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 October 23rd, 2026, and we've got some incredible stories to share with you.

Let's dive right in.

TWS is getting fans in the mood for their comeback with a very cozy twist. Pre-orders have just opened for the beside version of their second single album To Us, and it comes in the shape of a mood lamp that carries the message of the new release. The package also includes a single CD, a 48-page photo book, a circular booklet, six photo cards, and a hanging tag featuring a full-body photo of the members, so fans can feel the warmth of all six members right in their rooms. Pletus Entertainment, the Hive label home to the group, explained that the glowing lamp stands for youth that shines brightest even in confusing moments, while the double-sided cover reflects the mix of bright stage energy and quiet worries behind it. To Us arrives on November 2nd at 6 p.m. Korea time, and the group promises honest, relatable stories meant to offer courage and comfort to listeners their own age.

Actress Pak Bog is having a career moment that feels like winning the lottery, and she says so herself. Fresh off the teething drama The Lotto Winner Still Goes to Work, she plays department head Pak Hunsu, a no-nonsense working mum who earns her seat through sheer skill, never using her kids as an excuse. Park's own road was a winding one. After training at the Korea National University of Arts and starting on the Tehangnu stage, she stepped away from acting for nearly eight years to raise two children with her husband, actor Jinzhongyu. She found her way back through a two-day part in hospital playlist, then broke through in Lady Tua, which earned her Best Supporting Actress at the 5th Blue Dragon Series Awards, her first trophy in 23 years since debut. Looking ahead, she says steady work beats any jackpot, and her dream is to hear a writer say, I wrote this role with Pak Borgion in mind.

BTS member J Hope just proved his sneaker power because his collaboration with Japanese fashion icon Nigo and Nike, the Air Force One, sold out almost instantly around the world. Industry reports say the shoes disappeared in under 30 seconds at Nike Brazil and in about 5 minutes on the US Sneakers app after the global release on October 22nd, following a sellout in under 30 minutes on Nego's human-made online store a few days earlier. The retail price in Korea is 189,001, but on the resale platform StockX, the pair priced at $150 in the US is going for around $554, more than three times the original price. This is J-Hope's first sneaker collaboration and the opening release in Nego's Air Force One World Tour Series, featuring a glossy golden blue design based on the 2001 model, with a squirrel graphic and the words Nigo Air and J Hope Air on each shoe. Fans online are already posting their pickups, and one even spotted RM wearing a pair at the Buenos Aires show, while BTS continues the South American leg of their Aderang World Tour with two more nights in La Plata, Argentina before heading to Sao Paulo.

Son Tokku stars as Kim Sok, a sole detective, while Japanese actor Nagayama Eta plays Inose, a Tokyo police detective, and the two chase a string of serial murders that strike in both South Korea and Japan. The poster shows the clash between them, with Kim Sok drenched in sweat and Inose with blood splattered across his face. The trailer opens with a killing in Tokyo's Shinjuku district, and Kim Sok quickly realizes a similar case happened back home, with messages in both Korean and Japanese left at the scenes. Kim Sin Rok also appears as Lee Yoon-ok, a powerful figure in Japan's pachinko world, and the trailer promises fierce fistfights and a high-speed car chase set in Hong Kong.

The video was released back in September of 2023, and this marks the second time one of his solo music videos has crossed that mark, following 7, which has reached an impressive 600 million views. The 3D video is known for its stylish camera movements and sharp scene transitions, using stares and mirrors to express the feeling of missing someone. The RB pop track also made a global splash, debuting at number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and hitting number 1 on both the Billboard Global 200 and the Global Excluding US chart. Overall, Chongguk now has three solo music videos with over 100 million views, with Standing Next to You also topping 200 million.

Rockband Touched, made up of Che Do-hyun, Chun Bi Kim, Yunmin, and Kim Songbin, released their first full-length album titled Ku Kya on October 15th, and it is a surprisingly raw turn from their powerful stage image. The title refers to the polar night, when the sun never rises, and the band uses it as a metaphor for feelings like depression, loss, and loneliness that simply will not fade. In a recent interview, vocalist Yun Min opened up about the burnout and slump that inspired the project, explaining that the gap between the charismatic image on stage and how he really felt had become hard to bear. The members, who write and compose their own music, say they ended up fully backing his story, and Che Dohyon thanked their agency for supporting such a personal direction. Yunmin says the album did not make the darkness disappear, but it helped him accept it. And the band hopes the songs offer comfort to anyone living through their own long night, while they aim to keep making music for decades to come.

Good news for fans of Racine's Minami, because she is singing a drama-themed song all on her own for the very first time since debuting. Industry reports say Minami and singer Kim Tewan are joining the soundtrack for the series Merry Berry Love, with CJENM making the announcement on the 23rd. Minami takes on the episode 7 track Saranghebulena, a song about the fluttering, overwhelming feeling of falling in love, which also marks a turning point in the relationship between the characters played by Titang Up and Imada Myu. Kim Johan lends his voice to episode 6 with Pojitodoga, a delicate track about feelings that grow deeper the more time you spend with someone. The series is a romance between a man and a woman from different backgrounds and nationalities set on a mysterious Japanese island, and you can stream it on Disney.

Pop superstar Justin Bieber made a surprise trip to Korea, landing at Incheon International Airport in the early hours of October 23rd alongside his wife Hailey Bieber. It's his first visit in 13 years, since his 2013 concert here. Industry reports suggest he came for the sole pop-up store of his lifestyle brand Skylurk, which is set up in the trendy Xiong Sudong neighborhood after stops in Tokyo and New York. Shortly after arriving, Bieber posted on social media with the caption, Made It to Seoul, and a photo that looks like he took it himself. The brand, launched last July and known for interesting silhouettes and colour combinations instead of flashy logos, is already a hit with fashion fans, and on opening day, October 22nd, people lined up roughly 10 hours before the doors opened.

Actress Pak Bog is having a moment, and she says simply being able to keep working feels like winning the lottery. Fans know her from the Tu Ving drama Lotto First Place also Goes to Work, where she plays department head Pak Yun Suk, a no-nonsense working mom who earns respect purely through skill. Her own road was a long one, since she stepped away from acting for nearly eight years to raise two children with her husband, actor Tin Zonggyu. She came back through a two-day role on hospital playlist, and she says that day she realized she was still an actress at heart. Her comeback culminated with her first trophy in 23 years, a best supporting actress win at the Blue Dragon Series Awards for Lady Dua. And now she says her only wish is to keep working and one day hear that a role was written with her in mind, according to industry reports.

Girl group Recine is teasing its upcoming comeback with a dreamy new concept trailer. The Muse Entertainment released the roughly 40-second video on the group's YouTube channel on the 22nd, previewing their fourth mini album titled Pulse. In the clip, the members appear in pure white styling, while a pounding heartbeat sound builds curiosity about the new music. The concept casts them as delicate yet strong guardians, and industry reports say the agency is asking fans to guess who might be the person making those hearts race. Mark your calendars, because Pulse arrives on November 3rd at 6 in the evening Korea time.

Our featured song today is Drip by ITs, the pre-release track from their upcoming mini album Golden Hour Part 6. It's a confident, hard-hitting track built on a heavy trap rhythm, celebrating everything the group has achieved so far. Here's a preview.

During the meeting, the members shared how they used music to inspire fans to take part, and they even donated blood themselves. Tedros praised their example, calling blood a gift of life, and saying he is proud of the members for their dedication to saving lives. The campaign began in January, alongside the release of their seventh mini album, The Sin Vanish, in partnership with the Korean Red Cross, using donation buses in fan hubs and online events nationwide. The results were striking, with 7,730 people donating in just 10 days, including 1,031 first-time donors, which is 19 times higher than before.

The video pays homage to the Korean film Old Boy with a single-take hallway scene that echoes the movie's famous hammer fight, but it adds a comedic twist with props like a back scratcher, a traditional fan, and a Korean bamboo flute. The setting even tells a story, starting in a shabby elevator and ending in a penthouse, hinting at a new turning point for the group. Meanwhile, the title tracks Swim and Hooligan have each passed 100 million views, and the band continues its Adidang World Tour with shows in Sao Paulo on October 28th, 30th, and 31st.

Big news for fans of the boy group Flare You, because the group is heading out on its very first fan concert tour. Industry reports say the agency, FNC Entertainment, announced that the tour, called Where You're, kicks off with two shows at Changchong Gymnasium in Seoul on December 26th and 27th. The name carries a sweet promise, meaning the members will go wherever their fandom, called Yours, happens to be. This is also the group's first fan concert since debut, and the members plan to showcase a colourful lineup of stages built around their fresh, refreshing music and performances. A newly released poster shows the members against an orange sunset glow with a youthful, warm, and cozy mood, and the tour continues to Taipei on January 9th.

Sad news from the literary world. Japanese best-selling author Ru Murakami has passed away at the age of 74. Japan's public broadcaster NHK reported on the 23rd that he died at home on the 17th, and that a private funeral was held with family. His publisher, Gentocha Books, said it was deeply saddened by the sudden news and described him as a writer who was ahead of his time. Murakami debuted in 1976 while still a student at Musashinho Art University with the novel Almost Transparent Blue, which won both the Akhtagawa Prize and the Gunzor Prize for new writers. He went on to write works like Coinlocker Babies and Love and Fantasy Fascism, and he also worked as a stage director, sports reporter, talk show host, and painter.

Fans are clearly ready for Eilet's next move, as the group's fifth mini album, Break Even, has passed 500,000 pre-saves on Spotify and taken the number one spot on the platform's pre-save top 10. That puts it among the highest figures ever recorded for a K-pop girl group album, and the count has climbed by about 100,000 every six days since the release schedule was announced last month. The excitement is also building around the title track, Arrest Me, whose performance video from last week's Encore fan event in Korea has entered the YouTube daily trending music video charts in 13 countries and regions, including Korea, the United States, Japan, and the United Kingdom. A preview of the song also landed at number 5 on Instagram's Reels Trending Audio chart, helped along by a catchy whistle sound and a dance challenge where fans make finger guns. Industry reports say the second music video teaser drops on the 25th, with the full album and the title track music video arriving on the 26th at 6 in the evening Korean time.

In a statement released on October 23rd, his legal team admitted he picked up the bottle during a heated argument and said he deeply regrets losing his composure. They firmly denied, however, that he swung it at anyone or hit anyone with it, and also denied that he made any threats involving gangsters. According to the statement, the man who filed the complaint was a stranger who repeatedly asked to join Sungri's table in early August, and the two sides reportedly parted on friendly terms before the man later changed his attitude and filed the complaint. Meanwhile, a broadcaster released CCTV footage showing Singhri holding the bottle, and the complainant claims he was threatened, while police in Seoul's Kangnam district are investigating a special assault complaint. Singri's team says he will cooperate fully with the probe and left the final judgment to investigators and the courts.

Korean dramas are getting a big celebration in Japan, with the K Drama Festival 2026 coming to Tokyo on November 19th and 20th, then Osaka on November 24th and 25th. The event lets fans watch, listen, and talk about their favorite shows in one space, with highlight screenings, OST concerts, and guest talks. In Tokyo, singer Kay Will headlines the opening night with highlights from Descendants of the Sun and My Love from the Star style favourites like Beauty Inside, while the next day brings talks with Xinhua's Kim Dong Wan and the cast and crew behind Taxi Driver Season 3. Osaka's lineup features actor Yun Sang Hyun and the band Monday Kiz for Secret Garden and Princess Hours style nostalgia with Take Care of Me Miss, followed by highlights and guest talks tied to The Woman Who Swallowed the Sun and Thank You, with actors like Or Chang Sok joining in. Industry reports say some sessions will wrap with a special goodbye meeting, where guests greet fans in person, making this a sweet treat for Halu lovers in Japan.

Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise is about to add a very big honor to his shelf, as he has been chosen to receive the American Film Institute's Life Achievement Award. Industry reports say he is the 52nd recipient of the prize, which was created in 1973 and is considered one of the highest honors in American film. Past winners include Steven Spielberg, George Clooney, Denzel Washington, and Nicole Kidman, so he's joining some truly legendary company. The AFI board chair, Kathleen Kennedy, called him a global icon and a special ambassador who shows the world the power of American movies. And his films have earned around $13 billion worldwide, with hits like Top Gun, Minority Report, and the Mission Impossible series. The award ceremony will take place on April 24th next year at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood.

IT's is turning heads with the pre-release track Drip, which dropped on the 23rd at 1 in the afternoon from their upcoming mini album Golden Hour Part 6. The song blends the group's confident attitude with a heavy trap rhythm, and its message boldly reflects everything they've achieved so far. The music video is getting a hot response too, featuring a striking contrast of fire and ice, plus a huge group dance with lots of dancers filling a bright white space and a giant spiral structure. Industry reports note that the members sell the confidence with intense, charismatic expressions, which fits a group that has topped the Billboard 200 three times and played major festivals around the world. Fans can look forward to the full album arriving on November 13th at 2 in the afternoon, followed by the Zero-to-All world tour starting in Incheon next January and heading to Japan, Europe, North America, and South America.

Baby Monster is switching gears with a brand new ballad, and fans are in for a softer side of the group. According to industry reports, YG Entertainment says the group drops its new digital single, Deserve, at 1 in the afternoon Korean time today. The track is a pop ballad that blends lyrical synth melodies with a retro feel, and the lyrics look back on old memories while wishing happiness for someone special. It's a big change from their usual performance-driven songs as the members trade intense energy for a spotlight on their vocals. The group says this is a style they've never tried before and hopes it becomes an easy listen for the fall season. And they'll begin music show promotions tomorrow on NBC's Show Music Core while continuing their world tour.

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

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