The first lineup of the year-end band festival Countdown Fantasy, to be held at Kintex in Ilsan on Dec. 30 and 31, has been revealed. The event will feature 14 leading bands from Korea and abroad, including groups new on the scene and some familiar favorites. On Dec. 30, the lineup includes the retro-inspired band 87dance, the trio Band Nah, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary; newcomers Dragon Pony, who debuted in September with label Antenna, and festival veterans like Owalloil and Onewe

K-pop Nov. 6, 2024

Boy band Epex returned with its second full-length album, “Youth Chapter 2: Youth Deficiency,” on Tuesday, offering support and comfort to young people. The album is the second in the “Youth Trilogy” from the eight-member group that debuted in 2021. While its previous album, "Youth Chapter 1: Youth Days," explored pure love and the struggles of youth, “Youth Chapter 2: Youth Deficiency” delves into the various forms of deprivation that young people e

K-pop Nov. 6, 2024

Los Angeles is about to be illuminated in Seventeen's colors. Pledis Entertainment announced Tuesday its plans to hold Seventeen The City Los Angeles — an event set to transform downtown LA and the city's iconic landmarks with Seventeen-themed activities and displays. Los Angeles marks the final stop of Seventeen’s US tour "Right Here," which began in October. Seventeen The City, which will run from Thursday to Monday, offers events for fans to enjoy before and af

K-pop Nov. 5, 2024

Boy band TXT celebrated the grand finale of its third world tour with three days of concerts in Seoul and returned with a new album. The quintet held the final performance of “Act: Promise,” the encore concert of its third world tour, which began in May, at KSPO Dome in Seoul on Sunday. Including the encore concerts, TXT completed a total of 31 performances across 17 cities, including major venues like Tokyo Dome, Kyocera Dome Osaka, Vantelin Dome Nagoya in Japan, and Madison Square

Performance Nov. 4, 2024

Girl group Twice will perform as a special guest at Coldplay's upcoming concerts in Korea. JYP Entertainment shared the news via its official social media post saying, "We look forward to Twice’s stunning visuals and stage presence at Coldplay’s world tour.” Coldplay is set to perform six shows in Korea as part of its "Music of the Spheres" world tour at the Goyang Sports Complex on April 16, 18, 19, 22, 24 and 25. Twice will appear at all six shows, joining

Performance Nov. 4, 2024

Boy band Stray Kids' album sales in the US have surpassed one million copies this year. JYP Entertainment announced that Stray Kids’ cumulative physical and digital album sales in the US have exceeded one million copies in 2024, marking the first time a K-pop artist has reached this milestone this year. Notably, the group's ninth mini album, "ATE," released in July this year, had sold over 500,000 copies as of Sept. 30, making it the best-selling K-pop album in the US t

K-pop Nov. 3, 2024

Coffee, just drink? Coffee is a drink South Koreans cannot live without; it’s what they grab in the morning to wake up, in the afternoon for a quick pick-me-up and later to stay alert and work overtime. “What A Brew-tiful Day!” is a special exhibition at the National Folk Museum of Korea that sheds light on how coffee has become an intrinsic part of Korean life. “Koreans on average consume 405 cups of coffee in a year, more than twice the global average. Koreans’ se

Arts & Design Nov. 1, 2024

K-pop girl group Twice will become the first K-pop artist to perform on Amazon Music Live in the US. According to their agency, JYP Entertainment, Twice will take the stage on Amazon Music Live on Nov. 21 at 9 p.m., local time, with the performance later available on Amazon Prime Video and Twitch channels. Now in its third season, Amazon Music Live is an online streaming concert series that airs live right after the broadcast of games from the National Football League, one of the largest profess

Performance Oct. 31, 2024

Kyuhyun is set to release his first full-length solo album, marking a decade since his solo debut. Kyuhyun’s agency Antenna announced his first LP "Colors" with a teaser image on the agency's official social media channels. The album is scheduled for release on Nov. 27. Known for his warm and steady vocals, Kyuhyun is a member of the veteran boy group Super Junior and a beloved ballad singer. The upcoming album will be Kyuhyun's first full-length album since his solo de

Performance Oct. 29, 2024

J.Y. Park, the head of K-pop powerhouse JYP Entertainment, is set to close the year with a new song and concert. JYP Entertainment unveiled a teaser image for J.Y. Park's new digital single, "Easy Lover," via social media channels on Monday. This song, celebrating his 30th anniversary in the industry, follows his 1980s-inspired synth-pop single "Changed Man," released in November 2023, and will be his first in about a year. Actors Cha Joo-young, known from the Netflix hi

Performance Oct. 29, 2024

As the year draws to a chilly close, it's time to book year-end concerts by your favorite artists. Peppertones, a duo known for bright and warm music, will cap off their 20th debut anniversary year with a year-end concert. The band will host "Twenty" on Dec. 14-15 at Daeyang Hall of Sejong University, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul. "Twenty" marks Peppertones' 20th anniversary and follows their successful sold-out tour in July, "Party Plenty." Singer Crush's ye

Performance Oct. 28, 2024

FT Island's Choi Min-hwan is under police investigation following allegations of soliciting prostitution, Friday. The Gangnam Police Station confirmed on Friday that it has launched an internal investigation into Choi on charges related to the Act on the Punishment of Arrangement of Commercial Sex Acts. The case began after a complaint was filed through the national petition platform. The allegations first came to light when Choi’s ex-wife, Yulhee, a former member of girl group La Bou

Social Affairs Oct. 25, 2024

After being embroiled in controversy related to internal documents disclosed during a National Assembly audit, Hybe faced additional criticism for issuing a statement before the audit was officially closed. During Thursday’s comprehensive audit of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee, Democratic Party lawmaker Rep. Min Hyung-bae revealed an internal Hybe report titled "Weekly Music Industry Report." This report is issued weekly to C-level executives of Hybe and its affiliate

K-pop Oct. 25, 2024

BTS's eldest member Jin will celebrate the release of his solo album with fans. According to the singer's agency, Big Hit Music, Jin will hold a fan showcase titled "Jin 'Happy' Special Stage" on Nov. 16-17 at the Jangchung Arena in Jung-gu, Seoul. Events will also be live-streamed for international fans. During the showcase, Jin will perform tracks from his solo album "Happy," which is set to be released on Nov. 15. He will also share behind-the-scenes st

K-pop Oct. 25, 2024

Singer-songwriter Lee Seung-yoon, known for profound messages and intense sound, has returned with his third full-length album, "Yeok Seong," pouring out his stories into the music. “With this album, I feel like I’ve achieved everything I’ve wanted as a musician," Lee said in a group interview in Gangnam, southern Seoul, Monday. "There’s a sense of pride in realizing the songs and albums I’ve dreamed of creating since the moment I started music.&

Culture Oct. 24, 2024