Korea - Jan 25, 2026 PM EST - Hannah
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung faces international condemnation after calling religious political participation "armed rebellion" and proposing Japan-style dissolution measures for churches, with Pastor Son Hyun-bo detained since September 2025 and President Trump confronting Lee over "vicious raids on churches" during their August 2025 White House meeting. The crackdown has drawn comparisons to Chinese Communist Party tactics, with former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and House Speaker Newt Gingrich warning the assault on religious liberty betrays South Korea's democratic principles.
Korea - Jan 25, 2026 PM EST - Hannah
South Korea's KOSPI index broke 5,000 for the first time in January 2026, driven by Samsung and SK Hynix's AI chip dominance, but critics argue President Lee's government overstates its role as the broader economy contracts and youth unemployment reaches record levels.
K-PEOPLE - Jan 25, 2026 AM EST - Hannah
Son Heung-min ranked second in South Korea's 2025 National Image Survey as the only athlete in the top 10, trailing only BTS, after his record-breaking $26 million transfer to LAFC generated massive global impact comparable to Lionel Messi's MLS arrival. The Korean football star's exceptional performance—9 goals and 3 assists in 10 matches—and 594% social media engagement boost solidified his status as a cultural icon elevating Korea's international reputation alongside K-pop and K-dramas.
K-WAVE - Jan 22, 2026 PM EST - Hannah
Netflix's "K-Pop Demon Hunters" made history at the 98th Academy Awards with two Oscar nominations for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song for "Golden," marking the first K-pop track ever nominated, while Park Chan-wook's "No Other Choice" failed to advance from the Best International Feature shortlist despite earning three Golden Globe nominations.
K-WAVE - Jan 22, 2026 PM EST - Hannah
BTS Jungkook's orchid vinyl for the upcoming ARIRANG album sold out faster than all other members across Target, Weverse Shop, and international retailers, while his ELLE Japan and Korea magazine covers also reached sold-out status immediately upon pre-order launch. The sellouts demonstrate Jungkook's commercial power ahead of BTS's March 2026 comeback—their first group album in nearly four years.
K-WAVE - Jan 22, 2026 PM EST - Hannah
Show Me The Money 12 episode 2 airs tonight featuring the show's iconic 60-second audition round with global contestants including Thai rapper MILLI, High School Rapper 2 winner HAON, and Japanese dancer Minami competing against 36,000 applicants—the highest in series history.
K-WAVE - Jan 22, 2026 PM EST - Hannah
BTS Jimin shared behind-the-scenes photos from his Vogue Korea February 2026 cover shoot on January 21, with all seven Dior-exclusive covers dominating bestseller charts and trending worldwide on social media. The photoshoot marks Jimin's continued fashion industry momentum following his June 2025 military discharge, ahead of BTS's 79-date Arirang World Tour launching April 2026.
K-WAVE - Jan 21, 2026 PM EST - Hannah
BLACKPINK's Jennie shared additional photos from her 30th birthday celebration on Instagram with a thank-you message to fans, five days after turning 30 on January 16 during the group's Tokyo concert.
K-WAVE - Jan 21, 2026 PM EST - Hannah
SEVENTEEN will conclude their NEW_ World Tour with encore concerts at Incheon Asiad Main Stadium on April 4-5, 2026, returning to the venue where the tour began in September 2024. The group ranked No. 17 on Billboard's 2025 Year-End Top Tours with $142.4 million in revenue and will perform across four Asian stadiums in February-March before the finale.
K-WAVE - Jan 21, 2026 PM EST - Hannah
FNC Entertainment's rookie band AxMxP released their first mini album "Amplify My Way" on January 21, 2026, featuring double title tracks "PASS" and "Thereafter" just four months after their September 2025 debut. The four-member group revealed ambitious goals including their first music show win and dreams of performing at global festivals like Coachella and Lollapalooza.
K-WAVE - Jan 21, 2026 PM EST - Hannah
BTS V and BLACKPINK Jennie launched artist-curated photo exhibitions in Seoul amid K-pop's 19.5% album sales decline, with both idols personally involved in every project stage from photography to exhibition design. The exhibitions—V's "TYPE 非" at Frieze House Seoul and Jennie's "J2NNI5" at Youthquake—sold out within minutes and emphasize artistic authenticity over typical commercial K-pop pop-up merchandise strategies.
Tech - Jan 20, 2026 PM EST - Hannah
SEGA Football Club Champions 2026 has surpassed 2 million pre-registrations ahead of its January 22 global launch, with players receiving Manchester City stars and substantial in-game rewards. The free-to-play football management game marks the first worldwide release of SEGA's 30-year SakaTsuku series across PlayStation, PC, and mobile platforms.
K-WAVE - Jan 20, 2026 PM EST - Hannah
The Empire State Building featured BTS member Jin in promotional video content on social media ahead of BTS's March 20, 2026 comeback, following Jin's May 2025 lighting ceremony at the iconic New York landmark celebrating his solo album "Echo." The promotional push comes as BTS prepares to release their first group album in nearly four years and embark on a 79-show world tour across 34 regions.
K-WAVE - Jan 20, 2026 PM EST - Hannah
SM Entertainment confirmed on January 20 that a new boy group will debut in 2026 from its SMTR25 trainee pool through the reality show "Reply High School," sparking mixed fan reactions about the agency's ability to manage both new and existing artists including RIIZE and Hearts2Hearts.
K-WAVE - Jan 20, 2026 PM EST - Hannah
BTS received conditional approval from Korea Heritage Service to film at historic Seoul sites including Gyeongbokgung Palace and Gwanghwamun for their March 2026 comeback, while a final decision on their planned free concert for 15,000-20,000 fans at Gwanghwamun Square is still pending from Seoul authorities.
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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
