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  BTS Comeback D-23: V more than a pretty face Editor’s Note — As BTS prepares to return as a full seven-member act with a new album set for March 20 and an open-stage performance at Gwanghwamun on March 21, following a near four-year hiatus for rotational military service, AJP revisits the group’s 13-year trajectory. This series reexamines BTS’s history, music, performance identity and enduring appeal. The seventh installment traces the roots and growth of Jimin. SEOUL, February 26 (AJP) - As of 3:20 p.m February 26, 2026
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  BTS Comeback D-23: When free meets the resale machine SEOUL, February 26 (AJP) - Standing, A-4 section, seat 3n. +15.” A Wednesday search for “BTS Gwanghwamun” on X did not just surface fan updates. It revealed a marketplace. The shorthand “+15” meant 150,000 won ($105.5) — for a ticket whose official price is zero. Dozens of similar posts appeared within hours, some already stamped “transfer completed.” The event in question — BTS Comeback Live: ARIRANG — is scheduled February 26, 2026
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  South Korean director Park Chan-wook to lead jury at 79th Cannes Film Festival SEOUL, February 26 (AJP) - Korean film director Park Chan-wook will serve as jury president of the 79th Cannes Film Festival, organizers announced Thursday, marking another milestone in his long-standing relationship with the prestigious event. Park will chair the main competition jury responsible for selecting the Palme d'Or, the festival’s top prize. He is the first Korean filmmaker to preside over the Cannes jury. His ties to Cannes date back more than two decades. February 26, 2026
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  BTS Comeback D-24: What Is Your Love Song? SEOUL, February 25 (AJP) - “What is your love song?” The question flashes on screens from Seoul to New York’s Times Square. It makes you pause. It sends you back — to a first confession, a quiet heartbreak, a family memory, even a hard-earned sense of self. A song can seal emotion inside three minutes and return it intact years later. Few artists understand that power better than BTS. K-pop amplifies emotion through collective empathy. A messa February 25, 2026
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  NewJeans' creator proposes settlement to HYBE to resolve NewJeans legal disputes SEOUL, February 25 (AJP) - Min Hee-jin, the CEO of OOAK Records and former head of ADOR, has offered to waive a 25.6 billion won ($18.9 million) legal payout from HYBE in exchange for the termination of all ongoing litigation involving herself and the girl group NewJeans. During a press conference held in Seoul on Wednesday, Min announced her willingness to give up the funds recently awarded to her by a court regarding a put option on her former ADOR shares. Her proposal requires February 25, 2026
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  BTS Comeback D-24 : Less hype over BTS' 'ARIRANG' tour concert live cinema booking SEOUL, February 25 (AJP) - The last-resort seats for the first round of BTS comeback concerts are now open, but unlike the stampede over the group’s free open-air performance in central Seoul, the rush has been muted, suggesting many fans still prefer the atmosphere of sharing the same physical space with their idols. Advance bookings for the live cinema screenings of BTS’ “ARIRANG” tour opened Wednesday at 10 a.m. (KST) across South Korea’s thr February 25, 2026
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  New boy band CHASER to release debut album ROUTE 01: Burning Point SEOUL, February 25 (AJP) - South Korean boy band CHASER is scheduled to make its official debut on Wednesday with the release of its first mini album. The five-member group, consisting of Kangbin, Caseke, Ren, Yoonsung, and Sihun, will launch ROUTE 01: Burning Point at 6 p.m. (0900 GMT) across global streaming platforms including Spotify and YouTube Music. The album serves as the introductory chapter to the group's planned narrative universe, focusing on themes of energy and a February 25, 2026
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  K-literature takes center stage in Africa after Han Kang's Nobel win SEOUL, February 25 (AJP) - Korean literature has officially overtaken K-pop music and K-drama as the most documented aspect of South Korean culture in Africa, a report released by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism showed Wednesday. The 2025 Global Hallyu Trend Analysis Report, released by the culture ministry and the Korea Culture Information Service Agency (KCISA), indicates that Korean literature now accounts for 32.8 percent of all media coverage related to Hallyu (th February 25, 2026
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  Why The King's Warden reigns over Korea's box office SEOUL, February 24 (AJP) - The mix of tragedy and humor, family and community affection, and grass-roots patriotism has long been a reliable formula for box-office success in South Korea. Audiences have found that combination in unusually polished form in The King’s Warden. Korean box office is no longer built for monopolies. Streaming platforms fragment attention. Mid-budget films struggle for screens. Audience loyalty has grown increasingly fickle. And yet, for three we February 24, 2026
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  YG Plus to open BLACKPINK 'Deadline' pop-up in Seoul SEOUL, February 24 (AJP) - YG Plus announced that it will operate pop-up stores themed around BLACKPINK’s upcoming release “Deadline” from Feb. 28 to March 8 at Musinsa Store Myeongdong and Musinsa Standard Seongsu. The pop-up will unveil a range of official merchandises commemorating the new album. Items include apparel and lifestyle products reflecting the album’s concept, as well as limited-edition exclusive goods will be available at the pop-up. February 24, 2026