Author: Samar Khouri

Asian-pop culture fest MetaMoon will debut in the UAE on February 15 at the Al Wasl Plaza—Expo City Dubai. MetaMoon lineup Singer-songwriter-actor Henry Lau and Korea’s viral singer-rapper Lee Young Ji will headline the inaugural event. The lineup brings together artists across different genres, including rising Japanese-American pop singer-songwriter mikah, and Red Bull Dance Your Style champion MT Pop, and DJ Poon. Rapper and comedian MC Jin, who participated in the 2022 and 2023 MetaMoon events, is confirmed to host the UAE music festival promoted and produced by Live Nation Middle East. Dubai is MetaMoon’s first overseas iteration, three years…

Onew of boy band SHINee kicked off the new year with EP ‘Connection.’ New music Led by the title track ‘Winner,’ the new solo release consists of six tracks of which the singer took part in writing, sharing his own authentic stories with listeners. ‘Connection’ also charted fourth in the UAE on the iTunes All Genres chart, and topped the K-Pop and Pop charts. It also debuted atop the iTunes charts in Saudi Arabia. Connection’ comes just four months after releasing ‘Flow,’ Onew’s first album under newly-established agency Griffin Entertainment, and after a prolonged absence due to health concerns. He…

The second season of ‘Squid Game’ skyrocketed to the top of Netflix’s non-English TV 10 list with a whopping 68 million views, as per the streaming service’s latest weekly top 10 tally. Record-breaking debut During the December 23 – 29, 2024, viewing period, the Korean dystopian series was the top-watched title in 92 countries, including Lebanon, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the UAE. It also amassed 487.6 million hours of viewing time worldwide following its premiere on December 26. The seven-episode show by director, writer, and executive producer Hwang Dong-hyuk broke the record for most…

As we recapped the year of K-pop in 2024, here’s a look at what went down in the MENA region. ATEEZ headlined the main stage of the Mawazine Festival in Morocco back in May, making them the first K-pop group to achieve this feat. K-pop stars EXO’s Suho and SHINee’s Taemin had canceled their tour stops in the UAE, but the year saw groups OH MY GIRL, KARD, and The Wind perform in Dubai. Girls’ Generation member Yuri and the rookie boy band Nomad also participated at the Korean Brand Expo in Riyadh. WATERBOMB festival, a popular South Korean summer…

It’s been a rollercoaster year in the K-pop world. Here’s a quick look at what exactly went down in K-pop in 2024.

South Korean actor Park Sung-hoon, known for his roles in dramas like ‘The Glory,’ ‘Squid Game,’ and ‘Queen of Tears,’ is confirmed to attend Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival (RSIFF) this month. Debut attendance Held under the theme of ‘The New Home of Film,’ this year’s RSIFF will mark Park’s first time participating in the festival. “His presence capitalizes on the global popularity of Korean entertainment and Netflix’s wide-reaching audience, bringing significant international attention to the festival,” RSIFF said in a statement. “He also strengthens the festival’s connection to the influential K-drama and K-pop fanbases, ensuring relevance in…

All eight members of fromis_9 have decided to part ways with PLEDIS Entertainment. Departure details “We discussed at length and in depth with the members of fromis_9 regarding each member’s future and direction and have come to an amicable conclusion to end the exclusive artist contract,” their agency said in a statement on Weverse. PLEDIS — the label home to K-pop boy groups SEVENTEEN and TWS and former Wanna One member Hwang Min-hyun — has managed the girl group since 2021. The eight-piece girl group’s exclusive contract is set to expire on December 31. “We would also like to thank…

Members of NewJeans have announced at their emergency press conference that they have decided to terminate their contracts with their agency ADOR. Contract termination The chart-topping girl group claims ADOR, an affiliate of behemoth HYBE, failed to protect them, accusing the company of “mistreatment” and the management firm’s breach of contract. “We faced mistreatment not just towards us, but also including our staff. Countless pretensions and contradictions, deliberate miscommunications, and manipulation regarding multiple areas. A company that no longer has any sincerity in the art and music that it’s creating and is rather fixated on appearing like a well-working company…

Kakao Entertainment and SM Entertainment have partnered strategically with the US label gamma. to launch the British boy band dearALICE. New partnership The global alliance will see the three companies support SM Entertainment’s first all-male British act in its music activities and global launch, amid ongoing efforts to expand its global intellectual property portfolio. “dearALICE stands out as a truly distinctive project for our company, blending British roots with the global reach and creative influences of Kakao Entertainment and SM Entertainment. We believe this collaboration will unlock new opportunities for the group to thrive internationally, while also showcasing their groundbreaking…

ENHYPEN and BLACKPINK members LISA and Jennie will perform at next year’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. 2025 lineup LISA will perform on April 11 and 18 while Jennie is confirmed for April 13 and 20. ENHYPEN will be on April 12 and 19. XG, a Japanese girl group based in South Korea, is listed on the bill for April 13 and 20. It’s Jennie and LISA’s first time to take the stage as soloists. Their band BLACKPINK first performed at Coachella in 2019 and became the first K-pop act to headline the festival last year. Lady Gaga, Green Day, Post…