https://en.fannstar.tf.co.kr FANNSTAR RSS Service - All Articles copyright (c) FANNSTAR fannstar@tf.co.kr Kim Heechul mentioned the ″number one girl group fight rumor″ related to Sistar, showcasing his unique cheerful wit. On the April 4th broadcast of JTBC variety show ″Love War,″ Soyou appeared as a special diplomat and discussed various love stories with Lee Hyori, Seo Janghoon, and Kim Heechul. The cast talked about their dating tendencies based on MBTI. Soyou’s MBTI was revealed as INTJ, with an explanation that she is a ″calm type who values her own goals more than her partner and has less emotional fluctuation.″ When the cast said Soyou’s dating style might feel somewhat frustrating from the partner’s perspective, Soyou shared her dating experience, saying, ″I’m not someone who gets angry often. I’ve never had a big fight with my boyfriend.″ Regarding breakups, she added, ″I always endure at least three times″ and ″I’m not good at saying ’let’s break up.’″ Lee Hyori said, ″That’s surprising. I thought Soyou would say everything she wants and fight. I thought she’d be similar to me.″ Seo Janghoon also expressed surprise at Soyou’s actual personality, saying, ″She seemed like a little Lee Hyori.″ Afterward, Kim Heechul said, ″This is a famous story. The number one girl group fight in our country is said to be Sistar. Bora from Speed and Soyou from One Punch,″ which embarrassed Soyou. Soyou responded, ″Don’t spread rumors like that. There’s no Soyou from One Punch.″ Kim Heechul continued joking, ″That’s why they don’t fight with each other.″]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Hanyura shared the news of her return to Korea from Hawaii. On the 4th, Hanyura posted several photos on her personal channel along with the caption, ″I am spending a happy summer in Korea, but honestly, I am insanely excited to experience the Korean autumn for the first time in five years once this summer ends.″ The released photos included the back view of her sleeping daughter, a moving scene with stacked boxes, a birthday celebrated in Korea, and a welcome cake with the phrase ″Yura is back.″ It was previously revealed that Hanyura had been living in Hawaii with her two daughters since 2021. It is reported that she started living in Hawaii upon Jung Hyung-don’s recommendation, and Jung Hyung-don frequently visited Hawaii while living in Korea. Through Hanyura’s YouTube channel, scenes of Jung Hyung-don meeting with the family were also shared. Jung Hyung-don spent time with his family, including personally obtaining signed CDs for his daughters who like K-pop. Jung Hyung-don and Hanyura married in 2009 and had twin daughters in 2012. Hanyura worked as a model and actress before becoming a broadcast writer, and it is known that she met Jung Hyung-don through the program she was in charge of.]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Black Pink Jennie expressed confidence by embracing her body as it is in an interview with Cosmopolitan. Cosmopolitan released Jennie’s cover photo and interview on the 3rd. In the interview, Jennie revealed that the past year had been very busy, saying, ″I never had a moment to sit still, adapt to the changes, and fully accept what ’Ruby’ has brought me.″ She also shared her thoughts about her body. Jennie said, ″I am becoming friends with my body,″ and opened up about feeling pressured to appear bigger early in her career due to her small frame. She added, ″Now, I love my body as it is and am learning which styles suit my figure best. I have become more confident in myself than before.″ She also mentioned her relationship with the Black Pink members. Jennie said, ″I grew up with the members,″ and that they shared both difficult and good moments together. She expressed gratitude that even now, as each walks their own path, they can rely on each other. Jennie debuted with Black Pink in 2016 and released various songs such as ″Whistle,″ ″Playing with Fire,″ ″DDU-DU DDU-DU,″ ″Shut Down,″ and ″Run.″ She began her solo career in 2018 with ″Solo,″ released her first full-length album ″Ruby″ last year, and introduced ″Less Dance a Lover″ last month.]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Sandara Park revealed photos of herself in a bikini on her SNS. On the 4th, Sandara Park shared several photos enjoying her vacation with the caption ″Summer.″ In the photos, Sandara Park wore a blue-toned bikini and appeared to be spending a relaxing time at a resort. Recently, Sandara Park disclosed that her weight is between 37 and 38 kg. Fans responded to the post with comments such as ″She looks like a sculpture″ and ″She looks like a vampire goddess.″ Meanwhile, Sandara Park plans to strengthen her activities in Southeast Asia in collaboration with Power Entertainment. Power Entertainment announced that it will invest in Sandara Park’s label ARADNAS to comprehensively support her expansion into Southeast Asia and establish a long-term foundation for her activities. They also plan to leverage local networks to promote various projects such as concerts, festivals, and fan events, aiming to enhance Sandara Park’s global activities as a solo artist.]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Key of SHINee recently revealed his new look with black hair and shared his daily life at a luxury house overlooking the Han River through social media. On the 4th, Key posted several photos and videos on his SNS with the caption ″Kim’s Family Summer.″ The shared posts showed him spending a relaxing time with his pet dogs, Comme des Garçons and Garçon. The photos revealed a spacious lawn garden and a panoramic view of the Han River. This house was previously featured on MBC’s ″I Live Alone″ and is known to be leased under a jeonse contract worth 3.8 billion KRW in deposit. Key was involved in a controversy last year and withdrew from some programs. He resumed activities with the SHINee concert in May and released his sixth mini-album, ″Atmos,″ last month. Additionally, on the 1st and 2nd of this month, he posted photos of himself, showing ongoing communication with his fans.]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 The Korean-Vietnamese co-production film ″Mẹ Ơi, Về Nhà (Mom, Come Home, Here I Am),″ starring Lee Yi-kyung, recorded a lower-than-expected audience turnout after its release in Vietnam. The film was released in Vietnam on the 10th of last month and was directed by Yoon Byung-ki. The cast includes Lee Yi-kyung, Hoang Nguyen Chi Bi, Choi Daniel, and Minh Ha. The runtime of the movie is 98 minutes. Lee Yi-kyung played the role of Hue Hoang, who was abandoned in Korea as a child and raised by his Vietnamese adoptive mother, Diem Hai. After his adoptive mother passes away, Hue Hoang returns to Vietnam carrying her ashes to find her hometown and fulfill her last wish. During this journey, he meets Diem Mi (played by Hoang Nguyen Chi Bi), a singer making a living in Vietnam, and Choi Daniel appears as Park Ha, Hue Hoang’s friend. Lee Yi-kyung shed his comedic image shown in the film ″645″ and challenged himself with a serious role portraying a character filled with the loss and loneliness of losing his mother. Local media praised Lee Yi-kyung’s performance for effectively expressing the gloomy and lonely Hue Hoang, breaking away from his previous comedic actor image. He actively participated in promotional activities as well. On the 6th of last month, Lee Yi-kyung attended the film’s unveiling event held in Ho Chi Minh City, shaking hands, hugging, and taking photos with the audience. At the end of the event, he knelt before the audience to express his gratitude, and local media reported that the audience responded with prolonged applause. However, the film did not achieve the expected results at the box office after its release. On the fifth day of its release, the 15th of last month, local media reported that amid foreign films dominating theaters, ″Mẹ Ơi, Về Nhà″ remained within the top 10 daily rankings. Although Lee Yi-kyung had gained recognition in Vietnam through the film ″645″ and the drama ″Marry Me, My Husband,″ his popularity did not translate into box office success. Locally, the lack of completion in the story was pointed out as the cause of the film’s poor performance rather than the actor’s performance. Meanwhile, Lee Yi-kyung was embroiled in controversy last year due to a privacy claim made by a woman. His agency classified the claim as false information and malicious rumors and proceeded with legal action against the author and distributors. Additionally, in May, it was revealed that he underwent an irregular tax audit by the National Tax Service during the operation of his one-person corporation and received a tax reassessment notice. The agency stated that the issue arose from differences in tax law interpretation regarding expense processing standards and denied any intentional income omission or fraudulent tax evasion.]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Actor Yoo Yeon-seok received a dismissal decision in the tax appeal case he filed against the National Tax Service. According to a report by Edaily on the 4th, the Tax Tribunal recently dismissed the tax appeal filed by Yoo Yeon-seok against the National Tax Service. Yoo Yeon-seok had been operating through his one-person agency, Forever Entertainment, but the National Tax Service determined that the entity did not substantially support entertainment activities and imposed taxes amounting to around 6 billion won last spring. After a pre-assessment review, the final tax amount was adjusted to about 3 billion won, which Yoo Yeon-seok paid before filing the tax appeal. A representative of Yoo Yeon-seok’s agency, King Kong by Starship, stated to TV Daily on the 5th, ″This matter arises from differences in interpretation and application of tax law, and the related procedures are not yet fully completed.″ They also added, ″The company is carefully reviewing the facts and legal issues, and will respond sincerely according to the procedures prescribed by relevant laws as necessary.″ They emphasized that actor Yoo Yeon-seok has faithfully fulfilled his tax obligations so far and will continue to approach the related procedures with a responsible attitude.]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 On SBS’s ″Same Bed, Different Dreams Season 2 - You Are My Destiny,″ the couple Ye Esther and Hong Hye-gul are shown engaging in a property division dispute after 33 years of marriage. During the broadcast, Ye Esther initiated the discussion by mentioning the inheritance ratio and specific contents of the will she plans to leave to her husband Hong Hye-gul, to which Hong Hye-gul responded, ″Do you think I would blink an eye over something like that?″ Also appearing on the show are Ham Ik-byeong and his wife, longtime close friends of Ye Esther and Hong Hye-gul for 26 years. Director Ham Ik-byeong is a pioneer in skin beauty treatments who first introduced ″laser treatment″ in Korea, and recently revealed in a media interview that he has assets worth about 10 billion won. When Ye Esther and her husband pressed Ham Ik-byeong about his assets, he personally disclosed the truth behind the ″10 billion won asset story.″ It was also revealed that Ham Ik-byeong provided crucial help before Ye Esther officially started her business. Ham Ik-byeong’s wife, Kang Mi-hyeong, expressed her long-standing grievances accumulated over 26 years, saying, ″We were servants.″ Kang Mi-hyeong lamented that while Ye Esther and her husband were treated like a prince and princess during past joint trips, they were treated like handmaidens, expressing her frustration. An anecdote was also shared about Ham Ik-byeong carrying Ye Esther on his back instead of Hong Hye-gul. Ye Esther appeared in the studio and expressed her ambition to shed the title of ″Nation’s Depressed Woman″ and rise as the ″Nation’s Happy Woman.″ SBS’s ″Same Bed, Different Dreams Season 2 - You Are My Destiny″ will air on the 4th at 10:40 PM.]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 On the SBS variety show ″Same Bed, Different Dreams 2 - You Are My Destiny,″ the couple Ye Esther and Hong Hye-gul mentioned Ham Ik-byeong’s wealth. In that episode, the couple Hong Hye-gul and Ye Esther, married for 33 years, met with dermatologist Ham Ik-byeong and his spouse. Ye Esther introduced them as neighbors living in the same apartment and said, ″Thanks to the 50 million won loan from Dr. Ham Ik-byeong 26 years ago, I was able to start my business and now live comfortably.″ Ye Esther mentioned that recently there has been a buzz about Ham Ik-byeong’s assets being worth 10 billion won, saying, ″The hot topic these days is that Dr. Ham Ik-byeong’s assets are 10 billion won. There are various opinions about it.″ In response, Hong Hye-gul speculated that Ham Ik-byeong’s assets might be over 10 billion won, saying, ″Just the building in Gangnam alone...″ Ye Esther also expressed doubt, saying, ″Could it be only 10 billion won?″ Ham Ik-byeong previously appeared on a YouTube channel and, when asked about the scale of his assets, replied, ″If you add up the apartments and so on, it would be about 10 billion won.″ On this broadcast, he shared his thoughts, saying, ″The number 10 billion has a meaning. It means being very wealthy. Honestly, whether it’s 10 billion or 100 billion, it doesn’t matter. With about 10 billion, you don’t have to check the bill when you eat three meals a day.″ When asked, ″Don’t you get annoyed when you lose money?″ he said, ″It’s just losing a part. That doesn’t change the quality of my life.″ ″Same Bed, Different Dreams 2″ airs every Monday at 10:40 PM.]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Seungkwan of the group Seventeen recently shared updates through his personal SNS, engaging with fans. Seungkwan attracted attention by posting a photo of himself wearing a black shirt, standing in front of a microphone in a recording studio, showing his focused expression. The image of him singing in a studio with soundproof walls and headphones in the background revealed his musical passion. Additionally, Seungkwan shared a relaxed moment at a restaurant with his pet dog. His smile while holding his beloved pet in a comfortable space showed that he enjoys small happiness even amid a busy daily life. Recently, Seungkwan addressed a rumor circulating online about a 600,000 won prepaid meal at a barbecue restaurant, clarifying that it was not true and showing sincerity in communicating with fans. Through a live broadcast, he clearly stated that the matter was unrelated to him and drew a line against false information. Meanwhile, Seungkwan is gaining attention within Seventeen for his outstanding musical sensibility and stage manners. He recently successfully completed a live tour in five cities with Dokyeom, continuing to meet fans. He is expected to remain active through various music activities and broadcasts in the future.]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 TWICE Sana is expanding her range of activities by challenging herself with acting for the first time in 11 years since her debut. Recently, Sana took on the role of the female lead ″Nao″ in a work alongside Japanese actor Sato Takeru, showcasing her unique pure and lovable charm. This is drawing great attention as Sana’s acting debut. Meanwhile, Sana actively communicates with fans by sharing updates on SNS. Recently, she posted a photo with the caption ″I want to go out🌿🤍,″ featuring a stylish outfit pairing a yellow striped shirt with a white skirt, posing with a bag in an indoor space with windows. Wearing a scarf on her head, she creates a fresh atmosphere, showing a calm yet bright charm. TWICE, to which Sana belongs, is currently on a world tour, receiving unwavering love from their global fandom. Fans are focusing their attention on Sana’s future path, expecting her to be active not only in her singing career but also in acting.]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Singer Joy has recently been maintaining special communication with fans through her fan concert venue and her own SNS. Joy expressed her gratitude to fans by sharing various photos taken at the recent fan concert on her official SNS. In the released photos, Joy showcased a variety of charms, from taking selfies wearing a white short-sleeve T-shirt and a black skirt to captivating scenes in a black transparent outfit against a solid black background. Especially regarding the outfit she wore for the encore stage on the last day, she described it as ″cute″ and revealed it as her favorite outfit, showing warm rapport with her fans. Joy described the atmosphere at the fan concert venue as ″very, very enjoyable and happy,″ expressing her affection for fans by saying, ″There are also many beautiful photos taken by Loveys.″ She also attracted fans’ attention by sharing that although taking photos was more difficult than expected, she was able to finish quickly with the help of sister Areum. Recently, Joy has been actively promoting as a full member of the group Red Velvet. Ahead of the release of the mini-album for the new song ″Velvet Summer,″ she is raising expectations among domestic and international fans by showcasing various stages and visuals. In particular, she has been receiving praise from music fans for her powerful performances and delicate expressiveness on stage. Meanwhile, Joy consistently communicates by sharing her daily life and behind-the-scenes moments through SNS. The recent release of fan concert photos is also regarded as a sincere effort to get closer to her fans. Music fans continue to show interest in Joy’s diverse activities going forward.]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 NCT 127’s Jaehyun and Johnny had a special meeting with Hollywood actors Matt Damon and Charlize Theron. The two met with Matt Damon and Charlize Theron, who visited Korea to promote the movie Odyssey, at a Fastpaper interview session and had an in-depth conversation about the film. This meeting was conducted in a way that Jaehyun and Johnny, having watched Odyssey beforehand, directly asked questions about parts they were curious about and scenes that left a strong impression. Matt Damon and Charlize Theron also shared stories related to the film and behind-the-scenes production details, exchanging their thoughts. The diverse conversations among the four will be revealed in detail through the upcoming Fastpaper interview. The movie Odyssey officially premiered on August 5 and is now meeting audiences. This meeting is being recognized as a meaningful moment where NCT members engage with global cultural content.]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 The world tour that Lee Hi and 808 HI RECORDINGS were scheduled to embark on has been completely canceled four days before the performances. Lee Hi’s agency, 808 HI RECORDINGS, announced on August 2 that they received notification from the tour organizer, KINO WHITE TOURING KOREA INC., regarding the cancellation of all city performances of the ″LEEHI & 808 HI RECORDINGS WORLD TOUR 2026″ and the commencement of ticket refund procedures. The agency explained that the cancellation was not due to any decision or fault on the artist’s side. They stated that despite extending the payment deadline several times and requesting the fulfillment of contractual obligations to proceed with the performances, the organizer canceled the tour without completing payment and preparations. Accordingly, the agency announced plans to take legal action. Lee Hi had planned a tour covering a total of 10 cities, starting in Singapore on August 8, followed by Jakarta, Manila, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Taiwan, Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Auckland. The tour, featuring performances by Lee Hi and 808 HI RECORDINGS, had raised fans’ expectations but was canceled due to conflicts with the organizer. Information regarding ticket refunds will be provided through each point of sale. Meanwhile, earlier this year, Lee Hi and Dok2 established 808 HI RECORDINGS together and publicly revealed that they have been in a relationship for five years. Dok2 acknowledged their relationship by posting a photo with Lee Hi on his social media, and Lee Hi also confirmed it through her social media accounts.]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 It has been confirmed that Youngja and Youngchul, cast members of the 28th season of ″I Am Solo,″ have broken up. The two met through the ENA·SBS Plus variety show ″I Am Solo″ 28th season divorced special and held their wedding in January. On the 31st of last month, Youngja announced the breakup herself through her SNS, stating, ″I have ended the relationship with the other person.″ She explained, ″We had not registered our marriage, and during our time together, we each bore our own living and financial expenses, so there are no assets or financial matters to settle separately.″ She also added, ″All personal arrangements and the exchange of belongings following the end of the relationship have been completed.″ Afterward, Youngja deleted all couple-related posts, including photos with Youngchul, wedding, and wedding shoot pictures, and unfollowed Youngchul’s SNS account. As of the 4th, Youngchul also deleted all photos and posts with Youngja from his SNS and unfollowed her account, completing the process of ending their relationship. In the past, the two had shared daily life and dating photos together on SNS. Youngchul once wrote, ″My wife came down to Daejeon and is at home. Although not often, we had dinner outside to get some fresh air. If this happiness is to last forever, I have to do well. I love my wife.″ Youngja also shared updates on her changed daily life by posting about spending time alone on SNS. About a month after their wedding, they appeared on tvN STORY’s ″Lee Hoseon Counseling Center,″ where they spoke about the missed miscarriage they experienced last fall and the breakup notice. Youngchul revealed, ″When I was dating Youngja, I suddenly heard the news of pregnancy. I was happy but couldn’t easily express my feelings, worried it might be a burden. I said, ’I’m very happy, but I will respect your thoughts and decisions.’″ Youngja confessed, ″It would have been fine if it had been like that from the start. If he had sincerely liked me and given me assurance, it would have been okay. I had anxiety that if I decided to have the child, I might have to raise the child alone, so I gave notice of breakup.″ Ultimately, both parties have officially confirmed their breakup by removing traces of each other from their SNS accounts.]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 aespa member Karina recently shared photos capturing her attendance at a performance and moments from her daily life on her SNS. On the 3rd, Karina posted several photos to communicate with her fans. The released photos show Karina enjoying the performance while eating pizza in the audience seats of an outdoor overseas venue, and savoring the festival wearing a pure white dress. In particular, she showcased both healthy beauty and innocent charm with a backless dress design, natural hairstyle, and simple makeup. In a photo wearing a yellow raincoat, she also displayed a cute atmosphere. Karina attracted attention by enjoying the performance in the audience seats, getting wet in the rain without caring about the surrounding gazes. There were also comments highlighting her healthy figure, including a slim waistline and back muscles. Meanwhile, aespa, to which Karina belongs, performed a total of 14 songs on the Allianz Stage at ’Lollapalooza Chicago’ held at Grant Park in Chicago, USA, on the 2nd. On the 3rd, they also performed representative songs such as ″Black Mamba,″ ″Supermova,″ ″Next Level,″ and ″LEMONADE″ in festival versions on the Allianz Stage. aespa will start a world tour visiting 25 locations from the 7th, with the first performance scheduled to be held at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul.]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 CORTIS (Martin, James, Juhun, Seonghyeon, Geonho) held their first solo concert in Japan, selling out all seats. According to BigHit Music, CORTIS’s first tour, ’2026 CORTIS TOUR ’PUT YOUR PHONE DOWN’ IN JAPAN,’ took place from September 4 to 6 at Pia Arena MM in Kanagawa, Japan, with high competition for both membership lottery and general ticket sales. All designated seats, restricted view seats, and the additionally opened standing seats sold out quickly. With this, CORTIS sold out all tickets for their first solo tour, consisting of 14 performances in 9 cities. CORTIS also quickly sold out tickets during the membership pre-sale phase for their opening concerts held on July 18-19 at Inspire Arena in Incheon and for the upcoming North American and Seoul concerts scheduled for August. Starting their North American tour on the 4th (local time) in Toronto, Canada, they will continue with performances in New York (6th), Atlanta (8th), Irving (11th), Los Angeles (13th), and San Francisco (15-16th). On August 22 and 23, the ’2026 CORTIS TOUR ’PUT YOUR PHONE DOWN’ BIRTHDAY PARTY’ celebrating their first anniversary will be held at Hwa-jeong Gymnasium, Korea University, Seoul. CORTIS is maintaining their rising momentum both online and offline. On August 1, they performed at Lollapalooza Chicago as the only K-pop boy group this year, leading a sing-along with approximately 50,000 attendees. Their mini-album 2 title track ″REDRED″ entered the Spotify ’Daily Top Songs Global’ chart for 100 consecutive days (as of July 30). Lollapalooza is a large outdoor music festival that started in 1991, gathering about 170 artists and approximately 400,000 attendees. This year, in addition to CORTIS, groups such as (G)I-DLE, Black Pink member Jennie, and aespa also performed.]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Galaxy Corporation, the agency of G-Dragon, has disclosed the progress of legal actions against individuals who wrote and distributed malicious posts. On the 4th, the agency announced in an official statement that based on evidence secured through fan reports and internal monitoring, they have filed complaints against about 100 people who wrote or distributed malicious posts related to G-Dragon for violations of the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, etc. (defamation). The agency explained that through raids on major online communities and social networking service (SNS) platforms, they identified multiple suspects, who have been transferred to the police stations with jurisdiction over their addresses and are currently under investigation. Currently, many cases are being handled by investigative agencies and courts, and in some cases, suspects’ criminal charges have been acknowledged, resulting in referral to the prosecution or criminal trials. The court has issued summary orders imposing fines ranging from 2 million to 7 million KRW on multiple defendants, and in separate cases, the prosecution has requested summary orders for fines, indicating ongoing substantive criminal procedures, the agency stated. It was also added that some suspects have been indicted and sent to trial after their charges were recognized. The agency emphasized, ″This result shows that even when using anonymous accounts, tracking can lead to actual criminal punishment,″ and stated that they will hold those responsible accountable to the end in ongoing cases, responding strictly with a zero-tolerance policy without any leniency or settlements. They also warned that not only the original creators of malicious posts but also those who repeatedly transmit, expand, or reproduce such content are clearly committing illegal acts subject to legal action. They added that even if posts are deleted or accounts are made private or changed, legal procedures will continue based on the secured evidence. Furthermore, the agency pledged to do their utmost to protect the rights and interests of the artist so that they can work in a healthy and stable environment. Meanwhile, G-Dragon is set to meet fans with the group Big Bang’s new world tour, ″XX : COSMOS,″ from the 21st to the 23rd at the Goyang Sports Complex Main Stadium in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, celebrating their 20th debut anniversary.]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 BOYNEXTDOOR has recorded a cumulative 1.00114 billion streams on the global music platform Spotify. This figure is the total number of plays for all the songs they have released so far. KOZ Entertainment announced on the 5th that BOYNEXTDOOR (Seongho, Liu, Myeong Jaehyun, Taesan, Lee Han, Unhak) surpassed 1 billion streams on Spotify as of the 3rd. Since their debut on May 30, 2023, BOYNEXTDOOR has released five mini-albums and one full-length album. The group has placed every album released since their debut on the US Billboard main album chart, the Billboard 200. Their mini 1st album ″WHY..″ ranked 162nd, mini 2nd album ″HOW?″ ranked 93rd, mini 3rd album ″19.99″ ranked 40th, mini 4th album ″No Genre″ ranked 62nd, mini 5th album ″The Action″ ranked 40th, and full-length 1st album ″HOME″ ranked 16th on the chart. BOYNEXTDOOR is the only boy group that debuted within the last five years to have six consecutive albums enter the Billboard 200. Spotify data from the past 28 days also shows consistent listening from various countries including the United States, Japan, Indonesia, South Korea, Mexico, Brazil, and Taiwan. Even after the activities for their full-length 1st album ended, listeners continue to be attracted from multiple countries. BOYNEXTDOOR will release their second Japanese digital single ″Boom Boom Boom″ on August 18, and on August 28, they will release a repackage album of their full-length 1st album. They will also hold their first world tour, ″BOYNEXTDOOR TOUR KNOCK ON Vol.2,″ in six locations in Japan, ten locations in North America, and six locations in Asia.]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 The girl group KATSEYE has entered the US Billboard main singles chart, the Hot 100, at number 24 with their new song ″Animal.″ With this achievement, KATSEYE has placed five consecutive songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart: ″Gnarly,″ ″Gabriela,″ ″Internet Girl,″ ″PINKY UP,″ and ″Animal.″ Including ″ICONIC BY MISTAKE,″ a collaboration with Aileit and LE SSERAFIM, a total of six songs have charted. The number 24 position of ″Animal″ surpasses the previous debut highest rank of 28 set by ″PINKY UP″ in April. ″Animal″ is an upbeat pop track themed around the instinct and wildness hidden within. The world-renowned singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran participated in composing the song. It ranked 10th and 12th on the Billboard Global 200 and Global (excluding US) charts, respectively, and achieved 9th on Spotify’s Weekly Top Songs Global, 8th in the US, and 5th on the Daily Top Songs Global chart (as of August 2). KATSEYE is a multinational girl group created through a joint venture between HYBE and US-based Geffen Records, debuting in the US in 2024 through the global audition project ″The Debut: Dream Academy.″ They are active based on HYBE chairman Bang Si-hyuk’s ″Multi-home, multi-genre″ strategy and K-pop methodology. They won three awards at the 2026 American Music Awards, including ″New Artist of the Year,″ and were nominated in two categories at the 68th Grammy Awards. KATSEYE’s third mini-album, ″WILD,″ is scheduled for release on August 14.]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Lee Chan-won conducted a cooking class with Chef Yoon Nara, a top 5 finalist from Netflix’s ″Black and White Chef 2,″ on KBS 2TV variety show ″New Release Convenience Restaurant.″ Lee Chan-won appeared on the episode airing on the 6th and personally visited Chef Yoon Nara, asking, ″Please be my cooking mentor.″ Planning to invite various stars for a special event, Lee Chan-won showcased learning cooking directly from Chef Yoon Nara in this episode. Chef Yoon Nara revealed the highly praised recipes for dried pollack hangover soup and radish salad from ″Black and White Chef 2.″ He expressed confidence, saying, ″I guarantee the taste,″ and surprised everyone, including Lee Chan-won, by presenting unexpected ingredients and cooking methods. Lee Chan-won admired, ″You use this ingredient?″ Additionally, Chef Yoon Nara taught a special menu that had never been revealed before. After tasting the dishes, Lee Chan-won could not hide the amazement, saying, ″This is on a different level.″ During the cooking process, the two showed great compatibility even in detailed preferences. Watching Lee Chan-won’s knife skills, Chef Yoon Nara complimented, ″Your hand movements are beautiful,″ and both expressed mutual affection, saying, ″We found our cooking soulmate.″ On the show, Chef Yoon Nara attracted attention with a surprising remark, ″I envy Lee Chan-won’s future wife.″ ″New Release Convenience Restaurant″ will air on the 6th at 8:30 PM.]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Lee Chan-won appeared as an MC alongside Wendy at KBS2’s ’2026 Boryeong Mud Festival K-POP SUPER LIVE,’ showcasing a diverse range of talents as both a singer and a host. At the festival broadcast on the 4th, Lee Chan-won appeared in a denim shirt and beige pants, engaging with the audience and leading the event. Then, wearing a white jacket and pants adorned with silver decorations, Lee Chan-won took the stage to perform ″Twist Gogo,″ a track from the first full-length album ’ONE.’ The fast twist rhythm, lively melody, and distinctive refreshing vocals elevated the atmosphere of the venue. Lee Chan-won also reinterpreted Cho Yong-pil’s ″Let’s Go on a Trip″ with a unique style on stage. Powerful vocals, relaxed stage manners, and upbeat sounds combined to intensify the festival’s energy. Lee Chan-won actively connected with the audience, fulfilling roles as both MC and singer. Lee Chan-won has achieved half-million seller status for three consecutive albums: the first full-length album ’ONE,’ the second mini-album ’bright;燦,’ and the second full-length album ’Brilliant (燦爛).’ Additionally, Lee Chan-won continues activities by appearing on various TV programs such as KBS2’s ’Immortal Songs,’ ’Celebrity Soldier’s Secret,’ JTBC’s ’Talk Reporter 25 Hours,’ and MBC’s ’SurfRIIZE Mystery Salon.’]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 The movie ″Spider-Man: Brand New Day″ (directed by Destin Cretton) surpassed 4 million cumulative viewers within 7 days of its release. According to the Korea Film Council’s integrated ticketing system, as of 12:51 PM on the 4th, the film exceeded 4 million viewers. This is the fastest record to reach 4 million viewers among films released this year and also the shortest record among foreign films released after the pandemic from 2020 to 2026. ″Spider-Man: Brand New Day″ was released on the 29th of last month and attracted 680,000 viewers on its first day, setting the highest opening record in the history of the ″Spider-Man″ series. It continued its box office success by surpassing 1 million viewers on the second day, 2 million on the fourth day, and 3 million on the fifth day. On the 7th day, the 5th, an additional 348,262 viewers watched the film, bringing the total audience to 4,134,162 and maintaining its position as the number one box office hit. This film depicts the story of Peter Parker, who was forgotten by everyone after the events of ″Spider-Man: No Way Home,″ facing a mysterious enemy who remembers his identity and confronting new threats to protect his loved ones amid chaos caused by DNA mutation. Directed by Destin Cretton, Tom Holland reprises his role as Peter Parker and Spider-Man. ″Spider-Man: Brand New Day,″ currently showing in theaters nationwide, continues its success in the summer box office. Meanwhile, as of 10:45 AM on the 5th, Christopher Nolan’s ″Odyssée″ ranked first with a real-time reservation rate of 47.4% and approximately 540,000 reserved viewers, while ″Spider-Man: Brand New Day″ ranked second with a reservation rate of 33.8% and about 380,000 reserved viewers.]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Director Na Hong-jin’s film ″Hope″ is set to be released in over 200 countries and regions worldwide. Distributor Plus M Entertainment announced that ″Hope″ will premiere in Taiwan on September 4 and in North America on September 9, followed by sequential releases in Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Latin America, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Hong Kong, Japan, Vietnam, Singapore, and various other regions. ″Hope″ was invited to compete at the 79th Cannes Film Festival and achieved the highest pre-sale record ever for a Korean film overseas, securing pre-sales in over 200 countries and regions. NEON is handling distribution in North America and other English-speaking territories, while major global distributors such as Focus/UPI in France, Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions, and MUBI, along with local film companies in each country, are participating as partners. After the Cannes premiere, a re-edited version with refined creature scenes, sound, and editing was released, receiving praise from international critics. IndieWire commented on the re-edited version, saying, ″Through the deletion, addition, and restructuring of scenes, each narrative connects much more smoothly, and the flow of the story feels more natural,″ and ″The re-edited ’Hope’ is one of the best action films I’ve seen in recent years from start to finish.″ ″Hope″ is Director Na Hong-jin’s first feature film in 10 years since ″The Wailing.″ It tells the story of Beom-seok (played by Hwang Jung-min), the head of the Hopo Port outpost located in the Demilitarized Zone, who hears reports of a tiger appearing from local youths, triggering an emergency in the entire village. The cast includes Hwang Jung-min, Jo In-sung, Jung Ho-yeon, Taylor Russell, Cameron Britton, Alicia Vikander, and Michael Fassbender. The film has been screening nationwide in South Korea since July 15.]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Kim Woo-bin has confirmed his role as Jung Min-yong, the protagonist of the new drama ″Gift,″ scheduled to air on tvN. This work is based on the baseball webtoon of the same name by writer Jung I-ri-ri, serialized on Kakao Webtoon, and will premiere in the second half of 2026. ″Gift″ is a coming-of-age sports drama that unfolds as a former professional baseball pitcher coach, who gains a special ability to instantly recognize others’ baseball talents after an unexpected accident, takes on the role of coach for the lowest-ranked high school baseball team in the country. In the drama, Kim Woo-bin’s character Jung Min-yong leaves the professional stage and takes the helm of the nation’s worst high school baseball team, transforming the team in his own unique way. The drama is directed by Kim Kyu-tae and Ham Seung-hoon, with the script written by writers Min Jeong, Hae Ju, and Seong Eun. Studio Dragon is in charge of planning, while By4M Studio, GTist, Studio Double M, and AM Entertainment are responsible for production. Kim Woo-bin’s agency stated, ″With his distinctive deep emotional acting and solid presence, he will vividly portray Jung Min-yong’s growth and transformation.″]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Girl group KiiiKiii has released a highlight medley video for their third mini-album, ″WhyKiiiKiii.″ On the 3rd, KiiiKiii (Jiyu, Isol, Sui, Ha-eum, Kiya) shared the highlight medley and tracklist of their third mini-album, ″WhyKiiiKiii,″ set to be released on the 10th, through their official social media channels. The video was created in the format of a social media post, enhancing immersion with images symbolizing each track and actual SNS features. The album includes six songs: ″Pop Off Pop Off,″ ″Ever Too Late!,″ ″Hey Hi,″ ″Sweet Sour,″ ″Candy Pink Magic Hole Flip Phone (What Should I Do),″ and ″Blue Hour.″ ″Ever Too Late!″ expresses freedom through a scene of an airplane flying in the sky, while ″Hey Hi″ adds wit with a concept of choosing between breakfast and dessert. In the title track ″Pop Off Pop Off,″ the members showcase styling trends from the past. ″Sweet Sour″ evokes school days by proposing a ″truth game,″ and ″Candy Pink Magic Hole Flip Phone (What Should I Do)″ captures Y2K vibes with text message scenes using the nostalgic ″Magic Hole″ phone. ″Blue Hour″ conveys the lingering feelings of the day with a star rating feature and an animation of a shooting star falling in the night sky. The album features musicians from various genres, including Omega Sapien, Lil Cherry, writer Lee Seul-ah, Sumin, Camo, The Deep, Epi, Iso, Yoon Da-hye, Jin Choi, and Tomato Mat. They present music spanning electronic pop, hyperpop, synth-pop, and more. Through the third mini-album ″WhyKiiiKiii,″ KiiiKiii introduces individuality, freedom, wit, and sensibility as a cohesive course, marking the start of their full-scale activities. This album is regarded as a work that encapsulates KiiiKiii’s musical challenges and visual creativity, showcasing their present and future trajectory.]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 The SBS variety show ″Mountain Village Bachelor Hero″ concluded its Season 2 with the seventh episode on the 4th. Lim Young Woong bid farewell as he finished his mountain village life with Cha Seung-won and Kim Do-hoon. In that day’s broadcast, Lim Young Woong attempted to make freshwater snail and chive pancakes but struggled with adjusting the batter consistency and failed to flip the pancake. Cha Seung-won joked, ″Is this okonomiyaki?″ and encouraged him, saying, ″It’s okay. Just leave it as it is.″ Lim Young Woong expressed regret, saying, ″Why is flipping so difficult? I wanted to do well.″ While making seasoned lettuce, Lim Young Woong accidentally spilled a large amount of red pepper powder and joked to Kim Do-hoon, ″Do-hoon, what are we going to do if we put this much?″ Kim Do-hoon replied, ″Weren’t we on the same team?″ which made everyone laugh. Showing a down-to-earth side, Lim Young Woong ate the lettuce covered in red pepper powder, saying, ″It would be a waste to throw it away.″ At dinner, both Lim Young Woong and Kim Do-hoon were amazed by the chicken soup prepared by Cha Seung-won. Lim Young Woong said, ″This is the first time I’ve had chicken soup like this. It’s really delicious,″ and drank all the broth straight from the bowl, adding, ″This is the first time I’ve eaten everything here. I can’t leave any behind.″ Kim Do-hoon also expressed amazement, saying, ″This is crazy.″ After the meal, the three spent their last night snacking on the yard bench. When Kim Do-hoon said he liked snacks, Cha Seung-won said, ″You need to control this. If you can’t control that urge, your face will quickly become unattractive after you turn 35.″ Kim Do-hoon replied, ″Isn’t that a curse?″ The next morning, Kim Do-hoon, knowing that Cha Seung-won’s favorite food is yukgaejang, tried to prepare a surprise RIIZE, but Cha Seung-won started cooking himself, which brought laughter. Lim Young Woong expressed satisfaction, saying, ″My favorite food has changed to yukgaejang from now on. It’s so delicious.″ From the morning, Lim Young Woong eased the sadness of the farewell by performing live songs requested by Cha Seung-won and Kim Do-hoon. Wrapping up his mountain village life, Lim Young Woong shared, ″I’m leaving because I got attached. There were happy moments every day. I think I’ll miss it once it’s over.″ He also said, ″Honestly, it’s a bit sad. Time really flew by.″ Then he laughed and added, ″I’ve met my friends so much lately that I think I don’t need to meet them for a while,″ and continued, ″How about ’Hotel Bachelor Hero’ next time? ’Jungle Bachelor Hero?’ That won’t work either.″ Meanwhile, ″Mountain Village Bachelor Hero″ promised a Season 3.]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 The group CORTIS released official photos from their Chicago concert on their official SNS channels on the 3rd. The photos captured the local concert’s energy, drawing fans’ attention. In the released photos, CORTIS members showcased street fashion and styling that highlighted their individual personalities. Their gazes and poses conveyed the atmosphere of the concert venue. Moments of them interacting with the audience under the stage lights were also captured. Fans responded with comments like ″The visuals are insane,″ ″They turned Chicago upside down,″ and ″CORTIS is the best.″ CORTIS is currently continuing their North American tour and is scheduled to hold their 1st anniversary concert ″BIRTHDAY PARTY″ at Hwajeong Gymnasium in Seoul from August 22 to 23.]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Jimin drew attention from Billboard in the United States while performing at the BTS concert held at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. In its review of the BTS Arirang concert, Billboard highlighted Jimin’s silver hair as one of the key moments of the MetLife Stadium performance. Under the subtitle ″Jimin Goes Gray and Slays,″ it spotlighted Jimin’s hairstyle transformation. Billboard reported that less than two weeks after Jimin styled his long blonde hair into a ponytail for the World Cup final halftime show, he appeared on the MetLife Stadium stage with long silver hair this time. Over the two days on the 1st and 2nd local time, about 157,000 spectators gathered at the venue. Billboard expressed amazement that Jimin’s hair remained glossy and voluminous throughout the performance, noting that this could be confirmed in group photos taken before and after the show. Regarding the choreography, Billboard introduced that the audience reaction was even more enthusiastic when Jimin stood center and led the group choreography during the chorus of ″MIC Drop.″ It also evaluated that BTS’s relaxed and graceful execution of stage choreography is the reason they maintain their top position. BTS plans to continue its world tour in the Middle East and Japan after completing its North American schedule, including Boston.]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 To celebrate the 10th anniversary of Lim Young Woong’s debut, Ms. Taylor Su, a fan residing in the United States, donated $2,000 USD (approximately 2.9 million KRW) to the Seungil Hope Foundation, a domestic organization supporting ALS patients. Ms. Su made this donation to celebrate Lim Young Woong’s 10th debut anniversary and to join in the positive influence he has shown. Since 2022, she has consistently donated between $1,000 and $2,000 USD on commemorative occasions such as Lim Young Woong’s birthday and debut anniversary. Including this donation, her total contributions to the Seungil Hope Foundation and others have exceeded $34,000 USD (approximately 49.3 million KRW). Ms. Su, who suffers from multiple illnesses, is reportedly experiencing repeated hospital admissions due to recent health deterioration. Despite her battle, she endures pain and loneliness by listening to and recording herself singing Lim Young Woong’s songs. Ms. Su shared, ″Thanks to Lim Young Woong’s songs, I gain strength, and because of the energy he gives me, I am able to live a life of ’extra grace.’″ The Lim Young Woong fan club ’Hero Era’ expressed deep respect, saying, ″Even while suffering from illness, she puts others’ pain before her own.″ They added, ″We sincerely pray and support her to never lose her bright smile and to recover her health as soon as possible.″]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Singer Choi Yena experienced an incident where her X (formerly Twitter) account, created to communicate with fans, was classified as spam. Recently, Choi Yena launched a YouTube channel called ’I’m Really Yena’ and uploaded a short video titled ’I Am Really Yena’ on the 3rd. In the video, she announced that the first video on the channel would be released on the 12th. In the video, Choi Yena said, ″Actually, I recently created an X (formerly Twitter) account,″ and added, ″At first, I posted ’Hello, this is Yena.’ But it’s been over two weeks, and I still have zero followers, which is really upsetting.″ She then said, ″Life is really cold,″ making viewers laugh. It was also reported that her agency was unaware of the account’s creation during this process. Upon checking, the agency found that Choi Yena’s posts were classified as ″potential spam replies.″ Hearing this, Choi Yena was shocked and said, ″Are you saying I’m spam?″ and pleaded, ″I’m not spam.″ When a representative said, ″The ID does seem a bit spammy,″ she expressed her frustration by holding her forehead. As of 4 PM on the 4th, the account that had been classified as spam recorded about 119,000 followers, and the number of followers continues to grow. After the video was released, Choi Yena left a comment on the account saying, ″I still can’t forget that day.″ Choi Yena is actively communicating through the account by sharing behind-the-scenes photos and answering fans’ questions.]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Young Tak is releasing a full-length album for the first time in about three years. On the 4th, Young Tak announced their comeback on September 14 by revealing the poster for their third full-length album ’GOGO’ through their official SNS. The third full-length album ’GOGO’ is the first full album released since the second full-length album ’FORM’ in August 2023. Young Tak previously recorded initial sales of 520,000 copies with their first full-length album ’MMM’ and 620,000 copies with their second full-length album ’FORM’. Recently, Young Tak ranked first in the Fans’ Choice Best Popular Trot category at the ’KMA (KM Chart Awards) 2026’. Young Tak debuted in 2007 with the single ’I Love You’ and appeared on TV Chosun’s ’Tomorrow is Mr. Trot’ in 2020, finishing in second place.]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 CORTIS has officially started their North American tour. On the 4th (local time), CORTIS (Martin, James, Juhun, Sunghyun, Gunho) held the first concert of the ’2026 CORTIS TOUR IN NORTH AMERICA’ in Toronto, Canada, meeting with fans. Afterward, they plan to tour major cities in the United States such as New York, Atlanta, Irving, Los Angeles, and San Francisco until the 16th. This tour will take place in a total of 14 performances across 9 cities including Korea, Japan, and North America, and according to their agency, all tickets for every show have been sold out. On the 1st, CORTIS added to the excitement of their North American tour by performing on stage at the large U.S. music festival ’Lollapalooza Chicago’ in front of about 50,000 spectators. Chart success continues as well. On the 4th (local time), in the latest chart dated August 8 released by Billboard in the U.S., CORTIS’s second mini-album ’GREENGREEN’ ranked 114th on the ’Billboard 200’ chart. This album entered the chart at number 3 on the May 23 chart and has remained on the chart for 12 consecutive weeks, also ranking 2nd on the ’World Albums’ chart and 8th on the ’Top Album Sales’ chart. The title track ’REDRED’ entered the ’Global 200’ at 109th and the ’Global (excluding U.S.)’ at 63rd, charting for 14 consecutive weeks. Additionally, it has appeared on Spotify’s ’Daily Top Songs Global’ chart for 100 consecutive days and achieved its 90th number one on the ’Daily Top Songs Korea’ chart as of August 2. On the ’Artist 100’ chart, they ranked 60th. Besides the tour, CORTIS will perform on various stages. From August 22 to 23, they will hold the ’2026 CORTIS TOUR BIRTHDAY PARTY’ at Korea University Hwajeong Gymnasium in Seoul, and from September 4 to 6, they will present the final performance of the tour at Pia Arena MM in Kanagawa, Japan. They also plan to appear at the ’Rock in Japan Festival 2026’ in Chiba, Japan on September 20, and the ’Formula One Singapore Grand Prix’ on October 9.]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 The SBS variety show ″Mountain Village Bachelor Hero″ concluded with a total of seven episodes. Lim Young Woong shared his thoughts on the finale with the production team, expressing his affection for life in the mountain village. He said, ″Just as I was getting really attached, it’s time to leave. There were happy moments every single day, and I think I will miss them as time goes by.″ In the final episode, the last mountain village life with Lim Young Woong, Cha Seung-won, and Kim Do-hoon was revealed. The last dinner was completed with chicken soup prepared by Cha Seung-won and freshwater snail chive pancakes made by Lim Young Woong. Lim Young Woong exclaimed, ″This kind of chicken soup is the first time I’ve ever had. It’s really so delicious.″ After the meal, a concert on the porch followed, where Lim Young Woong sang Kim Do-hoon’s requested song ″My Love Like Starlight,″ the drama OST ″Our Blues″ featuring Cha Seung-won, and a song by Kim Kwang-seok. Regarding ideas for season 3, Lim Young Woong said, ″Next time, I hope we do ’Hotel Bachelor Hero.’ It would be nice if it had a hotel vacation concept.″ Cha Seung-won agreed, saying, ″Variety shows need to change now, not just focus on hardships.″ Lim Young Woong also joked, ″I think I don’t need to meet friends for a while. I’ve met too many friends, so I want to be alone for a while.″ ″Mountain Village Bachelor Hero″ was loved by viewers for Lim Young Woong’s simple mountain village life, the chemistry with various guests, and the everyday life in nature. Originally planned as a six-episode series, it was extended by one episode to seven episodes due to viewers’ positive response. The program started on June 23 with a nationwide rating of 4.7%, ranked first in the Tuesday variety show ratings for three consecutive weeks in the 2049 demographic, and reached a peak minute rating of 6.5%. It also ranked as high as fourth on Netflix’s domestic chart. Cha Seung-won and Kim Do-hoon joined again for the finale after appearing in episode 6.]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 The seven-member girl group OURBIRTHDAY is set to officially debut on the 19th. OURBIRTHDAY is the first girl group introduced by JYP Entertainment in about four years since NMIXX. Their debut single, ″Our Birthday,″ will be released on the 19th. The team name signifies enjoying every moment freely as if every day is a birthday and coloring ordinary daily life with their own unique style.]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 On KBS 2TV variety show ’New Product Launch Pyeonstorang,’ singer Lee Chan-won took a cooking class with Chef Yoon Nara, known as ’Yoon Jimo the Brewer,’ a TOP5 contestant from Netflix’s ’Black and White Chef 2.’ Lee Chan-won personally visited Chef Yoon Nara and asked, ″Please be my cooking mentor,″ expressing a desire to improve cooking skills. Chef Yoon Nara revealed the recipe for the highly praised dried pollack hangover soup and radish salad from ’Black and White Chef 2,’ confidently stating, ″I guarantee the taste.″ Lee Chan-won expressed amazement at the ingredients and cooking methods in the revealed recipe, exclaiming, ″You use these ingredients?″ Additionally, Chef Yoon Nara presented a special menu that had not been disclosed before, and after tasting it, Lee Chan-won continued to praise, saying, ″This is on a different level.″ During the cooking process, the two matched well down to the smallest preferences and were called ’cooking soulmates.’ Chef Yoon Nara complimented Lee Chan-won’s knife skills, saying, ″Even your hand shape is beautiful.″ Then, Chef Yoon Nara attracted attention by saying, ″I envy Lee Chan-won’s future wife.″ ’New Product Launch Pyeonstorang’ will air on the 6th at 8:30 PM.]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Kim Sung-soo revealed his experience of connecting Kwon Sang-woo and Son Tae-young on Channel A’s entertainment program ’Groom School 2.’ In the studio, Kim Sung-soo stated that he personally arranged the meeting between the couple Kwon Sang-woo and Son Tae-young in the past, and mentors Lee Seung-chul, Tak Jae-hoon, Song Hae-na, and others expressed their surprise. Kim Sung-soo explained that he was in the same agency as Son Tae-young at the time and had experience acting as her counterpart in a music video. He said that while filming, he developed a favorable impression of Son Tae-young’s personality and learned that Kwon Sang-woo also liked that aspect, which led him to arrange their meeting. He added that shortly after, Kwon Sang-woo announced his marriage. Additionally, Kim Sung-soo took part in a meeting to personally check the relationship between Kim Yo-han and Oh Yeon-hee after arranging their blind date. He first met Oh Yeon-hee at a baeksuk restaurant located in a valley with his close friend actor Park Sang-myeon and actively led the atmosphere by asking Oh Yeon-hee, ″How many times have you met Kim Yo-han so far?″ He then asked, ″What do you like about Kim Yo-han?″ to elicit an honest response. In the studio, Song Hae-na asked Kim Sung-soo if he thought Kim Yo-han and Oh Yeon-hee, whom he recently introduced, were a good match. Attention was focused on Kim Sung-soo’s answer.]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Singer Hwang Young Woong donated 1.5 million won raised through fan participation to the Dongbang Social Welfare Association. This donation was the prize money for winning the King of Singers competition on the donation platform ’Good Star’, which fans earned through their support activities and donated in the name of Hwang Young Woong. The Dongbang Social Welfare Association announced that Hwang Young Woong delivered the sponsorship funds to support rehabilitation treatment for children and adolescents with disabilities. Including this donation, Hwang Young Woong’s cumulative donations through Good Star have reached a total of 62.28 million won. Hwang Young Woong and the official fan club ’PARADISE’ have continuously engaged in fan-participatory donation activities. The donated funds will be used for developmental rehabilitation treatment costs for children and adolescents with disabilities under the care of the Dongbang Social Welfare Association who require ongoing treatment and rehabilitation. The association stated that through support for treatment costs, they plan to help children and adolescents with disabilities receive necessary rehabilitation services stably. Meanwhile, the Dongbang Social Welfare Association, established in 1972, is a specialized social welfare organization that operates welfare projects for children and adolescents, single-parent families, people with disabilities, the elderly, and Filipino-Kopino families.]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 TWS topped the Oricon Daily Single Ranking in Japan with their second single ’SODA SODA.’ Oricon announced on the 4th that on the August 3rd chart, TWS’s ’SODA SODA’ sold 161,253 copies on its first day, reaching the top of the Daily Single Ranking. This figure surpassed the first-week sales of about 150,000 copies of their Japanese debut single ’Nice to See You Again’ (original title はじめまして) released last year, all on the first day. The title track ’SODA SODA’ entered the Japan Line Music real-time ’Song Top 100’ chart immediately after its release and ranked 12th on the ’K-pop Top 100’ as of August 3rd. The music video was filmed against the backdrop of the summer sea and forest, with the signature choreography of shaking a Ramune bottle gaining attention. Nakajima Kento and members of CUTIE STREET participated in the challenge using this choreography. On the 3rd, one day before the single release, TWS held a release commemorative event at DiverCity Tokyo Plaza in Tokyo, meeting about 10,000 fans. At the event, they performed ’SODA SODA,’ their Japanese debut song ’Nice to See You Again,’ and ’Isn’t It Cool to Run Following Your Heart?’ Upcoming schedules for TWS include appearances on Fuji TV’s ’STAR’ on the 6th, ’Mezamashi WANGAN Festival’ on the 7th, and ’Summer Sonic 2026’ on the 14th and 16th. Following these, they will continue performances in Fukuoka, Hyogo, and Kanagawa through their Asia tour ’24/7:FOR:YOU.’ Meanwhile, TWS is a six-member multinational boy group under Pledis Entertainment, debuting on January 22, 2024. The team name is an abbreviation of ’TWENTY FOUR SEVEN WITH US.’]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Lee Chan-won served as both MC and singer at KBS2’s ’2026 Boryeong Mud Festival K-POP SUPER LIVE.’ At the festival broadcast on the 4th, Lee Chan-won co-hosted the event with Wendy, engaging with the audience and leading the program. He appeared on stage wearing a denim shirt and beige pants, showing natural chemistry, and led the large-scale outdoor concert with witty remarks and stable hosting. Lee Chan-won took the stage wearing a white jacket and pants adorned with silver decorations and passionately performed ″Twist Gogo″ from his first full-length album ’ONE.’ Adding his distinctive refreshing vocals to the fast twist rhythm and lively melody, he expressed the excitement of a summer trip, eliciting enthusiastic responses from the audience. He then reinterpreted Cho Yong-pil’s ″Let’s Go on a Trip″ in his own style, further elevating the festival atmosphere. Lee Chan-won has achieved half-million sales for three consecutive albums: the first full-length album ’ONE,’ the second mini-album ’bright;燦,’ and the second full-length album ’Brilliant (燦爛).’ He is also active as a broadcaster on various entertainment programs such as KBS2’s ’Immortal Songs,’ ’Celebrity Soldier’s Secret,’ JTBC’s ’Talk Reporter 25 Hours,’ and MBC’s ’Surf RIIZE Mystery Salon.’]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 The group NEXZ(Nexz) has released a new concept trailer video ahead of the release of their 4th mini album ’SAUCIN’’. NEXZ is scheduled to release their 4th mini album ’SAUCIN’’ on August 24. This album is their first new work in four months since the release of their 2nd single album ’Mmchk’ in April. The album title combines the English word ’SAUCE’ and the progressive suffix ’-ING,’ reflecting the group’s ongoing journey of creating a special charm by using their own unique sauce wherever they go. On the afternoon of the 4th, the second trailer was released through their official SNS channels. The video depicts leader Tomoya visiting a snack bar in an underground shopping mall against the backdrop of the city at night. Tomoya enters the store with a serious expression but brightens up upon discovering hot dogs and sauce bottles. However, when the sauce does not come out easily, a scene follows showing him struggling with the sauce bottle. Watching this, Yuu, Haru, Sogeon, Seita, Huey, and Yuki are enjoying snacks with sauce smeared around their mouths. Afterwards, the seven members playfully roam around the underground shopping mall, shaking sauce bottles. The video ends with the members gathered around hot dogs, taking turns pouring yellow, white, and red sauces. Since debuting with the single ’Ride the Vibe’ in May 2024, NEXZ has gained attention for their solid dance skills and immersive performances. In April, they held global showcases in five cities including Seoul, Taipei, Hong Kong, Bangkok, and Singapore. After the release of the new album, they plan to perform at the major Brazilian music festival ’Rock in Rio’ in September, as well as at the new festival ’STRAYCITY’ held in three Latin American regions.]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Stray Kids will release their new mini album ’THIS & THAT’ and its title track of the same name at 1 PM on the 7th. This album is a new work following their previous album ’DO IT,’ which set a record by achieving eight consecutive No. 1 positions on the US Billboard main chart ’Billboard 200.’ On the 4th, JYP Entertainment released an intro video on their official SNS featuring the eight members Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin, and I.N sharing behind-the-scenes stories of the production. True to the album title, which reflects Stray Kids’ confidence and versatility in handling ’this’ and ’that,’ the mini album contains eight tracks with various moods and colors. The title track ’This & That’ is the one the members spent the most time perfecting, characterized by a fresh and popular sound, catchy lyrics, wit, and performance. Changbin stated, ″We put a lot of thought and effort into finding hip words to express ’this’ and ’that.’″ The producing team 3RACHA—Bang Chan, Changbin, and Han—participated in the production of all tracks. The album includes the pre-release track ’RUN IT,’ ’FARMING,’ inspired by memes, the refreshing mood track ’After You,’ the 2000s pop-sensibility track ’I Do,’ the multilingual lyric track ’Way Out,’ ’That Day,’ inspired by a drama and written by Han, and ’This & That (Festival Version).’ Before the album release, Stray Kids held their new world tour ’Stray Kids World Tour ’ at Seoul KSPO DOME on July 25-26, 29, and August 1-2. JYP Entertainment conveyed the members’ words, saying, ″We prepared without any regrets.″]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Singer Bada has publicly expressed her desire to perform on the stage of Waterbomb, a representative summer festival. Recently, Bada spontaneously took the stage for an unplanned performance of ″MAD″ at a large-scale K-pop party, saying she wanted to energize the attendees. She performed so passionately that she didn’t even realize she had bruised her knee until the performance ended. The video of this stage was released, drawing admiration from the performers. Watching the video, Bada confessed, ″Even I wasn’t in my right mind at that time.″ Bada explained that ″MAD″ is a song that instantly changes the atmosphere when played at awkward gatherings or dull moments, and it is even used as a secret weapon at company dinners. She also revealed that ″MAD″ serves a special function beyond being a hit song—it helps relieve stress. Receiving love calls from various festivals every summer, Bada mentioned Waterbomb, a festival she has never attended, expressing regret by saying, ″My name is Bada, yet Waterbomb has never called me—that’s just scratching the surface.″ She introduced herself as ″the mother of MAD, the mother of idols, the mother of K-pop,″ showing strong confidence about performing at Waterbomb. She even offered a special stage to Waterbomb officials. Meanwhile, Bada revealed that she has recently been deeply into shooting Reels. She said that when she makes eye contact with passersby while walking, she spontaneously starts dancing for Reels, but if the other person feels uncomfortable, she stops filming and greets them. Recently, she has been receiving requests to visit her neighborhood and publicly asked fans to DM her recommendations for neighborhoods with pretty streets. Born in 1980, Bada debuted in 1997 as a member of the girl group S.E.S and has been loved for a long time. MBC’s variety show Radio Star will air on the 5th at 10:30 PM.]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Seventeen member Dino released the mini 1st album ’吉BOARD’ under his alter ego Picheolin and unveiled a behind-the-scenes video documenting the album production process. The title track of this album, ″Let’s Play (prod. Hitchhiker),″ features lyrics and composition directly participated in by Dino, who worked with producer Beomgu to showcase Picheolin’s unique musical identity. The album includes tracks such as ″Cheers (feat. DINO),″ ″Crazy Crazy,″ and ″Really (prod. Lee Hyun-do of DEUX),″ each presenting various vocal styles and genre characteristics. Dino said, ″It contains many voices. This album shows all of my strengths.″ The music chart performance is also drawing attention. ″Let’s Play (prod. Hitchhiker)″ and ’吉BOARD’ appeared on the ’Worldwide iTunes Song’ and ’Worldwide iTunes Album’ charts, respectively, for two consecutive days. Additionally, ″Crazy Crazy,″ pre-released on the 22nd, ranked first on the Korean YouTube ’Daily Popular Music Video’ chart as of August 2. The album production process can be seen in the first episode of ’吉RECORDS,’ released on the Seventeen official YouTube channel on the 4th. This video captures the concerns and efforts experienced while preparing the first album as Picheolin. Dino will begin music show activities starting with Mnet’s ’M Countdown’ on the 6th. Following that, from the 21st to the 23rd, he will hold a solo concert titled ’2026 Dino X Picheolin [吉BOARD SHOW]’ at the Jamsil Indoor Gymnasium in Seoul. On the 9th, he will also appear as Picheolin on the stage of the ’2026 SBS Gayo Daejeon Summer’ held at Kintex in Ilsan.]]> FANNSTAR Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 The group aespa has released the music video for the track ″Switchblade (Feat. Ty Dolla $ign)″ from their second full-length album, ″LEMONADE.″ The ″LEMONADE″ album is available for streaming and download on various music platforms. Along with the title track ″LEMONADE,″ a variety of music videos and visualizer videos, including ″WDA (Whole Different Animal) (Feat. G-DRAGON)″ and ″LEMONADE (Feat. Becky G),″ have also been released. ″Switchblade″ features Ty Dolla $ign and carries lyrics that convey a confident attitude and a message of change. In the song, aespa presents a powerful image that seems to break boundaries, emphasizing their unique style with the repetitive chorus ″Switch it up.″ Ty Dolla $ign adds a distinctive vibe through his part. aespa interacts with fans through various channels such as their official YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Facebook, and Weibo. The fan community ″MY″ is operated on the Weverse platform. Meanwhile, content related to the ″Switchblade″ music video can be found on aespa’s official channels.]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 RIIZE has announced the release schedule for their third Japanese single, ″Sunburst.″ ″RIIZE″ has announced that ″Sunburst″ will be released on August 26 at midnight (KST and JST). Fans can pre-order, save, and add it through the official link. Along with this, a notice encouraging subscription to RIIZE’s official YouTube channel was also released. RIIZE shares updates through various platforms including their official website, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, and Weibo. The official Japanese accounts are also operated on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and LINE. The fan community ″BRIIZE″ can be joined on Weverse. The clip video for this schedule included music along with the exclamation ″Woo!″]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Ji Yeon-su shared her thoughts about her relationship with her son. In the video titled ″Ji Yeon-su Serving 150 Bowls of Beef Soup″ released on June 3 on the YouTube channel ″Ji Yeon-su’s Yeon-su Life,″ Ji Yeon-su talked about her daily life with her son. She said, ″I believe the bond with a child cannot be bought with money. On our days off, we go shooting, which my son likes, and then we go eat something delicious together. Even those simple things make me very happy.″ Her son, Min-su, said, ″When Mom comes back, I can tell her effort by her smell and expression.″ In response, Ji Yeon-su said, ″It’s really hard. And you used to say you couldn’t hug me because I might smell like Mom. From now on, I will hug you every day. I’m sorry. I was sorry to you, Min-su, but I changed my mind.″ Ji Yeon-su explained that she is currently working part-time at a beef soup restaurant and that she deliberately calls an acquaintance before returning home. She said, ″When I unlock the door and enter the house, Min-su hugs me. I smell strongly of the smell of mixed radish kimchi, diced radish kimchi, and boiled meat. When I was young, my mother smelled nice, but I was worried Min-su would remember me by this smell,″ showing tears. She also revealed that she pretended to be on the phone and could not hug her son. She said, ″Yesterday, I actually asked Min-su, ’Do I smell a lot?’ and he said, ’No,’ ’It’s okay.’ Of course, Min-su must dislike it. Sometimes, I also find the smell unpleasant.″ Meanwhile, Ji Yeon-su married Eli, a former member of the group U-KISS, in 2014, had a son in 2016, and divorced in 2020.]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Moon Se-yoon appeared on the tvN STORY variety show ″What’s the Point of Leaving It Behind″ and shared stories about his first meeting with his wife Kim Ha-na, their marriage, and their newlywed days. On the broadcast, Moon Se-yoon talked about their first meeting, saying, ″My wife made the first move, and I accepted it,″ explaining that they exchanged messages on Minihompy, became connected as friends, and then started dating. He added, ″My voice is low and steady, so my wife was the one who suggested meeting first.″ Recalling the time he decided to get married, Moon Se-yoon said, ″I had no money and hadn’t resolved my military service issue, so I told her, ’If we get married now, you’ll have a hard time. Let’s get engaged first, then once I finish the military and settle down, I’ll propose properly.’″ Regarding this, his wife replied, ″I’ll go through that hardship with you,″ showing their deep affection. He also mentioned an experience of being booed at a baseball stadium after announcing their marriage because his wife was a former cheerleader. Moon Se-yoon recalled, ″The announcer called me up to the stage, and when I went up, people booed.″ He spoke about the financially difficult times during their newlywed period. He explained, ″We took out the maximum possible jeonse loan and lived in a house on the outskirts. But as the house prices kept falling, we eventually had to move to a monthly rent.″ Later, offers for variety shows started coming in, and he revealed that he bought a house three years ago. Regarding their children’s education, he said, ″The kids aren’t ambitious. I should make them study, but thankfully, they don’t really study well,″ adding, ″They have neither talent nor interest in studying.″ Moon Se-yoon married Kim Ha-na, a former LG Twins cheerleader, after six years of dating in 2009, and they have one son and one daughter.]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 On the August 3rd broadcast of TV Chosun’s variety show ″Joseon’s Lover,″ comedian Yang Sang-guk expressed his sincere feelings and showed a proactive heart to announcer Lee Yoo-bin. In that episode, the members of ″You Can Do It″ conducted the final matching during a one-night, two-day group blind date. Lee Yoo-bin was chosen by three male participants: Yoo Il-han, Shim Jae-won, and Yang Sang-guk. Lee Yoo-bin had one-on-one conversations with each of the three and shared her concerns. During her conversation with Yang Sang-guk, Lee Yoo-bin said, ″I was wondering whose feelings among the three I understood the least, and I called you because I didn’t understand your feelings. Yoo Il-han was with me all day, and even though Jae-won was chosen by others, he waited for me and talked. I could feel some sincerity from those two.″ In response, Yang Sang-guk revealed that he felt Lee Yoo-bin did not choose him initially and seemed not to prefer him afterward. He said, ″Applying for the random date was my last attempt to give it a shot,″ sharing his true feelings. He also added, ″I’m not the type to fall in love at first sight; I’m the type who takes time to develop feelings. Because of my nature, my pace can be slower than others.″ When Lee Yoo-bin asked, ″Is there anyone else you want to get to know besides me?″ Yang Sang-guk replied, ″I don’t think so right now.″ Lee Yoo-bin honestly admitted that since they had to narrow down the people to get to know within the short span of one night and two days, her heart leaned toward someone more proactive. Meanwhile, the episode also showed the male participants engaging in a subtle battle over seat selection and Go Eun expressing her interest in Yoo Il-han.]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 KISS OF LIFE will release their third single, ″SWEAT,″ on the 4th at 6 PM through various music streaming sites. This single includes the title track ″SWEAT″ and the B-side ″WHAT!″. The title track ″SWEAT″ is an Afro house-based song combining electronic pop and Latin rhythms, capturing the hot summer season and rhythmic energy. The members’ captivating voices and cool mood blend together, and the song’s message conveys that one does not need to prove their inner efforts and anxieties to others. The B-side ″WHAT!″ is a house genre track with an impressive intuitive progression and pluck sound, expressing the team’s confidence that remains unshaken despite crooked gazes and questions. The members expressed their desire to clearly show KISS OF LIFE’s unique musical color and the team’s presence through this album. Bell said, ″If ’Sticky’ showed a hot and refreshing summer, this time I wanted to put a story inside,″ adding, ″I interpreted the word ’sweat’ not simply as heat but as traces of effort.″ Julie explained, ″While ’Sticky’ showed a confident side, this time I wanted to show the effort and growth behind it as well.″ During the production process of this album, the members’ opinions were reflected more than before. Bell revealed that she personally searched for the title track ″SWEAT″ and the B-side ″WHAT!″ to include in the album, and actively sought out music not only from demos provided by the company but also from producers she knew, aiming to find the music that best fits the team. There are also changes in the performance. The members introduced that this choreography includes many points that are easier to follow than before. Natti said, ″I wanted to create a stage that everyone can enjoy together,″ and Haneul added, ″There are many choreographies that you can follow right after watching.″ KISS OF LIFE aims to achieve results surpassing ″Sticky″ through ″SWEAT.″ Natti stated, ″I want to have activities that receive more love than ’Sticky’,″ and Bell named reaching number one on the Melon music chart as a goal. Haneul said, ″I hope it becomes the most listened-to song this summer.″ Meanwhile, KISS OF LIFE earned the nickname ″Summer Queen″ last year with ″Sticky.″ They expressed their determination to further solidify their position in the summer music market with the new song ″SWEAT.″]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 The movie ’Intern’ has confirmed its release date as September 16 and unveiled the first poster and trailer on the 4th. Choi Min-sik and Han So-hee star as Ki-ho, a silver intern with 37 years of experience, and Sun-woo, a third-year CEO rising as a dark horse in the fashion industry, respectively. ’Intern’ is a remake of the 2015 Hollywood film of the same name, depicting the office life of Ki-ho, a silver intern who joins the fashion startup Wututu, and the young CEO Sun-woo. The film is directed by Kim Do-young, who also directed ’If We.’ Choi Min-sik draws attention by transforming into a veteran intern, while Han So-hee plays a CEO who knows nothing but work. The released poster features Ki-ho and Sun-woo standing side by side on their way to work, with the tagline ″Starting work from today.″ The trailer shows Ki-ho answering in an interview with Vice President Young-hwan (Kim Joon-han), ″My strength is having a lot of experience, and my weakness is being old.″ It also depicts Ki-ho neatly arranging his belongings—cream bread, oranda, thermos, desk clock, pencil case, ink—on the desk and searching for how to work with the MZ generation and the new slang term ″gamdadu.″ When secretary Mina (Ryu Hye-young) shows Ki-ho’s resume photo on a tablet, Sun-woo is flustered, saying, ″Who is this scary person?″ The trailer also previews Sun-woo saying, ″I don’t get along with all the adults in this world, you know,″ and Ki-ho introducing himself, ″I am new intern Kim Ki-ho.″ In addition, Kim Joon-han, Ryu Hye-young, Kim Geum-soon, Park Ye-ni, Kim Yo-han, Lim Sung-kyun, Yoon Sang-jung, and Han Ji-eun also appear.]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Tomorrow X Together (TXT)(TXT) Member Yeonjun is actively continuing his solo project ’NO LABELS.’ Yeonjun recently gained enthusiastic responses from fans by consecutively releasing PART 01 and PART 02 of the ’NO LABELS’ series through his official SNS. ’NO LABELS’ consists of two parts, each divided into SIDE A and SIDE B, showcasing musical diversity and Yeonjun’s unique sensibility. Through this project, Yeonjun highlights his capabilities as a solo artist distinct from his group activities. The released images captured Yeonjun holding a record in front of a solid-colored background, making various expressions that heightened anticipation for the album’s concept. His refreshing visuals, including wearing a white sleeveless T-shirt, also caught attention. Especially, the emotional atmosphere conveyed by his expression with closed eyes and one eye squinted stimulated fans’ curiosity and interest. Meanwhile, Yeonjun recently appeared on the lineup for ABC’s ’Good Morning America’ summer concert series in the U.S., gaining recognition on the global stage as a K-pop solo artist. This appearance marked the second time for a K-pop solo singer, serving as proof of Yeonjun’s musical growth and influence. Through the ’NO LABELS’ project, Yeonjun breaks musical boundaries, experiments with free expression, and builds his own persona. Fans look forward to his diverse solo activities in the future.]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Girl group STAYC member Aisa has revealed her recent look with a short bob hairstyle. In a photo recently posted on STAYC’s official SNS, Aisa is wearing a gray sleeveless t-shirt and gazes directly at the camera while slightly covering her mouth with one hand against a solid color background. Her blonde bob haircut stands out, and the nail art painted on her nails adds a sophisticated touch. Her calm yet uniquely chic atmosphere catches the eye. This transformation raises expectations for Aisa’s new image and attracts fans’ attention. STAYC recently successfully concluded their activities for ’2 L0VE,’ showcasing refreshing energy and a crisp charm. Going forward, various concepts and activities of Aisa and other STAYC members will be in the spotlight.]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Trot singer Eun Ga-eun will showcase the Easydew Mesh Cushion through Hyundai Home Shopping. Eun Ga-eun posted on her SNS, ″At 10:25 shortly, Hyundai Home Shopping! Easydew Mesh Cushion. What is the summer cushion? It’s Easydew,″ along with a post introducing the product herself. She also announced a promotion offering a pouch to all customers, attracting consumer interest. In the released photos, Eun Ga-eun wore a light green outfit and took selfies holding the cosmetic product against a solid green background and natural setting, drawing attention. With yellow earrings and a lively expression, she displayed a fresh charm. Eun Ga-eun is actively engaged not only in music activities but also in recent variety show appearances and various content. Through the new cosmetic product, she presents a friendly and bright image, continuing to communicate with her fans. Through this home shopping broadcast, Eun Ga-eun is expected to meet a broader audience and showcase a different charm.]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 BTS RM communicated with fans by sharing daily updates through SNS. Recently, RM revealed a photo of himself wearing a gray sleeveless T-shirt and a Pikachu hat. The image, set against a gray wall, caught attention as he wore his characteristic calm expression while talking with someone. Additionally, a photo was posted showing him taking a selfie inside an art museum, wearing a black sleeveless T-shirt and a black hat, with a sculpture in the background, sharing various moments from his daily life. In particular, RM showed a friendly charm with a cute casual look different from his usual style. He continues to communicate steadily with fans, conveying a comfortable image through his unpretentious and natural appearance. Meanwhile, RM is expanding his musical horizons through collaborations with various artists recently. His collaboration with the British pop duo HONNE has also received a positive response, drawing attention to his musical journey. RM plans to continue active activities both domestically and internationally.]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 The official Promise Nine account recently conveyed a special energy through SNS. The members appeared in a casual style, pairing black long-sleeve T-shirts with white tank tops, sporting pink hair and hats, drawing a V sign with their fingers and smiling brightly to create a cheerful atmosphere. The post included the phrase ″Got a boost of Vitamin #Paul Kim ☀️💊,″ expressing a lively energy as if energized by singer Paul Kim. Fans are sharing positive messages and bright energy through the hashtags #Promise Nine #GlowME #VitaminME. Recently, Promise Nine has been actively communicating through various music programs and SNS activities, expanding their connection with fans. They are attracting attention not only with new song promotions but also with diverse content, raising expectations for their future endeavors.]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Actress Hwang Jung-eum revealed photos of herself wearing a white T-shirt and smiling brightly in nature. Recently, Hwang Jung-eum posted several selfies on her SNS, showing a bright and relaxed daily life. In the photos taken against the backdrop of blue skies and trees, she smiled widely with her mouth open or smiled softly with her lips closed, exuding natural charm. She appeared unadorned in a simple white T-shirt, and the photos also captured her in the act of drinking a beverage, adding to the atmosphere of a comfortable rest. Additionally, in photos that seem to be from a trip, she was seen wearing a blue T-shirt and pink shorts, sitting on an airport lounge chair, organizing her bag while wearing a hat. Her calm expression and the way she touched her hair while preparing for the trip conveyed small moments of everyday life. Known for her lively and positive energy, Hwang Jung-eum’s recently shared photos offer a glimpse of her leisurely recent days spent in nature. Despite a busy schedule filled with various projects and photo shoots, she is communicating with fans by sharing comfortable moments from her daily life.]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Broadcaster Seo Ha-yan has introduced a collaboration product that includes lavender-scented incense sticks and a MagSafe holder. This product is an incense set created through the first collaboration between Lavender & Oat and Olphium, boasting a harmonious blend of subtle herbal notes, cozy lavender floral, calm woody, and powdery scents. The product allows you to enjoy the fragrance without lighting it, and simply placing it in the holder lets it diffuse a gentle scent throughout the space like a diffuser. It is especially practical as it effectively deodorizes lingering odors after cooking or the musty smell on humid days. When using, slightly opening a window allows the smoke to dissipate while leaving only the fragrance, making it comfortable to use. Designed with a MagSafe portable design, it can be easily attached anywhere on an iPhone or any place where magnets stick. Its small and lightweight mini size makes it convenient to carry in various places such as home, office, or travel. Additionally, it minimizes smoke and soot for worry-free use and has passed safety verification, so it can be used with confidence. The lavender incense set is available in various configurations from one to three sets, allowing selection by price range. Purchasing a set of three offers a 14% discount and free shipping, making it popular for home, office, and gifts. The incense lighter is shipped randomly in one of five colors: pink, yellow, green, purple, or gray. Seo Ha-yan introduced the product on SNS with the phrase ″Where Everyday Blooms,″ emphasizing it as a new lifestyle item that adds a subtle fragrance to everyday life.]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Singer Solar is showcasing her unique sophisticated charm in everyday life while communicating with her fans. Recently, Solar revealed a photo of herself holding a smartphone and staring straight ahead, wearing a black crop top and jeans. Taken in an indoor space where a solid black wall, chair, and soft lighting blend together, the photo exuded a calm yet intense atmosphere. Solar’s naturally flowing long hair caught attention. In another photo, where she matched a brown t-shirt with purple pants, she was captured standing face-to-face with another person. The exchange of glances between the two sparked curiosity and allowed a glimpse of Solar’s diverse charm. Solar is actively pursuing her career not only as a group member but also as a solo singer. Recently, she solidified her presence in the Chinese-speaking world by receiving the ’Powerful Singer of the Year’ award at the ’Weibo Gala 2026 Weibo Cultural Exchange Night’ held in Macau. Along with this, after finishing a performance in Singapore, she left a strong impression on fans with a powerful pose. She also released a teaser for her new Chinese song’s music video, hinting at fantastic chemistry through a collaboration with Gen Z top band Accusefive. Solar plans to continue her active music activities both domestically and internationally, raising fans’ expectations.]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Red Velvet released their summer mini-album ″Velvet Summer″ on the 3rd, achieving remarkable results on domestic and international charts. The title track ″Surfin’ Boy″ topped the Bugs real-time chart immediately after its release, and all five tracks from the album entered major domestic music charts such as Melon. According to SM Entertainment, ″Velvet Summer″ ranked number one on the iTunes Top Albums chart in a total of 15 regions, including Denmark, Sweden, Chile, Peru, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Türkiye, Paraguay, the Philippines, and Cambodia, and entered the Top 10 in 28 regions. It also took first place on the China QQ Music digital album sales chart overall and in the Korean music video category, earning the ″Gold Album″ certification awarded for sales exceeding 250,000 yuan. Additionally, it achieved number one on the integrated K-pop chart across five music platforms under Tencent Music and topped the Kugou Music digital album sales chart. ″Surfin’ Boy″ is a dance track that blends lazy bossa nova guitar, reggae rhythm, and a sophisticated house groove, characterized by refreshing sounds and dreamy vocal harmonies. Member Joy participated in writing the lyrics solo, completing Red Velvet’s unique ″summer velvet song″ sentiment. The music video reinterprets the story of the siren and the frog prince with Red Velvet’s distinctive sensibility, creating a mysterious atmosphere and showcasing each member’s individuality and concept execution skills. This album contains a total of five tracks, including the title track ″Surfin’ Boy.″]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 On the 4th, YG Entertainment officially revealed the logo motion announcing the start of BIGBANG’s world tour commemorating their 20th debut anniversary through their official SNS. The newly unveiled ’BIGBANG 2026-2027 WORLD TOUR < XX : COSMOS >’ logo motion video features a production combining the trajectory of light cutting through pitch-black darkness and heavy sound, delivering an immersive experience reminiscent of a sci-fi movie trailer. The intricately interlocked infinity (∞) shape, tangled like a skein, is praised for realizing the order of the vast universe with a sensuous visual aesthetic. The logo design simultaneously incorporates the number ’20,’ symbolizing the 20th anniversary, and the meaning of infinite expansion. Added to this is ’COSMOS,’ representing connection, relationship, and continuity, completing a single worldview that embodies the bond BIGBANG and their fans have built over 20 years and the new journey they will continue together. BIGBANG has set various records, including expanding the radius of K-pop tours worldwide with ’ALIVE GALAXY,’ attracting 1.5 million attendees for the largest audience in a single K-pop artist tour, being the first overseas artist to hold a six-dome tour in Japan and performing dome tours for five consecutive years, holding the largest audience and most city performances in China (250,000 attendees in 13 cities), and conducting the largest-scale North American tour. This world tour, held for the first time in about nine years, will showcase an evolved stage based on BIGBANG’s accumulated musical capabilities and performance expertise as they celebrate their 20th anniversary. ’BIGBANG 2026-2027 WORLD TOUR < XX : COSMOS >’ will kick off from the 21st to the 23rd over three days at Goyang Sports Complex as ’BIGBANG 2026-2027 WORLD TOUR < XX : COSMOS > IN GOYANG with Coupang Play.’ All three shows, including additional seats, were sold out. The tour will span 33 shows across 19 cities, with additional locations to be announced later.]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 aespa member Karina recently attracted attention by sharing several photos on social media. On the 3rd, Karina posted photos with a rain emoji without any additional text. In the released photos, Karina was seen enjoying the festival wearing a pure white backless dress. She revealed a fresh charm with natural hair tied up and simple makeup. She also showcased a silhouette highlighting her slender shoulders, slim waist, and toned back muscles. The body line caught attention as it harmonized slimness with a healthy appearance, rather than emphasizing just a thin figure. Fans left various comments such as ″She looks great with so much healthy beauty,″ ″The white dress suits her perfectly,″ and ″As expected, Karina’s proportions are on another level.″ Meanwhile, aespa, to which Karina belongs, performed at the outdoor ’Allianz Stage’ festival on the same day. That day, aespa presented their representative songs like ″Black Mamba,″ ″Supernova,″ ″Next Level,″ and ″LEMONADE″ arranged in a festival version.]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Noel’s Kang Kyun-sung and actress Yoo Ha-jin are scheduled to hold their wedding ceremony in Seoul on October 30. On the 4th, S27M Entertainment announced, ″Kang Kyun-sung will hold a wedding ceremony with Yoo Ha-jin at a location in Seoul on October 30.″ The agency stated that the two promised their future based on deep trust and affection, and Kang Kyun-sung decided to marry with confidence and love for his fiancée. They added that Kang Kyun-sung plans to continue his activities as both the head of a family and an artist. On the 3rd, Kang Kyun-sung personally announced the marriage news to fans by sharing a handwritten letter on his social media. He said, ″I met a precious person with whom I want to walk together for life, and we will get married on October 30.″ He continued, ″Although I am a bit nervous to share this news, I wanted to tell the Noel fans first personally,″ and ″Thanks to all of you who have been by my side through happy and difficult times over a long period, I have been able to live receiving a lot of love.″ He also added, ″I sincerely thank you for always supporting me unchangingly and sharing the precious moments of my life. If you continue to watch over and bless me warmly, it will be a great strength.″ Kang Kyun-sung was born in 1981 and debuted as a member of Noel in 2002, hitting several songs such as ″Hold On,″ ″Proposal,″ ″Miss You Miss You,″ and ″It Was All You.″ Yoo Ha-jin was born in 1995 and debuted in 2019 with the MBC drama ″Spring Night.″ She has appeared in dramas such as ″Welcome″ and ″Damn Love,″ as well as the play ″Rental Apartment.″]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Maroon 5 will hold a concert in Korea on January 27th next year at 8 PM at KINTEX Exhibition Hall 1, Halls 4 and 5, in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. This concert is part of their Asia tour and will be their first solo concert in Korea in about three years since their performance at Inspire Arena in March 2024. Ticket sales will begin on August 14th at 12 PM on NOL (Nol, formerly Interpark), with pre-sale running from 12 PM to 3 PM on August 12th. This will be Maroon 5’s eighth concert in Korea. They first visited Korea in 2008 at the Gymnastics Stadium and returned in 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2019, and 2022, totaling seven visits. They sold out all seats at venues such as Jamsil Sports Complex Auxiliary Stadium and Gocheok Sky Dome, and also held solo concerts in Busan and Daegu. Maroon 5 gained worldwide popularity with their debut album in 2002, Songs About Jane, which reached number 6 on the Billboard 200 chart. Since then, they have released numerous hit songs including This Love, She Will Be Loved, Moves Like Jagger, Sugar, Memories, Makes Me Wonder, One More Night, and Girls Like You. Led by frontman Adam Levine’s vocals, the band has sold over 110 million albums and more than 815 million singles worldwide. They have performed over 850 shows in more than 30 countries and sold over 8.35 million tickets. At the Grammy Awards, they have been nominated 13 times and won 3 times. Billboard named Maroon 5 the ″Best Band of the 21st Century″ and ranked them 11th among the ″Best Artists of the 21st Century.″ In April last year, Maroon 5 released their eighth studio album, Love Is Like, and conducted a 24-show arena tour across the United States. They sold out major venues such as Madison Square Garden in New York and the Kia Forum in LA, proving their ticket-selling power. In the second half of the year, they are scheduled to perform at London Hyde Park and headline the Rock in Rio stage in September.]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Hanteo Chart announced the July 2026 monthly chart at 10 a.m. on August 1, where ATEEZ and Yeonjun stood out in the World Chart and Album Chart, respectively. In the World Chart category, ATEEZ demonstrated global influence by recording a World Index of 17,387.62 points. Following were TXT with 13,837.74 points and aespa with 12,018.80 points, ranking second and third respectively. In the Album Chart, Yeonjun took first place with his second mini album ’NO LABELS: PART 02,’ achieving an album index of 921,702.60 points and sales of 751,769 copies. TXT’s ninth mini album ’We made’ ranked second with an album index of 809,050.90 points and sales of 625,347 copies, while ATEEZ’s fourteenth mini album ’GOLDEN HOUR : Part.5’ recorded an album index of 648,204.00 points and sales of 523,053 copies, placing third. The July monthly chart was compiled from July 1 to July 31. The World Chart is calculated based on various global data including albums, digital music, certifications, SNS, and media, while the Album Chart is known to be compiled based on worldwide album sales.]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 BTS has resumed their world tour, generating significant economic impact in North America, according to foreign media reports. The British Guardian analyzed that BTS’s tour, which includes 16 performances across 7 cities in North America during August and September, along with the ’THE CITY’ project led by HYBE, is maximizing ’BTSnomics.’ In particular, the four consecutive sold-out shows held in Las Vegas in May are estimated to have created an economic effect of approximately $340 million (about 450 billion KRW), benefiting large hotels as well as local small businesses. About 157,000 attendees gathered over two days for the concerts held at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, and many fans also visited the nearby Manhattan Koreatown area. Michael Mariano of Tourism Economics stated that considering the average spending of BTS fans, the ripple effect is comparable to or even greater than that of the FIFA World Cup. HYBE recorded sales of 1.45 trillion KRW in the second quarter of this year, becoming the first domestic entertainment company to surpass 1 trillion KRW in sales in a single quarter. This is the largest quarterly performance since HYBE’s founding. The Guardian also highlighted the influence expanding beyond music to overall culture through the ’BTS THE CITY ARIRANG’ project. The Korean Cultural Center in New York hosted K-beauty experiences and lightstick decorating programs, while the ARTE Museum presented media art exhibitions. Korean restaurants and pop-up stores in New York attracted local fans and tourists with Korean dishes favored by the members, such as samgyeopsal, jajangmyeon, and bingsu. Yoon Bora, Visual Arts Officer at the Korean Cultural Center in New York, said, ″K-pop serves as a huge gateway that not only promotes learning the Korean language but also helps discover Korean beauty, food, technology, tourism, and overall culture.″]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 The group KiiiKiii (Jiyu, Isol, Sui, Ha-eum, Kiya) released a highlight medley video of their third mini-album ’WhyKiiiKiii’ on their official SNS. This video expresses the atmosphere and concept of each track in the form of short posts using actual SNS features. ″Ever2Late!″ conveys a free-spirited mood with a scene of an airplane crossing the sky, while ″Hey Hi″ shows a screen choosing between breakfast and dessert to represent the song’s lively and witty vibe. In the title track ″Pop Off Pop Off,″ the members showcase retro styling from past trends, linking nostalgic rhythms with visuals. ″SWEET SOUR″ adds freshness with a depiction reminiscent of a truth game from school days, and ″Candy Pink Magic Hole Flip Phone″ emphasizes Y2K sensibility by using the nostalgic ’Magic Hole’ phone and text message screens. The final track ″Blue Hour″ expresses the emotions left at the end of the day by combining the night sky, shooting stars, and a star rating feature. Musicians who previously collaborated with KiiiKiii, such as Omega Sapien, Lil Cherry, and writer Lee Seul-ah, participated again in this album. Additionally, various artists from different genres joined, including R&B singer-songwriter and producer SUMIN, rapper CAMO, singer-songwriters The Deep, Effie, iiso, Yoon Da-hye, ZIN CHOI, and indie group Tomato Mat. ’WhyKiiiKiii’ consists of six songs in electronic pop, hyperpop, and synth-pop genres. KiiiKiii cleverly connected the sound and visuals of each track in the form of SNS content to convey the album’s personality and flow. The third mini-album ’WhyKiiiKiii’ will be released on the 10th, and KiiiKiii will begin promotions with the title track ″Pop Off Pop Off.″]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Young Tak returns to the music scene with the third full-length album ’GOGO’ after about three years. This album is the new release following the second full-length album ’FORM’ announced in August 2023. The first poster for ’GOGO,’ released on the 4th through official SNS, revealed the album’s dynamic concept with a striking contrast of red and black colors, a three-dimensional circular object reminiscent of a tire wheel, and graphics conveying a sense of speed. Young Tak also announced that the third full-length album will be released on various music platforms at 6 PM on September 14. In May, Young Tak surprised fans by revealing plans to release a full album during the ’2026 Young Tak Fancon ’YOUNGONE PARK : ONE TEAM’’ stage held at Jangchung Arena in Seoul. This album release fulfills the promise made to fans at that time. Young Tak has set new personal records with each album, achieving initial sales of 520,000 copies for the first full-length album ’MMM’ and 620,000 copies for the second full-length album ’FORM.’ At the recently held ’KMA (KM Chart Awards) 2026,’ Young Tak won first place in the Fans’ Choice Best Popular Trot category. Having performed various genres such as trot, ballad, and dance, and participating in writing and composing, Young Tak plans to present new music with the third full-length album ’GOGO.’]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Lee Tae-ran appeared on MBC’s ’Radio Star’ and shared various stories, including the background of her decision to appear despite her fear of variety shows, trusting Choi Won-young. Lee Tae-ran usually had a great fear of appearing on variety programs, but upon hearing that Choi Won-young, with whom she acted as a couple in the drama ’SKY Castle,’ would appear, she said, ″I’m very curious about Won-young and want to see him. I’ll go,″ and decided to appear. In the broadcast, she mentioned the change in public reaction after playing a villain. After playing a selfish and talkative villain in the drama ’Splendid Days,’ she said she even received messages from acquaintances asking, ″What is Lee Tae-ran really like?″, ″Was she always like that?″, and ″Does she have psychopathic tendencies?″ Lee Tae-ran confessed that she had felt burdened by playing good roles but was able to relieve some of that burden through this villain role. She also runs the YouTube channel ’Wife Who Reads Books, Actress Lee Tae-ran’ and started it with the goal of donating the monthly earnings. However, since the revenue did not accumulate as quickly as expected, she adds her own money every six months and donates twice a year. Regarding the channel name, she said she is considering changing it because her husband recently stopped listening to her videos. Lee Tae-ran said she needed to exercise but did not want to, so she started broadcast dance as a fun way to move her body and took classes once a week. She also took on the ’Youngkku’ challenge in line with the news that Curtis Martin would appear and performed on stage with Martin. Various stories of Lee Tae-ran can be seen on ’Radio Star,’ airing on the 5th at 10:30 PM. Meanwhile, Lee Tae-ran was born in 1975 and debuted in 1997 after winning the grand prize at the SBS Top Talent Contest.]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900   [THE FACT | Reporter Choi Soo-jung] Singer Hongja has continued her upward momentum by ranking No. 1 on FANNSTAR’s Female Star Ranking for two consecutive weeks.Hongja claimed the top spot with 85,524 votes in FANNSTAR’s first-week-of-August Female Star Ranking vote, which ran from July 27 to August 3. After achieving her first No. 1 last week, she defended the top position for a second consecutive week, proving the steady support and unity of her fans.NewJeans ranked second, followed by NiziU in third place. Amid competition among female artists from various genres, Hongja maintained a stable flow of votes and held onto the No. 1 position.Hongja’s two-week No. 1 streak is a meaningful achievement that clearly demonstrates her presence within the Female Star Ranking. To reach the top in consecutive weekly votes, continued interest and active participation from fans are essential. Through this record, Hongja showed that the support of her fandom remains strong and steady.Hongja has also been nominated as a final candidate in the female category of the My Star Award at the 2026 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS (TMA), held through FANNSTAR. The My Star Award is a category in which fans directly choose the artist they love the most, and the final winner will receive a trophy at the 2026 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS.The 2026 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS is scheduled to be held on September 19 at Busan Asiad Main Stadium. ]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 13:47:28 +0900   [THE FACT | Reporter Choi Soo-jung] Singer Hwang Chi-yeul has shown his strength as a solo artist by taking first place on FANNSTAR’s Weekly Music chart with his new song “Our Summer”Hwang Chi-yeul claimed the top spot with a total of 333,333 votes in FANNSTAR’s first-week-of-August Weekly Music chart, which ran from July 27 to August 3. Yeonjun of TOMORROW X TOGETHER ranked second, followed by SEVENTEEN unit V8 in third place. Amid competition among various artists, Hwang Chi-yeul rose to the top based on a steady flow of votes.FANNSTAR’s Weekly Music chart is a weekly vote for artists who have released new music. It is a category where fans’ reactions and support for recently released songs can be seen, with fierce competition continuing every week.If Hwang Chi-yeul achieves five consecutive weeks at No. 1, he will receive a digital billboard advertising benefit at Mirae Plaza in Hongdae, Seoul. Fans are paying close attention to whether Hwang Chi-yeul, who has topped the chart, can use this achievement as a stepping stone to challenge a consecutive No. 1 streak.Hwang Chi-yeul has also been nominated as a final candidate in the Choice Award Solo category in the FANNSTAR division of the 2026 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS. Final voting for the Choice Award Solo category is scheduled to begin at 12 p.m. on August 18, and fierce competition is expected as direct fan participation plays an important role in the category.Meanwhile, Hwang Chi-yeul will hold his solo concert “Our Summer” in Taipei, Taiwan, on August 22 and 23. The concert is expected to be a chance to meet local fans up close and experience Hwang Chi-yeul’s emotional vocals and stage appeal in person. ]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 13:45:08 +0900   [THE FACT | Reporter Choi Soo-jung] CORTIS has continued its upward momentum by ranking No. 1 for two consecutive weeks on the New Star Ranking operated by weekly idol ranking site FANNSTAR.CORTIS claimed the top spot with 105,045 votes in FANNSTAR’s first-week-of-August New Star Ranking vote, which ran from July 27 to August 3. After taking its first No. 1 last week, the group defended the top position for a second consecutive week, proving the steady support and unity of its fandom. WHIB ranked second, followed by UNIS in third place.The New Star Ranking is open to rookie idols who debuted in or after 2023. It not only shows how quickly artists are building their fandoms during the early stages of their careers, but is also gaining attention as an indicator of the growth potential of next-generation acts expected to lead the future K-pop market.The New Star Ranking also offers various advertising benefits based on consecutive No. 1 records. Artists who achieve five consecutive weeks at No. 1 receive a main banner advertisement on the “ALL THE K-POP” YouTube channel, while those who rank No. 1 for 10 consecutive weeks receive a congratulatory advertisement on Hongdae M Screen in Mapo-gu, Seoul.CORTIS also ranked second in the preliminary vote for the Choice Award Group category in the FANNSTAR division of the 2026 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS, advancing as a final candidate. Final voting for the Choice Award Group category is scheduled to open at 12 p.m. on August 18.Meanwhile, CORTIS will kick off its “2026 CORTIS TOUR IN NORTH AMERICA” in Toronto, Canada, on August 4 and visit six cities across North America through August 16. The tour is part of the group’s first tour, which opened in Incheon in July and will continue through Kanagawa, Japan, in September. On August 22 and 23, CORTIS will hold concerts at Korea University’s Hwajeong Gymnasium in Seoul to celebrate the first anniversary of its debut. ]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 13:43:36 +0900   [THE FACT | Choi Soo-jung] Singer Kim Yong-bin has continued his long-running dominance by ranking No. 1 on FANNSTAR’s Trot Ranking for 61 consecutive weeks.Kim Yong-bin claimed the top spot with 1,614,608 votes in FANNSTAR’s first-week-of-August Trot Ranking vote, which ran from July 27 to August 3.He also achieved a meaningful milestone in cumulative votes. Kim Yong-bin reached 100 million cumulative votes in the Trot Ranking and carried out a congratulatory advertisement announcing the achievement through the Triple Panorama digital billboard at Seoul Express Bus Terminal.Additional benefits are also available based on future cumulative vote totals. If Kim Yong-bin surpasses 300 million cumulative votes, an advertisement will be displayed on the E Vision transfer passage billboard. Upon reaching 500 million votes, he will receive a digital billboard advertisement at the Korea Building. As both his consecutive No. 1 streak and cumulative voting achievements continue, anticipation among fans is also growing.Kim Yong-bin is also showing his presence in the male category of the My Star Award at the 2026 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS (TMA), held through FANNSTAR. He was selected among the Top 20 teams in the preliminary vote for the category, advancing as a final candidate.The My Star Award is a category in which fans directly choose the artist they love the most, and the final winner will receive a trophy at the 2026 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS. Attention is focused on whether Kim Yong-bin, who has maintained a long-running No. 1 streak on the Trot Ranking, will continue his strength in voting related to the awards ceremony.The 2026 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS is scheduled to be held on September 19 at Busan Asiad Main Stadium ]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 13:40:59 +0900 BTS officially declared a boycott in protest of the Recording Academy’s establishment of a new Asian music category at the Grammy Awards. The Recording Academy recently subdivided existing genres such as R&B and folk while creating the Asian music category. This decision has been criticized for potentially racial segregation. The Recording Academy is an organization composed of professionals and industry insiders from the U.S. music industry and has been criticized for its Western-centric voting tendencies and passive evaluation of people of color. Recently, all BTS members stated on social media, ″We have decided not to submit for next year’s Grammys,″ expressing the view that ″music should be loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language.″ As a result, they have effectively boycotted the 69th Annual Grammy Awards scheduled for 2027. Over the past three years, the Grammys nominated BTS and featured a solo performance, but the group did not win any awards. During this period, BTS’s appearances reportedly brought high streaming traffic and advertising revenue online for the Grammys. However, as BTS failed to win for three consecutive years, criticism arose that K-pop artists were being used merely as a tool to secure viewership ratings. Disney+ secured the broadcasting rights for the Grammy Awards starting next year and signed a long-term contract worth hundreds of billions of won over ten years. Given that BTS and the global K-pop fandom have played a significant role in increasing the Grammys’ live viewership and online mentions, there is analysis that BTS’s boycott could impact the advertising revenue of Disney+ and the Grammys. Online rumors suggested that the Grammys would have to pay Disney a penalty of 60 billion won due to BTS’s boycott, but it was confirmed that the broadcasting rights contract does not include penalty clauses related to the participation of specific artists. Recently, at their concert at the New York New Jersey stadium in the U.S., BTS performed ″Mic Drop″ with the lyrics, ″No more to see. This is the last goodbye. Nothing more to say.″ RM altered some lyrics, saying, ″We were born in Korea. They don’t know us.″]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 '2026 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS' to Be Held at Busan Asiad Main Stadium on Sept. 19  BTS became the spotlight of the 'TMA Best Music – Summer' category.As the final round of voting for the FANNSTAR 'TMA Best Music – Summer' category at THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS (TMA) was held over two weeks, from 12 p.m. on July 20 to 12 p.m. on August 3 (KST), BTS's "Come Over" took first place. The finalists for the "TMA Best Music – Summer" category were selected through a preliminary vote among artists who released music between April and June 2026, excluding OSTs and one-off collaboration projects. A total of 20 artists advanced to the final round: KIM KI TAE, NEXZ, DONGHAE, MEOVV, MINGI, Bak Chang Geun, BTS, BOYNEXTDOOR, Stray Kids, Alpha Drive One, Evan, NCT WISH, ISEGYE IDOL, CORTIS, TAEMIN, TOMORROW X TOGETHER, TWS, TREASURE, PLAVE, and Hwang Chi Yeul (listed in Korean alphabetical order).Among a highly competitive field spanning various music genres, BTS's "Come Over" claimed the No. 1 spot in the final voting. PLAVE's "Born Savage" finished second, followed by Evan's "Ride or Die" in third.Notably, BTS and PLAVE successfully maintained their No. 1 and No. 2 rankings from the preliminary vote through to the final round, once again demonstrating their unrivaled influence and strong fandom support. Meanwhile, Evan climbed to No. 3 among a lineup of formidable contenders, showcasing a remarkable presence.According to the voting results, the first-place winner will receive the "Best Music – Summer" trophy in the FANNSTAR category at the 2026 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS. The second-place winner will receive a Route 273 bus advertisement, while the third-place winner will be awarded a vertical media board advertisement in Seomyeon, Busan.Meanwhile, the 2026 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS, a global music festival created by artists and K-pop fans together, will be held on September 19 at Busan Asiad Main Stadium.With an unparalleled lineup spanning multiple generations and genres—including RIIZE, RESCENE, xikers, IDID, ILLIT, Alpha Drive One, Evan, ATEEZ, NMIXX, ALLDAY PROJECT, Lim Young Woong, Choi Yena, CORTIS, CLOSE YOUR EYES, KiiiKiii, TREASURE, and tripleS—anticipation is building for the diverse and memorable performances that will unfold on stage.Further details regarding the 2026 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS, hosted by THE FACT and organized by FANNSTAR and UCW, will be released sequentially through the official website.]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 10:57:08 +0900 Trot singer Hong Jin-young revealed her recent status, showcasing vibrant energy. Recently, Hong Jin-young posted several photos on her SNS taken in front of an aquarium inside a market, wearing a black sleeveless top and black pants. In the photos, she is seen pointing at or touching fresh seafood in the tank with one hand while smiling brightly. At times, she shows a surprised expression, and there is also a shot of her looking seriously at the tank with both hands on her hips. The sleeveless outfit naturally blended to create a sophisticated yet comfortable atmosphere. In her post, she wrote, ″So fresh, kyeohya~ ♡ #TheSleevelessTopIsNotAMatchButSomehowItFitsHaha,″ conveying a fresh and lively mood. Along with her usual bright and positive image, her unique lively charm was once again confirmed in these newly shared photos. Since her debut, Hong Jin-young has established herself as a representative trot singer through consistent activities and hit songs, loved for her unwavering affection for fans and sincere attitude. Recently, she also shared moments of enjoying outdoor relaxation, sharing her diverse daily life with fans.]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 The group CORTIS delivered a successful performance at the large-scale music festival ’Lollapalooza Chicago’ held in Chicago, USA. On the stage held on the 1st local time, CORTIS performed a total of 11 songs for about 40 minutes, thrilling an audience of approximately 50,000 people. In particular, the collaboration stage with American hip-hop artist Juicy J attracted even greater attention. Centered around the new song ’CORTIS MOTION,’ CORTIS presented a powerful performance and energetic stage, actively communicating with the audience and heating up the atmosphere. BigHit Music, the agency, stated that this Lollapalooza performance became an opportunity for CORTIS to further solidify their position in the global music market and announced plans to continue active activities on overseas stages. Meanwhile, CORTIS recently raised fans’ expectations by releasing a teaser video of the new song ’CORTIS MOTION,’ a collaboration with Juicy J, along with the message ″We drive well″ through their official SNS. This new song incorporates various hip-hop elements into their existing music style, representing a new musical attempt. Going forward, CORTIS is expected to continue active activities both domestically and internationally, showcasing a diverse musical spectrum.]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Singer Lizzy revealed a leisurely daily life in nature. Lizzy posted several photos on her SNS with the phrase ″Where summer stayed🌿🍃🌱🍏🍀.″ In the photos, Lizzy wore a purple dress highlighted by white lace and posed facing forward with one arm wrapped around her arm against a background of nature-friendly grass and trees. Her long tied hair and calm expression created a serene atmosphere. In another photo, she sat comfortably reading a book, showing an even more relaxed side. Sitting on the grass, deeply engrossed in reading, the fresh atmosphere harmonizing with nature caught attention. Lizzy’s recent post captured a small and peaceful moment, as if taking a brief pause in nature amid a busy schedule, gaining much support from fans. Meanwhile, Lizzy recently finished overseas schedules and is intensifying preparations for her world tour, raising expectations for her future activities.]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 The group KiiiKiii (Jiyu, Isol, Sui, Ha-eum, Kiya) released the challenge video for the title track ″Pop Off Pop Off″ from their third mini-album ″WhyKiiiKiii″ on TikTok at 6 PM on the 3rd, starting the comeback countdown. In this challenge video, a portion of the new song and the key choreography were showcased ahead of the official release. ″Pop Off Pop Off″ is an electronic synth-pop song based on intense synth sounds, featuring a stylish beat, addictive chorus, and summer-evoking lyrics such as ″burning hot″ and ″a sandcastle built on whim.″ The video also revealed lively steps that match the song’s mood, including crossing arms and legs and cool, extended movements. Earlier, KiiiKiii surprised fans by releasing a stop-motion video for the track ″Candy Pink Magic Hole Flip Phone (What Should I Do),″ raising anticipation for the new album. Following various teasing contents, the pre-release of the title track challenge video has further heightened the comeback atmosphere. All tracks from KiiiKiii’s third mini-album ″WhyKiiiKiii″ and the music video for the title track ″Pop Off Pop Off″ will be released on various online music platforms at 6 PM on the 10th.]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 On the SBS variety show ″My Remaining Love,″ Choi Yena mentioned that she had suffered from pediatric lymphoma during her childhood. The first episode of ″My Remaining Love,″ which aired on the 3rd, featured MCs Lee Se-young, Jung Yong-hwa, Doyoung, and Choi Yena. During the broadcast, Lee Se-young asked Choi Yena about her childhood battle with illness, and Choi Yena said, ″I was a pediatric lymphoma patient when I was a baby. So I empathize with the other participants on ’My Remaining Love,’ and it feels strange.″ In that episode, interview videos of the participants were revealed. They recalled their experiences of being given terminal diagnoses or being on the brink of death, saying things like, ″The mortality rate was high, and they told me to prepare myself mentally. It was about stage 4,″ and ″I heard the word cancer. It didn’t really sink in. They said I could die. I was stunned.″ Jung Yong-hwa said, ″There are so many things you want to do and so much you want to enjoy at that age, but you had to fight illness...″ and added, ″I should prepare to shed tears.″ He also said, ″Since the participants are people who really could have lost their lives and have gone through uncertain times, I hope things go well for them and that they have happy relationships.″ ″My Remaining Love″ is a dating reality program that depicts the process of young adults in their 20s and 30s, who have been given terminal diagnoses or have been on the brink of death, confronting life and love again. Starting from the question, ″If I had little time left, who would I love?″ this program shows young people who have experienced the finiteness of life finding love again through the days they have been given.]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 aespa will hold their first solo concert at Seoul Gocheok Sky Dome since their debut, and the performance will be live-streamed through domestic and international theaters and online platforms. The Seoul shows of the ’2026-27 aespa LIVE TOUR - SYNK : COMPLaeXITY’ will take place over two days, on the 7th and 8th. The performance on the 7th will be simultaneously broadcast live via live viewing in 146 theaters across 11 regions worldwide, including South Korea. In South Korea, it can be viewed at four Megabox locations: Guui East Pole, Mokdong, Sangam World Cup Stadium, and COEX. Notably, the Guui East Pole, Mokdong, and Sangam World Cup Stadium locations will feature live viewing with AI spatial audio technology for the first time in domestic theaters. These theaters will provide an immersive experience of aespa’s performance and world view with 4K resolution and three-dimensional sound. The performance on the 8th will be live-streamed online through Beyond LIVE and Weverse. Megabox has also prepared a special postcard giveaway event for live viewing attendees to commemorate the start of aespa’s world tour. Starting with the Seoul shows, aespa will continue their world tour, visiting a total of 25 regions including North America, South America, and Europe. Detailed information about live viewing ticket reservations, screening locations, and special benefits can be found on the official Megabox website and mobile app.]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Kim Min-ha recently showcased her outstanding vocal skills by passionately singing ″That’s Life″ during the opening stage of the Blue Dragon Series Awards. Her appearance after losing 17kg and her performance on stage drew significant attention. On August 2, Kim Min-ha’s agency Noon Company released rehearsal footage of the Blue Dragon Series Awards on their official SNS. Kim Min-ha also regrammed the video on her own SNS, sharing behind-the-scenes moments of the stage with her fans. In the video, Kim Min-ha wore a black off-shoulder top and jeans, with minimal makeup, presenting a natural look as she sang seriously on stage. At the actual awards ceremony, she wore a silver off-shoulder dress, creating an elegant atmosphere. She delivered Frank Sinatra’s ″That’s Life″ with a clear and powerful voice, demonstrating strong stage presence. MC Jeon Hyun-moo commented right after the performance, ″Is there any awards ceremony with a congratulatory performance this sincere? Today, she was not actress Kim Min-ha, but musician Kim Min-ha. It felt like being in a jazz bar.″ After the stage, Kim Min-ha shared on her official account, ″I was so nervous and overwhelmed! I am truly grateful for this precious moment, and I sincerely congratulate all the awardees.″ When she returned to the stage as a presenter, she said, ″This stage was the most nerve-wracking, more than any filming set.″ Regarding her 17kg weight loss, she mentioned in an interview with Newsen, ″I didn’t expect my weight loss to become such a big topic, and I was very surprised. My previous statements like ’I love myself as I am’ and ’Why do I have to be skinny?’ have been revisited, but I lost weight for a role. I am satisfied with both my chubby past self and my current self.″ Kim Min-ha lost weight by eating one meal a day and exercising, explaining that it was to portray a terminally ill character in her next project. In a recent interview about the film ″Hana Korea,″ she revealed that she originally dreamed of becoming a singer and secretly enrolled in a practical music academy without her parents knowing to prepare for a singing career. However, feeling limitations during the preparation process, she resumed studying and, following advice from her neighbor Seol Kyung-gu, chose to pursue acting. Singer and actress Uhm Jung-hwa encouraged Kim Min-ha by saying, ″You were so amazing, Min-ha!! It was like a scene from a movie,″ Seolhyun said, ″You’re the best,″ and Song Yoon-ah said, ″Our Min-ha is truly beautiful. Congratulations.″]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 IVE (Ahn Yujin, Ga-eul, Rei, Jang Wonyoung, Liz, Lee Seo) successfully held their second world tour performance, ″SHOW WHAT I AM,″ at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, USA, on the 1st (local time). This LA concert was notable as IVE expanded their North American tour schedule from the original 6 cities to 8 cities, newly including three Canadian cities: Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver. All venues were arena-level, broadening the scope of the North American tour. IVE began their North American tour on the 21st of last month in Toronto, then proceeded to Montreal, Newark, Austin, and finally arrived in LA. The performance featured a variety of songs starting with ″GOTCHA,″ followed by ″XOXZ,″ ″Baddie,″ ″BLACKHOLE,″ ″Ice Queen,″ ″TKO,″ ″Holy Moly,″ and ″My Satisfaction.″ During the solo stages, Jang Wonyoung performed ″8,″ Rei showcased ″In Your Heart,″ which she co-wrote and composed, and Liz presented ″Unreal,″ which she helped write. Ga-eul participated in the stage planning for ″Odd,″ Lee Seo challenged herself with voguing performance in ″Super ICY,″ and Ahn Yujin radiated energy with ″Force.″ The stage for ″♥beats,″ to which Ga-eul contributed choreography, was also performed. In the latter part of the show, hit songs such as ″ATTITUDE,″ ″LOVE DIVE,″ ″I AM,″ ″Rebel Heart,″ and ″BANG BANG″ were performed. After the main set, the encore included ″Wild Bird,″ ″Supernova Love,″ ″Kitsch,″ and ″After LIKE.″ A total of 27 songs were included in the setlist. The members of IVE communicated naturally with the LA audience in English, greeting, introducing songs, and encouraging responses. Ga-eul expressed amazement, saying, ″The audience’s sing-along was so loud it pierced through my in-ear monitors.″ The members also thanked fans, mentioning they watched the fans’ dance challenges backstage. Jang Wonyoung promised, ″After finishing the remaining tour dates well, we will come back to LA again soon.″ IVE is scheduled to conclude their North American tour at Oakland Arena in Oakland on the 4th, Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle on the 7th, and Rogers Arena in Vancouver, Canada, on the 9th.]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Black Pink member Jennie took the stage as a solo artist and closed the finale as a headliner at the large-scale music festival ’Lollapalooza Chicago’ held in Chicago, USA. On the 1st (local time), Jennie performed 18 songs live with a band for about an hour on the main stage of Grant Park in Chicago, the ’Bud Light’ stage. At this stage, Jennie premiered her new single ’Less Than a Lover’ and performed various songs including ’Mantra,’ ’Extra L,’ and ’like JENNIE.’ ’Less Than a Lover’ is a song that Jennie participated in writing and composing, conveying the excitement and lingering feelings of a relationship that stays somewhere between lovers and friends. She also showcased an unreleased new song on stage. Global artists such as Charli XCX, Lorde, and Olivia Dean also appeared as headliners at the performance. Jennie set a new milestone as the first Korean female solo singer to take the headliner stage at ’Lollapalooza.’ Her agency OA Entertainment (Odd Atelier) stated that Jennie heated up the final night of the festival with newly arranged performances of her hit songs and active communication with the audience. Various concept photos, including stage costumes and backstage shots, were also released through Jennie’s SNS. Jennie expressed her gratitude, saying, ″I am truly thankful to my team who made this special night possible,″ thanking the stylists, hair, makeup, and staff who prepared for the performance. She continued, ″I send a lot of love to the dancers and band,″ ″I was really happy to share my new songs with you,″ and ″Thank you so much for coming to see my performance,″ sharing her thoughts. Meanwhile, the American media Chicago Sun-Times evaluated Jennie’s solo stage as somewhat less impactful compared to the full Black Pink group performance. They pointed out that the large-scale stage production and numerous dancers rather overshadowed Jennie’s presence, and that the vocal strengths were not fully revealed due to sound balance issues. They also described the ’Dracula’ stage, a collaboration with Tame Impala, as feeling like ″singing along to karaoke backing tracks.″ They added that the high proportion of new and unreleased songs limited the general audience’s response. However, they gave positive reviews on the completeness of Jennie’s solo album ’Ruby’ and the ’like JENNIE’ stage. Jennie is scheduled to continue her global activities, including appearing at Japan’s representative music festival ’Summer Sonic 2026’ on the 14th.]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 RIIZE, ALPHA DRIVE ONE, YEONJUN, ZEROBASEONE, and Tomorrow X Together (TXT)(TOMORROW X TOGETHER) have been confirmed as singer participants for the ’Asia Artist Awards (AAA 2026)’. The ceremony will be held from December 5 to 6 at the Kaohsiung National Stadium. RIIZE(Shotaro, Eunseok, Seongchan, Wonbin, Sohee, Anton) have stood out in albums and performances since their debut. Their first world tour, ’RIIZING LOUD,’ attracted 420,000 spectators across 21 regions, and their second mini-album ’II,’ released last June, became their fourth million-seller overall. Additionally, the fan meeting celebrating their 3rd anniversary, ’Ch. RIIZE : ON AIR,’ held on September 12-13, sold out all tickets immediately upon release. ALPHA DRIVE ONE achieved million-seller status with their first mini-album ’EUPHORIA’ released in January this year and successfully completed a global fan concert tour in three regions within six months of their debut. The group is set to release their second mini-album ’UNBREAKABLE : 少年BEAST’ on the 24th. YEONJUN recently made a comeback with the title track ’Ice Cream’ from his second mini-album ’NO LABELS: PART 02.’ The album sold over 730,000 copies in its first week, marking the highest first-week sales among Korean solo artists’ albums released this year. ZEROBASEONE(Seong Hanbin, Kim Jiwoong, Seok Matthew, Kim Taerae, Park Geonwook) topped the Oricon chart in Japan, the Japan Spotify Rising chart, and the China QQ Music digital album mini-album chart with their sixth mini-album ’Ascend-’ released in May. Tomorrow X Together (TXT)(Soobin, Yeonjun, Beomgyu, Taehyun, Hueningkai) have established themselves as representative K-pop artists by achieving success on domestic and international charts with each album. They continue various activities, including holding an exhibition highlighting their musical journey in celebration of their 7th debut anniversary. The MCs for ’AAA 2026’ have been confirmed as Ji Changwook, Jang Wonyoung, and Seong Hanbin, with one more MC to be announced. Actors Kim Seonho and Go Yoonjung have confirmed their attendance in the actor category, while singers LNGSHOT, RESCENE, &TEAM(&TEAM), ATEEZ, ITZY, KiiiKiii, and Hearts2Hearts are also on the list. The list of attendees will continue to be revealed. This awards ceremony is hosted by Star News and organized by the AAA Organizing Committee (Chairman Park Jooncheol), MOTIVE, and D-SOW. Meanwhile, the winners of the ’10th Anniversary AAA 2025’ include ’AAA Actor of the Year’ IU, ’AAA Singer of the Year’ Stray Kids, ’AAA Song of the Year’ IVE, ’AAA Album of the Year’ Stray Kids, ’AAA Best Actor (TV)’ Lee Junho, ’AAA Best Actor (OTT)’ Park Bogum, ’AAA Best Actress (TV)’ Im Yoonah, ’AAA Best Actress (OTT)’ Moon Sori, ’AAA Stage of the Year’ ATEEZ, ’AAA Performance of the Year’ RIIZE, and ’AAA Music Icon of the Year’ LE SSERAFIM.]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Park Ha-sun recently shared bikini photos taken at a resort in Palm Springs, California, on her social media. On the 3rd, Park Ha-sun posted several pictures with the caption, ″Desert, the place called Coachella. #MemoriesOfCrickets I hate bugs more than ghosts.″ In the released photos, Park Ha-sun is seen enjoying her vacation wearing a two-piece swimsuit that harmonizes pink and black colors, with an outdoor swimming pool in the background. Her toned waistline and firm abs were revealed, and she completed her resort fashion with a long skirt, straw hat, pink bag, and luxurious accessories. Fans responded with various comments such as, ″I can’t believe she’s a mom,″ ″Her healthy beauty stands out,″ and ″Is she really 38?″ Park Ha-sun married actor Ryu Soo-young in 2017 and has a daughter. Ryu Soo-young appeared on SBS’s ″Radio Star″ and recalled the early days of their relationship, saying, ″I told her I was at my parents’ house in advance.″ He also confessed that he was attracted to Park Ha-sun when she casually changed into the ’bombaebaji’ (traditional Korean work pants) his mother gave her.]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 NEXZ(Nexz) is making a comeback with the new album ’SAUCIN’’. NEXZ (Tomoya, Yuu, Haru, So Gun, Seita, Huey, Yuki) announced the release of their new album by unveiling the first trailer video for ’SAUCIN’’ on their official SNS on August 3rd. This album is their latest work, released about four months after their second single ’Mmchk’ in April. The released trailer video shows the seven members transformed into farmers, carefully tending and harvesting crops such as tomatoes, lemons, and kiwis in a greenhouse. The members hold the harvested fruits in their hands and burst them, then cover themselves with various colored sauces made from fresh ingredients. This concept connects to the album title, symbolizing the intention to showcase diverse musical colors like different sauces. ’SAUCIN’’ is a coined expression combining the English word ’SAUCE’ and the progressive suffix ’~ING’, expressing the intention to present music with various moods and charms. NEXZ also added the meaning of satisfying everyone’s preferences, from dipping sauce to pouring sauce. Since debuting with the single ’Ride the Vibe’ in May 2024, NEXZ has gained attention for their solid dance skills and performance immersion. Their April release ’Mmchk’ set a new record for initial sales and topped the real-time chart on the domestic music site Bugs with the title track of the same name, achieving their first music show win since debut. They are also continuing their performance activities. In June, NEXZ successfully completed their first Japan arena tour ’NEXZ LIVE TOUR 2026 ″Hellmate″’, and held the global showcase event ’NEXZ GLOBAL SHOWCASE EVENT Mmchk: Not Typical’ in five cities including Seoul, Taipei, Hong Kong, Bangkok, and Singapore, meeting fans worldwide. In September, they are scheduled to perform at the large Brazilian music festival ’Rock in Rio’ and the new festival ’STRAYCITY’ held in three Latin American regions. NEXZ’s new album ’SAUCIN’’ will be officially released on various music platforms at 6 PM on August 24th.]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Choi Yena, a singer formerly of the project group IZ*ONE, revealed her past battle with pediatric lymphoma in the first episode of SBS’s dating reality show ″My Remaining Love.″ In the episode aired on the 3rd, MC Lee Se-young asked Choi Yena about her childhood illness experience. Choi Yena responded, ″I was a pediatric lymphoma patient when I was a baby. So, I feel a strange connection and empathy toward the other participants.″ She continued, ″When I was sick as a child, seeing my parents and family break down and feel upset made me feel sorry all the time. I thought, ’Maybe it’s all my fault,’″ expressing sympathy with Kim Seon-ho’s remarks. She also added, ″I remember my parents selling kimbap because the hospital bills were so expensive.″ The episode also revealed the participants’ first meetings and illness diaries. Kim Seon-ho disclosed that he was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer during his military service and shared his feelings of guilt toward his parents due to their difficult family circumstances. Choi Yena showed sincere reactions, deeply empathizing with the participants’ stories of illness. ″My Remaining Love″ is a dating reality show that depicts the process of young adults in their 20s and 30s, who have been given terminal diagnoses or have faced death, confronting life and love again. The MCs include Choi Yena, Lee Se-young, CNBLUE’s Jung Yong-hwa, and Seventeen Do-kyum. The show airs every Monday at 10 PM. Meanwhile, Choi Yena is scheduled to hold an encore solo concert titled ″From the Square, an Elusive Otherworld: The Movie Version″ on the 22nd and 23rd.]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Seojanghoon and Lee Chan-won meet clients struggling with inheritance issues through a variety show. tvN STORY’s ″Inheritance Eve″ is the first variety show in Korea centered on inheritance, aiming to provide practical solutions to clients experiencing conflicts due to inheritance. The program is scheduled to premiere in January next year. Seojanghoon and Lee Chan-won have been selected as MCs. Seojanghoon has worked as a veteran MC on various counseling programs and is expected to address family interests with sharp insight and straightforward speech. Lee Chan-won is active as a singer and broadcaster, gaining recognition through ″Mr. Trot,″ and has served as an MC on shows such as ″SurfRIIZE Mystery Salon″ and ″Talk Reporter 25 Hours.″ He participates in the program as a communication expert MC who facilitates conversations among family members. Experts in inheritance and gift tax fields will also appear to analyze clients’ stories and asset structures in detail and to resolve complex family interests. These experts plan to help resolve conflicts through practical advice and customized consulting. ″Inheritance Eve (working title)″ is recruiting clients who want to share their stories and resolve concerns related to inheritance and gifts.]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 2NE1’s Sandara Park and Super Junior Donghae directly addressed past dating rumors. In a video released on the YouTube channel ’Donghaemulgwa Baekdu Eunhyuk,’ Donghae mentioned his long-standing connection with Sandara Park, stating that they first met in high school and were comfortable talking to each other. Regarding this, Donghae explained that due to their close friendship, fans sometimes misunderstood and thought they were dating. Eunhyuk also said that in the past, even a small friendship could easily spark dating rumors, mentioning rumors involving group SeeYa’s Lee Bo-ram. Sandara Park expressed a friendly disappointment that Donghae did not mention her when talking about the time he met Big Bang members through Se7en on another broadcast. The two recalled the time before their debut when they first met through senior Se7en. Donghae recalled that when he received a call from Se7en to go watch a movie, he was worried about the language barrier because he was told he would be sitting with a Filipino friend, but after the movie ended, the only greeting Sandara Park gave was a single word. Sandara Park also expressed gratitude, saying that when she had no friends in Korea and spoke only a few words a day, Se7en and Gummy kindly took care of her. She also mentioned her bold hairstyle during her activities, confessing that the style known as the ″Vegeta hair″ was the one she hated the most, and she felt embarrassed to face senior and junior colleagues at the broadcasting station. She shared an anecdote about a girl group member who burst out laughing upon seeing her appearance, which hurt her feelings. Sandara Park added that even after her schedule ended, she enjoyed dining out and shopping while keeping the hairstyle as it was.]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 BTS began the second North American leg of the ’BTS WORLD TOUR ’ARIRANG’’ at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, USA. The concert took place over two days on August 1st and 2nd, with approximately 157,000 attendees. This performance was held again at the same stadium two weeks after appearing as a co-headliner for the halftime show of the ’2026 FIFA North and Central America World CupTM’ final on July 19th. It marked their first solo concert at MetLife Stadium in about 7 years and 2 months since the ’BTS WORLD TOUR ’LOVE YOURSELF: SPEAK YOURSELF’’ in May 2019. Throughout the concert, the audience sang along to the Korean lyrics in sync with BTS. Especially, cheers grew louder as the intro to ’Aliens,’ a track from ’Arirang,’ began, and a massive sing-along followed during the title track ’SWIM.’ The members passed microphones to the crowd, completing the stage together with the audience. Additionally, a group sing-along of the Korean folk song ’Arirang’ was staged as a symbolic moment of the concert. Towards the end of the show, an event took place where the audience raised flower-shaped placards, and the members smiled as they looked out over the stadium, which appeared to be in full bloom. The final song, ’Into the Sun,’ was accompanied by a large-scale fireworks display lighting up the night sky. About 30 major Korean and American media outlets attended the event, competing for coverage. The American music media Billboard reported that BTS proved their right to perform on the world’s biggest stage at the World Cup final halftime show two weeks ago and showcased their true value during the approximately two-and-a-half-hour tour. They also highlighted the concert by selecting the top 15 best moments. American hip-hop artist Nas attended the concert, and RM expressed on stage, ″It feels really amazing to perform in front of an idol from my teenage years.″ The ’BTS THE CITY ARIRANG - NEW YORK’ project was also carried out in connection with the concert. The Rockefeller Center observation deck ’Top of the Rock,’ a representative landmark of New York, was wrapped with the ’Arirang’ album logo, and a special menu related to BTS was offered at the internal restaurant. At Grand Central Terminal, a T-shirt DIY space was set up, allowing concertgoers and citizens to participate in the experience. Starting in East Rutherford, BTS opened the second act of their North American tour, with the next concert scheduled for August 5th and 6th at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, USA. They are the first Korean artists to hold a solo concert at Gillette Stadium. Meanwhile, BTS recently announced that they will not submit entries for the Grammy Awards, stating, ″I hope music can be heard and loved as music itself rather than being divided by region or language.″]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Kim Jaejoong will release his new single album ’THE WAVE’ through various online music sites at 6 p.m. on the 20th. This marks his first domestic comeback in about a year and three months since his mini-album ’Beauty in Chaos’ in May last year. Earlier, on the 3rd, Kim Jaejoong announced his comeback by releasing a teaser video for ’THE WAVE’ on his official SNS. The video features Kim Jaejoong standing at the edge of a hill overlooking the sea. Along with the release of the new song, a solo concert is also scheduled. Kim Jaejoong will hold a concert titled ’THE WAVE,’ the same as the new single, at KBS Arena in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, on the 29th and 30th. Since the new song will be released before the concert, there is growing interest in whether the stage performance of the new song will be unveiled for the first time at the concert. Kim Jaejoong plans to sequentially release various teaser contents going forward. Meanwhile, Kim Jaejoong held a fan concert tour and a ZEPP&HALL tour this year, and released the Japanese digital single ’OASIS.’ He is also continuing his activities as an actor, starring in the movie ’Gentleman; Whisper of the Evil Spirit.’]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 BTS Jin was highlighted by the official Olympic account on the 2nd anniversary of the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics torch relay. On July 14, the official Olympic account released a video of Jin participating in the torch relay in Paris on the same day two years ago, commemorating it with the phrase ″2024 Paris Olympic Torch Relay with BTS @Jin″ accompanied by a flame emoji. This post recorded the most likes and comments within the official Olympic account. On the 2nd anniversary of Jin’s torch relay, netizens from around the world congratulated him with various comments such as ″As expected, Worldwide Handsome Jin,″ ″Proud of Jin,″ ″The Little Prince of Paris,″ and ″Jin with the cool talent and silver voice.″ Jin participated as a torchbearer in the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics torch relay held in Paris, France, on July 14, 2024. As a foreigner, he was rare in serving as the first runner in the Louvre Museum section on France’s largest national holiday, Bastille Day. The French weekly Paris Match introduced Jin as the only foreigner in an article titled ″2024 Olympics: Who will carry the torch in Paris?″ before his torch relay. Later, in an article titled ″Torch Relay: BTS’s Jin becomes the Little Prince of the 2024 Paris Olympics,″ he was described as ″the true prince crowned 235 years after the French Revolution.″ The U.S. Billboard mentioned ″BTS Jin’s torch relay″ first in its official website article ″10 Things to Look Forward to at the 2024 Summer Olympics.″ The U.S. Associated Press (AP) also named Jin as the most notable torchbearer. Jin was ranked number one for the ″Best Olympic Torch Relay Moment,″ proving his status as a global icon.]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Forbes published a critical column about the newly established ’Best Asian Pop Music Performance’ category at the Grammy Awards. The controversy arose after BTS announced that they would not submit entries to the Grammys. The seven BTS members (RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, Jungkook) posted on their respective social media accounts on the 29th, stating, ″We have decided not to submit to the Grammys this year. We hope that music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language.″ RM also left a message saying, ″Thank you always to ARMY and everyone who supports us.″ Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, released a statement on the same day, saying, ″This newly established Grammy category was created to honor the depth, diversity, and remarkable growth of pop artistry coming from Asia,″ and explained, ″Submitting in a genre category does not exclude an artist from competing for major awards such as ’Album of the Year’ or ’Song of the Year.’″ Forbes acknowledged that Harvey Mason Jr.’s explanation was factual but pointed out that it did not address the issues raised by BTS. They also analyzed that the existence of a separate track coded by geography itself signals where the Academy expects Asian pop to remain. Forbes criticized, ″No one created a ’Best European Pop Music Performance’ category for artists like Dua Lipa or Ed Sheeran. The absence of a corresponding category for pop from predominantly white regions is evidence that, no matter how well-intentioned these categories are, they are not applied evenly on the map.″ Furthermore, Forbes pointed out the Grammy’s approach of trying to solve the credibility issue in only one way and emphasized that subdividing awards cannot be a fundamental solution until the nominees for ’Album of the Year,’ ’Record of the Year,’ and ’Song of the Year’ consistently reflect the diversity of the music industry. Meanwhile, the submission period for the 69th Grammy Awards began on the 7th and will close on August 21. The nominees will be announced on November 16, and the awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on February 7 next year at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, USA.]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Seungkwan (real name Boo Seungkwan), a member of the group Seventeen, denied the prepayment goodwill story surrounding him, stating that it is not true. Seungkwan recently addressed the prepayment goodwill story about a Jeju barbecue restaurant that spread online during a live broadcast on a fan communication platform. The story claimed that Seungkwan had prepaid 600,000 won at a barbecue restaurant in Jeju and provided drinks to fans. Some fans mentioned that they actually received drinks at the restaurant, which led to the story spreading as if it were true. However, Seungkwan denied the rumor, saying, ″I have never prepaid at that restaurant.″ He added, ″I am not trying to discourage people from visiting the restaurant because it is delicious, but I do not want something I did not do to spread like a goodwill story.″ Seungkwan also explained, ″Because of this incident, I have cut off contact with an acquaintance who runs the barbecue restaurant,″ and said, ″I cannot tolerate fans being harmed. That is why I ended contact.″ He stated that even if he happens to meet someone on the street and pays for their meal, he will not make any separate prepayments in advance in the future. He also urged, ″If anyone has been impersonated or suffered similar damage, please send an email to the company.″ Additionally, he warned not to believe stories about someone pretending to be his acquaintance offering concert tickets. As Seungkwan denied the prepayment goodwill story, speculation has arisen that it might have been a staged act to promote the restaurant. The claim is that the restaurant tried to attract customers by fabricating a story that an idol was buying inexpensive drinks that could be received just by writing a restaurant review.]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 BTS V received attention from global artists at the concert held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA. The performance took place over two days on the 1st and 2nd (local time), with a total of 157,000 ARMY attending the venue. MetLife Stadium is known as the location where the North and Central America World Cup final halftime show was held. Jazz musician Jon Batiste attended the concert. Jon Batiste posted a video of V’s image projected on the large screen at the venue and shared footage of himself dancing to ″Dynamite.″ He wrote, ″I was so excited I almost forgot my phone.″ After V reacted to the video with a ″like″ and emojis, Jon Batiste replied, ″See you again in Boston.″ Musical star Lea Salonga also posted a video of V performing ″FYA,″ saying, ″Thank you for looking at the camera, V! You are truly special!″ When V liked the post, Lea Salonga left a message along with a selfie, saying, ″What is happening? Thank you! I’m so excited right now I can’t think straight.″ V took off the clothes he was wearing and gifted them to a male fan from Mexico. This fan is known to have attended the BTS concert multiple times wearing an outfit that paid homage to V’s stage costume.]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Kim Soo-yong revealed a video reviewing the music video for ATEEZ’s song ″BAD″ on his YouTube channel ″Sensual Kim Soo-yong.″ In the video posted on July 30, Kim Soo-yong announced that he was trying the song lyrics review segment ″Nogari″ for the first time. He mentioned ATEEZ as ″a group that was popular abroad but is now gaining great popularity domestically″ while watching the music video. In the video, Kim Soo-yong immediately followed the choreography of BAD and said, ″I usually don’t do this, but the dance called me,″ adding, ″They have power. The choreography is not the pretty boy style but the beast idol style. They have muscles and are full of power. They are the heirs of Teto who will follow me.″ Also, while imitating BAD’s signature choreography, he said, ″They said I fell down like this,″ and laughed, saying, ″I’m making fun of my own fall.″ Meanwhile, it was previously revealed that Kim Soo-yong collapsed during a YouTube shoot with Kim Sook in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province last year and was transported to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction.]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 BTS Jungkook has been revealed to have two solo songs that have each been streamed over 1.5 billion times on Spotify. The World Music Awards (WMA) announced through their official account that Jungkook is the first and only K-pop solo artist to have multiple songs surpassing 1.5 billion streams on Spotify. Jungkook’s first solo album ″GOLDEN″ title track ″Standing Next to You″ surpassed 1.5 billion cumulative streams on Spotify as of July 2026. This disco-funk genre song carries a message of standing together through any adversity. ″Standing Next to You″ set the longest record among Jungkook’s solo songs by entering the US Billboard Hot 100 chart for 19 consecutive weeks and stayed on the UK Official Singles Chart for 11 weeks, peaking at number 6. It also won awards at the 2025 BMI Pop Awards, the 2024 Billboard Music Awards for Top Global K-pop Song, and the 2024 MAMA for Best Dance Performance Male Solo. Jungkook’s solo debut song ″Seven″ surpassed 3 billion cumulative streams on Spotify as of June 2026. This is a record first achieved by a Korean and Asian artist, and it was introduced as the song released worldwide in 2023 that reached 3 billion streams. Upon release, ″Seven″ topped the US Billboard main singles charts including the Hot 100, Global 200, and Global (excluding US) charts, and ranked number 3 on the UK Official Singles Top 100 chart. The streaming numbers for these two songs continue to increase even after their release. Through his solo activities, Jungkook has set various records on Spotify, Billboard, and the UK Official Charts.]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 The group KiiiKiii (Jiyu, Isol, Sui, Ha-eum, Kiya) is preparing for a comeback with the title track ″Pop Off Pop Off″ from their third mini-album ″WhyKiiiKiii.″ On the 3rd, KiiiKiii released a ″Pop Off Pop Off″ challenge video through the global content platform TikTok. The video showcased parts of the song and key choreography, attracting attention from fans worldwide. Their agency, Starship Entertainment, revealed that ″Pop Off Pop Off″ is an electronic synth-pop song based on intense synth sounds, featuring lyrics like ″burning hot like summer″ and ″a whimsical sandcastle,″ capturing KiiiKiii’s unique playful wit as a ″KiiiKiii-style summer song.″ They also described the track as combining a stylish beat, addictive chorus line, and dazzling performance. Online, various content expressing anticipation for KiiiKiii’s comeback has appeared, with positive reactions such as ″Cyworld vibe leader KiiiKiii’s comeback″ and ″Shuffle dance is the best.″ Meanwhile, KiiiKiii previously surprised fans by releasing a stop-motion video for the track ″Candy Pink Magic Hole Flip Phone (What Should I Do).″ KiiiKiii’s third mini-album ″WhyKiiiKiii″ will be released on the 10th at 6 PM (KST) through various online music sites.]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 Noel’s Kang Kyun-sung is scheduled to marry actress Yoo Ha-jin on October 30. Agency S27M Entertainment announced on the 4th, ″Kang Kyun-sung will hold a wedding with actress Yoo Ha-jin at a location in Seoul on October 30.″ The agency stated that the two promised marriage based on deep trust and affection, and Kang Kyun-sung decided to marry with confidence and love for his bride-to-be. They also revealed that he plans to continue his activities as both the head of a family and an artist after the wedding. Kang Kyun-sung personally announced the marriage news on his Instagram on the 3rd, the day before the official announcement. He said, ″I have met a precious person with whom I want to walk together for life, and we will get married on October 30,″ expressing gratitude to his fans. He added, ″Although I am a little nervous to share this news, I wanted to tell you all directly before anyone else.″ The identity of the bride-to-be, who had not been disclosed until now, was revealed to be actress Yoo Ha-jin, drawing attention to their relationship. The two, who have worked in different fields of music and acting, are set to become a married couple. Born in 1981, Kang Kyun-sung debuted in 2002 with the group Noel and communicates with fans through variety shows and his YouTube channel ″Kang Kyun-sung SOOM.″ Born in 1995, Yoo Ha-jin has worked as an actress, appearing in dramas such as ″Spring Night″ and plays like ″Rental Apartment.″ Meanwhile, Kang Kyun-sung plans to continue both his activities with Noel and his solo activities after the marriage.]]> FANNSTAR Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900