Music Oct 20, 2020
BTS fans have a new way to show their love: buying shares
by Yoojung Lee and Heejin Kim
In the music industry, fans are everything. But when it comes to K-pop, that adage holds more true than ever.
Business Oct 15, 2020
South Korea's Big Hit market debut tempered by reliance on K-pop group BTS
Big Hit Entertainment, the management label of South Korean superstar K-pop group BTS, hit the stock market with a 9.6 trillion won ($8.38 billion) valuation on Thursday before worries over its narrow revenue stream pulled shares below the debut price. Big Hit, which relies heavily ...
Asia Pacific Oct 13, 2020
BTS honored Korean War sacrifices. Some in China saw an insult.
by Tiffany May and Amy Chang Chien
The group's leader acknowledged the shared suffering of Americans and Koreans during a recent ceremony commemorating the war.
Entertainment News Oct 8, 2020
Can K-pop superstars be exempt from military service?
by Ju-min Park
Calls are mounting within South Korea for members of megaband BTS to be granted alternatives or delays to mandatory military service, with some lawmakers and fans arguing they are doing plenty for their country without wearing a soldier's uniform.
Entertainment News Jun 23, 2020
Online disruption of Trump rally highlights K-pop's political hustle
Viral posts on TikTok and Twitter revealed that plans to reserve tickets en masse had been circulating for days, racking up hundreds of thousands of views.
Entertainment News Jun 7, 2020
South Korean boyband BTS donates $1 million to Black Lives Matter
Popular South Korean band BTS donated $1 million to Black Lives Matter (BLM) in support of U.S. protests against police brutality, its music label, Big Hit Entertainment, said Sunday. On Thursday, the seven-member BTS wrote on its Twitter account that they are against racism and ...
Entertainment News Mar 20, 2020
Pioneer K-pop idol Yang Joon-il makes an unlikely comeback
by Claire Lee
Thirty years ago his make-up, floppy hair and flamboyant fashion sense outraged audiences. Today, 50-year-old Korean-American singer Yang Joon-il is enjoying an unlikely comeback, re-discovered by the YouTube and social media generation through online clips and hailed as a forerunner to today's K-pop stars. The K-pop ...
Entertainment News Feb 12, 2020
Shock 'Parasite' Oscar cements South Korea's status as a cultural powerhouse
by Sohee Kim and Jihye Lee
South Korea's status as a cultural juggernaut just got a serious shot of international credibility. "Parasite," a dark comedy about the divisions of wealth and class, became the first foreign-language film in history to win the coveted Oscar for best film. The movie — made ...
Asia Pacific / Crime & Legal Feb 4, 2020
A K-pop star charged with violating South Korea's anti-prostitution law may have to join the country's army and face trial in a military court. Last week, prosecutors indicted former Big Bang member Seungri, whose real name is Lee Seung-hyun, on charges of violating laws on ...
Entertainment News Dec 4, 2019
South Korean actor Cha In-ha found dead in latest K-pop tragedy
South Korean actor Cha In-ha was found dead in his home, police said Wednesday, the country's third young celebrity to die in the past two months amid growing debate about the intense social pressures artists face. While South Korea's pop culture mostly projects a wholesome ...
Music Nov 26, 2019
China fans desert K-pop star for 'liking' Hong Kong protest tweet
A South Korean pop star has become the latest celebrity to spark anger on the Chinese internet after he "liked" a tweet about the divisive issue of pro-democracy unrest in Hong Kong. Choi Siwon, a member of popular K-pop boy band Super Junior, was forced ...
Music Nov 25, 2019
K-pop star Goo Hara left 'pessimistic' note, South Korean police say
K-pop singer Goo Hara left a "pessimistic" note, police said on Monday, a day after the former member of top South Korean girl group Kara was found dead. "A handwritten note that was pessimistic about her life was found on a living room table," Lee ...