Will K-pop earn its first Grammy in 2026? Experts explain how the genre has hit the mainstream - K-pop is an inextricable force in global pop culture but it has long been under-celebrated at instituti

Critics around the world named best K-pop songs and albums of 2025 that saw HUNTR/X, Saja Boys, BLACKPINK members, BTS members, Stray Kids, CORTIS and more rank highest.

K-pop is an inextricable force in global pop culture but it has long been under-celebrated at institutions like the Grammys

Kakao Entertainment signed separate memoranda of understanding with China’s Tencent Music Entertainment and Japan’s Line Music to integrate K-pop streaming data into a new chart that will be handled by Melon, Kakao’s music streaming service in the South Korean market.

KCON 2026 will return to LA in August after hitting Japan in May this year with details about the lineup, venue, location, on-sale tickets and expected to come soon.

BTS will launch their first world tour in four years in April, spanning 34 cities and 79 performances, marking the largest-ever K-pop tour.

HYBE, the South Korean entertainment giant behind BTS – arguably the world’s biggest K-pop act – is planning to spend 2026 developing “a new experience model based on scarcity,” according to company CEO Jason Jaesang Lee.