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Today is August 1, 2026, and we've got some incredible stories to share with you.

Let's dive right in.

Actor Park Bogum made a surprise appearance at singer Lee Songchul's special concert, delighting fans with an unexpected collaboration. The event, titled Your Life is a Never-Ending Story, Lee Song Chul, took place at Inspire Arena in Incheon as part of KBS's Chusok Holiday special programming. Park Bogum personally played the piano while performing I Love You So Much alongside Lee Sung Chul, a song that connected the two artists after Park starred in its music video. The concert, celebrating Lee Sung Chul's 40-year career milestone since his debut with the band Boo Wall in 1986, will be broadcast on KBS2 TV during the upcoming Two Sock Holiday period.

Catsai Kirk continues to dominate global music charts with their latest single, Animal, achieving impressive milestones across multiple platforms. The track entered the UK official singles chart at number 16, marking the group's second consecutive top 20 entry, following their previous hit Pinky Up. On Spotify, Animal reached number 9 on the weekly Top Song's Global Chart, and number 8 in the United States, surpassing their previous records. The song, co-written by British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran, features an upbeat rhythm and addictive hook, exploring themes of inner instinct. The group is set to release their third EP Wild on August 14th.

Girl Group Rommy 9 solidified their status as Summer Queens by claiming their second music show trophy with Vitamin ME. The group won first place on KBS2's Music Bank on July 31st, following their earlier victory on MBC M and MBC Everyone's Show Champion. During their acceptance speech, the members expressed gratitude to their fans and promised to continue showing new sides of themselves despite being in their ninth year as a group. The title track comes from their second full-length album, Glow Me, released after a three-year hiatus, and the group will kick off their 2026 Asia Tour Tomorrow Glow starting in Seoul this September.

Mimi debuted as the main rapper of the six-member girl group Oh My Girl in 2015, contributing to hits like Closer, Secret Garden, and Dolphin. Beyond music, she has maintained a strong presence on variety shows including Babang Bang Earth Arcade and Sixth Sense City Tour.

BTS member Jimin's solo track Who has reached a monumental 2,500 million streams on Spotify, setting a new personal record for the artist. The hip-hop and R ⁇ B track, which serves as the title song from his second solo album, Muse, has become the first of Jimin's solo releases to cross the 2.5 billion streaming threshold. The song achieved remarkable chart longevity, spending 33 weeks on Billboard's Hot 100 and surpassing size gangnam style record of 31 weeks. Who explores the bittersweet emotions of longing for someone never met, featuring Jimin's signature, captivating choreography, paired with dynamic group performances and acoustic guitar arrangements. The track also topped Spotify's 2025 Year End wrapped as the most streamed K-pop song and won K-pop Song of the Year at the 2025 iHeart Radio Music Awards.

BTS sparked global conversation after announcing their boycott of the Grammy Awards, with fans rallying behind the decision by streaming aliens to chart-topping positions. The group's fifth studio album track Aliens reached number one on iTunes Worldwide Top Songs chart for three consecutive days, marking an impressive reverse run four months after the album's release. The members declared they would not submit their work to the newly created Best Asian Pop Music Performance category, viewing it as segregation rather than recognition, stating they hope music will be loved for itself rather than being divided by region or language. Grammy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. quickly responded, clarifying the category was meant to provide a dedicated spotlight rather than exclusion, but the controversy intensified when BTS performance videos from 2021 and 2022 were removed from the Grammy website. Prominent figures including K-pop Demon Hunters, director Maggie Kang, and producer Mike Will made it, expressed support for the group's stance on social media.

Billboard recognized RISE as one of the most influential artists under 21 in their annual 21 under 21 list, making them the only K-pop boy group to receive the honor this year. The publication considers quantitative metrics including album sales, streaming numbers, social media exposure, radio and TV reach, along with overall cultural impact when compiling the prestigious list. Rice's debut album, Color Outside the Lines, peaked at number 15 on the Billboard 200, achieving the highest debut album ranking for a K-pop group excluding project teams. Their second mini album, Green Green, released in May, soared to number three on the same chart, while title track Redread has maintained a 13-week presence on both the Global 200 and Global Excluding US charts. Fellow K-pop acts Katseye and Girlset also made the list, with Kat's Eye earning the distinction for the second consecutive year.

Actress Kim Goyun took home the grand prize at the fifth Blue Dragon Series Awards, capping off an impressive year with three major projects. Kim competed against 24 works and numerous candidates to claim the top honor, having appeared in Netflix's Onjung An Sangyon, The Price of Confession, and T. Ving's Yumi Sells 3 within the eligibility period. In her acceptance speech, the 16-year veteran expressed that she has never taken working on projects for granted and approaches each role with desperation and responsibility. She thanks senior actors who mentored her throughout her career and pledged to become that kind of senior herself, asking the industry to continue providing opportunities as she works to keep audiences curious about her as an actress.

QWER showcased their musical range with representative tracks including Tears, Our Voyage, and Addiction to Worries, with member magenta's bass sound particularly standing out during the intro of Pioneer. The progression from third stage in their debut year to second stage the following year, and finally to mainstage this year demonstrates the band's growing presence in the Korean music scene. The group will launch their second touration rocket launch at Korea University's Huajong Gymnasium on September 12th and 13th before visiting nine Asian cities including Taipei, Fukuoka, Osaka, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Hong Kong, and Singapore.

That wraps up today's episode of K-Buzz.

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