K-WAVE - Dec 27, 2025 PM EST - Hannah
The New York Times named NewJeans K-pop's most innovative group in a December 25 analysis, but warned that their 18-month hiatus from a legal battle with HYBE has silenced the act that was reshaping the genre's creative direction.
K-WAVE - Dec 27, 2025 PM EST - Hannah
EXO made their first awards show appearance in eight years at the 2025 Melon Music Awards on December 20, performing iconic hits and debuting new track "Back It Up" ahead of their January 19, 2026 comeback album REVERXE.
K-PEOPLE - Dec 26, 2025 PM EST - Hannah
K-pop legend Seo Taiji shared his annual Christmas update on December 25, 2024, revealing autonomous driving technology as his year's highlight while describing a hilarious family moment watching Netflix's "The Tyrant's Chef" when his 1995 hit "Come Back Home" appeared in Joseon-era style. The 52-year-old "President of Culture" apologized for no comeback news but shared Alaska travel memories and health reminders for aging fans.
K-WAVE - Dec 26, 2025 PM EST - Hannah
BTS Jungkook's cover of "The Christmas Song" reached 2 million views in 38 hours and topped YouTube's Global Popular Music Videos chart, trending across 56 countries including No. 1 in Mexico. The self-filmed holiday release marks his second Christmas cover following his 2017 "Oh Holy Night," which has accumulated 13 million SoundCloud streams.
K-WAVE - Dec 26, 2025 PM EST - Hannah
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K-WAVE - Dec 26, 2025 PM EST - Hannah
aespa's Winter received a silent reception from fans at the 2025 SBS Gayo Daejeon red carpet on December 25 when she greeted them with "Merry Christmas," contrasting sharply with the loud cheers her groupmates received. The awkward incident has been linked to ongoing dating rumors with BTS member Jungkook that began in early December after fans noticed matching tattoos on both idols.
K-WAVE - Dec 23, 2025 PM EST - Hannah
Netflix's Korean sci-fi disaster film "The Great Flood" reached #1 globally in 71 countries despite sharply divided reviews, sparking an unprecedented public debate among Korean entertainment industry figures about modern film criticism culture. Writer Heo Ji-woong and translator Hwang Seok-hee publicly criticized what they called excessively harsh attacks on the Kim Da-mi and Park Hae-soo starrer, arguing that streaming-era audiences have lost appreciation for creative risk-taking.
K-WAVE - Dec 23, 2025 PM EST - Hannah
G-Dragon's 2025 comeback album Übermensch shattered streaming records with 825,000 fans attending his world tour, but the K-pop icon faced heavy criticism for late concert starts and inconsistent live vocals despite sweeping major year-end awards including seven wins at the Melon Music Awards.
K-WAVE - Dec 23, 2025 PM EST - Hannah
MAMAMOO's Hwasa became 2025's only female solo artist to achieve a Perfect All-Kill with "Good Goodbye," which also made history as the first No. 1 on Billboard's newly launched Korea Hot 100 chart following a viral performance at the Blue Dragon Film Awards. The self-written ballad dominated Korean charts with six Circle Chart crowns and climbed to No. 32 on Billboard Global 200, marking her biggest international success.
Trending News - Dec 23, 2025 PM EST - Hannah
British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, best known for the Christmas classic "Driving Home for Christmas" and Grammy-nominated hit "Fool (If You Think It's Over)," died December 22, 2025, at age 74 following a short illness. The blues-rock musician, who sold over 40 million albums worldwide and topped UK charts with "The Road to Hell" (1989) and "Auberge" (1991), passed peacefully in hospital surrounded by family after decades battling pancreatic cancer and stroke complications.
Trending News - Dec 23, 2025 PM EST - Hannah
James Cameron's Avatar: Fire and Ash surpassed 2 million admissions in South Korea within six days of its December 17 release, dominating the Korean box office with the highest Hollywood opening of 2025. The third Pandora installment generated $13.6 million in its opening weekend and launched globally to $345 million, establishing South Korea as one of the franchise's strongest international markets.
K-WAVE - Dec 21, 2025 PM EST - Hannah
BTS leader RM publicly criticized HYBE during a December 21, 2025 Weverse livestream, saying "I wish our company had some affection for us" and calling for better treatment despite Jin's defense of the agency. The remarks followed previous frustrations about delayed comeback announcements, though BTS remains on track for their March 2026 return after all members completed military service in 2025.
K-WAVE - Dec 21, 2025 PM EST - Hannah
SEVENTEEN concluded their RIGHT HERE Japan dome tour in December 2025 with 435,000 fans across 10 sold-out shows in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, and Fukuoka, before announcing stadium-only 2026 Asia tour dates in Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok, and the Philippines. The K-pop group's chart success continued with their HAPPY BURSTDAY album ranking No. 7 on Oricon's 2025 Annual Rankings alongside multiple award wins at MAMA and Melon Music Awards.
K-WAVE - Dec 21, 2025 PM EST - Hannah
Korean rock band N.Flying concluded their record-breaking 10th anniversary year with three sold-out encore concerts at Seoul's Ticketlink Live Arena in December 2025, featuring live debuts of "Still You" and "LOG," orchestra collaborations, and emotional reflections after achieving career-high album sales of 101,997 copies with "Everlasting." The December 19-21 shows capped a milestone year that saw the five-member group reunite after military service, secure their first music show win in six years, and complete an extensive world tour.
K-WAVE - Dec 21, 2025 PM EST - Hannah
K-pop group fromis_9 announced encore concerts for their first world tour on January 31 and February 1, 2026, at Korea University's Tiger Dome in Seoul following sold-out shows across 11 cities. The encore performances cap a breakthrough 2025 that saw the five-member group achieve chart success with "LIKE YOU BETTER" and "White Memories" under new agency ASND.
Dec 21, 2025 PM EST - Hannah
Dec 20, 2025 PM EST - Hannah
Dec 20, 2025 AM EST - Hannah
Dec 20, 2025 AM EST - Hannah
K-WAVE - Dec 31, 1969 PM EST - Hannah
K-WAVE - Dec 31, 1969 PM EST - Hannah
K-PEOPLE - Dec 31, 1969 PM EST - Hannah
K-WAVE - Dec 31, 1969 PM EST - Hannah
