will to Power,” in Europe. According to KQ Entertainment, Ateez will be visiting nine countries in Europe for a total of 12 shows from January to February 2025, kicking off the European leg of its world tour in France. It will be the first time for Ateez to perform standalone concerts in Lyon, Zurich, Manchester, Barcelona and Cologne. Ateez will make history as the first K-pop artist to hold a stand

K-pop Sept. 29, 2024

Listening Room by Ode at The Hyundai Seoul Visitors can easily spend hours exploring major international brands and local shops at The Hyundai Seoul, Seoul's largest department store and pop-up store mecca. Among all the shops, entertainment facilities and restaurants vying for attention, be sure not to miss Listening Room by Ode when visiting the mall. Located on the second basement floor near the main escalator, the shop welcomes music lovers with colorful LPs and record players. Visitors

Culture Sept. 27, 2024

K-pop girl group Kiss of Life is gearing up for a new release next month, following its impressive summer hit “Sticky,” a digital single with an infectious Afrobeat rhythm. S2 Entertainment announced Wednesday that the group will drop “Lose Yourself,” its third EP, on Oct. 15. Leading up to the album's release, a prerelease track is set to launch Oct. 4. The announcement came with a teaser image shared on the group’s official social media channels, featuring th

K-pop Sept. 25, 2024

Super Junior-D&E, a duo consisting of Donghae and Eunhyuk of legendary K-pop boy group Super Junior, made its much-anticipated return with the release of “Inevitable.” The mini-album dropped Wednesday on various online music platforms, marking the beginning of their latest promotional activities. The title track, “Go High,” is a hip hop-based song featuring a powerful blend of drums and bass. With witty lyrics that express the duo's adventurous spirit and reflect

K-pop Sept. 25, 2024

NCT Wish released its first mini album, “Steady,” Tuesday. The EP is led by the titular track “Steady,” a house number with UK garage and Jersey club beats that combines for a sophisticated melody. “The song is about our desire to forever remember the miraculous journey that we’ve been through to meet with our fans. The lyrics are cute and trendy that Gen Zs can easily relate to,” said Sion. The title track was produced by Kenzie, a veteran producer behi

K-pop Sept. 24, 2024

Key of the K-pop boy group SHINee released his third solo EP “Pleasure Shop” on Monday. The album features six house tracks led by the title track, “Pleasure Shop.” “The lead track is about a pleasure shop where people come to buy happiness. I am the person who sells happiness at the shop, but I do not have feelings because I am a cyborg,” explained Key. Despite the upbeat title, he darkened the lyrics to add depth to the narrative. “Even though people c

K-pop Sept. 23, 2024

K-pop sensation IU wrapped up her first world tour, ‘HEREH,’ with an unforgettable finale Sunday at the Seoul World Cup Stadium. She made a striking entrance on a swing-like lift, dressed in a sparkling coral mini dress and a white headset, kicking off the show with “Holssi,” the first track from a captivating setlist that spanned over two hours. IU took an audience of 50,000 on a mesmerizing journey, performing “Ah Puh” amidst a stunning display of whale and

K-pop Sept. 23, 2024

With Chuseok beginning this weekend, long hours of driving in heavy traffic to visit family in people's hometowns await. Here are some timeless songs to listen to in the car that bridge generation gaps between parents and children. Lee Moon-sae’s “Sunset Glow” Released in 1988, this ballad by Lee Moon-sae, a Korean pop icon since his debut in 1978, remains a favorite. The song's enduring appeal is evident as it was also covered by legendary K-pop boy group Big Bang

weekender Sept. 14, 2024

Lisa of Blackpink, who is also a solo artist, won the Best K-Pop award at the MTV Video Music Awards for the second time. The ceremony took place Wednesday at the UBS Arena in New York City. Lisa clinched the Best K-Pop award with her song "Rockstar," surpassing strong contenders like BTS Jungkook's "Seven," NCT Dream's "Smoothie," NewJeans' "Super Shy," Stray Kids' "Lock” and Tomorrow X Together's "Deja Vu." &

K-pop Sept. 12, 2024

K-pop group NewJeans has issued an ultimatum against Hybe, demanding the reinstatement of Min Hee-jin as CEO of Ador, by the deadline of Sept. 25. The request was announced during a livestream they held on YouTube Wednesday evening, the post about which was subsequently deleted from X, formerly Twitter. “What we want is for Ador to be restored to its original state with Min Hee-jin as the CEO, where management and producing are integrated. Restore Ador to its original state by Sept. 25,&rd

K-pop Sept. 12, 2024

Major K-pop agencies such as JYP Entertainment, YG Entertainment and Cube Entertainment have declared war on deepfake visual content created using images of their K-pop artists. This comes at a time when deepfake crimes have attracted renewed attention in South Korea, after the revelation of online rooms in which users shared AI-generated pornographic videos of local women and acquaintances. It is becoming more and more common for K-pop singers to fall victim to deepfake pornography, according t

K-pop Sept. 11, 2024

Yungin, a Korean-American audio engineer boasting three Grammy Awards, made his music producer debut Tuesday with the launch of his first full-length album, "Did You Know? Part 1.” The album is a landmark project featuring a roster of prominent Korean hip-hop artists including Jay Park, Jessi, Camo, Lil Cherry, Changmo, Paul Blanco, Since, Sokodomo, BM, Bobby, Loopy, Dok2 and Koala, according to All Up In The Mix Korea, the agency representing Yungin. “Since the release of '

K-pop Sept. 10, 2024

K-pop sensation Seventeen headlined the Lollapalooza Berlin music festival on Sunday. The group was the last headlining act to take the main stage at Berlin’s Olympiastadion. Seventeen delivered a spectacular 90-minute set, showcasing 19 tracks and sharing heartfelt moments with the audience. The show was as well-prepared as the group's standalone concerts, featuring grand-scale performances with 12 dancers on stage. The group kicked off with high-energy tracks like “Super&rdq

K-pop Sept. 9, 2024

Blackpink member Jennie is set for a solo comeback. Jennie's agency, OA Entertainment, announced Monday that the star had signed on with Columbia Records, a major American record label under Sony Music Entertainment. She will be releasing a single in October. Columbia Records is home to global pop stars such as Beyonce, Adele and Harry Styles. Jennie's upcoming solo track marks her first release since the special single "You & Me," released in October. Jennie also release

K-pop Sept. 9, 2024