January 21, 2026

BTS is preparing a comeback of unprecedented scale. On January 20, the Korea Heritage Service conditionally approved HYBE’s request to film at Gyeongbokgung Palace and Sungnyemun for the group’s upcoming album, ‘ARIRANG,’ releasing March 20.

The “Signal Flare” Project: The group plans to use these historic locations for pre-recorded content and media façade events to announce their return. This marks their first full-group release in nearly four years.

A Historic First: Furthermore, HYBE has applied to the Seoul Metropolitan Government to host a concert at Gwanghwamun Square on March 21 for 18,000 attendees, and a separate event at Seoul Plaza for 30,000. If granted, BTS would become the first artist in history to hold a standalone solo concert at Gwanghwamun Square.

Global Impact: The event aims to be livestreamed via a global OTT platform, with HYBE projecting a reach of 50 million viewers worldwide, positioning the comeback as a major opportunity to promote Korean heritage. A final decision on the venue permits is expected by next week.

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K-DRAMA

Lee Sung Kyung Named Best New Actress at Korean Musical Awards, Realizing a “16-Year Dream”

By Riku January 21, 2026 No Comments

Actress Lee Sung Kyung has proven her versatility once again. At the Korean Musical Awards held on January 19, Lee was honored with the Best New Actress award for her role as Princess Jasmine in the musical Aladdin.

A Dream Deferred: In her acceptance speech, an emotional Lee Sung Kyung introduced herself as a “musical actress” and shared, “This was a stage I dreamed of for 16 years… I loved musicals so much that I was afraid I might never be worthy.” This win is particularly significant as it comes nearly a decade after she won Best New Actress at the 2015 MBC Drama Awards, highlighting her successful evolution across genres.

Upcoming Projects: Following her successful musical debut, Lee will return to the small screen as a high-end fashion designer in the MBC drama ‘In Your Radiant Season,’ premiering February 20.

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K-POP

Hyoyeon Spills on SNSD Fights & The “Yuri Unit” That Never Happened !

By Riku January 21, 2026 No Comments

Hyoyeon has opened up about the dynamics within Girls’ Generation, admitting she was often the center of conflict. During a guest appearance on Super Junior D&E’s YouTube channel on January 19, Hyoyeon shared a specific incident where her tardiness caused tension.

The Incident: She recounted arriving late to a rehearsal due to trouble returning from a ski resort. While she apologized to the broadcast staff, she skipped apologizing to the members to avoid worrying them about her accident. “Two members came to me and said… I should apologize first,” she recalled. “At the end of the day, this was work. That’s why they got upset.”

Unrealized Plans: She also revealed her strong desire to form a duo unit with fellow member Yuri, modeled after Super Junior-D&E. However, due to conflicting schedules and Yuri’s acting commitments, the project never came to fruition.

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