A2O Lite’s debut single “Neon” topped Melon’s Top 100 on Wednesday, giving producer Lee Soo-man a strong start to his return to the Korean music industry. Beyond its early chart success, however, A2O’s two new groups reveal how the veteran producer is approaching this generation of K-pop idols: The young, multinational lineups are paired with a musical style reminiscent of his earlier work at SM Entertainment. A2O Lite and boy group A2O Soul made their first official appearances at a joint showc

A2O Lite, the new girl group produced by Lee Soo-man and A2O Entertainment, topped Melon's Top 100 chart just 29 hours after releasing its debut single, setting a record for the fastest debut song to reach No. 1 since the chart was revamped in 2021. The nine-member group's debut single, "Neon," reached No. 1 at 11 p.m. Wednesday. The milestone came considerably faster than NewJeans' debut single "Attention," which took eight days to top the chart in August 2022. "Neon" entered Melon's Top 100 at

Singer turned artist Solbi and actor Lee Kyu-han are getting married next year, according to a local media report on Thursday. Her agency Jian Castle confirmed the news, adding that the couple’s families had met and set a date for a private wedding ceremony in April. The couple had not previously announced they were dating, but they appeared together in a reality show last year. On the show, celebrities who were single took trips to try to find a special someone, and Solbi picked Lee. Solbi debu

BTS' music video for “Hooligan” had reached 100 million views on YouTube as of Wednesday, according to Big Hit Music. “Hooligan” is a side track from the septet’s fifth studio album, “Arirang,” and the video is the third promoting the album to achieve the feat, following “Swim” and “2.0.” The alternative hip-hop track entered Billboard’s Hot 100 at No. 35 and spent four weeks on the main songs chart. BTS has been using the song as an opener during the world tour, which is in Santiago, Chile for

An AI-assisted song has climbed into the upper ranks of Melon’s Top 100 chart, drawing fresh attention to unresolved questions over copyright and transparency in music generated with artificial intelligence. “The Adult I Dreamed Of,” by Meomuru, has risen to No. 3 on Melon’s Top 100 as of Wednesday. Released in June, the song recently gained traction after being widely used as background music in short-form videos on Korean social media. However, the voice heard on the track does not belong to a

A2O Lite member Aijing has been drawn into controversy just days after the rookie girl group’s debut, after allegations surfaced that a company run by her parents failed to pay former employees’ wages. Aijing, a 13-year-old Chinese member of A2O Lite, drew attention at the group’s debut showcase in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, Monday, for her dance skills and styling that some said resemble BoA during the early years of her career. The following day, however, Chinese media reported allegations inv

Taemin's concert in Seattle later this month has been canceled due to US visa delays affecting key touring and production personnel, prompting organizers to postpone a Korean cultural and consumer goods exhibition featuring 31 Korean brands. The K-pop singer was scheduled to headline the finale concert of K-Era Fest at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington, Oct. 25. The performance was separate from his world tour, which had already seen six US stops postponed last month over similar visa

YG Entertainment is moving forward with plans to debut a new boy group and girl group, though neither has a confirmed launch date. YG founder and chief producer Yang Hyun-suk outlined the remaining preparations for the five-member boy group and four-member girl group in a statement posted on the company's official blog Wednesday. "Both groups plan to record a number of demo songs we've been working on by the end of this year," Yang said. "Once their title tracks are finalized, we expect to have

Cortis reached 500 million streams on Spotify with its second EP “Greengreen,” label Big Hit Music said Wednesday. The six-track EP accomplished the feat in about five months. The album rolled out in May and sold more than 2.3 million units in its first week. So far, it has sold over 4.3 million copies and is the second K-pop act released this year, following BTS’ fifth LP “Arirang,” to exceed 4 million in sales. “GreenGreen” debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and spent 18 weeks on the chart.

Katseye officially released “Unloveu,” a bonus track from the group’s third EP “Wild,” agency Hybe X Geffen Records said Wednesday. Originally available only on the physical editions, the single is a collaborative effort between Lara, Grammy-winning songwriter Amy Allen and producer Ross Golan, serenely portraying getting over a broken heart. The single is expected to boost the mini album, which debuted atop the Billboard 200 in August and has tallied eight weeks on the main albums chart. Meanwh

And2ble will hold fan concerts in Seoul and Japan in December, according to its agency YH Entertainment on Tuesday. The five members announced “W!nter Inside” with a poster posing in front of a wintry backdrop, inviting fans to join them in Seoul on Dec. 5-6 and in Yokohama on Dec. 11-12. The quintet is set to release its second EP “Sequence 02: Attraction” on Oct. 27, about five months after the first mini album “Sequence: Curiosity.” The first EP sold over 730,000 copies in its first week, and

BTS clocked 5 billion streams on Spotify with its fifth studio album, “Arirang,” Big Hit Music announced Wednesday, citing platform data. It recorded the most plays on Spotify among albums released this year. All 14 tracks from “Arirang,” including the instrumental track “No. 29,” which entirely consists of the sound of the South Korean Sacred Bell of Great King Seongdeok, have garnered more than 200 million streams. The LP generated over 110 million plays on the day of release and claimed the t

Nearly three decades after debuting with g.o.d, Son Ho-young, 46, has watched K-pop transform from an industry still figuring out what an idol should be into a global business capable of producing performers polished down to the smallest detail. “Everything (in the K-pop industry) seems to be becoming more perfect. It almost feels like there are fewer gaps,” Son said during a recent interview with press in western Seoul. “When I look at idols today, everything, from their preparation and trainin

Zerobaseone leader Sung Hanbin is stepping out on his own for the first time, trading the group’s bright, youthful image for something darker and more intense. Sung unveiled his first solo EP “Dead:Alive” at a media showcase Monday, describing the eight-track release as an opportunity to challenge both what the audience expects from him and what he thought he was capable of as an artist. After debating whether he should build on the bright, youthful image he’s developed with Zerobaseone, Sung ad

The 2026 MAMA Awards are shaping up to be a fiercely contested showdown among K-pop's biggest names, including BTS, Blackpink and Stray Kids — all of whom are absent from the 2027 Grammy Awards' inaugural Asian pop category. The MAMA Awards, one of K-pop's most prominent music awards ceremonies, are organized by CJ ENM and take place Nov. 20-21 at Kyocera Dome Osaka in Japan. The nominations unveiled Monday arguably feature a stronger lineup of established K-pop stars than those in the Grammys'