Blackpink enters Billboard 200 at No. 8 with 3rd EP

Blackpink’s third EP “Deadline” debuted on Billboard 200 at No. 8, according to the chart preview released Sunday in the US. The mini album is the group's first new release in almost 3 1/2 years, after its second album “Born Pink,” a chart-topper on the main albums chart. Blackpink claimed spots for all of its albums on the chart: first EP “Square Up” at No. 40; second EP “Kill This Love" at No. 24; and first LP “The Album” at No. 2. "Deadline" landed atop the iTunes Top Albums chart in 38 regio

March 9, 2026

Blackpink's 'Deadline' lands at No. 11 on British Official Albums Chart

K-pop girl group BLACKPINK has entered the top 100 of Britain's Official Albums Chart with its third EP "Deadline." The record, which marks the quartet's first group project since 2022, debuted at No. 11 on the Official Albums Chart Top 100 on Friday (local time), a week after its release on Feb. 27. The lead track "Go" debuted at No. 44 on the separate Official Singles Chart Top 100. According to YG Entertainment, the group's agency, the five-track album explores themes of confidence, growth an

March 7, 2026

Is 2026 the year of rookie boy groups?

A new wave of rookie boy groups is set to reshape the K-pop landscape in 2026, as major agencies and esteemed producers race to launch new acts after years of girl group domination. The shift began in January when SM Entertainment confirmed plans to debut a new boy group. More recently, Ador — the Hybe label behind NewJeans — and YG Entertainment also announced plans to launch new male acts. SM Entertainment founder Lee Soo-man, who recently returned to Korea after three years abroad, has also r

March 6, 2026

From boot camp to barracks, this is what BTS got up to in the military

With "Arirang" dropping on March 20 and a world tour close behind, BTS' return is sure to be the K-pop event of 2026. But before hitting the stadiums, all seven bandmates spent the better part of two years fulfilling their mandatory military service, a requirement for every able-bodied Korean man. The album title carries more weight than most headlines have conveyed. "Arirang" is one of Korea's oldest folk songs, tied for centuries to themes of separation, longing and reunion. And apparently, th

March 6, 2026

Aespa sings anime opener

On Friday, Aespa set fans abuzz by dropping “Attitude,” the opening theme song for Japanese TV anime “Kill Blue.” The Japanese-language digital single is about how nothing can keep the singer from being “me,” mixing upbeat thumping and a catchy melody with the voices of its members. The single precedes the group’s pending first dome shows in Japan, as the Kyocera Dome in Osaka on April 11-12 and Tokyo Dome on April 25-26. The dome gigs are part of Aespa’s ongoing international tour “Synk: aeXis

March 6, 2026

Cortis to drop 2nd EP main track; debut album tops 2 million in sales

Cortis will release the focus track from its second EP on April 20, ahead of the full album rollout due on May 4, Big Hit Music announced Friday. The five-member act is set to bring out the EP “GreenGreen” approximately eight months since the debut set, “Color Outside the Lines.” The mini album hit Billboard 200 at No. 15, the highest rung for a debut album from a non-project K-pop group. The first EP had surpassed 2 million sales as of February, according to a local datamonger on Thursday. It i

March 6, 2026

TXT’s Yeonjun participates on soundtrack of World Baseball Classic

Yeonjun of Tomorrow X Together has joined the official soundtrack of the World Baseball Classic, according to Big Hit Music on Friday. He sang “Make It Count,” the main track from the three-track endeavor produced by Grammy-winning producer Tainy, along with Becky G and Myke Towers. This is the first time the international baseball tournament has put out a soundtrack. Meanwhile, TXT is set to unveil its eighth EP, “7th Year: A Moment of Stillness in the Thorns,” on April 13. The upcoming set wil

March 6, 2026

Blackpink shatters sales record for K-pop girl group with 3rd EP

Blackpink set a record for first-week sales for a K-pop girl group with its third EP, “Deadline,” selling more than 1.77 million copies, YG Entertainment said Friday, citing a local tally. The newest set from the group surpassed 1.46 million copies sold on the day of its release, smashing through the first-day and weeklong marks for a K-pop girl group previously held by Aespa for its third EP, “My World,” released nearly three years ago in May 2023. The five-track mini album debuted atop iTunes

March 6, 2026

Galaxy Corp.’s IPO ambitions: Breakout success or hype?

Bob McCooey, vice chairman and head of global capital markets at Nasdaq, visited Galaxy Corp.’s headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, Thursday to review the company’s growth strategy and assess the possibility of a US stock market listing. The visit — unusual for a senior figure from a global capital market — has raised speculation that the Korean entertainment-tech firm behind K-pop icon G-Dragon could be preparing a US debut. Yet the move has also prompted skepticism within the industry over whether

March 5, 2026

Netflix unveils teaser for BTS’ comeback live at Gwanghwamun

Netflix on Thursday released a trailer and poster for its upcoming comeback event, “BTS The Comeback Live Arirang,” offering fans a first glimpse of the group’s long-awaited return ahead of the release of its fifth full-length album. The teaser video opened with the roaring sound of fans cheering — echoing the atmosphere of past concerts. Reacting to the sound, the members can be heard expressing their longing for their supporters, with remarks such as “I really miss them,” conveying their antic

March 5, 2026

Nmixx adds Tokyo to ongoing tour

Nmixx will hit the stage in Tokyo in August for its first international “Episode 1: Zero Frontier” tour, label JYP Entertainment announced Thursday. The group of six will have two shows in the city, more than a year after performing there for its fan concert, “Nmixx Change Up: Mixx Lab.” Nmixx launched the tour November in Incheon and will begin the European leg on March 17 in Madrid. It will visit five cities in the region before heading to Toronto, the first stop of the North American leg. The

March 5, 2026

Park Jihoon to return as singer after 3 years

Singer and actor Park Jihoon is ready to roll out a solo album in April, his agency YY Entertainment said Thursday. It will be his first endeavor as a singer in three years, after his seventh EP “Blank or Black.” Since the release of the future hip-hop set, he has been focusing on his acting career, which he began as a child. He finished shooting the drama “The Legend of Military Cook,” based on a hit webtoon, while promoting the historical film “The King’s Warden,” a breakout movie in Korea in

March 5, 2026

TWS gears up for April return: report

TWS is slated to bring out a new album next month, according to a local media report on Thursday. Agency Pledis Entertainment confirmed that the group is planning for an April release but did not give details. The boy group’s last album was its fourth EP, “Play Hard,” from October last year. The mini album sold close to 640,000 copies in the first week, a career-best for the six-member act, and made a chart-topping debut on Oricon’s Daily Album Ranking. The six-track set was certified gold by th

March 5, 2026

I-dle to tour North America

I-dle surprised fans with plans for a tour in North America. The five members broke the news on NBC’s “Today Show,” which aired Wednesday. The group's agency Cube Entertainment uploaded a poster for the tour on the following day listing 10 cities across the region, the largest yet for the group. The quintet will kick it off with its first stand-alone gig in Canada on Aug. 2 before hopping around eight cities in the US and Mexico City. The 10-city trip expands I-dle’s ongoing “Syncopation” tour,

March 5, 2026

TXT to unveil first comeback stage at showcase for 8th EP

Tomorrow X Together will release its eighth EP, “7th Year: When the Wind Stopped for a Moment in the Thornbush,” on April 13, marking its first comeback since contract renewal. The group first made the announcement at its "Moa Con" fan concert on Sunday, and released album details Monday through the Weverse fan platform. On Wednesday, it added that it will hold a comeback showcase at Korea University Hwajeong Gymnasium at 8 p.m. on the day of the album’s release. At the showcase, the quintet wil

March 4, 2026