Category: K-Wave

A premium, Korean-inspired chicken brand has set up shop inside the US Open tennis tournament grounds in New York, catching plenty of attention. Located at Arthur Ashe Stadium, the brand serves six pieces of chicken nuggets topped with caviar for $100 — roughly ₩130,000 in Korean currency.

The brand is a fine-dining chicken concept from a chef who also runs an upscale Korean restaurant in New York. Since opening in early 2024, it's drawn attention for its unconventional pairing of caviar and champagne with chicken nuggets. The restaurant's striking interior has also turned heads since it first opened.

Nicknamed the 'golden chicken box,' the dish was a hit at last year's tournament too, with celebrities lining up for photos at the stand. The chef behind the brand told one outlet at the time that crowds got so large that on-site security actually asked the team to tone down the promotion.

This year, in addition to the existing stadium location, the brand opened a dedicated booth in the tournament's food village. There, it's serving two chicken sandwiches found nowhere else at the event — including a spicy version — alongside sides like fries and mac and cheese. Local outlets reported that while some fans praised the taste, others balked at the price.

The brand isn't alone in turning heads at this year's food court — several noted chefs have rolled out unusual offerings, from spicy chicken sandwiches to wagyu skewers and Mexican tacos.

Actress Ji Ye-eun and Vata, leader of the dance crew WeDamBoyz, are getting married by the end of the year. Their agencies, CP Entertainment and Aira, each confirmed the news in statements released Tuesday. The ceremony will take place in Seoul on December 12, deep in winter, though the venue remains under wraps.

Both born in 1994, the couple met through church activities and grew close before their relationship blossomed. They reportedly started dating last year and confirmed the romance publicly in April. Since then, they've kept things anything but secret, sharing glimpses of their bond across social media and broadcast appearances.

Ji Ye-eun launched her acting career in 2017 with a web drama, then built her name through a sketch-comedy show before landing regular slots on several variety programs. More recently, she's branched into a project group with fellow broadcasters, staying busy across multiple fields.

Vata leads his dance crew and has choreographed a string of hit tracks. He first became widely known after finishing runner-up on a survival competition show in 2022, and has since choreographed stages for some of Korea's top-tier artists — including the project group Ji Ye-eun is part of.

A dance move ATEEZ member San performed at a soccer match has snowballed into an unexpected racism controversy. San served as a ceremonial first-kicker at a match on August 9, showing up in a team jersey and running through part of his group's hit-song choreography for the cameras. The short clip instantly kicked off a copycat challenge online, drawing fans and influencers from multiple countries — including a Japanese YouTuber who tracked down a matching jersey to recreate the moves.

The trouble started when that YouTuber, mid-routine, suddenly reached up with both hands and pulled the corners of his eyes outward. The gesture is a long-recognized racist trope in the West, used to caricature and mock East Asian eye shapes. As the clip spread rapidly across domestic and international communities and social media, it drew both confusion and sharp criticism — made sharper by the fact that the person doing it was himself East Asian.

As the backlash intensified, the YouTuber quickly deleted the video. But rather than issuing a direct apology, he posted a new English-language clip claiming his eyes simply look that way when he wakes up in the morning — a move that only fanned the controversy further. He later went live on YouTube in what appeared to be an attempt at damage control, but the only people he addressed by name were a well-known soccer star and another globally famous YouTuber. San and the controversy itself went unmentioned.

The YouTuber, born in 2007, is a major influencer with a combined audience in the millions across platforms. He drew attention back in June, during the soccer World Cup, when cameras caught him in tears in the stands after his national team's elimination — a moment that led to a meet-up with the world's most-subscribed YouTuber and a ticket to the final. He'd already drawn some criticism during the tournament, however, over posts that appeared to target a specific player.

Meanwhile, San's group is riding a wave of global momentum: the title track off their summer mini album climbed domestic music charts, and the album itself hit No. 1 on the US Billboard 200. The controversy has drawn extra attention precisely because it grew out of the dance-challenge craze fueled by that popularity.

Entertech startup Galaxy Corporation has opened a robot-dedicated entertainment complex in Seoul's Gangdong District as it pushes ahead with an aggressive expansion. At a press event on August 21, several humanoid robots performed crisp, synchronized choreography set to popular Korean songs, and a taekwondo demonstration team joined the robots on stage for a routine of kicks and forms.

CEO Choi Yong-ho outlined a vision of using robots to overcome the physical limits of the live-performance industry. He noted that K-pop artists' world tours typically cover around 30 countries, whereas robots — free of fatigue or travel constraints — could bring shows to markets that have never hosted a concert before. Building on that idea, the company plans to debut its robot idols in the first half of 2027 and begin a phased international tour in the second half of the year.

Behind the choreography is Galaxy Corporation's own robot operating system. A single operator can control multiple robots at once, with plans to scale that up to dozens and eventually as many as 100. The company said choreography data is drawn from publicly available videos, with robots refining their movements through repeated practice. Rather than focusing on hardware manufacturing, Galaxy Corporation says its long-term goal is to become an operating-system provider compatible with robots from multiple manufacturers.

The company also laid out a broader expansion roadmap. It plans to open a second robot exhibition space in Dubai, UAE, by the end of the year, and will unveil a new robot modeled on CEO Choi's own face in New York next month. Founded in 2019, Galaxy Corporation has raised dozens of funding rounds and grown into a unicorn valued at roughly 1 trillion won (~$725 million); its roster of managed talent includes a number of singers and actors.

Still, features that would involve handling personal data — such as robots recognizing repeat visitors and tailoring interactions to them — don't yet have a rollout date. The company said that even though the technology is feasible, it intends to move carefully until adequate consent procedures and data-management systems are in place.

"D-War," a sci-fi fantasy film built around Korea's imugi legend — giant serpents that must fulfill certain conditions to become full dragons — restaged that battle in an American setting, and it's now enjoying an unexpected second wind after landing on Netflix earlier this month. At its 2007 release, critics and audiences split sharply over its production quality and CG work, and domestic ticket sales are recorded anywhere from 7.8 million to 8.4 million admissions depending on the source. The film reportedly cost around 30 billion won (about $22 million) to make.

Since its Netflix re-release, "D-War" has climbed as high as No. 6 globally on film-ranking trackers and entered the top 10 in 20 countries, hitting No. 2 in Germany, France, and Italy. Harsh reviews of its production quality persist, but plenty of overseas viewers say they're enjoying it on its own terms as a sci-fi romp, unburdened by the baggage of its original release.

The film's closing-credits use of "Arirang," Korea's best-known folk song, is getting renewed attention too. Back in 2007, it drew criticism as a nationalistic marketing gimmick. Shim has recently pointed to a different reception now, drawing a comparison to the cheers BTS gets performing Arirang on overseas stages, as evidence that attitudes toward the song abroad have shifted.

Sequel news is moving fast, if a little inconsistently. In an August 18 video, Shim said the follow-up would arrive in two years; a day later, he said production had wrapped and a game version was also on the way, adding that global distribution would be handled by a major overseas distributor rather than the domestic distributors that typically handle his films. That timeline sits awkwardly next to an August 14 interview, in which he said the script and financing were essentially locked but casting was still ongoing, with a production announcement planned before year's end and filming targeted to start early next year. Under that plan, about 80% of shooting would take place in the U.S., with the rest split among Korea, Europe, and China — and Hollywood actor Jack Black is reportedly the top choice for a lead role.

The Grammys — the most prestigious awards show in American pop music — are in hot water over a category they created themselves. It goes back to June, when the Recording Academy unveiled plans for a new category that would lump together music from Korea, China, Japan and elsewhere in Asia. Instead of applause, the announcement drew pushback from Asian music industries and fans alike, who suspected the real goal was to quietly steer artists with major global reach out of the running for top prizes like Album of the Year and Record of the Year.

The backlash hit a breaking point with BTS. Every member posted on their own social media saying they wouldn't submit new music to this year's ceremony, arguing that music should be judged on its own merits — not sorted by region or language. The move stung, given that the group's fifth studio album, released in March, had raised hopes the band might finally clear the Grammy hurdle it's never gotten past.

As pressure mounted, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. responded on August 14. He said conversations with various stakeholders confirmed that some artists felt the new category didn't fully capture their work. He also noted that with more than 100 award categories already on the books, the Academy would revisit how — and whether — to roll out the new one.

The Academy is now in talks with BTS's label and music industry figures across Korea, Japan, China and elsewhere in Asia to hash out a path forward. But with the submission deadline for the next ceremony landing on August 21, it's unclear whether the category will be scrapped outright or just get a new name and clearer rules.

In June, the Recording Academy announced plans for a new award category spotlighting Asian pop music — a lane for songs made in Korean, Japanese, Chinese and other Asian languages, meant to cover K-pop, J-pop and C-pop under one umbrella. But the announcement immediately drew pushback from parts of the music industry, with critics arguing it could box in K-pop, now a genuinely global force, and edge it further away from the marquee races like Album, Record and Song of the Year.

Against that backdrop, BTS said it would sit out this awards cycle with its first new album since its third full-length release. The group didn't spell out its reasoning in detail, saying only that it hopes its music is judged on its own terms rather than boxed in by region or language. Still, the timing led many inside and outside the industry to read the move as a direct response to the new Asian category.

As the controversy simmered, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. addressed it in a recent public statement, saying he's aware that some creators feel the new category doesn't match how they see their own music. Mason, a musician himself, said he takes that feedback seriously and noted that with more than 100 categories now on the books, this is a chance to take a fresh look at how the Academy structures its awards.

Academy staff have reportedly been meeting in recent weeks with artists, labels and management teams representing K-pop, J-pop, C-pop and Indian pop music. Outlets report the Academy is also weighing whether to convene its full board and its nominations committee to revisit how the new category was designed in the first place. The next ceremony, covering work released between late August 2025 and late August 2026, is set for early next year, leaving open exactly when a final call on the category will land.

PD Na Young-seok is trading his familiar travel-show turf for the mountains this time. His new Netflix collaboration, 'Why Hike?', co-directed with PD Park Hyun-yong, follows four cast members who have little to no history with hiking as they're pushed onto winter peaks. The two directors reportedly started out developing a game-themed show, but after meeting the cast and clocking their stamina — and potential for chaos — they pivoted the whole concept to mountain climbing.

The lineup includes singer-songwriter Car, the garden; band drummer Doeun; actor Lee Chae-min; and Tarzan, of the group ALL DAY PROJECT. Several cast members reportedly signed on thinking it was a standard travel show, only to learn later that 'travel' actually meant a winter mountain trek — a reveal that apparently left them stunned.

Filming kicked off on Seoraksan in Gangwon Province, then moved on to Taebaeksan and Hallasan. During the Seoraksan leg, the wind chill reportedly plunged to -27.5°C (roughly -17.5°F), and the brutal cold visibly wore down the cast's stamina.

The production team says it prioritized capturing raw complaints and moments of cast members looking out for one another over staged tears at the summit. Instead of the triumphant sunrise shots typical of hiking shows, the standout moments reportedly come from cast members too exhausted to even register the scenery — which apparently became a comedic highlight in itself.

Over the course of the trek, the four naturally settled into distinct roles: one handling gear and supplies, one in charge of transportation, one mediating between crew and cast, and one acting as the group's de facto spokesperson. The clashing personalities and stamina levels — and how their dynamic shifts as a result — are pitched as another draw of the show.

As chatter over BLACKPINK's 10th-anniversary event continued, Lisa gave fans a lighter update via her personal social media. In a post dated Aug. 11 Korea time, she shared a short caption about recharging in nature, along with a string of photos.

The pictures showed her at Red Rock Canyon's red rock formations near Las Vegas, and on a boat at Lake Powell. Shots included her leaning against a sunlit car window and sitting at the bow of a boat, legs tucked in — scenes of her taking it easy out in the wilderness.

The timing drew extra attention because it came right after backlash over BLACKPINK's 10th-anniversary celebration. The group debuted in 2016, making Aug. 8 of this year its official 10th anniversary. The event itself was held at the National Museum of Korea in Seoul's Yongsan-gu district. But with the announcement going out just two days in advance and the guest list capped at roughly 40 fans, many in the fandom said they felt overlooked.

As the backlash grew, member Jisoo apologized publicly, saying she understood how significant the milestone was but acknowledged the communication around it fell short. Against that backdrop, Lisa's travel photos became a talking point among fans curious about how members spend their downtime between group activities.

Separately, Lisa has a track record of giving back — in June, she donated all proceeds from a flea market event to a children's rights organization, with the funds reportedly going toward water and sanitation projects in Niger.

Netflix has reportedly shut down the US spinoff it had been developing off the back of 'Squid Game.' The project, known internally by the working title 'Heckler,' had been in the works for several years before the streamer decided not to move forward, according to trade reports.

The spinoff was set to be directed by David Fincher, the filmmaker behind 'Fight Club,' 'Zodiac' and 'Gone Girl,' with the script written by Dennis Kelly, known for the series 'Utopia.' While conceived as a US production, reports had suggested filming could actually begin in the UK before the end of the year.

The moment that stoked the most speculation came in last year's Season 3 finale, when Lee Byung-hun's Front Man character watches actress Cate Blanchett playing ddakji, a Korean paper-tossing game, in an alley in Los Angeles. The show's creator was quick to clarify the scene wasn't a direct tie-in to the spinoff, and it was never confirmed that Blanchett was actually attached to 'Heckler.' She has only said that a return to the franchise remains a possibility.

Behind the cancellation is a series of leadership changes at Netflix that reshuffled the company's franchise priorities. Fincher himself has reportedly been tied up with a separate project starring Brad Pitt, further sapping the spinoff's momentum. Netflix is said to be leaning toward country-specific versions rather than one English-language US spinoff, though no regional follow-up is currently in active development.

'Squid Game,' led by Lee Jung-jae and Lee Byung-hun, remains one of Netflix's flagship hits, with Seasons 1 through 3 drawing cumulative viewership of 265.2 million, 192.6 million and 145.8 million respectively — among the strongest numbers ever for a non-English-language title. The show became the first Korean production to win at the Critics' Choice Awards in 2022 and picked up multiple Emmy wins that same year. Its creator is now developing a new crime drama centered on gambling.