K-pop’s growing dialogue with gugak: Is Korea’s pop juggernaut seeking its roots?

With the breakout Netflix hit “KPop Demon Hunters” — whose soundtrack “Golden” became the first K-pop song by a female singer to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 — global viewers found themselves captivated not only by the storyline but also by the film’s rich infusion of Korean traditional culture. Among the highlights was the soundtrack’s use of gugak elements, particularly in “Hunter Mantra,” a track built on traditional timbres and chanting techniques. Ejae, one of the three songwriters

Nov. 14, 2025

Wellness at hanok village, mountain meals and design treasures

Get ready for winter this weekend with wellness programs at Namsangol Hanok Village, have a feast after a hike on Cheonggyesan or try redecorating your home. As the temperature drops, Seoul’s Namsangol Hanok Village is inviting visitors to experience a season of warmth and restoration through its new winter program, "Warm Winter Healing in Hanok," running Nov. 15 to Dec. 6. Reinterpreting the wisdom of traditional Korean medicine under the theme of warming the body and boosting energy, the progr

Nov. 14, 2025

'Spotify House Seoul' brings playlists to life with live shows and interactive zones

Spotify is hosting “Spotify House Seoul” from Thursday to Saturday at Anderson C in Seongsu-dong, eastern Seoul, offering music fans a mix of live performances and interactive experiences. Returning for its second year, the event transforms the venue into an immersive space where music, creativity and innovation converge. Daytime programs will feature interactive zones inspired by Spotify’s platform features, while evening concerts will require prior registration. Visitors can explore zones show

Nov. 13, 2025

Is NewJeans a girl group divided?

Despite public announcements from all five bandmates in NewJeans on Wednesday that they intend to resume activities with Ador, the dispute between the group and its agency remains unresolved — and increasingly complex. The process of their “return” has exposed fault lines not only between the band and the agency, but also among the members themselves. Haerin and Hyein, the two youngest, announced their return through an official statement with Ador, while Minji, Hanni and Danielle made their ann

Nov. 13, 2025

Minji, Hanni, Danielle reportedly to continue with Ador, agency says 'still verifying'

Minji, Hanni and Danielle of NewJeans have reportedly expressed their intention to continue with Ador, following Haerin and Hyein’s earlier announcement that they would resume activities under the label. According to multiple local media reports Wednesday, the three bandmates have announced via the law firm Hanil Law Corporation, “After careful discussions, we have decided to return to Ador.” They added, “One of our members is currently in Antarctica, which delayed communication, and since Ador

Nov. 12, 2025

NewJeans' Haerin, Hyein to continue with Ador

Two members of NewJeans — Haerin and Hyein — plan to return to Ador, a music label under Hybe, the agency said Wednesday. In a post on its official X account, Ador stated: “NewJeans members Haerin and Hyein have expressed their intention to continue their activities with Ador. After careful discussions with their families and the company, they have decided to respect the court’s ruling and abide by their exclusive contracts.” The agency added, “Ador will do its utmost to ensure that Haerin and H

Nov. 12, 2025

Gayageum artist Kim Do-yeon on K-pop and gugak: 'True fusion comes from deep understanding, not decoration'

When K-pop artists sprinkle bits of traditional Korean instrumentation or melodies into their music, audiences often call it “fusion.” But for Kim Do-yeon, a 34-year-old gayageum player and vocalist leading a jazz quintet in New York, the term feels outdated. “Fusion and crossover were meaningful once, but we’ve gone beyond that,” Kim said in an interview with The Korea Herald on Oct. 21. “Today, music is fluid. Genres interact all the time — but real harmony only happens when artists truly unde

Nov. 12, 2025

Hybe gathers 80 global leaders to shape next phase of Hybe 2.0

Hybe is hosting its Global Leadership Summit in Incheon from Tuesday to Thursday, bringing together more than 80 leaders from its overseas branches across Korea, Japan, the US, Latin America, China and India to discuss the company’s mid- to long-term growth strategy. The Hybe 2.0 vision, shifting to a "music-platform-tech" framework, focuses on achieving superior global market leadership by prioritizing high-quality content and innovative fan experiences across diverse regional and genre-specifi

Nov. 11, 2025

Hybe posts record quarterly revenue, nears 2 trillion won in cumulative sales

Hybe, the K-pop powerhouse behind BTS, has set a new record for quarterly revenue, driven by strong global tour performances, with cumulative sales through the third quarter approaching 2 trillion won ($1.37 billion). The company on Monday reported consolidated revenue of 727.2 billion won in the third quarter, up 37.8 percent from the same period last year. This surpasses the previous quarterly record of 726.4 billion won set in the fourth quarter last year. With strong growth in the first two

Nov. 10, 2025

Big Ocean heads to Paris next month for year-end concert

Big Ocean, the first K-pop idol group composed of deaf members, will hold a year-end concert in Paris next month. According to its agency Parastar Entertainment, Monday, members Chan-yeon, PJ and Ji-seok will perform a concert titled “Heartsign: When Hands Sing, Hearts Answer” on Dec. 7 at the Bataclan. The Bataclan, once the site of tragedy in a November 2015 terrorist attack, today carries deep historical and emotional significance as a symbol of healing, recovery and rebirth. Through “Heartsi

Nov. 10, 2025