WJSN's Dayoung, Jay Park spark chemistry in new single 'FLIRTY'Dayoung of girl group WJSN, who has been steadily carving out a solo career of her own, joins forces with veteran singer Jay Park for the collaborative single "FLIRTY," set for release Tuesday. The track marks the first collaboration of Dayoung's career and her first new music in about four months, following her second digital single "What's a girl to do," in April. According to her agency Starship Entertainment, the singer took part in writing both the lyrics and music. The agency described the song as a pop track capturing the excitement and confident attitude of a budding romance, blending guitar sounds, groovy rhythms and rich pop melodies with touches of R&B and reggae. The pairing traces back to the 2025 Melon Music Awards last December, where Dayoung made a surprise appearance during Jay Park's performance. Dayoung appeared alongside him again at his Waterbomb festival performance on July 25, and a teaser image for the duo was unveiled shortly after the show, fueling anticipation. Dayoung's solo debut track "body" landed on best K-pop of 2025 lists compiled by Billboard, NME and Th3h agoBy Pyo Kyung-min
JYP founder says agency spends $1.4 mil. a year on organic cafeteriaSinger and JYP Entertainment founder Park Jin-young said the agency spends about 2 billion won ($1.4 million) a year operating its company cafeteria. He told viewers the company spends roughly 220 million won annually on organic kimchi alone. The K-pop agency's organic cafeteria was featured on Saturday's broadcast of MBC variety show "Reveal My Star's Life: The Manager." During the broadcast, Park enjoyed a meal at the cafeteria with his manager. When someone complimented the dish, he shared the figures, surprising the panel when he disclosed the yearly cost of kimchi served in the cafeteria. Park explained that the company meticulously inspects the ingredients, ensuring that everything from the seasonings to the sea salt used in the kimchi meets strict organic standards. He emphasized that the company could cut costs if they stopped preparing the kimchi with organic ingredients, but he stands by the practice to prioritize health. While the JYP cafeteria is already known for using organic ingredients, the revelation that it costs about 2 billion won a year to operate drew widespread att5h agoBy Xportsnews
InterviewRed Velvet trades midday heat for sunset glow on 'Velvet Summer'K-pop girl group Red Velvet returns Monday with the mini album "Velvet Summer," its first full-group release in over two years, trading blazing summer anthems for a sunset mood. The five-piece last released music together with "Cosmic" in June 2024. The five-track album is led by the track "Surfin' Boy," a dance number built on crisp, refreshing production and the group's signature dreamy vocal harmonies. In a first for the team, member Joy wrote the lyrics on her own, reminiscing about the hottest summer of one's life and the promise of making more radiant memories. "I was able to pour out everything I wanted to say to Red Velvet and our fans while writing these lyrics," Joy said in a written interview on Monday. "I wanted to convey that whenever we meet again, we can build memories even more beautiful than before. Seulgi even sent me a message praising how singable the lyrics were after mine were chosen. I was so happy I nearly cried," Joy added. According to Seulgi, the song also marks a sonic departure from the group's high-energy summer anthems like "Red Flavor" (2017) and "Umpah Ump23h agoBy Pyo Kyung-min
HYBE's new girl group Tuide to debut Aug. 24 with EP 'Tune & Play'HYBE's new girl group label ABD will debut its first act, Tuide, on Aug. 24 with the release of its debut EP, "Tune & Play," the agency said. The seven-member group — Seohee, Seoyeon, Elena, Jia, Saki, Seah and Yi Hani — will release the mini album at 6 p.m. ABD said the title reflects the group's concept: tuning different musical languages into a single rhythm, then maximizing the joy found within that harmony. The label said the sound is meant to cross the boundaries of generation, culture and language and bring a new current to the global music scene. Tuide revealed its members' visuals Sunday through a set of introduction photos and a video titled "Introductions: WE TUIDE," posted to the group's official social media accounts. In the clip, the members chant the group's name in multiple languages over a minimalist beat that shifts between Korean, English, Japanese and French. The members come from Korea, the United States, Britain and Japan, and were all born between 2006 and 2011. ABD said the mix of backgrounds and personalities is meant to give Tuide a distinct group identity1d agoBy Jhoo Dong-chan
Jennie captivates Chicago with history-making Lollapalooza setUnder the glittering summer sky of Grant Park on Saturday night, BLACKPINK member and fashion icon Jennie entered the history books. Closing out the main Bud Light Stage at Lollapalooza Chicago, Jennie delivered an electrifying, hourlong headline set that solidified her standing as a global star, capping off the night with the surprise debut of an unreleased track. With this performance, Jennie became the first Korean female solo artist to headline North America’s premier music festival. The flagship stage she commanded is steeped in rock and pop royalty, having previously hosted legendary acts like Coldplay, The Cure and The Weeknd. Jennie met the historical weight of the moment with effortless swagger and full live-band backing, powering through an 18-song set list that reimagined her catalog for a festival crowd exceeding 100,000. The performance marked her first live appearance following the release of her hit single, "Less than a Lover." As the opening synth line echoed across the lawn, the crowd erupted into a thunderous sing-along, proving that her solo output resonates as dee1d agoBy Jhoo Dong-chan
Seventeen's Dino to debut alter ego 'Picheolin'Dino, the youngest member of K-pop boy band Seventeen, will drop his debut album as alter ego "Picheolin" on Monday, his agency Pledis Entertainment said. "Gilboard," the first EP from the persona, reinterprets 1990s Korean street music culture through a blend of EDM trap, city pop and new jack swing genres, infusing the tracks with a distinctively Korean sense of "heung" — a term denoting spirited fun, according to the agency. The EP's name combines the Chinese character for auspicious, "gil," and the English word "board" from the U.S. Billboard music chart. It refers to a tacit '90s music ranking based on how often street vendors selling bootleg cassette tapes blasted a song through large speakers to attract passersby. The grassroots ranking was considered a much more accurate indicator of a track's actual popularity than official broadcast rankings or album sales. "Picheolin" is portrayed as an enthusiastic '90s-style producer and the CEO of a fictional K-pop agency, Bong. The character has been developed through Dino's various content and performances. The lead track, "Norabose" (L1d agoBy Yonhap
Grammys removes BTS' videos following boycottThe Recording Academy, the host of the Grammy Awards, has sparked backlash after removing historic performance videos of BTS from its official website, shortly after the superstar K-pop band announced it would not submit its music to the music awards for next year. On the official Grammys website, live recordings of the group’s hit songs "Dynamite" from 2021 and "Butter" from 2022 were no longer accessible. While these videos can still be viewed on the group's official channels, their absence from the Grammys site has raised questions among fans. The Recording Academy has not commented on the change. The quiet video removals came immediately after all seven members of BTS issued a joint statement on July 29 confirming they will not submit any music for the 69th Grammy Awards, set for Feb. 7, 2027. "We decided not to submit our work for the upcoming Grammy Awards," the group said. "We hope that music can be appreciated and loved for what it is, without being divided by region or language." The group’s boycott is widely seen as a protest against the Recording Academy’s newly establish1d agoBy Baek Byung-yeul
Jimin's 'Who' hits 2.5 bil. streams on SpotifyBTS member Jimin's solo track "Who" has officially surpassed 2.5 billion streams on Spotify, his agency said Saturday. Released in July 2024 as the lead track from his second solo album, "Muse," the song reached the milestone on Thursday, becoming his most-streamed track, according to BigHit Music. The track, which blends hip-hop and R&B genres, explores the longing and uncertainty of searching for someone the narrator has yet to meet. "Who" debuted at No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100, before climbing to a peak of No. 12 the following week, and spent a total of 33 weeks on the chart.Aug 1, 2026By Yonhap
BTS' 'Aliens' sweeps iTunes charts worldwide after Grammy withdrawalBTS' "Aliens," a B-side from the boy band's fifth studio album "ARIRANG," has topped iTunes Top Songs charts in 78 regions, propelled by fans rallying behind the septet's decision to withdraw from next year's Grammy Awards. The seven members announced their withdrawal Wednesday through identical statements posted to their individual Instagram accounts, saying they hope their music "can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language." Within hours, the group's official fandom, ARMY, launched a coordinated streaming campaign, sending the track to No. 1 in countries including the U.S., the U.K., France, Brazil, India and Australia. The Korean-language song, which likens the group's journey through the global pop industry to aliens landing on Earth, reflects the identity struggles the members have faced as Korean artists in Western markets. Its lyrics are now being reread as a pointed rebuke of what critics call the Grammys' attempt to place K-pop in a separate "Asian pop" lane. Support has also poured in from within the U.S. industry. Mike WiLL Made-It, tJul 31, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
Seolhyun channels her AOA days in latest summer lookFormer AOA member Seolhyun is beating the summer heat in style. On Wednesday, the singer and actor shared a series of photos on Instagram, captioning the post, “Take that, muggy summer.” In the snaps, Seolhyun enjoys a laid-back afternoon at an outdoor cafe, posing with a book and flashing a playful peace sign. She wore a blue short-sleeved top paired with a knee-length dress, creating a summer look that is both breezy and adorable. With light makeup letting her features shine, the former K-pop idol shows off the same radiant beauty fans remember from her AOA days. The star will next appear in Netflix’s “Tantara,” set to premiere later this year. This article from Xportsnews is adapted by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.Jul 31, 2026By Xportsnews
