For years, K-pop agencies turned to domestic broadcasters, particularly cable music channels such as CJ ENM's Mnet, to discover aspiring idols and document their journey to debut. Televised competitions eventually expanded to major terrestrial networks, helping agencies introduce new acts to Korean audiences. Now, the search for the next big K-pop act is increasingly reaching beyond Korean television, with global streaming platforms emerging as important partners. The latest example came on Oct.

A dog believed to belong to Hanni and a voice resembling Minji's have unexpectedly drawn NewJeans back into the spotlight — not through a comeback announcement, but through a YouTube video posted by former member Danielle. Danielle, whose contract with Ador was terminated in December and who is now embroiled in a legal dispute with the agency, uploaded a video titled "Sisters in Melbourne" on Tuesday, documenting a trip to Australia with her older sister. Although shared Tuesday, the video is be

A2O Lite’s debut with “Neon” is putting Lee Soo-man’s comeback to the Korean music scene to the test: Can the producer who helped shape K-pop’s sound revive the elaborate, vocal-forward pop that defined an earlier era in a landscape now dominated by new production trends and shifting fan tastes? The nine-member girl group debuted earlier this month alongside 15-member boy group A2O Soul under A2O Entertainment, the company Lee established after leaving SM Entertainment. “Neon” climbed to No. 1 o

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

Some of the biggest names that shaped Korean pop music in the late 1990s and early 2000s are stepping back into the spotlight, adding momentum to a retro revival already sweeping through popular culture. First-generation girl group Fin.K.L announced in September that it is resuming full-group activities for the first time in about 21 years, while R&B duo Fly to the Sky has confirmed plans to return after releasing its last album in 2019. Jewelry, another defining girl group of the early 2000s, a

J.Y. Park was hardly a name associated with religion. For decades, he was better known as the boundary-pushing singer in transparent plastic pants who became one of the architects of modern K-pop, founding JYP Entertainment and producing generations of stars from Wonder Girls and GOT7 to Twice and Stray Kids. Today, however, Park can also be found standing at a lectern, teaching the Bible. On Saturday, First Fruits, the Christian community Park leads, uploaded a 72-minute YouTube video in which

Ask who the most influential producers in K-pop are today, and Teddy would likely be one of the first names to come up. The producer behind Blackpink's global hit "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du" and "Golden" from "KPop Demon Hunters" has helped shape the sound of modern K-pop and expanded his influence through The Black Label, home to artists such as Rose. But before Teddy became a producer, there was another figure behind YG Entertainment's sound: Perry. The American rapper and producer played a pivotal role i

For years, the promotional path for a K-pop "comeback" was relatively predictable: release new music, appear on weekly music shows, visit radio programs and variety shows, repeat for two to three weeks. That formula is beginning to loosen. K-pop artists are increasingly meeting audiences in places outside the typical comeback circuit — from esports finals and gaming festivals to news studios, baseball stadiums, fashion events and brand campaigns. The shift is not simply about finding more places

When Rescene appeared on MBC's "Omniscient Interfering View" on Aug. 8, one exchange offered a clue to why the five-member group has struck such a chord with the Korean public. Member Woni recalled a time when becoming an idol had seemed financially out of reach. "I thought only rich people could become idols," she said, before explaining how encouragement from the head of her agency, The Muze Entertainment, gave her the confidence to pursue that dream. The company's chief, for his part, said he

The gender divide in K-pop choreography is taking a new shape, with boy groups pushing toward more physically demanding performances and girl groups moving in the opposite direction, embracing freer movement that puts individual character and expression at the forefront. NCT 127 and rookie girl group Tuide offered contrasting examples of the trend when both released new music on Aug. 24. At a press conference for NCT 127’s seventh LP “Blingy” in southern Seoul, the members repeatedly singled out