NewJeans hit the 600-million mark on Spotify with “Hype Boy,” agency Ador said Tuesday citing the platform. “Hype Boy” is one of the focus tracks from its namesake debut album released in August 2022. The single is the group’s fourth song to reach the milestone, after “OMG,” “Ditto” and “Super Shy.” It was the first song from the quintet to generate 100 million plays on the platform, doing so in 98 days. NME magazine picked it fir

A scruffy man with windblown hair is dragged down to kneel on the ground. Despite his untidy looks, his glaring eyes are fixed on the enemy as he swings his sword, a movement akin to dancing. The man is Gang Dong-won, portraying a seemingly unlikely character for the actor: Cheon-young, a main character in Netflix’s “Uprising.” Ranking third in some 190 countries on Netflix’s non-English Global Top 10 movie chart soon after its Oct. 11 release, the period action flick fol

Hybe CEO Lee Jae-sang on Tuesday apologized over the recent disclosure of an internal document that contained controversial remarks about K-pop artists. The document, intended for Hybe executives as part of an industry trends review on a weekly basis, surfaced during a National Assembly audit on Thursday and has since sparked widespread backlash. “I bow my head in apology to the artists, industry colleagues and fans affected by the language used in our monitoring document, which was highli

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

Rose’s single “APT.,” a collaboration with Bruno Mars, debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart dated Nov. 2, marking a new record for female K-pop artists. According to Billboard, “APT.” is the first song by a female K-pop artist to enter the Hot 100’s top 10 chart. Previously, the highest-charting track by a K-pop female act was Blackpink's "Ice Cream," a collaboration with Selena Gomez that peaked at No. 13. Only BTS, its members Jimin

Seventeen’s Seungkwan posted a lengthy message on social media Tuesday complaining about the treatment of pop stars here. The post was considered by some readers to be a criticism of Hybe, following a controversy surrounding an internal document disclosed during a National Assembly audit. The document included derogatory remarks about the physical appearance of K-pop artists. Seventeen is under Pledis Entertainment, a subsidiary of Hybe, and Seungkwan's remarks can be seen as the firs

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

Jungkook of BTS surpassed 2 billion plays on Spotify with single “Seven (feat. Latto),” according to the platform. The solo single reached the milestone in 467 days, which is both a new record for an Asian artist and the fourth shortest time globally. It also dethroned Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers,” the previous holder of the record for a song released last year. Jungkook has been breaking multiple records on the music platform as a solo artist and most recently, became

In the upcoming sports movie “One Win” Song Kang-ho depicts a down-and-out coach who, despite a life miserable with continued failures, is betting on a single win. “One Win” was written and directed by Shin Yeon-sik, who Song worked with in the recent Disney+ drama “Uncle Samsik.” The movie revolves around Woo-jin, a volleyball coach who has never won before and players who have no idea how to win a game. As a team, however, they head toward their mutual goal

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

Collaborations between K-pop idols and global pop stars have evolved into a mutually beneficial relationship that elevates both sides in unprecedented ways. Once seen primarily as a strategy for K-pop stars to break into Western markets, these partnerships now enable major pop icons to harness the power of K-pop fandoms -- known for their intensity, organization and unwavering dedication. K-pop fans, renowned for their streaming efforts and coordinated promotions, have become a valuable asset fo

Taeyeon of the legendary K-pop girl group Girls' Generation will release her sixth EP, “Letter To Myself,” on Nov. 18. She posted a short clip teasing her upcoming release on her official YouTube channel on Monday. The clip shows Tayeon writing a letter in front of a window in a room. The album features six tracks, including title track "Letter To Myself." This album comes approximately a year after her previous release, “To. X,” which continues to enjoy re

Shim Eun-kyung was seen as a promising child actor in Korea for her portrayals of younger versions of characters in hit dramas, such as Lee Ji-ah's character in the MBC series "The Legend" and Ha Ji-won character in "Hwang Jini." Since then, she has established herself as a versatile actor, starring in films across genres from the coming-of-age film "Sunny" to the comedy hit "Miss Granny" and the crime thriller "Fabricated City." Shim also f

Rose’s hit single “Apt.,” featuring Bruno Mars, may signal a new direction for K-pop’s global reach as it dominates streaming charts worldwide. Music critics describe the song as “intuitive” with a strong hook, appealing to listeners of all ages. According to The Black Label, Rose’s agency, on Friday, the chart-topping single surpassed 100 million streams on Spotify within seven days of its release. This marks the fastest such achievement for a female K-

K-pop pioneer Lee Soo-man, founder and former chief producer of SM Entertainment, is throwing his hat back in the ring. A2O Entertainment, Lee's newest agency, recently unveiled a one-minute promotional clip on its official YouTube channel, showcasing 15 trainees organized into three distinct groups by age and gender. A2O Entertainment positions itself as a collaborative global artist development platform where trainees are taught in these groups. “Throughout their training, the rooki

Southeast Asia's largest streaming platform Viu's original "Secret Ingredient" is an adventurous attempt. The series, which Viu labels a regional drama series, is a unique collaboration between a number of countries, featuring a Filipina showrunner, Korean director and a Korean writer as well as Korean, Filipino and Indonesian actors. The six-part romantic comedy follows Ha-joon, played by Lee Sang-heon from Netflix's hit high-teen romance series "XO Kitty," as

Countering concerns of many local music critics who believe K-pop has already reached the peak of its growth, Gautam Talwar, Spotify’s general manager for Asia-Pacific, suggests that K-pop’s best years are yet to come. “We’re a data-driven platform and our data suggests that the best years are ahead of us. More Korean artists are being discovered than ever before, more streams are being generated than ever, and more royalties are being generated for the Korean music indus

As the days turn cooler and shorter, grab your blanket, a warm drink and settle in for a perfect autumn weekend with some great documentaries. Whether you’re seeking to dive into real-world subjects and gain deep insights or just want to lose yourself in thought-provoking stories, these well-made documentaries will meet all your needs while you stay cozy and warm indoors. "What Jennifer Did" on Netflix This true crime documentary delves into the harrowing story of Jennifer Pan,

"APT.," a new song released by Blackpink's Rose in collaboration with global superstar Bruno Mars, ranked No. 4 on Britain's Official Singles Chart this week, hitting the highest-ever spot by a K-pop female musician. The song, a prerelease track for Rose's upcoming solo album, claimed the fourth spot, following "Taste" by Sabrina Carpenter, "Sailor Song" by Gigi Perez, and "Die with a Smile" by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars, according to the ch

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