10cm stepped into horror for the first time – and did it on his own terms

10cm on Scoring Horror for Junji Ito, and Finding Comfort in the Dark

TNX (an acronym for The New Six) is a five-member boy group under P NATION. Originally debuting as six members, the group was formed through the SBS survival program LOUD, a collaboration project between J.Y. Park and PSY. They officially debuted on May 17, 2022 with their first mini album Way Up. The group’s lineup was finalized during the finale of LOUD in 2021, where Kyung Jun, Tae Hun, Hyun Soo, Jun Hyeok, Hwi, Sung Jun, and Tanaka Koki were selected for P NATION’s upcoming boy group. However, in January 2022, P NATION announced that Tanaka Koki would not debut with the team in order to continue training, leading the group to debut as six members under the name TNX. On their debut day, they also introduced their fandom name THX, meaning “Together with TNX.” Following their debut, TNX continued building their discography with releases such as Love Never Dies, Boyhood, and the digital single &quot;Fuego&quot;, while also participating in the survival competition Road to Kingdom : Ace of Ace in 2024. During this period, member Jun Hyeok temporarily paused activities due to anxiety before later returning to the group. In October 2024, it was announced that member Kyung Jun would enlist in the military and depart from the group following the completion of his service, reducing TNX to five members. The group continued activities with releases including the mini album For Real? in 2025 and the digital single &quot;Call Me Back&quot; in 2026, maintaining their growth under P NATION.

TNX's Kurated KPOPWORLD playlist doubles as commentary on "Die Another Day" itself

Kurated: 10 Songs That Inspired TNX During “Die Another Day”

KPOPWORLD #6 (Yves)

KPOPWORLD #6 (KEYVITUP X VAYONN)

KPOPWORLD #5

KPOPWORLD #4

MONSTA X is a boy group formed through the survival show No.Mercy and debuted under Starship Entertainment in May 2015. The group is associated with a powerful performance image built around Shownu, Minhyuk, Kihyun, Hyungwon, Joohoney, and I.M, with Wonho as a former member. Their sound often leans muscular: EDM drops, hip-hop percussion, dark synths, and choruses designed for heavy choreography. MONSTA X became one of the most forceful performance groups of their generation through a run that moved from the breakthrough energy of &quot;Dramarama&quot; to the sharper drama of &quot;Love Killa.&quot; At the same time, their vocal line and later English-language work showed a smoother R&amp;B and pop side that softened the edges without removing the group&#x27;s intensity. MONSTA X became especially important in the bridge between Korean idol promotion and Western touring. They pursued English-language releases, appeared on American media, and built a strong international audience while keeping a clear group identity. Their fandom, Monbebe, is known for loyalty through lineup changes, military service periods, solo work, and long gaps between full-group schedules. The group&#x27;s legacy rests on consistency and stamina. MONSTA X did not need to reinvent themselves every comeback; they refined a recognizable image of power, charisma, and emotional loyalty. That made them a template for later boy groups that wanted to look tough on stage while still building a close, fan-centered identity off it.

MONSTA X

KIHYUN of MONSTA X returned earlier this year with BORDERLINE, his second solo EP and the follow-up to 2025's YOUTH

KIHYUN: The KPOPWORLD Digital Cover

82Major (stylized in all caps) is a South Korean boy band formed by Great M Entertainment. The group consists of six members: Cho Seong-il, Yoon Ye-chan, Nam Seong-mo, Hwang Seong-bin, Park Seok-joon and Kim Do-gyun. The group&#x27;s name is a combination of South Korea&#x27;s calling code (+82) and the word ‘major’, expressing their desire to become a group that represents Korea. They debuted on October 11, 2023, with the single album On.

82MAJOR

82MAJOR have their first music show win — and SEONG MO, who spent over a year presenting trophies on Show Champion as an MC, finally got to receive one

82MAJOR on HEAT, Their First Win, and What Comes Next

ATEEZ is an eight-member boy group formed by KQ Entertainment, consisting of Hongjoong, Seonghwa, Yunho, Yeosang, San, Mingi, Wooyoung, and Jongho. They debuted in October 2018 with Treasure EP.1: All to Zero, launching a pirate-and-treasure storyline that gave their early music a cinematic frame. ATEEZ stood out because their performances felt oversized in the best way. Even before they had the company power of larger labels behind them, the group built attention through intense facial expressions, full-bodied choreography, live-stage energy, and songs designed to explode in concert. &quot;Wonderland,&quot; &quot;Answer,&quot; &quot;Guerrilla,&quot; &quot;Bouncy,&quot; and &quot;Crazy Form&quot; all show that instinct for scale: big chants, dramatic builds, and a sense that every chorus is meant to be shouted back. The members&#x27; roles support that theatrical style. Hongjoong anchors the group as leader and producer, Mingi gives the rap line a deep tone, Jongho brings unusually strong high notes, and San, Seonghwa, Yunho, Yeosang, and Wooyoung shape much of the performance identity. ATEEZ&#x27;s fanbase, ATINY, became known for strong international support, helping the group grow from a smaller-agency act into a major global touring name. ATEEZ&#x27;s significance comes from proving how far performance identity can carry a group when it is consistent. Their concepts can be loud, dark, playful, or rebellious, but the core remains theatrical and physical. They made intensity feel like a worldview, not just a comeback style.

ATEEZ

We’re unboxing and giving you a closer look at the ATEEZ Golden Hour : Part 5 CDP version release, featuring an ATEEZ themed portable CD player exclusively released via MAKESTAR on 26th June 2026

ATEEZ Golden Hour : Part 5 CDP Version

BIGHIT MUSIC just opened its 2026 Global Audition, and the door is wide open. Any male born in 2008 or later can apply, from anywhere, with zero restrictions on category – singing, dancing, producing, whatever shows your talent best

BIGHIT MUSIC Opens 2026 Global Audition for Male Talent

Last week’s stories in K-pop varied from deeply personal struggles uncovered to exciting new announcements and a celebration of one of the industry’s increasingly popular girl groups this year

Last Week In K-pop, Interpreted (September 7 - September 11, 2026)

The Seoul Metropolitan Government and Seoul Tourism Organization have announced that KARINA and WINTER of aespa, alongside all six members of RIIZE, have been appointed as honorary ambassadors for Seoul tourism

RIIZE and aespa’s KARINA and WINTER Appointed as 2026 Seoul Tourism Ambassadors

SEVENTEEN is a thirteen-member boy group formed by Pledis Entertainment, debuting in May 2015. The group is organized into three internal teams: hip-hop, vocal, and performance. That structure is more than branding; it explains how SEVENTEEN functions, with members contributing to songwriting, choreography, staging, and the division of energy across a very large lineup. The members are S.Coups, Jeonghan, Joshua, Jun, Hoshi, Wonwoo, Woozi, DK, Mingyu, The8, Seungkwan, Vernon, and Dino. Their nickname as &quot;self-producing idols&quot; comes especially from Woozi&#x27;s central role in music and Hoshi&#x27;s role in performance direction, but the larger appeal is how the group makes thirteen people feel coordinated rather than crowded. SEVENTEEN&#x27;s early music leaned bright, youthful, and rhythmically nimble, with songs like &quot;Adore U,&quot; &quot;Mansae,&quot; and &quot;Very Nice&quot; presenting them as a group with unusual stage chemistry. Later releases such as &quot;Don&#x27;t Wanna Cry,&quot; &quot;Home,&quot; &quot;Left &amp; Right,&quot; &quot;Rock with you,&quot; and &quot;Super&quot; widened the scale while keeping the choreography and vocal distribution clear. Their best songs often turn teamwork itself into the hook: repeated gestures, fast transitions, and formations that reward watching the whole stage. The group&#x27;s growth into one of K-pop&#x27;s top album sellers came from consistency as much as spectacle. SEVENTEEN built trust through steady comebacks, strong variety content, and concerts that emphasized the members&#x27; humor as well as precision. Their fandom, CARAT, became part of that identity, following a group that could be technically impressive without losing warmth. SEVENTEEN&#x27;s legacy is tied to durability. Few large idol groups have kept such a clear group image while allowing so many individual personalities to stand out. As their scale expanded under the wider HYBE era, they remained recognizably Pledis-born: performance-first, member-driven, and unusually good at turning the mechanics of a big team into something emotionally easy to understand.

SEVENTEEN

JUN of SEVENTEEN has announced the release of his first solo, Chinese-language EP, 9, scheduled for September 28

SEVENTEEN’s JUN Announces First Chinese EP ‘9’

BTS, also known as the Bangtan Boys, is a South Korean boy band formed by Big Hit Music in 2010 and debuting on June 12, 2013, with the single album &quot;2 Cool 4 Skool&quot;. The group consists of seven members: RM (leader), Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook. The name BTS stands for Bangtan Sonyeondan (“Bulletproof Boy Scouts”), reflecting the group’s original concept of resisting societal expectations and criticism aimed at youth. Members RM, Suga, and J-Hope have played significant roles in songwriting and production throughout the group’s career. BTS first gained widespread attention with the [The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Pt. 1 era], particularly the single I Need U, which earned the group their first Korean music show win in 2015. Their international breakthrough followed with releases such as Wings and the Love Yourself series. In 2018, &quot;Love Yourself: Tear&quot; became the first album by a Korean act to reach No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The group achieved further global success with singles including &quot;Dynamite&quot;, &quot;Butter&quot;, and &quot;Permission to Dance&#x27;&quot;, all of which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. BTS is among the best-selling artists in South Korean history and has received numerous international awards, while also participating in global initiatives such as the UNICEF Love Myself campaign. Between 2022 and 2025, BTS paused full-group activities as the members completed South Korea’s mandatory military service. The last member, Suga, was discharged in June 2025, marking the completion of service for all seven members. Following their reunion, the group confirmed they were preparing a new album and world tour for 2026. Their tenth studio album, &quot;ARIRANG&quot;, recorded between July and November 2025, was released on March 20, 2026, marking their first group release in more than three years. The album will be supported by the Arirang World Tour, beginning in April 2026.

Global superstars BTS have overtaken the record for the highest annual tour figure with ‘ARIRANG’ earnings, surpassing Beyonce’s 2025 record

BTS Breaks Beyonce’s Annual Tour Record with World Tour ‘ARIRANG’

i-dle, formerly known as (G)I-DLE, is a girl group formed by Cube Entertainment, debuting in May 2018. The current lineup consists of Miyeon, Minnie, Soyeon, Yuqi, and Shuhua, with Soojin as a former member. From debut, the group stood out because leader Soyeon played a central creative role in songwriting, production, and concept direction. Their first single, &quot;LATATA,&quot; introduced a group that could feel stylish without being anonymous. Over time, i-dle became known for concepts that were easy to name and hard to confuse: the dark elegance of &quot;HANN,&quot; the theatrical fire imagery of &quot;HWAA,&quot; the blunt rebellion of &quot;TOMBOY,&quot; and the satire and confidence of later hits. The group often treats a comeback like a thesis statement, with styling, lyrics, and stage language all pointing toward the same idea. i-dle&#x27;s member contrast is central to that impact. Miyeon gives the group a clean vocal center, Minnie adds a dreamy tone and international texture, Soyeon brings rap and creative direction, Yuqi gives warmth and a distinctive low voice, and Shuhua contributes visual and performance presence. The result is a group that can be sharp, funny, dramatic, or strange without losing its center. Their fandom is known as Neverland. i-dle&#x27;s importance lies in how visibly they challenged expectations around girl-group authorship. They helped make it normal to talk about a female idol group not only as performers of a concept, but as artists shaping the concept itself.

i-dle

YUQI of i-dle has announced the release of her second EP, ‘27,’ scheduled for October 8, 2026

i-dle’s YUQI To Release Second EP ‘27’ Ahead of China Fan Concerts

JEONGHAN and JOSHUA of SEVENTEEN have announced that they will return as a new sub-unit on October 19, under the name JxJ

SEVENTEEN’s JEONGHAN and JOSHUA Form New Sub-unit JxJ

HYBE has announced that their annual CINE FEST event, which has previously been restricted to Asia and Latin America, will expand overseas to reach international audiences for the first time

HYBE Expands Annual CINE FEST Overseas in October 2026

YUQI of girl group i-dle has announced that she will hold her first solo fan concert series across China throughout the remainder of 2026

i-dle’s YUQI Announces Solo Fan Concerts in China

RESCENE is a five member girl group formed by The Muze Entertainment. The group consists of Woni, Liv, Minami, May and Zena. They debuted on March 26, 2024, with the single album &quot;Re:Scene&quot; which featured title track &quot;UhUh&quot; and pre-release single &quot;YoYo&quot;. Known for their fresh concept and visuals, RESCENE is part of the new generation of K-pop groups. Since their debut in 2024, they have released three EPs: &quot;SCENEDROME&quot;, &quot;Glow Up&quot; and &quot;lip bomb&quot;, further expanding their discography and fandom, REMINE. Singles such as &quot;Deja Vu&quot; and &quot;Runaway&quot; have continued their dreamy and fresh aesthetic, solidifying their place as a memorable fifth generation act.

RESCENE

The Muze Entertainment has announced that rookie girl group RESCENE will release their fourth mini album on November 3, 2026, almost a year after their last physical album project

RESCENE To Release Fourth Mini Album ‘PULSE’ in November

UNIS is an eight-member multinational project girl group under F&amp;F Entertainment, formed through the survival show Universe Ticket. The lineup consists of HyeonJu, Nana, Gehlee, Kotoko, Yunha, Elisia, Yoona, and Seowon. The group debuted in 2024 with &quot;SUPERWOMAN,&quot; carrying the survival-show narrative into a team built from Korean, Japanese, and Filipino members. That multinational makeup is central to UNIS&#x27;s identity, especially because the group gained attention from audiences following the members before debut. The fandom is known as EverAfter. UNIS is a current project group shaped by Universe Ticket, with its early identity driven by the lineup, multinational fan interest, and the survival-show story that introduced the members.

UNIS

Rookie girl group UNIS has announced the release of the digital single “Milky Way,” only two days prior to its release on September 23 – alongside their disbandment on September 26

UNIS Announces Final Digital Single “Milky Way” Before Contract Termination

THE BOYZ is an eleven-member boy group formed by Cre.Ker Entertainment (now an independent group), debuting in December 2017. The group gained significant attention for their performance abilities, particularly after their appearance on the Mnet competition show &quot;Road to Kingdom&quot; in 2020, where they won first place with theatrical, visually stunning stages that showcased their storytelling through dance. Their &quot;Road to Kingdom&quot; victory was a turning point, elevating THE BOYZ from a mid-tier group to one of the most respected performance-focused acts in K-pop. Songs like &quot;The Stealer,&quot; &quot;THRILL RIDE,&quot; and &quot;MAVERICK&quot; have highlighted their versatility. THE BOYZ&#x27;s fandom, THE B, has grown steadily, supporting the group through sold-out concerts and strong album sales. The group is widely regarded as having some of the best synchronized choreography and stage presence in the industry. On March 19, 2026, nine members of The Boyz filed for the termination of their exclusive contracts with One Hundred Label, citing issues including unpaid settlements and a breakdown of trust. The agency disputed the claims and rejected the termination, resulting in a legal dispute between the parties. As of April 23, 2026, the court ruled in favor of the nine members, granting the boys an injunction to end the validity of their contracts. The members who were involved are officially free from their ties with One Hundred Label, however the last member still remains as of right now. The group is currently continuing forward as an independent group, being one of the most successful of their peers to make such move.

THE BOYZ

Ahead of FREECHILD, his debut solo EP, KEVIN MOON walked us through the influences behind it and broke the tracklist down himself, track by track

Kurated & Track By Track: KEVIN MOON Breaks Down FREECHILD

LIGHTSUM (라잇썸) is a 6-member girl group signed to Cube Entertainment. On June 10, 2021, originally as eight, they released their debut single album &quot;Vanilla&quot;. An introduction video showcasing LIGHTSUM&#x27;s name and logo was posted on social media on April 15, 2021. It was revealed later that day that Cube Entertainment was quickening their arrangements to debut the group in the first half of the year.

LIGHTSUM

Five years post-debut and two years without a release, LIGHTSUM isn't repackaging or quietly fading out. Cube is publicly betting on a full reinvention in Japan's idol economy instead

RIIZE and aespa’s KARINA and WINTER Appointed as 2026 Seoul Tourism Ambassadors

SEVENTEEN’s JUN Announces First Chinese EP ‘9’

Exclusive

10cm on Scoring Horror for Junji Ito, and Finding Comfort in the Dark

Kurated: 10 Songs That Inspired TNX During “Die Another Day”

News

BTS Breaks Beyonce’s Annual Tour Record with World Tour ‘ARIRANG’

i-dle’s YUQI To Release Second EP ‘27’ Ahead of China Fan Concerts

SEVENTEEN’s JEONGHAN and JOSHUA Form New Sub-unit JxJ

HYBE Expands Annual CINE FEST Overseas in October 2026

i-dle’s YUQI Announces Solo Fan Concerts in China

RESCENE To Release Fourth Mini Album ‘PULSE’ in November

UNIS Announces Final Digital Single “Milky Way” Before Contract Termination

Kurated & Track By Track: KEVIN MOON Breaks Down FREECHILD

LIGHTSUM’s next chapter isn’t in K-pop. It’s in Japan

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