NEXZ returns with 'Mmchk' as JYP sharpens global group strategy SEOUL, April 27 (AJP) — Rookie boy group NEXZ is back with its second single “Mmchk,” underscoring JYP Entertainment’s evolving strategy to globalize the K-pop model through multinational lineups. The seven-member group held a showcase in Seoul on Sunday to mark the release of the single album at Blue Square Woori Bank Hall in Yongsan District. Formed through “Nizi Project Season 2,” a joint audition program between JYP and Sony Music Japan, April 27, 2026

K-pop takes Oxford University by storm as Korean culture gains global spotlight SEOUL, April 26 (AJP) - K-pop has taken center stage at one of the world's most prestigious academic institutions, highlighting the growing influence of Korean popular culture in reshaping global education and cultural landscapes. A K-pop performance was held at the University of Oxford's Stephen A. Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities last Saturday, drawing hundreds of visitors including students and local residents, who gathered around a circular stage to watch the unusual April 26, 2026

BTS' song tops Billboard global charts for fourth straight week SEOUL, April 22 (AJP) - K-pop juggernaut BTS' latest song has held the top spot on Billboard's global charts for four consecutive weeks. According to the American music chart, "Swim," the title track from their fifth full-length album "ARIRANG" remained at the top of the Global 200 and Global Excl. U.S. charts for the week ending this Saturday, extending its run to a fourth straight week. Their album also held steady on the main U.S. charts, remain April 22, 2026

K-pop band NCT WISH heat up Seoul dome stadium with encore concert SEOUL, April 20 (AJP) - The courtyard of the KSPO Dome in southern Seoul was a sea of colorful outfits and posters on Sunday, buzzing in a state of suppressed excitement. Thousands of fans stood in long lines under a torching, late spring sun, clutching lightsticks and merchandise with the sternness of warriors before battle. They were there for the final stop of the first solo tour by the boy band NCT WISH, an event that has become a focal point for the latest phase of the expansion April 20, 2026

K-pop girl group KATSEYE to release new album this summer SEOUL, April 17 (AJP) - Los Angeles-based K-pop girl group KATSEYE will release their new album this summer. According to their agencies HYBE and Geffen Records, their third EP "Wild" is slated for release on Aug. 14, more than a year after their previous mini album "Beautiful Chaos" was released in June last year. KATSEYE, consisting of multinational members, have recently gained traction through appearances at major music festivals like the Coachella Festi April 17, 2026

Kpop big 4 unite to launch Coachella-scale Kpop festival  SEOUL, April 17 (AJP) - South Korea’s K-pop powerhouses — HYBE, SM Entertainment, JYP Entertainment and YG Entertainment — are moving to institutionalize a Coachella-style annual K-pop festival, marking a rare joint initiative among the industry’s fiercest rivals. The four agencies have jointly submitted a joint-venture proposal, tentatively titled “Fanomenon” a portmanteau of “fan” and “phenomenon” to the Fair Trade Co April 17, 2026

BTS and K-culture boom lift tourist arrivals in Korea to record high Q1 SEOUL, April 16 (AJP) - Foreign tourist arrivals to South Korea rose to a record high in the first quarter, as global demand for Korean cultural content from highly anticipated K-pop supergroup BTS' return to digital hits like K-pop Demon Hunters continued to drive travel interest, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Wednesday. Inbound visitors reached 4.76 million in the January–March period, up 23 percent from a year earlier, with March alone setting a monthl April 16, 2026

BLACKPINK's Jennie named among TIME magazine's '100 Most Influential People' SEOUL, April 16 (AJP) - Jennie, a member of K-pop girl group BLACKPINK, has been included in TIME magazine's annual list of the "100 Most Influential People" for this year released on Wednesday. "What makes Jennie a true star is that even in her quiet moments, she possesses the same kind of undeniable presence that cuts through all the noise, and she carries that with kindness and warmth," the magazine wrote. "She is the type of person who will grab April 16, 2026

Exo starts world tour as 32,000 global fans fill Seoul arena SEOUL, April 13 (AJP) - K-pop boy band Exo members -- Suho, Chanyeol, D.O., Kai, and Sehun -- opened their sixth concert tour in Seoul last Friday. The group performed for 32,000 fans over three days at the KSPO Dome in southern Seoul, marking the band's first concert series in six years and four months. The three-day concert in Seoul proved that the group remains a major force in the K-pop scene despite a long break from the stage. Their last major tour was held in 2019, and April 13, 2026

BTS tops Billboard 200 for 3rd week, heads to Japan this week SEOUL, April 13 (AJP) -K-pop supergroup BTS wrapped up its three-day concert run in Goyang over the weekend, drawing more than 132,000 attendees, while extending its record as the first Korean act to top the U.S. charts for three consecutive weeks. According to Billboard on Sunday (local time), BTS’ fifth studio album ARIRANG held on to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 — the industry’s main weekly albums ranking based on sales, streaming and track-equivalent units &mda April 13, 2026