Author: Samar Khouri

EXO member Suho’s Dubai and Europe stops off of his tour have been canceled due to “insufficient preparations by the local promoter.” Concert organizer Applewood revealed the decision to ensure the safety of the artist and the fans and maintain the concert’s quality. The K-pop star and lead vocalist of the prominent boy band EXO was originally scheduled to perform in Dubai on September 20th at The Agenda. He was also set to perform in London, Paris, Düsseldorf, Berlin, and Warsaw from September 10. This would have marked the multifaceted entertainer’s third time in the emirate; he performed alongside his…

JYP Entertainment, the behemoth behind K-pop acts like TWICE and Stray Kids, has vowed to take the “strongest legal action” against deepfake videos involving its artists. Strongest legal action’ “This is a blatant violation of the law, and we are in the process of collecting all relevant evidence to pursue the strongest legal action with a leading law firm, without leniency,” the agency said in a statement. “We want to make it clear that we will not stand by while our artists’ rights are violated and will take decisive action to address this matter to the fullest extent possible.” Rising…

Taeil of NCT has left his group after being reported to the police for an unspecified sexual crime, his agency announced. The decision came after SM Entertainment was made aware of “the gravity of the case” and upon consultations with the 30-year-old, without elaborating further as it is an ongoing criminal case. “Our company recently found out that Taeil has been accused in a criminal case in relation to a sexual crime,” SM Entertainment said in a statement uploaded to X. “In the process of verifying the details, the company reached the conclusion that he could no longer be part…

South Korean actors Park Shin-Hye and Park Hyung-Sik star in Dubai Tourism’s global video campaign. The campaign titled ‘Dubai, Who’s Ready’ showcases the city’s various landmarks and cultural sites, such as Al Fahidi Historical Neighborhood and Atlantis The Royal, through the stars’ experiences. “Everywhere I went, from the desert and Palm Jumeirah to Al Seef, the Dubai Fountain Show, and Burj Khalifa, there was so much to see and do. My time in Dubai was incredibly enjoyable, and it’s such an attractive place that I definitely want to visit again,” the actress said in a statement. “I hope those who…

SEVENTEEN made history at Glastonbury Festival as the first K-pop band to perform on the iconic Pyramid Stage. Member WOOZI kicked off their hour-long set by playing a piano intro of their single “MAESTRO” before the rest of the members joined him on stage. The 13-piece act performed ‘Rock with you,’ ‘HOT’ and ‘SOS’ as well as showcased stages by each of its units–hip-hop (‘LALALI’), performance (‘I Don’t Understand But I Luv U’) and vocal (‘Cheers to youth’). The group ended the show with a performance of ‘VERY NICE.’ Before their Glastonbury debut, SEVENTEEN officially assumed their role as UNESCO’s…

Dubai Festival City Mall (DFC) has partnered with SM Entertainment to feature ‘Supernova’, the latest hit from K-pop girl group aespa, as part of its water entertainment show IMAGINE. It is the first time the fountain and light show will play a song by a K-pop girl group as the background music. EXO member Suho’s ‘Hurdle’ was the first K-pop song to be played at the IMAGINE show. DFC’s IMAGINE show earned two Guinness World Records: the largest water screen projection and the largest permanent projection mapping. Regionally, ‘Supernova,’ which is one of two lead tracks from the group’s first…

Jin, the oldest member of BTS, has been discharged from South Korea’s army after completing his mandatory 18-month service. Military discharge After hugging his fellow soldiers, the 31-year-old saluted in front of the main gate in Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi province, before being greeted by bandmates j-hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook. The BTS members, who are currently serving in the military, applied for leave to celebrate his discharge. Suga was absent from the scene. RM played the band’s popular song ‘Dynamite’ on a saxophone to celebrate as the others greeted Jin. Jin, who enlisted in the military in December 2022,…

There’s nothing quite like K-pop. It’s a level of polish that’s not seen in Western music —or any other market—and has become a phenomenon in itself, turning Korea into a pop culture juggernaut and one of the country’s biggest cultural export. South Korea is the world’s seventh-largest music market, according to the trade body International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. The undeniably catchy tunes, well-dressed, coordinated groups, perfectly choreographed dance routines, and photogenic young stars are garnering a mass appeal. Korean pop music is a mashup of styles and genres adjusted and catered to suit a particular group’s concept, ranging…

WATERBOMB Festival, which has been entertaining audiences across South Korea since 2015, is making its way to cool down this summer in Dubai. The South Korean splash fiesta will see the K-Pop, hip-hop, EDM and regional stars take the stage and will feature immersive water-themed activities on June 7 and 8 at the Dubai Festival City. The lineup includes CL, pH-1, Big Naughty, Simon Dominic, DJ Snake, Benny Benassi, Sorn, 82MAJOR, and many more. One of South Korea’s most famous summer music festivals will make it’s first world tour in Dubai before traveling to Southeast Asia and North America. Seoul’s…

ATEEZ is set to headline the main stage of the Mawazine Festival in Morocco this month.  The seven-day festival will kick off its 19th edition on June 21 at Rabat after a three-year COVID-19 hiatus. The band’s scheduled appearance on June 23 will make them the first K-pop group to headline a stage at the music festival. They were the first all-male K-pop act to perform at Coachella last month in Las Vegas. Before heading to Morocco, ATEEZ will drop the 10th EP, ‘Golden Hour: Part. 1’ on May 31. ATEEZ has also been on the road as part of their world…