Most Popular
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Over 80,000 millionaires, 20 billionaires in Seoul: report
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Korean battery makers heave sigh of relief over 2-year IRA reprieve
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Young Korean doctors seek plan B: cosmetic dermatology or overseas
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Yoon apologizes over first lady’s Dior bag scandal, but accuses special probe attempt as political maneuvering
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South Korea open to Indonesian proposal to cut KF-21 payments
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Police seek arrest warrant for med student who killed girlfriend
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Coupang earnings hit hard by losses from ailing Farfetch
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[K-pop’s dilemma] Time, profit pressures work against originality
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Girl hanging on bridge, police trying to rescue her both fall off; rescued immediately
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[K-pop's dilemma] Is Hybe-Ador conflict a case of growing pains?
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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
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[Today’s K-pop] Sunmi to drop single next month
Sunmi will release a self-written single in June, agency Abyss Company said Friday. She finished shooting a music video in Croatia, it added. The songstress uploaded several pictures and wrote “Rainy Croatia” on her social media last month. The upcoming single comes about eight months after her eighth digital single “Stranger.” The songstress debuted as a solo act in 2013, about 3 1/2 years after she suspended activities as a member of group Wonder Girls. She rejoined the
K-popMay 3, 2024
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Kakao Entertainment to strengthen content, game businesses
Kakao Entertainment on Friday revealed its plan to enhance its platform, content and game businesses by creating synergy with SM Entertainment. The company's takeover of the major K-pop entertainment company recently received conditional approval from the Fair Trade Commission. Kakao Entertainment is particularly interested in expanding the music business internationally by utilizing the intellectual properties of SM artists like EXO, aespa, NCT and Riize. “Based on our joint venture
K-popMay 3, 2024
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Suho of EXO to release EP ‘1 to 3’ next month
Suho of EXO is returning to the K-pop scene with his third mini album “1 to 3.” According to SM Entertainment, the new album will be released on online streaming platforms May 31 with the physical album release slated for June 3. Suho’s third EP will carry seven tracks led by two title tracks “1 to 3” and “Cheese.” Wendy of Red Velvet features the track “Cheese.” This solo comeback comes after the release of “Grey Suit” in April 2
K-popMay 3, 2024
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Ive to perform at Summer Sonic 2024
K-pop girl group Ive is set to take the stage at Japan’s largest outdoor music festival. Summer Sonic 2024 is to take place in Japan at the Expo Commemorative Park in Osaka and Zozo Marine Stadium in Tokyo on Aug. 17 and 18. The annual music festival attracts around 200,000 revelers each year with its star-studded lineup of world-renowned musicians. Ive will perform at the festival’s Osaka venue on Aug. 17 and in Tokyo on Aug. 18. Ive debuted in Japan with the single “Eleven&rd
K-popMay 3, 2024
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[Today’s K-pop] Stray Kids go gold in US with ‘Maniac’
Stray Kids earned gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America with “Maniac,” according to the organization’s announcement Wednesday in the US. It is the fourth time the band has gone gold in the US -- after the single “God’s Menu” and the albums “Five-Star” and “Rock-Star.” “Maniac” fronted the band’s sixth EP “Oddinary” which came out in March 2022 and made a hotshot debut on the
K-popMay 2, 2024