BTS' explosive hit song achieves new milestone with 2 billion streams on Spotify

SEOUL, January 14 (AJP) - K-pop juggernaut BTS' hit song "Dynamite" has garnered over 2 billion streams on Spotify. According to their agency BigHit Music on Tuesday, the septet boy band became the first K-pop act to achieve the milestone on the world's largest music streaming site with a single track. Known for its upbeat rhythm, the song helped them reach the top of the Billboard Hot 100 at the time of its release in 2020 and also earned a Grammy nomination th

January 14, 2025

SM Entertainment's new girl group set for debut next month

SEOUL, January 13 (AJP) - Rookie girl band Hearts2Hearts will make their debut next month. SM Entertainment said on Monday that the eight members of its new girl band are preparing for their debut on Feb. 24. They will become the talent mill's first girl group in about five years, following the debut of aespa in 2020. The announcement came just a day after SM unexpectedly unveiled a teaser video for the group during their 30th anniversary concert, "SMTOWN LIVE 2025," h

January 13, 2025

Bong Joon-ho's sci-fi blockbuster set for world premiere at Berlinale

SEOUL, January 13 (AJP) - Oscar-winning director Bong Joon-ho's new Hollywood film will have its world premiere at this year's Berlin International Film Festival. Slated for release here on Feb. 28, "Mickey 17" has been invited for screening at the festival, which kicks off its 10-day run on Feb. 13. This marks Bong's return to the festival after more than a decade, since his previous post-apocalyptic thriller "Snowpiercer," starring Hollywood star

January 13, 2025

Netflix's megahit series 'Squid Game' tops non-English show chart for second consecutive week

SEOUL, January 8 (AJP) - Netflix's megahit South Korean series "Squid Game" has remained at the top of its chart for the non-English shows for the second consecutive week after its release late last month, the U.S. streaming giant said on Wednesday. Despite mixed reactions to the dystopian thriller's second season since its release on Dec. 26, it garnered 58.2 million views during the week ending last Sunday, securing the top spot in over 90 countries. It has ac

January 8, 2025

Seven Korean words newly added to latest Oxford English Dictionary

SEOUL, January 7 (AJP) - The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) has added seven new Korean words and coinages to its latest edition, including dalgona, a traditional street snack made by melting sugar, as the country's rich cultural heritage is getting more recognized overseas. Other words that made it onto the OED also include noraebang (karaoke), hyung (a boy or man's elder brother) maknae (the youngest member of a group), jjigae (stew), tteokbokki (finger-sized rice cakes si

January 7, 2025

BTS' J-Hope shares resolutions for 2025

SEOUL, January 6 (AJP) - J-Hope, a member of K-pop superstar BTS, shared his New Year's greetings with fans, promising to reveal much this year. "I hope 2025 will be a year where everyone blooms beautifully," the 30-year-old artist shared on Sunday on the social media platform Weverse. J-Hope also expressed a deep sense that this year would hold incredible significance for him. He also noted his intention to approach the year with a more mature mindset and a plan th

January 6, 2025

Rookie girl band ILLIT's debut single sets record with over 500 million Spotify streams

SEOUL, December 27 (AJP) - Rookie girl band ILLIT set a new record on Spotify with their debut single, reaching 500 million views on the global streaming site. The quintet's single "Magnetic" has amassed over 503.58 million streams, achieving the feat in the shortest time among debut tracks of K-pop acts, their agency said on Friday. Released in March 2024, the song captures the moments of magnetic attraction to a crush, portraying the journey of realizing and expre

December 27, 2024

Historical spectacle 'Harbin' dominates Christmas box office

SEOUL, December 26 (AJP) - "Harbin" has attracted over 1 million moviegoers, just two days after its release on Christmas Eve. According to the Korean Film Council on Thursday, the historical espionage film drew about 847,819 viewers on Wednesday alone to reach the milestone, after attracting around 381,000 on the first day of its release. Set in Harbin, China, the film portrays the patriotic journey of independence fighter Ahn Jung-geun, who assassinated Hirobumi Ito,

December 26, 2024

Excitement builds as Netflix's megahit series 'Squid Game' returns for second season

SEOUL, December 26 (AJP) - Netflix's megahit South Korean series "Squid Game" is returning with its second season on Thursday. The much-anticipated dystopian show centers on the last survivor of a deadly game from the first season, who returns to seek vengeance and faces off against the enigmatic "Front Man." The seven-episode series explores their intense rivalry and the restart of the game. Even before its release, the second season has already earned a Gol

December 26, 2024

NewJeans defend support for impeachment protesters

SEOUL, December 26 (AJP) - Members of K-pop group NewJeans on on Tuesday revealed the reasoning behind their recent support for fans attending protests against President Yoon Suk Yeol during a radio talk show. The group had previously paid in advance for food and beverages for 560 people at the protests demanding the impeachment of Yoon for his Dec. 3. declaration of martial law. "We wanted people to have warm food in the cold weather and share meaningful conversations with

December 26, 2024