Ador, the K-pop agency behind NewJeans and a subsidiary of Hybe, confirmed on Wednesday that it will not honor the girl group’s request to reinstate former CEO Min Hee-jin. The agency cited its adherence to Hybe's principle of separating management and production. However, Ador said Min could continue as both an internal director and NewJeans’ producer. "The board has resolved to convene an extraordinary shareholders' meeting to reappoint Min Hee-jin as an internal dir

K-pop girl group Kiss of Life is gearing up for a new release next month, following its impressive summer hit “Sticky,” a digital single with an infectious Afrobeat rhythm. S2 Entertainment announced Wednesday that the group will drop “Lose Yourself,” its third EP, on Oct. 15. Leading up to the album's release, a prerelease track is set to launch Oct. 4. The announcement came with a teaser image shared on the group’s official social media channels, featuring th

Lisa of Blackpink will visit fans in Asia for the first time on her own in November, according to a local media report Wednesday. She will be hosting fan meetups in the region with plans to visit Singapore, Bangkok, Jakarta, Kaohsiung and Hong Kong in mid-November, the report said. The artist, as a solo act, won the Best K-Pop Award from the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards with “Rockstar” earlier this month and is set to headline the Global Citizen Festival in New York this weekend. &l

The rising girl group Nmixx will be the first K-pop artist to participate in Billboard Latin Music Week. The group’s agency, JYP Entertainment, announced that Nmixx will attend Billboard Latin Music Week as a panelist. The event will take place from Oct. 14 to 18 at The Fillmore Miami Beach, and Nmixx will join the event on Oct. 16 to discuss K-pop's influence in the Latin music market. Celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, Billboard Latin Music Week is the largest event in the

Super Junior-D&E, a duo consisting of Donghae and Eunhyuk of legendary K-pop boy group Super Junior, made its much-anticipated return with the release of “Inevitable.” The mini-album dropped Wednesday on various online music platforms, marking the beginning of their latest promotional activities. The title track, “Go High,” is a hip hop-based song featuring a powerful blend of drums and bass. With witty lyrics that express the duo's adventurous spirit and reflect

An increasing number of K-pop idols are finding it less appealing to renew their contracts with major agencies, citing restrictions on freedom of expression and limited control over their music. Industry insiders point to shifts in media and production that have empowered idols, giving them more control over their careers. With the rise of social media and independent publishers, idols no longer depend on major agencies for success. Local entertainment companies, however, are frustrated by idols

NCT Wish released its first mini album, “Steady,” Tuesday. The EP is led by the titular track “Steady,” a house number with UK garage and Jersey club beats that combines for a sophisticated melody. “The song is about our desire to forever remember the miraculous journey that we’ve been through to meet with our fans. The lyrics are cute and trendy that Gen Zs can easily relate to,” said Sion. The title track was produced by Kenzie, a veteran producer behi

Blackpink reached 1.7 billion views on YouTube with the performance video for “How You Like That,” label YG Entertainment said Tuesday. It is the group’s first dance video to achieve the feat and fourth video overall, following music videos for “Ddu-du Ddu-du,” “Kill This Love” and “Boombayah.” The video is the first of its kind from a K-pop musician to do so. The music video for the 2020 summer anthem surpassed 1.3 billion views on the pla

Rising girl group QWER returned with positive energy, hoping to deliver love and comfort with their second EP. The project band QWER, put together by YouTuber Kim Gye-ran, debuted last October. The members consist of Chodan on drums, Hina on guitar and keyboard, Magenta on bass, and Siyeon as the vocalist. The band’s second EP “Algorithm’s Blossom” was released Monday. The title track, “My Name is Malguem,” features the Korean word "Malgeum," which m

(Credit: KOZ Entertainment)Rookie band Boynextdoor shared plans for its first international tour via agency KOZ Entertainment Monday. It will embark on tour “Knock On Vol. 1” with a two-day concert in Incheon Dec. 14-15. From Jan. 30 to April 12, it is set to visit 12 more cities across Asia: Singapore, Manila, Bangkok, Taipei, Hong Kong and Jakarta as well as six cities in Japan. The Japan itinerary reflects the popularity of the band in the country where it drew a large crowd at Su

On the afternoon of Sept. 10, six K-pop trainees from China gathered in a dance studio at the World K-Pop Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, for a practice session. Donning comfortable training outfits and sneakers, their faces reflected a mix of excitement, nerves and determination. The trainees are just over two months away from their long-awaited debut as a K-pop girl group in Korea, set for mid-November. However, not all six will be able to debut. They are a portion of a larger group of 17 trainees w

Key of the K-pop boy group SHINee released his third solo EP “Pleasure Shop” on Monday. The album features six house tracks led by the title track, “Pleasure Shop.” “The lead track is about a pleasure shop where people come to buy happiness. I am the person who sells happiness at the shop, but I do not have feelings because I am a cyborg,” explained Key. Despite the upbeat title, he darkened the lyrics to add depth to the narrative. “Even though people c

After a successful world tour and performances at several overseas festivals, P1Harmony is back with a new album full of challenges. Group's 7th mini-album “Sad Song,” released Friday, comes about seven months after their first full-length album “Killin' It.” It has six tracks including the Lain-rhythm-themed title track. The album explores feelings of loneliness and emptiness, as well as the process of overcoming such emotions through the concept of superheroes

K-pop sensation IU wrapped up her first world tour, ‘HEREH,’ with an unforgettable finale Sunday at the Seoul World Cup Stadium. She made a striking entrance on a swing-like lift, dressed in a sparkling coral mini dress and a white headset, kicking off the show with “Holssi,” the first track from a captivating setlist that spanned over two hours. IU took an audience of 50,000 on a mesmerizing journey, performing “Ah Puh” amidst a stunning display of whale and

Aespa is set to make its highly anticipated return next month with “Whiplash,” the girl group's fifth mini-album. The six-track album will be released on multiple music platforms at 6 p.m. KST, Oct. 21. Showcasing Aespa’s unique musical style, it will feature title track “Whiplash” alongside tracks of a variety of genres, according to SM Entertainment. Expectations for "Whiplash" are high after the massive success of the group's first full-length