Naegohyang becomes first N. Korean club to win Asian women's football title SEOUL, May 23 (AJP) - North Korea’s Naegohyang Women’s Football Club defeated Tokyo Verdy Beleza of Japan on Saturday to win the Asian women’s club football title. Naegohyang beat Tokyo Verdy 1-0 in the final of the 2025-26 Asian Football Confederation Women’s Champions League (AWCL) at Suwon Sports Complex, with captain Kim Kyong-yong scoring the winner in the 44th minute. The victory made Naegohyang the first North Korean team to win the tournament and w May 23, 2026

Stray Kids to headline new music festival 'STRAYCITY' in Latin America SEOUL, May 23 (AJP) - K-pop boy band Stray Kids will headline "STRAYCITY," a new music festival set to debut in Latin America this September, Live Nation and JYP Entertainment said Saturday. The festival will be held in three cities: Bogota, Colombia, on Sept. 9; Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Sept. 14; and Mexico City on Sept. 25. Stray Kids will headline all three editions. The lineup also includes JYP Entertainment’s seven-member rookie boy group NEXZ and local ar May 23, 2026

K-pop band BTS performs for 152,000 fans at Stanford Stadium SEOUL, May 22 (AJP) - K-pop legend BTS has performed for about 152,000 fans over three days at Stanford Stadium in the United States, drawing large crowds that waved South Korean flags and sang in Korean. The performances on May 16, 17, and 19 were part of the "BTS WORLD TOUR 'ARIRANG' IN STANFORD". The concerts highlighted the group's presence in the global music scene, as they became the second musical act to headline the venue since it opened in 1921, foll May 22, 2026

South Korean student filmmaker wins award at Cannes SEOUL, May 22 (AJP) - Filmmaker Jin Mi-song has won a gong at this year's Cannes Film Festival which wraps up this weekend, organizers said on Friday. Jin took home second prize with her short film "Silent Voices" in the La Cinef section, the prestigious festival's student film competition featuring short live-action and animated works by emerging filmmakers from universities around the world. This year's lineup included 14 live-action and five animated sh May 22, 2026

Former mimiirose member Hyori releases duet single 'Neutron Star' SEOUL, May 21 (AJP) - Hyori, former member of K-pop girl group mimiirose, has released a new duet single, "Neutron Star," with rookie vocalist Yuni, her agency Pocket7 Entertainment said Thursday. The digital single was released on major streaming platforms on May 16. Neutron Star is a ballad that uses images of the night sky and outer space to describe longing for someone who has grown distant but still exerts an emotional pull. The track pairs Hyori’s delic May 21, 2026

NCT's Taeyong begins 'WYLD' promotions with music shows, Seoul Jazz Festival SEOUL, May 21 (AJP) - Taeyong of K-pop group NCT will perform at the Seoul Jazz Festival this week as he begins promotions for his first full-length solo album "WYLD," SM Entertainment said Thursday. The 30-year-old rapper, dancer and songwriter is the leader of NCT and its subunit NCT 127. Taeyong will perform tracks from "WYLD" at the 18th Seoul Jazz Festival 2026, which runs from May 22 to 24 at Olympic Park in Seoul. The festival has grown into one of Sout May 21, 2026

AJP Watch: The night Suwon lost more than a ball match SEOUL, May 21 (AJP) - The rain never stopped in Suwon on Wednesday night. Cold rain swept across the stands, soaked the banners and turned the pitch slick beneath the floodlights. Still, hundreds of South Koreans remained in their seats in plastic ponchos, pounding balloon sticks and chanting for a North Korean football club playing in the South for the first time in years. By the end of the night, Suwon FC Women had lost more than a semifinal. Suwon FC Women, led by May 21, 2026

aespa maps emotional journey on upcoming album 'LEMONADE' SEOUL, May 21 (AJP) - K-pop girl band aespa has introduced additional tracks from its upcoming second full-length album "LEMONADE," highlighting an emotional arc that moves through freedom, self-protection, desire and connection, SM Entertainment said Thursday. The 11-track album is set for release at 1 p.m. (0400 GMT) on May 29 through major streaming platforms and will also be available as a physical album. “LEMONADE” marks aespa’s first ful May 21, 2026

'More time on paperwork than artwork': Bureaucratic hurdles haunt Korean artists SEOUL, May 20 (AJP) - In South Korea, artists must prove they are artists before qualifying for public grants, and many complain the opaque and exhausting certification process has become a bureaucratic ordeal that leaves them spending more time on paperwork than artwork. Artist Certification falls under the Korea Artists Welfare Foundation (KAWF), an agency under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. It is effectively required to apply for government aid, public grants an May 20, 2026

JYP Entertainment donates 100 mln won for children's rehabilitation treatment SEOUL, May 20 (AJP) - JYP Entertainment has signed a social contribution agreement with Seoul Rehabilitation Hospital and donated 100 million won to support rehabilitation treatment for children and young people with disabilities, the company said Monday. JYP Entertainment and Seoul Rehabilitation Hospital signed the agreement Monday at JYP Center in Seongnae-dong, Gangdong District, Seoul. Seoul Rehabilitation Hospital is a public children's rehabilitation hospital in the Seo May 20, 2026