ATEEZ's new album debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200 SEOUL, July 6 (AJP) - K-pop boy group ATEEZ's latest album debuted atop the Billboard's main albums chart this week, the American music chart said on Sunday. ATEEZ's 14th mini-album, "GOLDEN HOUR : Part.5," which was released on June 26, climbed to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for the week ending on July 11, marking the group's third chart-topper after "THE WORLD EP.FIN : WILL" in 2023 and "GOLDEN HOUR : Part.2" in 2024. Accordin July 6, 2026

Red Velvet out to steal summer with EP 'Velvet Summer' SEOUL, July 06 (AJP) - Kpop girl group Red Velvet, known for its strig of summer hits, will release a new summer EP, "Velvet Summer," on Aug. 3, agency SM Entertainment said Monday. The release will be Red Velvet's first full-group album in just over two years, following "Cosmic" in June 2024. The five-track EP is led by the title song "Surfin' Boy" and will be available on streaming platforms at 6 p.m. as well as in physical format the sa July 6, 2026

BOYNEXTDOOR's 'VIRAL' enters Melon monthly chart as Busan shows sell out SEOUL, July 03 (AJP) - K-pop boy group BOYNEXTDOOR's latest single "VIRAL" entered Melon's monthly chart for June, while tickets for the group's upcoming Busan concerts sold out, the group's agency KOZ Entertainment said Friday. VIRAL, the lead track from BOYNEXTDOOR's first full-length album "HOME," ranked No. 80 on Melon's June monthly chart released Tuesday. According to the agency, it was the only song released in June to enter the m July 3, 2026

G-Dragon named ambassador for UNESCO World Heritage Committee SEOUL, July 03 (AJP) - G-Dragon of K-pop boy band BIGBANG has been named promotional ambassador for the 48th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, set to open in Busan on July 19, Korea Heritage Service said Friday. It will be the first time Korea has hosted a session of the UNESCO body, which reviews the conservation of World Heritage sites and decides on additions to the World Heritage List. Ahead of the session, the JUSPEACE Foundation, founded by G-Dragon, will July 3, 2026

NCT's Jaehyun to release solo ballad "99 Degrees" on July 10 SEOUL, July 03 (AJP) - NCT's Jaehyun will release his new solo single "99 Degrees" on July 10, SM Entertainment said Friday. The single will be released at 6 p.m. KST across major platforms including Spotify, Apple Music and Melon. Jaehyun co-wrote and composed the track. "99 Degrees" is a piano-led ballad that builds from a delicate opening into a fuller arrangement before settling back into Jaehyun's vocals for a quiet, intimate close. July 3, 2026

Korean football leadership faces civic complaint after World Cup shame SEOUL, July 02 (AJP) - The fallout from South Korea's group-stage exit at the 2026 FIFA World Cup is spreading beyond football, as the Korea Football Association faces renewed legal and political pressure over its leadership and decision-making. Hong Myung-bo, who resigned as head coach after South Korea failed to reach the round of 32, KFA President Chung Mong-gyu and former KFA technical director Lee Lim-saeng have been named in a complaint filed by the People's Livelihood July 2, 2026

i-dle to return with new EP 'We made' SEOUL, July 02 (AJP) - K-pop girl group i-dle will release its ninth EP, "We made," on July 6, led by the summer single "Gimme Dat Love," the group's agency Cube Entertainment said Thursday. The five-track EP will arrive on major streaming platforms at 6 p.m. Monday. It includes the title track, pre-release single "Crow," "Mono" featuring British artist skaiwater, "Morning" and "Love Is Pain." "Gimme Dat L July 2, 2026

TWICE-themed pop-up store opens ahead of world tour finale concerts in Seoul SEOUL, July 2 (AJP) - A pop-up store featuring merchandise related to K-pop girl group TWICE opened in Seoul on Thursday. According to their agency, JYP Entertainment, the store will remain open until July 12 at Plat1399 Studio in Gangdong, eastern Seoul, coinciding with the finale of their world tour scheduled for next weekend. The nine-member girl group will wrap up their "This Is For" world tour with sold-out encore concerts in Seoul from July 10 to 12 at KSPO Dome i July 2, 2026

Tiny Seoul studio bets on brutal dungeon survival sim SEOUL, July 02 (AJP) - Battle games are familiar. Fantasy worlds are crowded. Escape-themed entertainment has faded from fashion. But blend dungeon crawling, settlement management and punishing survival together, and perhaps there is still room for something new. That is the wager of a six-person studio in Seoul. In a compact office tucked inside Seoul's Gasan Digital Complex, six desks sit shoulder to shoulder, three on each side of a narrow room. At one, a develope July 2, 2026

aespa to release first Japanese EP 'KISS N TELL' in July SEOUL, July 02 (AJP) - K-pop girl group aespa will return to the Japanese music scene after about two years with its debut Japanese EP, "KISS N TELL," set for release on July 24, the group's agency SM Entertainment said Thursday. The group — Karina, Giselle, Winter and Ningning — will offer six new original Japanese tracks on the EP, led by the title song of the same name. It follows aespa's Japanese debut single "Hot Mess." SM also relea July 2, 2026