K-pop hitmaker Kim Hyung-seok bids to chair Korea Music Copyright Association SEOUL, November 25 (AJP) - Veteran K-pop composer Kim Hyung-seok (59), the creative force behind some of Korea’s most iconic ballads, has officially announced his candidacy for the 25th chairman election of the Korea Music Copyright Association (KMC). Kim, whose three-decade career shaped the sound of Korean pop through hits for Lee Moon-sae, Jang Hye-jin, Shin Seung-hun, Kim Gun-mo, Jo Sung-mo, Park Jin-young, Kim Kwang-seok, and many more, said he decided to run after re November 25, 2025

K-pop groups once again caught in diplomatic crossfire amid China–Japan fallout SEOUL, November 20 (AJP) - K-pop groups that have recently become regulars on Japanese television are once again caught in the crossfire between China and Japan, as renewed tensions under Tokyo's new hawkish leadership spill over into pop culture. The diplomatic standoff has revived decades-old antipathy between the two countries and is sending ripple effects across multiple fronts — from tourism to entertainment. Chinese music platform QQ Music announced Monday via November 20, 2025

HYBE flies on rosy outlook with NewJeans and BTS pipeline, but NewJeans remain question SEOUL, November 13 (AJP) - Korea's entertainment giant HYBE gained a boost — 6 percent on Thursday on high expectations for a full-member comeback of their budding and steady stars NewJeans and BTS, after the breakaway girl group hinted they would return home following an epic split last year. The rise was more muted than the near-9 percent after-hours jump late Wednesday as the market grew cautious about whether reconciliation is real, given the deep distrust NewJeans m November 13, 2025

Court rules NewJeans must remain under ADOR, rejects bid for independence SEOUL, October 30 (AJP) - The future of K-pop girl group NewJeans — who shot to global stardom upon their 2022 debut — has been thrown into uncertainty after a Seoul court ruled in favor of their agency HYBE on Thursday. The court determined that all five members remain exclusively bound to ADOR, a HYBE sublabel, until 2029, regardless of their claims of contract breaches and unfair treatment. The decision extinguishes hopes for an early stage comeback for NewJeans, October 30, 2025

Soundtrack from Netflix's K-pop anime slips to No. 2 on Billboard 200 albums chart SEOUL, October 14 (AJP) - The soundtrack of Netflix's hit South Korean anime "KPop Demon Hunters" slipped one spot from the top on the U.S. Billboard 200 albums chart this week. According to the U.S. music chart on Monday, the soundtrack was overtaken by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift's new album, ending its streak at the top for the 10th consecutive week after spending several weeks in the top five. Billboard said Swift topped the ch October 14, 2025

K-pop girl bands Hearts2Hearts and Babymonster to make October comebacks SEOUL, October 08 (AJP) - Two of South Korea's most talked-about girl groups are returning with new albums this month. Super rookie band Hearts2Hearts from SM Entertainment and YG Entertainment's Babymonster are both preparing October comebacks, drawing attention from K-pop fans worldwide. Hearts2Hearts (H2H), which debuted in February this year with the single album "The Chase," will release its first mini-album "FOCUS" on October 20. The six-track album October 8, 2025

HYBE revs up global idol pipeline as BTS comeback nears SEOUL, September 26 (AJP) -HYBE, the K-pop powerhouse behind global superstar BTS, is accelerating its international expansion with region-specific idol franchises as it sets the stage for BTS’s long-awaited group comeback next year. Latin America is the next market to host a HYBE-incubated idol group, following rollouts in Japan, the U.S., and China. The company also announced it will open a new outpost in Mumbai, India, this year — its fifth overseas base — to ta September 26, 2025

Rookie boy band's debut album ranks 15th on Billboard 200 SEOUL, September 24 (AJP) - K-pop boy band CORTIS's debut album has made it onto the U.S. Billboard 200 albums chart for this week. According to Billboard's latest chart released Tuesday, the quintet's "Color Outside The Lines" ranked 15th, just a few weeks after its release earlier this month, an impressive feat for a rookie K-pop act. The album contains five tracks including "What You Want," a song about pursuing dreams with confidence. CO September 24, 2025

Soundtrack of K-pop anime remains No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100 for 6th week SEOUL, September 23 (AJP) - "Golden," one of the main theme songs from Netflix's hit South Korean anime "KPop Demon Hunters" stayed atop the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 singles chart this week, extending its streak on No. 1 to six weeks. The song from the anime's soundtrack claimed the No. 1 spot on the chart for a sixth week, "becoming the sole longest-leading No. 1 from a soundtrack this decade, and the longest-ruling such song in more than 10 years,&qu September 23, 2025

Soundtrack of K-pop anime extends reign on UK chart for seventh week SEOUL, September 21 (AJP) - The soundtrack of Netflix's hit South Korean anime "KPop Demon Hunters" extended its reign at No. 1 on the UK Official Singles Chart to a seventh consecutive week. According to the chart, "Golden," one of the main theme song from the K-pop-themed anime, maintained its hold on the top spot for the week of Sept. 19 to 25, beating English singer-songwriter Olivia Dean's "Man I Need." Since debuting at No. 93 after i September 21, 2025