SEOUL, July 01 (AJP) - The final moments of Netflix drama series Squid Game's highly anticipated third season have ignited speculation about an American spinoff, especially following a surprise appearance by veteran actress Cate Blanchett. But according to series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk, while the cliffhanger ending was designed to leave an impression, it was not intended to launch a new franchise, at least not by the South Korean director. Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter

SEOUL, July 01 (AJP) - K-pop wonder BTS will drop its first-ever live album on July 18, capturing performances from their record-breaking world tour "Permission to Dance on Stage," the seven-member band's agency said Tuesday. The album features 22 tracks recorded between 2021 and 2022 in South Korea and the United States, including crowd-pleasers such as "ON," "FIRE," "DOPE," and "IDOL." BigHit Music said the release is intende

SEOUL, June 24 (AJP) - K-pop girl group BLACKPINK will perform their new song for the first time during their upcoming concert at Goyang, north of Seoul, during the four-member band's two-day concert schedule in early July, YG Entertainment said Monday. "There were many discussions on how to showcase the new song," YG said in a statement. "We decided to unveil it at the concert in Goyang as it marks the beginning of their world tour." Starting in Goyang

SEOUL, June 23 (AJP) - K-pop boy band ATEEZ's latest album debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 for the week ending this Saturday. According to Billboard on Sunday, the octet notched "their seventh top 10" entry on the U.S. main albums chart with "Golden Hour: Part 3," the third in the series, about a week after its release on June 13. With 105,000 copies sold in the U.S., the album ranked just behind American country singer Morgan Wallen's "I

SEOUL, June 19 (AJP) - Chinese singer Nina officially stepped into the K-pop spotlight on Thursday, Jun. 19, with the release of her debut mini album Never Afraid. Featuring four tracks, the album marks the beginning of her solo journey, blending her unique tone with a message of determination and self-belief. Before debuting, Nina steadily gained attention through cover videos and live content, quietly building a loyal fanbase. In an interview, she said her dream of becoming a sing

SEOUL, June 18 (AJP) - Netflix's latest South Korean series has topped the American streaming giant's chart for non-English-language shows, just less than two weeks after its release. "Mercy for None," starring So Ji-sub and Lee Jun-hyuk, has racked up over 7.6 million views since its release on June 6, claiming the top spot for the week ending last Sunday. The adaptation of a popular webtoon, compared by many to actor Keanu Reeves' "John Wick" fra

SEOUL, June 18 (AJP) - Rosé, a member of girl group BLACKPINK, has set a new record as her viral hit "APT." becomes the longest-running K-pop song on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song remained at No. 24 for the second straight week on the U.S. main singles chart released on Tuesday, extending its streak to 34th consecutive week, breaking the previous record of 33 weeks set by Jimin, a member of K-pop juggernaut BTS with his solo track "Who." "A

SEOUL, June 18 (AJP) - A press preview for director Kim Soo-jin's upcoming thriller was held at a multiplex in southern Seoul on Monday, about a week ahead of its release. The stars of "Noise" including Lee Sun-bin, Kim Min-seok and Han Su-a, gathered for the event to promote the film. The film, which marks the up-and-coming director's feature-film debut, revolves around a woman who becomes the target of relentless noise complaints in her apartment complex, as s

SEOUL, June 16 (AJP) - K-pop boy band ENHYPEN's latest album is poised to debut at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart later this week, marking their fifth consecutive top-10 entry on the American chart. Billboard, which makes preliminary calculations based on album sales in the U.S. , streaming, and online downloads, said on Sunday that "Desire: Unleash" by the septet is on the verge of becoming their "fifth top 10" on the chart for the week ending June