Welcome to K-Buzz, your daily source for the latest Korean entertainment news.

We're your hosts bringing you all the hottest updates from the K-pop and K drama world.

Today is September 26th, 2026, and we've got some incredible stories to share with you.

Let's dive right in.

Lei Seraphim is proving their global staying power as their track, Made My Night, continues climbing the charts weeks after release. The song landed on Spotify's weekly top songs list across five markets, including Korea, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, and Taiwan for the tracking period of September 18th through 24th. The most impressive jump came right at home, where the track rocketed 30 spots from number 87 to number 57 in just one week, while Taiwan also saw an 11-spot improvement to number 46. Members Kimchewan, Sakura, Ho Yunjin, Kazuha, and Hong Yunchai are currently keeping busy with their Pure Flow tour across the United States, and Kazuha is also turning heads with her appearance on the Netflix Variety Show as a new staff member, proving Lei Serafim's momentum shows no signs of slowing down.

JYP Entertainment and founder Park Jin Young are making headlines across Mexico after their major charitable contribution landed on the front page of a leading Mexican newspaper. Through their global initiative called Every Dream Matters, JYP Entertainment partnered with World Vision Mexico and World Vision Korea to provide critical medical support for sick children in Mexico, donating a combined $550 million. One, which includes a personal contribution of 100 million, one from Park Jin Young himself. The Mexican press praised Park Jin Young as one of the most significant figures in K-pop history, highlighting his role as chief creative officer and his belief that helping others is one of the most meaningful purposes a person can pursue. Local television also covered Park Jin Young, visiting partner hospitals in person, where he described the donation as a way of returning the love that fans have given to him and his artists over the years. Since launching this medical support program back in 2020, JYP Entertainment has now helped over 4,000 children across 10 countries, with total contributions reaching more than 10 billion one.

Big news out of Japan's idol scene today, as former AKB48 member, Abe Maria has announced both her marriage and pregnancy in one heartfelt update. Taking to social media, the singer revealed she's tying the knot with a non-celebrity partner she's been seeing and shared that a new life has also arrived, calling the whole experience something that feels like a miracle. She expressed deep gratitude to her fans and colleagues for their constant support, promising to cherish this gift and continue bringing happiness to those who have stood by her. Abe Maria first made her mark as part of AKB 48's tenth generation before transitioning to TPE 48 and later AKB 48 Team TP, eventually graduating from the group following a Taiwan concert back in October of 2019. Fans have been flooding her page with congratulations, celebrating this joyful new chapter in her life after years of dedication to her idol career.

Legendary vocalist Lee Sung Chul is proving that 40 years into his career, he is still very much a current force, not just a nostalgic icon. His special Chusok holiday concert special on KBS, celebrating his 40th debut anniversary, actually topped the ratings in its time slot, beating out major sports broadcasts and other big competition. The special featured highlights from his August concert at Inchon's Inspire Arena, where he performed an incredible 26 songs over 150 minutes for 12,000 fans, backed by his full band, and a 30-piece string orchestra. Adding to the excitement, actor Park Bo Gum made a surprise appearance, joining Lee Sung Chul for a touching piano duet that bridged generations of fans. That broadcast buzz translated directly into ticket sales too, with his 40th anniversary tour, called The Voice, quickly climbing to the top of regional ticket charts the moment booking opened, and fans can catch the momentum continuing when he takes the stage at Seoul's KSPO Dome this coming December.

All of TUEID's members are set to attend, ready to greet baseball fans and pump up the energy in the stands. The group shared their excitement, saying they feel honored and thrilled for the opportunity and hope to send some positive energy to the players on the field. This baseball appearance comes on the heels of TUEID's debut last month when they released their first mini album, Tune and Play, featuring the title track Sunkiss, with all the album's songs charting on music platforms.

Rising Group AEN celebrated the Chuzok holiday with some festive and fun content for their fans. The seven members recently dropped a self-cam video for their track Focus on Me in its Korean version, and they did it in full traditional handbook, giving off relaxed vibes while still keeping that bright, playful AEN energy fans love. Moving between a traditional Hannock house and outdoor scenery, the members showed a totally different side of themselves, dancing freely and making silly faces that felt worlds away from their polished stage performances. They didn't stop there either, following it up with a Hambok choreography version of their debut title track X to Z Next to Me. Also in Korean, creating this really cool contrast between traditional dress and powerful modern choreography. Next to me.

Sad news from the Korean entertainment world as actor Choi Su Chong is mourning the loss of his mother during this year's Chusok holiday. Industry reports confirm that Choi's mother, the late Li Suk Kyung, passed away on September 25th at the age of 89, with her memorial set up at Yonsei University Severance Hospital's funeral hall in Seoul. Choi Su Jong and his wife, actress Ha Hira, are serving as chief mourners alongside their family. And for Ha Hira, this marks the loss of her mother-in-law. The funeral procession will take place on the morning of September 29th, with burial following at Rodan Park in Yonggin. Choi Su Jong and Ha Hira have been married since 1993 and share one son and one daughter together, and fans across Korea are sending their condolences to the family during this difficult time.

The seven-track album features the title song Obsessed with Youth, produced by longtime collaborator Lee Wu Min, along with tracks like Give Up the Ghost slash and You and Me in Arguments, with members contributing to the songwriting credits throughout. Impulse officially drops on October 12th at 6 in the evening, and the group will follow it up with their solo concert series, also called Impulse, running from November 13th through the 15th. It's shaping up to be an exciting season for ex-Dinery heroes as they continue to showcase their artistic growth, both musically and visually.

His agency, KQ Entertainment, quickly stepped in to clear things up, revealing that the woman was actually a brand representative helping San with errands during his Milan schedule, and pointing out that the complete footage actually shows both local security and his manager walking just behind them. So what looked like an intimate one on one moment was really just San out and about with his full team while attending a luxury fashion show in Italy. San himself seemed unfazed by the whole situation, continuing to share peaceful photos from his trip on social media, including one posted the same day the rumors broke, captioned with his love for things that never change. In the end, this Milan romance rumor turned out to be nothing more than a classic case of a photo taken out of context.

Tomorrow Buy Together is heading to one of America's biggest end-of-year music celebrations. iHeartRadio just dropped the lineup for their 2026 Jingle Ball Tour, and TXT is making history as first-time participants. Member Yon Jun is also getting his own moments in the spotlight, appearing on the bill as a solo artist alongside his group. Fans can catch TXT and Yonjoon's performances on December 11th in New York, December 13th in Boston, and December 14th in Washington, DC, sharing stages with major pop names like Olivia Rodrigo, Jonas Brothers, and Charlie Puth. This exciting news comes right as TX T gears up for their fifth world tour called Still the Wind, kicking off in Seoul this November before heading to Macau, where their shows have already sold out completely, proving their star power continues to soar internationally.

Singer Kim Hijai brought some serious charm to the airwaves this Tusyok holiday, appearing on NBC's special radio broadcast celebrating 30 years of a beloved charity program. He opened with an energetic performance of Follow Follow Me, winning over the audience with his relaxed stage presence and captivating vocals, which left hosts Muna Cheon-Sik and Zhu Hung Sun-Hi showering him with praise for his all-around talent in singing, hosting, and acting. Things took a fun turn when Kim revealed his surprising taste in celebrities, confessing he's always been drawn to strong, fierce comedians, naming Li Kyu Hung Sil, Zhou He Ryun, and Zhuang Sun-Hi herself as his longtime favorites. He even told Zhuang Sun Hee she looked stunning in person, prompting her to jokingly declare she'd buy anything he tried to sell her, creating a warm and playful atmosphere in the studio. Kim wrapped up the special with an emotional live rendition of Did You Wait For This Day from his third album, Reverb, proving once again why he continues to captivate fans across music, radio, and variety shows.

Two films that both dominated theaters earlier this year. Audiences are praising the film's strong performances and polished execution, especially given its basis in a real historical story. And with real-time reservations already showing it in the lead position for the weekend with over 22% of advanced bookings, it looks like this Chewth holiday belongs to Assassins. Until then, stay tuned to All Things Korean Entertainment, and we'll catch you tomorrow.