[Star Chaser]”The song is a drama” Lim Young-woong, ‘More Beautiful than Heaven’ music clip surpasses 3.23 million views
Daesung, first domestic solo concert since debut, “I’m overwhelmed by my dream” … GD and Taeyang appear as guests
MUSICSF9, comeback on March 11thThe group SF9 will be making a comeback on March 11th. On the 25th, their agency FNC Entertainment announced their comeback in about 7 months by releasing the title and plan poster for SF9‘s new album ‘LOVE RACE’ through their official SNS. The released poster includes an image of a hand holding a helmet, a back view in a rider’s jacket, and a motorcycle dashboard. The rough and dynamic racing sensibility stands out, and it makes us look forward to seeing SF9 running towards love, as the title of their new album ‘LOVE RACE’ suggests. Starting with concept photos today (the 26th), SF9 will sequentially release content such as a highlight medley and music video teaser, and will begin full-fledged comeback activities by releasing ‘LOVE RACE’ on March 11th. SF9‘s new album ‘LOVE RACE’ is the second work in the ‘YOUR FANTASY’ series that aims to contain everything fans want. You can meet SF9 who has returned with more perfect visuals and skills.Feb 26, 2025
MUSIC‘Global Trend’ Lee Jun-ho, who has taken over Taipei as well “You are stars♥”Lee Junho has successfully wrapped up his Taipei concert and has reached the halfway point of his fan concert tour. He achieved a sold-out performance for all shows. Lee Junho held the ‘2025 Lee Junho FAN-CON in TAIPEI’ (〈Midnight Sun〉) on the 1F of the NTU Sports Center in Taipei on the 22nd and 23rd. This was his first local concert in approximately 1 year and 4 months since his first fan meeting tour ‘’ (〈Junho The Moment 2023〉) in October 2023, so expectations were high and tickets sold out at lightning speed as soon as they went on sale. A press conference held a day before the concert was attended by major media outlets from various fields, including major local broadcasters, daily newspapers, online media, and OTT, expressing their interest and affection for the ‘global trend’ Lee Junho. He was flooded with questions about his feelings about holding the Taipei fan concert, his activities as both a singer and an actor, and his thorough self-management know-how. Thanks to the enthFeb 26, 2025
MUSICDay6, Manila Concert Success… Worldwide K-Pop Representative BandDAY6 successfully concluded their solo concert in Manila, Philippines amidst enthusiastic cheers from fans. DAY6 held their solo concert as part of their third world tour, ‘DAY6 3RD WORLD TOUR’ (Forever Young), at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Manila, Philippines on the 22nd. This solo concert was the first in approximately 5 years and 3 months since ‘DAY6 WORLD TOUR ’GRAVITY’’ (Gravity) in November 2019, selling out all tickets after general sales, delighting local fans. Sungjin, Young K, Wonpil, and Dowoon created a rich performance by performing a parade of hit songs including ‘You Were Beautiful’, ‘Let‘s Let’s Let‘s Go’, ‘Congratulations’, ‘Zombie’, as well as ‘Melting’, ‘HAPPY’, ‘Welcome to the Show’ that were released last year. At the end of the performance, DAY6 said, “It is the fans who made us exist. OxygenFeb 26, 2025
MUSICJisoo is Cha Seung-won, GD is Karina… K-pop top stars‘ ‘MV battle’Top K-pop stars who are on the global stage, such as singer G-Dragon, Blackpink Jennie, and Jisoo, are creating a buzz by decorating their music videos as ‘star parties’. Each of them, who have released solo songs and albums, are collaborating with world-class stars for their new music videos, drawing enthusiastic responses from fans at home and abroad. Jisoo has completed the music video for her new song ‘Earthquake’, which was released on the 14th, in collaboration with top star Cha Seung-won, who has experience on the big screen, home theater, and variety shows. In the video, Cha Seung-won plays the role of a detective and creates a tense confrontation with Jisoo, who is being investigated in the interrogation room. Despite the short amount of time, heFeb 26, 2025
MUSICSHINee Key “Driving Force? The Attitude of ‘Just Doing It’ [Pictorial]SHINee Key “Driving force? An attitude of ‘just doing it without getting impatient’ [Photo shoot] The cover pictorial for the March issue of WWD Korea featuring SHINee Key has been released. ‘This pictorial was shot in Koh Samui, a quiet resort area where pristine nature lives and breathes. In the pictorial, Key shows off a variety of suit styling and appeals with a mature charm that is quite different from his existing image. It is said that he led the scene with a professional attitude even in the heat nearing 30 degrees. From minimalistic setups to comfortable knitwear and denim, he perfectly digested various styles and proved his image as a style icon once again. An interview followed the pictorial shoot. When asked about the driving force behind his consistent activities, Key answered, “I think it‘s all thanks to his attitude of ‘just doing it without getting impatient.’ He honestly answered, “There were many difficult times, but I took it for granted thinking, ’This is my job andFeb 26, 2025
MUSICEspa Ningning, Unique Sophistication [Photoshoot]Aespa Ningning, Unique Sophistication [Photoshoot] A photoshoot featuring Ningning, a member of the group aespa, has been released. In the photoshoot, you can see Ningning‘s unique styling that combines a retro mood with the brand heritage of an Italian sports brand. Ningning boasts unique sophistication and pulls off best-selling items with style. This photoshoot, which contains Ningning’s unique atmosphere, can be viewed on ABC Mart‘s official homepage and official Instagram. Reporter Jeong Hee-yeon, Donga.com shine2562@donga.comFeb 26, 2025
MUSIC‘March Comeback’ Infinite “We put our heart and soul into our 15th Anniversary Album... Still Infinite-like” [Photoshoot]‘March comeback’ Infinite “Putting our heart and soul into our 15th anniversary album... Still Infinite-like” [Photoshoot] Group Infinite (INFINITE, Kim Sunggyu, Jang Dongwoo, Nam Woohyun, Lee Sungyeol, L, Lee Sungjong) decorated the cover of Cosmopolitan. This pictorial was specially produced as a book-in-book pictorial to commemorate Infinite‘s activities and 15 years of career, which are shining days. In the pictorial, Infinite showed off their individual suits styling that brought out their individual personalities, along with their unique visuals and soft charisma. Despite their busy schedules, Infinite showed their professionalism on set and completed a perfect pictorial with every cut. It is also said that they boasted strong teamwork like a family, maintaining a harmonious atmosphere throughout the shoot. In the interview after the pictorial shoot, Kim Sunggyu said, “First of all, thank you so much for calling me. “It’s nice to meet Cosmo again with a full group pictorial afterFeb 26, 2025
MUSICBlackpink Lisa, First K-Pop to Congratulate the Academy Awards on Stage [Entertainment News HOT]Lisa, a member of the group Blackpink, will be the first K-pop artist to perform at the Academy Awards. On the 25th (Korean time), the Academy Awards revealed the list of performers for the 97th awards ceremony through their official website. Lisa was named on the list along with American rapper Doja Cat and British singer-songwriter Ray, who sang her new song ‘Born Again’, which was released on the 6th. They are expected to perform ‘Born Again’ live for the first time at the awards ceremony. In addition to them, performers include Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo from the musical film ‘Wicked’. The awards ceremony will be held on March 3rd at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, USA.Feb 25, 2025
MUSICJimin ‘Who’, Rosé ‘Apartment’, the most loved K-pop overseas [Entertainment News HOT]The K-pop hits that received the most love overseas in the second half of last year were BTS Jimin‘s ‘Who’ and Blackpink Rosé’s ‘Apartment’. On the 25th, global music platform Spotify released the ‘Global Impact List’, which selected the 30 most streamed K-pop songs overseas (excluding Korea) from July to December last year. ‘Who’ and ‘Apartment’, which were released in July and October last year respectively, took 1st and 2nd place on the list. Blackpink Jennie‘s ‘Mantra’ and Stray Kids’ ‘Chick Chick Boom’ followed. BTS‘s Jin ‘Running Wild’ (6th) and V ‘Winter’Feb 25, 2025
MUSIC‘11 Years Later, Regular Comeback’ G-Dragon Begins Long-Term Chart Domination‘Star of the stars’ G-Dragon has finally released his first full-length album in 11 years. Big Bang‘s G-Dragon released his third full-length album ‘Übermensch’ on the 25th at 2PM. It has been 11 years and 5 months since he released his second solo album ‘Coup d’état’ in September 2013. The name of the album ‘Übermensch’ refers to the ‘superman’, which philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche suggested as the ideal human being. According to his agency Galaxy Corporation, ‘Übermensch’ contains G-Dragon‘s will to become “a person who is no one else, a being who transcends himself”. ThisFeb 25, 2025
MUSICHive, Sales Exceed 2 Trillion Won for 2 Consecutive Years… Renewed Highest SalesIt has been revealed that Hive has renewed its highest sales record by exceeding 2 trillion won in annual sales for two consecutive years. According to data released by Hive on the 25th, Hive‘s consolidated sales last year increased by about 4% year-on-year to 2.2545 trillion won. This is the highest figure since its establishment. Direct participation sales decreased by 1.8% year-on-year to 1.4453 trillion won, while indirect participation sales increased by 14.5% to 809.3 billion won during the same period. Direct participation sales decreased by 11.3% year-on-year in the album and original sectors, which account for a large portion, but the performance sector increased by 25.6%, making up for the decrease in sales.Feb 25, 2025
MUSICMamamoo Hwasa, daring shorts… still bold [Photo]Mamamoo Hwasa, daring shorts… Still bold [Photo] Mamamoo Hwasa showed off a daring look. Hwasa attended the grand opening event of a watch & jewelry brand’s Korea boutique held at the Hyatt Hotel in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul on the afternoon of the 24th. On this day, Hwasa showed off a look unified in burgundy colors from head to toe. She matched a leather jacket, tight shorts, and stockings to exude a provocative and dazzling charm. She showed off her unique S-line and showed off a photogenic look. Meanwhile, Hwasa released her second mini-album ‘O’ in September of last year and promoted with the title song ‘NA’. She released the digital single ‘Star’ in November of that year. She also appeared on KBS2’s music travel reality show ‘Singer of the Country-Spain’ at the end of the year. Reporter Jeong Hee-yeon, Donga.com shine2562@donga.comFeb 25, 2025
MUSICBoynextdoor, First Japanese Tour Completed “Unforgettable Moment”BOYNEXTDOOR has successfully completed their first Japan tour. BOYNEXTDOOR (Sungho, Liu, Myung Jaehyun, Taesan, Lee Han, Unhak) successfully completed their first solo tour ‘BOYNEXTDOOR TOUR ‘KNOCK ON Vol. 1’ in Japan, concluding in Kanagawa on the 24th. The six members performed 12 times in 6 cities in Japan, starting with Tokyo, Aichi, Osaka, Miyagi, Fukuoka, and now Kanagawa. Their Japan tour garnered early attention, with all 12 shows selling out as soon as ticket sales began. In particular, broadcasting companies from Aichi, Osaka, and Fukuoka visited the concert hall and interviewed Boynextdoor to highlight their popularity, drawing great attention. Boynextdoor opened the Kanagawa concert with ‘Earth, Wind & Fire (Japanese Ver.)’ and livened up the atmosphere by performing popular songs such as ‘I‘ll Turn Around’, ‘Nice Guy’, and ‘Serenade’. They followed up with the Japanese original song ‘GOOD DAY’ and ‘Oh!Feb 25, 2025
MUSICG-Dragon‘s Return, 1st Place at the Same Time as Release ‘8 Songs Lined Up’ [Official]Singer G-DRAGON has announced the return of the K-POP legend that everyone has been waiting for with his third regular album, ‘Übermensch’, filled with his unrivaled musicality. Today (the 25th) at 2 PM, G-DRAGON‘s third regular album, ‘Übermensch‘, topped the charts as soon as it was released. The title song, ‘TOO BAD (feat. Anderson .Paak)’, instantly captured the ears of those who had longed for his comeback, and proved that he is a sure popular pick by rising to the top of real-time music charts on major domestic music streaming sites such as Melon, Genie, and Bugs as soon as it was released. In particular, on Melon, all 8 songs entered the top 20 of the TOP 100 (as of 3 PM on the 25th), including ‘TOO BAD’ 1st place, ‘HOME SWEET HOME’ 3rd place, ‘DRAMA’ 5th place, ‘IBELONGIIU’ 8th place, and ‘TAKE ME’ 10th place), setting a record of lining up the charts. As this is G-DRAGON’s first full-length album in 11 years and 5 months, he also included ‘BeyondFeb 25, 2025
MUSICThe Boyz, Japanese fan concert a success… Performance ahead of military enlistment brings tears to the eyesThe Boyz has proven their reputation as a ‘concert hotspot’ in Japan as well. The Boyz successfully wrapped up ‘THE B LAND in JAPAN’, held at the First Gymnasium of the National Yoyogi Stadium in Tokyo for three days from the 22nd to the 24th, heating up the Japanese archipelago. The Boyz, who opened the fan-con in Japan with their debut song ’Boy‘, started the concert in a good mood by giving a warm greeting to fans whom they were meeting for the first time in a long time. After that, they heated up the show with a refreshing and energetic look in the sections that connected with ’Nectar‘, ’Re-Wind‘, ’Bump & Love‘, and ’Blah Blah‘. A game corner that highlighted the members‘ cheerfulness was also held. It was followed by a series of popular challenges in Japan, famous lines, and stages that people really wanted to see. In particular, the choreography of Japanese releases and songs that were not seen in a long time was included, receiving a welcome response from fans. Next was ’Feb 25, 2025
MUSIC‘9th Debut Anniversary’ Cosmic Girls “We Exist Because of Friendship, Thank You and I Love You”‘9th Debut Anniversary’ WJSN “We exist because of friendship, thank you and love you” Group WJSN expressed their feelings on the 9th debut anniversary and expressed their gratitude to their friendship (fandom). Today (25th), WJSN released group photos along with their thoughts in celebration of their 9th debut anniversary through their official SNS. They caught everyone‘s attention with their bright smiles and natural yet effortless appearances. In particular, the way the members held hands created a touching atmosphere as if they were exchanging emotions. WJSN debuted in 2016 with the mini album ‘WOULD YOU LIKE?’. They ranked high on the charts with hit songs such as ‘La La Love’, ‘BUTTERFLY’, and ‘UNNATURAL’. ‘Please’ further solidified Cosmic Girls’ unique style, and ‘IruRi’ is still loved by the public, topping major domestic music charts every January 1st. Soobin and Ruda, Yeoreum,Feb 25, 2025
MUSIC‘30th Anniversary’ SM, Global Collaboration with China‘s Tencent Music a Hot TopicSM Entertainment (hereinafter referred to as SM), which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, is a hot topic for presenting various collaborations with Tencent Music Entertainment (hereinafter referred to as Tencent Music), the largest music platform company in China. SM is holding various promotions and events covering both online and offline in collaboration with Tencent Music to commemorate the release of the 2025 SMTOWN album released on the 14th and its 30th anniversary, giving local fans special moments. A representative example is the electronic billboard advertisement covering major landmarks around the world. From the 15th to the 21st, Beijing SOLANA Shopping Center, Shenzhen CoastalFeb 25, 2025
MUSICArk, breaking its own initial record… remarkable growthThe group ARK (ARrC) has shown remarkable growth since their comeback. ARK (Andy, Choi Han, Doha, Hyunmin, Jibin, Kien, Rioto) released their second mini-album ‘nu kidz: out the box’ on the 18th and broke their own initial sales record with sales that increased by about 37% compared to their debut album ‘AR^C’. ‘nu kidz: out the box’ contains a total of 5 songs of various genres based on hip-hop, and ARK is receiving hot attention from fans in Korea and abroad by presenting diverse content along with their comeback. First, ARK showed off their skills worthy of a ‘diamond-shaped rookie’ with performance videos of the title song ‘nu kidz’ and the sub-song ‘loop.dll’, as well as content where they performed the track ‘accident ~ at the studio’ as a band live session. In particular, Ark attracted attention by freely changing the rap part into a song depending on the arrangement, showing off a wide musical spectrum. Ark is recording remarkable growth in various indicators after the comebackFeb 25, 2025
MUSIC‘Lee Soo-man Pick’ A2O 5, first public release… ‘Zalpha Pop’ This kind of feeling [Photoshoot]Lee Soo-man‘s new idols, A2O Rookies, have stood in front of the camera. In the pictorial for Esquire magazine, you can read about the future of ‘Zalpha Pop’ that Lee Soo-man dreams of through the appearances of SHIJIE, CHENYU, QUCHANG, GAKU, and TAI. Through their pure and shining energy, we look forward to the steps of other A2O Rookies who are yet to debut. You can see the pictorials and interviews of A2O Rookies on the Esquire Korea YouTube channel and the Esquire Korea website. Jeon Hyo-jiFeb 25, 2025
MUSICHyorin, see-through bikini… amazing thigh muscles [DA★]Hyorin, see-through bikini… amazing thigh muscles [DA★] SISTAR‘s Hyorin showed off her healthy charm. On the 24th, Hyorin posted several photos on her Instagram with the caption, “Amazing night in Manila BAE”. In the photos, she completed a sexy yet sophisticated styling by layering a see-through outfit with a bright yellow bikini. Hyorin maximized her mysterious feeling with boldly colored blush and colored lenses. She showed off her smooth waistline and firm legs, which she completed through thorough self-management, and showed off her exceptionally healthy beauty. Meanwhile, Hyorin released her new album ‘Wait’ in August last year and successfully completed a US tour. Reporter Jeong Hee-yeon, Donga.com shine2562@donga.comFeb 25, 2025