[BTS Comeback] Ticketing is only half the battle SEOUL, January 26 (AJP) -"Booking a room is as important as scoring tickets." With BTS’s comeback in the Gwanghwamun area and the kick off of its April world tour in Goyang now confirmed, fans are increasingly turning their attention to accommodation near the venues. The idea is straightforward: avoid the most congested post-show routes and reduce travel time, ideally by staying within walking distance. The trend has even produced its own term among fans: &ldq January 26, 2026

BTS' Jin thanks fans after receiving Golden Disc upbit popularity award SEOUL, January 23 (AJP) - BTS member Jin thanked fans on Thursday after receiving his plaque for the "Upbit Male Popularity Award" at the 40th Golden Disc Awards, sharing a message on Weverse, a global superfan platform operated by HYBE that enables direct communication between artists and fans. “The precious award that ARMY gave us. It’s been delivered to me now. Thank you. I’ll cherish it,” Jin wrote, expressing appreciation for his fan January 23, 2026

Koreanness, the answer BTS found for its return SEOUL, January 21 (AJP) - As BTS prepares to return as a full group after nearly four years, the question surrounding the comeback has never really been whether it would make an impact, but how the group would choose to reappear. The answer, it seems, is rooted in something familiar — and distinctly Korean. BTS will release its fifth full-length album, “ARIRANG,” on March 20, marking its first full reunion in three years and nine months. Around the album, January 21, 2026

South Korean violinist in wheelchair wins top prize at US competition SEOUL, January 20 (AJP) - Violinist Lim Hyun-jae won the triennial Elmar Oliveira International Violin Competition (EOIVC) in Boca Raton, Florida last weekend. At last Sunday's finals at Lynn University Conservatory of Music, Lim, 28, performed Jean Sibelius' "Violin Concerto in D minor" while seated in a wheelchair and won the top prize among four finalists. She also won two special prizes awarded to the best performers of the EOIVC's commissioned work. January 20, 2026

EXO set to drop first full-length album in over two years SEOUL, January 19 (AJP) - K-pop boy band EXO are returning with their eighth full-length album on Monday. "REVERXE," set for release at 6 p.m. on major music-streaming sites, is the group's first full-length album in about two years and six months. The album contains nine songs including its title track "Crown," a hard-dance track about protecting a loved one, symbolized as a crown. To promote the album, a showcase is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Kyun January 19, 2026

BTS to release fifth full-length album 'Arirang' in March SEOUL, January 17 (AJP) - K-pop supergroup BTS will release its fifth full-length album titled "Arirang," drawing its name from Korea's most iconic folk song. According to BigHit Music on Friday, BTS revealed the album title during a live broadcast on fan platform Weverse at midnight, announcing that the album will be released on March 20. Leader RM said during the live stream that the group wanted to incorporate something symbolic of Korea into the album's conc January 17, 2026

BLACKPINK to release new album next month SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) - K-pop girl group BLACKPINK will release a new album next month. "Deadline," the quartet's third mini album, was teased by their management agency YG Entertainment on Thursday, ahead of its release slated for Feb. 27. "We'd like to thank fans who have waited for quite a long time," the agency said in a press release. The much-anticipated album is expected to reflect the memories and moments of their ongoin January 15, 2026

EXO, BTS, BIGBANG and BLACKPINK set to reclaim the real K-pop stage in 2026 SEOUL, January 14 (AJP) -After a year when a Netflix-born fictional idol group soaked up global buzz, K-pop’s original hitmakers are ready to retake the spotlight in 2026 — not through novelty, but through craft, catalog and command. EXO, BTS, BIGBANG and BLACKPINK — each more than a decade into their careers — are lining up comebacks or group activities that point back to what made K-pop a global force in the first place: precision rhythm, unmistakable stage January 14, 2026

BTS to tour 34 cities across world with over 70 gigs SEOUL, January 14 (AJP) - K-pop boy band BTS will embark on a world tour in April, marking their first large-scale tour in about four years since their last one in Las Vegas in 2022. The group teased the tour on Wednesday at midnight with a poster on the global fan platform Weverse. The tour will begin in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, before heading to stops across North America, Europe, South America, and Asia. With some 79 shows planned across 34 major cities across the world, January 14, 2026

Danielle surfaces — a reconciliatory gesture or prelude to counterattack? SEOUL, January 13 (AJP) - Danielle, a former member of NewJeans, made her first public appearance since being expelled and sued by her agency, offering little beyond emotional allegiance to her group and fans — and careful restraint. In a nine-minute livestream titled “Dear Bunnies,” Danielle addressed the group’s fan base in a teary but measured message, avoiding direct accusations or legal arguments despite the escalating dispute with ADOR. “I foug January 13, 2026