https://www.scmp.com/rss/503065/feed BTS are the biggest names in K-pop - and they continue to go from strength to strength. After becoming the first K-pop band to top the US album charts in 2018, the seven-member boy band went on to conquer the world, propelled by the support of their devoted Army fan club. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com The Korea Times The Korea Times A joke made on a major US talk show has triggered backlash just as BTS prepares for a high-profile American television return – prompting a swift apology from a comedian caught at the centre of the controversy. Seth Herzog, a resident comedian on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, came under fire after making an improvised remark during a Wednesday taping. While warming up the audience, Herzog asked, “Anyone here from the North?” – a line reportedly intended as a general question about... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3347972/us-comedian-seth-herzog-apologises-over-offensive-bts-joke?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3347972/us-comedian-seth-herzog-apologises-over-offensive-bts-joke?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 07:14:49 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press All seven members log onto a live stream, broadcast from a beach. A few years ago, it would have been a common image. But since the K-pop boy band BTS pressed pause on their full-band duties for nearly four years, it is revelatory. That is the scene at the start of BTS: The Return, a new Netflix documentary directed by Bao Nguyen (The Stringer, The Greatest Night in Pop) and produced by This Machine (Martha, Karol G) and Hybe, the South Korean entertainment company behind BTS. The mostly... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3347781/netflix-documentary-bts-return-highlights-k-pop-kings-comeback-album?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3347781/netflix-documentary-bts-return-highlights-k-pop-kings-comeback-album?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 11:15:07 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times BTS member Jin’s absence from the credits of the group’s latest album has sparked a debate among fans after what has been seen as a tense moment during a live broadcast went viral. BTS held a full-group live stream last Friday to celebrate the release of their fifth full-length album, Arirang, where members discussed the production process and revealed some behind-the-scenes stories. During the broadcast, RM said, “Everyone’s colour is in the album”, before adding, “If Jin’s tour had ended a bit... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3347792/bts-fans-fume-over-jins-absence-arirang-credits?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3347792/bts-fans-fume-over-jins-absence-arirang-credits?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 03:52:11 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times By Pyo Kyung-min Now that K-pop juggernaut BTS have officially made their comeback – having just staged a free performance at the Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul on March 21 and with three more dates at Goyang Stadium on April 9, 11 and 12 – fans from around the world are once again planning journeys that extend far beyond a single night of music. For many members of Army, BTS’ official fandom, travelling to South Korea is also about stepping into the physical landscapes that shaped the group’s... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3347533/10-bts-pilgrimage-spots-south-korea-every-army-fan-should-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3347533/10-bts-pilgrimage-spots-south-korea-every-army-fan-should-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 03:15:08 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Shares in BTS’ agency have plunged as much as 15 per cent after a heavily promoted comeback concert by the K-pop megastars in South Korea drew a smaller crowd than authorities initially expected. Hybe’s stock later recorded its biggest intraday decline since June 2022. The group’s event at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul attracted 104,000 fans vs the 260,000 initially estimated by police, according to the Chosun Ilbo newspaper. Stringent crowd control measures, reflecting in part the authorities’... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3347523/btss-south-korea-comeback-crowd-disappoints-triggering-hybe-stock-sell?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3347523/btss-south-korea-comeback-crowd-disappoints-triggering-hybe-stock-sell?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 02:50:07 +0000 Reuters Reuters After a four-year break, K-pop supergroup BTS returned on Saturday with a massive and free comeback concert in Seoul, where thousands of police locked down a central boulevard for the Netflix-exclusive spectacle that drew tens of thousands of fans. All seven members of the band – RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook – recently completed South Korea’s mandatory military service and hope to reclaim their status as one of the world’s biggest pop acts. Organisers of the concert, which... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3347405/ahead-bts-first-show-years-south-korean-police-lock-down-central-seoul?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3347405/ahead-bts-first-show-years-south-korean-police-lock-down-central-seoul?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 02:46:41 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven Lifestyle stories from the past seven days that resonated with our readers. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Are you ready, Army? Free BTS concert to mark a K-pop comeback like no other The seven-member group – made up of members RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook – will stage a free comeback performance in front of 22,000 fans, marking their first full show as a collective in nearly three and a half years, after... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3347099/bts-comeback-concert-jean-claude-van-damme-talks-art-7-lifestyle-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3347099/bts-comeback-concert-jean-claude-van-damme-talks-art-7-lifestyle-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 07:15:08 +0000 David D. Lee David D. Lee Gwanghwamun Square, the symbolic centre of the South Korean capital Seoul, is home to two statues – King Sejong, architect of the Korean alphabet Hangul, and Admiral Yi Sun-shin, the naval hero who repelled Japanese invasions – with the gates of the historical Gyeongbokgung Palace rising behind them. On March 21, this open-air plaza will play host to a different kind of national icon: BTS. The seven-member group – made up of members RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook – will stage a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3346835/free-bts-concert-mark-k-pop-comeback-no-other-are-you-ready-army?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3346835/free-bts-concert-mark-k-pop-comeback-no-other-are-you-ready-army?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 23:15:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters ⁠South ⁠Korean President Lee Jae Myung said ‌on Tuesday security and safety must be ⁠a top priority for ‌a concert by ‌K-pop band BTS ⁠on ⁠Saturday in ‌Seoul, including readiness for ‌any ‌possible acts ‌of “terror”, ⁠according to a live TV ⁠broadcast of a ‌cabinet meeting. The free comeback concert for the boy band ⁠in central ⁠Seoul is ⁠expected to draw up to 260,000 people, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety said last Wednesday, making it one of the largest public gatherings in the area... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3346828/south-korea-guard-against-possible-terror-acts-bts-concert?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3346828/south-korea-guard-against-possible-terror-acts-bts-concert?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 03:42:45 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times “Your hips need to push outward while your solar plexus goes down. You do a slight jump in this movement,” a professional dance instructor says to a room of struggling students. About 20 foreigners are gathered at 1Million Dance Studio in Seoul’s Seongdong district on a recent Sunday to learn the introductory choreography for the girl group Katseye’s track “Gameboy”. The studio draws a diverse crowd of international visitors. “I have loved dancing since I was young, but it is too expensive in... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3345976/how-gen-z-k-pop-fans-are-reshaping-south-korean-tourism-through-cultural-immersion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3345976/how-gen-z-k-pop-fans-are-reshaping-south-korean-tourism-through-cultural-immersion?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 13:15:07 +0000 Josiah Ng Josiah Ng The shortest month of the year was certainly not short on highlights for high horology. Dua Lipa and Jungkook were announced as Bulgari and Hublot’s respective new ambassadors, and stars showed up for the NBA All-Star Weekend and the Baftas. Meanwhile, in Switzerland, a jump-hour-focused brand that used to make movements for Patek Philippe has been revived, COSC is expected to launch a new certification, and there’s been a flurry of brand releases in the form of collaborations, cutting-edge... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/watches/article/3345103/5-watch-moments-february-2026-bafta-wrist-candy-dua-lipa-and-jungkooks-new-roles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/watches/article/3345103/5-watch-moments-february-2026-bafta-wrist-candy-dua-lipa-and-jungkooks-new-roles?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 08:47:03 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen While K-pop has conquered almost every corner of the globe, South Korea’s entertainment industry remains largely locked out of the Chinese market due to a geopolitical chill that has lingered for a decade. China unofficially banned South Korean entertainment products in 2016 after Seoul deployed the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defence system (THAAD) despite Beijing’s objections. K-pop concerts were cancelled, South Korean dramas disappeared from Chinese streaming platforms, and South Korean... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344205/k-pops-big-freeze-are-cracks-chinas-cultural-blockade-thaw?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344205/k-pops-big-freeze-are-cracks-chinas-cultural-blockade-thaw?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Feb 2026 22:00:14 +0000 SCMP Reporters SCMP Reporters Nostalgia for 2016 has been circulating on the internet over the last few weeks. People welcomed the new year by reminiscing 10 years into the past, sharing decade-old photos of themselves online. There is even a Wikipedia page for “2026 is the new 2016”. Of course, 2016 was before the Covid-19 pandemic rocked the world and the widespread use of generative AI (artificial intelligence) made us question what on our feeds was real and fake. Back then, people used social media mostly to stay... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3341778/2016-trends-pokemon-go-poke-bowls-looking-back-10-years-goes-viral-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3341778/2016-trends-pokemon-go-poke-bowls-looking-back-10-years-goes-viral-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 Jan 2026 07:15:07 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times On a lively weekend afternoon beneath Marina Bay Sands, there is no stage, no spotlight and no audience in the conventional sense. Still, familiar music fills the underground concourse. A group of teenage girls moves in sync to rookie K-pop girl group Hearts2Hearts’ “Focus”, counting beats under their breath. A few meters away, another dance team rehearses choreography to Twice’s “Feel Special”, adjusting their formation as shoppers pass by. No one appears surprised. Scenes like this now unfold... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3341916/all-singapore-k-pops-stage-new-tourism-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3341916/all-singapore-k-pops-stage-new-tourism-push?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 Jan 2026 01:55:45 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times BTS’ long-awaited full-group comeback concert in Busan is still months away, but hotel prices in the South Korean southeastern port city have already hit exorbitant levels, rekindling anger over “rip-off” room rates whenever mega-events come to town. Some properties have reportedly hiked prices by up to 10 times and even asked guests with existing bookings to cancel so they could resell at higher prices. The K-pop group is returning as a full act for the first time since all members completed... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3340240/bts-comeback-concert-sees-south-korean-citys-hotel-prices-soar-10-times?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3340240/bts-comeback-concert-sees-south-korean-citys-hotel-prices-soar-10-times?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Jan 2026 03:35:57 +0000 The Star The Star The announcement that BTS will return to Malaysia after more than a decade has sent K-pop fans into a frenzy, with many calling it a once-in-a-lifetime moment. The South Korean supergroup will stage two concerts in Kuala Lumpur on December 12 and 13, marking its first appearance in the country since 2015, when it performed its Red Bullet Tour at Mega Star Arena. This will also be BTS’ first-ever concert in Kuala Lumpur as its previous Malaysia performance was held in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. For... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3339944/bts-fans-malaysia-ecstatic-over-comeback-concerts-fear-scalpers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3339944/bts-fans-malaysia-ecstatic-over-comeback-concerts-fear-scalpers?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jan 2026 02:17:05 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse K-pop megastars BTS will release a new album in March ahead of a world tour, the group announced on Thursday. South Korea’s biggest musical act has been on self-described hiatus since 2022 as its members undertook national military service required of all men under the age of 30. All seven members were discharged last year, and the group announced a comeback for the spring of 2026. They confirmed on Thursday that they would release an album on March 20, before heading on tour. The exact date... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3338420/k-pop-stars-bts-reunite-march-album-and-world-tour-after-military-service?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3338420/k-pop-stars-bts-reunite-march-album-and-world-tour-after-military-service?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Jan 2026 11:31:39 +0000 David D. Lee David D. Lee From sold-out stadium tours in the US, Europe and Asia to history-making Grammy nominations, K-pop has never stood taller on the global stage. Yet within South Korea, many say the music they once called their own now feels made for someone else. For fans like 21-year-old university student Lee Ye-jin, that shift hits every time she turns on the radio or scrolls through new releases on her phone. Lee has been a member of “Light” – the official fan club of popular boy band Highlight – since 2016.... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3336263/why-south-koreans-are-falling-out-love-k-pop-its-all-english-now?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3336263/why-south-koreans-are-falling-out-love-k-pop-its-all-english-now?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Dec 2025 00:00:10 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times A faction of BTS member Jungkook’s fans staged a protest truck demonstration in front of Hybe’s headquarters in Seoul on Wednesday, criticising the singer over recent dating speculation involving Aespa member Winter. According to photos and witness accounts shared online, the truck displayed messages accusing Jungkook of misleading fans and damaging the group’s image. The LED signs included phrases such as “erase the couple tattoo or step back from BTS activities”, “Are you in your right mind... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3335882/bts-jungkook-faces-fan-fury-over-dating-rumours-aespas-winter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3335882/bts-jungkook-faces-fan-fury-over-dating-rumours-aespas-winter?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Dec 2025 07:41:37 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times A Japanese woman in her 50s has been indicted without detention for forcing a kiss on Jin of BTS during a public fan event last year. The Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors’ Office said that the suspect was charged on Monday with indecent assault. She is accused of approaching Jin (real name Kim Seok-jin) during a fan meeting held at Jamsil Indoor Stadium in Seoul’s Songpa district in June last year, shortly after he completed his military service. She forced a kiss on Jin’s cheek without... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3333176/south-korea-indicts-japanese-woman-forcibly-kissing-bts-jin?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3333176/south-korea-indicts-japanese-woman-forcibly-kissing-bts-jin?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Nov 2025 00:13:37 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times When Newbeat first stormed onto the scene earlier this year with Raw and Rad, the seven-member boy band positioned itself as a blend of hip-hop swagger and unfiltered drive. Eight months later, the act – Minseok, Minsung, Yeoyeojeong, Seohyun, Taeyang, Yunhoo and Riwoo – is turning that energy outward. The group’s first mini-album Louder Than Ever marks a bold turn – four tracks, two title songs and lyrics sung almost entirely in English. “It’s our way of saying we’re ready for the world,” said... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3332193/k-pop-newbies-newbeat-talk-about-their-new-english-language-album-louder-ever?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3332193/k-pop-newbies-newbeat-talk-about-their-new-english-language-album-louder-ever?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Nov 2025 09:23:21 +0000 Josiah Ng Josiah Ng As autumn kicks into high gear, so have watch brands, with launches, happenings and releases continuing to ramp up in the world of high horology. Timothée Chalamet took to promoting his new film sporting a revived brand, while John Mayer launched a compelling new chronograph with Audemars Piguet. Celebrating a decade are Windup Watch Fair, toasting independent watchmaking the world over, and Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo as they host a massive auction of select vintage... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/watches/article/3331277/octobers-biggest-watch-moments-fronted-timothee-chalamet-john-mayer-and-v-bts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/watches/article/3331277/octobers-biggest-watch-moments-fronted-timothee-chalamet-john-mayer-and-v-bts?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Nov 2025 06:00:22 +0000 Gloria Tso Gloria Tso To say Paris Fashion Week is a star-studded affair would be an understatement. But we’ve had an extra dose of celebrity glam this season with the event putting on a whopping 74 shows on the official calendar. As over a dozen new creative directors showed their debut collections for major luxury houses such as Balenciaga and Chanel, we saw countless A-listers grace the front row of their runways. Below we break down some stand-out celebrity looks this season, from the big and bold to the... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/fashion/celebrity-style/article/3328218/28-stand-out-celebrity-paris-fashion-week-looks-nicole-kidman-blackpinks-lisa-meghan-markle-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/fashion/celebrity-style/article/3328218/28-stand-out-celebrity-paris-fashion-week-looks-nicole-kidman-blackpinks-lisa-meghan-markle-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Oct 2025 07:38:51 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times BTS leader RM is once again making headlines – not for his music, but for his unfiltered take on marriage, parenthood and the pressures facing millennials and Gen Z in South Korea. During a live broadcast on the group’s global fan platform Weverse on Sunday, the 31-year-old K-pop star spoke openly about his current state of mind, revealing that he has been reflecting deeply on relationships and life choices while working on a new album. “I’ve been feeling some anxiety and depression again... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3328172/bts-rm-offers-unfiltered-take-loneliness-marriage-and-parental-pressure?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3328172/bts-rm-offers-unfiltered-take-loneliness-marriage-and-parental-pressure?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Oct 2025 01:30:38 +0000 Gloria Tso Gloria Tso Fashion week has officially come and gone in Milan, where Demna showed his debut collection for Gucci via a short film titled The Tiger, and Giorgio Armani held its first show following its founder’s passing earlier this month. The brand’s outing was a tribute to the long-time designer’s legacy and a showcase of his final designs for the house. Here are some stand-out celebrity looks from Milan Fashion Week this past season, from Demi Moore’s knockout appearance at Gucci (and performance in The... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/fashion/celebrity-style/article/3327197/15-stand-out-celebrity-looks-milan-fashion-week-meryl-streep-dolce-gabbana-demi-moore-gucci?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/fashion/celebrity-style/article/3327197/15-stand-out-celebrity-looks-milan-fashion-week-meryl-streep-dolce-gabbana-demi-moore-gucci?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Sep 2025 06:48:54 +0000 Gloria Tso Gloria Tso New York Fashion Week is winding down, with top fashion brands having presented their collections for the whirlwind spring/summer 2026 season. We’ve collected stand-out celebrity looks that will surely serve as style inspo for the months to come – from belted chic at Ralph Lauren as seen on stars like Usher and Laura Dern, to the sophisticated simplicity on show at Michael Kors exemplified by Gwyneth Paltrow and Lea Michele. Laura Dern Laura Dern stunned in this floor-length gown with a... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/fashion/celebrity-style/article/3325573/16-must-see-looks-new-york-fashion-week-bts-jungkook-calvin-klein-gwyneth-paltrow-michael-kors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/fashion/celebrity-style/article/3325573/16-must-see-looks-new-york-fashion-week-bts-jungkook-calvin-klein-gwyneth-paltrow-michael-kors?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Sep 2025 04:14:57 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times BTS member Jungkook has vowed strong action against repeated invasions of his privacy after a woman was arrested for breaking into his home. During a Weverse live-stream held on Monday to mark his birthday, Jungkook spoke about the incident, which occurred just days earlier. According to Yongsan police in Seoul, a woman in her 40s was arrested on the night of August 30 for trespassing in the underground parking space of the K-pop star’s residence. She followed a vehicle through the entrance,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3324120/bts-jungkook-warns-fans-he-will-lock-intruders-after-stalker-breaks-home?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3324120/bts-jungkook-warns-fans-he-will-lock-intruders-after-stalker-breaks-home?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Sep 2025 01:30:02 +0000 Hyewon Lee Hyewon Lee The Netflix animation KPop Demon Hunters has struck a chord with audiences worldwide – whether they’re K-pop fans or not – and quickly become the platform’s most-watched animated film of all time. Its original soundtrack has also taken the charts by storm, earning it the title of the highest-charting soundtrack of the year. At the heart of the film is the fictional girl group Huntr/x. An accomplished K-pop band by day and fierce demon hunters by night, Huntr/x is gaining considerable real-world... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3321803/meet-arden-cho-who-voices-rumi-hit-netflix-film-kpop-demon-hunters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3321803/meet-arden-cho-who-voices-rumi-hit-netflix-film-kpop-demon-hunters?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Aug 2025 22:00:10 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg In a gleaming, mirror-lined studio above Singapore’s Orchard Road, Gabriella Tjokrohadi moves through a carefully practised routine as an instructor calls out cues in Korean. When the music cuts, she rushes to the camera to study the footage, scrutinising every angle, posture and facial expression. The 25-year-old Indonesian has long dreamed of breaking into South Korea’s entertainment industry. But instead of Seoul, her journey has led her to Singapore – home to Southeast Asia’s first K-pop... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3320882/singapores-next-k-pop-idols-pick-moves-first-southeast-asian-academy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3320882/singapores-next-k-pop-idols-pick-moves-first-southeast-asian-academy?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 Aug 2025 01:34:49 +0000 Schoni Song Schoni Song When Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite made history at the Oscars in 2020, the global media fixated on one question: how did a Korean-language social satire manage to resonate so powerfully across the world? The same question arose when Squid Game broke viewership records on Netflix and when BTS performed at the United Nations with the gravitas of a diplomatic delegation. More recently, KPop Demon Hunters stormed to success. What is it about Korean pop culture that so effectively captures the imagination... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3320412/dont-mistake-korean-cultures-soft-power-actual-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3320412/dont-mistake-korean-cultures-soft-power-actual-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Aug 2025 21:30:07 +0000 David D. Lee David D. Lee Few groups survive a decade in the relentless world of K-pop. But on a charged June night in Goyang, industry juggernauts BTS celebrated 12 years since they first burst onto the scene. Last month’s 2025 BTS Festa saw more than 60,000 fans pack the Kintex centre in the Seoul suburb to commemorate the group’s anniversary. That same weekend, J-Hope held the final dates of his world tour in a nearby stadium complex, marking the first time all seven members of BTS were seen on stage together again... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3319635/what-7-year-curse-bts-blackpink-and-new-era-global-k-pop?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3319635/what-7-year-curse-bts-blackpink-and-new-era-global-k-pop?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Jul 2025 00:00:16 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press K-pop superstar septet BTS will return in spring 2026 with a new album and world tour. Members Jin, RM, V, Jimin, J-Hope, Jungkook and Suga made the announcement on Tuesday during a live stream on Weverse, an online fan platform owned by BTS management company Hybe. It was the first time all seven members have broadcast live together since September 2022. “We’ll be releasing a new BTS album in the spring of next year,” the band said in a statement. “Starting in July, all seven of us will begin... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/bands/article/3316571/k-pop-stars-bts-announce-new-album-and-world-tour-come-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/bands/article/3316571/k-pop-stars-bts-announce-new-album-and-world-tour-come-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Jul 2025 02:35:11 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press It is official – almost. Soon, all seven members of the massively popular K-pop group BTS will have completed South Korea’s mandatory military service. Rapper Suga will be the last of the bandmates to be released, on Saturday, after fulfilling his duty as a social service agent, an alternative to serving in the military that he reportedly chose because of a shoulder injury. BTS’ entertainment agency said no events are planned for Suga’s release out of concern for overcrowding. The six others –... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3315189/all-about-k-pop-superstars-bts-last-member-finishes-mandatory-military-service?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3315189/all-about-k-pop-superstars-bts-last-member-finishes-mandatory-military-service?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Jun 2025 20:15:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse K-pop megaband BTS are back from military service, and their international fandom – known for its progressive activism – is celebrating by rallying behind a cause: adoptees from South Korea. Now Asia’s fourth-largest economy and a global cultural powerhouse, the idols’ native South Korea remains one of the biggest exporters of adopted babies in the world, having sent more than 140,000 children overseas between 1955 and 1999. The country only recently acknowledged, after years of activism by... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-relationships/article/3314997/bts-army-celebrate-groups-return-military-service-helping-korean-adoptees?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-relationships/article/3314997/bts-army-celebrate-groups-return-military-service-helping-korean-adoptees?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Jun 2025 07:15:07 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Jungkook, a member of the K-pop supergroup BTS, has issued a public apology after coming under fire from fans for wearing a cap with the slogan “Make Tokyo Great Again”, a phrase criticised for invoking painful memories of Japan’s colonial rule over Korea. The 27-year-old K-pop star, who recently completed his compulsory military service in South Korea, was wearing the hat on Friday when he made a surprise appearance at rehearsals for the final performance of fellow BTS member J-Hope’s world... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3314605/bts-jungkook-apologises-wearing-make-tokyo-great-again-hat-after-fan-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3314605/bts-jungkook-apologises-wearing-make-tokyo-great-again-hat-after-fan-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Jun 2025 08:58:39 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk A Chinese woman has been arrested for attempting to break into the home of South Korean pop supergroup BTS member Jeon Jung-kook, better known as Jungkook, hours after his discharge from the military. The unnamed woman, in her thirties, is accused of trying to gain entry to Jungkook’s Seoul flat at around 11pm on Wednesday by repeatedly pressing the keypad door lock, according to Yonhap News Agency. Police apprehended her at the scene on charges of attempted housebreaking after a resident... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3314114/bts-jungkook-faces-break-attempt-hours-after-military-discharge-south-korea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3314114/bts-jungkook-faces-break-attempt-hours-after-military-discharge-south-korea?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Jun 2025 05:42:54 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The world’s most popular boy band is heading for a reunion: K-pop megastars RM and V from BTS were released on Tuesday from 18 months of South Korean military service, prompting a fan frenzy. The seven members of BTS, South Korea’s most lucrative musical act, have been on a self-described “hiatus” since 2022 while they separately undertake the mandatory service required of all South Korean men under 30 due to tensions with the nuclear-armed North. Hundreds of fans gathered near two army bases... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3313775/k-pop-stars-rm-and-v-bts-discharged-south-korea-military-triggering-fan-frenzy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3313775/k-pop-stars-rm-and-v-bts-discharged-south-korea-military-triggering-fan-frenzy?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Jun 2025 01:27:23 +0000 dpa dpa Four singers from the Korean band BTS will complete their compulsory service in the South Korean military this week, increasing fans’ hopes that the globally popular K-pop band will make a comeback. The Yonhap news agency, citing the band’s management, reported that members RM and V would be discharged on June 10 and Jimin and Jungkook a day later after 18 months’ service. For security reasons, no public event is being planned to mark the occasion, it said. In South Korea, all able-bodied men... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3313523/will-bts-make-comeback-4-members-korean-boy-band-end-military-service-week?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3313523/will-bts-make-comeback-4-members-korean-boy-band-end-military-service-week?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Jun 2025 01:45:07 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Tencent Holdings is snapping up a nearly 10 per cent stake in SM Entertainment valued at about US$180 million, marking a rare Chinese investment into a South Korean company in recent years. Shenzhen-based Tencent will buy the stake from K-pop band BTS’ management agency Hybe, which is selling its remaining 2.2 million shares in SM Entertainment at 110,000 won (US$80.34) each, a 15.3 per cent discount to Tuesday’s close, according to a regulatory filing. The move comes as Beijing is widely... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3312014/tencent-buys-bts-agency-hybes-stake-sm-entertainment-ahead-china-lifting-k-pop-ban?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3312014/tencent-buys-bts-agency-hybes-stake-sm-entertainment-ahead-china-lifting-k-pop-ban?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 May 2025 12:31:48 +0000 K-pop continues to be the most recognised symbol of South Korean culture around the world, even as the country’s cuisine, TV dramas and beauty products gain ground among global fans, according to the results of a new international survey. The 2025 Global Hallyu Survey, released on Monday, showed that 17.8 per cent of respondents with prior experience of Korean culture said pop music was the first thing they associated with the country – keeping K-pop in the top spot for an eighth consecutive... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3305553/bts-and-beyond-k-pop-remains-top-global-symbol-south-korean-culture-survey-shows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3305553/bts-and-beyond-k-pop-remains-top-global-symbol-south-korean-culture-survey-shows?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Apr 2025 12:35:56 +0000 South Korean police said on Friday they are summoning a Japanese woman for questioning over allegedly kissing Jin, a member of the K-pop supergroup BTS, without consent during a free hug event last year. A police officer who answered the phone at Seoul’s Songpa police station said it requested the woman to appear for questioning over an allegation of sexual harassment. The police station refused to disclose her identity citing privacy. The station said it had launched an investigation after... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3300494/japanese-woman-investigated-kissing-bts-jin-without-consent-seoul-event?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3300494/japanese-woman-investigated-kissing-bts-jin-without-consent-seoul-event?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Feb 2025 04:49:46 +0000 Danny Mok Danny Mok South Korean authorities have launched an investigation into an employee of a Hong Kong-based airline who is accused of profiting by selling illegally obtained private flight details of celebrities, including megastar K-pop boy band BTS. The cyber investigation unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency is reportedly investigating the woman in her thirties, who allegedly sold sensitive boarding information on numerous high-profile figures. The woman, who operated between 2023 and last year,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3300116/hong-kong-airline-worker-accused-selling-flight-details-k-pop-stars-bts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3300116/hong-kong-airline-worker-accused-selling-flight-details-k-pop-stars-bts?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Feb 2025 15:02:10 +0000 Oli London – the internet personality famous for his ethnic plastic surgeries – has been getting political in recent months. In May, he ridiculed LGBTQ+ support for Palestine, telling Sky News it was hypocritical for the community to be “protesting in favour of people who would throw them off buildings and behead them in the streets”, without elaborating further on these claims. And earlier this month, he criticised The View host Rosie O’Donnell as having a “classic case of Trump-derangement... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3287698/what-has-oli-london-been-controversial-brit-had-multiple-surgeries-look-bts-jimin-and-declared?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3287698/what-has-oli-london-been-controversial-brit-had-multiple-surgeries-look-bts-jimin-and-declared?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Nov 2024 11:00:16 +0000 1. BTS label chief under fire for calling young K-pop idols ‘ugly’ with ‘no sex appeal’ Hybe, the K-pop label behind BTS, has apologised for leaked internal documents containing derogatory remarks about young idols’ appearances, sparking controversy and highlighting the industry’s harsh standards. 2. Blackpink’s Rosé makes history as first K-pop solo female artist to make Top 10 on US Billboard Hot 100 K-pop star Rosé achieves a milestone as her single “Apt”, featuring Bruno Mars, makes the US... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3285372/bts-blackpink-stray-kids-seventeen-new-jeans-k-pop-keeps-making-headlines-all-over-world-and-artists?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3285372/bts-blackpink-stray-kids-seventeen-new-jeans-k-pop-keeps-making-headlines-all-over-world-and-artists?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 Nov 2024 10:00:22 +0000 K-pop megastar J-hope from BTS ended eighteen months of South Korean military service on Thursday, and hailed the “sacrifice” of soldiers working to keep the country safe, as fans wept for joy at his return to the industry. The seven members of the world’s most popular boy band have been on a self-described “hiatus” since 2022 due to their military service, which South Korea requires of all men under 30 due to tensions with the nuclear-armed North. J-hope, the main dancer of the group, emerged... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3282771/j-hope-bts-completes-18-months-south-koreas-mandatory-military-service?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3282771/j-hope-bts-completes-18-months-south-koreas-mandatory-military-service?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Oct 2024 10:08:48 +0000 A member of chart-topping K-pop group NewJeans tearfully testified to South Korean lawmakers on Tuesday as part of an inquiry into workplace harassment, amid a boardroom drama over her super producer. In recent years, South Korea’s K-pop industry has become a global juggernaut powered by the success of groups like BTS, but domestically it is known for imposing strict standards and controls on fledgling stars. Rising K-pop idols are expected to adhere to their powerful agency’s behaviour and... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3282496/k-pop-star-couldnt-sit-idly-tells-south-korea-lawmakers-workplace-bullying?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3282496/k-pop-star-couldnt-sit-idly-tells-south-korea-lawmakers-workplace-bullying?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Oct 2024 14:09:18 +0000 K-pop star Suga, a member of the boy band supergroup BTS, has been fined 15 million won (US$11,500) by a court in South Korea for drink-driving while on an electric scooter. A judge at the Seoul Western District Court issued the fine in a summary judgment made last week after his case was referred to the prosecution, a court official said on Monday. In August, the songwriter and rapper made an apology for the incident calling it “careless and wrong behaviour” with police also revoking his... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3280475/bts-member-suga-drink-driving-e-scooter-results-us11500-fine?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3280475/bts-member-suga-drink-driving-e-scooter-results-us11500-fine?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Sep 2024 03:00:52 +0000 American fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger browses through a rail of custom-made suits worn to this year’s Met Gala by K-pop stars Stray Kids, before opening up a tuxedo to reveal a special label. The eight-member South Korean boy group caused an online frenzy when the Tommy Hilfiger brand ambassadors became the first K-pop group to attend the prestigious Manhattan fashion event in May. “We did a special label ‘Tommy Hilfiger with the Stray Kids’ and they loved it, we loved it and I think it will... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3278071/lisa-lv-bts-jin-gucci-stray-kids-met-gala-luxury-fashion-embraces-k-pop?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3278071/lisa-lv-bts-jin-gucci-stray-kids-met-gala-luxury-fashion-embraces-k-pop?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Sep 2024 20:15:07 +0000 “How many minutes do we have left?” IU urgently called offstage to her staff. Los Angeles was the last stop of her first world tour and she was determined to grant as many song requests from fans as she could before her time in the Kia Forum ran out. IU, whose real name is Lee Ji-eun, may not be a household name in America just yet, but the K-pop singer is an icon in South Korea. Dubbed the nation’s little sister (Korea’s version of “America’s sweetheart”), she debuted when she was just 15 and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/artists-celebrities/article/3273515/taylor-swift-k-pop-ius-first-world-tour-ends-la-song-requests-and-fan-love?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/artists-celebrities/article/3273515/taylor-swift-k-pop-ius-first-world-tour-ends-la-song-requests-and-fan-love?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Aug 2024 20:15:09 +0000 A member of K-pop megagroup BTS apologised on Wednesday after being charged with riding an electric scooter while under the influence. Officers cited Suga, 31, after he fell from his bike the night before in Seoul’s fashionable Yongsan district, the Yonhap news agency reported, citing local police. Posting to social media platform Weverse, the 31-year-old BTS star said he had driven home “thinking it was a close distance and forgetting that you can’t use the electric scooter under the influence,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3273538/south-korea-charges-bts-star-suga-drink-driving-revokes-licence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3273538/south-korea-charges-bts-star-suga-drink-driving-revokes-licence?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Aug 2024 07:00:28 +0000