BTS' 'SWIM' lawsuit centers on alleged path from demo to hit song SEOUL, July 10 (AJP) - A copyright lawsuit over BTS' chart-topping single "SWIM" is focusing not only on alleged musical similarities, but on how an unreleased demo may have traveled through Los Angeles' songwriting and publishing network before reaching people involved in the hit. Three Los Angeles-based songwriters, Steve Cooper, Jon Sandler and Greylyn Johnson, filed the case in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California on July 8, ac July 10, 2026

NCT's Jaehyun drops new solo single SEOUL, July 10 (AJP) - K-pop boy group NCT's Jaehyun has released his new solo single "99 Degrees," his management agency SM Entertainment said on Friday. The single, a ballad that Jaehyun helped write and compose around the idea that love can make an incomplete person feel whole, will also be released on major global music-streaming platforms at 6 p.m. here, with its music video available on YouTube. The song opens with a restrained piano line before gradually buil July 10, 2026

TWICE to wrap up largest-ever world tour with sold-out Seoul finale SEOUL, July 10 (AJP) - K-pop girl group TWICE will wrap up their world tour with three sold-out concerts in Seoul this weekend, bringing to an end their yearlong run of some 81 shows across 44 cities across the world. According to JYP Entertainment, the three-day encore concerts, starting Friday at KSPO Dome in southern Seoul, will conclude "THIS IS FOR," their largest-ever tour since their debut, which began in Incheon in July 2025. A 360-degree stage will be used for July 10, 2026

DAY6's Young K to drop 2nd solo album later this month SEOUL, July 10 (AJP) - Young K of K-pop band DAY6 will release his second full-length solo album later this month, his management agency JYP Entertainment said on Friday. "YOUNGEST," due out on July 27, will be Young K's first solo release since his debut full-length album "Letters with notes" in September 2023. To promote the album, Young K will stage a three-day concert series in Incheon from Aug. 14 to 16, marking his first solo concerts in nearly thr July 10, 2026

NCT's Jaehyun previews new solo single '99 Degrees' with music video teaser SEOUL, July 09 (AJP) - NCT's Jaehyun released a music video teaser Thursday for his new solo single "99 Degrees," ahead of the song's release on Friday, SM Entertainment said. The teaser was posted on the SMTOWN YouTube channel at midnight. It shows Jaehyun moving between a brightly lit stage, an empty street where he appears to wander alone, and quieter everyday moments, with his soft vocals giving a brief preview of the ballad. The music video follows Jaehyu July 9, 2026

RIIZE's 'II' tops Korea's monthly album chart three weeks after release SEOUL, July 09 (AJP) - K-pop boy group RIIZE's second EP, "II," released June 15, is still adding to its chart tally nearly a month later, topping Circle Chart's monthly album ranking for June and reaching No. 1 on Japan's Oricon daily album chart this week, SM Entertainment said Thursday. Most K-pop comebacks peak in their first week and taper off from there. "II" has instead kept climbing: the EP already led Circle Chart's weekly a July 9, 2026

SM Classics to take K-pop orchestral concerts to Singapore, Bangkok and Toronto SEOUL, July 09 (AJP) - SM Entertainment's classical and jazz label SM Classics will expand its orchestral concert series overseas, with performances scheduled in Asia this year and in North America next year, the company said Thursday. The label announced the main lineup for the "SM Classics Live 2026 - 2027 Season," a concert series that reinterprets SM Entertainment's K-pop catalog through orchestral arrangements. The season marks the label' July 9, 2026

BTS-themed exhibition showcases Korean heritage at British Museum SEOUL, July 8 (AJP) - An exhibition featuring K-pop supergroup BTS and their fifth studio album "ARIRANG" opened in London this week in collaboration with The British Museum, their management agency HYBE said on Wednesday. The exhibition, which runs from Monday through July 23 at the museum's Korea Foundation Gallery, also offers a self-guided trail that takes roughly 20 minutes to complete. It is part of "BTS THE CITY ARIRANG-LONDON," a citywide program r July 8, 2026

Stray Kids preview new EP after chart-topping single, Billboard record SEOUL, July 08 (AJP) - K-pop boy group Stray Kids are moving toward their first album release of 2026 with a new EP, "THIS & THAT," after a strong run on global charts and festival stages, the group's agency, JYP Entertainment, said Wednesday. The group's June 24 single "RUN IT" topped iTunes songs charts in 43 regions, including the United States, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Spain and Britain, according to agency JYP Entertainment. T July 8, 2026

TVXQ's Yunho to release new solo single later this month SEOUL, July 7 (AJP) - K-pop boy band TVXQ's Yunho will release a new single later this month, his management agency SM Entertainment said on Tuesday. "Time's Tickin'" will be available on major music streaming platforms at 6 p.m. on July 20, with a physical version also set for release on the same day. Preorders are already open at retailers. The upcoming single marks his first solo work since he released his full-length album "I-KNOW" last July 7, 2026