KPOPWORLD

This week's K-pop releases have something for everyone. #HYO brings the rave energy with Brazilian phonk, #TWS and #24kGoldn team up for a breezy spring collab, #Yuna makes her solo debut with a sugary synth-pop number, #P1Harmony drop a surprise MV for "L.O.Y.L.," and xikers' rap subunit arrive with one of their most technically sharp releases yet. This week’s Comeback Corner is online now. Read here: kpopworld.com/en/news/comeba…

For our latest Digital Cover, the seven-member virtual idol group SKINZ sat down with KPOPWORLD to talk through their debut mini album SKINZ IS SKINZ – a record that doesn't try to explain itself. Raw, unfiltered, and built around the kind of youth that isn't always easy to talk about, it's an introduction on their own terms. They told us about the emotional weight behind "Poison Ivy," why "25.14" had to be the closing track, and what it actually feels like to perform on some of K-pop's biggest stages – like Gayo Daejeon – less than a year into their existence. Dael from the group said it best: they're still young, and they want to be loved and understood. That tension – between confidence and vulnerability, between defiance and devotion – is what makes this album worth your time. Read the full cover interview now on our website. kpopworld.com/en/news/skinz-… @SKINZ__official #SKINZ

Ask Ma Jingxiang what he wanted to get out of our photoshoot and the answer is immediate. "I hope that just from looking at these photos, people think, 'Wow, they look cool!'" No deeper subtext required – just the conviction to walk in and deliver. The CLOSE YOUR EYES cover story is in our new issue, out now. Order here: kpopworld.com/en/magazine/kp… #CYE #JINGXIANG @closeyoureyes_7

IVE are bringing SHOW WHAT I AM to North America – and for the first time, that includes Canada. Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver join a routing that already takes in Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and a September run across Hong Kong and Taipei. The tour is built around REVIVE+, their second full-length album and seventh consecutive million-seller. "BANG BANG" hit No. 1 across major domestic charts with a Perfect All-Kill – the first of 2026. VIP packages include access to a post-show send-off event. Tickets for North America and Hong Kong on sale 2 April, 3pm local. Taipei on sale 3 April, 11am local. @IVEstarship #IVE Read here: kpopworld.com/en/news/ive-wh…

HYBE INDIA has officially launched its first open audition – and it's looking for the next generation of artists from India and the Indian diaspora. Selected applicants will enter HYBE's training and production system: the same infrastructure behind BTS, KATSEYE, and a growing roster of artists built for global stages. Online and in-person auditions are planned across key Indian cities, with dates and details to follow on HYBE INDIA's official channels. This is HYBE planting its flag in one of music's most important emerging markets – the full story is on our website now. @HYBE_INDIA #HYBE Read here: kpopworld.com/en/news/hybe-i…

JUSTB's JIMIN is taking a break from group activities following a diagnosis of anxiety symptoms, with BlueDot Entertainment confirming the decision was made in consultation with a specialist and with the full support of his fellow members. The way this has been handled – transparently, collectively, and without any pressure to push through – reflects a standard of care that K-pop has been slowly building toward. #JIMIN #JUSTB @JUSTB_Official Full story at the link in bio. kpopworld.com/en/news/jimin-…

Jeon Minwook's approach to being in front of a camera is the same as his approach to most things: no filter, no performance. "I try to show who I am as naturally and honestly as possible, without dressing it up," he says. Our CLOSE YOUR EYES cover story is available to order now. @closeyoureyes_7 @CYE_MEMBERS7 #CYE #MINWOOK Order here: kpopworld.com/en/magazine/kp…

When ENHYPEN's Heeseung departed the group on March 10, fans didn't just take to social media – they eventually landed on the doorstep of South Korea's National Pension Service, flooding its call centres with complaints and temporarily disrupting services for foreign residents and Koreans living abroad. It's one of the more surreal chapters in recent K-pop fandom history, and it raises a genuine question about where passionate advocacy ends and something more counterproductive begins. Chyenne Tatum unpacks this in her latest feature – including why the NPS was even on anyone's radar in the first place. Read here: kpopworld.com/en/news/how-fa…

THE BOYZ have filed to terminate their contract with ONE HUNDRED, citing unpaid settlement fees dating back to July 2025 – despite repeated requests for transparency from the group. It's the second major label dispute in just over a year, following their departure from IST Entertainment in late 2024. The timing gets harder to ignore when SHINee's Taemin recently terminated his own contract with BPM Entertainment – a ONE HUNDRED subsidiary – for the same reason. The group has confirmed plans to perform at Seoul's KSPO Dome from April 24 to 26 regardless – what happens after that is yet to be determined. #THEBOYZ @WE_THE_BOYZ Read here: kpopworld.com/en/news/the-bo…

BTS are back. 104,000 fans at Gwanghwamun Square, 60 minutes live on Netflix, and eight tracks from ARIRANG performed for the very first time. The documentary, BTS: The Return, premieres on Netflix on 27 March – and the world tour follows later this year. Swipe for the night in action, and head to our site for the full story. #BTS #ARIRANG @bts_bighit Read here: kpopworld.com/en/news/bts-br…

Stray Kids' Felix brought a different kind of energy to the F1 Grand Prix of China in Shanghai on March 15 – appearing as an Adidas Global brand ambassador alongside the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS team, and promptly taking over the internet in the process. The crossover makes sense: Felix has been vocal about his love of F1, citing the sport as an influence on the lyrics for "Truman." The fact that even non-K-pop fans couldn't stop talking about him says everything about where the genre's cultural reach is right now. #FELIX #STRAYKIDS @Stray_Kids Read here: kpopworld.com/en/news/stray-…

Seven members, two distinct visual worlds, and a shared sense of purpose – CLOSE YOUR EYES arrive as the latest cover stars for KPOPWORLD in a feature that captures a group shaping its own direction with confidence and sincerity. Across the interview, the members reflect on the mindset that drives them forward: a commitment to growth, self-awareness, and the discipline required to thrive in one of the most demanding industries in music. As they continue building their identity together, each member brings a different strength to the table, creating a collective dynamic that feels both balanced and deeply personal. The accompanying photoshoot explores two contrasting aesthetics that mirror this duality. One look draws inspiration from tradition, grounding the group in a sense of heritage and timeless presence. The other embraces a sharper, more contemporary edge, highlighting the charisma and individuality that defines each member on stage. Together, the images reveal the interplay between unity and individuality that lies at the heart of CLOSE YOUR EYES. In conversation with @hasan_baeyaz, CLOSE YOUR EYES speak candidly about their ambitions, the lessons they’ve learned so far, and how they continue to move forward together. Head to our website to pre-order your copy of KPOPWORLD’s March-April issue featuring an exclusive photoshoot with CLOSE YOUR EYES. CLOSE YOUR EYES for KPOPWORLD – Credits: Talent: CLOSE YOUR EYES Editorial Director & Interview: Hasan Beyaz Photographer: Ahn Hongje Styling: Jaeun Hanbok: Happly by Designer Lee Jieon Hair: Kim Doyoung, Lim Doeun, Park Juwon Makeup: Kim Jieun, Lee Jiyeon, Kim Sangeun #CLOSEYOUREYES #KPOPWORLD @closeyoureyes_7 Order here: kpopworld.com/en/magazine/kp…

The lore has finally come full circle. NCT's Mark – known to fans as "Spider-Mark" since at least 2019 – was chosen as Sony and Marvel's representative for South Korea in the global trailer campaign for Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The campaign followed 23 fans and influencers worldwide, each dropping a piece of the first trailer at 6 AM in their respective countries. For Mark, who built Spider-Man references into his 2024 music video "200" and has been vocal about his love for the franchise for years, it's less a brand partnership and more an inevitability. #NCT #MARK The full trailer drops May 18. Full story on our website. Read here: kpopworld.com/en/news/ncts-m…

The project group model has produced some of K-pop's biggest acts. It's also one of the industry's least examined emotional blind spots. From Wanna One to ZEROBASEONE, idols are asked to build something real – bonds, friendships, a career – knowing a contract will dismantle it on schedule. In our latest feature, Chyenne Tatum looks at what that actually costs the people inside it, and why the industry has yet to seriously reckon with it. #ZB1 #IZONE #WANNAONE #KEP1ER Read here: kpopworld.com/en/news/projec…

BTS' SUGA has been credited as co-author of the MIND Program – a clinically developed, music-based manual designed to help children and adolescents on the autism spectrum build social skills. This isn't a one-off donation or a celebrity endorsement. Since 2024, he's worked directly alongside lead psychiatrist Cheon Keun-ah as a contributor and instructor, partnered with Severance Hospital in Seoul, and donated 5 billion won to launch the Min Yoongi Treatment Center where the program operates. The result is a 12-session manual now available for clinical use worldwide. This is what sustained engagement actually looks like. Catch up on the full story on our website now. #슈가 #SUGA #BTS Read here: kpopworld.com/en/news/bts-su…

ZEROBASEONE officially closed the chapter on OT9 at KSPO Dome on March 15 – their sixth and final show at the venue, and the last time the nine-member lineup will share a stage. Formed through Mnet's Boys Planet, ZB1 were never built to last – but three years, a world tour across eight cities, and a debut that broke K-pop sales records says otherwise. Zhang Hao, Ricky, Kim Gyu-vin, and Han Yu-jin have now departed following the expiration of their contracts, with the remaining five members continuing under the ZB1 name. The curtain came down on OT9 for good – and for ZEROSE who were there, it's a moment that won't be forgotten. @ZB1_official @ZB1_jp Head to our website for the full story. kpopworld.com/en/news/zeroba…

Fifteen years in, HUTA's London debut was less a first show and more a long overdue arrival. Bringing a lifetime of fan loyalty together into one Camden room, London was just the beginning of a new chapter for HUTA – one he says he’ll never forget. Swipe for our exclusive snaps and head to our website for the full rundown of HUTA’s European debut on stage. @btob2mh #HUTA Read here: kpopworld.com/en/news/huta-l…

K-pop just made history 🎤✨ HUNTR/X takes the global stage as “Golden” wins Best Original Song at the 98th Academy Awards — the FIRST ever K-pop Oscar win! 🏆 From charts to the Oscars, this is more than a win… it’s a movement 💫 Read here: kpopworld.com/en/news/huntrx… #HUNTRX #Huntrx #Golden #Oscars2026 #KpopHistory #KpopWins #AcademyAwards #KpopGlobal #KpopPower #MusicHistory #KpopDemonHunters

YENA spent her IZ*ONE years perfecting a group’s vision. Since then, her solo years have been about finding her own. Five mini albums in, "Catch Catch" makes the strongest case yet that she's got there. It's a second-gen K-pop revival done with genuine conviction – sharp, physical, impossibly catchy. But underneath the sugar-rush production there's a sharper self-portrait: the teddy bear and the fox, the yellow card issued with a smirk, the bridge that turns vulnerability into something she's proud of, rather than something to manage. "I hope this track becomes a memory for some and a fresh new song for others." She might get both. Full review on our website now. #YENA @YENA_OFFICIAL @JP_YENA Read here: kpopworld.com/en/news/yenas-…

The inimitable Lee Young Ji is back with "ROBOT" – a new single that uses a glitching, malfunctioning robot as a metaphor for losing control of your emotions. The music video features actor Moon Sang-min, IVE's An Yujin, and two-time Olympic silver medalist Kwak Yoon-gy. It's the first release under her new partnership with Warner Music Group – and the opening shot of her 2026 world tour, LEE YOUNGJI 2.0, which kicked off in Seoul before heading to Osaka, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Taipei, Berlin, London, Paris and beyond. Learn more about Lee Young Ji’s plans for 2026 on our website now. @dokgodieinsaeng kpopworld.com/en/news/lee-yo…