BABYMONSTER to return with slow-tempo single 'DESERVE'

The Korea Times - Oct 14, 2026

K-pop powerhouse BABYMONSTER is back to capture hearts once again. The sensational girl group is set to drop a brand-new digital single, “DESERVE,” on Oct. 23, making a swift comeback just four months after their last release, agency YG Entertainment officially said Wednesday. “DESERVE” marks the group’s fifth heavily promoted track of an exceptionally busy and successful year. BABYMONSTER has dominated the airwaves throughout 2026, starting with its third EP, "CHOOM" — the Korean word for dance — alongside popular releases like “SUGAR HONEY ICE TEA” (released June 8), “I LIKE IT” and “MOON.” To kick off the countdown, YG unveiled an intriguing teaser poster across its official social media channels. Drenched in a moody black-and-white aesthetic, the image features the title “DESERVE” rendered in soft, blurred typography against a textured background resembling torn paper. This distinctly vintage, raw visual direction offers a dramatic contrast to the dreamy, ethereal tone of their earlier teasers, instantly sparking fan speculation about the new concept. Ad

Read full article

More News

Korean filmmaker July Jung awarded French cultural honor

Korean filmmaker July Jung awarded French cultural honor

Korean director July Jung, whose works have been invited to the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, has received a French cultural order, the French Embassy in Korea said Wednesday. Jung was awarded the Chevalier of France's Order of Arts and Letters in a French Night ceremony held in the southeastern city of Busan last week, according to the embassy. The Chevalier is one of three grades that comprise the Order of Arts and Letters, alongside the Commandeur and the Officier. Jung, who made her directorial feature debut through "A Girl at My Door" (2014), has also helmed "Next Sohee" (2022) and "Dora" (2026). All three features were screened at Cannes. Her latest feature, "Dora," is a film co-produced by Korea, France and Luxembourg. Jung said she was initially unsure whether she was eligible to receive the honor, but she then remembered the support she received from the French audiences she had met across the French cities of Paris, Cannes and Strasbourg. "Thanks to their encouragement, I once again realized the power of cinema, in which the lives portrayed in a film could become our own stor

KATSEYE drops 'Unloveu,' co-written by member Lara

KATSEYE drops 'Unloveu,' co-written by member Lara

Global girl group KATSEYE made headlines Wednesday with the digital release of their new single “Unloveu.” Co-written by group member Lara, the track was previously available exclusively as a hidden bonus track on the physical limited-edition release of their third EP, "WILD." Lyrically, “Unloveu” captures the delicate, quiet moment of finally letting go of someone after a breakup. It traces the gradual emotional shifting when a once-overwhelming connection softly fades into the distance. Musically, the track marks a captivating departure from the high-energy, dance-driven anthems that define the rest of "WILD." Instead, it leans into restrained, intimate vocals and intricately layered harmonies, anchored by a hypnotic title phrase repeated like a soulful chant throughout. Lara crafted the song alongside acclaimed hitmaker Ross Golan — who has written for Maroon 5 and Justin Bieber — and Grammy-winning songwriter Amy Allen, best known for her chart-topping work with Sabrina Carpenter. Accompanying the drop, a sleek black-and-white visualizer was unveiled on the HYBE LABELS Yo

7 years since Sulli's death: From child actor to f(x) and 'Dear Jinri'

7 years since Sulli's death: From child actor to f(x) and 'Dear Jinri'

Seven years have passed since the death of Sulli, an actor and former member of K-pop girl group f(x) whose real name was Choi Jin-ri. Having debuted as a child actor before building a career as both a singer and actor, Sulli was widely loved by the public. Years after her death, she continues to be remembered through her work and records of her life. Sulli was found dead at her home in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, on Oct. 14, 2019. She was 25. Her manager found her and called the police after going to her home when he was unable to reach her following a phone conversation with her the previous day. Police investigated the circumstances of her death, including conducting an autopsy, and found no evidence of foul play. Sulli had reportedly taken part in an advertisement shoot until the day before her death and was scheduled to film a television program on the day she died. The sudden news sent shock waves through the entertainment industry and prompted an outpouring of tributes from the public. Born in 1994, Sulli began her acting career in the 2005 SBS drama "Ballad of Seodong." In 2009

MMA2026 brings 26 K-pop acts to Gocheok Sky Dome for 2-night spectacle

MMA2026 brings 26 K-pop acts to Gocheok Sky Dome for 2-night spectacle

The Melon Music Awards (MMA) is turning up the volume for its 18th edition, bringing 26 K-pop acts to Seoul for a two-night celebration of chart-topping hits, reunions and rising stars in November. MMA2026 will take place Nov. 14 and 15 at Gocheok Sky Dome, with KakaoBank serving as title sponsor, Melon announced Wednesday, completing a lineup that spans established groups and emerging performers. The final 11 additions include I.O.I, aespa, IVE, Dragon Pony, KiiiKiii, CORTIS, IDID, hrtz.wav, AEN, TUIDE and HANA, joining 15 acts announced earlier. The first night, Nov. 14, will feature 14 acts, including I.O.I, returning to the stage after a reunion that comes about nine years after the group's previous activities, alongside aespa and Japanese girl group HANA. Other performers scheduled for the opening night include NCT DREAM, ATEEZ, YENA, RIIZE, TWS, RESCENE, Hearts2Hearts, Dragon Pony, IDID, AEN and TUIDE. The second night, Nov. 15, will feature 12 acts, including IVE, KiiiKiii, CORTIS and hrtz.wav, alongside NCT 127, PLAVE, 82MAJOR, NCT WISH, ILLIT, ALPHA DRIVE ONE, LNGSHOT and AND2BLE

BTS' 'ARIRANG' hits 5 bil. Spotify streams, topping 2026 releases

BTS' 'ARIRANG' hits 5 bil. Spotify streams, topping 2026 releases

K-pop supergroup BTS' fifth studio album, "ARIRANG," has surpassed 5 billion streams on Spotify, the group's label, BigHit Music, said Wednesday. This marks the most streams among albums released this year, registering 2 billion more than the runner-up, Olivia Rodrigo's third studio album, "You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love." The streaming figures for "ARIRANG" outpaced the latest albums from global pop stars Bruno Mars and Harry Styles, which collected about 1 billion and 2 billion streams, respectively. "Swim," the lead track off "ARIRANG," is approaching 1 billion streams, while all 14 tracks on the album have surpassed 200 million streams. Notably, "No. 29," which features only the mysterious tolling of the Sacred Bell of King Seongdeok of the ancient Korean kingdom of Silla (57 B.C.-A.D. 935), has also reached 200 million streams. "ARIRANG" has attracted major attention for being the first full-group project from the global K-pop sensation in nearly four years, released after all its members completed their mandatory military service and reunited. It surpassed 110 million st

Hong Kong MTR trains skip Lam Tin station after smoke reported on platform

Hong Kong MTR trains skip Lam Tin station after smoke reported on platform

MTR Corporation trains on the Kwun Tong line are skipping Lam Tin station after equipment on a platform emitted smoke on Wednesday morning. The railway operator said it was providing free shuttle buses to Yau Tong, while KMB said it would increase services on routes 600, 601, 619 and 690, which link Kwun Tong district with Hong Kong Island. This was the second service disruption on the Kwun Tong line in around 15 hours. A trackside fire near Lam Tin station on Tuesday night halted train...

Does Hong Kong’s economy serve the people or profit?

Does Hong Kong’s economy serve the people or profit?

China has lifted nearly 800 million people out of extreme poverty, arguably the greatest achievement in poverty reduction in human history. Even so, no mainland Chinese economist has won the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences. Across the Pacific, the United States has produced about 75 per cent of Nobel economics laureates, even as its economy staggers under mounting public debt, chronic fiscal deficits, and recurring financial crises and government shutdowns. Of the 99 economics laureates ever...

Why did Hong Kong’s 11 Skies fail and can the megaproject be rescued?

Why did Hong Kong’s 11 Skies fail and can the megaproject be rescued?

The roar of plane engines and the hustle and bustle at Hong Kong International Airport’s Terminal 2 present a stark contrast to the pin-drop silence at the adjacent 11 Skies commercial complex. A South China Morning Post reporter who travelled between the two places in early October found minimal footfall at the shopping centre, with the bright and airy environment of the airport terminal replaced by dim, stuffy and boarded-up corridors, and poor air conditioning amid the simmering outdoor...

Public comments flood US government websites over proposed H-1B, OPT fee hikes

Public comments flood US government websites over proposed H-1B, OPT fee hikes

Kana Liu, a Chinese Canadian living in the US on a work visa, felt compelled to speak up. Faced with a Department of Homeland Security proposal to charge up to US$100,000 in fees for international students to work in the US after graduation under Optional Practical Training (OPT), she rushed to the government’s public comment portal. “I firmly oppose the proposed $70,000 initial OPT fee and $30,000 subsequent fee,” she wrote on the federal comment site on October 12. “They create undue barriers...

Trump’s ‘golden age’ push hands top science honours to big tech. Will it work?

Trump’s ‘golden age’ push hands top science honours to big tech. Will it work?

The White House’s bid for a US “golden age” of science should put China on alert, Chinese analysts have warned, but they remain sceptical as to whether President Donald Trump’s alliance with Silicon Valley billionaires can pull it off. This comes as Trump, in another arguably unconventional move, handed the country’s highest science and engineering awards to top American tech bosses. Elon Musk, head of electric-vehicle maker Tesla and aerospace manufacturer SpaceX, received the National Medal of...

Trump press secretary Katie Zacharia says she passed bar exam in China, raising eyebrows

Trump press secretary Katie Zacharia says she passed bar exam in China, raising eyebrows

Katie Zacharia, US President Donald Trump’s newly appointed White House press secretary, faces questions about her legal credentials after telling reporters on Tuesday that she passed a bar exam “when I moved to China”, without identifying the jurisdiction. Zacharia, who has repeatedly described herself as a lawyer, made the remark after her first official White House press briefing. According to her LinkedIn profile, she worked as an associate at Zhong Lun Law Firm, one of China’s largest, in...

Recommended

Asia Viral News

Asia Viral News features the latest and most trending news from Asia. Get ready to immerse yourself in the daily engaging topics with share-worthy news only in Asia Viral News.

ABOUT US
Newsletter

Copyright © 2015 - 2026 Asia Viral News. All Rights Reserved.