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

"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

Ateez will bring out 11th EP “Golden Hour: Part 2” on Nov. 15, said agency KQ Entertainment Friday. It is the second installment for its “Golden Hour” series that began with previous EP, which came out in May and hit Billboard 200 at No. 2 and stayed on it for seven weeks straight, a record for the eight-piece act. The band has set the bar high for the upcoming album, having placed its all four preceding albums among top three on the main albums chart including the second

Collection of malicious comments in internal documents sparks controversy; 'Inappropriate' crisis management worsens situation

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

Belift Lab CEO Kim Tae-ho, who also serves as Hybe’s chief operating officer, has refuted allegations that his company's rookie girl group Illit plagiarized NewJeans' concept. "It is not true that Belift Lab plagiarized NewJeans. As the CEO of Belift Lab, I would like to state that we have filed a civil lawsuit and pressed charges against former Ador CEO Min Hee-jin regarding this issue,” Kim said during a National Assembly audit on Thursday. “We are awaiting the

Rose of Blackpink garnered 100 million views on YouTube with the music video for her Bruno Mars collaboration “Apt.,” her agency The Black Label said Thursday. The artist expressed gratitude via the agency, saying the song came out naturally while hanging out at a studio playing the game -- originally a drinking game in Korea -- and is “really touched and grateful that so many are listening to and enjoying it.” "Apt." achieved the feat in five days, the shortest

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.&

J-Hope, a member of the global K-pop sensation BTS, threw out the ceremonial first pitch before Game 2 of the Korean Series in his hometown Wednesday. Wearing a cap and a jacket bearing the Korean Series logo, J-Hope tossed the pitch prior to the second game of the South Korean baseball championship round between the home team Kia Tigers and the Samsung Lions at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju, 270 kilometers south of Seoul. J-Hope is from Gwangju. J-Hope was discharged from mandatory mil

Riku of NCT Wish suspended activities for health reasons, announced SM Entertainment Tuesday. He has been feeling under the weather and will focus on treatment and recovery as per doctor’s advice, and will therefore miss the NCT subunit’s upcoming tour in Japan, added the company. The idol debuted in February as part of the six-member team which is set to host two concerts each in six regions in his native country -- Ishikawa, Kyoto, Kanagawa, Hyogo, Fukuoka and Aichi -- from Nov.

Newly debuted Vietnamese K-pop idol Nguyen Trung Kien shares debut journey

The Gangbuk-gu office has apologized after coming under fire for releasing a video parodying K-pop group NewJeans’ Vietnamese-Australian member Hanni, who recently appeared at a parliamentary audit. The video, which was released last Thursday, was taken down on Sunday, following backlash from viewers criticizing the video of discrimination against foreign nationals. “We humbly accept the concerns and criticisms that the video’s content could be seen as discriminatory toward for

South Korean music legend Cho Yong-pil proves that age is not a barrier to pursuing a career in music. The 74-year-old singer made a monumental return Tuesday with the release of his 20th full-length album, aptly titled "20," marking his first studio album in 11 years. "Releasing new songs at over 70 is challenging, but I worked really, really hard," he said during a press conference in Seoul to promote the album. Although he suggested "20" might be his last, he add

Jennie of Blackpink hit Billboard’s Hot 100 at No. 98 with the solo single “Mantra,” according to the chart preview published online on Monday in the US. It is the highest spot on the main singles chart she has acheived as a solo singer. The single ranked No. 2 and No. 3 on its Global excl. the US and Global 200, respectively. It was No. 1 on the iTunes Top Songs Chart in 47 regions and sat at No. 37 on the UK’s Official Singles Chart Top 100. Rose also marked a career-