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  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
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  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
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  Actress Nana cleared of assault charges in home break-in case SEOUL, January 16 (AJP) - Actress Nana has been cleared of assault charges filed by a man who allegedly broke into her home late last year, police said Friday. Police in Guri, Gyeonggi Province said they would not pursue charges of attempted murder and assault against Nana in a countersuit filed by the intruder, determining that her actions were in self-defense. After questioning Nana last week, police concluded that her actions were lawful self-defense, in line with prosecutors January 16, 2026
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  Actor Lee Byung-hun appears on US late-night talk show SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) - Actor Lee Byung-hun appeared on NBC's late-night talk show "Late Night with Seth Meyers" earlier this week, sharing behind-the-scenes stories from his latest films. After walking on stage to loud cheers at a studio in New York on Tuesday, Lee recounted a few episodes from the set of award-winning director Park Chan-wook's film "No Other Choice," drawing laughter with witty answers that garnered repeated applause from the au January 15, 2026
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  Hong Sang-soo's latest film set for world premiere in Berlin SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) - Director Hong Sang-soo's latest film has been invited to compete at this year's Berlin International Film Festival, which opens next month. "The Day She Returns" will get its world premiere in the festival's non-competitive section, organizers said Wednesday, praising Hong's 34th feature for offering a "subtle reflection on the acting profession itself." The film revolves around a woman who completes an independent f January 15, 2026
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  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
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  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
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  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
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  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
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  Kim Seon Ho, Go Youn Jung introduce Netflix rom-com 'Can This Love Be Translated?' SEOUL, January 13 (AJP) - The Hong sisters - Hong Jung-eun and Hong Mi-ran -, the popular writing duo behind fantasy hit series such as "Hotel Del Luna" are returning with a straight romantic comedy, teaming up with actors Kim Seon-ho and Go Youn-jung for Netflix’s upcoming series “Can This Love Be Translated?” Anticipation is building over whether the series, which explores romance through the gap between language and emotion, will resonate with glo January 13, 2026