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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.&

Cho Yong-pil, a living legend of the Korean music scene, has returned with his 20th full-length album, “20.” The album is composed of seven tracks, including new songs as well as songs from the project singles “Road to 20—Prelude 1” and “Road to 20—Prelude 2,” which were released in 2022 and 2023. The album spans a variety of genres, including rock, electronica and ballads. Marking the 56th anniversary of his debut this year, the 74-year-old singer

Korean trot star Lim Young-woong's concert film is making waves, surpassing BTS's record to become the highest-grossing concert film of all time. According to CGV, the film “I'm Hero: The Stadium,” which captures his concert at Seoul World Cup Stadium held in May, has attracted over 343,000 cumulative viewers as of Saturday, setting a new record for live performance films in Korea. This surpasses Lim's own previous record set by "I’m Hero: The Final,&qu

Singer Kim Woo-sung's second full-length album, "4444," released Oct, has ranked sixth on the Billboard Dance/Electronic Albums chart, the highest-ever ranking for a Korean male artist. The album by the member of the band The Rose also ranked on multiple Billboard charts, including eighth on the Heatseekers Albums chart and 15th on the Current Album Sales chart. “4444” showcases Kim's musical evolution, featuring a diverse collection of eight tracks spanning vario

Super Junior’s Yesung is set to return with a new solo album. According to his agency, SM Entertainment, Yesung will release his sixth EP, “It’s Complicated,” on Nov. 5. The album will feature a total of five tracks, including the title track. This EP marks Yesung’s first solo release in over a year, following his fifth EP, “Unfading Sense,” which dropped in October last year. His previous album highlighted the musician’s prowess as a solo artist,

When temperatures drop and leaves begin to change color, many Koreans turn to Korean ballads, wallowing in the lonesome mood associated with falling leaves and the passing of the year close at hand. Numerous artists have continued the legacy of these nostalgia-evoking Korean ballads known for their soft vocals and sorrowful melodies. Sung Si-kyung -- 'On The Street' When talking about Korean ballads, singer Sung Si-kyung is almost always mentioned. His uniquely beautiful and expressi

J-Hope of K-pop sensation BTS returned Thursday as the second member of the group to complete his military service. J-Hope enlisted in April last year and served as an assistant instructor at the 36th Recruit Training Battalion in Wonju, Gangwon Province. Around 10 a.m., he left his battalion, where fellow member Jin greeted him with a large bouquet. The two shared a warm hug to celebrate J-Hope’s discharge. J-Hope smiled and expressed his gratitude to fans. "I completed my service in

Zico, a rapper and music producer, will be holding a pair of solo concerts for the first time in six years. On Wednesday, Zico announced through the global fan platform Weverse and his official social media channels "Zico Live: Join the Parade." The concerts are to take place on Nov. 23 and 24 at the Olympic Hall in Olympic Park, Songpa-gu, Seoul. "Zico Live: Join the Parade" will be the first such concerts since "King of the Zungle" in 2018. The concert poster, rel

Jin of K-pop sensation BTS will release his first solo album next month. "Happy" will drop at 2 p.m. on Nov. 15, the singer's agency Big Hit Music announced through the fan community platform Weverse. According to the agency, the upcoming album will convey the message of embarking on a journey to find happiness together. Jin will share his candid thoughts on happiness while expressing his warm feelings towards fans. "Happy" will feature six songs in various genres, all b

As autumn settles in, jazz festivals are filling the calendars. Perhaps it was Nat King Cole crooning "the autumn leaves of red and gold" in his velvety voice, that forever tied fall with jazz.: As cooler temperatures settle in, jazz festivals fill the brief autumn season. Since its inception in 2004, the annual Jarasum Jazz Festival has been lighting up Korea's autumn. This year, 19 international and 17 Korean artists will be performing at the festival held at Jaraseom in Gapyeon

Although it has been 14 years since its debut, this year marks “another beginning” for CN Blue with the trio's contemplative 10th mini-album, "X." Although it is the band's 10th album, band leader and vocalist Yong-hwa feels as nervous and excited as when the band debuted each time a new album is released. “At the same time, I still feel the fire alive inside me,” he said in an interview with a group of reporters on Oct. 7 in Cheongdam-dong, Seoul. The